New Tutorial: Advanced Spin FX
October 15th, 2013

In this in-depth tutorial, we'll create a dynamic spin animation inside of After Effects without any 3rd Party plug-ins. Whether you are a beginner or advanced user, this tutorial is packed full of helpful information and major tips, you must see!

Tutorial Topics:

  • Creating Spectral animations using audio waveforms
  • Use Force Motion blur to create unique noise patterns
  • Build Circular elements with various properties and animation
  • Create a perfect lighting array with Polar Coordinates
  • Pre-Render Design Elements for faster compositing
  • Layer Distribution & Alignment tips
  • Unique use of distortion and radial FX

Watch on Youtube

Watch in Tutorial Section

Download Project File (CS6)

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
12 years ago
65 Comments
shashika
11 years ago
You are the master of AE...
HUMPHREY
11 years ago
AWESOME STUFF ANDREW..I LIKE
11 years ago
the most incredible tutorial that i've ever watched ....
David C
12 years ago
Andrew. Where do you get these awesome sound FX for all your videos? Do you do the sound design by yourself on a specific program or do you download sound libraries?
Pete
12 years ago
How has this tut been on the site for so long without me knowing about it...? AK, use my e-mail address as you wish, so long as it's telling me about your awesome tutorials.
Charles
12 years ago
Andrew is very amazing! He can do great visual effects with just after effects alone and without a help of a 3rd party plug-in. what a rare talent. I hope that I'm like you but still, you are my best teacher ! Thank you for all your tutorials.
Alex
12 years ago
hey andrew! I have a little problem with this tutorial when you use the cc force motion blur, i did it and the line it disapear!!! and if I turn off the "override native shuttler" it apear the line again! and i can't use this efect 'cause i can't see the line! why this happen? what i'm doing wrong?
Nick`
12 years ago
Made this inside of Element 3D
http://s22.postimg.org/mg68cq6s1/Sky_Fall_Edit.jpg
12 years ago
Check out my SpinFX Website intro Thank you Andrew for the Tutorial
https://vimeo.com/77326167
Dexs
12 years ago
Andrew Kramer
October 15th, 2013 @ 8:33 am
Not sure... one solution is to put the CC Force Motion Blur on an adjustment layer above the Comp. This should work.

Ty Sir Andrew.. Thats Works.. i used AE CS 4
Carlos
12 years ago
Thank You for all the time you are spending to make all those free tutorials and serve the Motion Graphics community... Great Work
MHF
12 years ago
I wish I could someday have a separate drive for 'my passport' and then store the information about those I want to attack to in another drive called 'ATTACK DRIV' ... wait, who are you Andrew? Jason Bourne?
Duncan
12 years ago
Awesome tutorial Andrew, definitely gave me some idea of ways I can use different effect. And you're right, I've never used that Align feature, lol.
Zee
12 years ago
This cool spin remind me of Iron man...Haven't seen it yet but it is definitely another great tutorial!A big thanks to Mr.Andrew Kramer and other VC staffs!
Zee
David C
12 years ago
Awesome tutorial Andrew! Every time I watch one of your tutorials I feel incredibly inspired and suddenly capable of doing great stuff! Thank you for these awesome tuts and I hope we can see more and more to come!
hamada
12 years ago
I am surprised not to see you participating in big movies visual effects you have to have a chance
Carlos
12 years ago
I guess Andrew is already participating in such stuff...
Shawn
12 years ago
Is there anyway you can give me the audio file alone? I cannot download the project file alone since im working on a Mac with CS5.5
Thanks!
Shawn
reza irani
12 years ago
that was so useful, so cool and so amazing!thank you so so so much Andrew!
take some rest man!
12 years ago
Check out my new Element 3D motion graphic animation: Dissolving Balls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLO8KimyoQI
Amr
12 years ago
Yaaaay! this is my try for this tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TozejqOsQA
Eric Lin
12 years ago
Andrew I just want to give my thank to all of your tutorials and awesome plug-ins. I use all that I learned from you and 3 products I got from you (element, optical flare and pro-score) made a video for a contest and got the first place.
http://www.fzdschool.com/contest.html

again, thanks for all that you contribute to the community, and I don't think anyone or any group of ppl can take AE as far as you guys!
Leo
12 years ago
Beautiful work Eric.. thanks for sharing!
12 years ago
AK.... I really don't think you know how awesome you are, your wife and kid might, but I don't think you do!

The side tips in this tuts will now save me hours of work, many many HOURS!

Thank You for this badazz tuts!

Annnnd please! keep making more of these, they are beyond helpful and incredibly useful!!!
Mohammad Dehbashi
12 years ago
Hi Andrew...amazing tut like always..i started VFX 2 years ago just by your tuts and i made this Video..i love to share this with you guys...and expect your comments..i did it all by myself and it was broadcast on TV in a very popular show..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Za3h96Ahsk
http://www.mediafire.com/watch/bqtt21y5m6maq4t/90-HighQuality_(720p).mp4
Tom
12 years ago
AK, thanks for sharing this. It's neat to see how such a simple effect can be tinkered with to become something pretty darn cool. Thanks for these practical reminders!
nidalos
12 years ago
wonderful Andrew thanks so much for ur cool feed , but plz do some new tutorial about the Jet Strike Pack , some jets blow up and some cool stuff
12 years ago
Goshhh... I wish I can be as good as you AK.. Thanks for the amazing tutorial.
12 years ago
very, very, cool! Andrew, have you ever considered becoming a comedian?
12 years ago
You saying he should give up his day job????? lol
12 years ago
Thank you Andrew. I'm inspired to see you squeeze the daylights out of AE. Sometimes we crave the amazing new thing... and may neglect the hidden amazing tools that a particular software may have to offer.
12 years ago
Not only a fabulous tut as always ( I was looking forward to this coming out as well as the type writer effect on the paper) but it shows how with a bit/lot of knowledge of the program AE, fabulous effects can be created without plug-ins of any shape or form. Thinking like this separates the boys from the men, and THATS why we all come here to learn from top dog kramercrew.
12 years ago
Dang! Christian, that life saver vid you made was some pretty badaazzery... nicely done sir!
12 years ago
Thanks Fred. I'm sure you meant light Saber rather than life saver. You had me thinking for a minute lol. Glad you liked and thanks for watching.
Itslain
12 years ago
Ahh, so obvious thanx again!
12 years ago
What version of AE are you using?
Amr
12 years ago
When i add "Force Motion Blur" Effect on the [Audio] Solid Layer it's disappear!
and When i unCheck the "Override Native Shutter" [Option] it's appearing but no motion blur.
How to solve this problem?
Praveen Prasad
11 years ago
Make a new adjustment layer. Put it on top of the spectrum. Add CC Force Motion blur on the adjustment layer .. It will work.
Itslain
12 years ago
Hey Andrew and VCP team! Firstly, thanx again for yet ANOTHER cool tutorial. Quick question: when I apply force motion blur, the audio spectrum disappears. Any thoughts as to why? It's on default settings, version: CC Force motion blur v1.5
12 years ago
Not sure... one solution is to put the CC Force Motion Blur on an adjustment layer above the Comp. This should work.
Xavaeca
12 years ago
Same here. When I uncheck the override native shutter option the spectrum appears, but there is no sign of any blurring
PS Awesome stuff Mr. Kramer!
Praveen Prasad
11 years ago
CC Force Motion Blur on an adjustment layer does work.
.. Thank you Andrew
Jeremy Abbott
12 years ago
Andrew! You said the intro music here was for Element tuts and regular tuts would stick with the classic VC theme!!! </3
12 years ago
Reminds me of the Arc Reactor. Nice work Sir Andrew.
Tyler
12 years ago
To create the light panel, you could just create one white solid, add a channel blur, and blur the alpha. Easier than creating track mattes, yadda, yadda, yadda....
Havremunken
12 years ago
I love the awesome stuff you come up with, combining pretty standard stuff into amazing production value.

Your tutorials taught me enough After Effects to finish my wedding speech with an animation that still has my wife crying, 2 weeks later (yeah, I know, opening myself up to a bunch of cheap shots here). So thank you, a whole lot!
12 years ago
GOOD ONE REALY NICE!!!
Thanks andrew!!!
You are the master of AE!!!!
12 years ago
Hi Andrew, where can we found the sounds used in this tutorial (f.e. the sounds of a button, opening, and flashing).
Thanks in advance
That was so very inspiring Andrew! Really cool animation! I never gave the audio possibilities inside of AE so much of a thought, until now. They are powerful! Thx a billion!
rajesh
12 years ago
hello sir,
how can we work with opacity while song in spin.
Redo
12 years ago
Lots of important workflow tips. These small details change everything. Thank you.
12 years ago
Andrew, may I ask when is the ETA of Element 3D V2 and how much it will cost? I need to pass the buying stuff to my parents 'cause you know, I'm still studying. Btw, I'm on a medical field but VFX is really my passion. It is because of you. You're the one to blame. Lol. Just kidding though. I know everyone here at the community are excited for that v2!
12 years ago
Don't forget to Ctrl/+ ou Ctrl/- for rescaling the layers..
Bjørn Nielsen
12 years ago
Around the 7.33 mark you add the CC Force Motion Blur. But when I do this the spectral animation just disappear... Any idea what have happened?

I do use another piece of music than the one in this tutorial, and the the comp is 1920x1080 - but should that make a difference?

Everything else works just great...

And thank you so much for these great tutorials...
V I P I N
12 years ago
Spectacular i was Waiting for this thanks a lot Pal
12 years ago
Really cool stuff Andrew. Always great to see new tutorials of yours. It's pretty awesome that all this was performed solely inside of AE!
Mikko
12 years ago
Hi Andrew! Great tutorial. Really love the different possibilites to use this!
One question tough, in 7:32 you add the force motion blur. When I do that it hiddens the audio spectrum for good. When i take Override native shutter it comes back, but there is no motion blur. Do you have any idea what wrong?

Br, Mikko
12 years ago
Mikko, I'm having the same problem. Did you get it worked out?
12 years ago
Did you try increasing the audio duration in AS? Also by default I don't think the default Motion Blur Samples is 28 is it?
12 years ago
Andrew, I would like to see extruded animated masks with Element 3D.

Like same effects in the tutorial, but with extrude. It will be so useful for motion graphics.

I like to create animated shape layers or masks, and if I can extrude them, it will be perfect! can it be option for Element v.2?
12 years ago
this is a perfect way to do the 3d effects for the iron man hud, I downloaded a script from AE Scripts called Pt Multiplane, I use this for 2.5d matte paintings, but is useful for huds. I just wasted a day watching someone do all this in vector graphics, when its quicker to it this way, Thanks Andrew,
Mike
12 years ago
Man I wish you would release that heat wave plugin separate from all the stock footage. Just want that plugin.
JMS
12 years ago
Look at it this way. The heat distortion plug-in is 99.95. But it comes with a whole bunch of free shit!! (For reference I bought a single fumeFX stock explosion and it was $50.00. The flight pack comes with 12. Everyone really needs to keep these prices in perspective. VCP needs funds to keep developing cool products. I bought the flight pack because I needed the heat distortion plug-in as well, the rest I consider a bonus. All depends on how you look at it.
Mike
12 years ago
Yea except I really don't need any of that stuff and alone that plugin is not worth 100. Most plugins of that complexity go for around 20 on aescripts. The package is definitely worth it's money, just not worth it for me when I just want one part.
dong
12 years ago
wow i can learn a real english tuts,i from china
Joseph
12 years ago
around the 5.50 mark andrew adds the analog dots to the scene and it add on to the lines just like that, but for me, i can only view one layer at a time, how to i fix this?
12 years ago
Set layer to Screen.
Joseph
12 years ago
even if i solo out a layer it dosent recognize it and continues like nothings happened.
Joseph
12 years ago
thanks for the reply andrew, thats the problem though, it is on screen, i can get my head around it.
Joseph
12 years ago
cant**
Joseph
12 years ago
I've sorted it, just needed a reboot.
Meet
12 years ago
Ak How do you get such ideas in your mind..
This is superb...You seem to be working on After effects whole day and night....
12 years ago
Andrew!!!! Make some TRAPCODE FORM tutorials!!! This plug-in is realy nice...
12 years ago
Fantastic work with only basic plugins. You are amazing as always
12 years ago
Andrew, I have a serious question: Why are you such a boss? I'm pretty sure you were born to be amazing.
12 years ago
Wow! Cool! Amazing that this can be done without plugins. He Andrew 2 more tutorials and you're on the 45 tutorials! I think you got the most in depth tutorials on the web. Will the next two tutorials be covering Jetstrike?
Lucien
12 years ago
I mean 145 tutorials
wenluc
12 years ago
Sure hope so! Are you going to celebrate it when you hit the 150???
12 years ago
amazing . thank so muck
SpecialAgent
12 years ago
looking forward for these pure AE TUTS ,Thanks
arshamvik
12 years ago
wow... nice
but i like 3d plugins and programs like a 100 times bigger(especially element 3d and 3ds max)... not that it hasnt amazed me like you other tuts actually right now im blown away... but tnx anyway
12 years ago
Yo AK! Nice to see this kind of tutorial where there is no 3rd party plug-in involved.
12 years ago
Of course! Love doing these.

It can be tough to do real 3D inside of After Effects without using Element 3D or 3D max, C4D so I sometimes feel limited but it's about finding the right balance.

I will say that when I use Element 3D to create something, it is usually because it is the best and or least expensive way to achieve that particular effect. I know that it can be self-serving BUT, even in my professional work, I tend to use Element 3D for most projects and I usually have access to any software in the world but I choose to use Element 3D because speed and interactivity inside of After Effects.
Akash Sonthalia
12 years ago
Andrew Do I can it part time Element 3d promotion
haha, very inspiring stuff by you!
zafar
12 years ago
that is good but without 3d it is impossible to achieve Some great results i love the tutorials when ak use 3ds max or C4d or e3d like the explosive training the result was awesome .AE is for Composting 3D elements and some color correction .i think i have learned a lot about 2d now it is time for 3d...
John Omar
12 years ago
Andrew working with 3d studio max is too hard...
but i create some stuff in 3d max and import by element 3D to aftereffects...
I was wondering that may be you guys could work in creating a software/plugin more easy to work with like element 3d.
or you could suggest me ??
12 years ago
Yes! This is what I want to have been waiting for! Awesome!
12 years ago
awesome work andrew!
Studio VFX
12 years ago
Cool, now, uh! I am sure that this is a very useful video tutorial. Guys, you rock! Keep up the good work!