Demo

 The package contains 3 plugins:

• Z_Depth Compose – composite two layers based on their depth maps,
• Z_Depth Cut – select pixels based on a depth map,
• Z_Depth Shadow – project a layer onto depth map.

Note:  The plugins in this package are also a part of the EFX Render Elements suite.  If you already have it, you don’t need these.

If on the other hand you buy these and later decide that you’d like to have the full EFX Render Elements suite, you will get a discount equal to the amount you spent on EFX ZDepth tools.
Upgrade offer: If you already purchased ZDepth Tools and want to upgrade to the full Render Elements suite you can request your discount code: here.

• ZDepth based selections

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/EFX-ZDepth-tools_ex1.jpg
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• Project a layer onto a depth matte

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/EFX-ZDepth-tools_ex21.jpg
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• Combine layers based on their depth matte

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/EFX-ZDepth-tools_ex31.jpg
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Full Tutorial

You can download the User Manual for details on individual plugins.

Version History

• 1.0.2 – Initial release – Feb 2012

VIDEO DEMO/TUTORIAL

HOW TO USE

Launch the earlier version of After Effects (CS3 or later) and run OpenSesame. Click Import Project, then choose the exported OS project file.

NOTE:Some parts of projects can’t be exported due to scripting limitations. The following features aren’t currently supported:

• Paint, Rotobrush and Puppet Pin effects.
• Text style support is CS4+ only and doesn’t include features like kerning, vertical and paragraph text, or multiple text styles on one layer.
• Proxies.
• Custom data values. Effect properties with custom data values can’t be exported, such as the Levels Histogram and the Hue/Saturation effect. In these cases you could use the Levels (Individual Controls) and Color Balance (HLS) effects instead.

TRIAL VERSION:

Version History

• 1.01 – Added support for legacy OS X 10.4 PPC systems – Jan 2012
• 1.0 – Initial release – Jan 2012

Plexus chomps through tens of thousands of points and lines no trouble.
-Steve Kirby

Whether I’m using plexus with masks, lights or 3d objects, I haven’t had as much enjoyment from a plugin since Trapcode Form.
-Simon Bronson

It was very easy to get started. Within a day or less I was able to discover many different techniques with the plugin, and found it very intuitive. I feel like there are more possibilities than I really know right now. Just the fact that you can integrate it extensively with 3D means there is much more to discover.-Chris Murphy

Plexus is a Next Generation 3D Particle System Plugin Designed for Adobe After Effects.

• Create Stunning Generative Art with ease
• Highly Integrated into After Effects, native Camera and Light aware.
• Breakthrough Modular Workflow, that is infinitely configurable.
• Create Organic Structures using Powerful Replication Tools.
• Effectors to create Physical Simulations.
• You can import OBJ Files and OBJ Sequences into Plexus.
• Use AE Lights to shade the Plexus and Color Maps to color the particles.
• High Quality Custom Rendering Engine.
• Depth of Field
• 32 Bit Rendering
• Scaling Parameters for Effectors
• Fade Out for Spherical Field
• Individual Noise Amplitude Control for Each Light.
• Control over Rendering Order.
• Scale Plexus using the Transform Effector.
• Added more Blending Modes.

Plexus now comes with the Plexus OBJ Sequence Exporter for Cinema 4D included for free!

For usage instructions please see video tutorials below.

Created by Simon Bronson (http://www.simonbronson.com), music by Parks in the Fire-Trifonic (http://www.trifonic.com/music/)

More work created with Plexus

Created by Colin Rozee (colinrozee.com)

Created by Yves Larivierre (padawan.tv)

Created by Steve Kirby (www.stevekirby.co.uk)

Tip: Click here for a tutorial on how to create the particle trail at the beginning on this piece:

Created by Steve Kirby (www.stevekirby.co.uk)

Created by Simon Bronson (http://www.simonbronson.com)

Created by Muhammad Naveed Khawar (http://vimeo.com/naveedkhawar)

Created by Christopher Antony Owen Harrison (http://mr-caoh.blogspot.com/)

Created by Matthew Canham (http://vimeo.com/user5134686)

Check out this interview with Creative Director Chris Murphy on how he used Plexus in the “The Art of Flight” title sequence.

More User Examples (Playlist)

Samples

• Plexus_Sample5

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample51.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample8

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample8.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample9

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample9.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample10

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample10.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample11

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample111.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample12

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample12.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample13

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample13.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample14

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample14.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample1

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample11.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample2

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample21.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample3

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample31.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample4

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample41.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample6

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample6.jpg
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• Plexus_Sample7

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Plexus_Sample7.jpg
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Video Tutorials

  1. Plexus Quick Intro

  2. Plexus Path Objects

  3. Plexus Light Objects

  4. Plexus OBJ Objects

  5. Plexus All Effectors

  6. Plexus Rendering

  Plexus v1.2 New Features:

  1. 32 Bit Rendering

  2. Depth of Field

  3. Scaling Parameters for Effectors

  4. Fade Out for Spherical Field

  5. Individual Noise Control for Each Light

More Tutorials/Features

Support

You are welcome to leave a comment below but if you have a support issue we have setup forums to better handle the back and forth communication. You can access the forums here.

Version History:

• 1.4.4 – Fixed Opacity and DoF Bug – Jan 2012
• 1.4.3 – Bug fixes and maintenance – Jan 2012
• 1.4.2 – Nov 2011
  • Accurate Path Subdivision & Fixed Plexus layer offset issue.
  • Plexus layers need not start at timeline zero in the composition
• 1.4.1 – Bug Fixes, Memory Leak Fixes – Nov 2011
• 1.4 – Sep 2011
  • Performance improvements (Renders faster)
  • UI tweaks to streamline interface
  • Bug fixes
• 1.3 – Fixed text layer issue, mac installer and other minor bugs – Jun 2011
• 1.2 – Feb 2011
  • Depth of Field
  • 32 Bit Rendering
  • Scaling Parameters for Effectors
  • Fade Out for Spherical Field
  • Individual Noise Amplitude Control for Each Light.
  • Control over Rendering Order.
  • Scale Plexus using the Transform Effector.
  • Added more Blending Modes.
  • Bug fixes
• 1.0 – Initial Release – Feb 2011

Tutorial

Tools used in this tutorial

iExpressions - Basic Smoother

iExpressions Used:

1. Basic Smoother (Tutorial link)

This suite has workflow tools developed over many years that incorporate many tricks and solutions that help in everyday compositing tasks.

Feature highlights:

• select objects based on ID, Velocity or ZDepth pass,
• remove artifacts on the edges of objects that are common in render passes workflows,
• fix the 1 pixel gap between objects and their shadows in the shadow pass,
• blur a layer but without crossing the boundary between two objects.
• composite two layers using their ZDepth passes as a guide,
• project a layer onto a CG rendering so that it deforms nicely,
• create a depth wipe through a scene from back to front or the other way.

Some of them solve small problems, like softening an edge of a matte, others evolved into full blown keying solutions.

Feature highlights:

• combine alpha mattes of different layers with one simple effect,
• clean an alpha from small speckles left after keying noisy footage or difference matte,
• feather a matte edge “outwards” – you don’t lose thin details,
• remove a dark edge after keying – this happens when the camera had sharpening turned on,
• tell the despiller which pixels he should despill and which to leave alone,
• difficult spill case? Just select the pixels with spill on them and use any of the normal AE effects to remove it,
• select pixels based on their color, luminosity or even transparency.

New features in version 1.0.3:

• Alpha Math:
  • new operations: clear alpha, fill alpha, fill alpha (color)
  • the ability to blend between original alpha and the effect
  • the ability to multiply the alpha channel by a float
• Keyer HSL:
  • increased Hue threshold max value to 360 – helps with selecting white
• New plugin: Despill Brute

Showcase

• EFX Color Select

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ka_Color-Select.jpg

• EFX Simple Keyer

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ka_Simple-Keyer.jpg

• EFX Spill Alpha

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ka_Spill-Alpha.jpg

• EFX Edge Bleed

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ka_Edge-Bleed.jpg

• EFX Color Select and Alpha Math

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ka_Color-Select-and-Alpha-Math.jpg

The suite includes 16 plugins:

• Alpha Math
• Alpha S’n'P
• Alpha Select
• Alpha Streaks
• Color Select
• Color Select HSL
• Despill
• Despill Advanced
• Despill Brute
• Edge Bleed
• Edge Blur Keyer
• Keyer
• Keyer HSL
• Luma Select
• Spill Alpha
• Despill Brute

You can download the User Manual for details on individual plugins.

To check some of the plugins you can download the EFX Keying-Alpha Free plugins here.

Full Tutorial

New features Demo Video:

Version History

• 1.0.4 – Fixes to Alpha Select and Luma Select (Jan 2012)
• 1.0.3 (Dec 2011)
  • Alpha Math:
  • new operations: clear alpha, fill alpha, fill alpha (color)
  • the ability to blend between original alpha and the effect
  • the ability to multiply the alpha channel by a float
  • Keyer HSL:
  • increased Hue threshold max value to 360 – helps with selecting white
  • New Plugin: Despill Brute
• 1.0.2 – Fixed crashing issue with Alpha Select and Edge Bleed (Dec 2011)
• 1.0.1 – Fixed compatibility with CS4 (Nov 2011)
• 1.0 – Initial Release (Oct 2011)

Version History

• v2.3 (01/12)
  • Select Shortcut File button option.
  • Minor typo fixes.
• v2.2 (09/11)
  • Optimized icon creation.
  • Now CS3 compatible.
• v2.1.07 (08/11)
  • Non English AE Shortcut file can be used now.
  • Fixed #252/#288 error on Windows 7 64bit systems.
  • Adjusted “+searchTRANSLATION+” file verification.
  • Minor bug fixes.
  • Added German localization for buttons.
• 2.02 – Fixed prefs path on Win7 (5/11)
• 2.0 – Initial release on aescripts.com (5/11)

Demo:

Output modes:

• Compressed: the dynamic range of the scene is scaled down to fit in the visible range between 0.0 and 1.0,
• Raw 32bit: the dynamic range remains unscaled which results in real 32bit HDR image with pixels brighter than pure white.

Samples:

Tutorial:

Download manual: EFX HDRIcomp 1.0 manual.pdf

Version history

• 1.0 – Initial release – Jan 2011

Features

• Unlimited Search/Replace pairs
• Add Suffix and Prefix
• Replace all at once or one item at a time
• Option to use Regular Expressions (Regex)

Scopes (Where you can rename items)

• Project panel item names
• Layer names project-wide
• Layer names in comps selected in project panel
• Selected layers in active comp
• Render queue footage paths

Version History

• 1.0 – Initial release – Jan 2012

New features in v2.3:

Version history

• 2.3 – Jan 2012
  • now works on layers that have been transformed/animated.
  • option to use null controllers.
  • various improvements / bug fixes.
• 2.2 Added CS5 compatibility – may 2010
• 2.1 Added AE6.5 and AE7 compatibility – dec 2009
• 2.0 Initial release on aescripts.com – dec 2009

New features in version 1.3:

New features in version 1.2:

• Adds support for the SubRip subtitle file format.
• Support for RightToLeft languages.
• Vertical text alignment.

HOW TO USE:

1. Create a new composition with the correct format for your output.
2. Subtitles are created using the settings in the Character/Paragraph panels, so create a sample text layer first and change the font, size and alignment as required. For example, you may want the text alignment in the Paragraph panel set to “Center Text”. You can then delete the text layer.
3. Run the script, choose the subtitle format, then click Import Subtitles and select the file to import.
4. To change the text size or style after import, select the imported text layer and change the settings in the Character/Paragraph panels as required. Then delete the subtitle layer and use the script to import it again.
5. Drag the subtitle layer to the bottom of the comp, using the Title Safe comp guides if necessary.
6. Then you have the option to:
• Render the with an alpha channel, import into your editing software and put the subtitles onto your video.
• Import the video into After Effects and place under the subtitle layer, then render the result.
• With Premiere Pro you just need to save your AE project, then you can drag the subtitle comp from AE’s project panel directly into Premiere Pro’s project panel, and from there, into the edit.

Version history

• 1.3 – Jan 2012
  • CS5.5 compatibility.
  • recreates italic and bold style tags in .srt files.
  • bottom alignment option.
  • use vertical or paragraph style text.
  • fixes some timing errors.
• 1.2 Support for the SubRip format, RightToLeft languages and vertical text alignment – Dec 2010
• 1.1 Added CS5 compatibility – May 2010
• 1.0 Initial release – Dec 2009

New features in version 3.0:

• Now imports Karafun Studio (.kfn) files.
• New basic presets which import and render much faster.
• Animated text crawl option.
• Highlight, timing and non-english language bug fixes.

Upgrade notice: If you bought pt_SSAKaraokeAnimator in the last year (between Jan 04, 2011 and Jan 03, 2012) you can receive a discount code equal to the full 100% amount of what you originally paid for it. If you bought it before Jan 4, 2011 you can get a discount code equal to 50% of what you paid.  To request this discount code please go here.

 

Version History

• 3.0 – Jan 2012
  • Now imports Karafun Studio (.kfn) files.
  • New basic presets which import and render much faster.
  • Animated text crawl option.
  • Highlight, timing and non-english language bug fixes.
• 2.3 Initial release on aescripts.com – Dec 2010

Za Enchu (Cylinder Plus) is a multi-functional plugin for drawing 3D cylindrical objects.
This plugin includes not only basic transformations of the cylinder,  but also works with the composition camera and lights, extends textures along the axis of cylinder, and includes features such as opening transformations, elliptic deformations and duplicate cylinders.
The unique function “Over Ride” makes it possible to manipulate the cylinder by another 3D Layer in your composition.
You can make some very original creations with a combination of these functions.
Use it to make cylindrical backgrounds, motion graphics and more!

Please note that this plugin is currently available only for Windows!

Please watch demo-video:

Functions

• Draw Cylindrical Object.
• Basic transformation: position, scale, rotation.
• Make Elliptic Cylinder.
• Over Ride…Manipulate the cylinder by 3D Layer.
• Open Transformation.
• Extend Cylinder.
• Duplicate Cylinders.
• Work with composition camera and lights. Set materials.
• Depth composite…Fog effect, fade out with depth, mapping XYZ position to RGB color.
• Rendering options, for example:

• Use depth of field
• Set transfer mode between cylinders.

More Examples (playlist):

Expressions are an important part of the serious After Effects user’s workflow but can be daunting for many users, especially beginners. iExpressions is an easy-to-use tool that harnesses the power of expressions without the need for writing or understanding code, allowing all users to harness their power
John Dickinson, Motionworks

I think its one of the best implementation of expressions into AE workflow.
Its logical, easy to use and harness much power and possibilities.

Eran Stern, sternfx.com

iExpressions rock! They take your work to the next level. You really owe it to yourself to try iExpressions – it makes creating Expressions in AE a cinch. It’s about time someone created something like this for AE.
Chris Bobotis, Mettle Communications Inc

Facts

•  85 iExpressions in seven categories
• easy interfaces instead of program code
• boost your workflow by avoiding keyframes
• unlimited possibilities by combining iExpressions using links
• fun to learn – with many tutorials, build-in help tips & documentation
• your projects still work on machines where iExpressions is not installed

Bundles can now be purchased individually!

More than 85 iExpressions in seven categories

• Audio
• Linking
• Movement Modifier
• Physics Simulations
• Source Text
• Wiggles
• Layer Placement

You find more infos and the full documentation on mamoworld.com.

What are iExpressions?

iExpressions allow you to use After Effects expressions without writing or reading a single line of code. It ships with over 85 iExpressions in seven different categories – and each of them comes with an easy and intuitive to use interface. As its such a huge package, it is difficult to explain all its possibilities in a few lines.

It starts with the bread and butter stuff you will need every day: Wiggle properties or connect them via links in various ways. Do you sometimes use parenting? Think of linking iExpressions as a much more flexible way to link stuff together. You can, for example, automatically increase the opacity of a layer when the opacity of the linked layer decreases. Or you can also link the x and y position of a layer to two different properties or use time delayed links to create trailing effects.

There is also a lot of more specialized stuff, like iExpressions which automatically animate properties according to sound or generate different kinds of random text. Here is an example of what you can do with the physics simulations contained in the bundle:

And here is an example what you can do with Audio and Linking iExpressions:

Layer placement demo video:

Tutorials

• Getting started with iExpressions – part 1: wiggles (at mamoworld.com)
• Getting started with iExpressions – part 2: linking and beat detection (at mamoworld.com)
• Getting started with iExpressions – part 3: random text (at mamoworld.com)
• Getting started with iExpressions – part 4: physics simulations (at mamoworld.com)
• The pendulum iExpression (at motionworks.com.au)
• Animating to Music with iExpressions (at sternfx.com)
• Animating to Music – Part 2  (at mamoworld.com)
• Create a 3D Intro Title using iExpressions and 3D Extruder
• 12 iExpressions Linking Quick Tips  (at mamoworld.com)
• 7 Physics Simulation Tips (at mamoworld.com)
• 13 Layer Placement Tips (at mamoworld.com)

Want to know more? You find more infos and the full documentation on mamoworld.com.

Version History

• 1.11 – Fixed issue when loading iExpressions applied with previous versions – Dec 2011
• 1.10 – Dec 2011
  • Bundles can now be purchased individually!
  • New bundle: “Layer Placement”
• 1.051 – Dec 2011
  • Fixed issue with OSX 10.5.8
  • Fixed bug when linking positions of 2d layers to 3d properties
• 1.04 – Improved baking, improved auto-apply icon, improved hint messages – Nov 2011
• 1.03 – Small cosmetic fix for entering license – Nov 2011
• 1.0 – Initial release – Oct 2011

Overview

Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT Bundle includes 2 products:

+ Fixel LightIT

+ Fixel DeLightIT

Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT Bundle allows the user a full control
over the Tonal Range of the Video / Image.
Using Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT the user can reveal hidden details in the Shadows
and recover clipped details in the Highlights.
All done automatically using Non-Linear Masking which prevents Halos and other common artifacts.

Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT is GPU accelerated and compatible
with Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop.

All in a special price of only ($59.99) $39.99.

You save $20.00

Showcase

• Image 01 - Before

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1-Small-Before1.jpg
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• Image 01 - After

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1-Small-After.jpg

  Using Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT Bundle hidden details can be recovered with no Color Shift

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• Image 02 - Before

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2-Small-Before1.jpg
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• Image 02 - After

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2-Small-After.jpg

  The sky are blue instead of washed out, the reflection of the mountain in water is revealed

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• Image 03 - Before

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/3-Small-Before.jpg
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• Image 03 - After

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/3-Small-After.jpg

  The user can keep a natural look with no Halos / Artifacts

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• Image 04 - Before

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/4-Small-Before1.jpg
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• Image 04 - After

   

  http://aescripts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/4-Small-After.jpg

  The background is restored, the left man shirt is revived

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Features

• No Halos
  The filters has limited effect which reduces halos dramatically compared to linear filters.
• Non Linear Masking
  The filters mask out, automatically, the well lighten zones leaving them untouched while optimize the Highlights and Shadows.
• Preserve Saturation Mode
  The filters will affect the Luminosity channel only. No color shifting.
• User Full Control
  User can easily control the smoothness of the transition between the masking properties.
• Intuitive & User Friendly
  Full integration with Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop.

Notes

Fixel LightIT + DeLightIT Bundle 1.0

• Based on Fixel LightIT 1.1 and Fixel DelightIT 1.0.
• Currently, GPU acceleration is enabled under Adobe Photoshop CS5 only.