Achieve a Microfilm Machine Look – AE Premium
Tutorial Details
- Requirements: Just After Effects and Photoshop... enjoy!
- Difficulty: Advanced
Download Source Files
This tutorial covers a technique to create a microfilm machine look step by step. It start by searching for and analyzing references, then continues onto collecting source materials, animating the different attributes and giving the composition a final polished look. This can be useful as a motion graphics style or for rendering the contents for screen replacements in film or TV.
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Tutorial Sneak Peek
Step 1
The first thing you do for a project like this is to seek for reference on what the microfilm machine‘s screen looks like. I went to the closest library and took some pictures of the microfilm machines. This way you can start to think about the different features that compose the "look" of this screen.
With the references you can clearly see a yellowish cast on everything, a strong, yet uneven vignetting effect with a reddish tone in the upper right side, going to a greenish tone on the other corners. For the texture, there is a lot of dust, grain, small hairs and leftovers of scotch tape and paste.
Step 2
Next, let‘s search for references on how the machine moves. Here I‘ve got a little reference video on how the machine works; There manual control over the x/y axis relative to the image and the rotation in the center of the screen. There is also manual control over the focus. The zoom is mechanical and it multiplies the movement inputted. finally there is a scroll control which quickly goes through the microfilm roll.
Step 3
Now start in photoshop. Create a clean plate of the background by cloning and healing one of the reference pictures. You can find the reference file "ReferenceScreen.jpg" in the elements folder.
Step 4
After that, rebuild the different overlay elements, the grids and the numbers by using the tools of your preference. Now we have separated layers for the background and overlays of the Machine‘s screen. You can find the finished photoshop file "screen.psd" in the elements folder. Make sure you end up with a photoshop file with just the overlay and background layers and name them that way.
To continue this tutorial, you must log-in to the Tuts+ Dashboard with your username and password, you can immediately access your all Premium Content. Navigate to Ae Premium via ‘Premium Categories’ in the sidebar. You’ll be able to grab the tutorial videos, project files and assets in the members’ area.
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Pretty cool! Now it just needs some kick ass sound effects
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Oh wow,… this looks really cool! It looks like there was a lot of detail taken into account with this tutorial… sensor scratches, dirt, overlay elements… looks SICK! I wish I had time to watch it today…
awesome effect. end result looks great! can’t wait to check out this one
great outcome! Too bad I’m not a premium member
i’m a premium member and this doesn’t provide a tutorial. just assets. wtf?
If you log into tutsplus premium, you’ll be able to access both the tutorial and the project files.
Adam,
Thanks for the reply. I’m new to the tutsplus community. i have a premium account. When I access my dashboard and click the “read tutorial” link (after logging in) it just takes me to the page that has the preview tutorial. It’s like going in circles. and when i download the project folder, it’s only the project file and graphic assets. Do you have a premium account? If so, am i not doing something I’m not supposed to?
Hey, I suppose it can get confusing…. cause it’s saying read tutorial. This is something we always put in, but it’s meant for the project files side of thing. When you are looking at the project files, we wanted a quick link back to the tut… However, if the tut is Premium, it’ll just take you back to the main page’s preview. You’ll notice that there are two tabs “Project Files” and “Premium Tuts” I think you’ve been under the Project Files section. I actually have two Premium posts for this tut, one post is for the project files and one is for the tut. Go the the Tutorials section in Premium and you should find a post there that will allow you to download the Tutorial. Let me know if you need more help.
Hey Chris, here’s the exact process to follow:
Go to ‘Ae Premium’ in the Premium content area. Click ‘Bonus Tutorials’ up the top if you’re not already in that section (it sounds like you’re in the Project files section). Then simply click the ‘Achieve a Microfilm Machine Look’ title, which is linked to the tutorial download.
Enjoy!
The Premium area is not very user-friendly at all. I have been a premium member for a while and find that I constantly have to click on one of the “premium” graphics icons, where I get taken to a page with premium content listed. Of course, if I go to any content item I can see an area to “Download Source Files” but the ONLY link is for “Get a Premium Membership”…. so I have to find a way to somehow find a way to get to the premium area. I usually forget that I can click on the “Get a Premium Membership” link and I’ll be taken to a page that also has a “Login” option — but I forget because “Get a Premium Membership” to me does NOT say, “Login or Get a Premium Membership”. It’s just not worded in a user-friendly way.
TUTS+ really, really NEEDS to include a link DIRECTLY to the premium content download area — if you have a premium account and area already logged in you should have immediate access. If you’re a premium user and have not logged in you can simply log in and are directed to the content with direct download links.
Some of the other premium users have probably already figured out their workarounds, or maybe they remember this crazy rabbit hole logic, but I don’t simply because I don’t get to visit the site every single day and I don’t download everything they have to offer. I enjoy most all of the content I see, but I probably only download content once every two weeks on average.
This rabbit hole page logic is actually the only reason why I don’t personally recommend TUTS+ to my creative friends, as I don’t want to become their “tech support” when they can’t find a logical path to downloading content either.
Otherwise I LOVE the material on the site and the efforts of all the presenters — this really is a wonderful tool. Too bad it’s not more logical and obvious to use. Maybe someone needs to create a “How to create a logical, user-friendly website for your paying customers” tutorials and send it off to the people in charge?
the link from the premium member page keeps bringing you back here. There is no way to view the full tutorial. Both links to this tutorial from the premium area do the same.
Interesting looking tut. Reminds me of the opening screens for Fallout 3 video game. Used that old school microfilm microslide look. Cool but definitely VERY niche. Nice effect though.
Hi. I have Premium Membership, so i download this tut… but the project doesn’t work in my AE CS4!! Do I have to buy CS5 or is there any other way to solve this problem? In Tuts info there is said that the only requirements is AE and Photoshop… Of Course my CS 4 is 9.0.2…
Where can you download the elements? I am premium member and the only thing you can download from the dashboard is the tutorial.
Thanks
did you look under the project files tab?
I’m also having a problem finding the tutorial. Only thing I see is the project files … even when under the bonus tutorials tab
You have to click on the title itself… it’s there.
AWESOME. These are the types of tutorials that make this site worth it. I make historical documentaries and having an effect like this when showing a newspaper headline brings it to a whole new level. Great Job!