NEW TUTORIAL: Meteor Crash
September 19th, 2008

In this new tutorial we will be creating 3d Debris and compositing in After Effects with smoke trails and dust.

This 2-part series is over 45 minutes long and absolutely FREE. So be sure to check out our great products, they are sure to give you an edge!

Watch Part 01 (3D Animation)

Watch Part 02 (After Effects)

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
17 years ago
113 Comments
Incredible work, great job!
16 years ago
This is a great tutorial, but could the effect be done with an other program than 3D Max? It's not available for Mac, and I am a Mac fundamentalist. I know I could use Motion instead of AE (although AE is available for Mac too) but what about 3D Max? Maya? Shake?

Thnx!
grizley Poland Leszno
17 years ago
i'like you jokes
great works
17 years ago
Marco, if you go to www.videocopilot.net/meteor
There is a page where he sais it....("We filmed the scene using the JVC HD200 with no cinema adapter")

There you go..

Cheers
marco
17 years ago
Hi Anrdrew please can you tell me what video camera have you used for this movie?

Big thanks
Nikolaus
17 years ago
did you know that this video wont be work under IE 7? There must be a code problem or what ever. Under FF all works fine.
17 years ago
thanx andy k!
everyone has something to say about how great the tut is...it is, its excellent.
but when i think back to when i did it all i can remember is the "xray" joke.
ROFL!
Daryl Booth
17 years ago
@ Mr Kramer

Where did you get the cool road cracks from? They look good.
Daryl Booth
17 years ago
Kramer.... You are a GOD! I learnt more in those tutes about particles in 3d max that any book I bought..

THANK YOU!!
17 years ago
Man, I leave town for a few weeks and come back to find this whole epic leading to this tutorial! Great presentation - great job all around!
Alejandro Ortiz
17 years ago
This was just an attempt to pull off something "similar" to AK's meteor tut but by means of only AFX. It??´s nothing comparable to what can be done in a 3d app. and it's endless capabilities but... I'm sure someone with a bit more time and patience than I could make this look even more realistic....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJY9iXxLltY
Billy
17 years ago
Is that video the exact one you made in the tutorial or one you did previously?
Charles Agnew
17 years ago
Your tutorial was da lick Andrew. As a filmmaker and vfx artist your work has inspired me to venture new ideas in vfx.

Thanx Hombre!

Charles Agnew (London, UK)
Josh M
17 years ago
Wow, amazing tutorial! I have been looking for something like this for a long time! I worked on it all afternoon Sunday, and got done exporting it from Max, now i just need to finish it in AE. Again, thanks and I am soooo excited for the Boujou tutorial because I cannot hardly find any on the internet, and I know yours is going to be the best anyways! Keep up the good work!
Kaine
17 years ago
Astonishing. im 17 (going to university next year) and thanks to yourself ive recieved a stupid amount of respect for my college media work. not ripped but from your tutorials i have made my own effects and ideas.. this i need to try out, cant wait for the bonjou pts.

many thanks kaine
bob
17 years ago
there is only one video tutorial from boujou. and i dont understand him what he says.

this will be IMO the fist normal video tutorial for boujou.

next week AK?
Radio Controlled
17 years ago
i'm realy looking forward to the next tutorial on the 3d match moving part of the meteor, there arnt many good boujou tuts around ,,,,anywhere,,well there's 1 ,, but tryin to understand the guy is next to imposable
gr8 work as always Andrew

VpeaceV

RCP
17 years ago
Andrew,

Thank you for an amazing tutorial. The techniques used in this project are amazing and can be used to do so many different types of impact effects. I really appreciate the work that went into this and I can't wait to use what I learned in a future project.

-Steve
Infaas
17 years ago
Wow i just saw the FRAME RATE thing, i didnt know u could increase the -render frame rate- in 3dsmax like that,, i might have... hmm why am i typing this?
17 years ago
They were put on hold due to a few projects but are back in the hopper.
drobins
17 years ago
Andrew, I honestly cannot believe what you teach us for free. What I have learned here has actually helped me get a job. While I am not a master at any of this, i have learned enough to make me a well rounded artist that apparently makes me attractive to employers.

So thanks for everything you do.

Whatever happened to the t-shirt winner announcement? Did the shirts get back burnered with the big JJ Abrams project and the other things your working on? Can't wait to hear what the 2 DVD's your working on are.

Thanks again.
sig
17 years ago
thanks for the tutorials cant wait for the smoking hole to finish the sequence
dead
17 years ago
Thanx Andrew!!
YEAHHHHH>>!!!
Great tutorials!!!
JFX Production
17 years ago
I'll try that right now. Thank you so much!
17 years ago
Good point JFX, I'll probably explain this in a future blog entry but the basic explanation is that each piece only knows where it is in relation to the particle it is portraying. So it only has a single point of reference and it is inside of the middle. You can move the floor layer down and leave the deflector. Of course a reactor simulation would be more accurate, but more difficult to control and much slower.
JFX Production
17 years ago
Awesome tutorial but I noticed the particles are intersecting with the floor and deflector. Is there a way to avoid that?

Thanks
Dennis
17 years ago
THANKS!! Waiting for the next one...
17 years ago
@AK - Can I at least punch a bunny?? lolz.. Well on a serious note I think you're intention of your many tutorials is to teach us the technique and use it in many other ways yet i find some people saying this, " I made this ghost face video check it out " ...2 weeks later "How do I use Motion-tracking on AE?".
Maybe its just me but I think this whole issue I have can be summed up by a famous quote
"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish ; and you have fed him for a lifetime"
In many cases, sadly, we take the fish.............
Fat Elvis
17 years ago
Can't understand how you keep putting this quality of teaching out there for free. I have bought a number of your products now, and will continue to do so.

Even when I pay for your products I still feel that you can't help yourself throwing in all those little extras.

Thanks for all the time and effort.
Justin
17 years ago
It's all nice comments yeah but seriously mine is personal.You can never imagine how u have helped me find hope in what was once a hopeless future.There are many tuts out there but the ability to communicate well and give for free what you should have made money with is very much appreciated.I owe u much .Thank you very much and God bless.
17 years ago
Thanks !!!
Derek
17 years ago
Cant wait for the smoking crater tut. Ive been checking the computer in my fifth period everyday.
Luv the free tuts
abhay kumar
17 years ago
Superb!
Keep up the good work!
You are my Ideal!
Infaas
17 years ago
Well said!
17 years ago
Well there is no need to hurt anyone Besides, it's not like this is "my idea". There have always been great meteor videos on the internet, now more people know one way to create one.
17 years ago
Great tutorial as always Andrew.. and seems everyone of us liked it very much BUT I'd seriously hurt someone or something if I see an exact replica of this video posted by someone else on YouTube or Vimeo. Let's be creative and use it for some other project besides how else will we learn if we don't use our own brain SOMETIMES!!!!
Russ
17 years ago
Seriously, though, This is awesome. You shed a whole lotta light on the node editing process in Max for me and I can't wait to get started on a new project with these concepts in mind now! Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!
Russ
17 years ago
Great tutorial, Andrew, however, uh...I don't know how to say this...you're up to like 4 or 5 bad jokes in this tutorial...My wife was listening to this one while I watched, and she compared your level of humor to Carrot Top! HAHAHA, Just kidding.
viking
17 years ago
Amazing! Thank you very much! Big up from norway
Sam T
17 years ago
Dr. Kramer - I can not thank you enough for your help!!! Without your willingness to explain the tools in such a manner that just makes sense - I don't think I would ever "get it" -
Bottom line - YOU ROCK!
sam
dan allen
17 years ago
awsome cant wait for the 3d tracking tutorial!

by the way, you can create a cool effect if you add some diffusion on the impact.

dan allen
17 years ago
wow A.C. u are the mad max of the AE and now of 3DS MAX eres lo maximo
gracias por todo mi pana
Alex
17 years ago
ohhhhhhh 3ds isnt available for mac
and im a proper spaz on blender lol i could never do that

oh well im just glad your back
Luther (aka) biglou (aka) king mayback
17 years ago
the possibility of the exposition are limitless , i could play around with it all day long . im just so amaze at 3d max on how you can put it all together . its like you got the power and you don't know what to do first.. oh man Im so excited .... im about to lose control and i think i like it ... oh yeah.. sorry lol.. .. thanks andrew... im gonna go to the store and buy M&M and use them as bomb to blow up my street corner .. maybe be even dumpster... hahah. ill let you guys know how that coming,,
Billy
17 years ago
Thanks so much. can't wait to get my new camera so I can do this myself! Any chance of putting a link to download the sound fx?
17 years ago
Finally........
I was waiting for it
Thanks Andrew
Nikolaus
17 years ago
Thank you for this nice 2 tutorials. Now i will have a nice weekend
17 years ago
Awesome can't wait for the matchmoving ones. Nice job as always.
17 years ago
Little Tip for everyone:

instead of render queue save image routine you can use free plugin for it. I use it for a long time and it's very handy.
Copy Image plug link: http://www.obviousfx.com/products/copyimage/copyimage.php
Baloo
17 years ago
Merci Andrew !
Thanks from France !
You're so powerfull ! Long life to VideoCopilot.com !
Sandy
17 years ago
Speechless | Amazing, one of the ultimate tutorial I have ever seen on VCP.

U R Simply GENIUS!

Thnx a ton Andrew for the tutorial.

Regards
Sandy
bob
17 years ago
the whole purpose of this training series is the 3d tracking tutorial. the crater tutorial was a bonus. and some here are asking if he will a new one.

of course he will do. people read.....read.
video copilot fan
17 years ago
can't wait to rip this off for my reel!


Rus Paul
17 years ago
heck yea! Is there any way, we can thank you ?^,^ I'd really love to have a beer with vc crew, you guys are awsome.
17 years ago
Very very good Andrew but, if the shot in the 3d scene dont be better in c4d ? the Plugin calld "explosion" not the Explosion FX a new free plugin for c4d. i used this plugin...my result are very great i but the Idea was from you !

Thanks man

sry for my English.
Noddy
17 years ago
that was ace - thanks Mr.K
17 years ago
fatastic waork...
17 years ago
another great job!
Speedbreaker
17 years ago
You'll get it today, promise.
I sleeped alot this week.
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
@Speedbreaker
You offered to share your project file with me, I guess you kinda forgot and fell through with that, I knew the answer to your texture problem.
But oh well, you will figure it out in time.

17 years ago
Dear I say....


EPIC????!

oh yes.
Speedbreaker
17 years ago
Great tutorial! Your approach is so much easier than mine! I had never thought you did it like that! Mine is a little bit more physical accurate, but it takes about 20 hours longer. But many ways lead to rome. Awesome work. Thank you.
Suvir
17 years ago
yesterday when you said sometime this week i was expecting to be a lil later..
Gr8 AK
David
17 years ago
Yay! Liked it
illd
17 years ago
Very entertaining

Thank you VCP!
17 years ago
Please read my previous post Omer. The information is here...
ömer tatlisoz
17 years ago
Andrew,will you do Smoking Crater tutorial?
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
opps sorry Andrew, I need to stop speed reading
I see now you have the crater tutorial planed, can you please have Sam Loya crawl out of the crater
as an Alien? or maybe Big Foot?
Icemak
17 years ago
THANKS!!

It is Tutorials like this that really make it easy to support the site by purchasing your awesome DVD's so you can continue to amaze and we can continue to learn.

Long live A.K.!
17 years ago
Jiiiiiihaaaaaaa Andrew Kramer is back!!!
Dawg
17 years ago
Another Great Tutorial with amazing effects...Thank You Andrew!!
Tod
17 years ago
Thanks Andrew & Team VCP,
As a silent supporter of the VCP web site; I just wanted to finally say THANKS. As you all know there are a lot of "teaching" web sites out there; however, none that provide the level of tools and inspiration for the all the young talent out there. For that; YOU ROCK! !

Thanks,
Julius
17 years ago
Awesome, cant wait to watch
ben
17 years ago
Niiice!
Can`t believe you do this for free! Im gone try it out!!

I hope you make that 3D motion track tutorial to. The scene with the hole in the ground and the farmerfield
ömer tatlisoz
17 years ago
sorry, where is the Smoking Crater tutorial?...
bob
17 years ago
was anyone shocked after watching this? i was expecting a lot but this was huge.
this was really on the same level as the bullet. and its free.

thank you AK.



next week the boujou tutorial we have all been waiting for
w00
17 years ago
Thanks alot!! I really learned alot from this vid, like i always do from your tutorials!
THE ONE
17 years ago
Its a pleasure to watch your tutorials THX for all!!! (the guy from switzerland)
pev
17 years ago
tino face!
Oooooh!
I laugh!

Thanks Andrew :} you are a grand MEN!
for ours friends, little link - perspective (look)
http://www.cg-academy.net/
educate, educate and only educate!
J.J.Zmaj
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
@Wesley,
No I think he is done, it was just the two...
Just the two? as if that wasn't enough
well you know what I meant to say Andrew

Wesley
17 years ago
@Myself,

Stupid me :S http://www.videocopilot.net/meteor/tutorials/ He IS doing a tutorial about it
Wesley
17 years ago
@VFX-Anomaly

I was actualy hoping that he would make a seperate tutorial on that one. That would be awesome.

Anyway, thanks for this these two great tutorials!
17 years ago
Hey Andrew and everyone!

Its possible to completely skip the problem where you removed color matting in the alpha. If you use a targa sequence instead of png, you can export with a premultiplied alpha. Then, in AE, make sure you interpret the footage as such, and choose the background color. Presto, no gross edges
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
Andrew when you have time can you make a quick written addition on the blog on how you made the hole when Tino walks over to the Meteor Hole?
I'm pretty sure how you did it, but having you clarify
it would be great.

Thanks Again for this tutorial
Sanjay1
17 years ago
Thanks a lot man!,i owe you a bunch,

btw i don't have a good video camera but instead of getting it from another one can i use my Sony cybershot 10.1 mp digital camera's video mode, and if so, what settings are best for this.......please can someone help me out with this..

and andrew i am 13 years old and you are my idol and i feel you are one of the best in what you do...and keep the tutorials comming

-we all love you!
Mathuza-Brasil
17 years ago
Andrew Kramer you are my idol
Very Very Cool
Jason
17 years ago
Thank you so much Andrew! You're the man!!!
Hashem Mohammad
17 years ago
AWESOME
Thanks you Andrew
What we can do without Andrew
??´??????±??§ ????????? ??§???????¯??±????

thank you again from Palestine
FloVC
17 years ago
Thanks sooooooooooooooooooooooo much Mr. Kramer!!!

This tutorial is awesome and I'm really looking forward to the next one! Your work is great!

cheers
Frank Black
17 years ago
Andrew,

You continue to Amaze!


Cheers
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
I'm done watching them both
Andrew you are simply fun to listen to
I don't care what teachers say about you,
as a public speaker? I'm not sure about that
but for internet tutorials you are #1

Thanks a bunch for this tutorial
I got some great tips out it!
NAWAB P
17 years ago
WOOOOOWWWW ANDREEEEWWWWW!!!!!!!!! THATTTSSS AWESOME!!! AND REMEMBER " HEY WHATS UP? ANDREEEEW KRAMERR HERE FOR VCP.NET!!! WELCOME TO ANOTHER GREAAATT TUTORIALLLLL!!!

THANKS A LOT ANDREEEWW
SAHIL
17 years ago
cool .....i hav been waitn fr dis lyk nythng....thank u so much
17 years ago
Seems pretty cool. So far no problems.
Bo
17 years ago
Thanks man. Have not watched yet but thanks a ton in advance bro
Gabriel
17 years ago
Do you know why can't I play this QuickTime video? I've installed the new version from QuickTime's official website but I still can't play it. Any idea?
pollo
17 years ago
Thank you very much Andrew!, Greetings from Mexico
lifetype
17 years ago
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!
Larry
17 years ago
Hell yes! Thank you very much for this and everything else.
ömer tatlisoz
17 years ago
hahaha...suuuper tutorials...thaks Andrew..
Mustafa Natheer
17 years ago
At last!

I was boiling and now I am okay, Man thanks allot.

Also I am Glade to post my comment that early.

Peace

Mustafa - Iraq
Kael
17 years ago
You rock SO hard, Andrew! I still can't believe this training is free - you could easily have had another "Bullet" DVD that we all would have paid for. Thanks for always giving so much to the community.
artz
17 years ago
Thanx Mate.

Now I owe u a BEER!
cheers!!
SirBeef
17 years ago
Andrew, three words...
You Da Man!!!

Thanks for all you do in educating the uneducated
17 years ago
Very cool. thanks for this great site, Andrew.
VFX-Anomaly
17 years ago
Awesome Andrew,
Thanks
Infaas
17 years ago
THIS IS HUGE!!!
Infaas
17 years ago
WOW thanks AK
Jeff
17 years ago
I really respect your free tutorials and the knowledge you pass along, thanks for everything. Your products are awesome.
York
17 years ago
Thanks Andrew!! this is great
17 years ago
THANK YOU!
17 years ago
Nice!
Thank you Andrew!
So excited to learn new stuffs