After Effects CS3? VisionLab Studio? Particle Illusion?

[Anonymous]

Special effects isn’t something I have done other than the green screen work I do (placing a client in a virtual studio or set), but it’s something we’ve given thought to over the past few months and I’m considering getting After Effects CS3 to add some more exciting options for clients, have the ability to be more creative and to create an overall more professional, polished look.

But I was also looking at (drooling over) VisionLab Studio:

http://fxhome.com/visionlab/video-gallery

and Particle Illusion:

http://www.wondertouch.com/

The Ultra 2 and Sony Vegas software I already use give me the chromakey quality I need so that part isn’t a problem, but I’m particularly interested in the ‘Invisible soldier’ and ‘Environment smoke’ capabilities of VS. Particle Illusion looks very interesting, too, and I’m getting a tad confused now. So my question is: If I get After Effects, would I be able to do everything that the other packages can do?

Any other suggestions or recommendations would also be appreciated if anyone does this stuff regularly.

For example: Did you buy something and wish you’d bought something else instead?

[Anonymous]

Mmmm – just spent half an hour with the demo version of Particle Illusion and I’m hooked so that’s a definite. I can see straight away that PI will be a useful addition to AE, whatever it can do. Unless all that PI can do can be done with AE. Anyone know?

I can’t seem to download a trial of After Effects so I’m not sure if it is capable of this PI stuff.

Off to play some more… 🙂

[videolab]

Out of the box AE does not do particle effects easily. With plug ins like Particular it will better than anything because of the 3d capabilities of AE. A demo is easily found under the demos section of Adobes web site. If you ever want to work in the industry AE is the way to go. I have worked in television for several years now and I have never heard of Vision Lab Studio. So in the real world it will not get you far. However if all you want to do is your own stuff it looks like it can do some of the things that AE does with out the effort. Particle Illusion is just a particle generator and does not do compositing so while it is a great piece of software it needs something like AE to show its potential.

[Anonymous]

I must have been looking in the wrong place before as I got a message that a download is no longer available from the Adobe website, but I’m getting it now.

No, I only have a small studio where I provide a number of services for small businesses, so I’m not planning anything major ‘in the industry’. I just want to add some subtle but impressive ‘polish’ to what I already do, really. I’m working on a documentary as well but that is just basic editing so I don’t need anything special for that job.

I’ll check out the Particular plug-in for AE, thanks. I am impressed with Particle Illusion and it’s giving me some ideas but if a plug-in for AE will be better, I probably won’t bother with PI. And although Vision Lab Studio does provide a few effects I am interested in, I’ve been watching a few AE demos on YouTube today and clearly, VLS is a toy when compared to AE! YouTube quality is bad, I know, but I can see the potential.

Thanks again for your input – I’ll play around with the AE demo when I (eventually) get it but it’s looking like I’ll be opting for AE and plug-ins. At least that way I’ll be equipped if I do want to do anything major at a later date…

[Anonymous]

Wish I’d checked out After Effects before asking what now seems like a dumb question – this thing is fantastic!

[tpainter]

For some incredible AE tutorials , check out http://www.videocopilot.net

[Anonymous]

Yep, I was looking at those – lots more at CreativeCow.net, too, as you no doubt know:

http://www.creativecow.net/articles/aftereffects.html

Very impressive stuff. I’m hooked. As is my son who has taken over this PC to create light sabres and explosions and stuff! 🙂 When the trial expires I’ll definitely be buying it…

[Author]

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