Surely more than one you will come the need to make a photo slideshow with fades between them and move in After Effects, Memories on TV and such like. While this is not software that is designed exactly for this purpose (primarily by the lack of real time) and there are other software with which to do this much more easily, it is true that once accustomed to a program is very difficult to leave him to do something so simple.

More than a tutorial, this is the explanation of a technique that I can be of use when creating these slideshows easy in After Effects without creating not a single keyframe.

The technique involves creating a series of zero, each with a basic motion: zoom in, zoom out, panning left, panning right ... all with a constant speed then we will provide a basis to encourage the photos.

Null 1.Animar expressions

ENCOURAGE POSITION.

This is done with a simple expression applied to the parameter you want to animate:

t = time * 10;
x = value [0] + t;
y = 288;
[X, y]

Let us explain these variables to better understand what we are
t regulates the speed.
x is the coordinate in the moving layer.
and is the coordinate in which no moves and can be located at any point, in this case is in the center of a composite PAL (576 / 2 = 288)
This expression applied to the position, would a constant movement to the right. We scale the velocity by raising the multiplier time (* 10, * 15, * 30 etc), if the value is negative, reverse the direction.

ENCOURAGE SCALE.

This same expression with few changes we can apply the scale and thus get no increases in size constantly, or what might be called zoom in, applied to a photo.

This would use the following expression for the parameter scale of zero:

t = time * 10;
x = value [0] + t;
y = value [0] + t;
[X, y]

Equating the parameters x, and we manage to scale proportionally. If we subtract the t value rather than add it, what we do is a zoom out.

In fact we will only have to configure these zero once, because this scheme will help us again and again in our next compositions. Also you can download the sample composition of the end of this post where they are located and expressions.

Once this is completed we have a layered structure like this:

It is appropriate to rename correctly null then link them to the layers we want to animate. To be effective nulls must also be present along the entire length of the composition.

2.Añadir and link images to zero

Once this is done we can add pictures to our membership. We give all the same length (this is optional) and we offset each other so that it is something like this:

Now we link the photo to a zero depending on the type of movement we want to give (zoom, pan ...). We will do this by dragging the tool to link the corresponding zero.

, sin parones ni acelerones, velocidad que también podemos variar a nuestro gusto tocando el valor multiplicador de la expresón que ya vimos antes. Once done with all the pictures, we'll just adjust the position and scale we like in each case, without adding any keyframe and all go to a constant speed, no stoppages or accelerations, speed can also vary our like playing expresón multiplier value that we saw earlier.

3.Añadir crossfades automatically to images

To finish our slideshow, add fades only required for each layer. Instead of manually animate opacity keyframes can opt to use one of many animation presets that offers After Effets.

I go into the Effects & Presets window / Behaviours / fade in + out frames.

When we automatically apply a fade-in and an output at the beginning and end of the layer with the length of frames that we indicate in the effect window. Moreover, by lengthening or shortening the layer, the melt will automatically adjust to the new position.

Here you can see a video of how would the composition. You can see the contours of zero (red squares) that are associated with images.

Slideshow Without After Effects keyframes from efectohd on Vimeo .

• Download tutorial files

In the absence of little more than a week to Christmas and start to get the first congratulations to the mailbox, so EfectoHD joins tradition and congratulates his readers with this animated card, I hope you enjoy it:

Merry Christmas from efectohd on Vimeo .

The controversial and confusing topic of the pixel aspect ratio , discussed earlier in this blog, seems to keep to complicated.
In the new version of After Effects CS4, Adobe has changed the proportions of some of its settings in composition, since the sizes used during the nine previous versions of After Effects seems, according to Adobe's own admission, they were "slightly inaccurate" .

Now, if we work in square pixels in PAL, we configure the compositions in the following frame sizes:

• 4:3 square pixels (PAL D1/DV): 788 × 576 (formerly 768 × 576)
  

• 16:9 square pixels (PAL D1/DV): 1050 × 576 (previously 1024 x 576)

These proportions go to recalculate the dimensions of the box and reinterpret PAL analog to digital, taking into account the so-called "clean aperture", which is the name given to the overall size of the box counting PAL analog lines that do not carry picture information. According to recommendations of the BBC, which are those that have led to Adobe tiing a bit more with the theme, the calculations to arrive at these sizes would be:

• , aplicando una regla de tres lo deducimos: (576×4)/3=768 There is a measure which is always unchanged: an image 576 pixels PAL is always horizontal (digital equivalent of the 625 analog) 576 horizontal pixels in a 4:3 ratio, providing 768 vertical pixels by applying a rule of thumb we deduce: (576 × 4) / 3 = 768

• The TV pixels are not square but rectangular in PAR ratio of 1:1094, therefore: 768 / 1.094 = 702. That is, an image is actually analog PAL 702 × 576 rectangular pixels. ¿?
• Where are los18 missing pixels to 720 × 576 which we all use?. These 18 pixels are equivalent to the two side black bars (of 9 pixels each) that we always observed that digitized PAL video. This is called "clean aperture", ie including the full PAL image signal lines that carry picture information. , es decir exclusivamente las líneas que llevan información de imagen. Within this "clean aperture" or fully open, is the proportion of 702 × 576 pixels of which we spoke earlier, that is called "production aperture", ie only the lines that carry picture information. But digital should be used fully open and all its pixels, watching these 18 pixels as safety margins, or 720 pixels (702 +18) rectangular.
• One more thing, if those 18 pixels are rectangular what if they are converted to square pixels? Let's see them doing the reverse: 18 × 1.094 = 20. 20 square pixels, 768 pixels added to the square of which we set equal to 788 × 576. Here are the new dimensions that proposes Adobe After Effects.
• : (18 x 4)/ 3 = 24 pixels rectangulares que equivalen a 24 x 1,094 = 26 cuadrados . In a ratio of 16:9, those 18 pixels rectangular pixels are converted into 26 squares (18 x 4) / 3 = 24 equivalent rectangular pixels to 24 x 1.094 = 26 square. They added 26 pixels to 1024 pixels which had previously assumed PAL 16:9 gives us: 1024 +26 = 1050 × 576 square pixels, which are the correct dimensions to compose a digital image in 16:9 PAL square pixels! !

But many laps and marearnos with these conversions, it is true that we have to assume that the new box sizes proposed Adobe, taught by the BBC, are correct and in theory we should use so that the proportions of graphs and images appear properly when converting PAL.

More information:

• ADOBE page

• BBC

, el creador de Red One y su prole, Scarlett y Epic, ha reaccionado y anuncia una revolución. We went on vacation and we are surprised to Nikon SLR cameras that also record HD video 720p/24fps ... But it seems that Nikon has uncovered only a small corner of the Pandora's box ... Jim Jannard, the founder of Red One and their offspring, Scarlett and Epic, reacted and announced a revolution. ) o lo que es lo mismo una cámara, ya no de vídeo, ya no de foto, sino una cámara integral que alberguará las dos opciones. The visionary creator of Red, who is also an avid photographer, says that in the near future (as close as next year) will begin developing a new concept camera, which he calls DSMC (Digital Still & Motion Camera) or what is the same as a camera, no video, no picture, but a comprehensive camera hostelling the two options. A DSLR that records HD video, which makes the RED ONE 20Mp photos?

. For its part Canon seems to have also a surprise in this regard and already saying that its new 5D can record at 1080p. The revolution is near.

How about taking advantage of optical reflex to record video without all this paraphernalia ?
Is the depth of field longed finally available to everyone? "Video on RAW? "HD video on economic Fullframe sensors?

This unification seems a natural evolution of the market, and if RED is maintained in that line, will serve as an incentive for large companies that are in RED and a competitor to fear and respect, and only a couple of years!.

It seems that we will live again changing times in the audiovisual market, and it is not new formats, in SD against HD, but a radical change in concept, which should be redeveloped, the ergonomics of the cameras, access manual checks, formats for recording, storage systems, software editing and retouching ... The future is promised interesting.

Seen Prolost

If you are interested in the world of motion graphics from the side of the video editor, surely you will know almost all Videocopilot , the wonderful series of tutorials taken by Andrew Kramer. Although their tutorials are very educational and great quality, it is true that sometimes they are abused. Sometimes these techniques and resources are too recognizable and used with little shame for some, but that at all detract from her fantastic Kramer.
But rummaging through the network resources we can find something less known but equally effective.
This is the case of Motion Works, another space Videocopilot similar to, but Australia's run by John Dickinson, another crack of the fast and effective motion graphics for TV. His series of tutorials and tips are well worth a look.

On the other hand we also Ayatoweb , a Japanese website that the truth has for some time without refreshing your page, but where we can find interesting effect, very conducive to continuity and similar lines.

After recently testing a Spanish version of After Effects, one thing very clear to me ... and in this profession is that English is not only essential, but there are terms that should never be translated, at the risk of provoking a state of syncope in the technical issue ...
It is true that generally all such software is in English, but in the case of Adobe, with all good intentions, we can find all your catalog of programs in Spanish version.

Is the case with After Effects. But due to very specific and technical nature of some terms, we find it unfortunate translations and sometimes a headache to find out where the tools we're looking for ...

… ¿qué demonios es esto? To give just one example, on the animation> keyframe assistant ... we find the following options that at first glance seem an almost "cryptic": easy, so easy, easy start ... what the hell is this? as a curious Spanish version of ease in, ease out ... that is, smoothing spline curves or movement ... confused here with the word easy, rather than ease it would be relaxed, loose, soft ... that not so cool, but is more appropriate.

Following this reflection arises as to whether certain technical terms should be retained without translation in order to create a "language" common technical, based on English ... because who uses the term to refer to a tracker tracking? How do you translate "spill matte" or "pulldown"?

Although I like the Spanish and one of the raisons d'etre of this blog is that there is limited information on post-production in this language, I think that terms such as tracking, matte painting, CGI, VFX, spill, garbage mask, frame, rendering, morphing, RGB, banding, etc, etc ... are often more intelligible if left in English, translations forcing unfortunate ...

• The video contains no audio, the next steps are given by on-screen titles.
• Duration: 11 minutes (with some cuts)
• The program language is Castilian.
• Watch full screen for better monitoring
• Download the materials for the tutorial here: redibujarcuadro.rar

If you saw and the amazing video of "making" bloddy Omaha , recreation of D-day for the BBC who made Richard Hammond, with a bare-bones budget for props and extras, four days of filming and, yes, several weeks of post ... now, hand fxguide comes a similar story.
… sí, habeis leido bien, Edwars dirigió y también postprodujo, el solito en su casa durante 5 meses, los 250 planos que requerían FX en esta producción. This is the TV movie Attila the Hun, also produced by the BBC and directed by Gareth Edwards and post product ... yes, you read it right, and postprodujo Edwards went, by himself at home for five months, the 250 planes that required FX in this production. It's worth that you read the article fxguide and do not miss the video that comes with the "breakdown" of a scene.

. The planes, shot in HD 720p, were edited in After Effect. para los matte painting y Premiere para la edición. As tracker tool used Imagineer Systems Mocha, Photoshop for matte painting and Premiere for editing.

At this rate, soon we will post product's trilogy The Lord of the Rings with a laptop ...