animating 2d still images in 3d (Riding Giants)

[angrynerdrock07]

I am looking for any AE tutorials on how to give 2d still images a 3d look. The look I am trying to emulate can be found in Stacey Peralta's surfing documentary Riding Giants. I am working on a documentary comprised mostly of pictures and am trying to avoid a slideshow feel. Any help would be most appreciated.

[Matt Grunau]

Could you be a little more specific on the "3D" look? I have not seen the documentary you refer to, so I don't really know what you are wanting. Are you wanting to have 3D images flash past the camera, and maybe blur out of focus as they get closer? Are you wanting them to simply spin and move about in 3D space? Are you wanting something like a drop shadow behind to give a sense of depth?

[angrynerdrock07]

Basically what I believe they are doing is taking a 2d image and seperating the subject of the photo, the background and the foreground into different layers in photoshop, then taking those layers into AE and somehow making a 3 dimensional environment out of them.
Then the animate the environment.

Check out the trailer for Riding Giants at to get an idea of what I am poorly explaining: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/riding_giants.html

There are several examples on the trailer of what I am looking for (i.e. right after the countdown from 2004 to 1955, with the "exhilirating" and the "breathtaking" quotes, and the end title.)

Thanks.

[Matt Grunau]

OK, I understand what you mean after seeing the video. You have the basic concepts right on target. They are taking the footage, adding elements, and then animating. In AE, you can set up 3D layers AND a 3D "camera" complete with focal length and whatnot. You have to use the 3D camera to get the effects of out of focus which makes it look the way it does. You set up your camera in 3D space, and you have a focus point. Then, when you move layers along the Z axis it brings them in and out of focus. You can also set up a lights for cast shadows, and have material options for each layer (like plastic or metal, to get different types of Specularity). You can seperate the original background plate into layers in Photoshop and use them, or you can simply bring in different elements such as the flower petal things in the first use of that effect in the link you gave. And of course you can use track mattes or alpha chanels as well as transparancy from Photoshop to get rid of anything you don't want on a layer.

Hope that helps.

[angrynerdrock07]

thanks rapier. Can't wait to try this out.

[darmanb]

Sorry, which version of AE is capable of 3d layers and 3d camera?

Thanks

[Matt Grunau]

I know version 5 could do it. Don't know about 4, but 5 could.

Hope that helps.

[Larry Rutledge]

I haven't seen the trailer you are talking about, but I think I know the effect you are talking about. This tutorial explains how to do do this:

http://www.adobeevangelists.com/aftereffects/The3DPIctureTrick.pdf