Effects Videos & Video Copilot

[JaddziaDax]

like lens flare.

This was what I was going to say... it's not the effect that is frowned upon, it's how it's used.

[Niotex]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Video Copilot. His tutorials and methods are extremely helpful and educational for new VFX and motion graphics artists, and people that hate on him are actually hating on the wrong thing. The thing they actually hate is what the vast majority of people that go through those tutorials use them for, which is, to copy. I can't tell you how many demo reels I've seen that have straight-up Video Copilot tutorial stuff all over it. The tutorials are meant to show you how to use the tools available in After Effects and other things. He uses these tools to create a specific look or shot, because he wants to show how those methods COULD be used in a practical setting. If he just went through the tools but never made anything that looked cool, it would be very difficult to actually get the idea of what those tools were doing.

So, while I can't say in all honesty that I've seen a bunch of this happening in AMVs, I'm sure it does. And yeah, it's kind of lame. Do those tutorials and then use your new knowledge of the software to create your own ideas.

Ok, that's kinda what I figured. I just bought Twitch and was hoping using it wouldn't turn me into a pariah I'd never use just a vanilla preset because then my video would be just like thousands of other videos doing the same thing!

And I do agree that the tutorials are very helpful in showing what After Effects can do. AE was a very mystifying program to me, and the tutorials + site have helped me immensely in understanding how it works.

If you don't want your video to look like thousands of other videos. Then don't use presets in general.

[irriadin]

If you don't want your video to look like thousands of other videos. Then don't use presets in general.

Presets give you a standard end-point, so it's really not different than copying. But when you take something like a preset and modify it significantly or incorporate it into a larger effect / work, then it becomes more original. At least, that's my perspective on templates / presets in general. So I guess I agree.

[machina21]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Video Copilot. His tutorials and methods are extremely helpful and educational for new VFX and motion graphics artists, and people that hate on him are actually hating on the wrong thing. The thing they actually hate is what the vast majority of people that go through those tutorials use them for, which is, to copy. I can't tell you how many demo reels I've seen that have straight-up Video Copilot tutorial stuff all over it. The tutorials are meant to show you how to use the tools available in After Effects and other things. He uses these tools to create a specific look or shot, because he wants to show how those methods COULD be used in a practical setting. If he just went through the tools but never made anything that looked cool, it would be very difficult to actually get the idea of what those tools were doing.

So, while I can't say in all honesty that I've seen a bunch of this happening in AMVs, I'm sure it does. And yeah, it's kind of lame. Do those tutorials and then use your new knowledge of the software to create your own ideas.

And as far as Twitch goes, it's the same story. It's a plug-in. It comes with presets to give you an idea of what it's capable of. The problem comes when people just slap the presets on there and don't change a thing. It's SUPER obvious to anybody that's used them (that chromatic aberration jitter thing has just gotten crazy). So, find new and unique uses for the plug-in that suit what you're going for. If it doesn't suit it, don't use it.

This.

I'll willingly admit i've shamelessly used the tutorials in the amvs I've done but at the same time, i've learned an assload of stuff about AE in the process.

[Megamom]

Andrew Kramer is god!!!

Brad's wrote It's true!

[Kitsuner]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Video Copilot. His tutorials and methods are extremely helpful and educational for new VFX and motion graphics artists, and people that hate on him are actually hating on the wrong thing. The thing they actually hate is what the vast majority of people that go through those tutorials use them for, which is, to copy. I can't tell you how many demo reels I've seen that have straight-up Video Copilot tutorial stuff all over it. The tutorials are meant to show you how to use the tools available in After Effects and other things. He uses these tools to create a specific look or shot, because he wants to show how those methods COULD be used in a practical setting. If he just went through the tools but never made anything that looked cool, it would be very difficult to actually get the idea of what those tools were doing.

So, while I can't say in all honesty that I've seen a bunch of this happening in AMVs, I'm sure it does. And yeah, it's kind of lame. Do those tutorials and then use your new knowledge of the software to create your own ideas.

And as far as Twitch goes, it's the same story. It's a plug-in. It comes with presets to give you an idea of what it's capable of. The problem comes when people just slap the presets on there and don't change a thing. It's SUPER obvious to anybody that's used them (that chromatic aberration jitter thing has just gotten crazy). So, find new and unique uses for the plug-in that suit what you're going for. If it doesn't suit it, don't use it.

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[ngsilver]

I've gone to Video Copilot and used the tutorials there to familiarize myself with the tools and methods that were being discussed. It's a great learning tool and a chance for you to practice what may be used in practical situations. I could say more but Brad already covered most of what I would say. Generally, when I see Video Copilot stuff in a video and speak badly about it, it is more about the sameness and copied nature of the use then it is about Video Copilot itself. Well, and too often I see it just slapped on a video for no real added effect to the mood/feel of the video then to make it look more complicated or pretty.

I've from time to time used stock footage and things in my videos and work. There are some great free resources available for learning and for use. The challenge I find is using what's available in such a way that it is both new and exciting. Which is something that even the movie industry struggles with.