Friendly Reminder
October 3rd, 2008

I just want to encourage everyone who visits here to watch ALL of the tutorials here. Even if you think you don't want to learn about light sabers or slideshows, there is some great information in each tutorial that can be used in various creative ways. Plus 1 or 2 decent jokes... OK, there are no good jokes but some great tips! ... OK, good tips. But still.

For example:
Tutorial 62 (Colorful Universe) includes a free 3D orbit preset that can be used to animate a 3D carousel of icons or pictures.

Tutorial 12 (Elegant Slideshows) teaches you to offset layers equally; this can be used to offset several muzzle flashes for a machines gun or possibly a nail-gun.

Tutorial 67 (Advanced Car Hit) can be used to create an Advanced Bus Hit. Think about it.

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
17 years ago
111 Comments
14 years ago
Andrew you rock man !
It's true, every single tutorial has something valuable to offer.
Kai
16 years ago
cool!
this was posted on my birthday, too.
Jone
17 years ago
i actually used one of your jokes, but he didn't get it. It was the duck with one leg joke. And you're right, a duck will swim in circle if it had one leg. and thx, you are the best!!!
17 years ago
the kenetic kruto!!!ya russian andrev kramer spasibo!!!
JD
17 years ago
Thanks Andrew...thanks...I can't LOL at work so I snort...yes i snort at your jokes. I watch mostly at work and if I LOL i'll get FFW. fired for watching. So i SOL. to avoid getting caught. snort out loud...the best is when i have a cold and SOL. but thats a different story. oh yeah and thanks for the tuts. i'm a better man because of them.
17 years ago
Hey whats's up???))
hi Andrew.I would like to say you a great thanks for your tutorials.Some things are not so complex as they seemed to be.And a great thanks gor your sence of humor!!)
Keep up good work!!!
Best Reguards

Serg
this is one of the beat sites ever.., keep up the good work
and keep those tutorials coming
nsnaveen
17 years ago
Hi Andrew,
Sir you are a great guy. i must admit iam nobody without your tutorials. I learned everything from ur free tuts. trying to live with ur tuts. i promise one day i will buy some of ur products. i feel guilty abt it always. but what to do i could not afford it. but promise is pormise i will.
great tutorial thanke you very much
naveen
kamal98
17 years ago
Hey that's like thinking out of the box isn't it advance bus hit as oppose to advance car hit hey you guys are "BRILLIANT"
Bashkii
17 years ago
You are Saint Andrew!!!
Kevin
17 years ago
Bus hit, think about it.... hmm is this a clue that you worked on Ghost Town?
Kai
17 years ago
Thanks for all the cool tutorials!
After I watch most the tutorials, I feel is not like 1+1=2,but more likely 1+1=X
17 years ago
"Tutorial 67 (Advanced Car Hit) can be used to create an Advanced Bus Hit. Think about it." LOL

Greetings from Brazil AK
Denn
17 years ago
hi andrew,

i stumble upon this article written all about you! Great job Andrew! i've always been your fan! I'm so happy for your success!

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/10/01/behind-the-design-5-stories-of-great-inspiration/

Denn (Philippines)
Hi sir Andrew

I really love your tutorials, i've really learned a lot of them. I'm looking forward to P2 on the crater tutorial. I've tried the technic with Boujou, and it worked great. But instead of a crater, it was a dead person that i made in C4D

One of my friends and i are really being inspired of your last tutorials, and we are planning to make a film that is based on the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R bet you know it

But i just want to say i really respect you !

Thank you sensie
Jeddel
17 years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bexW8Baf9-0&feature=user
This is a demon Face Wrap
I hope you have time to see it Andrew
and Leave a Coment Please
i will apericiate it!!
Your fan #1
Jeddel
17 years ago
Hi Andrew,

I recieved your email.. but your reply function was disabled! please email me at my address for a relpy.

Thanks
Shoaib Khan
www.maxafter.com
mid lifer
17 years ago
I know that street where the meteor hit. But man, by the time I got home, the city guys had it all cleaned up.
Mike K
17 years ago
I want to know, do you need to go to art school and get a degree to get a job in 2D 3d animation.
Carlos
17 years ago
When you were talking about Sam wasn't a joke was it???
mmmmmmmmmmm
jim98816
17 years ago
ĆØĀ°Ā¢ĆØĀ°Ā¢ĆÆĀ¼??ƤĀ½Ā Ć¦??ĀÆƤĀø???ƤĀøĀŖƦ???Ā Ć§Ā§ĀĆ§Å”???Ć„Ā¤Ā§Ć„Āø??ĆÆĀ¼??ĆØ?????Ʀ?????Ʀ??ĀÆƤĀø???ƤĀøĀŖĆØ???ĀŖƧĀ§ĀĆ§Å”???Ć„Ā­Ā¦Ć§???ÅøĆÆĀ¼??ĆØĀ°Ā¢ĆØĀ°Ā¢Ć¤Ā½Ā Ć£??????(thank you,You are a master and selflessĆÆĀ¼??I was a selfish studentsĆÆĀ¼??thank you very much.)
Aaron
17 years ago
A while a go i was stuck on how to do machine gun fire, in the end i abandoned the idea because i couldn't think of a way to do it. Now that you point it out, sequencing the layers seems so bloody obvious.

And you are right josh, so many people just upload the render of the project file to youtube. It really annoys me, because some of these people get views and subscribers from this.
George
17 years ago
I wish more people will learn to USE your tuts instead of just plain COPYING them!

You are indeed a generous and talented guy (I even like your humor!), so keep going, and keep teaching us cool things and... Other cool stuff.

Do you know any tasty recipes?

No, better yet, do you know how to became a professional ninja (apparently it's the work of the future!)

;P
17 years ago
I thought these tutorials were on how to be funny!
Thorsten Miess
17 years ago
Thats the only reason I watch the tuts
daz
17 years ago
now thats the Million Dollar question
17 years ago
WHAT HAPPEND WITH THE TSHIRT CONTEST??
KevinLee
17 years ago
Yeah, on many occasions I'll remember that I heard a good tip about this or that, maybe a shortcut tip. Of which I couldn't remember exactly how to do the task. So, since I know I heard about it from Andrew, I'll go back and watch tutorials just to make notes on little tips. Plus Andrew will meet or beat any price for his free tutorials.
josh
17 years ago
that's a good point about how we should be adapting the techniques in different ways. I go on youtube a lot to poke around and there's wayy too many vids that people post on there that are just single shot, like pixel for pixel copies of a tutorial you did here and that's it! I'm sure it's good for videocopilot and I think it's great what you do for us, but I see these and I'm like oh brother did they just download the project file and render it out :/ ?? On the other hand there is many that take what they learned here and step it up or put their own twist on it so much respect to you folks and of course to videocopilot.net !
Tim
17 years ago
What ever happened to the "Fun Size" tutorials?

It's almost Halloween... how about handing out a few fun size tutorials? haha

By the way, I noticed the time on your post. Man, you're a workaholic! Who stays up that late? Err... oh, damn, it's 2:15am.. Nevermind...
Stuart
17 years ago
Airplane hit? 3 seconds into this: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_tDK0NNHYw
PandaLegacy
17 years ago
I freaking love this site :]
ariel
17 years ago
i love your jokes andrew they actually make me laugh!
17 years ago
hey adrew Elder Brother.. listen how about an Aeroplane hit..?!!!for tutorial 67..!can u make a aeroplane crash..on sam.!Ć¢??Āŗ
Morton
17 years ago
i was bored so i tok ever preset you had on the tutrials to them all and watched the tutorials
17 years ago
about jokes it's really awesome !
Increase it pls.......

A Bus hit !!
I think It'll be harder !!!!
isn't it....!!!
Bobb
17 years ago
Bus hit?!! He he.
AK, i am in a huge studio and doing composing and matte painting in aftereffects. I started with u and cant stop re-visiting good ol tut. The timefreeze is my favorite simly coz it reminds me of the sweet ol blue site u smashed! ...mmmh...'em days...you sayin '...buy the DSfx and check out the new blog'
I respect your efforts and God bless your family.
Hi Sam!
Rick
17 years ago
Even though I do not do most of your tutorials, I watch them because they are entertaining!

Let's see... I remember the tutorial when you had to render a really large file, and when you cut to the other part, you said something about cooking and eating a delicious turkey while it rendered. Haha.
Sandy
17 years ago
hahahaha Very Funny, BUS HIT,

that was gud. thnx for the reminder anyways.
17 years ago
On behalf of the entire community, I thank you Andrew.
For several years now you have teached us how we can run before we even could walk.

No other crazy person would attempt that.
17 years ago
hahaha, 1 or 2 decent jokes and great tips haha.

Those tutorials are great and yes... all of them have something usefull, the little i know of AE is thanks to videocopilot.net, thanks andrew! Now i just need a couple of friends who likes film making so i can practice more .

Hey look what i did with your meteor crash tutorial:

i need a lot more work on it, the stones look very fake but hey! its my first try! (well, kind of.. i know more 3ds max than after fx hehe)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzmzfAjWY3w

critics and ideas are very welcome
maxpd
17 years ago
He's absolutely right!
peter
17 years ago
'Planes,Trains and Automobiles nows theres a good idea for an Advanced Hit Tut..!
Imagine a Movie Called that....
Dennis
17 years ago
i think train hit would be nice. Or advanced airplane hit...
P.S. I got some deja vu when i saw Hancock movie. His landings on the asphalt... Andrew, is there your name in the title? Or "thanks to VC"...
Jason
17 years ago
I have learned more than I thought I ever would. I have learned so much that I've tried a few of my own ideas that I'd like to do, and they turned out amazing. I tested the effects before I shot the actual footage used for the Main Movie part of the DVD. Thanks Andrew for all your help! Before I came here I didn't know how to use After Effects at all. I love working with 3D space! If only I could learn 3D Max or Cinema 4D as much as I'd like..
17 years ago
There were jokes?
I myself think an airplane-hit would be a good challenge.
I'm about 1/2 way through all your tutorials and although most of the projects subjects I may never use, I've really jumped ahead on my quest to replace Flash with After Effects as my main animation tool. Thanks for your time Andrew, you have saved me hours of mine!
Jon
foebea
17 years ago
Im up to about the 10th tutorial after boot camp. I watch the tutorials every weekend until I can follow along each one with just the audio to instruct, and then until I can do it on my own. These are a great way to get up to speed in AE and now 3D as well. I look forward to giving vcp all my monies once i finish giving dell all my monies for a laptop that can do all this stuff. I'm having shedloads of fun. Thanks so much Andrew and friends (specially sam).
Jan
17 years ago
I did the bus-hit already
+ I already did a car-hit months ago yours came online. But, well, yours was much better. I like your tutorials, and I have learned so much, and using your ways to create my "own" cool stuff.
17 years ago
yes, that's exactly what i've done with my movie using these tutorials: "http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=5qD8ztXfcAA" thanks!
haieb
17 years ago
i have watched all of your tutorials ;D
and i liked every joke^^
thx andrew!i have learned a lot from you...
keep it up
p.s:this is my most visited site
17 years ago
I just watch for the jokes. I don't even get the jokes.
17 years ago
So true Andrew. There's tons of knowledge to be found within each tutorial...I'm still trying to catch up with them all, but I have been watching them all for the reasons you stated above.
david
17 years ago
Thanks for all the great tutorials, by the way, there are some "good jokes" and "great tips" in the tutorials ; )
Tedy888
17 years ago
cool man!
Kilian Koeltzsch
17 years ago
It's like you're reading my mind! I just watched Tutorial 12 and 62 out of just that reason.

But an advanced bus hit? That's tempting! I would've never come up with the idea that a simple tutorial like the advanced car hit can be used for something as complex and awkward as that! You're more than a genius!
17 years ago
those comments are increadibly awesome! and btw I LOVE THIS SITE and all tutorials and especially jokes blessings!
17 years ago
The jokes are fine. I mean they could be better

Seriously, the jokes is why i watch VC tutorials. I wouldn't care one bit if this training was about diferent hair styling techniques.

The jokes are what makes your training superb. The clarity of explanation sets them apart from every other training i know.

Ever bought an Autodesk official training seminar? Then you'll appreciate VC all the more. And on top of that it's free. Amazing.
cesar
17 years ago
you are the man, vivan tus chistes
40mm
17 years ago
Good call AK, hopefully that advice will make for a healthier AE forum as well.

Even if you don't want to do a face warp, just watch it again - it's full of useful broad range tips!

Jokes?
Jim Crown
17 years ago
Andrew, you are hilarious. I love your jokes, especially how you make fun of Sam!
Manny Campa
17 years ago
The 3D orbit preset is awesome... i also made a preset for 3d text in AE using shatter... works like a.... something that works all the time...

w/e...
Julian
17 years ago
"Bus hit, think about it" Ha ha such versatility!

Love your stuff! Been watching every one, getting me great marks at uni!
pev
17 years ago
Hey Andrew,
My first check on the internet is
VIDEO COPILOT.
Earlack
17 years ago
I also watched only the tutorials I was interested in, for some time, but I tried, I thought "Well, if I don't watch them all, Andrew will probably send me bad jokes all the day, maybe even a meteor... while I'm playin "solitaire" at work... That's bad."
Anyway, I quickly found out there was sooooo much cool tips to learn, even if the main subject wasn't what I needed. So, good thing if you tell those which don't know that yet.

PS : Bus Hit is the tut' where there's a bus crossing a street, and BAM ! There's Sam striking the bus ? No ?
Felix
17 years ago
Hey Andrew,

another reminder...whats about the t-shirts from your t-shirt contest?
Frank
17 years ago
I really appreciate the tutorials - even though I've been doing after effects around ten years, I have always found something I could use to help improve my technique, strategy and work flow. I LOVE this site!
Dustin James
17 years ago
This is why I love this site so much. It is truly how I have learned AE.

I can create my own promo's and things that don't resemble VideoCopilot at all, yet I use tips and tricks from here and there.

This site is how I get deeper into plugins/how to use things creatively.

Thanks AK.
RA Elliott
17 years ago
This is true.. I'd never watched the day for night one. But when I did, and started playing around, i got some amazing results! Even got my first industry job.
Travy
17 years ago
remember the crater thing? is it possible to have someone be inside it or jump in it?
Rafael
17 years ago
bus hit...hahahahaha
Moshe
17 years ago
don't just watch or download the project file... follow along yourself, if you have the resources available!
It makes a huge difference.
Barry
17 years ago
Did somebody say Advanced Bus Hit?

http://www.vkmag.com/videos/videos_poef_en_weg_is_die_lelijke_bak/

Not my video. Found it on the internet.
Markerman
17 years ago
Great jokes Andrew, This keeps the spirit up. I guess that all great AE tutoral makers insert some jokes, look at aharon rabinowitch, eran stern. All great tutorials. But videocopilot beats it all.
Roel
17 years ago
Hey Andrew, is it possible to actually use the 3d Orbit plugin to have a camera orbit around like a planet or some title or something? That would be awesome, but I fail everytime I try to do that.
Chris
17 years ago
Hey Andrew just wondering if. i was kind a wondering if you can put a back to top button at the bottom it'll beat having to scroll back up to the top. just a thought that's all. Oh and I'm almost done watching every single tutorial. Ever since I've found your site i devoted myself to learning everything on here.
sebastian
17 years ago
Tutorial 67 (Advanced Car Hit) can be used to create an Advanced Bus Hit. Think about it.

i just lol'd alot, but good job motivating me i guess i will go trough some tuts again..

Grtz
Some Guy
17 years ago
"Advanced Bus Hit" LOL
Jonathan ( Brazil )
17 years ago
Hey Andrew i love your jokeĆ¢??????s.
you`re nice person.
tks for VIDEOCOPILOT.NET and not for VIDEOCOPILOT.COM lol
17 years ago
'Kramer manufacturing' rocks! )))
Bryan
17 years ago
lol... I have seen them many times over!
17 years ago
I have watched every tutorial on this website!(where's my medal?) They all rock!
highdefw
17 years ago
You have done your part AK, its up to us to take advantage of everything you taught us.
DamageVFX
17 years ago
Hey Andrew

I've always thought that I should do that but laziness and the tutorials keeps growing
You are very right.
Thank you for being so thoughtful
And about the jokes , they take some of the tension away and makes one relaxed about the whole learning experience I think the jokes are teribly good, keep em coming.
Joe W
17 years ago
Don't short yourself on your comical ability Andrew. My computer even chuckles at your jokes! The tutorials are priceless. Great ideas, great creative!
thanks so much!
17 years ago
I like a good joke
moi
17 years ago
I watch these tutorials just because of Andrews 'jokes'.
Josh
17 years ago
wasnt there an advanced bus hit in the movie the orphanage?
17 years ago
Actually, it's more than amusing. It's like a joke in itself.
17 years ago
Your voice is lighter in the earlier tutorials, I find it quite amusing.
Just Amit
17 years ago
What are you talking about? I use your jokes with my friends all the time... maybe thats why i have no friends left... Haha, definitely good advice. I have already watched them all gained some great information from each. Thanks for the tip and keep up the great work.

P.S. T-Shirt information?
Alan
17 years ago
I have to admit I struggle with this myself all the time. I have wathed all tutorials a few times and even bought the 'offline' disk because I reference them so often. Yet I often find myself looking for an effect I remember and spending the next twenty minutes or so trying to find the correct tutorial.

Has anyone created any sort of cross reference of the tutorials? Sure would be handy. Then again, rewatching the tutorials is never time poorly spent is it?

And as a side note, I just this minute pre-ordered the CS4 suite so I'm gonna be waiting for the first CS4 tutorials to come through. I'll be watching!!!
17 years ago
Hello, Andrew can you teach us some simple compression settings you use in AE when you publish it to your site.
marieju
17 years ago
thanks Andrew for sharing your skills and jokes. it wouldn't be the same without the jokes anyway!
17 years ago
ROFL
17 years ago
Advanced bus hit?!!! HA!! I knew it Andrew!!! You couldn't fool some of us.
Malik Adeel
17 years ago
yeah really .............
Bo
17 years ago
I've actually done that before, looked at some tutorials that I wouldn't normally have been interested in, and learned a ton. That's good advice. You can come on here and learn 2 or 3 tutorials and go off and create 20 or 30 other fx based on the methods. Thanks again man. My best to you and the family.
aggronaut
17 years ago
I dont know what Effects After is .
I m here for the jokes.
17 years ago
I've tried that Earth Zoom, but I still don't have enough string. Plus the balloon keeps popping when it gets about 1 mile up! Very frustrating!

Andrew, how did you keep the video camera from icing up? You didn't include that in the tut! Maybe I'll watch the whole thing.

I can't agree more about watching ALL of the tuts. I watched Basic training twice when I had down time. I know 95% of the info, but there's always something I didn't know that saves me a ton of time.

Thanks Andrew for making us all better!
17 years ago
haha nice stuff, you tickle my brain. Now it is bigger
then my mother is used to, when I was a baby.
andy
17 years ago
i agree. it sometimes makes me angry when i see a guy asking for something and i know that andrew already talked about it in a different tutorial.
plus sometimes someone will ask make a tutorial for trapcode horizon. yet its a plug in for 360 enviorments. and everything is explained on the official site.
things like this.

i will not use the meteor tutorial to make a meteor. i will use it for a superfight. where two superheroes fight eachother and all the desttruction in the city. and you need matchmoving for this.

the thing about VC tutorials is that they dont teach you just specific stuff. they teach you to think for yourself.its always nice to see that someone is practicing and is doing the exact same thing. but try to use the tutorial to make something different.
look at this. found a fanmade dragonball trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L__-uEbTI4
looks like he watched every tutorial here and used it in hes trailer. bravo.
pev
17 years ago
Andrew,
every visitor love your jokeĆ¢??????s and your tut's.
You are ROBOCAP for as.
THANK YOU VIDEO COPILOT! THANK YOU!
17 years ago
You're right.
All techniques are important.
Their mix allows us to be free in our creations.
17 years ago
I find myself watching the old tutorials quite often, there's always good tricks for workflows.

Most people using this website are probably, like myself, self taught in AE, 3ds Max etc and when you are it's easy to have missed simple things like dragging a texture from the materials palette directly onto a model in a scene - liked that.
Doug
17 years ago
Plus I love when you get sidetracked and talk about something completely random...hilarious.
Doug
17 years ago
Mate all your jokes are awesome. Thats one of the reasons why I watch the tutes.. Keep em up!
Infaas
17 years ago
Yes, you opened my eyes,, but i was sleeping!
Infaas
17 years ago
Yes, you are correct.
Kakarot
17 years ago
and the joke's are good too more of them plz !
Ben Wotton
17 years ago
wow! an advanced bus hit. who would have thought...

But yeah great tips Andrew. I love all the little tidbits you include in your tutorials that are universally applicable