Here’s a couple of VFX tutorial videos, to help you create your own particle environment complete with particle trails, 3D landscapes and a motion captured actor, using aescripts plugin Plexus 2 in Cinema 4D and Adobe After Effects.
Plexus 2 ($199) is a plugin for After Effects, that works in a similar manner to Red Giant’s Trapcode Particular ($399), but for half the price. It allows users to create organic structures with physical simulation effects, depth of field, 32-bit rendering, native camera and light awareness all within AE.
Sean Kothe, from aescripts walks us through using the program and has provided the project files (as a zip file download) HERE. So you can easily follow along.
First, check out the final result:
Now, grab a coffee, unzip that download file, boot up AE and get creating your own 3D environment!
Part One: Creating a 3D Particle with Plexus in Cinema 4D.
Chapters
- 00:27 Motion Capture and BVH files
- 01:39 BVH Import to C4D
- 02:07 Creating Geometry for your joints
- 03:54 Binding the geometry to your joints
- 4:36 Export OBJ sequence and Compositing File for After Effects
- 5:08 Building the “Streak”
- 06:04 Thinking Particles Setup
- 11:43 Adding Geometry to the Thinking Particles
- 12:35 Export OBJ sequence and Compositing File for After Effects
- 13:07 Floor Geometry
- 13:26 Outro
Part Two: Creating a 3D Particle with Plexus in After Effects.
Chapters
- 00:14 Getting Started in After Effects
- 00:25 Getting Started with Plexus
- 00:38 Linking OBJ Sequence
- 01:13 Importing Compositing Data
- 02:07 Adding Plexus Triangulation
- 03:13 Plexus Color Map
- 07:49 The Floor
- 11:14 The “Streak”
- 12:30 Linking OBJ Sequence
- 14:54 Creating the Reflection
- 16:22 Outro
For Inspiration:
Check out how artists have incorporated Plexus into their filmmaking.