TUTORIAL: Virtual 3D Photos
September 10th, 2007

In this tutorial you'll learn a simple way to turn 2D photos into a 3D layers. Most of us know this simple effect from the popular film "The Kid Stays in the picture", where the photos come alive.

https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials.html

I was hoping to launch the new site today but I'd like to polish a few things out first. Remember good things come to those who have to wait.

Cheers,
Andrew

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
18 years ago
186 Comments
Ronny Wright
12 years ago
Hi Andrew,

I'm new to After Effects & am actually still running version CS3. The interface looks like I'll still be able to create this effect if I am able to import my project as a "Composition". Because I don't have photoshop I used Gimp to create the layers & am happy with the results; only trouble now is, I don't know how to save the file so that After Effects will allow it to be opened "as a composition".

Any thoughts? Thanks much, sir!
I love your Indiana Jones-related tuts haha.
ianC
18 years ago
hey andrew! keep up the good work, i've been watching your tutorials for awhile now, but there is one thing i need help on; your Light Streaks tutorial. i want to know if i could maybe write a messege using these lights? what you did was add an expression, i wanted to write something in my footage and as i apply the light streak, it would maybe motion track on to my hand and start fading in as i write.

for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4eMQMmq4w

like that maybe? but better timing. please email me back so i know you've read this.
Sandy
18 years ago
Thankyou 4 all the new Stuff

Best Regards
Sandy
18 years ago
Hey Andrew and other talented guys around here.

First of all, thanxs endlessly for all the work you share. You're so talented, willing, and fun !!

Secondly, congrats for your tiny-little daugther! She looks so cute.

And finally, here's some links to some of my works that I dare to share with all you guys. There is mainly "personal" stuff, but as I am a hobbyist, I would greatly appreciate to have feedbacks from professionals like you:

- "The Horse Whisperer" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-699OLNQs): This is my last "big" project, and is 16 minutes long (on 2 parts). Many girls cried watching this movie (I promise I did not hurt any of them !! So be prepared, you have been warned

- "Friday, the 25th" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yREz_OCBYF4): This is the birth of my daughter. It was my very first video "montage". It is now 5 years old, so please forgive the visual mistakes and "amateur" looking...

- "My Brother Hero" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCKUCd4WLc0): This one is the birth of my boy, seeing throw the eyes of his sister.

- "Atlantis" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6DNL5d7wsg): This is a kind of France Tour

You can also browse for other little materials on my youtube.

Thxs in advance for any feeds, advice, or comments.

And as we would tell in French:
"Bravo les gars et vive videocopilot.net !!!!"

Christophe
18 years ago
Hey Andrew,
Been all over the net looking for inspiration in helping me learn AE. Iâ??????ve purchased some good books, but itâ??????s tedious reading. I love youâ??????re bite size tutorials! The quality of sound and audio out shines anything out there. I have AE 6.5 so sometimes itâ??????s frustrating to follow along, but I make the best of it. Iâ??????m a print creative director trying to make the transition over to on-air and your site is helping me do that.

Thanks again for an awesome place to visit over and over again. Please keep the tutorials coming!
Amir Sharafeh
18 years ago
Last July, I co directed a music video and for two choruses, I used AE and keying. I took one of the tutorials here and did something with it and I wanted to share that with everyone, and hope for a feed back. I think you would enjoy it as well Andrew. My question is do I load it elsewhere and link it here?

Great new website, by the way. Congratulations! and also the baby girl. You sound like a proud father.
Amir
Alexandre goncalves
18 years ago
Hey Andrew, At First XXLLent Tutorial !!!
Wich you great Thing with the New Baby Born, I Might Be A Father Has well Soon.
Well I Wanted to Ask, Would you be able to make e Tutorial about How to make a Movie Shaking Following a Song Track ...
I whould understand If you'd say .... mmmmmummmm, Well, No !

Anyway Exllent Work Men !
Safe. @lex
Sergey Tsandekov
18 years ago
Hey Andrew... we can translate your tutorials to Russian. You will have a great audience.. lets talk about it... email me
18 years ago
Hey Andrew :-]

I gots to say cheer very muchly for your amazing goodwill to share your knowledge! Nice one the Kramer - Don't stop the positive flow!

On the shoulders of your giganticness (is that a word?) I have used many, many, many of your teachings for several projects and have always had amazing results.

One such project animated almost entirely in After effects (edited in smoke, with help from JP, superbly illustrated by my good friend Andy Weather, grade by Luds) is a music promo for the superb band Malakai, check it out here on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgqVpCd_oLo (Hope this is the place to put this link) It would be good to get a much higher res version hosted somewhere, if anyone has any suggestion please give me a mail.

Credit where credit is due... Andrew, I've stolen your superb globe tutorial at the end and loads of techniques throughout.

Once again, without suckling up too much..... nice one the Kramer

`the Wolf
Bo
18 years ago
Looking good Andrew. Good stuff. I'm diggin' the new content too. You've been my main source of everything I have been learning about After Effects and you never fail to impress dude. The basic training is really good stuff for learning for the first time and for brushing up. Thanks a bunch and I hope your wife and daughter aree doing well!
18 years ago
Hi Andrew,

first of all I would like to thank you for your amazing video-tutorials. Really great work!!!!
They helped me a lot in getting better in After Effects.
Is there any possibility to download these tutorials, because i have no internet at home. So i would like to download them at the company i am working to watch them at home.

Thanx again... Good on you!!!

Tobsta
18 years ago
Fantastic new site! Congratulations!
c
carlo
18 years ago
sei veramente un grande.
Marc
18 years ago
Andrew! I had had you as a teacher back at school now i would be picking up a nobel prize
Learning has never been so much fun. You are just the best!!!!!
Congrats from Spain!
18 years ago
He Andrew,

Congrats with your little girl.

Just want to say that your tutorials are funny as hell and very useful!

keep up the good work!

cheers,

p.s. ever considered to become a stand up comedian?
18 years ago
Thanks for all your tutorials!
I have Designer Sound FX, Action Movie Essentials, Film Magic Pro and
300 epic presets!!!!
There is cool!
Felicitations!
ADD me please
Good Luck
18 years ago
Hi,

Congratulations for the baby girl, take time to enjoy...!
The two latest tutorials semms to be down, couldn't saw them... and i can't wait !

Keep up the good work, thanx a bunch for all and long live Riot Gear (damned i use it all the time)
toni
18 years ago
evo i mog primjera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mOgJuSXLig
18 years ago
Hey Andrew, I'm having trouble this this tutorial loading.
David P
18 years ago
I did a similar effect about 6 months back.. Occurs about 35 seconds in. Nice tutorial

http://tinyurl.com/ypu63t

Thanks Andrew.
jetset
18 years ago
hey Andrew, congratulation with your baby!! It will be great great part of your life now, hope you'll be able to make another tutorials!
Stefan
18 years ago
Nice i just wanna point that when i saw what we`re gonna be create i know exact how to make it ) I think that it`s a good idea to make some tutorials for advanced use of particular plugin also some morph and reshape tutorials and so on.. you know you`re the man! Great stuff and cheers for the baby
Andre Prior
18 years ago
Hi, here a example of a good 3d image composit.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=740_1189544627
18 years ago
as usual, excellent !!!!
but what about the paint fx in AE ? can you make an example with it and some tracking stuff, please ? like removing a tracking mark etc...
and thanx a lot for everything.
Sabin
18 years ago
you think this could be incorporated with live action footage? such as the actor firing the gun then speed ramp the footage down almost to a still frame(insert 3D image composit) then you orbit around the muzzle flash for a sec then zoom back out the the original frame then speed ramp back up to normal speed....

just a thought.

-Sabin
18 years ago
هلا والله الدرس في غايه الاهميه يوجد عندي اشياء في الدرس هو الافكر هذهي تجعل الواحد يصمم بشكل اسرع واجمل
18 years ago
@Renzo Reyes - The projection mapping tut dealt with simulating 3D by using the vanishing point tool in Photoshop. This tut doesnt use that, and doesnt try to imitate 3D in that way. Most of the time, photos for this type of tut, imo, are ones with people in them, or points of interest that you want to use to give depth in the image. I'm not really explaining it all that well, but the tuts are very different, and would be used on different types of photos generally.

Anyone else want to comment on that?
Nice one Andy, you never fail to entertain and inform. Though ain't it about time you started doing a few exclusive DVDs and making a little cash, i feel a little guilty watching them knowing i'd be glad to pay cash for the same tutorials

A few suggestions for other tutorials:

How do you create really creative camera moves? with really tight eases?

How do you transition around different scenes, especially in 3d?

How do you do an array effect in AE without plugins?

Cheers - Dave.
nattyboozer07
18 years ago
Hey, nice tutorial mate im liking the effect along with all the tutorials you have created and i am currently ttrying to save up to buy all your cd/dvds wen im slightly older
tt
18 years ago
great tut.
"I apologize for taking you elsewhere when YOU came here for after effects tutorials, so... let's get started I go over here to photoshop.." made me laugh quite hard.
Colin thomson
18 years ago
Great tutorial,thanks
18 years ago
Thanks for the tutorials. Every single one of them is great.
One question that's been hunting my mind since this tutorial was posted.
How different is this technique (3d pictures) from the projection mapping (camera mapping) tut you did for AE 7? What about AECS3?
Can the same effect be achieved using camera mapping?

I found this video on xpslv.tv way before your latest tutorial was available and was fascinated by it.

If i'm not mistaken whoever made it used the same techniques you used on this tut, am i right?

http://xplsv.tv/movie.php?id=1385

Let me know what you think Andrew and congrats on the new member of the family!
Kike
18 years ago
thank you men!! great like always!!
Rick
18 years ago
Great stuff Andrew, I really enjoyed this...

And by the way, that minesweeper video posted above is HILARIOUS!!
18 years ago
Thank you sir!! I've been wanting to do this effect for a while now!!
Massimiliano
18 years ago
Thanks for another tutorial!
Keep up with Photoshop tut and if needed Illustrator! I appreciate them

Congrats on your new family!

Bye from Italy
18 years ago
Congrats Andrew,

n btw, nothing goes away in life. So dont give importance to those who expect too much. Your doing a great job till now and have affected lots of people. Relax man
To: PhilLab

ALL MAN GUESS I'M GETTING OLD NOW NOW, HAHA, ALL IN GOOD FUN!!!
18 years ago
Thanks for all the great tuts, my friend and i have used many of them in short films for school and 1 of our films is touring the state, much appreciated!
Matthew Materazzi
18 years ago
Hey Andrew,
Thanks for making this tutorial, I know I was busting your chops about the whole "Man Vs. Wild" thang...lol...thanks a bunch dude. Congrats again on your baby, and for everyone who is bashing him...how dare you? This man is doing this stuff on his own dime and not charging us for any of it, so please...be cool and be grateful.
Andrew...much love brother,
Matt
18 years ago
@Chase Langley

I like the composite you came up with on that matte painting. The sky is too flaky for me. Looks too much like a fractal noise generated sky, instead of clouds.

Overall though, the 2.5D move and composite looks good.
18 years ago
thanks aron for your input i know what are you talking about and i know its hard ,any way forget the matrix lets talk about the explosion in sowrdfish ,if i throw my stunt man in the air and i took 3 pictuers from 3 angels basicly its going to be still fram when i snap it while he is in the air and i put thes 3 togather and rotate it almost half a circle and i will add the dust and explosion from andrews dvd and make them still frams i think it will work ,what you think
Jeremy
18 years ago
@ Mr T: There is a tutorial request page for...you guessed it, requesting tutorials. You might have better luck getting what you want if you request it the way Andrew wants.
Mr T
18 years ago
Andrew you made some sick(by this i mean great) tutorials so far for AFx!!!
What about doing some things in c4d mixing with Afx?
This is what i want to see...

T.
naz
18 years ago
You are the MAN!!!

i just serch that waY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you bro~
18 years ago
Great tutorial as usual! And it feels really good to hear your voice again, feels like it was a long time ago, too long :,(

Take care!

MM.
Chikapee
18 years ago
I just discovered this site. I literally starting skipping of joy.

I'm an infant when it comes to after effects, so all your tutorials are a wealth of information to me.
I'm not even a newborn, i'm like a premie...and yet to your teaching credit, i can follow and understand, (in a basic way im sure).
Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Congrats on your new family!
peter
18 years ago
this tutorial is ok.
Scott
18 years ago
Hey Andrew for Riot Gear II you should make some smoke puffs like you see in X-Men with Nightcrawler.
Tim
18 years ago
Hoooooorah.

very nice.
18 years ago
This is great, btw plz do trutorial how add good efects colors to movie ( games movie ) this will be cool !!
18 years ago
dude my life would be so boring without your tutorials, i think that its great that you intergrate photoshop into the tutorials as everybody knows After efects and Photoshop are very much connected! Keep up the good work and giving us more of your ace tutorials!

Congrats on the baby too!!!

Dzhonny
18 years ago
About the matrix effect.....you can do it with only one camera. You simply get a few stills from a different angles and morph it together, though i think it should be a great tut to composite it!
Chris Cruise
18 years ago
Billkelly-- good ideas!
matt
18 years ago
@Titso: if u dont read all me responses plz dont
18 years ago
Don't worry about the new site, take all the time you need. I bet you have a lot on your mind right now

Cool tutorial btw
18 years ago
Great tut as always man! I am thinking 3D images will be great for people who use a lot of photos in their YouTube work. Personally, I am going to use your technique on family photos for a genealogy DVD I am working on.
18 years ago
mr.kramer, nice tut, thaught of that before, but great to see some tips n tricks in photoshop(paste via cut and so on )

allso, u are so noobish in minesweeper, put 1 bomb where u surely know it is, lets say with some "1" mark, and than bothCLICK(left and right together) on that "1" mark, and observe the magic ; )
18 years ago
want that matrix effect? look at project white rabbit by ryan wieber.
its a "cheap" method to create a similar effect and even more.

http://ryanw.michaelfrisk.com/pwr/project_white_rabbit.html
18 years ago
Heh I was thinking about sth like this tutorial last time... and you're first this time...
Chris from UK
18 years ago
Hey mate,

Awesome site - Awesome tutorials!!!...

Keep up the great work

Cheers

C
Gianni (ITALY)
18 years ago
Hi Andrew great tut as always!!

I'm just waiting for another one...
18 years ago
I LOVE YOU
Chase Langley
18 years ago
Hey guys just uploaded my attempt at the tutorial... Something you might want to know is that I DID NOT use Photoshop for these clips. I did all of this in After Effects and it turned out rather well. Tell me what you think. If you want I can make a piggy back tutorial in which i explain how I did it. Lemmie know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk0uUAHkc98

~Chase
Titso
18 years ago
@ matt and such guys like him, you guys don't deserve Andrew's tutorials the way you act, this tutorial is great. You can't always get what you want 24/7 if it is star wars effects or not, this tutorial is great for people that works a lot with photos. If any of you have something bad to say about Kramer's tutorials, keep it inside yourself, it is for a reason that Andrew is one of the most famous adobe after effects tutorial creater on the internet. Keep it up Andrew and take all the time you want off work to play with your baby We will always be here!
Tyson Dorrough
18 years ago
Great tutorial and congrats on the new addition to your family!
18 years ago
Andrew,

Great tutorial and congrats on the new addition to your family. As someone who's been doing 3D photos for a while, here's a couple other suggestions that may help people. They may have been mentioned already. I haven't had time to read all the replies.

* If you know in advance that you're going to be making the photo into 3D, take a picture of the background so you don't have to clone stamp it, or alternatively, use a different background.

* If you have some edging issues on the layers you've cut out from Photoshop, use Matte>>Simple Choker to reduce your edges and give them that nice clean look

* Another cool trick is to keyframe some of your layers with some motion. Say for example if you had layers with a street in the background, you could keyframe the cars to move across the screen and out of the picture (you'd have to put the cars on their own separate layer).
18 years ago
@clancy30

Basically, it would take making a matte painting of a background. Say you took the background like Andrew did, then clone/paint/stamp the background on a long horizontal image. Make it long enough so you could wrap it around the inside of a 3D can inside Photoshop CS3.

Then in AE you could do a camera move inside that 'can' with the images on 3D layers. I guess that would be a sort of way to do this. A lot of work to play with 2D images, but if you wanted to do something like that, I might start in that direction.

Of course, this is based on the expectation you know how to use Photoshop as well. That damn Photoshop again lol.
mrful
18 years ago
are i am stupid but i cant find this tutorial under the tutorials page?
Trevor
18 years ago
"The Kid Stays in the Picture" was a great flick!

I gotta tell you, when you dropped all the "sorry I used photoshop" stuff, I was like, "What? You need photoshop and other programs! Why are you apologizing!?" And then you went into photoshop, I nearly spit out what I was drinking. I think that was the hardest I've laughed on one of your tutorials. SERIOUSLY! And the fact that you didn't address what you just did, made it ten times funnier! BRAVO!

And I'm super appreciative, but I totally loved the whole, "...in case you're doing this for a major company or a free .... FREE tutorial! Free...."

SO FUNNY! Awesome! Can't wait for more to come. But baby comes first, I know.
18 years ago
I've watched it 2 times already...

http://www.et-films.net
18 years ago
@DVoc of PRECISE MEDIA GROUP : No, I'm 15, so you are not the youngest visual artist

@Tutorial: Very great technique and very great tut.
And I think that you can (at least simulate) the Bullettime-Effect if you use 3-4 Pictures. You can't rotate 360°, but some degrees.

PhilLab
18 years ago
Andrew great tut. I dont know why some people are unappreciative but thanks for another great tutorial that you spent your free time on and put up on this wonderful website for us to watch for FREE.
18 years ago
@clancy30

Sounds like you want something like bullet-time (The Matrix Effect). Many people on here already posted that that effect is created using upwards 50 still cameras mounted in a circle around the actor and mounted to a sweeping green screen. If you can manage that go for it. But with After Effects 2.5d with a photo or video freeze frame, it would be impossible to realistically circle your actor considering it's a flat image of your actor in 3d space. So either make your actor and your scene CG, or use the Bullet-Time technique. Neither of which really relies on After Effects. If anyone knows some miracle in After Effects I'm forgetting that would allow what clancy30 desires, please tell.
Hi, I'm only sixteen but I feel that this site is amazing and just bout the Roit Gear and Sound FX so I'ma try and use this tutorial with the my new products!!

Lookout for the youngest visual artist out!!! ONE MAN GROUP!!!
18 years ago
Hey guys ,the tut was cool good stuff .
I have a question ,what iam trying to do is do a 360 d around my actor while he is blown up in the air any advise on how i can rotate around him in 3d .i mean complete circle .
thank you.
bwoogie
18 years ago
Guys, stop asking for the matrix tutorial. It requires a lot of cameras. I've seen how it's done.

This tutorial is actually more useful than it looks. I can think of some ways to use this. Thanks Andrew! And Congrats again on Katie!
18 years ago
LMAO, Andrew, you really do crack me up. Your subtle humor is perfect. Right on par with my level of humor lol.

Keep making the tuts like you are, and we will all live just fine. I think your stuff is awesome, thats why I buy it, and anyone else who doesnt, needs a severe head check.

Other than that, this tut was very cool. I have seen it before, but I love your presentation style, and the coolness factor you bring to your work.

I truly appreciate the time you put into making these, especially with the fantastic new addition to your family.

Thanks Andrew.

(And Mrs. Kramer. You have to put those in there every once in a while.)
Brian Berneker
18 years ago
Dude, you make me proud to know what a Null object is!!

From one hotdog to another I have to say I love your tutorials. I know my way around a computer, just sometimes not my way around a particular app. When I started watching your tutorials, I was "swept" away by your grace and speed, keeping the focus on the project and not the application interface.

You make it look easy, and so when I follow your tutes, it IS easy! I have always been good with technique, but the real gift is in the creativity that you seem to have in endless supply! I love the ideas an innovation that go into every one of your tutes and makes them more interesting than all the rest.

KRAME 2008!!

Brian
Josh Dunn
18 years ago
Andrew! i love this tutorial! i have always wanted to learn how they did this effect on TV shows on the History Channel or Discovery... like always, you pull of a simple, yet pro looking effect for all of us to use! thanks!
tizi
18 years ago
lightsaber burn effects like in ryan vs dorkman 2 style. now that would be sick, and hard. but nothing can stop u man.

keep it goin

ure the best dude

tizi

nj
18 years ago
I saw that minesweeper video. It was great.
18 years ago
hey nice tutorial haha. i liked the 3D, esp minesweeper! haha

Good luck with the baby! haha
18 years ago
I love it, keep up the great work. This will come in very useful!
Jeremy
18 years ago
I just had to put this in here..remove the comment if you wish, but I think you would appreciate this video about Minesweeper.. it's really funny if you know the game They could have made it better with Film Magic Pro, but they might have used something from Action Movie Essentials, not sure though...

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1770138



Hope everything is going smooth with the new kramer in the house!
Michel
18 years ago
I was looking for a tutorial like this a few weeks ago. Thank you.

I was thinking a few moving pictures in 3D would look great in one of those digital frames that plays movies.
18 years ago
o and theres no such website as the one at the end of the animation. im going to buy the domain asap. just need some $$
18 years ago
Did this a while ago but its a similar effect. I was trying to pull of the "MTV" look. Thought of t after i watched transformers.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8069001159466976139&hl=en
Joris Strickx
18 years ago
already figured this one out on my own. It is a cool effect and keep practicing the basics is crucial in everything. I'm still amazed where you keep coming with the good ideas for your tutorials. It's nice to put in a basic one from time to time. Not everyone in here has experience with the program. thx for that.
Nice basics and what kim jensen created out of that was amazing. Nice one there.

and congratulations with your baby girl. I hope she'll get the same sense of humour as her dad. And did you make tutorials for us instead of being with your guests? Or were those noises and voices just from some tv in the background? :p
18 years ago
dude...AWESOME!!!! I love it!

http://www.et-films.net
Richard W.
18 years ago
Lots of potential with this technique. Fantastic.

Don't let the demands for more get to you Andrew. 99% of us would willingly spoon the Devil for one of your tutorials.

Thanks again. x
Darren
18 years ago
I was surprised to see a new tutorial up so soon after the kid arrived. I was kind of hoping you'd make Sam do one!
Max
18 years ago
WOO! Andrew Kramer's back! Thanks Andrew for taking time away from your family, I'm sure everyone appreciates it. Almost seems like you consider us your external family too . Anyways, great tut...nice, simple effect which can have a nice array of possibilities with a lil' imagination. K, give my regards to the baby and your wife.
Blair
18 years ago
Thanks Nick!
Bader Ahmed
18 years ago
The New Kid On The Block !

That was the title of the Bonus Tutorial # 3 in Creating Motion Graphics Book (Meyer's).

But , really i enjoyed your video tutorial in how to move 3d camera in still images. Now i am able to make such great things, thanks to The motion Graphics God (Andrew Kramer ).

You Made things simple

By the way, Congrats for your New Baby Girl , that is eternal event we could make in this Blog.

Thanks Again and for ever.
matt
18 years ago
@Pablo Fassari: ur right! .. these tuts are free so i shouldn't complain
@kramer: u rock XD
@Patrik J�nsson: thnx for the info man!

gr matt
Nick S
18 years ago
@Blair
press Z then click your left mouse button
Blair
18 years ago
@Matt: For the Matrix effect you need about twenty cameras and a huge curved green screen. Don't get your hopes up on getting a tutorial on that...

Hey, anyone know how Andrew zooms in and out so fast in Photoshop? Cheers.
18 years ago
Great tutorial, that's really cool for creating intros, i'll use it for the intro of my future film Cats: Pets, or Food? (not kidding it's for my english class)
Black_dust
18 years ago
Indeed good tutorial, a very widley used technique, switch on one of those Genernic music channels and you will see them before and after breaks most of the time.
18 years ago
Congratulations Andrew!!!
I share not only your first name, but your new daughter's birthday. Sept 2nd is #1!
Joey
18 years ago
Awesome! Another great tut from god!!!!! Its so simple and easy to do but so amazing. LOL I also heard your daughter in the background almost throught the entire tutorial! Also, Good luck withe the minesweeper game .
18 years ago
This tutorial may be simple, but it's a classy effect that is very popular, and can be used in many number of ways.
@Nick S: Just like you say...buy the things and support him for what he is giving us! I have never in my life bought any tutorials...until now! After Andrews free tutorials, I knew what i would get (he has a mind for business) *laugh*. Can't wait for the DVD to pop up in my mailbox!!

By the way...this site doesn't support the scandinavian letters!?
Scott
18 years ago
Otherwise known as 2.5D
Nick S
18 years ago
Its so nice to see someone taking the time to give out free tuts on AE and in a way that anyone can learn from it.

To the people who want the project files get of you bum and go get some footage yourself and then try the tut again or better again go and buy some of MR kramer's nice DVD's. Last week i got the Riot Gear DVD and wow you get a lot for your money and i will be buying a few more over the weeks to come.

Keep up the great work MR K.

Keep Safe
Nick
18 years ago
WE WILL WAIT FOR THAT NEW THINGS

BE PATIENT

GOD BLESS THIS SITE
18 years ago
@Kim Jensen: Nice work...really nice! You really handle AE in a good way! From Denmark I guess?

@Matt: One of those Matrix effects were made with multiple cameras, surrounding "Neo". They freezed the cameras at the same time and then merged the camera pictures together.
18 years ago
Thanks AK, good to hear from you.
Here's my take on the 3-D from a picture...

Animated Portrait of Robert Mondavi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zizEQR8b7-k

Enjoy!

c
18 years ago
For all the guys slamming on the Kra-man for this tutorial....BUY HIS DVD if you want more advanced and in-depth tutorials! I assure you they kick ass, and he really gets into the details. I have half of his collection and they're WELL worth the price.

So, again....

1) Yes, some tutorials will be more basic than others, but not everyone is at the same level of proficiency in AE.

2) He makes these for FREE, so, come on....ask yourselves how many tutorials, or anything else for that matter, you've created for free in your lives.

By the way, Andrew, congrats on the baby!
18 years ago
I've been using that effect for a few years now. And some people have asked me to do a tutorial for it, and now I don't have to. I'll just point them your way, Andrew.

My Motion Graphics teacher taught us this effect because he used it in the RJD2 music video here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L6qgBnPUnjU

I've used the effect to build a scene or deconstruct a scene in a video edit like my edit for a Red Bull Rough Cuts competition.

http://aaronjamespatterson.com/roughcuts.html

I also used it in a ten second logo build here:

http://aaronjamespatterson.com/adidas.html

I love Photoshop's Clone Stamp tool. It makes this effect so easy once you get a hang of it.
eugeene
18 years ago
Hey, Andy, congratz, man!!!! A Daughter! And nice tutorial too
matt
18 years ago
I'm sorry kramer if i made the impression I thought it was just for me... as i said i dont want to whine i just wanted to tell what i feel...
(and right know I feel !@#$%@ because my grandmother died yesterday )

Like i said.. i really like ur stuff (respect).. and I just tried to give a good suggestion for a new tut (the matrix effect)

cheers and have a wonderful day from holland
matt
18 years ago
Andrew your so funny! Great work on this and all your tutorial. I know I just like everyone else really appreciates what you are doing! Can't what for the new DVD's. Congratulations on the new baby girl, (can't wait to see her in your new and up coming shorts) Take care best of luck


JLP
Gary
18 years ago
Great creative tut as always. It would really look cool with sounds from DESIGNER SFX.

Good luck with your new family.

Peace out.
18 years ago
Hi Andrew,

it is another masterpiece you delivered here.

I hope that all viewers that benefit from the Tutorial do help you to help them. Either by sending some baby toys or buy your great products. New about this Tutorial is up on the front page: http://www.strongmocha.com/2007/09/10/after-effects-tutorial-3d-depth-from-images-videoopilotnet/

Cheers,

Thorsten

www.StrongMocha.com

(GFX VFX DFX Compositing Travel Food)
Elham
18 years ago
He andrew,

Man U're great, i haven't been posting much but hell! The tutorials in this page are amazing and i really appreciate what you're doing for us!

By the way, congrats on ur new daughter!

take good care

im checking out now

bye

erm.. ok im checking out now..

bye

18 years ago
I tryed this with a old photograf of my grandparents..

Let me know what you think?

The photo:

http://3d.kimnjensen.dk/photo.jpg

The video:

http://3d.kimnjensen.dk/


Thanks
Curtis Hickman
18 years ago
The use of 2.5D with photography has become very popular as of late... I cant seem to much without a client asking about it. Those of you more advanced users may wish to check this out...
http://www.aenhancers.com/viewtopic.php?t=498
It's a script that will auto scale your layers as you move them in z space. If you do this effect a lot, (like me) it comes in handy. Also feel free to look at my reel... i didn't put any of my 2.5D stuff in there but maybe in the future... and you can spot the direct use of an Andrew C. tutorial at the end of it. Thanks Andrew! http://www.magicboxproductions.com/MBP/content/2007_reel.html
18 years ago
I thought the Digital Juice things was pretty cool. Nice production values.

@Matt, please don't pretend that these tutorials are made only for you.
18 years ago
yeah, that photoshop line was the funniest thing i've seen in a tutorial to date. sharpest way of saying 'learn photoshop' yet.

cheers for making the time to create another tut, mr. family man. hope the girlie isn't keeping you up til all hours of the night.

also looking forward to the new site; patience is always rewarded around here.
18 years ago
Nice tutorial Mr Kramer...
Good luck with Minesweeper...
Oh and the baby!...
kamaKANA
18 years ago
"i apologize for taking you elsewhere when you came here for after effects tutorials........anyway lets go ahead an get started, im gonna go over here to photoshop." not sure if it was meant to be but i found that hilarious. if you don't use photoshop your really handcuffing yourself. awesome tutorial, gonna start working on my painting.

created this simple cartoon as a culmination of all of Andrew's tutorials. let me know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHCs9CbvIio
Levi
18 years ago
I agree with Luke!

"haha. i loved how you said sorry about photoshop then launched straight into it"

You're always really funny and all.. but this was just brilliant! First time i really laughed hard! There's a first time for everything you know You really amuse me with your tutorials Keep it up! We're grateful!.. And congrats on your babygirl!

Peace out
tuskergeek
18 years ago
thanks for the tute andrew, nice tips as always... did you actually do this in the hospital(bg sounds were a dead giveaway)... peace!
Alexander Jansen
18 years ago
SWEET!
drobins
18 years ago
Andrew, loved the tut. I've tried doing this kind of stuff before with varying results. A lot does depend on your starting photo or taking a photo suited for this type of effect.

Just a heads up, I was visiting the digital juice site and noticed they now have a new DJTV show, "Suite Effects", that has a guy doing after effects demos and looks like he might be taking some of your ideas. His intro has a demon face effect. Just thought i would let you know that there might be some competition coming your way. Although your tuts are WAY more indepth, informative and entertaining based on their first episode, which was dry and a little boring (but it was about roto so that could be part of it). Any way just a heads up if you wanted to check it out.
Tom
18 years ago
Looks like Andrew has inspired the Digital Juice DJTV guys to start doing AE tutorials
Joaqui
18 years ago
De nuevo nos sorprendes.
Gracias,gracias,gracias.
Silver_Bird
18 years ago
Cool Job Andrew,
This go help me im my works.
Lehel
18 years ago
Congratulation to the new LIFE!
Thank you for the tutorial. But I can't see it...
Maybe I do something wrong?
I can't see it in the list of tutorials.
Hey guys, how did you watch it?
matt
18 years ago
hi kramer!

i love ur tuts! ive seen all of them, and they're great.. :
except this one..-.- i mean this wasnt worth making a tut for....?!?!
u learn to cut and paste multiple layers when ur about 4years old right? and the effect isnt that beatiful....

enough whining about this tut..... i got a question:
there is one tut I WOULD REALLY!!! like to see
i dont know if u can make it but: the MATRIX-like effect.. where the footage is freezed, and the camera flies around it.. that would be sick!!! i hope u could show sum of that cool stuff

greetz from holland
matt
18 years ago
thanks for yet another great tutorial

Cheers Andrew !!!!!
mark
18 years ago
and i was thinking my monday was going to suck after being late 30 minutes thanks to the rain and trafiic. This just made my morning!

thanks andrew
18 years ago
I love that you went with this tutorial. I've wondered how they pulled that sort of effect off. Anyone see the new Halloween movie by chance? There's a shot early on where it looks like they do this kind of effect. It's really cool...
Orc Master
18 years ago
LOL, man, that was awesome, seriously. Never been good at Minesweeper myself, so I kinda admire your skill there

It also brings some cool ideas... You could use 3D projection with PS CS3's Vanishing Point on some cool surreal background and throw the actor on there in After Effects, maybe use depth of field on the camera to make it more dramatic, maybe even make some ultra slow-motion Matrix-like effects like, IDK, maybe making a particle-based muzzle flash shooting very slowly, while the camera moves dynamically.

Possibilities are endless!
Just Amit
18 years ago
OMG!! i just watched you new tutorial and resized your daughter has the same bday as me. yeah september 2! she really doesâ???¦
-[Cloud]-
18 years ago
Hell yeah, i lovew love love that one. great thing Andrew. i gotta do that one for myself again. thank you again.
btw: man how many times i've thanked you? well gotta be a tutorial of mine for you some time. workin' on it ^^

-[Cloud]-
Just Amit
18 years ago
yeah, loved it so much i forgot to do my homework... ill deal with that later

thanks for the great show and how it going with the baby?
18 years ago
Oh, Loved the way you launched photoshop after the email comments!! Good stuff!!
Chris Cruise
18 years ago
Man, I have 3 kids so I'm surprised to see a new tutorial up so soon! I mean after enduring round-the-clock feedings and all...

This tutorial ROCKS and gives me some great ideas on a new project! You could even mix live action into those still frames for a sweet new look!
This tutorial's quality and integrity still rates 5 starz!

Excellent work, dad!
18 years ago
That's pretty cool!! Thanks pimp!!
f1a5h84ck
18 years ago
Thanks for finding some time for the new tutorial beeing posted.
Jamsta
18 years ago
Nice work big fella... thnx!

Oh, don't let the missus see this tute, she'll have your nuts for wasting time with 'puter games lol

...enjoy your family time mate
18 years ago
Great tutorial!!
But you didn't tell us your score in minesweeper!
Warti
18 years ago
Many thx for another great Tutorial.
Looks a bit like Tutorial 6 on ur page. Btw i like it too use other programms in AE like Photoshop or illustrator.

And plzzzzzzzzzzz give us the Project files for all tutorials.
I want to test all but dont have the right source.

Hey what u think about Trapcode plugins? when u use it so plllzz do some tut´s of it!

MFG Warti from Germany
Brian M
18 years ago
Thanks Andrew. Always great to get more photoshop tuts!! An effect with lots of poss applications there, and one of the funniest tutorials yet to boot.

Thanks for taking the time out. Hope you are enjoying family life.
Best wishes
Brian
Rasmus
18 years ago
Dear god i nearly spewed coffee everywhere when minesweeper poped up. Anyway nice work man. and Congratz on the family addition.
18 years ago
nice to hear that voice again! will try this out, could be usefull for some projects.
have fun with minesweeper (just bought an old sega saturn, that's more fun than windows games )
darren
18 years ago
Andrew again well done. just need to know why u again did not provide files to download???
much appreciated
dazz
Marc.B
18 years ago
Another great tutorial Thanks for the sharing Andrew
Conor
18 years ago
Another good tutorial. Also, be sure to have a look at The Kid Stays In The Picture, it's a really good documentary.
Toby
18 years ago
@photoshop part, I know this is a AE driven website but reffering to what Adobe is doing here I think it's stupid to focus just only at AE. With the outcome of CS3 suite they've made it so much easier to let all the tools of different programs just blend into eachother like my bacardi and coke at friday night does! If needed, please bring up Photoshop or Illustrator whenever it's needed! Part of the process, compositing is not only done by one program, AK tut's are explained at rookie level, hey don't get me wrong, they are great! but this approach does need such sideways to different programs of the suite! nothing wrong with at all

-2 cents
luke
18 years ago
haha. i loved how you said sorry about photoshop then launched straight into it!

@HatiDani
I tend to disagree on the releasing of the project files- its quite easy to follow along with the tutorial for yourself and apply it to something you've made yourself, this is a much better way to learn and also it prevents people from simply taking the tutorial, rendering it out, shoving it on youtube and calling it their own..

Cheers,
-Luke
Workshed
18 years ago
Great tutorial Andrew!

This techinique is really cool. I have been using it on a recent project, and feel it really brings another dimension to an otherwise 2D enviroment, particulary when you use a lot of stills in a video sequence.

Heres an example of my efforts. It's a video and motion graphics reel, the 3D picture effects and graphics work kicks in about half way through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzdh90Dundw

This process can be extremely time consuming, (the photoshop part), but very rewarding when complete.

Just a quick tip on my process, background replacement can be tricky, (especially a woodland background). Another alternative would be to just insert a completely clean background plate/shot altogether, this could save a lot of headaches.

Once again, thanks for sharing!

Congrats to you and your new family!!!
Tobias
18 years ago
This one gives me new insights Thanks!
Some Guy
18 years ago
Thank you Andrew. Nice Tutorial, I love Photoshop.
And good luck for the minesweeper.
Ali dashti
18 years ago
Thank you andrew for every time.
How is Your Girl.
18 years ago
Thanks for the great tutorials matey, keep up the great work and such.

Just like to show you an example of your tutorials in action, had them used for a music video I made about a month ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRVSszWeD3c" rel="nofollow">Switchback

And great tutorial again

Rock on!
dgx
18 years ago
Thank you AK really nice tutorial
Christian
18 years ago
Fantastic tutorial yet again! Very very useful! Just one quick question, what is the max stills resolution or the the best resolution to work with in AE? I like to use as big a still as I can for backdrops (zooming out or panning) But it kills ram preview (I have 2 GB ram) Thanks again Andrew, you keep opening up the world of film to me! Very very greatful!
David
18 years ago
Haha great tutorial. So funny in the beginning when you're saying "Every minute is important" or something like that, and then you play that game. Haha your jokes are the best.
ecneto
18 years ago
thanks Andrew

new site cool ..take your time though
HatiDani
18 years ago
HI Andrew

Great tutorial! But where is the project files for adv. sky replacement, day to night conversion, set extensions and for this virtual 3D photos tutorials? I cant make videos as good as you do, so I'll be happy if you do these aviable, i want to try to do myself the tutorials.
Thank You!
Casey Millwood
18 years ago
Mate,

no rush on the new site...you've just helped your wife bring your daughter into the world. Take your time you do enough for us anyway what with all the tuts and all.

Regards,

Casey "I can wait" Millwood
Titso
18 years ago
Andrew Kramer is BACK! Yes!
18 years ago
Morten, this isn't a talent show...
Andrea Lanza
18 years ago
Hi Andrew

your stuff is very cool!
I want to share with a music video i made for a friend of mine :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjj68RCVLbY

It is called "Ricordi sommersi" (submerged memory)

Bye & thanks!!!

Andrea
S. Gilbert
18 years ago
Quick side note, if you open Minesweeper and type "xyzzy" then hold the "shift" key and move your mouse over the mine cells a white pixel appears on the top left side of you screen, if there is a bomb under that cell, try it, it works everytime.
18 years ago
Thank you Andrew... All your tuts are wonderful.

And Congratulations for your kid.
Hedley
18 years ago
Cheers for the tutorial AK. Have a good one.

Oh, thought you could use this....

http://psudo.us/mine.html

Cya
SmiR POLAND
18 years ago
YOU ARE THE BEST!!!! GREAT TUTORIAL!!!!
18 years ago
Looks good duuuudee

But not the best you've made I know you can do better!

gratz on the baby girl ^^
S. Gilbert
18 years ago
Hey Andrew,

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to make another tutorial greatly appreciated.

S. Gilbert
Guy
18 years ago
Thats awesome man, Cant wait for the new launch. Thanks again for your advice on ripping dvd software..might be my best bet
Guy
18 years ago
I just rotated a second copy of the background under, towards the camera. Decided to keep the tutorial simple...
Nick
18 years ago
Another great tutorial.

I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw a slight bend in the background layer for the composition. Is there a way to sort of hinge a layer to create a floor? Or, what I think is more likely, did you originally use the new photoshop 3d layering on your background layer, then import to after effects?
Stefan L
18 years ago
Great tutorial, as always!
Good luck with the mine sweeper game!
ben
18 years ago
nice tut looks sick
Yva
18 years ago
Thank you for new knowlege sharing! Good luck to you and your family!
Blair
18 years ago
Ahh, so that's what you're supposed to use the flags for in minesweeper...
18 years ago
great tut mister Kramer
Floub
18 years ago
Great tut, once again.
Thanks
Josh Carr
18 years ago
Holy Crap, a new Kramer tut! Thanks for taking some time out from the family for this! You rule, and good luck with the new family!!!
18 years ago
It great
TNQ men Love it

Greetz