Blog by Eran Stern » Creative COW

New Tutorial – Slow Motion Stills

Eran Stern — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:14:12 +0000

In this video tutorial I’ll demonstrates a clever method to create extreme slow motion video using few still frames. This fine result can be achived using a 3rd party plug named Twixtor Pro from RE:Vision Effects.
The credit for this method belongs to the fine artists at JCS Post Production. This is one of the biggest post houses in Israel which creates cutting edge motion graphics and special effects. Most of JCS work is focuses on 4 major niches: Commercials, TV channel branding, TV programs, Video attractions training films. I want to thank the kind people at JCS for providing me this commercial. I’m sure everyone can learn something from this cool technique.
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Watch Tutorial
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Busy working…

Eran Stern — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:22:15 +0000

Hi guys, a short post just to let you know that my plate is pretty full these days. So updates are a little slow for the English site. I’m working on a few projects, trying to juggle, or should I say wiggle, work and family at the same time. I am working on a new Hebrew training DVD, nurturing the new Hebrew Post Production Forum at the site, and also organizing a user group meeting for my Israeli talented crowd which will take place, for the first time, in Tel Aviv next week.

There’s more happening, but at this stage this is what I can reveal. Anyway, just to let you know, I’m planning to publish a new cool tutorial for Creative COW which hopefully will be ready for the holiday season and maybe another one just after that, who knows?! I guess only god.
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Pen Tool tips

Eran Stern — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:15:57 +0000

Recently I find myself doing a lot of Rotoscoping work using the Pen Tool, and I thought of sharing with you a few tips and shortcuts to help you with your own projects. In fact, I’ve recorded a brand new tutorial to get you started. To summarize, here’s a few important shortcuts you might want to remember:

Hold down CMD/CTRL as you draw your path, then select the anchor point, this will let you move the last point after you set it in place.
If the selection tool (v) is highlighted, you can hold down ALT/Option and press on one of the anchor points and all the points in your mask will be selected.
Clicking on an anchor point while holding down ALT/Option as long as the pen tool is highlighted, will convert it from Corner to Curve point. Another Click using the same modifier will change it back. If you want to do the same while the Selection tool is highlighted, just add the CMD/CTRL modifier as well.
If you want to break the connection between the handles, hold down ALT/Option and then pull one of the handles out, make sure the pen tool is selected.
Context-clicking on the mask shape with the Pen tool, enables the context menu of options for that mask, including all of its settings on the Timeline. One of the important things here is the Motion Blur settings for the mask, changing this value can unlocked the Motion Blur mask from the layer itself.
Double-click on one of the anchor points to get the free transform for the entire mask – then it’s necessary to switch to the Selection tool to perform the transformation itself.

For more tips and tricks check the full tutorial here

Coming soon – Push tutorial

Eran Stern — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:16:25 +0000

Playing with my favorite simulation and displacement tools in After Effects, I found a technique to simulate the liquid effect inspired by the recent movie Push and the ancient movie The Abyss. As always I recruited my talented brother, Yuval, to help me with this mission.
Man, I must stop giving him all those powers.

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and Yes, I’m working on a tutorial which will be published on your favorite Creative COW AE podcast soon.

Disco Tunnel Effect Using Trapcode Form

Eran Stern — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:22:25 +0000

A month ago, in cooperation with Creative COW, I published the Color Link tutorial. This tutorial has 2 purposes. The first is, of course, to show you the use of the color link effect to match colors between shots, but what seems to catch most viewers eyes is the Disco Tunnel effect I’ve set up, using the new Wiggle Transform operator, available in CS4.
Since then, I’ve received many requests from people still using CS3 or even AE7, asking how to recreate the same effect without the Wiggle Transform operator.
I thought about it and couldn’t come up with a simple way to achieve the same look using only the built in features of the After Effects. However, if you own Trapcode Form, it’s a matter of minutes to recreate it. Well, this was my answer to most of you guys, but it seems that people can’t figure what to do even if they have all the ingredients on the table, so for all of the frustrated dancers out there – here’s my recipe for the Disco Tunnel effect using trapcode form.
I’ve also uploaded both projects (CS3 and CS4) for you to explore.
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Download project file
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Markers Leaks – New Custom Effect + New Tutorial

Eran Stern — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:59:47 +0000

Did you ever want to trigger some action for layer markers?

Of course you did, you just didn’t know it until now.

This new preset I’ve developed with the help of my friend Maltaannon will allow you to do just that. This preset is also available as a Custom Effect that will allow you to create automatic actions such as light flashes, scales or blurs to a layer according to where you placed your markers. When you sync it to an audio beat, you can create impressive transitions and promos in no-time.

Watch the Markers Leaks tutorial on Creative COW to see how to get the most of it.

Download Preset

New Training DVD – Available NOW

Eran Stern — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:28:13 +0000

A Creative COW master series release: Nearly 8 hours of After Effects Tutorials. Full-size versions of the worlds most popular AE podcast plus never before-seen advanced training. Includes project files and accompanying footage. This new DVD is packed with over 7 hours of After Effects Training. Expressions, Motion Tracking, Particles, Time Warps, integration with Adobe® Photoshop and Illustrator, advanced title animation — it’s all here, presented by yours turly, in uniquely entertaining style.
In addition to full-size versions of the world’s most popular AE podcast, you’ll find almost 2 hours of never before seen advanced training Includes all footage and project files.

Bonus lessons includes:
• Some Pixie Dust: Reveal text on a screen using particles.
• Wormhole Jumper: Open a portal for time travel with a few simple After Effects filters.
• BLAST!: Create 3D text with Invigorator Pro plug-in, just to blast it using particles effect.
• 3D Text Projection: Warp 2D text on a 3D curved path on skyscrapers.

Leran More
Watch the HiRes Trailer
Buy the DVD

Blowing Flowers – Special Holiday Tutorial on Creative COW

Eran Stern — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:31:03 +0000

The Spring is almost here (in Israel at least), Passover is due in a week and you can already smell the blossom… Exciting isn’t it? Well, I think it is, so to share the Holiday spirit with you guys, I’ve recorded a special episode which uses Trapcode Particular to create a trail of flowers blowing from a girl’s kiss. Sounds ridiculous I know, but I’m sure you’ll find some cool tips which might inspire you to create something lively yourself. The footage in the tutorial is from Crowd Control library.

Watch Tutorial

A New DVD is in the Oven

Eran Stern — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:25:24 +0000

Just to inform you guys that I’m at the final stages of my new Creative COW master series Training DVD, I can’t give you any details yet, but I can tell you, it will be a great product.

This DVD is packed with so much stuff, including hours of training video with NEW and exciting lessons, which I’m sure you’ll find very useful and entertaining as well.

So here’s a quick peek of the cover art

I know its not something to write home about (yet), but you must admit the name says it all
Be sure to check CreativeCOW and this blog for more updates.

Cell Pattern – An underestimated effect

Eran Stern — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:38:35 +0000

I’ve always been a secret admirer for the Cell Pattern effect, this effect generates cellular patterns based on cellular noise. You can use it to create static or moving background textures and patterns. But there are so many cool things you can create with this effects that some people overlook.
First time I’ve seen a cool design with it was back in 2002 when my friend/guru Steve Holmes, the presenter of the wonderful Total Training AE 6.0 series, which is not available anymore created a super cool design for a TV station using simple graphics and a moving background, all created with the Cell Pattern effect. It was something similar to what you see on the right image here.

Once I’ve discovered the powerful and interesting looks that can be achieved with this simple effect, I found myself using it as a design tool more often.

You can get a basic sense of how to use this effect by watching Chad Perkins’s tutorial here.

For a real world use, I recommend you to tune in to my latest Creative COW Tutorial: Laser Eyes which explains how to create a nice fiery iris animation which has laser beams shooting from a girl’s eyes.

Give it a try