Forge Technology Inc.

Filmstrip tutorial - Page 3 - ''FreeForming''
By Chris Bobotis

Note
Please keep in mind that this will not quite look like the animation you saw on our website, if you decided to skip page 2 that is. Should you wish ta add some nuance and subtlety to the animation go back to page 2 of this tutorial and complete it or simply use the pre-built version named ''3_3d Displace Comp'' in the ''ffae_filmstrip.aep'' file that is available for download.

Step 12
Open ''4_Final Comp'' and place ''1_Film + Logo Comp''. Again if you would like to add some subtleties to this animation then you should also place''3_3d Displace Comp'' into this composition.

Now apply FreeForm AE to the ''1_Film + Logo Comp'' layer. Effect >Forge>FreeForm.

First change the Number of Control Points and Tangents to 2 on the Horizontal and leave it at the deafault 1 setting on the Vertical. FreeForm AE > Control Points > Horizontal = 2, Vertical = 1. Notice ''CP Values'' right under these settings. This is the only setting you need to activate if you wish to animate the Control Points and Tangents. We will not be animateing the Control Points and Tangents in this tutprial but feel free to experiment with this feature.

HINT: Turn the AE Camera On and Off as necessary during Control Point and Tangent manipualtion - use FreeForm AE's 3D Views to see Top, Bottom, Left, Right etc. views of the FreeFormed layer(s).

Now go to the Effects Control Window > FreeForm > 3D Views and switch the setting from ''Active to ''Bottom''.

Then make sure that FreeForm AE is selected in the Effects Control Window - this will display FreeForm's Control Points + Tangents in the After Effects Comp Window. Select the Control Points and Tangents and manipulate the image as such:

Go to the Effects Control Window > FreeForm > 3D Views and switch the setting from ''Bottom' to ''Top'' and manipulate the Control Points and Tangents. Once you are done, don't forget tot set 3D views back to ''Active''.

Step 13
Now add an After Effects light and a camera (the default 50mm will do). Layer > New > Camera.

Select the camera icon in the After Effects ''Toolbox'' or go to the ''Timeline Window'' and under ''Transform'' numerically set up your camera as such:

Your ''Comp Window'' should now look something like this:

Create a RAM preview to see the animation thus far.If what you see in the RAM preview will suffice for your needs then this concludes the filmstrip tuorial. If you wish to dig deeper... read on.

Step 14 - Requires the ''3_3d Displace Comp''
We willnow add more nuance to this animation via the 3d Displacement mapping feature available in FreeForm AE. Choose ''3_3d Displace Comp'' in the ''Effects Control Window'' > FreeForm AE > Displacement Controls > Displace Layer.

You can turn off the ''3_3d Displace Comp'' layer in the ''Timeline Window'' as it is not necessary for this layer to be visible. Notice the image in the ''Comp Window'' has now changed slighty.

Go to FreeForm > Mesh Controls > Mesh Subdivison and set this to 20 or higher. Rule of thumb: The higher the Mesh Subdivison the more displacement detail.

Make a RAM Preview and notice that there is more nuance to your animation sequence. As mentionned before you can add even more subtleties by:

a) animating the Control Points and Tangents
b) further refining the 3D displacement map
c) animating the Mesh subdivison
d) animating the 3d Displace height
f) adding and animateing light(s)
g) rotating the layer on the X,Y,Z axes
h) change the layer's postion on X,Y,Z
i) animateing the Material Properties
j) any combination and/or all of the above

Have fun and we would love to see what you come up with using this tutorial as a starting point.

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This concludes our Filmstrip tutorial... have fun and let us know what you think

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