Engage In A Harry Potter “Priori Incantatem” Duel – Day 1

Engage In A Harry Potter “Priori Incantatem” Duel – Day 1

on Nov 8th 2010 with 33 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Requirements: After Effects and Particular
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Run Time: 34:18min
Download Source Files

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

This entry is part 10 of 14 in the The Complete Introduction to Particle Emitters Session
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This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Harry Potter Priori Incantatem

Harry Potter Priori Incantatem

This is the first of a 3-part series on how to replicate the Priori Incantatem effect from the Harry Potter films. In this part, we will take a look at matchmoving our shot and using the data to create a 3D camera inside of After Effects, as well as starting to create the particle animation. Along the way, we’ll also go through a few quick tips on how to speed up workflow by using expressions to automate animation.

Tutorial

Download Tutorial .flv

File size 363MB

Additional Resources

Series NavigationEngage In A Harry Potter “Priori Incantatem” Duel – Day 2»
 
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Rollover to read this author's bio or click through to see a full list of posts by this author.

Ben McEwan grew up in Canberra, Australia. He started learning visual effects from a young age and persistantly followed his dreams. Today, Ben does freelance work for feature films, short films and television programs, and one day hopes to win an Academy Award.  

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  • http://www.aetuts.com jojo

    Thank for share, tuts cool

  • http://www.supernaturalbrasil.org Mustis

    WoW… I love tuts like that.

    Thanks a lot!

  • Sorg

    Is there the possibility to distribute the original footage? Helps a lot.

    Thanks!

    • http://www.benmcewan.com Ben McEwan
      Author

      You need to be a premium member for that.

  • JAYSLIM

    wow so great one
    LUV IT
    WE WAITN FOR DAY 2 :)

  • http://www.soon Nathaniel

    ha ha nice and 10x

  • http://rekoasikurrahman.weebly.com/ Asikur Rhaman Reko

    In a word, it is an outstanding posting …
    Thanks

  • Hodja berlev

    LOL alot @ the 2 dudes in the background! thats some serious acting. Nice Tut btw!

  • ExtremRaym

    AWESOME !

  • Brennen

    Can you use Mocha for this tutorial?

    • http://www.benmcewan.com Ben McEwan
      Author

      Mocha can’t do 3D tracking, no. For this particular shot where there isn’t much motion and the camera is locked-off you could get away with a 2D track, but 3D tracks are more versatile.
      Look for PFHoe, it’s only $99 and it’s basically a simple PFTrack.

  • Dan J

    Sweet tut. You explained some things in Track that i’ve been trying to figure out for a while. Thanks for making it so clear. Very much looking forward to the rest of this project.

  • http://www.youtube.com/ianhpiratao IANH – BR

    Nice one!

    Awesome tut, keep working in this level!

  • okan

    Nİce tut! But I think you don’t need 3d tracking for that scene. It can be done with 2d tracking, stabilize,destabilize etc.

    • http://www.benmcewan.com Ben McEwan
      Author

      Agreed, that’s why I explained that at the start. I wanted to show the process of matchmoving for the people with more complex scenes.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozRQkJV_F7o Shoukath

    Dears,

    I want friendship if any graphic designers. we can discuss about design and new features. i am 12 years experienced after effects designer , now working in Saudi Arabia.

    so any designers to interest friendship with me.

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    thank you
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  • thekakashi

    so mr ewan can i use mocha since it is possible to track it in 2d? thanks.

    • http://www.benmcewan.com Ben McEwan
      Author

      “McEwan” is the name you’re after.

      It really depends on your shot. This particular shot (or any that involves only tilts/pans shot on a tripod) could’ve been done with mocha or the standard AE tracker. It’s only until you take the camera off the tripod and start walking around the action that you’ll need to matchmove your shot the way I showed in this tutorial.

  • Danny

    So this effect cannot be done with Mocha? maybe Mocha Pro…but im talking about the mocha that com with cs4 cs5?

    • http://www.benmcewan.com Ben McEwan
      Author

      For this particular shot you could get away with Mocha, yeah. When the camera does more than tilts and pans, that’s when you need to delve into the 3D tracking. I recorded the 3D tracking segment, since the majority of people attempting the “Priori Incantatem” on YouTube seemed to be handheld and rotating the camera around the action.

  • Gavin g

    Hi,
    Im having some problems and really need help if you can. IM at like the 21 min. in your tutorial and at the Emitter type i try to change it to light, but then it says this……

    ” In this mode lights are used as particle emitters.
    Only lights whose names start with ‘emitter’ are used.
    Create a light with Layer>New>light.

    To change the name ‘Emitter’ open Trapcode Particular’s Options box. ”

    Please help if you can, I will be very Thankful.

  • Jordan

    I can’t figure out why. but the particles won’t stick to the floor. I’e been able to do it before but it just won’t work on this.

  • Harry

    When I try to make the beams, all it does it make duplicates of the particles that I can’t get rid of without getting rid of the beams. This happens when i try to get it to go through the emitter. Its also messing up the ‘clashing” particles as well. Please help?

  • Shahane

    Great tute, but learn to edit down your material. I followed along the 2D tracking for my light emitter which took me over an hour due of the length of my shot, then you turn around and say its not right and you do it another way. Edit out your mistakes and stop wasting our time.

  • josh

    will the foundrys camera tracker for after effects work?

  • Johny5

    Hi Ben, Awesome tut! I’m having problems with the video, it stops at around 6 minutes into the tutorial..I even tried downloading it and it stops at around 6mins as well. I don’t know what’s wrong. It seems to have been working for everyone else. Hope you have a suggestion…can’t wait to watch more of your tutorial :)

    Johny5

  • #question#

    what was the first thing in which u edited the video ? it was not after effect

  • #question#

    something (image viewer)

  • http://www.youtube.com/somospillos Aaron Lopez

    I did this with the camera tracker by the foundry and the final product was great :D

  • mauricio ikari

    Cool tutorial, but I’m a brazilian, could you write de shortcuts on the tutorial? Because I can’t understand some words about the english’s keyboard nomenclature. What was that shortkey to spread the painel of Particular settings to full screen???
    Thanks!!

  • http://twitter.com/BryanGonzales96 Bryan Gonzales

    That was 18 minutes wasted, I used the default afterfx camera tracker and got the same result lol

  • Zain

    Please check out my Harry Potter trailer project for school. Views will support me for my report. This priori incantatem is in the end along with other wand effects. Thanks for the great tutorial!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBgJBtehd4