I cant figure how to use "shatter" effect

[Shannell]

Very simple question for any normal user Im sure, Im using 5.5 and cant
understand how to use the shatter effect. I have the avi, and have made a
layer above that where I want the end of the clip to "shatter" I put the
effect in that layer and set the textures to front=xxxxx.avi and side
rear=colour and have it set to view rendered, so why do I get a black
overlay on my video with the shattered outline on it and my video underneath
it???

[Chris Poisson]

Shatter happens at the very beginning of the clip you put it on, unless you set keyframes for force radius. The default for it is, I believe, .4, so you must bring that down to zero and set a key, then go to 1 frame before you want the effect, set another zero keyframe and on the next frame, put another keyframe at .4 or whatever floats your boat.

This is the VERY basics of an extremely complex and useful effect. The Total Training tape is 90 minutes on Shatter alone. The pdf manual is helpful but rather difficult. The tape is much better. I remember spending a whole weekend with the manual and just barely getting it. So go have some fun.

[Shannell]

is the pdf freely available?

Post by Chris Poisson
Shatter happens at the very beginning of the clip you put it on, unless

you set keyframes for force radius. The default for it is, I believe, .4, so
you must bring that down to zero and set a key, then go to 1 frame before
you want the effect, set another zero keyframe and on the next frame, put
another keyframe at .4 or whatever floats your boat.

Post by Chris Poisson
This is the VERY basics of an extremely complex and useful effect. The

Total Training tape is 90 minutes on Shatter alone. The pdf manual is
helpful but rather difficult. The tape is much better. I remember spending a
whole weekend with the manual and just barely getting it. So go have some
fun.

[David Bogie]

shatter is incredible; too cool for school. Once you get past the most difficult part of learning to control the force spheres, you will find many uses for this effect than you ever imagined possible.

Hit the TotalTraining web site and see if they still hve the TotalEvolution series for sale. Last I looked it was only $80.00, that's less than one dollar a minute for the Shatter section plus you get insights into all of the other Evolution effects now incorporated into AE5+ and soon-to-be AE6.

I'm a big fan of this effect.

bogiesan

[Chris Poisson]

It sould be on your CD that came with AE. But I HIGHLY recommend the Total Training Evolution series of tapes.

[Darcy Fitzpatrick]

I have the Total Evolution tapes. One tape all for Shatter alone. In 90 minutes I went from a crippling fear of shatter to making it my b**ch.

Some people will sell their copy of TE for pretty cheap - that's how I got mine - but still, for $80 you are getting an amazing bargain.

[Andrew Yoole]

But while you're waiting for the tapes in the mail, try this:

Put your footage into a comp. Move to the point on the timeline where you want Shatter to begin. Create a new adjustment layer. Apply the Shatter effect to it. In the Effect Control window choose Rendered in the first drop-down box (View). Preview.

Remember this method will Shatter EVERYTHING underneath the adjustment layer.

That should get you started.

[Darcy Fitzpatrick]

Also, looking at the wireframe view of shatter while turning the camera in shatter a tad on its y axis and moving it back a little in z-space will give you a good idea of what is actually happening since you can see the shatter sphere and how it affects the layer as it expands.

I never used to use this view because I thought it was only there for people with slow computers and I didn't want to feel like I had a slow computer (even though up until two months ago thats EXACTLY what I had) but Brian Maffit showed me the light and this view is really vital a tool for setting up shatter...

[Chris Poisson]

An easy alternative to Andrew's adjustment layer method is to split the layer where you want it to shatter, and apply it to the second half.

But really, you should get the tapes because it is just amazing the different effects it can do. You can even use it to add real depth to 2D objects that never shatter at all. At the very least, open the comp tutorials on the disc and you will get a better idea of this. Truly unbelievable.

[Jim Howells]

An easy alternative to Andrew's adjustment layer method is to split the
layer where you want it to shatter, and apply it to the second half.




Actually this is one of the few effects where this doesn't work. You have to animate the force to get is to start at any place but the very begining of the layer. Brain Maffet came onto the board a while ago and corrected us all, me included.

[Chris Poisson]

Hmmm. Didn't know that.