Create a Breathtakingly Awesome Rain Scene – Day 1
In this massive 2 part tutorial inspired by the work of Pierre Michel, Alex Verlan shows us how to create the dramatic slow motion rain drops falling scene entirely within After Effects.
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Preview
Requirements:
Trapcode Particular (download the trial version here)
Trapcode 3D Form (download the trial version here)
Trapcode Shine (download the trial version here)
Optional:
Trapcode Horizon (download the trial version here)
Twitch (download the trial version here)
T_Distorto from Foundry Tinderbox 1 collection (download the trial version here)
In this tutorial I will show you how to create a dramatic scene with slowmotion rain drops falling from the sky. We’ll construct 3D looking drop element inside After Effects with Trapcode Form plugin. Also we will create rotation scene inside the rain drops mass without using 3D. In part 1 we will focus on creating the first scene.
Step 1
I will be using After Effect CS4 for this tutorial. Don’t worry, everything I am creating can be done in the other CS, or even earlier versions. So let’s get started with After Effect by creating new composition for our drop element. I create composition by clicking Composition->New Composition. Make it 300*300 square pixels 3 seconds long, name it as ‘drop’.
Step 2
Create new solid clicking by Layer->New->Solid. Color doesn’t matter. Make it comp size (300*300).
Step 3
With solid layer selected, apply Trapcode Form plugin. Effect->Trapcode->Form.
Step 4
The cool feature of Form is sphere base form. Expand-down menu ‘Base Form’ and select ‘Sphere – Layered’.
Step 5
Change plugin settings as shown in the images below. For particle color I used this one: #4B666F. Don’t forget to change transfer mode to ‘Screen’.
Then you should get results similar to my:
Step 6
Now let’s make some color corrections. Apply Curves to the solid with Form by clicking Effect->Color Correction->Curves. Make adjustments on RGB, Red and Blue channel, as in the image below:
Step 7
Create new Adjustment layer above solid with Form. Layer->New->Adjustment layer.
Step 8
Apply to adjustment layer Curves ( Effect->Color correction->Curves) and make adjustments.
Step 9
Apply to adjustment layer Tint ( Effect->Color correction->Tint). Set amount to 80%.
Step 10
Apply to adjustment layer levels ( Effect->Color correction->Levels). Change input black value to 26. So now our perfect looped water drop is ready.
Step 11
Next, download from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/623114 Skyscrapers and also Sky photo from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1121796
Step 12
Now open up Photoshop. Open our photo with Skyscrapers (File->Open).
Step 13
Make double click on background layer, this make it simple layer from background layer.
Step 14
Grab Quick Selection Tool(press W). Change brush size to 20px. Holding Left mouse button, select sky ’sectors’ around skyscrapers. You can change brush size to smaller if you select smaller areas.
Step 15
Press Refine edges button. Set settings like in the image below.
Step 16
Select Layer->New->Layer via Cut
Step 17
Delete top layer (with the crop sky). Select this layer and delete it.
Step 18
Now with Burn tool and Dodge tool Make the side areas darker and central areas brighter. Something like in the image below.
Step 19
Now we ready to go to the After Effects. Save image as Skyscraper.psd file (File->Save as).
Step 20
Now, when all the elements are ready, let’s create new composition in After Effect. Click on Composition->New composition. Name it as ‘Scene-1′, use preset ‘HDVHDTV 720 25′, set 15 seconds long.
Step 21
Keep all stuff organize. Create some folders for yours compositions, images, footage etc. You can create folders by clicking on file icon at the bottom of the project window.
Step 22
Select Images folder, after that select File->Import->File. Browse your Skyscraper.psd and Sky.jpg” (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1121796) files, press Open. For Skyscraper.psd file choose import as footage.
Step 23
Select Skyscraper.psd in the project window and place it in the timeline.
Step 24
Switch on 3D switch to Skyscraper.psd layer.
Step 25
With layer selected press ‘P’ to reveal position ‘Skyscrapers.psd’ options.
Step 26
Click on the position stopwatch to create keyframe. Set this values for X,Y,Z: at 0sec – 640,460,-800; at 10sec – 640,460,-50; at 14:16sec – 640,460,11. Select first keyframe and with keyframe selected press F9 button. This make it ‘Easy-Easy’ keyframe type and skyscrapers will start move slowly at the beginning. Check out animation with RAM preview (press numpad 0).
Step 27
Let’s improve a little our skyscrapers look. First, apply Simple choker effect (Effect->Matte->Simple choker).Set Choke Matte to 0.9px.
Step 28
Apply Tint (Effect->Color Correction->Tint). Set amount to 80%.
Step 29
Apply Levels (Effect->Color Correction->Levels). Change values of RGB, Red, Green channels as shown below.
Step 30
Apply Brightness & Contrast (Effect->Color Correction->Brightness & Contrast). Click on Brightness and Contrast stopwatches, set following amounts for this parameters: at 0sec – Contrast = 5; at 2:04 – Brightness = -30; at 4:21 – Brightness = 0, Contrast = 17.
Step 31
Apply Glow (Effect->Stylize->Glow). Set parameters as shown below. Sounds like poetry 
Step 32
Select our Sky.jpg” photo in the project window and drag it to the timeline below Skyscrapers layer. Turn on 3D switch for this layer.
Step 33
Make adjustments as shown below. First press ‘P’ after that hold down shift button press “S”, this reveal Position and Scale property options. Change Scale to 198, adjust position.
Step 34
Take Pick Whip from Sky layer and parent it to Skyscraper layer. Check your animation with RAM preview (press numpad 0).
Step 35
Press ‘End’ button, Current Time Indicator automatically moves to the end of composition. After that grab Pen tool and draw mask shape on the Sky layer as shown below. Change your mask settings.
Step 36
Apply Levels to Sky layer (Effect->Color Correction->Levels). Change Blue channel settings.
Step 37
Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it ‘FlashClouds’. Make it comp size. I used color: #56565C. Place it above Sky layer. Change Blending mode to ‘Add’ and turn on 3D swith for this layer.
Step 38
Go to the end of composition by pressing ‘End’ button. Take Pick Whip and parent ‘FlashClouds’ layer to the ‘Sky’ layer. Press ‘S’ and scale it down to 50 %.
Step 39
With Ellipse Tool or Pen tool draw some mask shapes on FlashClouds layer as shown below.
Step 40
With FlashClouds layer selected press ‘M’ twice, this reveal all masks properties. Holding down ‘Alt’ click on the Mask Opacity stopwatch and write some expressions with random() command. This make mask opacity changes between numbers that we want. You can use my values, or write your own.
Step 41
Press ‘T’, click on the opacity stopwatch. You can use your own keyframes, depend on your soundtrack and sound fx. Check your animation with RAM preview.
Step 42
Now apply ‘Roughen Edges’ effect to the FlashClouds layer (Effect->Stylize->Roughen Edges). Set settings as shown below.
Step 43
Apply ‘Fast Blur’ effect to the FlashClouds layer (Effect->Blur & Sharpen->Fast Blur). Set amount to 20,00.
Step 44
Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it ‘Shine1′, color – white.
Step 45
Turn on 3D switch for this layer. Press ‘End’, go to the end of composition, take pick whip and parent ‘Shine1′ layer to the Sky layer. After that, take Pen Tool and draw two mask shapes on this layer. Adjust settings as shown below.
Step 46
Now apply ‘Roughen Edges’ (Effect->Stylize->Roughen Edges).
Step 47
Apply ‘Shine’ effect (Effect->Trapcode->Shine). Adjust settings.
Step 48
Duplicate ‘Shine1′ layer by clicking Edit->Duplicate. And rename it: ‘Shine2′.
Step 49
For ‘Shine2′ layer change settings as shown below. Also change parent from ‘Sky’ layer to ‘Shine1′ layer (with pick whip). Check your animation with RAM preview(hit 0 numpad).
Step 50
Now put ‘drop’ composition from the project window to the timeline. Switch off layer visibility (turn off eyeball).
Step 51
Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Color doesn’t matter. Make it comp size, name it as – ‘Fill fast rain’. Place it below Skyscraper layer.
Step 52
Apply Particular (Effect->Trapcode->Particular).
Step 53
Go to the ‘Options’ of the Particular and in pop-up window change prerun value to 100%.
Step 54
Make Particular adjustments as shown below.
Step 55
You can noticed that particles need more time for fill all space. If you want fix it you must make your composition time longer, and start you work area from 3-4 seconds.
Step 56
Duplicate ‘Fast fill rain’ layer (Edit->Duplicate). Rename it by hiting ‘Enter’ button – ‘Fast fill rain2′. Place it above Skyscraper.psd layer.
Step 57
Change adjustments of Particular in this layer as shown below.
Step 58
Duplicate ‘Fast fill rain2′ layer (Edit->Duplicate). Rename it by hiting ‘Enter’ button – ‘Fast fill rain3′.
Step 59
Change settings of Particular as shown below.
Step 60
Solo ‘Fast fill rain layer’. Now let’s adjust emitter position. Set Current Time Indicator on 5sec, click on emitter position stopwatch. I’m set following: at 5sec – X=565,Y=15; at 10sec – X=615, Y= -75.
Step 61
Solo ‘Fast fill rain layer2′. With Current Time Indicator staying on 5sec, click on emitter position stopwatch. I’m set following: at 5sec – X=588,Y=88; at 10sec – X=626, Y=150.
Step 62
Now move your Current Time Indicator to 9:23sec in the timeline. Holding down ‘Ctrl’ button select our three rain layers. After that hit ‘T’ button and click on the ‘Opacity’ stopwatch. This will make keyframe. Move Current Time Indicator to 10 sec and set opacity value to 0% for three layers. After that temporary switch off rain layers visibility by clicking on the layers eyeballs.
Step 63
Let’s create our slow motion rain drops layers. Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it ‘Rain slow BG’, make it comp size. Place it below ‘Fill fast rain2′ layer.
Step 64
Apply Trapcode Particular to this layer (Effect->Trapcode->Particular). Repeat Step 53 for Particular, change ‘Prerun’ value to 100% in the ‘Options’ of Particular.
Step 65
Make adjustments of Particular for this layer as shown below.
Step 66
Apply ‘Fast Blur’ after ‘Particular’ for this layer (Effect->Blur & Sharpen->Fast Blur). Set amount to 3.0.
Step 67
Now we create layer with middle-size particles. Duplicate ‘Rain slow BG’ (Edit->Duplicate) and rename it to ‘Pain slow MID’.
Step 68
I think this slow particles will appear from 10 sec (or you can change time, of course, depend on your music track). So, move your Current Time Indicator to 10 sec. Now we can construct our scene. Switch off ‘Fast Blur’ effect of this layer for a moment (click on ‘fx’ near plugin name).
Step 69
Make adjustments of ‘Particular’ as shown below.
Step 70
Move your Current Time Indicator to 9:24sec and click on the stopwatch ‘Wind Z’ value. After that move Time Indicator to 10:00sec and change ‘Wind Z’ value to -200. You can also adjust size of the particles on your taste.
Step 71
Now switch on ‘Fast Blur’ effect and change ‘Blurriness’ amount to 1,5.
Step 72
Apply ‘Glow’ effect to this layer. Change settings as shown below, this will soft our drops a little bit. Place ‘Glow’ above ‘Fast Blur’ effect.
Step 73
Duplicate ‘Rain slow MID’ layer (Edit->Duplicate).
Step 74
I planing big drop falling down and covers camera lens at 14:18sec. So move Curent Time Indicator to 14:18sec at the timeline. Drag marker (click, hold and drag left mouse button, from the drag icon to this place).
Step 75
Select in the Effect panel ‘Fast Blur’ and delete (with layer selected hit ‘Del’ button). Temporary switch off ‘Glow’ effect.
Step 76
Following settings of ‘Particular’ work pretty well.
Step 77
Switch on ‘Glow’ effect and make adjustments. You must receive this thru the drop view like on the image below.
At 14:16 sec
Step 78
Move your Current Time Indicator to 9:23sec. Hold down ‘Ctrl’ button select ‘Fill fast rain2′ and all “slow rain layers”. After that hit ‘T’ button to reveal ‘Opacity’ options.
Step 79
Unselect ‘Fill fast rain2′ layer (click on the layer with hold down ‘Ctrl’ button). Click on the ‘Opacity’ stopwatch ‘Rain slow BIG’ layer, set 0%. Move Time Indicator to 10:00sec, set ‘Opacity’ to 100%.
Step 80
Now we adjust ‘Physics Time Factor’ of ‘Particular’ and make cool transition effect between fast and slow rain layers. Move you Current Time Indicator to 9:00sec. Select ‘Fill fast rain’ layer. Go to the ‘Particular’ Physics settings (Particular->Physics submenu). Click on the stopwatch and set following settings: at 9:17sec amount = ‘1.0′; at 9:23 amount = ‘-1.0′; at 10:00 amount = ‘1.0′. Select last two keyframes and hit ‘F9′ button.
Step 81
Move your Time Indicator to 9:17sec. Select ‘Physics Time Factor’ keyframes and simply copy to others “fast rain layers” (select layers and choose Edit->Paste).
Step 82
So now make some finishes scene touches by adding Depth Of Field and few masks. First, let’s make vignette. Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it – ‘vignette’, comp size, color ‘black’. Place layer above ‘Skyscraper’.
Step 83
So now make some finishes scene touches by adding Depth Of Field and few masks. First, let’s make vignette. Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it – ‘vignette’, comp size, color ‘black’. Place layer above ‘Skyscraper’.
Step 84
Move your Current Time Indicator to the end of Composition (hit ‘End’). Create new solid (Layer->New->Solid). Name it ‘Skyscraper mask’, comp size, color ‘black’. Place it above ‘Skyscraper’ layer. After that switch on 3D box for this layer and parent it to ‘Skyscraper’ layer (with pick whip tool).
Step 85
Solo this layer and ‘Skyscraper’ layer. Hit ‘S’ and scale ‘Skyscraper mask’ layer up to 105%. After that shut off temporary visibility of ‘Skyscraper mask’layer (click on the eyeball).
Step 86
With ‘Skyscraper mask’ layer selected grab the ‘Pen Tool’ and draw two mask shapes. Set setting as shown below.
Step 87
Now we create our Depth of Field map. Create new composition (Composition->New Composition). Name it ‘DOF’, use preset ‘HDVHDTV 720 25′, set 15 seconds long.
Step 88
Create two solids (Layer->New->Solid make twice): first – comp size, color white; second – comp size, color black.
Step 89
Select ‘black solid’ and grab ‘Ellipse Tool’. Draw mask shape and set settings as shown below.
Step 90
Close ‘DOF’ composition. Go to the ‘Scene-1′ composition and place your ‘DOF’ composition to the timeline. Switch off visibility of composition (click once on the eyeball).
Step 91
Create Adjustment layer (Layer->New->Adjustment Layer). Name it ‘Lens Blur’, comp size. Place it below ‘Shine’ layers.
Step 92
Apply ‘Lens Blur’ (Effect->Blur & Sharpen->Lens Blur). Adjust settings.
Step 93
Download Defocus particles and import to your project (File->Import->File). Place it below ‘Lens Blur’ layer and change blending mode to ‘Screen’.
Step 94
Now create another one Adjustment layer (Layer->New->Adjustment layer). Name it ‘Global Flash’.
Step 95
I use Andrew Kramer’s Twitch (Effect->Videocopilot->Twitch) for some flash, color, blur randomness. Just make some keyframes for ‘Amount’ where do you need it. If you don’t have ‘Twitch’ you can use ‘Exposure’, ‘Fast Blur’ to make some similar effect. Now ‘Scene-1′ is complete!
Stay tuned for part 2 where we will build Scene-2
1 comment:
Wow, this is cool
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