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LinkedIn Learning

VFX Techniques: Creating a Laser Battle

via LinkedIn Learning

Overview

Create awesome sci-fi laser gunfire and realistic set damage inside After Effects.

Creating a Laser Battle shows VFX artists how to generate science-fiction-style gun battles, complete with laser beams, sparks, and set damage. The effects are created right inside After Effects, with its built-in particle tools, rotoscoping, motion tracking, and color, distortion, and blur effects. Combining these techniques in your own shots will allow you to create a wide variety of futuristic gun blasts.

Syllabus

Introduction
  • Welcome
  • Using the exercise files
1. Getting Started
  • Breakdown of the final composition
2. Running Particle Simulations
  • Setting up the project
  • Splitting up the shots
  • Creating a particle beam
  • Creating a particle blast
  • Creating particle sparks
3. Assembling a Gun Blast
  • Rolling up a layer
  • Distorting the plate
  • Animating the beam
  • Creating light reflections
  • Creating light spills
  • Adding core and sparks to the blast
  • Adding blast flares
  • Animating a post camera move
4. Adding Set Damage
  • Repurposing the particle blast
  • Integrating the second blast
  • Fabricating a hole in the set
  • Stabilizing the plate
  • Removing the tracking marks
  • Adding interactive light
5. Adding a Third Blast
  • Fixing the gun barrel
  • Creating a new blast
  • Integrating the new blast
  • Creating a blast core
  • Adding dust motes
  • Creating an exposure change
  • Making custom flares
  • Adding more camera motion
6. Wrapping Up
  • Combining the shots
  • Adding the final effects
Conclusion
  • Next steps

Taught by

Lee Lanier

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