The VFX Flight Plan
June 20th, 2013


Well as you know at Video Copilot we are fascinated with Airplane Emergencies... so after seeing so many movies with cool plane destruction I decided to try and make something similar. Not quite a tutorial but here is what I did!

I used an Airplane model from the elusive and upcoming Aircraft Model pack, (Coming this Summer!) then I created the destruction inside 3Ds max with Rayfire, Vray and Particle Flow, much like the process in the Explosive Training tutorials. The one thing that is important for shooting airplanes is to back the camera up and zoom in so it looks large and powerful! I added some Action Essentials 2 and used a Z-depth pass to composite the fire behind the wing. Here are a few screenshots of the money shot!

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
12 years ago
126 Comments
Alex
11 years ago
Please make a full tutorial !!
xboy
12 years ago
it would be great if there is reflactions in element 3d
Seth
12 years ago
You make it look so simple...
12 years ago
Whay dont you make a short action movie.I think thet it would be perfect.Yust go on.Wher can i buy a us truck that you use when yo made it explode?
coco
12 years ago
I love kind of this action. You are supper truly
coco
12 years ago
the speed of the plane blends with the explosion.the parts from the explosion dosent have much sharpness .I like it....(:
coco
12 years ago
the grafics in 3d ,it realy looks like it is outlining a real plane crash.it looks cool,great work
12 years ago
Good Job Andrew!!! I seen it https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wnb64wsa3nsnogl/h23Kf8zrYU If you didn't do this then you did a darn good job replicating.
Asteris
12 years ago
When is the Aircraft model pack coming out this Summer?
Ke9
12 years ago
Way 2 go Mr. Kraimer. Nice Z-Dept.
I'm flying Kraimer Airlines with no crashed experience. Awesome plug ins.
Vidosav
12 years ago
Can someone tell me where can I find some fireball tutorials ??thanks!!
Marc Kamil
12 years ago
looks like one of the shots in the trailer for Whitehouse Down.
DHRUV
12 years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k0vwmvL5w4
AMAZING INDIA HD LOGO
MUST WASH !
PLEASE SUGGEST SOME MODIFICATION !
THANKS!
prathamesh
12 years ago
this is my random model collection v2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaA-CzYUiEY&list=LLdHeQs95tVITWxSLEqtNdvQ&feature=mh_lolz

check my other models also
12 years ago
Here is my exclusive project !!!!! A remake of the Knife Teaser with Projectfiles to download !!! Dont forget to subscribe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmoWc-59BEA

NativeVFX
prathamesh
12 years ago
any new news about element 3d v2 ?
12 years ago
Just bought the metropolitan pack with the 25% off... get it while you can people!
Daluz
12 years ago
It´s amazing how ADOBE is the best and the worst at same time!

Their software are the best, but their executives are very incompetent.


No wonder that Andrew Kramer (VIDEOCOPILOT) alone has 127k followers on facebook and only has 88k ADOBE.
Imagine if Andrew decides to launch a software like After Effects...

In a nutshell, I couldn't never buy CS6 Master Colleciton, only After Effects, with CC now I can, finally, OWN ... I mean ... (RENT) the entire collection!

When I first heard about it I was happy, cause I do not like to use pirated products, people must receive for their work as well as I hope to get at mine, so I think "I will sign in"

But when I read what the CC was about the idea of paying forever really scary me a lot.

So, if I stop paying after 4 years I come up with nothing??? It feels like "You dont own nothing"(Socialism?) Or like a relationship "After all these years, your son of..."

What is the difficulty for "Adobe executives", change the CC to something like -

"After 3 years in the cloud, the software becomes yours without the need to continue" in the cloud ".

Boy, I tell you, that the majority who always use pirated products would "get" into the cloud.

It would be fairer leasing, as it would give a chance to everyone to buy it.

But the developers at Adobe seems to be much more competent than their executives...

Hey Andrew Kramer, how about VIDEOCOPILOT EFFECTS, cos you guys understand about costumers!

Luciano Daluz
Milagro Prod - Brasil.
12 years ago
Check This out Created In E3D + C4D - CGI Design
http://on.fb.me/1ctanjc
Jim
12 years ago
Can anyone suggest a program cheaper than 3DSmax that can do the same stuff in the tutorial? Do they sell older versions of 3DSmax? Thank for the help!
Daniel D
12 years ago
Hey Andrew, is this plain used in the new movie white house down?
anddy
12 years ago
Man, give us videos. Still images r obvius.
Andrew
12 years ago
I gotta say, I'm really losing confidence in Kramer Airlines...


Great work though!
12 years ago
Enough is ENOUGH ! I have had it with these monkey fighting splines on this Monday to Friday plane !
Nick
12 years ago
Hey Andrew! I`m i big fan!
Here is the thing, i am wondering, like the pictures or the shots are easy to composite footage and elements but in a fully 3dimensional scene how can you composite all these elements (fire,smoke,debris,etc)
and still animate the objects?
I of course have seen the tutorial "mid air emergency" but that wasnt fully 3dimensional...
What would the workflow be like if we had to composite all the elements in the exterior of the plane while we would be using the 3d model of the aircraft (using Element 3d)
It seems really difficult to me!

I hope that my english is not too bad...
Josh Ortolaza
12 years ago
Hey Andrew, have you considered doing a tutorial series on destruction? maybe like a building collapse, or even various effects from the new Man of Steel movie??? great work.
Dragon
12 years ago
I just saw this in a trailer for white house down(I think that's what it was) very cool.
Andrew how often do you work on vfx for films?
Daluz
12 years ago
I think after this ADOBE CLOUD stuff, it would be great if Videocopilot release their own VFX EDITOR!
Kenn
12 years ago
andrewww you rock man , but your Kramerican Airlines sucks lol ...you're great !!!!
12 years ago
A little scene that shows you how matte painting works

http://youtu.be/Pgz2dvEbwmI

NativeVFX
12 years ago
How often are you going to post the same video xD

Towards the end its very obvious that the mountains are just images instead of true 3D.
Alex
12 years ago
I am never riding on one of your airlines again.
12 years ago
Great stuff as usual. When is this airplane pack coming out?
Chaba
12 years ago
Adnrew, why do not you write a small Blog-post about your future releases? About your new plug-in(s), about new model packs, about Element 3D v2.0 at last. Very interesting to know the exact dates... I open your website every 3 hours, because I want to see a new Blog-posts all the time.
Pixelito
12 years ago
Andrew, a question. Since AE CC will integrate Cinema 4D Lite, will you might use C4d in future more regular than 3D Studio Max?
12 years ago
TUTORIAL please :p i really want to make explosion stuff like that, please make the tut, i wanna try hehe, thanks!!
12 years ago
My Plane animation is more safety ,

THY Sunset Flight !!

http://youtu.be/mgj1VQiMqh8
12 years ago
Great stuff as usual. When is this airplane pack coming out?
12 years ago
VFX Breakdooooooown by NativeVFX

http://youtu.be/Pgz2dvEbwmI

NativeVFX
Surendra Sahi
12 years ago
Fantastic work AK!! Please try to make a tutorial for your buddies.
12 years ago
Kramerican. I wouldn't fly that company))

Great post!
James Twyman
12 years ago
Making things look big and imposing is something I've been struggling with. In element 3D and other 3D programs how do you take a model and give it the feeling of real. Size and weight?
Arnold
12 years ago
Wow, awesome stuff Andrew,... Video tutorial, please,please,please.. Amazing work as always
Ehsan
12 years ago
Wow, this is gonna be awesome . i am really exciting to now what happened in 3ds max . please provide a tutorial for that ,
12 years ago
Soooo, I googled element 3d v2 and to my surprise I see a image of metropolitan with really nice shadows! And the image says: Element 3Dv2 shadow tech preview!
Sooooooo Andrew........more previews?
Yair
12 years ago
make a tutorial on the plane and the update of elemnt 3d v2 and how to use the shadows in 3d element
Yair
12 years ago
andrew you should make it look 3d element explosion fx smoke rendered to have the Explosion in 3D and to use the Eplosion in 3d element
12 years ago
Tutorial! Tutorial! We want Tutorial!
12 years ago
the smoke looks like fume fx do you used the titans grafics card
Axel
12 years ago
Please make a tutorial!
giloz
12 years ago
hey ANDREW,when i start a project like this one,i dont know where to start..i have the model but then i keep watch this picture and think of all the hard things,like omg this light this reflections this background hdri this amazing explosion how it looks like particles and so on,can you help me?? just tell me how to start a project steps...thanks and sorry for my english
fyardlest
12 years ago
I'd love to see a tuto like this lord Kramer.
26
12 years ago
kramericannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn be blessed.
Warren
12 years ago
THAT PLANE IS SO NICE AN SHINY!!! I want to blow one up too! I mean, in artificial 3d airspace only..! very cool shards!
EvL
12 years ago
nice work how about an inner red glow on the right engine turbine
12 years ago
Some VFX Breakdown

http://youtu.be/Pgz2dvEbwmI

NativeVFX
12 years ago
@Andrew K - do you think you could pull off this same scene using Cinema 4D? If so, what do you think the differences in challenge would be?

- Austin
James
12 years ago
Andrews look better.... But ILM doesn't have the resources that VCP has...
James
12 years ago
replied to wrong person...meant for impaczus
Impaczus
12 years ago
This plane(from Iron Man 3)
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/0/40/2851569-caged_tv55_escape_txtd_h264_0888_c.jpg

and your plane:
http://www.videocopilot.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3d_pos.jpg

..looks very similar .. you guys did work on this? did anyone else notice?
sandie
12 years ago
Hey where did you find the ironman 3 bluray disk is it on sale or something i never heard about it
sandie
12 years ago
And yes its kinda simillar but not fully simillar . You can check out those engine detail compare to andrew's engline.
Jeremiah Lofthus
12 years ago
Hey Andrew,
Did you export the animation as an obj sequence for Element 3d or did you render different passes and composite them together in AE?
Thanks
J
Shafa' Rizky F
12 years ago
Did you add 'Kr' in paint? -_-
let me think, you are paint lover, so you must be meme lover
just kidding
Smileski
12 years ago
Hahahaha... I saw that too! (Y)
Daluz
12 years ago
CREATIVCE CLOUD! What do you think? I think it sucks!
Flower
12 years ago
Element 3D is the greatest plugin for AE !! I just finished a hypothetical advertising for the new iphone 6, modeled in 3dsmax, animated and rendered in 3D Element http://youtu.be/9W1pyoXpTZA
Steffen
12 years ago
Element 3D works perfect in After Effects CC
the Perfect Model Packs
no problem
Badhon
12 years ago
just amazing.......
looking for the Aircraft Model pack
reza irani
12 years ago
Looks great!but andrew ,have you seen the "white house down"third trailer? there is a sequence like this shot that you create. there was used the fumeFX plug-in i guess and i think that was much more realistic with that and Particles move was much more unison with the wind. if you start a new project with sam and make Another great shot,it Would be cool. Make a tutorial And prove the power of "element" again....!!!
IMRAN KHAN
12 years ago
Hi Andrew That was Fantabulous job and Inspiring too. Why You always like to
do Destruction using 3ds Max?
Matin
12 years ago
Nice, I always comment my ideas here! And here's another one.
How about an obj sequence pack with destruction and rayfire stuff if you know what I mean, like some animated stuff so we can use in Element 3D specially the people who can't make their own animation inside the 3D programs?
Thanks.
Jonny
12 years ago
Where do you get that kind of backgrounds (under the plane?), that are allowed to use?

Can you make more tutorials where you combine 3DS MAX, element 3d and after effects together?

And will all video copilot plugins be compatible with After Effects CC??

keep up the good work!
Shafa' Rizky F
12 years ago
yeah, maybe it useful for some people, but not for all vcp fans, they use many kind of 3D software,if Andrew do that, i very jealous, im c4d user
Eric Terence
12 years ago
Awesome to see VideoCopilot really take it to the next level. Especially with 3D becoming more and more integrated in AE.
Keep up the good work!
Kevin
12 years ago
Looks great! But the right engine sort of kills the effect: the fan is static (not motion blurred) and there's no explosion in the reflection on the plane!
Kevin
12 years ago
Well I meant other right engine ... the one on the right of the picture.
Haider sheikh
12 years ago
Thankyou Andrew For Advance Airplane Tutorial best guid for ever
lunga shezi
12 years ago
Reminds me Air Force One from the WHITE HOUSE DOWN Trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Dnvay5S7w&noredirect=1
12 years ago
mmm, i can see you'r working on 2013
Pretty fast, isn't it?
Very beautiful, on Vray i guess?
WJM
12 years ago
Did you do this for the movie "White House Down"? I saw a commercial recently with an identical shot :O
A Sandy
12 years ago
Superman is never around when you need him...
12 years ago
Maybe a C4D tutorial since its integrated into AE CC now? Please! Ha ha.
12 years ago
Oh . Thats a really nice trick of zooming .I Am really impressed . Hats off GURU
12 years ago
You have a fear of flying, don't you Mr. Andrew?

...thank god for us
12 years ago
As always, you're a fantastic inspiration, and a special quote for your own personal airplanes company : KRamerican...just excellent
Dver
12 years ago
woooow, absolutely amazing,.
12 years ago
It always amazes me how 8 out of 10 comments on VC posts are completely non-related.
Ding
12 years ago
Really hope I can have tutorial
kkehoe5
12 years ago
Looks cool, but since the fuel is stored in the wing there should be some liquid coming out before catching fire.
12 years ago
These airline tutorials prove one thing: Never fly KRamerican Airlines. Explosion prone.*

*Feel free to fly if you're Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford or Wesley Snipes
AARYAn
12 years ago
Mr.Andrew Kramer please i need more tutorials about 3d max.. like car accidents,how to create forest location with green screen action...thank u
Nazmul Talukdar
12 years ago
Hey Andrew
really cool work with the color correction and also the entire work.
Just one thing I want to know that did u add smoke & fire using "create 3D null"?
Dawson
12 years ago
When will the aircraft pack come out?
Bishoy Nader
12 years ago
this is Cool Andrew i am waiting the new aircraft Model Back
and if u can make a tutorial in this project , thank u , u bring us the Happiness
rodrigo lagos
12 years ago
amazing ;the tutorial please,thank you very much mr andrew..
12 years ago
That title and that image are pretty apt for the VFX industry itself.
Jeremie
12 years ago
hello I'm french. sorry for my talk english.Compte you make a tutorial of this project. This is purely amazing. Good luck.
PILOT
12 years ago
amazing work , Now the summer!!!, when the date in the summer???
Aykut Bozkurt
12 years ago
Great graphical exercise Andrew.Everything looks fine and detailed + especially Kramerican Airlines But 1 thing to know,that glass you shared is better than yours Tnx for that,a total tutorial from zero to end should come in handy for real.Keep on the good job!!!
12 years ago
Co-pilot must have been drunk to let that happen....
Jack
12 years ago
Full tutorial pleeeeeease ))
Mahdi
12 years ago
Please make tutorial from it ...
James
12 years ago
wowsa...lookin pretty good there capn kramer....looking forward to getting my hands on that model
Dave
12 years ago
There's no need for a tutorial guys, it's the same techniques used in "train explosion" tutorial. Just watch that.
Meet
12 years ago
ANDREWWWWWW!!!just fab work....plzz come to india sumtime...
Seamus
12 years ago
Hey andrew, any plans on making/including a full phsyics engine to work with Element 3d?
dave dietz
12 years ago
wow - nice! Hope they were able to land safely and get all the passengers out alive.
Evren
12 years ago
It is really beautiful. So, make a tutorial exectly for this stuff while releasing the vehicle pack, plaease.

And i did something with Metropolitan 3D but I know guys this is not looking good but i tried...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UhyRBqqJQE
James
12 years ago
Looks great!
Shawn
12 years ago
Looks good to me. Camera shake at end seems odd - like maybe the buildings in the foreground are moving too much. And I wonder why more buildings didn't fall, but the overall look of the scene is well done. Good job!
12 years ago
i love ittttt so much
12 years ago
Very cool and very interesting. I'd like to be so bold as to ask how do you use element to create such large landscapes as shown in your demo reels as jets fly over and such? I have tried numerous things but am still stumped; it looks as if you've done it here as well with the motion blur. May not be the place to request this but since you posted....
Charles
12 years ago
'Get off my plane!' http://youtu.be/sOUoNy7EmPA
Ryan S.
12 years ago
Wow, that looks amazing! I'd love to see a tutorial on how to composite the 2d action essentials elements (especially the explosion) realistically into a 3d scene, as I always have a lot of trouble with that.
mr steele
12 years ago
Pretty neat, but I'd like to see some new tutorials on particles like Trapcode form and particular. What are the chances of that. There are a few on youtube but they are nowhere near Andrew Kramer style! I mean I need corny jokes and high quality sound while I learn!
12 years ago
Good old P Flow! I need to really start messing around with Rayfire, looks so much better than those free scripts out there to break apart meshes.

Wondering how long so for this did you spend tweaking the CC, thats always my downfall, spending so much time tinkering and tweaking. Obviously in your tutorials you usually have already gone through the process a few times so you have an idea but just wondering, first crack at a scene like this, how long did you spend, didnt seem like it was anything to over the top but just wondering.

Cant wait for new packs, as well as the future city challenge!
12 years ago
Oh Andrew Kramer sir, can you please make this as a tutorial please. I've always wanted to try out a 3D play crash.
WM
12 years ago
Looks like a second angle from the other one you did. Very cool. Maybe another short is on its way?
artalan
12 years ago
So Good ...
Always Good
Fabiano Peres
12 years ago
I'd love to see the video.
12 years ago
Aircraft Pack!!!
Can't wait to get my hands on that!!
How many models and how much is it gonna cost us, Andrew ?
anton nartea
12 years ago
Have you tried "thefree3dmodels.com" yet? It's fantastic!
bwoogie
12 years ago
Love the graffiti! ha
Emmanunel
12 years ago
Simply Fantastic.... wonderful work...
Lucas
12 years ago
Your Airlines are really unfortunate!! Two flights two accidents
Steve Thompson
12 years ago
You beat me to it. Andrew is great at Video Effects but I think the FAA might just have to ground Kramerican Airlines.
Mike
12 years ago
I'm dumping all my Kramer Airlines stock! LOL
12 years ago
Blue Horseshoe Loves Anacott Steel!
Mike
12 years ago
Kramer, where the heck are you? I am losing MILLIONS! You got me into this airline and you sure as heck better get me out or the only job you'll ever have on the Street is SWEEPING IT! You hear me, Kramer? LOL
12 years ago
I'm gonna make you rich, Bud Fox.
12 years ago
I'm Gonna make you rich, Budd Fox
tobi
12 years ago
pls make a video tutorial andrew !
Bakhtiar93tiar Studio
12 years ago
please andrew make this tutorial
12 years ago
I like it. Now it is time to try for myself!
12 years ago
Great work Kramer, great work, you are simply wonderful
12 years ago
Wonderful work!

and the tutorial, you'll make?
Ben
12 years ago
Amazing! I'm really looking forward to the model pack. How much it will cost?
12 years ago
Kramerican, HILAR! Fantastic stuff, Andrew!
Todd
12 years ago
PLEASE make this a full tutorial!!! Including the particle flow stuff!!!
Roman K Rai
12 years ago
yeah! it would be great..Rayfire with the particle flow
Josh Ortolaza
12 years ago
This looks simply amazing, Mr. Kramer. Unfortunately, I learn better with video tutorials, as I am sure many who follow do as well. A video tutorial for this would be awesome. Great job.
Hijazi
12 years ago
Way to Go Kramer Airlines
nghohung
12 years ago
Never chose Kramerican Airlines lol
Alexander Botteram
12 years ago
Still amazing to see how you have single handedly evolved AE in something so much more versatile. Come to think of it, it's redicilous 3D rendering was never introduced into compositing programs in the first place.
12 years ago
This wasn't done in Element though.
12 years ago
Correct, this image was done with 3D max, although the Emergency Landing Airplane was done with Element 3D.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myk14LqI9ws
Monproduction
12 years ago
o.O cool graphicks O.o
Peter
12 years ago
Actually, realtime OpenGL 3D object rendering has been available inside of Flame since the 90ies and has been greatly enhanced in recent releases. Other compositing programs like Nuke also have a fairly capable 3D system (some of it developed by Digital Domain for Camera Projection on "I Robot" I think, back when it was still an inhouse tool, but it might have been earlier). Others have since followed. I agree however that Element 3D is one of the best implementations of a 3D system for MoGraph and basic effects work to date.
12 years ago
Always spectacular work.
Elisha Trice
12 years ago
Wow! You're truly inspiring.
12 years ago
Andrew Kramer

I love kind of this action. You are supper

Wow wow wow
12 years ago
This is great! can't wait for the full tutorial. If you land this plan you are the Man!