VIDEO COPILOT BLOG
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Catching Up

As we approach the new Video Copilot website update, great new tutorials are still coming out; like this one. We will be using a very simple method to create nice looking 3D text we can focus more on a nice design that will likely impress your friends AND the people who don’t really understand what it is, you say you do here.

View Sample Movie

We also have a new blog schedule that we will launch with the new site that keep you motivated on those long days at the office (PG-13) and keep you up-to-date in the magical world of magic.

64 RESPONSES TO "Catching Up"
allister
July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:21 am

Andrew – lovely stuff – just what im looking for for a project right now! cant wait for the tut!

July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:29 am

That looks visually amazing…looking forward to it andrew!!

July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:30 am

Great stuff. VERY much looking forward to it. By the time I finish getting through your first DVD of tutorials (amazing value for money btw) there will be a second tutorial DVD out and I can also get stuck into your other brilliant products.

tommie12P(Thorsten Miess)
July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:34 am

looks very very nice!
waiting for the tut…and also for the new VCP-Site (18 days left, right?)
how many YouTube videos do you watch per hour??

Brian Williams
July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:47 am

Very nice Andrew, that is a very nice animation and I see so many ways I can use it already. Can’t wait for the tutorial.

Nikolaus
July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:47 am

Hey Andrew,

look great. I cant wait until your new website will come up!

Nikolaus

Daryl Booth
July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:50 am

Cannot wait. Great work.

PS: Office Space… GREAT FILM!

July 2nd, 2008 @ 1:20 am

Wow! This looks just Frikking Great!!! Particle-Bliss!! :]

Paul
July 2nd, 2008 @ 1:22 am

Keeps getting better & better…

July 2nd, 2008 @ 2:07 am

What is you’r secret for the 3D text ?????

ömer tatlisoz
July 2nd, 2008 @ 3:49 am

very good…:)

Jorrit Schulte
July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:18 am

I have made a Preset For 3D Text and Shapes, i can upload it if Andrew Doesn’t mind…

July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:23 am

My quick little 15 minute attempt at creating the above scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QWMF08ibo

July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:34 am

Very Very Goog!!!! Great Andrew….

Jorrit Schulte
July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:42 am

Well Here Is my 3D Shapes preset:

Preset:
dl2.s27.mihd.net/6of1kixa/3d_shapes.rar

Video Demonstration:
dl1.s27.mihd.net/70exkz9n/3d_shapes_demonstration.rar

Matiass
July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:57 am

AK, do u use Nucleo Pro 2?
I want if u can tell us whis settins are best for faster previews,
Regards from Argentina.
Matiass.-

Morten Enoksen
July 2nd, 2008 @ 5:06 am

lol, I love the office=D

July 2nd, 2008 @ 5:33 am

Here is my 3D Text, and I know you are going to ask how I did it:
http://stayteen.org/staytv/clips.aspx?key=2AD4E774F5149A7F

And I am not talking about the text in the first couple seconds,
I am talking about when it says “Freedom”..

Believe it or not, all I used was Shatter!!! Hopefully this is what AK
did as well or I am wasting my time rendering it when there is some
magical faster way!

krentistthedentist
July 2nd, 2008 @ 5:58 am

I love The Office and Office Space… and Andrew helps me get through my days at the office where I work.

Loay
July 2nd, 2008 @ 6:12 am

WOW
Loved the end of passage ;)
As usual andrew, This is awesome

July 2nd, 2008 @ 6:31 am

I cant wait Andrew cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phill
July 2nd, 2008 @ 6:50 am

That is impressive :)

Eugene Opperman
July 2nd, 2008 @ 7:04 am

Just knowing a new tutorial is coming out on a particular day or the release of a new product keeps me at the office until late at night (given the time difference from South Africa to San Fransisco) The new blog is sure to make me bring my duvet to the office.

Thanks again or keeping it fresh and real!

Eugene
RSA

July 2nd, 2008 @ 7:46 am

Is that type all AE? I’ve been playing with ProAnimator. Have you done any tutorials that utilize ProAnimator?

Tim
July 2nd, 2008 @ 8:24 am

Well….no, my secretary does that… LOL!

That’s the greatest movie ever! Thanks, I needed that laugh.

July 2nd, 2008 @ 8:50 am

@jive.turkey Very nice my friend. I most def see talent shining through your work! Keep it steady.

5ive&2wo
July 2nd, 2008 @ 9:15 am

ahha ha ha. to catch an editor :)

July 2nd, 2008 @ 10:02 am

It’s not shatter… the problem with shatter is you can’t control it very well or move around the object without moving the camera, having a scene with multiple text instances would be tricky. My favorite method is Maltaannon’s shape extruder…

Mostly, I like real 3D text from 3D max, you can have reflections and beveled edges, that is the way to go. In the end, making your design look nice is the key.

Dustin James
July 2nd, 2008 @ 10:02 am

Office Space is actually rated R for language and brief sexuality.

Great movie though…

‘… that’s my stapler.’

Ethan
July 2nd, 2008 @ 10:18 am

Great, Sir !!! Cant wait !!!

July 2nd, 2008 @ 11:01 am

I actually just encountered my first practical use of the shatter feature in After effects. (aside from some motion graphics)

I’m doing a few VFX shots for a feature film, and it required me to create a pit fall effect in the terrain. I basically used the shatter feature on the ground layer (using the footage for color) and had it collapse in on itself.

I’ll post a link to the shot if anyone is interested.

Chris

David Young
July 2nd, 2008 @ 11:34 am

@Christopher Gruber
I would like to see it.

July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:15 pm

Hi,

Andrew, these extrude methods are awesome and effective, that said, what do you think of plug-ins like Zaxwerks Invigorator?

Thanks,
Derrick

July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:24 pm

Absolutely amazing!, now i could use it to my short-cut class project, hope you deliver it tomorrow because i have to deliver it on friday! :-(

Greetings from Santiago de Chile, the city with more than 7 pre-emergency’s of bad air conditions in 6 month’s.

Thanks,
Amit

July 2nd, 2008 @ 12:34 pm

They are ok. I find them very tedious and can work faster in 3D.

joris strickx
July 2nd, 2008 @ 1:00 pm

Another proof of the unlimitless possibility’s of after effects. Practicly everything is possible in here. It’s mostly finding the way to get it out of the program that’s the big problem but you’re doing a great job on that.

oli
July 2nd, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

too much youtube for andrew

Some Guy
July 2nd, 2008 @ 1:23 pm

I liked the old style in your previous post about 3D text more. Nevertheless it will sure be a good motion graphics tutorial. And the background in this one isn’t black. :)

VFX-Anomaly
July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:14 pm

Nice Andrew, I wonder if the next version (CS4) of after effects will have better 3D and 3D Text capabilities?

Lets all say a little prayer maybe it will happen :)

Leonard Koch
July 2nd, 2008 @ 4:59 pm

Hi
If you need good 3dtext azzap then you should definitely check out maltannons CE Shape extruder.
For most purposes it’s the best way to create 3dtext in AE.
Check his preset and tutorial out:
http://maltaannon.com/articles/after-effects/studying-ce-shapeextruder/

Ben
July 2nd, 2008 @ 6:44 pm

Looks nice,
I’m just trying to figure out how to get those rings with the warp.
Hey I got a tutorial idea!! can you do a tutorial on how to recreate the movie Wall-e?
Should not be that Hard…….
Pixar Slaughter

Smithy
July 2nd, 2008 @ 10:16 pm

hey andrew, will your new website, will it be html still or flash/xml based?

Babatunde Tunslike
July 2nd, 2008 @ 11:59 pm

Hi Community

Here we await another world of VideoCopilot, i once told my Wife that “Look, dont be susprise that Videocopilot may change in some months later” and when she saw the Blog, she’s like “Wao! you guys aint satisfied”.

Great Look, can someone help me out (Andrew), What stuff is used to generate that kind of light strikes, i mean i have always use particuliar, but seems complex in it tweakings…. Andrew, how did you achieved those small tinny light streaks round the 3D text, please i will appreciate if someone that has the idea reply to my post. or Andrew himself…

or Maybe i wait for the tutorial… but i have a commercial coming and like to used such effect.. help pls

July 3rd, 2008 @ 12:51 am

No zaxwerk plugin .. please i dont like this plugin !!!!

Omermintz
July 3rd, 2008 @ 4:56 am

love your tuts man! grate work

Sandy
July 3rd, 2008 @ 6:25 am

OMG, Its awesome, I wonder from where do u get these creative Ideas ?

Plz answer my question, Plz!!!!

Its looking very eye catchy. Superb Work.

thnx for the updates.

Sandy

5ive&2wo
July 3rd, 2008 @ 12:54 pm

To catch an editor sounds like a great documentary title. i would totally use it if i had a great story about an editor… which i dont heh. maybe a mockumentary?

July 3rd, 2008 @ 8:45 pm

Faking 3D in AE, either with native or third-party plugins, always seems to be a lot of work for results that are still inferior and inflexible compared to genuine 3D from a real 3D app. Cinema 4D in particular has such great integration with AE that I don’t know why more people don’t just make the investment in learning a real 3D package to supplement their motion graphics work, as opposed to devising all sorts of ingenious but shabbier-looking 2.5D trickery.

July 4th, 2008 @ 11:58 am

I agree Leah…

eye design
July 4th, 2008 @ 7:19 pm

Can’t Wait”

SunYulin
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:06 pm

WoW …
That’s very very cool!
like it
Great men

allister
July 10th, 2008 @ 11:32 pm

Hi Andrew when will this tutorial be up? and will you have a project file for this one?

July 16th, 2008 @ 8:35 am

very nick..waiting for the tut…

smail
July 17th, 2008 @ 4:17 pm

hi i m impatient to see your next tutorial so i just make a small video look a little bit like this video with different color ..pleas give me your opinion..(sorry for my bad English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WNE28qyL80

and here is the other color

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvdFOpsnF1I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujoz1hzaJy8

thanks from smail in morocco !!!

Jimmy
July 23rd, 2008 @ 12:49 am

So was the text just created in 3DS? I think this may be the most anticipated tutorial yet and I’m dying to know.

M.a. Farooqi
August 6th, 2008 @ 8:38 am

Adnrew…… this is not you.. there must be somebody else.. inside your!!! you’ve really GOD GIFTED mind!

can you plz tell me.. only 5 steps to get the best.. not specifically in sence of tools.. rather.. in whatever some body is going to develop creative..
excellent!

luv you

August 28th, 2008 @ 11:54 am

I cannot find the tutorial for this. WAs it removed or does it look different..(or am I just overlooking it)? Would REALLY REALLY love to see this one and check out the project file. Thank you.

.-╞MAH╡-.

kyndel382
December 9th, 2008 @ 7:34 pm

Eagerly waiting for this one!!!

Tracker
December 25th, 2008 @ 2:26 am

You are amazing Andrew!I “eat” your tutorials on a breakfast,lunch and dinner.Good and helpfull job.For me its a great hand of help.I wait your new tutorials.Bay the way:can you make an tutorial whit optimal settings for composition in AE?Best way to create a good project(including PAL).
Greetings from Romania.

Shams
January 27th, 2009 @ 9:32 am

Hi! Andrew Kramer you the best.I LEARN ALOT FROM YOU.
1.CAN YOU DESIGN LIVE STAG WITH SO MANY STAG LIGHTS,SO THAT WE CAN PRE TEND THAT WE PREFORM LIVE.
2CAN YOU VIST THIS WEB SIT AND COME UP WIHT YOU OWN DESIGN OR TUTORIALS. YOU MADE EVERY TUTORIALS SIMPLE.
LONG LIVE ANDREW
http://www.ayatoweb.com

hobbit
March 8th, 2009 @ 10:16 am

hi
I would love to see this tutorial
when will it be ready ???
thanks a lot

dan el
August 12th, 2009 @ 11:05 pm

hey andrew k. how are you..??i think that maybe its difficult to be you because you have a lot of fans and its very complex to satisfy them all.. but youre making a g reeeat job.. so i don’t have any.. concrete suggestions 4 tuts.. but i have a lot of freak ideas and maybe some day.. but i can’t wait the #100 tut..!! i know that comes and groundbracking tut… congratulations and keep going..!!

Navarro Parker
September 30th, 2009 @ 3:55 pm

Are you still planning to complete this tutorial? It seems like many of the techniques have been covered in other tutes.

Unless that 3D text is created in AE without plug-ins!

December 2nd, 2010 @ 9:29 am

Whoa, looks awesome. Have you released this??

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