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How to Mix Animation & Live Video

Mixing animation with live action has been a staple of film since the early ages of special effects. Introducing a creature such as King Kong into a scene once required live action to be projected onto a screen behind the creature as the creature was animated frame by frame. Although animation hasn't changed in principle, the technologies for blurring the line between animation and live action have become more efficient and accessible to the average person.

Things You'll Need

  • After Effects CS3
  • Bridge CS3
  • Photoshop CS3 Extended
  • Live Action Digital Footage
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Instructions

  1. Animation in Photoshop

    • 1

      Open Photoshop CS3 Extended.

    • 2

      Go to "File>Open." Find your footage and press "Open." The file should appear within its own window and as a layer within the "Layers Panel."

    • 3

      Go to "Window>Animation." Click on the play button on the lower left hand side of the "Animation Window." Watch your video. "Alt + the play button" on PC or "Option + the play button" on Mac to watch it with the sound on. Press the "Stop" button.

    • 4

      Press on the button next to the "Play" button to advance the video one frame at a time. Press on the "Toggle Onion Skins On" to see the last frame and the current frame. This will help you to keep the animation consistent with the last frame.

    • 5

      Select the "Brush Tool" from the "Toolbar" on the left hand side of the screen. Change the color of the brush and drag it across the frame a little. Advance the movie a frame and paint more. Continue this for the rest of the footage to create animation within your live action footage.

    Text Animation in After Effects and Bridge

    • 6

      Open up After Effects CS3.

    • 7

      Go to "File>Import>File." Find your footage and press "Import." The footage should appear within the "Project Panel." Go to "Composition>New Composition," and press "OK." Drag the footage file into the "Timeline" below.

    • 8

      Use the "Type Tool" to type "Test" on a spot in the footage that you like. Highlight this word and go to "Animation>Browse Presets."

    • 9

      Once Bridge CS3 opens, click on the "Text" folder. Click on the "Mechanical" folder and select the "Electro Magnetic.ffx" file to preview it. Double click on it to attach this animation onto your text.

    • 10

      Press the space bar to watch the animation.

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