Wow, I've been using After Effects for almost seven years, non-stop and this level of work is beyond what I thought was even possible. I feel both inspired and oddly impotent.
Wow, a new AE bar has been set and the mic has been dropped! Amazing.. and so happy to see we played a small part :-) Congratulations, epic achievement!
I watched this video years ago when it came out at a time when I was deciding to transition from graphic design to motion design, this single video has changed my life probably more than any other video I've ever watched. Thanks a lot Stu. You are a legend.
having a decent understanding of after effects, watching this is absolutely mind blowing. i can't begin to comprehend the struggle and difficulty of this project. this takes some real intelligence. so major props to you stu
I am so blown away by your craftsmanship and love of this genre Stu. Bravo on all of your diligence and hard work. Thank you so much for sharing with us all giving us a glimpse into your production process.
Never knew after effects had this much potential. I am just blown away. Holy moly. It takes a whole 1 day for my laptop to render out a simple animation.
I would die happy if we could get a detailed long tutorial explaining how to set up the rig at 11:50 - it's incredible! Every attempt I've made to replicate it in Ae is just not working at all.
I tinker around with AE so much that my fingers begin to ache. I ALWAYS come back to this particular video whenever I think of giving up on the software. I love this so much!!
Thanks for this extensive look behind the scenes. I'll remember your quote "starting things is fun, finishing them is hard" since it goes for me as well.
Mind blowing... The AE Scripts you have for the animation of the vehicles are out of this world, also modelling and particles scripts, bufff...... from now you're my AE Guru, all respect..... I've been using AE since version 1, I use scripts not much but after seeing this I want to learn!!!!!! ;)
8:28-8:37 "(I) ultimately decided that *the environment should be more sparse* to keep visual focus on the vehicles." That's really cool! Things like that, the theory or technique behind how you achieved a certain *"Feel"* to your animation is so interesting! I love those details, and I think they are very important. I want to use them to dynamically create an interesting 3D world. It's something I've wanted to do for a while, I've spent probably hundreds of hours developing a theory on why certain environments look appealing in the way they do, but I still want to make a world with them! Anyway, this is really cool, Stu.
Wow! I love vector graphics, and their heyday was a young teen... I was sure this was modeled in 3D on a modern system, but actually converted and played through vector monitors...you got me!
I am not sure what else to say that you blew my mind first with the actual video and even more so with the makind of. Kudos to you, sir, on awakening the nostalgia within me and the full respect of the effort of creating this. Absolutely amazing job. Thank you for sharing!
This has to be one of the most insane, brilliant, and jaw dropping thing I have ever seen. This story needs to be in the motion graphic history books. A new level of respect has just been earned.
When I was interviewing for my current job they asked me to rate my AE skills on a scale of 1 to 10. I thought I was being humble by saying 5-6 because I know a thing or two. After watching this I'm re-evaluating myself and changing my number to -22. You're a legend!!!
I bought your DV rebel book when it came out. I've re-read parts of it dozens of times. Your way of thinking is alot how my own brain works. I didn't know it was you untill I hear you say your name and I was like "OMG, that's the guy who wrote DV rebel(with the bullets holes on it)" When you went through your process' I was lik eLMAO, because I go through alot of the same thought processes (over complicating it and HAVING to do it that way). Thanks for sharing all your ideas for FREE all these years! *Thumbs up high 5*
Thank you for this fantastic look into your methods and creative process. I need to go watch the movie now. I have been looking for ways to solve a problem and get those 80's era vid-screens and targeters for my stalled projects which is what brought me here. I admire your dedication and love for what you do and wish I had had the opportunities and ability to have gotten the training and make movies myself. I still cling to my dream, but I know it will likely only be small projects that I ever finish. Still, seeing a video like this always gives me hope.
This project is EVERYTHING! It really demonstrates how much of art is in the process as much as the finished product. This experience of being so inspired and having an idea so eager to be expressed it can drive you to move mountains just to make it a reality is truly special. I don't get to do art projects often, but when I do, it often snowballs out of a set of constraints just like this--and it is therapeutic to follow these painstaking constraints wherever they lead you. Thank you so much for making this BTS and sharing your experience!
Awesome work, Stu! I love the 80s vector aesthetic, and your method recreates it so faithfully! Automated vehicle rigs are definitely pretty fun to make (I used maya for mine, but I'm more at home in AE). Keep being awesome!
Sometimes I animate shapes with trim lines and feel like I'm confident with AE. What book can I read to learn all of these awesome things AE does? Or the expressions atleast
10:08 "To create this look, I built this exact setup in After Effects." (In reference to the double exposed filmed CRT setup) For some odd reason when I thought you couldn't get more meticulous in your work pushing the limits of what I thought was possible with raw AE, you prove me wrong. At this point that statement put me in a state of simultaneous disbelief and joy with a huge grin on my face.
Insane, but I mean that in the nicest way. This was obviously a labour of love, but I can't help but think how much easier it would have been to make this in a game engine and give it some love in the edit later. Love your work.
Stu. This is amazing. Even though half the AfterEffects and animation jargon is gobbledygook to me, the inspiration, dedication and end results speak for themselves. As a fellow fan of those classic 80's vector games, esp. Battlezone, I am in awe of what you have accomplished with this. Unbelievable.
no kidding. I'm doing similar stuff in Unreal Engine. He'd be able to make this in under a week including figuring out the graphics materials probably..!
WOW this is great, Tank is great. I'm so glad for you though that you finished it, what comes next will have zero boundaries I'm sure. Great work man :)
Great Video and great to see that Stu Maschwitz is still kicking it. Bought his book The DV Rebel's Guide back in 2007. I still refer to it to this day.
Fucking madman. Loved the short film and this cathartic journey of a video. As a user of AE it meant a rollercoaster of emotions: curiosity, impotence, laughter, heart warming and awe-inspiring. And to top it all, you made a free template/tutorial for us all. Tank you, sir!
This video alone is worth more than any motivational videos. Now every time I get stuck in crazy AE setup, I know there's someone who has braved the path of even crazier things.
Everything about this is awesome! BattleZone was one of my favorite video games as a kid and you just transported me back in time. Speaking of time, I love that Tudor you're sporting. Yes, you may be crazy, but a lot of us are right there with you.
This is so cool. It's like the ultimate marriage of left brain and right brain. Because you simulated so much of the process to mimic real-world limitations, it all feels very organic, even though it's all animated. Well done.
Thanks Stu! Wow..What a cool behind the scenes. Thank you for opening a window on your process! Loved the short, loved the BTS. I'm gonna check out some prolost stuff now too!
An extraordinary effort. I too loved the vector graphic arcade games, particularly Battlezone, (I also loved Tempest just for the awesome sounds) I have to say though, it's jobs like this that show the weaknesses within AE, and the ridiculous number of layers. I get pissed off when I have more than about 20. Adobe really needs to start incorporating some kind of folder system to manage this stuff.
17:59 Starting things is fun, but finishing them is hard. Your work reminds me of Stellar 7 for the Apple II, a game I played when I was young. Great work!
Stu.. love the work on this. I'm really curious about your pull toy physics and how you did the expressions for that. You should build a sample project and stick it out on the proloststore. I'd pay for that.
That is really fantastic! The finished project is amazing, but watching your process made me appreciate it so much more. Congratulations on sticking it out until the end, you really created a truly awesome and inspiring piece. And, as a bonus, you didn't go insane in the process :)
To build on the amazing work you did here, I'm working on some modifications to your vector kit. First I wanted to make it easier to create shapes faster so that it doesn't have to take a year to do something like this. I don't mean to offend in that because your year included R&D and passion which means time to create and perfect (like the dimming of backside lines.) I also wanted to be able to create precomps that contain 3d objects that I can use and reuse in my main comp so that I don't need a comp that is 1000's of layers tall. And stu I'm sure you did some of this and simplified the kit for people. But for example lets say that you have 100 tanks. To be able to make a single tank precomp and then use that one comp 100 times and have each one have its own controls without having to duplicate the actual comp. Then be able to precomp those if necessary into several groups, etc. This part is difficult in ae. So the first thing I did was to take the MasterControls layer and stick it inside a precomp called controls. Then I can access it from anywhere in the comp including subcomps/precomps at any level deep. Referencing another comp is always done by name (not by parent reference) so this works well for this. I also added a text layer in there called "MainCompName" which can convery the name of the main comp to all those sub precomps so they can all access the active camera. This way you can have multiple comps in the same project and the expressions down deep can still find the right top comp to locate the controls comp for that main comp. Then inside the precomp for an "object", instead of typing individual vector point data into 10's or 100's of segment layers. I have a text layer that contains all the vector data for all the points in that object. Then each segment has an index to access those points. Much like the 3d data in opengl vertex data. And what's great about this is you can essentially copy and paste that vertex data into the text string, add a bunch of segment layers and you have your 3d object ready to go in minutes. Finally, each precomp has that parent layer that is a 3d null which can move and rotate the object. To make it easier so I don't have to have multiple viewers up and change position and rotation values inside the precomp, I use expression controls on the layer to contol the ones inside the precomp. But am still working on it not requiring a new copy of the precomp for each individual copy of the object.
Wow, I've been using After Effects for almost seven years, non-stop and this level of work is beyond what I thought was even possible. I feel both inspired and oddly impotent.
Feel you bro 😂😂😂
i think you meant incompetent
@@247.mp4 🤣🙌🏼
@@247.mp4 Little A, Little B.
I secretly love making projects with insane work requirements. So this hits home because I need to do more.
Wow, a new AE bar has been set and the mic has been dropped! Amazing.. and so happy to see we played a small part :-) Congratulations, epic achievement!
The magic of genius at play. Mind-boggling, inspiring, intimidating, but most of all beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Tank is an incredibly accurate love letter to the pure code era 🤯
Thanks for taking the time to go into such detail! Incredible stuff 🙌
“Projects are fun to start but hard to finish” too true
I watched this video years ago when it came out at a time when I was deciding to transition from graphic design to motion design, this single video has changed my life probably more than any other video I've ever watched. Thanks a lot Stu. You are a legend.
Thank you! This comment made my day. I’m deeply touched. I hope your journey into motion design has been rewarding!
having a decent understanding of after effects, watching this is absolutely mind blowing. i can't begin to comprehend the struggle and difficulty of this project. this takes some real intelligence. so major props to you stu
"Why do you want to climb mount Everest?"
"Because it's there."
George Mallory
I am so blown away by your craftsmanship and love of this genre Stu. Bravo on all of your diligence and hard work. Thank you so much for sharing with us all giving us a glimpse into your production process.
Never knew after effects had this much potential. I am just blown away. Holy moly. It takes a whole 1 day for my laptop to render out a simple animation.
I would die happy if we could get a detailed long tutorial explaining how to set up the rig at 11:50 - it's incredible! Every attempt I've made to replicate it in Ae is just not working at all.
Your dedication to craftmanship in motion graphics is insanely inspiring. Thank you!
I tinker around with AE so much that my fingers begin to ache. I ALWAYS come back to this particular video whenever I think of giving up on the software. I love this so much!!
TANK is absolutely brilliant!!! And thank you very much for making "The Making of TANK"!!! So wonderful, so inspiring!
Thanks for this extensive look behind the scenes. I'll remember your quote "starting things is fun, finishing them is hard" since it goes for me as well.
Dude, I'm speechless. Congrats, great work!
Mind blowing... The AE Scripts you have for the animation of the vehicles are out of this world, also modelling and particles scripts, bufff...... from now you're my AE Guru, all respect..... I've been using AE since version 1, I use scripts not much but after seeing this I want to learn!!!!!! ;)
8:28-8:37
"(I) ultimately decided that *the environment should be more sparse* to keep visual focus on the vehicles."
That's really cool! Things like that, the theory or technique behind how you achieved a certain *"Feel"* to your animation is so interesting! I love those details, and I think they are very important.
I want to use them to dynamically create an interesting 3D world. It's something I've wanted to do for a while, I've spent probably hundreds of hours developing a theory on why certain environments look appealing in the way they do, but I still want to make a world with them! Anyway, this is really cool, Stu.
Wow! I love vector graphics, and their heyday was a young teen... I was sure this was modeled in 3D on a modern system, but actually converted and played through vector monitors...you got me!
THE ONLY THING THAT PASSED THROUGH MY HEAD THE ENTIRE TIME WAS: *"THIS IS ONLY AFTER EFFECTS?! WTF!!"*
hahaha olha quem eu acabei de achar kkkkk, eae renan
This is perhaps one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on TH-cam. Here’s to the crazy ones!
Thank you.
Watching that 60fps footage of the CRT shooting down was genuinely one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
This is AWESOME! I would actually go to the theaters to see a full length version of this instead of most "blockbusters."
I am not sure what else to say that you blew my mind first with the actual video and even more so with the makind of. Kudos to you, sir, on awakening the nostalgia within me and the full respect of the effort of creating this. Absolutely amazing job. Thank you for sharing!
This has to be one of the most insane, brilliant, and jaw dropping thing I have ever seen. This story needs to be in the motion graphic history books. A new level of respect has just been earned.
Stu... you are INSANE. Mad props... mad, mad, props.
This guy is a genius! I can't imagine spending so much time and effort on such a project - that's pure passion
When I was interviewing for my current job they asked me to rate my AE skills on a scale of 1 to 10. I thought I was being humble by saying 5-6 because I know a thing or two. After watching this I'm re-evaluating myself and changing my number to -22. You're a legend!!!
WOW WOW WOW!! Congrats for keeping/losing your sanity. Worth every frame and layer.
I bought your DV rebel book when it came out. I've re-read parts of it dozens of times. Your way of thinking is alot how my own brain works. I didn't know it was you untill I hear you say your name and I was like "OMG, that's the guy who wrote DV rebel(with the bullets holes on it)" When you went through your process' I was lik eLMAO, because I go through alot of the same thought processes (over complicating it and HAVING to do it that way). Thanks for sharing all your ideas for FREE all these years! *Thumbs up high 5*
Thank you for this fantastic look into your methods and creative process. I need to go watch the movie now. I have been looking for ways to solve a problem and get those 80's era vid-screens and targeters for my stalled projects which is what brought me here. I admire your dedication and love for what you do and wish I had had the opportunities and ability to have gotten the training and make movies myself. I still cling to my dream, but I know it will likely only be small projects that I ever finish. Still, seeing a video like this always gives me hope.
I’ve never been emotionally moved by a vfx tutorial until now
Thumbs up, congratulations on your film work. I have a high respect for artists who promote their work out there.
This is fantastic!!! Expressions entirely made out of black magic and will power...
Absolutely bril. Thanks for making a great documentary, and for providing files. Wow!
This project is EVERYTHING! It really demonstrates how much of art is in the process as much as the finished product. This experience of being so inspired and having an idea so eager to be expressed it can drive you to move mountains just to make it a reality is truly special. I don't get to do art projects often, but when I do, it often snowballs out of a set of constraints just like this--and it is therapeutic to follow these painstaking constraints wherever they lead you. Thank you so much for making this BTS and sharing your experience!
Can't believe these videos aren't viral already. This is a master class.
Was literally just going to write the same!
More info in here than any master class. I'm floored!
Awesome work, Stu! I love the 80s vector aesthetic, and your method recreates it so faithfully! Automated vehicle rigs are definitely pretty fun to make (I used maya for mine, but I'm more at home in AE). Keep being awesome!
Floored.
Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes I animate shapes with trim lines and feel like I'm confident with AE. What book can I read to learn all of these awesome things AE does? Or the expressions atleast
10:08 "To create this look, I built this exact setup in After Effects." (In reference to the double exposed filmed CRT setup) For some odd reason when I thought you couldn't get more meticulous in your work pushing the limits of what I thought was possible with raw AE, you prove me wrong. At this point that statement put me in a state of simultaneous disbelief and joy with a huge grin on my face.
Insane, but I mean that in the nicest way. This was obviously a labour of love, but I can't help but think how much easier it would have been to make this in a game engine and give it some love in the edit later. Love your work.
Stu. This is amazing. Even though half the AfterEffects and animation jargon is gobbledygook to me, the inspiration, dedication and end results speak for themselves. As a fellow fan of those classic 80's vector games, esp. Battlezone, I am in awe of what you have accomplished with this. Unbelievable.
7:07 oh my god this man is insane
Wait til you get to 15:18 lmao
Imagine if that comp corrupts
no kidding. I'm doing similar stuff in Unreal Engine. He'd be able to make this in under a week including figuring out the graphics materials probably..!
WOW this is great, Tank is great. I'm so glad for you though that you finished it, what comes next will have zero boundaries I'm sure. Great work man :)
Great Video and great to see that Stu Maschwitz is still kicking it. Bought his book The DV Rebel's Guide back in 2007. I still refer to it to this day.
Thank you for all the tips and, specially, thank you for the inspiration!
Fucking madman. Loved the short film and this cathartic journey of a video. As a user of AE it meant a rollercoaster of emotions: curiosity, impotence, laughter, heart warming and awe-inspiring. And to top it all, you made a free template/tutorial for us all. Tank you, sir!
Abosolutely amazing! Congrats on the film and the amazing process. Look forward to what you create next. :)
Big respect for this project, maybe the making off was even more interesting than the video itself. A little labor of love, thanks for sharing.
This video alone is worth more than any motivational videos.
Now every time I get stuck in crazy AE setup, I know there's someone who has braved the path of even crazier things.
Absolutely award-winning. So much aesthetic and authenticity!
Truly amazing!
Stu, you're insane. And a genius.
Outstanding work, sir. I'm not alone in saying this speaks to the 80's kid I still am!
Absolutely fabulous! Thanks for sharing your creative insanity with us!
This is way out of my league but its so impressive & inspirational to watch a master at work! Thanks for sharing Sir Stu Maschwitz.
Red Giant never ceases to amaze me. Soooo incredible and inspiring.
This is absolutely inspiring! Incredible work!
this was absolutely crazy, and very inspiring!
That's Amazing! Love it
Everything about this is awesome! BattleZone was one of my favorite video games as a kid and you just transported me back in time. Speaking of time, I love that Tudor you're sporting. Yes, you may be crazy, but a lot of us are right there with you.
wow man/ absolutelly cool, inspring and breath taking project- amazing work!
Stunning work. Made me very nostalgic.
This is a beautiful thing you've done right here. Congrats on finishing and thanks for sharing the process. Respect! :)
Yup, crazy... but the good kind of crazy that inspires us all. Well done Stu!
So many great techniques man, thanks so much for sharing! Inspirational :)
WOW!! That was amazing! So many fantastic methods, tools & tips. Fantastic job.
Inspired me to learn more so I could become able to express more. Thank you.
I deeply respect you mad sir
Lots of love and respect
This made me say "WTF" loudly. You are the Mozart of After Effects. This is insane.
I literally said "What the fuck?!" out loud and then scrolled down and read this XD
Awesome short! The feel of mass, space and structure was sublime. And obviously this painful limitation... helped a lot to purify the outcome! :)
This is so cool. It's like the ultimate marriage of left brain and right brain. Because you simulated so much of the process to mimic real-world limitations, it all feels very organic, even though it's all animated. Well done.
Thanks Stu! Wow..What a cool behind the scenes. Thank you for opening a window on your process! Loved the short, loved the BTS. I'm gonna check out some prolost stuff now too!
3:12 Mr. Flare, is that you?
Brilliant work! Absolutely amazing!
wow! best thing ive seen on the internet today.
Holy. Crap. I had no idea ANY of this was possible with after effects. Well done. Well done.
Amazing Stu. Your book started my career more than 10 years ago. Thank you.
This is unbelievable cool. Can't stress enough how I admire you for doin it as old school as you could.
this is the nerdiest, coolest making of i have seen in a long time!
Some people might call you crazy, but in my eyes what you did there makes you a hero.
An extraordinary effort. I too loved the vector graphic arcade games, particularly Battlezone, (I also loved Tempest just for the awesome sounds)
I have to say though, it's jobs like this that show the weaknesses within AE, and the ridiculous number of layers.
I get pissed off when I have more than about 20. Adobe really needs to start incorporating some kind of folder system to manage this stuff.
Dude so much talent, master of a epic visual effect, simple but complex. looks awesome and congrats so very well executed
Thanks for sharing Stu, I love your dedication to the maddening process and the final product is gorgeous.
Thank you for sharing this! Absolutely amazing!
Awesome! Thanks for this making of vid as well the short.
17:59 Starting things is fun, but finishing them is hard.
Your work reminds me of Stellar 7 for the Apple II, a game I played when I was young.
Great work!
OMG! Awesome man 👍🏼😁👍🏼, I really love this creative process that you demonstrate.
This guy is an alchemist of animation and design!
Wow, what a massive undertaking. I love all the attention to detail. You are one creative dude. The whole video is a masterpiece. Well done sir.
Stu.. love the work on this. I'm really curious about your pull toy physics and how you did the expressions for that. You should build a sample project and stick it out on the proloststore. I'd pay for that.
Wow, incredible short and even better behind the scenes! Very inspiring!
That is really fantastic! The finished project is amazing, but watching your process made me appreciate it so much more. Congratulations on sticking it out until the end, you really created a truly awesome and inspiring piece. And, as a bonus, you didn't go insane in the process :)
I didn't even know AE was capable of such things. Insane. Brilliant.
Give this man a medal 🥉 for lifetime achievement in vfx and a PhD in after effects.
To build on the amazing work you did here, I'm working on some modifications to your vector kit. First I wanted to make it easier to create shapes faster so that it doesn't have to take a year to do something like this. I don't mean to offend in that because your year included R&D and passion which means time to create and perfect (like the dimming of backside lines.) I also wanted to be able to create precomps that contain 3d objects that I can use and reuse in my main comp so that I don't need a comp that is 1000's of layers tall. And stu I'm sure you did some of this and simplified the kit for people. But for example lets say that you have 100 tanks. To be able to make a single tank precomp and then use that one comp 100 times and have each one have its own controls without having to duplicate the actual comp. Then be able to precomp those if necessary into several groups, etc. This part is difficult in ae.
So the first thing I did was to take the MasterControls layer and stick it inside a precomp called controls. Then I can access it from anywhere in the comp including subcomps/precomps at any level deep. Referencing another comp is always done by name (not by parent reference) so this works well for this. I also added a text layer in there called "MainCompName" which can convery the name of the main comp to all those sub precomps so they can all access the active camera. This way you can have multiple comps in the same project and the expressions down deep can still find the right top comp to locate the controls comp for that main comp.
Then inside the precomp for an "object", instead of typing individual vector point data into 10's or 100's of segment layers. I have a text layer that contains all the vector data for all the points in that object. Then each segment has an index to access those points. Much like the 3d data in opengl vertex data. And what's great about this is you can essentially copy and paste that vertex data into the text string, add a bunch of segment layers and you have your 3d object ready to go in minutes.
Finally, each precomp has that parent layer that is a 3d null which can move and rotate the object. To make it easier so I don't have to have multiple viewers up and change position and rotation values inside the precomp, I use expression controls on the layer to contol the ones inside the precomp. But am still working on it not requiring a new copy of the precomp for each individual copy of the object.
I was so impressed with what you did that I learned English so I could write about what a masterful job you did.
im new to after effects. this is insane. i cant even begin to wrap my head around how much work this was