Effects studied range from staged disasters to monsters to seemingly mundane realities. We adopt practical approaches to film history, giving students a database of influential images while examining contexts of how effects work in films. This course will be of interest to general students of film but since it covers all the major effects techniques the course also serves to complement lab-oriented courses specializing in digital design. It seamlessly integrates multiple visual components for dazzling effects to be used in feature films, commercials, and television. Also explored are animation of text, log replacement, wire removal, and image stabilization.
Emphasis is on importing graphics for advanced special effects work and image processing.
Students learn new features such as displacement mapping, advanced spline-based stabilization and tracking, complex morphs, and advanced matting techniques. This course provides high-level training to digital professionals in the film and video industries who want to be immersed in an advanced visual effects software. Topics include 2D and 3D compositing with an infinite number of layers, color correction, tracking, text creation, displacement effects, editing with real-time feedback, and the creation of lights, shadows, explosions, and atmospheric effects. One 35-hour week of instruction time is followed by one week of dedicated lab time in which students are able to further devlop their skills. In this introductory course, students use Adobe After Effects to create motion graphics and visual effects for film, video, multimedia, and the Web.