• Location: USA
  • Joined: August 14, 2009

Topic: After Effects lighting

I'm sure most of you fellow effects geeks have already read about this, but there's a plugin for After Effects called Normality. Basically, it lets you render out just a normal channel from your 3d app (Carrara, C4D, 3DSMax, Blender) and then light your model inside AE in real time. I've been using it a bit, and it's saving me tons of time rendering, and letting me do just about everything inside AE.

Videocopilot has a tutorial about it. Link. Have any of you guys used this? Usually I have to do all these test renders to get my lighting right, but with this I can see what I'm lighting as I move the lights around.

It definitely works better for certain things than for others, but when it comes to compositing CG elements into my stop-mo scene, it's been a great tool.

~ Amanda

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AmandaHart/Images/signature.png
  • Location: Your...
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

I have After effects, it's starting to work for me. I'll watch this tutorial when I have time.

https://i.imgur.com/C9qJKA8.jpg
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Darkman's Website

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

I don't have After Effects, but I wish I do. I do know how to use Blender though,a do a lot of cool stuff with it. How much does After Effects cost, and where can I get the cheapest price?

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  • Location: Brussels, Belgium
  • Joined: December 31, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

I just started in After Effects, I'm currently learning the basics, but I'll put this one my to-do list.

  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

I've used this as well - nothing special, just a test with the default Blender monkey head.

It worked great for me, though. Normality has a lot of great features - reflections and refraction. I'll definitely be using this in future projects. It's probably not great for everything, but there are times when it could save loads of time.

Oh, and GB - AE is pretty pricey. New versions are about a thousand bucks. Educational versions or older versions, though, can save you a lot of money, but it's still around 300.

- Leo

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

Ok Leo, I just might have to go with the older version then, if and when I do plan on getting it. The new versions seem a bit (WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY) to pricy.

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  • Location: Why should you know, creeper?
  • Joined: January 25, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

BGanimations wrote:

I don't have After Effects, but I wish I do. I do know how to use Blender though,a do a lot of cool stuff with it. How much does After Effects cost, and where can I get the cheapest price?

After Effects isn't cheap, and I heard you need Adobe Premiere in order for it to run. You can try eBay, but you can't always trust. So make sure to check the feedback first.

After a five year hiatus, I have returned

THAC 8: The Cleanup
Website|YouTube

PanPeteProductions's Website

  • Location: East Yorkshire, UK.
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

I dont have adobe premiere and my after effects works....

Straight to the Biscuits

Rsteenoven's Website

  • Location: Why should you know, creeper?
  • Joined: January 25, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

I "heard" Premiere was needed, but not everybody's true.

After a five year hiatus, I have returned

THAC 8: The Cleanup
Website|YouTube

PanPeteProductions's Website

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

So what's the deal? Do you need Adobe Premiere or not? And how expensive is it? And one more thing: What version of After Effects is the best for not over $350?

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/BGanimations/Signatures/final_400x100.png
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

Guys, can we keep this on topic? You don't need Premiere, and BG - check eBay.

- Leo

Last edited by Leonardo812 (September 4, 2009 (09:17am))

  • Joined: August 16, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

mini/smile  Wow the first female brickfilmer I've ever seen. Do you have a channel?

Used to be 'Caidence'
  • Joined: August 16, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

I mean a YouTube channel mini/lol

Used to be 'Caidence'
  • Joined: June 6, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

lolwut?

mini/cat

Capedkid's Website

  • Location: USA
  • Joined: August 14, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

Thanks for posting two pieces of junk in this thread, TBD.

~ Amanda

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AmandaHart/Images/signature.png
  • Location: On the hype train
  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

yeah,

1. There are more girls around here.
2. There's an awesome option called PM-ing on this forum.

''You don't have to tell him how great is coffee is man!''
  • Location: Éire
  • Joined: May 3, 2009

Re: After Effects lighting

TBDudeAnimation wrote:

I mean a YouTube channel mini/lol

mini/lol
Interesting. Do you have to buy it?

  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

Thread saving time.

Hadn't heard of this, and was greatly surprised to see that it's a free plug-in. I can see where this would be a huge help for anyone using CG. Good find.

With all due respect Noodle, I don't want you here. - Ratboy Productions
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: After Effects lighting

For the record, I used Normality for the first shot of the video I made for Ani-Excercise 2 - the shot with the gears turning. It worked out great and saved a lot of render time.

Amanda - this could be sweet. Combine Normality with Blenses and the AE camera data export script, and you could do some wicked stop-mo/CG stuff.

- Leo