Predator

[New_Zealand]

In the film Predator there were two effects that I like; one was the invisible ripple effect and the other one was where the predator would see the humans - in kind of a Negative Red Color.

How can I do this kind of effect?

[MasterP]

For the ripple effect, I reckon you could do that using a displacement map over a subject that has been masked out.

For the IR effect - I'm pretty sure that there are a few plug-ins for AE that do the exact effect you are after - for the life of me I can't remember the names at this stage (I'm sure someone else here will know them though :) )

EDIT: AE CS3 has the "colorize infrared" preset - that'd be a good place to start :)


Oh.... by the way... best username ever!

[New_Zealand]

Thanks

[Matt Grunau]

In the film Predator there were two effects that I like; one was the invisible ripple effect and the other one was where the predator would see the humans - in kind of a Negative Red Color.

How can I do this kind of effect?

Try the displacement map as MasterP suggested. If you look up "Predator Effect" on youtube, you will score a bunch of hits and see how realy well it comes out.

The way the predator saw humans was not in infrared, (even though I believe in the second movie that's what they said it was) it was Thermal. Infrared is the black and white video you see in footage from iraq and whatnot where white is hot and black is cool. Thermal vision is the kind you see where white is hot, and Blue is cold, going from White to yellow to red to green to blue.

And if you have Photoshop, there is a very nifty kind of cheat you can do that I made a tutorial about some time back:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=38488

Technically it's not correct, but it looks fairly close.


MasterP, do you have AE CS3, and can you post a frame of what that effect looks like? I'de love to see it.

[New_Zealand]

MasterP - I will be in NZ in August. Mostly around Gisborne. Do you know of anyone that rents a Steadicam that would fit the HVX200? I check with Rocket but they don't rent them.

[New_Zealand]

Thanks Matt - Just looked at it. Looks great. I have photoshop Elements 3 which I think is an older software and may not be able to do that.

What do you edit on and what are you shooting with (EX1, Hvx etc....)

[New_Zealand]

Another question - how about Morphing shape changer? Need to turn a young girl into an old Man. Would like to make this a moving dolly shot instead of a lock down Tripod shot.

[Matt Grunau]

Thanks Matt - Just looked at it. Looks great. I have photoshop Elements 3 which I think is an older software and may not be able to do that.

What do you edit on and what are you shooting with (EX1, Hvx etc....)


Hmmm. You can probably do the gradiant thingy with Elements, but I dont know. I hope you can.

I have a DVX, and use Vegas, After Effects, Photoshop, Illusion, Lightwave, Encore.



Another question - how about Morphing shape changer? Need to turn a young girl into an old Man. Would like to make this a moving dolly shot instead of a lock down Tripod shot.


Technically you can use some of the warp plugins in After Effects to kinda sorta do a morph, but you also have to mess with opacity and other things.

For real honest to Ghu morphing, I have only used Elastic Reality. But it is old software. about 10 years old, but it is real and actual morphing.

[MasterP]

MasterP, do you have AE CS3, and can you post a frame of what that effect looks like? I'de love to see it.

I'll do you one better - here's the effect settings too (in their default configuration) :)


http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/22623/1208157870.jpg


NZ - Sorry dude - can't help you on the steadicam I'm afraid (I only know rocket rentals myself too!)

Maybe try a2z (http://www.a2ztech.co.nz/)? they do rentals as well as sell glidecam over here - could be worth a shot :)


EDIT: there's some more ideas on doing the IR/thermal image effect here:
http://forums.creativecow.net/archivethread/2/102007#102013

EDIT EDIT: don't know if you need steadicam operators as well, but check these guys out:
http://www.databook.co.nz/Listings/ListingIndex.aspx?CatId=29

[New_Zealand]

Thanks to both of you

[FS Pro]

Im sure u found a bunch of tutorials for the invisible ripple effect on youtube as Matt suggested but heres one from creative cow by Eran Stern

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/stern_eran/Invisible_Cape.php

[Matt Grunau]

I'll do you one better - here's the effect settings too (in their default configuration) :)





EDIT: there's some more ideas on doing the IR/thermal image effect here:
http://forums.creativecow.net/archivethread/2/102007#102013

EDIT EDIT: don't know if you need steadicam operators as well, but check these guys out:
http://www.databook.co.nz/Listings/ListingIndex.aspx?CatId=29



Killer. Thanks for the image. So it's not an Filter or Effect, It's a Preset. And from your image, I can now make my own. So double thanks.

[dory_breaux]

Hey MasterP can you save that as a preset and add it to the "AE Presets" thread? I'm going to upload one shortly that does the same kind of thing, but it'd be good to have two.

[Matt Grunau]

Hey MasterP save that as a preset and add it to the "AE Presets" thread. I'm going to upload one shortly that does the same kind of thing, but it'd be good to have two.

Try asking, not telling.


I say that only because I recently became aware of my own tendency to be a little less than curtious to many of you in my posts.

[MasterP]

And from your image, I can now make my own. So double thanks.

That was the idea :)
No probs Matt!

Dory - this is already a standard preset that ships with AE CS3 - I don't know how much value it would be in that thread - you can throw it in yourself if you like (I didn't make it!!)

[dory_breaux]

Ohh really? Thats good to know, I'll check it out, thanks.

[MasterP]

You probably already know this - but for those who don't - the fastest way to check out AE's built in presets is to open the wing menu in the effects pallete and click the "browse presets" item
It takes you into the presets folder in bridge - all you do is go into the respective preset folders and there are sample clips that you can play
It's really handy - especially for the animated text presets :)

(don't know if this works in AE7, but for CS3 it's awesome!)

[lordybob]

Hey buddy. I'm in Christchurch. Where are you in NZ?

www.sparkproductions.co.nz

[btownproductions]

That invisible cape effect is awesome, it's one of the video's that got me back into using after effects. It's amazing what we're able to do these days without huge hollywood effects budgets.

[Gary Parkinson]

Hey New Zealand, would love to see how your effect comes up when your done.

[New_Zealand]

Gary Parkinson - When we get finished with 'Night Forest' I will send you the updates on how the effects turn out. We have four different effects in the film.

Lordybob, I will be in Gisborne.