How To Make A Wiggling Cord From Particles

How To Make A Wiggling Cord From Particles

on Jan 18th 2012 with 23 comments
Tutorial Details
Download Source Files

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

This tutorial will walk through how I simulated a cord dragging behind a car. Through using Trapcode Particular with a wiggling emitter, we can create the illusion of a single cord moving. We’ll add shading, motion blur, and a shadow to add realism.

Tutorial

Download Tutorial .m4v

File size: 78.2 MB

Adam Everett Miller is everettoptions on Videohive
 
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I am the editor of Aetuts+. I also run Hello Studios as my 9-5 job. I'd love any feedback about Aetuts+ so don't hesitate to drop me a line. ae@tutsplus.com  

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

    Impressive!

  • sam

    Why not just do it in c4d?

    • Alan

      …. because this is AE tuts, dummy.

      • sam

        The only dummy, is someone not willing to learn new software to accomplish such an easy task. Plus, it’s way more realistic.

      • xandercorp

        Actually Sam, this is a difference of opinion, he’s entitled to his as you are to yours. Now you’re clearly one of those ‘I can do everything in 3D’ so why bother… Well some of us haven’t had the damn time. I’m not 15 so my life isn’t just about anime and c4d, I know After Effects quite well and instead of trying to learn c4d for a bloody wire, I’ll rather do the few shots in AE. Makes sense, no?

        Excellent commercial, good job. The tutorial seems to me that is using techniques that have been already displayed before, however it’s a nice job, so congratulations!

    • http://bestflashwebsites.blogspot.com Flashy

      Who said I wanted to learn C4D ;)?

    • http://www.skaremedia.com Chris

      Because buying Cinema 4D costs money.

      • Xandercorp

        I doubt more than 60% of the users on this site have licensed software… Which is why everybody says: “Oh it could’ve been done like that!” without no concern for prices and such…

  • Dot

    Hi
    thanx for the tutorial
    but it doesnt look so real the cord is moving nice at the beginning but then stay static at the end where its close to the car, i think you should make it move all the way from beginning to the end(possible?), or make it in a 3D package, although it looks preety good at the commercial where the scene are fast
    thanx for the tutorial

  • PavanRzx

    That Was Awesome :)

    Very Very Impressive……NICE JOB :D

  • http://www.robotika.org William

    I enjoyed hearing your thought process – my favorite part of the tutorial. Just yesterday I wondered how to approach a solution for a similar effect – and here’s my solution. Thank you!

  • http://www.creativedojo.net VinhSon Nguyen

    Pretty nice results, I love the finished piece! Does this mean AETuts+ is going to start using Vimeo for preview videos now? (I hope so) :)

  • http://youtube.com/797productions LGL

    Good tutorial to create also cigarette smoke or MK Scorpion’s hook

  • xsid

    its nice to see the real time application, how you make the commercial. good job.

  • samer
  • Brett

    Very cool, especially the tangled cord coming at the old lady at the end. I wonder why not use the light emitter at the car end spitting out the particles towards the camera using the z wind. The light would be key framed so the attachment point stayed in a set position on the car. You could use the turbulance field “affect position” setting instead of the wiggle expression to get the cord to look “loopy.” I guess I should shut up and give it a try (ha).

    • chris

      cool idea

      i think the turbulence might look odd… a wiggling cord doesn’t have the same type of turbulence that air moving does.

      worth giving it a try though. thats really the way to look at these tutorials. not “here is exactly how to do this effect, step by step” but rather.. here’s a solution to a problem, adapt it or modify it according to the situation and your strengths.

  • Alvaro Roque

    I absolutely love the commercial and the effect. Sadly I accessed this in a library and couldn’t listen to the sound, but it was still hilarious and the effect looked great! Great job.

    A

  • Derrick van Niekerk

    Hi there, I think the end product serves it’s purpose 110% great job on this!!!

    - Derrick

  • tehri

    very tricky way !! ; ))

  • http://www.stormakten.se Jack

    Very nicely done! Do you know what camera was used to shoot this? Love the colors and the clarity.

    • http://www.vimeo.com/everettoptions Adam Everett Miller
      Author

      We were using a RED camera.

  • Federico

    You should teach us how to do Spider-Man webs shooting out :D