137. Explosive Training
Advanced Tutorial Series
Feb 27, 2012
  • Tracking with Mocha and Magic Tracking Preset
  • Rotoscoping with Masks
  • Composite CG Train Elements in AE
  • Composite CG Explosions with Depth Matte
  • Composite Stock Footage from Action Essentials 2
  • Mesh Warp stock footage
  • Adding Glow, Optical Flares and Color Correction
  • Setup Train Car and combine meshes
  • Fragment Parts of Train
  • Add dents and damage to Train Car
  • Simulate explosion physics with Rayfire
  • Setup Lighting, Matte shadow & Rendering with Vray
  • Use Pflow to create flying debris particles from chunks
  • Create Particle System for simulation
  • Fume FX Simulation Settings
  • Adjusting Vorticity and Advection Stride
  • Setup Fume FX Shader and Gradient
  • Add Fume FX Lights with Shadows
  • Rendering and Color Correction & Glow in AE
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306 Responses to "Explosive Training!"
sahil Editor
05/15/2013
i Like This Vedio N Work
selvarajan
05/14/2013
The tutorial is amazing as usual but what is more amazing is Andrew forgot to pull Sam's leg
George
05/10/2013
This is not just a site for learners, it is for us all. What could we do without it.
pradeep16sharma@gmail.com
05/07/2013
video
Nagesh
05/07/2013
I started After effects with your tutorials ... n now... fume fx... this is a grt start...
subzero
05/01/2013
Thank you dude, I followed all of your clear, fantastic and awesome tutorials...what I want to say is that u make the impossible possible if someone like me can learn AE from 0!!Please dont stop!Regards from Italy
Sac
04/30/2013
Great site for the learners. Thank you sir for uploading such effective videos.
WTF
04/29/2013
unable to download the tutorials because of no resume capability.....
Diki Eka Kurnia
04/25/2013
Awesome!!! This site was make me the greatest master effects on my town LOL :D
Lucas Ferriera
04/18/2013
You must create a new section on "3D Models" called "Fume Fx" to use it on AE (:
Lahiru.N.Fernando
04/17/2013
its amazing......would love to add to sri lankan cinema
PouriyaKH
04/17/2013
NO Hollywood!!
NO Bollywood!!
JUST AKwood :D
nehuen
04/12/2013
Copado loco!
O.o
04/05/2013
im put the spacing to 0,0000000000001 and my computer explode, is as realistic that in I ended up in hospital
batu
04/04/2013
Anybody please help me on skype: mrbatutech

i need full beignner tutorial
Bekaiye J.P.
04/20/2013
checkout the bootcamp tutes by Andrew on this site. it'll pwetty much jumpstart you. Also, go thru the numerous tutes on the site, u'll have completed AE Andrew University then. Cheers
Zoel
04/18/2013
go to the basic tutorial as above
noufal
03/29/2013
thanks
Phil
03/29/2013
I have ab big problem: If I want to put the Corner-Pin_to-Null Preset on the Null-Object it says:

After Effects Warnung: Klasse 'Effect' hat keine Eigenschaft oder Methode mit dem Namen 'Layer'
Expression deaktiviert.

Fehler in Zeile2.
Komp.:'Train_Shot'
Ebene: 1('Null 1')
Eigenschaft: 'Position''Skalierung''Drehung'

Can somebody help me (I'm using Adobe After Effects CS6 64Bit)
paul
04/05/2013
Hi Phil i got the same problem with Corner Pin to Null.It gives me error message and cannot continue with the tutorial.Can anybody help?
Jan
04/05/2013
Hi Phil,

you are using the German version of AE, and in German the method "Layer" is called "Ebene". When you use tutorial material it will happen to you quite often that you have to rename English terms in scripts.
B.Naresh
03/29/2013
Thanks Look at me andre


hanna
03/28/2013
gooooooood!!!! master!!!!
Clarq Nwaya
03/28/2013
you have been a great inspiration for all the days of my life, back here in uganda my home country am to do great things from your great lessons full of creativity, i run speechless whenever its to say somthing about videocopilot. thanx so much, and may God reward you abandantly
Rukmini K
03/28/2013
Hi
Million thanks to Mr. Andrew. Excellent Trainer. I learned a lot from his tutorials.
Ignacio
03/28/2013
Thank you Andrew, you have made posible a new age in VFX, forever gratefull
Faris
03/24/2013
Hey Andrew! I have a cool suggestion that you may like :D how about making a series on superpowers... making it professional and stuff... like advanced flying, teleportation, telekinesis... stuff like that. hope you like the idea! :D (I'm no kid, just wondering... it would be awesome to know how to do stuff like that :D
Helgard
03/29/2013
That sounds like an awesome idea!
Pedro
03/24/2013
Andrew I just love your jokes, and I'm note booking all of them to say it to my clients when they are driving my brain crazy... I think your jokes work as a good repellent for clients, because after I tell one to them they say, "ok I go pick up a coffee came back in twenty"... So Andrew, thank you for all your tutorials, technically and "jokelly"....Best regards from Portugal
zander
03/22/2013
Is there a way to split the tanker model so that I can put the broken tanker on the wheels of the original one?

Thank you Andrew!
Max
03/22/2013
Thank you so much for making these awesome tutorials! It`s basically just like I`m a VFX addict and I see you as my dealer... So yeah...
VP
03/18/2013
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!! you are the best Andrew!!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/rov2004
Jimmy
03/17/2013
My computer really blew up by not stopping the simulation and adjusting the parameters.. :(
Sometimes I don't know when Andrew is joking or not.
I should start taking his jokes serious next time......
nuub
03/15/2013
Awesomeness seems to be the right word, but just overly used and does not seem to intake the great detail and coolness of the video. Thanks for the share.......
GwonYG
03/14/2013
Awesome~ Awesome~ Awesome~!!!!
okieglhopyfer
03/12/2013
not easy at all :(
Cyan Tarek, Bangladesh
03/12/2013
Good Luck AK, and Greetingz from Bangladesh

www.facebook.com/visualmirrorbd
www.visualmirrorbd.weebly.com
Bob
03/12/2013
This is an awesome effect and tutorial. Thanks Video CoPilot!
For everyone looking for a Cinema 4D alternative...

I'm working on a C4D tut on creating a CG explosion. I'll be using the Turbulence FD plugin rather than FumeFX to create the effect. I'll let you all know when it's ready!
Fame Little
03/11/2013
Great Tutorial just like all the rest, I was just wondering why don't you use more of 4D Cinema being that is for PC & Mac so we can follow the tutorials. Thanks again for the great tutorials.
Nagesh
05/07/2013
@Dylan... cant say they dont use cinema for vfx in the industry... things are changing preety fast...
Dylan
03/14/2013
Cinema 4D is a great tool for motion graphics, but it's not used in the industry all that much for VFX. I would imagine that's why.
AR
03/11/2013
ok thats what im talkin bout. u r the man hands down
barbat
03/11/2013
hello.
excuse me Mr Kramer.i cant download this tutorial.i rich to 75% and then stop!!!!
can you help me ,please.
i like it very much.
Fabian
03/10/2013
The BEST tutorial ever!!!!!!
giloz
03/10/2013
PLEASE HELP ME...every time i put this vraymtwrapper the ground goes all black when i render it shows me that the ground all black but when i compose it in AE i see no shadows but the image that was in the background in 3ds max in the ground :( please help
wNii
03/10/2013
Thank you Andrew!! You are the best!!! - Very very nice tutorial, even If I am not a native american I can understand EVERYTHING!.. Nice andrew!
Igor
03/10/2013
That guy should run away from the train instead of towards it.
Robin
03/10/2013
Hi I love all of your Tutorials and Products, but can you VIDEOCOPILOT do an Update on it, because it is so uhh... "Boring" I want more, if you understand...

-Robin Mikalsen-
Big fan of VIDEO COPILOT
Dino
03/10/2013
Hallo Andrew,excellent job and good presentation.I love to watch your tutorials.I work in Cinema 4d,and I can not make a good Tanker Destruction.I have one request for you,this tutorials make in cinema 4d please.
Thanks in advance.
Wahab
03/10/2013
Hello MR Andrew Kramer .i very very like u r tutorials .and u r my master .because without u r help i can't make good design . MR Kramer please tell me how can i meet u
Watapax
03/09/2013
You are the best teacher, explained the most complicated issues in the simplest possible way is priceless.

Thanks
Fred Castro
03/09/2013
Andrew Kramer should be crown a saint or angel or something! Always on point, and always clearifying hard things and making us all happy! You are right! Priceless!
Prince
03/09/2013
Thank You! AK
Best Teacher Best idea Best Tutorial~

Thank You Again.... ;)
Emre
03/09/2013
Hey Guys,
I make VFX Videos
Check out my "10 Ways to Die in Reallife"
amu
03/08/2013
Hi,my dear Mr Kramer.I'm chinese but I have watched many tutorials of yours.To be honest,I can't understand what you said completely?but I can see what you were doing.You are the man.you are handsome.well,hello everyone,I think I shoud exchange with you?so that I can progress quickly.my email address:982632988@qq.com happy everyday!!!(^-^)
Bosch232
03/10/2013
Here is a brief explanations of the steps:

1. Track plane in Mocha.
2. Go to first frame, click 'Align to Surface'.
3. Export to 'Corner Pin Only, RG Warp'.
4. AE -> Create new solid, name it 'Corner Pin Track'.
5. Go to first frame, paste tracking data to the new solid.
6. Create new Null Object.
7. Drag Ccorner Pin to Null preset onto the null object.
8. With the null layer active, go up to Effect Controls, Track Layer Pin. Pull down menu, set to 'Corner Pin Track'.
9. Shut off Corner Pin Track layer to hide the new solid.
10. Null Obj should move with the track now. Position it where inserted object will go.
11. Maybe unequal the Scale expression in the Null layer.
12. Bring in the insert. Parent it to the Null Object.
Giuseppe Sposito
03/08/2013
Thanx from Palermo, Italy. You're the best ;)
Giovan Alegre
03/08/2013
WTF your the best ANDREW
Matt Malik
03/08/2013
My 3DS Max starts with a ton of presets in the material editor and most other places that I do not want. I see Andrew's starting with just a clean slate - defaults. How can I make my program start like this?
Justine Juan
03/08/2013
Andrew U rock My World now i have an idea for a new Visual Effect for my Video Good Job Thnx for this amazing tutorial :)
Matthew Lucas
03/08/2013
Thank again Andrew,Love the details!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!!!
asad
03/08/2013
video
Leo
03/08/2013
Thank you so much for this man, you're my hero :)
rohid
03/08/2013
v good
Student
03/08/2013
That was way beyond awesome! You are the man, Andrew. Keep up the good work. :)
farid Haidari
03/07/2013
Dear Kramer You don't think so that the shrapnel which flies inside the explosion is too many.
mohammed
03/07/2013
we need more for 3d max plz
Ahmed
03/08/2013
Yes. I second you Mohammed. Please we need more awesome tutorials for 3d MAX.
Smicksus
03/07/2013
I used the metropolitan pack to place a skyscraper in my town!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KLkwJmOADo
Jack
03/07/2013
Train Simulator BITCH!
Grand-G
03/07/2013
j'aime beaucoup ce que vous faite
amod
03/07/2013
You`ve got it right anderw, this is what VFX stands for..
plus thank you andrew for the awesome video tutorial..
Gokul
03/07/2013
Does it make anu change to scene if it is rendered with mentalray instead of vray?
Troxilo
03/06/2013
Dear Mr Kramer,as a cinema 4d user,i ask you please.please and please do this explosion tutorial for C4D once! thank you man! you can make it but we need to learn! shame to Maxon society,they are always busy with body pant and boring mograph tuts....please Andrew! good luck man!
Ethwyn
03/06/2013
In light of the current situation of the VFX industry, I can only say that this tutorial fully illustrates what VFX artists have to go through to get a certain shot right.

VFX artists are the cinematographers of the new age, where we need to research real life elements, choose camera angles, recolor and relight the scene, put elements (props) to make a scene realistic. What happens behind the scenes where we do rotoscopy, BG preps, color/noise matching and such are often not seen and not appreciated by others.
KONGOJOLE
03/06/2013
Always your the Best for me Andrew. God Bless you for help. Its me kongojole From TANZANIA EAST AFRICA.
A.M. SERAJIYAN
03/06/2013
Wow Wow MyGod Thanks Andrew
Vahid kosari
03/06/2013
Thanks Thanks Andrew
murat
03/06/2013
fireball,take thank you.
Nitisha
03/06/2013
awsome.... :)
Help fuullllll....
:)
Naseer Ahmed Rind
03/06/2013
Awesome it is my need thanks Andrew
GreenScreen
03/06/2013
You've still got that great comic sense, Mr K. Best tutorial presenter on the Net! :)
med
03/06/2013
i wish that one day you do seminars all over the world to teach us your secrets in vfx and share with us your hollywoody experience with a lot of fans all over the world specially in middle east and north africa so give it a try.
Atul
03/05/2013
Why don't make the models in Maya :)
vipvar
03/08/2013
maya is just a tool like 3ds max. mental ray and vray is available for maya too. use concepts.
Marno
03/05/2013
I really really really really really really REALLY wish i was your neighbor
ultra
03/05/2013
don't know why each time i start a video in here it doesn't work and the download manager pops up asking me to download it any idea what am i doing wrong
Scott
03/05/2013
ok - lmao on the trip and I hope he's okay. Thanks for sharing all your talent.
omegus
03/05/2013
Yeah! C4D and Turbulence FD? :)
Bob
03/05/2013
for God's sake! some one could make a great pro tutorial about a huge explosion just like this fume fx project,in Cinema 4D and T4D plugin?????? please!!!!
George Laird
03/05/2013
like many who watch Andrew's tutorials, this is beyond superb work, I come here to see the bar continue being raised. So many people owe Andrew and his team so much, he made high production film making FX accessible to all.
Zinou
03/05/2013
You ARe The Best Andrew greatttttttt waork
Nicolai Willumsen
03/05/2013
Think you kinda forgot one thing. You should have brighten up the side of the original train tube when it all exploded, since the explosions are all lighten up, they should have smashed some light on the train tubes as well.
chandangfx
03/04/2013
please make the fire and tank destruction in cinema 4d that's how we the cinema 4d users can easily follow your fantastic tutorials
thanks anyway
kago
03/05/2013
At Nicolai.
C4D just like Max is just a tool. What matters is the artist. Have you seen technical breakdowns of an upcoming movie called The last Cause? Plus in Max they use Mental Ray and V-ray like in this tut. V-ray and Mental ray are also available for C4D. I plan on erasing the myth of my tool of choice. C4D.
Bob
03/05/2013
Problem is that there is not a single high end tutorial about explosion by C4D in web....this is a shame
kago
03/05/2013
Yes. It will be good to have to once not try to look for another software or fail many times with the software you use when you can get help. but if there isn't enough help, just see if you can improvise. That is how I learnt C4D. There were not enough tuts when i started. I would be lucky if a tut I needed was featured on a book. back then I had no internet connection. Just paying people with internet to get free tuts for me.

But please Andrew, sometimes remember us.
Nicolai
03/05/2013
Cinema 4D is for graphical 3d design. Text and stuff. You don't have the great photorealistic renders in C4D.

3DS Max is for advanced editing with visual effects with good rendering.
Christopher Kechichian
03/04/2013
YOU ARE A GENIUS !
Ismael
03/04/2013
I have a question... How can i download or purchase autodesk 3ds?? i am really interested ;) :OOOO
Lokendra kumar
03/05/2013
you have open this website
http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/
after u can buy Whatever You want....
james mcbride
03/04/2013
well, here's my version, different than the tutorial, not nearly as good as Herr Kramer's but not too bad when you consider I've only been doing AE for 4 months!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUQrkPHDIy8&feature;=youtu.be
Jackson Welch
03/04/2013
Andrew, you are a saint, I love you!!!!
saatvik
03/04/2013
I'm not getting the fumeFX option.
nyasamish
03/04/2013
ineed some one to provive me more tutorials through my e-mail address are you the one? please help (nyasa.mish@yahoo.com)
Mj
03/04/2013
Why didn't you render the explosion with the tanker destruction? Then the fire would interact with the tanker and give a more natural explosion. It's going to be harder but it's worth it.
Mackenzie Criswell
03/06/2013
Correct me if I'm wrong Andrew
But if you were to render out explosions and the tanker destruction in the same comp you would not have near the compositing power. For example we all know that FumeFX renders, more times than not look like shit. So they have to have quite a few color correction fx and other fx applied to them to make them look good. Now if you tried to color correct the explosion you would also have to color correct the tanker which would ruin the shot.
If you wanted more depth to the tanker explosion you could just put some lights on the ground and have them burst a little bit of light when the tanker hits the ground that way you could have some interesting light reactions in your 3d scene, but still have the full compositing power once inside of after effects.
james mcbride
03/04/2013
here's an idea: Why don't You do it....
Carlos De La Cruz
03/04/2013
I have a problem with the render in 3d max, when i click on render my explosion look like this.
http://s2.subirimagenes.com/otros/previo/thump_8335818bad-exosion.jpg
and i have follow all your steps.
what´s wrong?
Yaxo
03/18/2013
check the size of your lights, it should be bigger than the size of the simulation rectangle of the FFX

Ahmed
03/09/2013
Yes. The same problem here. Please any one can help to overcome this drawback.
Alex
03/06/2013
I have the same problem, does anyone know how to fix this?
Innerw0lf
03/04/2013
Yeah i have the same problem, ive tried it twice but got the same problem something went wrong with the smoke i guess.... :(
Jason
03/04/2013
Andrew! You are the best! you should call Spielberg!
Cameron
03/04/2013
one little question in the second explosion, you can see pieces of dust and faming debris exploding out of the explosion. anyone know what element can be used or how to create one?
marshall
03/03/2013
im ready to do a train explosion like in super 8 moovie.thx andrew ,you are awesome
marshall
03/03/2013
this shot is awesome,i'm ready to do a train explosion shot in super 8 moovie. thx ANDREW
marshall
03/03/2013
the explosion train shot in "super 8" moovie by ILM.awesome andrew
Milan
03/03/2013
This is so hard work but worth it..

Thanks for all these awesome tutorials, don't stop making them! <3
vfxbro
03/03/2013
why dont you just draw a mask on sam's face, parent the roto layer to the null object and change the shape a few times?
Stephen Curry
03/03/2013
Cool FX but not to be critical...which I truly mean because I know I couldnt do this kind of FX HOWEVER, I would think for more realism the shock wave of that size of an explosion would have moved the railcars in front of that exploding tanker car....just sayin....fantastic job though
kago
03/05/2013
This tut took a long time to come. imagine if Andrew had animated everything here. It would still be in the making.

What I'm saying is that we all know that Andrew Kramer has attention to detail. If he skipped some steps, it's for a good reason. i.e. Time.
david
03/03/2013
look man, I also don't mean to be critical and i think we all appreciate the honesty but since you cant really make such effect i think its safe to assume your are green in the world of efx and if so, i feel you are not qualified to make any such opinion on a professional who takes a large amount of time to put these tutorials together so that we can learn without having to pull out the credit card out our wallet. Andrew is not going to teach us every single detail, you must be new to the site because you would have already known this. you would also know that there is no room for criticism here, it does not exists.
Artem
03/03/2013
Andrew Kramer and where you can take the model tank .....
Dominique84Tube
03/03/2013
Awesome! Hey guys, for free Unique Element 3d Packs made by me, check out my channel here! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOviZcf5t3U
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