108. Particle Shadows
• Cast realistic shadows from a 3D Particle System
• Includes work-flow tips and setup for custom sprites
Posted on Jul 06, 2010
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Comments
301 Comments
TUTORIAL NOTES:
This tutorial also includes a mini 3D Max demo for creating the "Future Balls"!
Having trouble viewing this tutorial via YouTube?
Click Here To Watch on Video Copilot
301 Comments
Jesper
11 years ago
Have tried this tutorial maybe 25 times now. Have given up. Blaming my computer on this because I now know every step in my sleep and still can´t get it to work.
Morten Normann Almeland
12 years ago
Is the software that you use here from Red Giant?
Angus
12 years ago
Sensational. Thanks, so much for putting this tutorial up. You just solved the issue I was scratching my head over.
pm
13 years ago
yes you are awesome !!!
Peter
13 years ago
This video is sooo great thanks a lot. I learnt a lot. But I have an issue I can't really work out and found nowhere the solution. My problem is when Andrew hits top view, he also sees the particles from the top view angle, BUT when I hit top view, I see the particles from the exact same angle as in active camera view, so I can't move on with many project because of this. I believe it's just an adjustment, but I can't find it. Can someone help? Thanks in advance, Peter.
Connor
13 years ago
I'm having the same problem. Also, when i create the null and new camera in the shadow comp it gives the particles a new position (doesn't actually change the seed value).
r3dr00m
13 years ago
From what I can understand, you can see the same thing in Active Camera as you can see in Top View. What me it means, your camera is in Top Position. Does it happens only in this tutorial or is that all the time?
peterdez
12 years ago
That's probably because you have not created a camera.
Andrea
12 years ago
i have the same problem, i reviewed the tutorial countless times but i can't figure it out i DID create the camera but when i switch between views i see the particles always from the same perspective (the one of the active camera)
omar
13 years ago
are u secretly a teacher?
david poleski
13 years ago
Andrew,
This is simply amazing, beautiful work. And what command of the tools you have...allowing your gravid and wonderful imagination to roam so freely and create such an inspiring and evocative realm. Really lovely work. Kudos!
Albert
13 years ago
Eyo! Endrew u rock dawg. You make your tutorials easy to understand by the jokes and you make and everything. you da best bra
Kyle
13 years ago
You're tutorials are awesome! I like your design techniques and work flow, and you're hilarious!!! my favorite part of this tutorial "yup, future balls..... always a problem"

Keep up the good work!
prem kumar reddy
13 years ago
its very nice awesome work.
luism4nu3l
13 years ago
man is awensome your work, i desire can ear your tutorial in spanish, i am from venezuela
shaofei
13 years ago
That's very good,thank you very much.
J.S. Eddy Imagery
13 years ago
Exceptional tutorials. So complex, yet so simple... Great job. Thank you for sharing your hard earned skill so freely with all of us!
Wilberforce
13 years ago
how do i download this tuts
AE Guy
13 years ago
Use Youtube Video downloader it can download videos from any site
kay
14 years ago
is there any writing tutorial that i can follow instead of video...having some problem coz' in loading. help.
Reggie
14 years ago
Can You Also Use Video To Make It Because i want this in my video
Bufa
14 years ago
I found the solution
ctral+a to all (png) image you render it then selected as sequence
that well copmine all the image to one animate image
Bufa
14 years ago
Hi
Pleas..!
How do you make the (png sequence file) of the 3d BALL
M
14 years ago
Futuristic balls hehe
Vaibhav Kadam
14 years ago
Hi.............
Where is the Tutorial download link.
Please available because my internet don't have that much speed to watch it.
Please................................
Knap
14 years ago
still have something to learn and your toturial are so helpfull. This time i dont have the tradcode option in Effect. i have CS5 tell me where i can find all the adds you have on your AE. thx a lot
pham thanh tung
14 years ago
hjfk.
dongge
14 years ago
yao xi yao xi ....
Julian Salazar
14 years ago
Hi there...All this effects are in the evolution package? ..So .. This effects are compatibles with AE 5.5 ?...
Sadaf
14 years ago
Hi Andrew ,I am Sadaf from Afghanistan, thanks for your teaching ,How can i get free plug-ins ,hope to help me
kinglong
14 years ago
Why I am in the effect of rendering 3 DMAX without your bright the effect is very dim instead of me
yasha
14 years ago
i did the ball on 3d max but i dont know how to render it and how to imported to AE can someone help me please i really wanna do this so bad or can someone make me a tutorial on how to make and how to render it and added to AE thank u
mustafa
14 years ago
so good
PaulUtham
14 years ago
Fantastic
Daniyal
14 years ago
Awesome work
Guney
14 years ago
hey mate it's cool...
smail
14 years ago
hi
i am beginner !
bu it great
thanks
wkhalad
14 years ago
good work
thanks
Evguenia
14 years ago
Andrew, thank you so much for what you're doing. I needed to find out about the looping gif animation, about the particles in 3D space and about the bounce particle effect. I found it all in this tutorial. I also bought one of your products and I absolutely loved it. Thank you for what you're doing! You're the BEST! Yes you are, when it comes to AE tutors. I haven't met anybody better! I'm sure I'm not the only one!
Please don't stop making your products and tutorials!
Best Regards!
Ateryxx
14 years ago
Hey Andrew,

First I want to thank you for this awesome tutorial, I am learning a lot. I am a little bit confused about how to animate that ball, because in 3D Max you just modeled it without set any starting, or ending frame. This is the only issue I am having with this tutorial, I already made the ball, added shell modifier and material, I just don't know how to proceed with animation.

Thank you very much, you rule man.
Javi Agüera
14 years ago
I have the same problem. Everything's fine but when I go back to AE, the ball just won't move, because it's not animated. I don't know how we can render the animation in 3DS Max. Thank you!!!
Javi Agüera
14 years ago
I found a solution to this (at last!!) The PNG file must be a PNG sequence which will reflect your animation. You must animate the ball (hit AUTO KEY and animate it). Then, in RENDER SET UP, select the number of frames you used in your animation. Scroll down and in OUTPUT, click FILE, create a new folder (because it will render a high number of frames) and select PNG as filetype. Then, in Af Ef all you have to do is import the first file of the sequence. The PNG sequence box must be checked, and, there you go!!
Ila Yogeswararao
14 years ago
sir this is yogeswararao my dome work is many imparthint
Jonathan
14 years ago
YOU'RE GENIUS!
Misi
14 years ago
Hi Andrew,

I hope you are going to read comment from such a old post!

I have problem with my shadows. Let me explain.

I am doing dhadows to my bouncing balls. Something like in you examples.

The problem is When I set up the expession for the focus distance and connecting it withe the position of the grid and camera it is just working in the opposite way. That means as the balls are getting closer to the ground the shadows are vanished and blured. As the balls are bouncing away from the ground the shadows are getting sharp and smaller. Which is obvously not good.

Any suggestions where am I go wrong.

The null rotated -90 degrees. The floor rotated as you did - 90 degrees.

Any idea, suggestions.

Thank you,

Misi
zhouchuande
14 years ago
it is great
pirak
14 years ago
your my new teacher...thx a lot man!!!!!!
zehirulislam
14 years ago
its great
virtualmachine
14 years ago
The funny thing is, very few people know who Larry Bird is.
Felecan V Andrei
14 years ago
so great....so so great....
lucian
14 years ago
good..respect!
dorksorn
14 years ago
Cheer ! I love all your tutorials... !
moazzam ali
14 years ago
i like this tutorial
mohamed
14 years ago
this is cool keep it up Awesome tutorial
Alain Lores
14 years ago
one of the smartest particular tutorial i've seen.
Arun
14 years ago
Awesome tutorial.

Keep it up...
Antonio
14 years ago
Awesome tutorials, Kramer for president!
mojtaba
14 years ago
I thank you very much you pay good site
Robert
14 years ago
This site is absolutely amazing, way beyond my capabilities at this point, but I have already started making some amazing animations and just wanted to say thank you.
Josh
14 years ago
Hi Andrew,

Awesome Tut.

Just wondering how you did that camera zoom technique in your demo example.
Ryan Connoly
14 years ago
wassup andrew kramer i;m just letting all of you folks know that i'm going to be using this technique on my show. Check it out at Youtube.com/filmriot or triunefilms.com
Dan
14 years ago
I'm new to AE so you can only imagine how mind blowing this is to me.

Your personality (which actually captures your audience) even trumps your astounding knowledge.

Great stuff, Andrew.

Dan
Mike
14 years ago
There's something wrong with the project files
Jimmi
14 years ago
Thank you man.
really useful!
FishTea
15 years ago
Hey Andrew i think your crazy man!!!!
I admire you for that!
^^v

Hope i have that ideas in your head!! LOL
doski
15 years ago
hi andrew
u r very best
thank u
Jon H
15 years ago
Another great tutorial! I love the humor as well
Proofray
15 years ago
That Smoke Shadow effect reminds me on the Smoke Monster from LOST. Would love to see something like that with the lighting added.
Sam Peaer
15 years ago
Hi do you know that Adobe affter efact dose not write Arabic my friend in Arabic land asked my to sand you you this massege , by the way this point are a weak point in after effact. Sam
Elad
15 years ago
you should totally make a tutorial for
a guy jumping inside a wall and disappear in to it
leaving some waves on the wall
smartass
15 years ago
How about no!
Mauro
15 years ago
Thank you, Your works are wonderful ... Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.!

Copilot Onward!

By Mauro! here in Brazil!
DARE
15 years ago
My thanks go to Mr.Kramer
then let me appreciate your good job
believe me when you give something
you will get something else in advance
U have really done well for me
Philippe
15 years ago
We love complex tutorials !
sures
15 years ago
thank u for u r works
Hervé Palak
15 years ago

Hi Andrew Cramer and video copilot's team

You are so fantastic !
Thank you for your tutorials and good mood!

From France,
Hervé
Regie
15 years ago
Thank you for your tutorials, it really helps me to understand AE...
lining
15 years ago
Is there anyone go beyond Andrew in this arena?
Daddy_C
15 years ago
Andrew Kramer is a Digital LEGEND!! Thanks for your tutorials Andrew, your skills are amazing, a modern day YODA!
Tim
15 years ago
Hi,
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial. Wondering if anyone knows of an equivalent to "shell" in Cinema 4d. I cant figure it out.
thanks so much.
sajantk
15 years ago
awesome u r grate machuuuu..........
Vimal
15 years ago
Hi man ,r u frm Kerala.
ahmed esmail
15 years ago
u r very good man
i hope i will like u
Jazi
15 years ago
you the Big BOSS, really!
Michi
15 years ago
Very Good Tutorial. I come to fast nice results! Thank you!
lee
15 years ago
Awesome work!!! Nice tutorial!!!
AEeater!
15 years ago
hi
U R the best AC
torrejais
15 years ago
can you tell me how you pass the animation on 3d max to after effects? i have a little trouble in that stee..thanks
faris
15 years ago
thenk you
Neil Regalado
15 years ago
Is there any free third party plug-ins?

because i'm just a student, and we kinda need it for our Video Effects class.. though it is not required, it's just, i want to try it, because your's are amazing
ashkan
15 years ago
Good job.
your web site is very usefull.
r@di@nzz
15 years ago
great work dude!! jst become a fan of u....like ur tutorials..m jst d beginner of After Effects...and ur work really helps me a lot to learn AE...thanks dude.
Marin
15 years ago
AWESOME GREAT THANK YOU!!! FOR THIS TUTORIAL!! YAHOOOOOOOOO
bc
15 years ago
Used the same shadow technique with Form and some matchmoving...
http://www.vimeo.com/14896729
Keyes
15 years ago
Tanks u?sir
good work.
Thomas
15 years ago
Thanks for another great tutorial, Andrew! Really appreciate your time, man!

Lots of thanks from Norway
Carlos
15 years ago
Hi, i love your tutorials but i haven't found a dvd menu tutorial for after effects,if you please do a simple one.
Thanx and Good Work
The Wigs
15 years ago
It would be great to put some sort of energy pulse either inside or outside of the future balls. Or perhaps make them into a light sucker so they absorb the ambient light in a shot. I like the potential for this tutorial. I also love Andreisms... LOL @ "I'm like the wite Larry Bird."
phing
15 years ago
very very goooooood work
Subash
15 years ago
Master Andrew You Are Rocking Everyday.
AlaniX
15 years ago
Hi Andrew, i am cuban and i live in cuba also, i am a huge fan of your works and right now i am studing your tutorials, my question is if there is another way to find your plugins for ae cs4 for mac, in cuba the internet is too slow and i dont have credit card.
Thanks man and sorry my english.
Ruben
15 years ago
Hey!!Great tut Andrew but I have a problem with 3DSmax. I can´t view the Render Setup Box. click on in switch but don´t appears nothing... i have any time with this problem. help please!! thx
fdograph
15 years ago
you rock man!
armin
15 years ago
hi my name is armin from iran how i can give best quailty in ae bcuase i made tizer in iran but cant give best of those
smash
15 years ago
sir,
i want 2 become motion graphic. can u help
pls.
jasper
15 years ago
good movie andrew,

i got only one question
how can I scale a whole composition down
becouse I made a to big movie.

srry for my bad english I am Dutch
pratap
15 years ago
Hello Andrew, i want text effect more. will u please make some hollywood film text effects. there are various kinds of amazing text effects you can find in english movies. i want that. how do you make sun rays effect coming behind the texts in most of the movies.
InSpecialFX.co
15 years ago
thx for your tutorial. realy2 helpfull. GBU
tushar
15 years ago
sir u r god.
Kousin
15 years ago
My mind blowed by your use of top-view cam to fade the shadows. That is pure genius.
Thank you very much for wonderful tutorial!
Suhail Baghdadi
15 years ago
Hey Andrew You Rock!!...Amzing tutorial... thanx a million
www.webtsdcom
15 years ago
Nice how u do that?
ahmad
15 years ago
help../ tutorial
Ronald Monahan
15 years ago
I'm wondering how did you add the depth of field into the particles. Thank you!
lol
15 years ago
''Futuristic balls''
Colin
15 years ago
Andrew, you are the man. I have to disagree with you comedic nay-sayers. Your dry sense of humor nicely compliments your technical and creative prowess.

all the best,

The black Magic Johnson
Mario
15 years ago
How do you make the sprites show up in the front view? All I see is the emitter point.

Thanks again for taking time to make these tutorials.
Axo media In India
15 years ago
Hey Watz Up Andrew............
yaya
15 years ago
thank you very much.
AHall
15 years ago
Kramer you are a Mathematical Genus.
yujieyang
15 years ago
good
david absalan
15 years ago
thanks a lot Andrew ....this amazing tut .thank you
x
15 years ago
THNX for that, mr. kramer!

check out my future balls

hd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqHIERfCebM
dnl
15 years ago
Wow, Kramer you are awesome!
AMR
15 years ago
hi andrew this is mazing tut
by
David Biederbeck
15 years ago
@HH.

Period plays audio only.

Zero (on your keypad only) makes a ram preview which will give you audio. If you do not have a num pad (ie. imac keyboard) then on the lef side click the arrow beneath "preview" that looks like ||||>.

You can also scrub through audio by dragging the timeline while holding command/ctrl.
HH
15 years ago
how can i hear the audio that i put in the composition?
FreaqyGeeq
15 years ago
"Heeey, let's take a closer look... yep, future balls."

Hahahah! Nice one Andrew -- another cracking tutorial, many thanks!
m
15 years ago
that's cool,after saw what you make I think there is still a lot of things we have to learn on the other side of the earth. sorry I have some language problems but I think you can see my point
YOU ARE AWESOME!
amey adchule
15 years ago
WHAT ABOUT DEPTH OF FIELD>>!!!!!!

HOW TO ADD IT IN 3D PARTICLES..PLZ HELP!!!!
Mislav
15 years ago
Hello Andrew , I wanted to say you are a very talented guy , best wishes for you , I learned almost everything watching you , its not that i just copied I watched and learned some cool stuff.
Anyway thanks , alot ! If i have a credit card i would buy all of your products , althought there are torrent downloads for your products :/
Goodbye and thanks.
si0
15 years ago
I can not understand in any way, what it is necessary to make that at video conclusion it was not visible a layer grid?
P.S
I apologise for English language as I from Russia...
joey
15 years ago
Thank you
Wasim
15 years ago
Every single one of your tutorials makes every single one of my tutorials look rubbish and I proudly accept it!!!

You're such an inspiring teacher.
pilkazo
15 years ago
Wow!!... you rock man....
ben
15 years ago
love the tutorial ... hate the jokes ...
PictureBoxMagic
15 years ago
ahha, as soon as you mentioned depth of field i was liek, brilliant! lol. cool thx
Nadeem Ijaz
15 years ago
Awesome Amazing
bhawna
15 years ago
awsum stuff... loved it.. thanx man. u r gr8.
HARDBUILDING
15 years ago
It's a great TUTORIALS .. we see like this in HOLLYWOOD ..HAVE ALL MY RESPECT Andrew Kramer
CommodoreForce
15 years ago
Great Tutorial Man.
I wanna say how to make realistic zoom effect like in your preview. Is it possible?
Wendel Calvert
15 years ago
Andrew,

Everything I know about AE, is because of you, bruh, can't deny it! The Particle shadows tut that you posted, is COOL, but I saw something else that I would LOVE to make. the "smoke_shadows" clip you showed is EXACTLY the type of smoke I want to make for my project. It doesn't look the same as the "smoke trails" tutorial to me... Any chance that you'll throw together a quick tutorial for the smoke_shadows" clip you posted? (PPLLEEAASSEE!!!!)
Shan Ali Shah
15 years ago
Awesome tutorial
Thanks From Pakistan
A.J
15 years ago
Another sweet tutorial. Havin a small probem of the lights on the some of the balls popping in and out frame by frame.

But thanks.
Spencer T.
15 years ago
Hey Andrew, if you check out the manual that comes with Particular 2.0 you will see just what the "Shadowlet" function does.

Perhaps you already know this, but it just takes the vector from your light to a particle and projects behind it a black particle. This intersects with other particles and creats self-shadows. That is why it is called "shadowlet", because it is a duplicate particle of the parent that is projected onto the other particles.

It isn't an ambient occlusion effect, but can look like one if you have enough particles (like in your smoke - which looks great by the way).


- Spencer
John
15 years ago
So these are what our future balls will look like.
mb editor
15 years ago
very good
scyder07
15 years ago
where i can donwload that greenthing.max pogram?

this its a great toturial ever!!!!
andrew you are the best!!
angryman
15 years ago
Bloody marvelous. Up to and beyond anything else on the web. Thank you so much. Peace.
vfx 365
15 years ago
It's very awesome effects..
keep going
Than x a lot
Ben
15 years ago
Hi Andrew AMAZING turorial as usuall. i just hope you read this as an idea i thought it would be cool if you had your wife with you through a tutorial xD it would be fun to see if she could keep up with you.
francis
15 years ago
you sir are a genius...I would like to meet you in the near future just to shake your hands............and of course absorb all your powers...thanks for all your tutorials...i hope all of them including older tutortials stay so i can come back and rewatch them......
Basuru
15 years ago
Hey Andrew..... u r the most talented man i've ever seen. thanks dude....
prasanth g
15 years ago
Hi Andrew
Good work.
Luke
15 years ago
I hope someone here can help me... i have after effects 7 and the project files available here are made in after effects 8 and i can't open them someone please help... Thanks in advance.
Rudra
15 years ago
Hello,
Andrew,
After a long time searching finally I have got such superb website for after effects tutorial,hosted by you.I am a music remixer belong from India and my profession is not vfx design but I lovespecial effects one day I knew it canbe done by using after effects ,but I couldn't do any thing with it .After long time searching with help of www.youtube.com
namtab69
15 years ago
man how do you figure all this out! brilliant as usual...thanks Andrew...
Nikolas
15 years ago
Awesome Man....AE Master!
(Y)
Phil
15 years ago
Chuck Norris fears you.
Feroz Quazi
15 years ago
What up Andrew,

That was a sick tutorial. Really loved how you get creative with trapcode P.

Also, I just wanted to this with you real quick. This is a film that has really cool VFX similar to payment - perhaps you could give your insight on how they worked on this film. "Nuit Blanche"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVuUwvUUPro
Mehrdad
15 years ago
wow. greattttttttttt job...
thanks
Paul
15 years ago
Dear Andrew,
Still say thanks for the quality tutorials. I loved the bullet, just reminds me of the movie "wanted" Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie, how they would shoot and curve the bullet! Hot stuff. Anyway back to the question of the day. Am not really sure if you've seen this FIFA world cup commercial, with the "waving flag song" I see those gold particles flying around the trophy in a cool way. Is it some particles following a path... it would be nice if you get such a tutorial.
neal
15 years ago
great tut...just wondering though if possible how could you add a light for s faint flickering optical flare inside the balls.
shango tower wars
15 years ago
Incredible fireball smoke... WoW
ravi desai
15 years ago
u r very best
Jabrail
15 years ago
Thank you very much!!!
Especially for 3d Studio max, would be more such lessons.
Sorry for the error (translater).My english very small
Hype Napungra
15 years ago
This goes beyond just being a tutorial, you're teaching concepts far beyond what's on offer elsewhere on line. Another excellent tutorial Mr K, above and beyond the call of duty.
Elias
15 years ago
how can I get letters in the background instead of the round things
mehrdad
15 years ago
hi andrew
thats great!
your tutorial is the best tutorial in after effect world
thank u
guneselikucucuk
15 years ago
very nice tutorial,
Turuunuu
15 years ago
hi andrew please advanced tutorial on smoke
Mustapha
15 years ago
thank you very much for tutorial
sam fabio
15 years ago
First thanks a lot Mr.Kramer
then let me appreciate your good job
believe me when you give something
you will get something else in advance
i think you understand what i have said
sorry for my language but god bliss you
Auginator1
15 years ago
Do you need any software before you get action essentials 2?
youssef
15 years ago
thank you sow mush andrew krimer you do great joob ?
Auginator1
15 years ago
I plan on getting the 99$ action essentials pack and had a few questions

1 is it compatible with mac?
2 do you need any software to begin with?
3 can you put it on imovie
4 and can you do all those things you do in the tutorials (ex. time freezing) with action essentials?
s.chandrasekar
15 years ago
dear, video copilot right i am learn started from your site right now i want more from ur site what to do....?
Zigumza
15 years ago
Awesome..
Thank for tutorial
Maan
15 years ago
Andrew you are the best! keep it up
Chuckarama
15 years ago
Nice. Now if it were possible to put a lens flare inside each ball, you'd have something. The light emanating out, casting shadows, from within what is essentially a particle. Not only that, but at then end of it's creation you could say, "goodness, gracious, GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!" ...that would be cool.
Diego
15 years ago
Andrew, you are the best
thanks for this tuts.
elton
15 years ago
hey anderw....i am one of your fans...plss teach us how to create a tansformer
Eric
15 years ago
Excellent. Very Excellent.

I smell a plug-in or preset on the horizon...
eduardo
15 years ago
and for those who dont have the last version of trapcode; what d you recomend
Garrett
15 years ago
Andrew thanks for all the time you put into these awesome tutorials!! I would never have learned after effects without them!!
OnkelManfred
15 years ago
thanks andrew, this tutorial looks pretty well, but when i looked at the screenshot used at the top of the site i thought: "how could a sphere with holes have a round shadow? the light must be able to pass through the holes and illuminate the floor beneath the balls! (especially at the top and the bottom of the balls)"

softening the shadows even more might solve the problem that people notice it, but would it look realistic? if you found a method please tell me
Ricardo Mantovani
15 years ago
Very good.
steven
15 years ago
Nice tut! this is also the step for me to start with 3ds MAX, it's realy a pain in the ass to learn it, but the basics you teach us will help a lot of people!

greetz from HOLLAND
samir douakh
15 years ago
thnx ANDREW
Pavel Peterka
15 years ago
Andrew, What is the number of tutorial that you're saving the ATF for?
Dave
15 years ago
HOLY CRAP. AMAZING.
romain
15 years ago
salut Andrew, super tuto comme d'ahbitude ! N'écoute pas les râleurs qui te critique tu ne nous dois rien et tout est bon à prendre. Tes tutos sont d'une qualité exceptionelle continue ! Bravo
Clemzd
15 years ago
Hello, thank you for this tutorial, I do an incrustation with 3dsmax and this image of New York, please see it : http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/4300/rendutank1.jpg.

PS :sorry for my english I'm french.
Mr.Denis
15 years ago
Good work.
but i have question.
do you make 3d object in Max
it's truth?
why no Maya programs?

Thanks
Alexander
15 years ago
Alright Andrew! Nice one with the balls. I noticed how you avoided saying 'balls' for 30 minutes, that's funny.
This one was really good. I think you can probably do a sand effect(kind of like they had in the movie "The Mummy&quot or a similar one at least with this.
Also if instead of the balls we had a rendering of a jelly fish we might have faked a bank of jelly fish...
Anyway, great tutorial, congrats.

Myaka
15 years ago
You used almost same technique programmers using when making shadows in openGL/directx games/applications. This is VERY smart move man, you have quite a brilliant mind!
onkelmanfred
15 years ago
great tutorial!
linkat
15 years ago
Andrew i wanna ask you somethin i have cs5 trial version and i cant find ccParticle world is it because of the trial version or because it is AE cs5 if so where can i download it.
edha
15 years ago
awesome..
Vicky Shah
15 years ago
THANK YOU SIR JI...
zohn
15 years ago
andrew is just simply cute.... he's a genius! simply cool~
Alby Smith
15 years ago
Andrew Kramer, again thank you for this great tutorial (as always).
It's answered my question, how to cast shadow in Particular, I mean in right way, because I used to done it by duplicating the layer and tweak some of the elements, that used to solved the problems, but in some case it wasn't precise enough when I start to orbit around the camera.

Well.. finally I got it from you, thank you AK!
you are my AE-Superhero!
Alex Hakknen Studios
15 years ago
Hello Andrew, I wish to congratulate you for all the work, you are essential to many people
like me, are in the beginning in after effects. I have almost all your video lessons, two essentials
and a few others you recommend something else for me I'm in the beginning?
Again congratulations and success.
hhj0705
15 years ago
wonderful! I love it!
KarlTheBest
15 years ago
What if the background wasn't a still picture but a hand-held shot of the street? how would you parent the 3d particles to the camera? using regular tracking in AE?
SNH-ART
15 years ago
Great tutorial....
Mark del Rosario
15 years ago
I'm so much thankful I've found your site. Your tutorials are impressive. I like the way your tutorial are made, nice and easy to follow.

Thank you and more power. Keep all your good works. Good bless...

from philippines
Alex
15 years ago
Hey! I entered a local Little Caesar's video contest and we're in the finals!

The winner is the video with the MOST votes, so far we are 3rd!

Please vote for me - go here and vote for "Alex Burnstein – Talking Computer" - I really, really appreciate it!

http://polldaddy.com/poll/3437039/
Alex
15 years ago
Hey andrew, Go to Brazil man, Very Nice Teacher!

Congratulations!
larry
15 years ago
You are the best!
cariagaXIII
15 years ago
story telling!
Next fx
15 years ago
Outstanding Andrew! A new tutorial about 3d max renderpasses and After Effects!
ORUARO
15 years ago
hi Andrew, just want to say a BIG thanks to you, for all the free template free tuts and the products. many may not know the time spent and the tons of experiments u do make to get us all this wonderful tutorials, am saying thank you.. and a BIGGER THANKS Goes to you wonderful lovely Wife for her support... its nice ANdrew keep this Good work.. videocopilot is Going places... have a nice time.... ORUARO
Richard
15 years ago
You're great, this is 'another very exiting tutorial'
But what you show in the preview, is the quick zoom on some particles with some blur. I've saw that in much movies (like Avatar, or the train scene in Wanted), but I can't figure out howto make that fast cool zoom effect.
And I want to say I've learned very much from you, you're great! Thanks a lot!

Greetings from Holland
sunil thapa (nepal)
15 years ago
nice and new tutorial as like as previous tut..... i learn lot of my this site... thnx
actually i learn after efects from this site....... thnx for being my master and salute from nepal........
Papa Durutti
15 years ago
Great tutorial. A humble suggestion...
What if the camera was not facing downwards, but upwards. I think that the shadows should take more information from the particles that are closest to the surface than the ones that are far from it. I don't know if you get what i say. Thanks for the help. you're the best
anxs220
15 years ago
I think particluar 3.0 should have such ability
RPCTECH.TK
15 years ago
YOU KNIW WHAT YOU DID TO ME??? YOU HAVE MAKE ME SO HAPPY THAT I HAVE MADE THIS---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0cJqstmNU
Richard Rajan
15 years ago
Sir first i say thank you giving tutorials sir can you give tutorial s 3D light shading in AE
mom0
15 years ago
" hey what's up..? "

I am from indnesia .. can only marvel and wonder when to open this web.
I was very surprised to know if the tutorial for free.
highly unreliable. successful for you. thanks for the tutorial. greetings from Indonesia
yuda
15 years ago
that's so amazing, thanks for the tutorial, it help me so much....
Ryan
15 years ago
Nice tutorial, I decided to go the bounce way instead of the Air. I did notice that the bounce and slide do not have much controls over them and you cannot get a realistic look to it.
SELVARAJAN
15 years ago
This tutorial ranks on top because it has brought out hidden use of Particular. I think the Trapcode should host this tutorial on it's website.
erdinc
15 years ago
thank u s much,i am looking a tutorial about this subject and u save me again have a good life u are the man
Aro
15 years ago
really, Larry Bird is white
Atta-Adoosi
15 years ago
Andrew, am having problem with my CS3, I can't add pics to my comp
Abbassi Tarek
15 years ago
Great and nice tutorial!

?? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ??????? ?????
"??? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????"

Thanks Andrew For New Tutorial.
Abbassi from TUNISIA
Devdas
15 years ago
you the one posting lot of good stuffs.
i want to ask you some thing?

how to setup for a project....

like example im going to create a particle goes fast in a forest( long distance ).

what shold i keep in mind ,while doing this.
how do i setup,like
1st-- forest motion track. like that...?

can you take one tutorial to arrange needs for any project.....thank you...probably you will do..i know...

Ravens666
15 years ago
Very interesting technique AK...if you could and it would not bother you...could u post on the blog (or send me an email) some example of the expressions that can connect values in the two comps? Pls...It will be great..I have a project with similar problems..thx
Aichi
15 years ago
ei.

can you make a Tutorial on how to Teleport like in the movie "JUMPER"?
krissk2
15 years ago
Wow that looks amazing......... andrew you are the best!
messiah625
15 years ago
andrew -- i owe you all my achievements... you have the best tuts ever.... thanks to you and to all videocopilot team... you make dreams come true...
from amateur to pro, everyone's into your brilliant ideas.... keep it up forever!
--cheers from the far east 3 stars and a sun ^^
adrian
15 years ago
Great tut. how i wish i could make like this ... anyways, can i import 3d layers from maya software just like you did in 3dmax?
Mau
15 years ago
Andrew!!!

Just want to say THANK YOU!

This is awesome, you make it look easy man!

Keep it up
Dave
15 years ago
Andrew,


How might this technique work for a particle shape that is not organic or a sphere? For example how would you get a shadow out of a 3d text layer?
Fugu
15 years ago
@Ross: Maybe you could buy it? This may be a unregistred version of Particular...

Thanks a lot Andrew btw, this is exactly what I needed and the tricky part about shadows and DOF is just...simply smart. Again thanks for sharing, for teaching me more and less all I know about AFX! You got me a real and a damn sexy job man! I had to tell you! See you next time! ;p
Mostafa3D
15 years ago
WOW
It was great
Tanx
Only an amateur
15 years ago
Thanks again (I think). Once again I'm going to bed much too late because of your tutorials....
Eric
15 years ago
Chucky Cheese: Evil Incarnate.
Nick
15 years ago
Another Great job Andrew!
Idan
15 years ago
WoW Coll!
TheFXGuy
15 years ago
rofl @ the chuckie cheeses thing. and the larry bird thing.

This is extremely useful, and it would be pretty cool to mix this and camera projection.
Arkubrick
15 years ago
Outstanding Andrew!! a new tutorial about Boujou and After Effects would be incredible!!
Ross
15 years ago
is there a way you can get rid of the X's on the screen that particular made, it gets really annoying.
Goñi
15 years ago
your tutorials rocks.
Keep the good work!!!!!
Sunny
15 years ago
It's another wonderful tutorial. This tutorial is Andrewlicious.... (G R E A T W O R K)
Ben
15 years ago
Made this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?vghR_LFLZmk with a similar technique
Jain
15 years ago
How about Smoke tutorial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a beautiful tuts!!!!!!!
Chris W.
15 years ago
That's really helpful, Andrew. Especially about the "shading". Thanks a lot. Keep up.
Jesus
15 years ago
Please i need help to make the bevel edges in maya!!! i can't do it the same way 3D max does
Chito
15 years ago
Hi Andrew, im from Mexico, and i dont speak englis very well, but that was very nice!!
But, im just a kid that knows how to work with after effects, im 15, and i dont understand very much the commands like wiggle and the others, like transform*(.......) so i wonder if u could make some commands presets or more effect presets because to make that i would take 1 hour just for that.xD
Thanks for answer!
Mike
15 years ago
This is beautiful tutorial !
Thank's Andrew !
Jabar
15 years ago
Hi Andrew
This is amazing
thank you
Martin
15 years ago
Hey,what's up dude
theDoel
15 years ago
pretty nice,i kinda figured it out before you posted the tutorial,the blog entrances on this got me really pumped up.anyway say,you want to put a glowing ball or sth INSIDE the original future ball.since it is not actully a 3d object taking a round solid giving it a glow and pushing it in z space just wont do the trick.any easy tips?
Davis
15 years ago
AMAZING!!!! LIKE ALWAYS!!!...GRACIAS!!!
Simon
15 years ago
Thank you!

If i were a girl i whould marry you...not for the money....right...
vynothyma
15 years ago
Hai Andrew We have amazing tuto
Nice Good
Thanks..
Joh Peters
15 years ago
Wow, i would have needed that before! very useful. THX
Btw. check this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waTs0wCShN0
jamie
15 years ago
why you guys hate ths tutorial i think it is tha best thank you andrew
jamie anderson
USa_LA
Maxwell
15 years ago
AWESOME tutorial
Jamil
15 years ago
Great Man Great
You are awesome Mr Andrew
You have a Real creativity Mind in your Head!Really
Iam always waiting for your new ,Creative, artistic
Idea.
Keep It Up

Reqard

Jamil yosufi
From AFGHANISTAN
zin_onos
15 years ago
I love your videos but....I am actually getting fed up with them.Not any action tutorials, most of your new ones are motion graphics. I used to check this site every day for anything new.Now...I don't really care, I stopped trying watching a tut at the moment it is released. I watch it when I don't have anything else to do. I am working with ZBrush. Great Program!
David A.
15 years ago
What about a plug-in for this Andrew.


Take care.
Jürgen Rabatscher
15 years ago
thats one amazing tutorial andrew! yeah!
PTownley
15 years ago
You know, when you say, "Hey what's up..." in your intro, I'm not sure you really want to know what's up. Luv the tuts, keep 'em coming!
Jack
15 years ago
Thanks Andrew.
I drew some inspiration and made this over the day.
Youtube is processing it now…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLVxtPSY5wc
Enjoy, feedback from anyone would be awesome.
abdr
15 years ago
wow ..

very good.

thank you andrew!
arambam
15 years ago
dude i love all your works!!
its amazing!!!
Lê ?ình Thi
15 years ago
Great one !
Thanks for a nice tutorial !
Sandr0G
15 years ago
See what i did!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz8m9r-2EpI



flavasava
15 years ago
thanks for the nice tutorial
Arnold
15 years ago
Luv the 3d/AE intergration - just Brilliant as usual..
God Bless from South Africa
oras
15 years ago
Hey Andrew wonderful stuff, i have been waiting for this tutorial to be out finaly its out.. thanks andrew,its nice having u around. thanks.. oras forM Nigeria.
Rutin
15 years ago
Great Tut ...
anxs220
15 years ago
yeah baby!
Nathan B
15 years ago
You did a great job on this tut Andrew.
Keep up the good work please!
Thonbo
15 years ago
i actually did this effect with our summer banner at http://www.nozebra.dk - in a more common effect where you would light up your particles with a point light, what you want to do is to attach the shadow camera to the light- and then you actually have some crasy dynamic lighting going on because you can throw that light around and the shadow will still be cast correctly from the right angle - this effect is very common in primitive 3d system like the the once we use for flash

but its always nice to hear the "ill press edit ... duplicate! "
Iky
15 years ago
Hello There!!!

Thank you for creating these tutorials. It is a huge work you are doing, and I think we all are very grateful to you for taking your time.

Thanx!!!

Kind regards from South America,

José.
isaa
15 years ago
waw... thats just amazing!!!! thanx alot Andrew Kramer
Edris Mohammadi
15 years ago
Great!
Thanks Andrew For New Tutorial.

I love you
I am Edris Mohammadi From Iran, Sanandaj.
shashank
15 years ago
Hey...andrew...your tuts are really very good ...but one small request...pls focus on film industry visual fx than on motion graphics...we love visual effects...thanks in advance...

Your hardcore fan....
Nick Samanci
15 years ago
Andrew You are the BEST…This is my Final Answer.

Thank You Very Much for a Great Tutorial.
ayed
15 years ago
cool andrew...
ur the best
PavanRzx
15 years ago
Great Tutorial
but could you please tell us on what resolution u rendered the sphere?
and also tips on modelling the sphere

thank you
Nat Russell
15 years ago
Awesome concept, Andrew. Thanks
Emanuel
15 years ago
It's amaizing again andrew! Thanks!
Goran
15 years ago
A VERY VERY clever solution!!!
MyChelll
15 years ago
OOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGG muito BOMMMMMM
T
15 years ago
You are Simply the Best Andrew!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIrCFrFpHvw
chuck acosta
15 years ago
Your the man andrew! great tut! love your works! please check my video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMhFpVvxxxY
David
15 years ago
I watch all of your tutorials. I'm glad to see another great one!
bobby danny
15 years ago
great one ! andrew you are the best!
Vaibhav
15 years ago
Awesome tutorial...too bad I don't have particular but one thing, it's not the dementors but rather the death eaters that have the black particle stream coming out after them when they fly.
Ethan
15 years ago
WOW this tutorial was very good a definite favorite
Alex Harris
15 years ago
Great tutorial. Glad you got the technical problems fixed.

Oh...and you spent like 4 minutes rambling at the beginning...LOL. There's no problem with that, though. I mean, rambling adds to your sense of humor. Of course, humor is....hm. I'm rambling.
nihoma
15 years ago
andrew I have one word I looooooooooove you
diana
15 years ago
how did you create the 3D Particle System? can you do a tutorial for that? really cool
Goran
15 years ago
You know what? you are taking the FX to another level, now a lot of people has chance to be someone in the FX bussines.
Greetings from Bolivia.
Calla van Loggerenberg
15 years ago
WOOHOO! Now I can stop being bored...lol
GreedOra
15 years ago
Wooooooooow .... thats awesome Andrew
:3
damian walter
15 years ago
Too cool man!
David Coster
15 years ago
Very Very Nice andrew!
Chad
15 years ago
I try not to envy people but you make it hard not to. Great stuff. I am just getting serious about AE and I thank you for taking the time to create these great tutorials.
Jon
15 years ago
Wow that looks amazing finally a 3D tutorial!
Mike Park
15 years ago
Wow. Great minds think alike. That is exactly how I set up my scene when you presented the idea, right down to the dof and near/far vanish. The only difference is that I made the spheres in AE and picwipped the reflection layer to the camera rotation. Well done.
Daniel Harrison
15 years ago
thanks for the nice tutorial.
I would love to see some more of this ^^
Isasaurio
15 years ago
Gran tutorial
Muchas gracias ANDREW
Tu eres mi maestro, me as enseñado mas de lo que me enseñaron mis profesores en la universidad.

Saludos desde chile
Julian
15 years ago
Wow, thats is amazing
Thomas
15 years ago
Wooow you're amazing andrew !
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