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1First create a new DVPLA WidescreenComposition and import the WaterClock

and WaterColour movies from the cover CD.Go to File>InterpretFootage for each andthen set the pixel aspect ratio to DV/PAL

Widescreen. Drag your clips to the timelineand arrange them so they overlap as shown.

GETTYIMAGES/TAXICOLLECTION

Most video applications provideyou with hundreds of ways tocreate a transition from one shot to the

next. But the beauty ofAfter Effectsisthat you can create your own transitions,

and finetune them to reflect your footage.

This tutorial will show you how to

combine the Liquify filter with a mask to

create a liquid transition effect that sees

one shot bleeding gradually into the next.

Ideally, these transitions should reflect

some aspect of the connecting shots, or

the films mood. Here, two water shots

are connected, so the liquid effect is ideal.

The waterclock used for this tutorial

will swirl and ripple for a few moments

before the image drains away, revealing

the rippling image beneath, which then

settles. Rather than having the mask

unfold evenly, it instead reveals just theright-hand side of the image first (leaving

a space where the man will appear). His

movement motivates the opening of the

mask to reveal his layer completely. Watch

the LiquidTransition.mov, included on

the cover CD, to see how this works.

Once youve mastered this simple

technique youll soon find ways to apply

it to a range of filters and transitions.

Tutorial by Christopher Kenworthy

http://homepage.mac.com/thoughtfox/index.html

By cleverly combining filters and masks in After Effectsyou can easily make one layer swirl and ripple into thenext to create a convincing liquid transition. Christopher Kenworthy explains how

CREATE LIQUID TRANSITIONSAFTER EFFECTS

ON THE CD

Youll find all the filesyou need to completethis tutorial in the foldermarked Tutorial\Liquifyon this months CD.

TIME LENGTH

25 minutes

INFO

ChristopherKenworthyis currently

working ona variety of

books, television showsand films as a writer,director and visualeffects artist. Find outmore by visiting http://homepage.mac.com/thoughtfox/index.html.

60| October 2005

|TUTORIAL

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2Drag the Current Time Indicator to theend of the clock clip and then selectEffects>Distort>Liquify. In the EffectControls panel the Liquify Filter displays anumber of tools. Using the default settings,select the Reflection tool and drag it overthe image until it is thoroughly distorted.

6You dont want the mask to be visible atfirst, otherwise there will be a hole inthe image for the first few seconds. To makethe mask invisible, set Mask Expansion to-40 and keyframe. Now move forward tenframes and set Mask Expansion to zero.

3In the Tools palette check RotoBzierand select the Pen tool. Now click all

around the outer perimeter of your image tocreate an uneven mask with many points.This mask should be set to Add automatically.Now Press S and then the keyframe clockfor Mask Shape in the timeline.

9

Move forward a couple of seconds,change the Distortion to 0 per cent and

watch the result. Ideally, the ripples in thelower clip should match those from above,settling after the clock clip has vanished. Ifnot, drag the keyframe diamonds in thetimeline until you get the required result.

7Rather than having the mask openevenly, you want it to reveal the right-hand side of the frame first. So go to a pointwhere the mask is half open and drag all ofthe points from the left to the right. As aresult, the left-hand side should now openrapidly after this point.

4In the Effect Controls panel, click thekeyframe cloth for Distortion percentage,which should be set at 100 per cent. Nowdrag the Current Time Indicator back until italigns with the beginning of the WaterColourclip (not the clock clip). Again, click thekeyframe clock for Distortion percentage.

5Move forward about ten frames, selectthe mask and change it to Subtract.Using the pointer, drag the mask points intothe very centre of the image. So long as youkeyframed the mask shape earlier on, themask should now unfurl over time.

8To work on the lower clip, click off the Eyeicon for the clock clip to make it invisible.Apply the Liquify filter to the WaterColour clipand place the Current Time Indicator at thestart of the clip. Set Distortion to 100 per centand keyframe.

October 2005 |61

LIQUID CONTROL

By keyframing theDistortion percentage

you control how the

effect is applied over

time. For even more

control you can change

the distortion itself.Begin by applying a tiny

bit of distortion and

click the keyframe

clock. Move a second

forward, apply moredistortion, and

keyframe. This enables

you to apply different

tools, looks and levels

of distortion over time.

TUTORIAL |

MASK OPTIONS

If you would like part ofthe image to remain a

logo, for example just

apply another Mask

around the logo and

then set it to Add. Now,as the rest of the layer

liquefies away, the logo

will remain on screen.

If you would prefer the

image to flow away

from many points,rather than the middle,

use several small

masks with the first set

to Subtract, and the

rest set to Intersect.

10Finally, press F and drag themask Feather setting to about

six to soften the edge of the mask.You can now render and export theclip. You can now try this approach with otherdistortion filters and tools within the Liquify filter.

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