Tufuga Media

Expressions are fun (sorta)!  In this video tutorial, we will dig in a little deeper into After Effects expressions and learn how to tweak an expression that isn’t turning out quite right by using math to modify the expression.  We will also cover what an array is (kind of, I’m not a math person anymore) and why that is important in After Effects.  We will use the position properties of a grocery scale basket to drive the rotation of the scale’s hand. (more…)

This tutorial covers a more complex situation in which expressions really save us time.  Dont worry, this is still an After Effects Basic video tutorial.  Expressions can get much more complex than this!  Basically, we want to use the rotation of a “knob” on this ugly soundboard I drew, to drive the audio indicator levels.  Each should respond differently to the knob, but still be controlled by the knob’s rotation.  Sounds hard, but I’m going to show you its not as bad as it seems.  We will use the linear expression to make it work! (more…)

In this tutorial I will show you how to use track mattes in your compositions.  I will cover both Alpha mattes and Luma Mattes.  I will also create a very short and simple animation using this feature of After Effects.  This is a pretty easy topic, so it should make for a quick and easy lesson! (more…)

I realize that we have been using masks for a few of our projects, but now we are going to explore them deeper.  This video tutorial covers how to use the pen tool, mask feathering, mask animation, expansion, and also the mask modes.  This is a practical lesson, so nothing fancy looking, but definately something you will need to know as an After Effects artist! (more…)

This video tutorial will cover the basics of animating a flourish, which is a very popular stylistic element commony used in After Effects projects.  Although it takes time, it makes for a very nice embellishment to an animation.  I recommend also checking out Video Copilot’s Evolution package once you understand how these are made.  Buy that and save yourself lots of time!  This project is easier if you do some prep work in Photoshop or Illustrator, and I discuss that briefly. (more…)

I’ll add more info about this later.  But click to view the tutorial. (more…)

This video tutorial covers the basics of using the text animator properties in After Effects.  I’ll go over the difference between using text animator properties and the layer properties to animate.  We’ll discuss the range selector, animators, and several other key points.  I’ll also show you how to access and use the text presets through Adobe Bridge. (more…)

Now we’re really getting into the core of AE.  This video tutorial covers 3d in After Effects, or more appropriately, 2.5d.  This means that AE is used to position 2d objects in a 3d environment.  We will revisit our solar system, and teach several new tricks, including Auto Orient.  The trick with that tool is using nulls properly.  We have plenty more to learn, so make sure you learn this one well, as it is the foundation for other things we will be doing. (more…)

Since parenting and expressions are so important, we are going to have another example of how to use them.  This video tutorial will show you how to combine parenting with null objects, precomposing, expressions, keyframing and more. (more…)

One of the greatest tools in the After Effects toolkit is parenting. Before you tell me you aren’t good with kids, let me say that parenting is simply a way to link layers together.  This saves heaps of animating time!  Take a look at this video tutorial which will show how to create a simple solar system, and show you how parenting can be useful in your animations!  We’ll also get to learn about a few more effects such as CC Sphere, Lens Flare, Roughen Edges, and more! (more…)