Smoke Monster effect thing

Dvl-Jigen · Post by **Dvl-Jigen** » Fri May 11, 2012 12:44 am

Ok, so I'm working on a project and I want to include a scene with something that looks like the smoke monster from Lost. Unfortunately, I've got little to no idea how to do this, I know it can be done in After Effects, I just need to know how, so if anyone would be so kind as to help me figure it out, that'd be awesome. If it helps, I have After Effects CS4.

lloyd9988 · Post by **lloyd9988** » Fri May 11, 2012 6:24 am

Boom!

http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/videos/ ... v/item/60/

Hope it helps

Dvl-Jigen · Post by **Dvl-Jigen** » Fri May 11, 2012 11:17 am

looks like I'm gonna have a bit of saving up to do, thank you for the link though

Eake4 · Post by **Eake4** » Sat May 12, 2012 6:40 am

Provide the link to where i can see the thing and i'll try to help

Dvl-Jigen · Post by **Dvl-Jigen** » Sat May 12, 2012 5:16 pm

Eake4 wrote:Provide the link to where i can see the thing and i'll try to help

A link to the effect or a link to the project I'm working on?

Eake4 · Post by **Eake4** » Sun May 13, 2012 6:42 am

Dvl-Jigen wrote:
Eake4 wrote:Provide the link to where i can see the thing and i'll try to help
A link to the effect or a link to the project I'm working on?

Fx so i can see what you're trying to accomplish

Dvl-Jigen · Post by **Dvl-Jigen** » Sun May 13, 2012 1:13 pm

This was the best video I could find that shows it, hope this helps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0X3OKjIlUg
This effect I'm trying to re-create is at about 1:03ish

Eake4 · Post by **Eake4** » Mon May 14, 2012 7:00 am

The black smoke I take it.
Since you have After Effects CS4

Steps
Crlt + Y -> ok (any colour is fine)
Add effect (Fractal Noise)
Change Fractal Noise contrast settings up a fair bit and brightness down just a touch
Add Effect (Curves)
Pull Down the middle of the first line to form a curve Should look like a Tilted "U"
Grab Pen tool (Draw a rough sketch of how you want your smoke to look like INCLUDE A LOT OF ANCHOR POINTS
Now keyframe the position of the mask and transform your Smoke however you want
click the layer and hit "T"
Turn opactity down to aroun 70%
Change transfer mode of the layer to screen (if that takes away the white bits then you win)
If that doesnt do the trick then use Keylight effect and take away the white (should be grayish white now)

There might be something I miscalculated since this was done solely in my head. If there is an error tell me and ill try to help you fix it

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Mon May 14, 2012 9:52 am

Particle effects can be used to make more realistic smoke if that's what you'd like to aim for. Set the color spectrum for them to smoke colors (black to grey), set the gravity to a negative number so they float upwards. Use a noise or fractal based generation pattern for them so they seem more natural (i.e. the emitters move in a psuedo-random way).

Dvl-Jigen · Post by **Dvl-Jigen** » Mon May 14, 2012 5:06 pm

So, I think I got the basic idea of what to do, here's a sample,feel free to let me know what you guys think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmIGI19mtJw

AnimeMusicVideos.org

Smoke Monster effect thing

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