In need of some tips.

[enjoto]

Hi everyone I recently started working with after effects and after few weeks testing effects and watching tutorials I think it's time for me to finally make a full AMV with it but I've got some things I want to ask first so I came here. I want to know what effects look best in AMVs or actually what are the recommended plug-ins for nice looking effects in AMVs. What I have got for now is the trapcode plug-ins, video copilot plug-ins and presets, evolution, riot gear and CycoreFX. I'd also want to know if anyone knows any after effects amv tutorials because I only looked at the video copilot tutorials and I use only the effects used there.

[mirkosp]

You don't just put effects in a video "because they look good." Instead, you use effects because your video actually requires them for concept or whatever. Even the most basic and generally crappy effect like an invert can look good if used with a reason and fitting in the context. Opposite works too: particles and colourful effects like shine and starglow look good, but randomly placing them on a video without ANY reason whatsoever is probably going to be just tasteless. I find myself using effects only because of some reason that brings me to use them, and then it's not just a random good looking effect, but it's probably more about looking how to do something specific that would fit for that. There's no "black magic" that always looks great, really (inb4 some troll comes and says glow or lens flare...). Imho you should just think of an idea for a video and start to edit it, if you eventually get stuck because you want to create a specific effect and don't know how to make it, then that is the time to start making questions, but otherwise I don't think there's much meaning in looking for tutorials. It's actually more rewarding if you come up yourself for a way to make the effect you have in mind to create. A few of the more complex effects, for example, can actually be accomplished in ways that do not require specific plugins, to an extent, especially through means of expressions.

[Kionon]

Buuuuuuut Mirko, VicBond told me lens flare always looks good.

[Êricō]

Do you also use Premiere Pro? I find it easy to export what you have made in After Effects to Premiere Pro to make compilation easier.

With your effects, it is good to be consistent with them. Do not use all different kinds of effects in one AMV as that will critically appear messy and may lose feeling in your AMV (If your that sensitive).

When adding extra elements or anything that isn't from the anime, it is good to adjust the HLS to blend in those elements with the footage unless your sure you don't want to.

Little note: watch your disk space, programs like that take up a fair amout of space.