after effects

Hi everyone - I've been pretty silent for the last few months because I've been hard at work on a new Creative Cow Master Series DVD - "Internet Killed the Video Star: A guide to Creating Video for the Web." The 4.5 hour DVD will be available very shortly. Feel free to spread the word.

Here's the basic description of the DVD:

Whether you’re posting video for a client, putting your demo reel on-line, creating a video podcast, or building video training for the web, the Internet is conspiring to keep your work from looking its best. If you’re frustrated with the poor quality of your web video, or you want to learn how to distribute your content to a larger audience, then this DVD is for you. It's broken up into 4 sections:

Part 1: Video Compression

Part 2: Working with Flash Video

Part 3: Video Podcasting

Part 4: Creating Video Tutorials

You can read this article at Creative cow for more info:

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/ITKVS.php

You'll also find the first chapter of the DVD there as well. And for an in-depth description of what's on the DVD, go here:

http://iktvs.com/DVD.html

Thanks!

Aharon

So, I got a new computer and needed to buy a Keyboard. The cheapest one they had at the store with a full sized backspace key (yeah - I make enough typing mistakes that it warrants a BIG key) was the Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard.

Anyway, I tested the keyboard on an old PC, installing the drivers and hardware, and it worked pretty well, so I moved it to the new one. But then when I opened AE, the interface was behaving badly. At first I though I had a bad install (new computer, new install of AE), but then I opened AE on the older machine, and saw that I had similar problems.  My big concern was that the interface issues (such as partially transparent menus)  would keep me from being able to make any more AE tutorials.

The only thing these 2 machines had in common was that they both had AE and that they both had the IntelliPoint and IntelliType drivers installed... So using my Sherlock Holmes powers of deduction and added 2+2 and came up with 4 (I'm smart that way)... I removed the drivers and now all is well.

So the short of it is - if you install the intellipoint or intellitype drivers that come with a Microst keyboard or mouse, and have trouble in AE - now you know why.

Every once in a while you read about something that makes you want to be a better person.

I just read that Peder Norby (of Trapcode) is giving an "Award of Excellence," which includes $10,000, to Ken Perlin, inventor of the algorithm called Perlin Noise. Many of the effects we use utilize this algorithm - for example, in Maya there's a texture called Perlin Noise, which is used to generate noise textures and displacement maps, and can be used for highly realistic effects through the appearance  “randomness.”  

It's my understanding that the Perlin Algorithm is also used in Trapcode's software, and that Peder Norby wanted to thank Dr. Perlin for his contribution to the community (He gave this algorithm away for free a while back) and to himself, because he can attribute much of his own success to Dr. Perlin's efforts.

So with that said, On Monday, April 23rd Peder Norrby will present Ken Perlin, currently an NYU Professor, the Award of Excellence at New York University at 7:00 PM in the main lecture hall of the Warren Weaver building (251 Mercer Street, between West 3rd and West 4th Sts.).

I really wish I could be there, but I teach during that time at another school.

I think that this sets a standard for us all in recognizing and honoring the achievements of others, and for thanking them for their contributions to what we do.

I'm working the show floor here at NAB (with wondertouch software), and I had a chance to talk with Zax Dow about his new AE plug-in "3D Warps."

 http://zaxwerks.com/3dwarps/index.shtml

I haven't had a chance to try it out myself, but this could potentially bring about the end to the age-old question - "How do I make 3D ribbons in AE?" It looks like Zaxwerks 3D warps may be the answer. Hopefully they'll have some examples of this on the site soon. Keep your eyes open for this monumental plugin.

Another cool thing coming out shortly is Digital Anarchy's plug-in: ToonIt! That's right - converting video to cartoon!! It looks really good. I'm going to take a little credit here (but only a tiny little bit) because I introduced the team who created the technology for this to Digital Anarchy so that it could be developed as a plug-in for AE. You can read more about the plug-in here:

http://www.digitalanarchy.com/press/press_main.html

If you haven't seen Digital Anarchy's stuff - you shoud check it out. A lot of good tools there.

Also, I only caught a glimpse of it, but Peder Norby (Trapcode) demo'd the Alpha of his new project - "flux" - what appears to be a fluid generator for AE - I only caught a glimps becasue I'm working the show floor, but it appears to be for AE what Fluid Effects were for Maya.

Again, I didn't see much - because I had to get back to work -  but it looked pretty fricken cool.

One last note on Trapcode: Peder, if you're reading this - it's time to update your picture, man... You look way different in person. Keep up the good work.

So this viral video showed up on You tube:

 Clearly Adobe is planning something big. Only time will tell...