All Tutorials

A great way to take modern footage and turn it into vintage looking aged film, using particles. Learn how to create film scratches, dirt and dust using Trapcode Particular, which can be saved as an importable element for future projects. Learn how to color correct the footage for an aged, vintage film look...

Introduction to basic rigging with 3DS Max bones. Learn how to rig this simple lamp model using bones and how to add simple animation controllers. Learn how to introduce IK (Inverse Kinematics) to the rig for easier animation and control...

Learn how to light an interior scene, using only 3DS Max standard lighting tools. Create a convincing day lit scene with Key, Fill, Ambient and Secondary lights. Setup soft and hard-edged shadows and light colors for added realism...

Learn how to create the most recognized film opener of all time. Use 3D camera and layer animation to recreate the Star Wars opening crawl. Learn how to create the iconic space backdrop including the planet Tatooine, it's two moons...

Learn how to create and animate rocket flames in 3D Studio Max. Setup the animation so the effect is fully automatic, allowing you to get on with the main vehicle animation. This technique can be translated to any 3D software and can be used for many different flame effects...

Learn how to build this "Canyon Dusk" scene by using silhouette layer elements and effects. Distribute the layers in 3D space and create your own unique camera animation. Add color correction and lighting effects to create a believable sunrise scene...

Learn how to design and create this fully animated, classic, cloudy, moonlit night scene, from scratch in After Effects. Create a cloud system using Trapcode Particular, including animation and color treatment. Build a starfield background using "Fractal Noise" and create a moon element using the CC Sphere effect...

Learn how to design and composite a Heads-Up-Display (HUD) with an automated tracking system using real ground. Take a pre-tracked background plate and feed target data into the on screen graphics, based on distance to camera expressions. Design various animated and static elements including random number generation and meters.

Want to have a Day/Night terminator effect on an Earth sphere and use lighting to control the materials? Learn how to create a Falloff material in 3dS Max for a realistic Day/Night Earth globe. Learn how to composite this effect in After Effects and how to build the scene...

Want to have a Day/Night terminator effect on an Earth sphere and use lighting to control the materials? Learn how to create a Falloff material in 3dS Max for a realistic Day/Night Earth globe. Learn how to composite this effect in After Effects and how to build the scene...

An introduction to the power of good composition and how it applies to graphics and imagery. Learn how to improve your composition by using the "Rule of Thirds". Learn how to create a handy template in After Effects to help you design stronger compositions...

An introduction to the power of good composition and how it applies to graphics and imagery. Learn how to improve your composition by using the "Rule of Thirds". Learn how to create a handy template in After Effects to help you design stronger compositions...

Ever wanted to create those classic Pixar or Dreamworks style eyes? Learn how to model the basic geometry using simple poly-modelling including all of the essential parts which are crucial for achieving this effect. But what eye tutorial would be complete without some rigging to give that all important movement and animation...

Ever wanted to create those classic Pixar or Dreamworks style eyes? Learn how to model the basic geometry using simple poly-modelling including all of the essential parts which are crucial for achieving this effect. But what eye tutorial would be complete without some rigging to give that all important movement and animation...

Ever wanted to create those classic Pixar or Dreamworks style eyes? Learn how to model the basic geometry using simple poly-modelling including all of the essential parts which are crucial for achieving this effect. But what eye tutorial would be complete without some rigging to give that all important movement and animation... 

Learn how to create a fast and efficient lighting rig in 3D Studio Max. This technique can easily be transferred to any 3D application. Get great results with very little preperation and with fantastic render times...

Introduction to basic 3D rigging using only pivot points and linking. Learn about IK versus FK rigging for animation and how to set up IK controllers. You will learn use the Layer Manager to separate Mesh objects from Rig objects...

Learn how to create realistic running water in After Effects. Use particles to drive an image map displacement effect based on a background still image. You will learn how to use CCGlass to achieve a Specular highlight for added realism...

The first of many "Quick Tips" we hope to provide which will allow you to save time, effort and headaches. If you have ever had Z-Depth channel information which just wont let you get good Depth of Field, here is the solution. This fix allows you to correct the problem in After Effects without having to go back into 3D and re-render...

Learn how to animate the creation of bullet holes which conform to specific shaped masks in After Effects. You will learn how use Particular to drive the creation of the bullet holes. Then we add some light shafts coming from the bullet holes, for some added realism...

Learn how to create a shaky, hand-held shot of a UFO sighting to fool all of your friends and workmates. You will learn how to stabilize footage in order to accurately add digital elements and graphics for animation. Then you will learn how to add the stabilization data back into the comp for a hand-held looking final product...

Learn how to create, from scratch, a morphing effect from one graphic element to another using fractal-noise animation. You will learn how to create a map grid with interactive animation. Use brightness animation to control the fractal noise for an organic transition effect...

Learn how to create a flying, 3D image gallery, using any collection of images you want in After Effects. Use Trapcode Particular to drive the simulation and wind to animate the images movement. Fade images into the space using vanishing settings and deflect the elements to avoid flying through the camera...

An introduction to the power of RPF and RLA files and how they can be used in post production. Render from any 3D application and embed various channel information to be used in compositing software. Learn how to create depth-of-field effects, without the render overheads...

An introduction to the power of RPF and RLA files and how they can be used in post production. Render from any 3D application and embed various channel information to be used in compositing software. Learn how to create depth-of-field effects, without the render overheads...

Create "dynamic sparkles" which adhere to the highlight features of an element. Use fractal noise for controlling the dynamics of the sparkle element. Give an animated sheen to an element using masks and animation...

Have some fun creating this simple logo using only Layer Styles and built-in effects within After Effects. This tutorial shows some of the potential power of layer styles without having to create them in Photoshop. Learn a quick method of creating some common metallic finishes including checker-plate...

Learn how to model a basic Snail character from scratch using basic MeshSmooth Modeling in 3DStudioMax. Start with some primitive box geometry objects and finish with a smooth, organic shape. Ideal for beginners wanting to tackle modeling in 3DMax...

Learn how to model a basic Snail character from scratch using basic MeshSmooth Modeling in 3DStudioMax. Start with some primitive box geometry objects and finish with a smooth, organic shape. Ideal for beginners wanting to tackle modeling in 3DMax...

Create an underwater scene from scratch using only After Effects. Animate a swimming fish and create a school of fish using Particular. Create floating particles and volumetric light rays based on the underwater surface animation...

Create an underwater scene from scratch using only After Effects. Animate a swimming fish and create a school of fish using Particular. Create floating particles and volumetric light rays based on the underwater surface animation...

Learn how to rig a still image using the Puppet Pin tool and animate it using only After Effects. Start with a transparent still image, rig it for animation using after effects and animate. Create a basic set using 3D layers and light it using AFX lighting and shadows...

Learn some fun techniques to get interesting animation by playing with the pivot points of layers and nulls objects. Use a photo image, color correction and blurs to create a gold metal effect on a text layer. Use Trapcode Shine to create a classic light-ray effect emanating from the text...

Learn how to create and animate realistic missile trails through 3D clouds using only After Effects and Particular. Animate the position of the camera and missiles using easy expressions for random movement. Use Trapcode Horizon to get a realistic background animation...

Learn how to create a futuristic sniper scope using After Effects expressions and null animation. Tie the navigation graphics into the position of the camera movement over any still image or footage. Use adjustment layers to emulate night and thermal vision...

Learn how to manipulate an image in Photoshop and create a unique, stylized image. Create a Masquerade mask and decorate it using material overlays and layer effects. Create shadows and effects to seamlessly merge elements into the image...