Chapter: Compositing Tools and Techniques

Topic: Compositing or Layering

In this tutorial, we are going to create a four layer composite, with two still images and two video clips. We will key someone into the cover of a magazine, with another video clip playing behind the magazine. The videos and one of the stills are part of the sample content included with ULTRA. The other still image can be downloaded by right-clicking here.

http://www.corporatemedianews.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=36482

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Chapter: Compositing Tools and Techniques

Topic: Controls and Interfaces

While I love After Effects now, before I started the love affair we had a very love/hate relationship.† We’ve got something to try to bump everyone up to speed.† For the beginners, we’ve got the intro to the whole dern thing.† And if you’ve already mastered that, tomarrow, we’ll have a list of some plugins for everyone to try.†So, lets start off with the basics.† Looking at the interface, it’s pretty self explanitory, so lets take a look more specifically at the timeline, and the switches you’ll use most frequently.

http://dvguru.com/2005/12/30/after-effects-for-beginners/

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Chapter: DVD Authoring

Topic: Menus or Navigation

We’ve explored methods for modifying button highlights in Apple’s iDVD 5. But not all highlights are the same. In some cases, themes in iDVD use text-only buttons and supply you with a bullet-style highlight that appears next to the text, rather than over an asset, as with standard highlights. And, just as with standard highlights, it’s possible to modify this bullet highlight to suit your needs.

http://www.dvdcreation.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=36469

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Chapter: Image Acquisition

Topic: Lighting

The product shot is typically the last shot of the day, when everyone?s tired and wants to go home. This method, which uses only one light, will help you do it quickly and easily. For this type of setup, I typically use a sweep made of a rubber floor mat, paper or Formica; a hanging soft light; simple reflectors; and a four-foot flag on a boom. If time allows, you can add small spotlights, custom snoots, dimmers and scrims to get even more control (see steps 4? 6).

http://www.studiodaily.com/main/training/5883.html

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Chapter: Compositing Tools and Techniques

Topic: Particles

With version 6.5, After Effects finally has a particle system that most people can use. No, I?m not talking about Particle Playground, which struck fear into the hearts of pros and novices alike, but CC Particle World. This filter, once part Final Effects, is now included with AE 6.5. It?s not the best particle system out there, but it?s easy to use and is pretty powerful. This tutorial offers some Particle World basics and shows you how to create some confetti in the process.

http://www.studiodaily.com/main/training/5800.html

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Chapter: Audio

Topic: Effects

On a recent project, the script called for two different voices but we only had a budget for one VO artist. I used the Pitch Shifter II effect to alter the tone of the voice of our female VO artist, who read both parts, and created two distinct “”characters.”” Using the Pitch Shifter II filter, I took the part of the recorded audio that we wanted to be the second voice and lowered it by one musical half-tone, in much the same way you would change the pitch of a musical note to correct a pitch problem or change key. The result was a deeper, richer and older voice that sounded perfectly natural. Obviously, you can also tweak your VO in a much more unnatural way, which may be just what you?re after.

http://www.studiodaily.com/main/training/5885.html

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Chapter: Audio

Topic: Mixing and Balancing

It?s extremely important to build a mix that?s distributed evenly in the lows. If the kick is boosted at 100Hz, the bass should not be boosted at 100Hz?in fact, most likely the bass should be cut at 100Hz. Always consider the ramifications of boosting or cutting the same frequency on two or more instruments. If you?re limited on your mixer to simple two-band, fixed frequency cut/boost EQ, you must use good mic choice and technique along with educated EQ choices during recording of tracks.

http://www.digitalproducer.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=8920

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