In Depth Articles (48 Tutorials)
In Depth: What in the Heck is Bokeh?
July 18, 2019
Bokeh is a type of defocus or lens blur where the blur takes on the shape of the lens diaphram. We explain how to pronounce the word, how it is created, and show lots of cool examples. Also, a few plug-ins to create a bokeh in post-production.
In Depth: Fireworks
June 25, 2019
Yes, the U.S. Independence Day is upon us once again! Whatever your country or holiday, here are some methods of creating some beautiful explosions in the sky with After Effects, CINEMA 4D, and other hosts. There are some great plug-ins out there for making fireworks too.
In Depth: The Ultimate Guide to Building a Great Demo Reel
June 13, 2019
Is your New Year’s Resolution to get a new job or to bring in new freelance work? A new demo reel can help. What are employers looking for in a reel? I was on a panel at a college last month where we talked about what makes a demo reel great and what makes it… well, not so great. I also asked around to some industry peers for their opinions.
In Depth: 3D Renderers (Updated 7 June 2019) #3drenderer #redshift
June 7, 2019
There are so many renderers available out there, and how does an artist know what to choose? Although they really do the same thing, they work differently and have different results. Here is a breakdown of what the different renderers offer, not reviews, so you can decide which renderer is right for you.
In Depth: Render Farms / Network Rendering / Distributed Rendering
May 10, 2019
The idea of network rendering is to distribute your render over a network, or farm, of computers, to speed up your render times.
Michele’s NAB Survival Guide #NABShow
February 18, 2019
Why a NAB Survival Guide? For those of you who will be first timers to NAB, this is the insider’s guide from someone who has been to at least 15 NAB Shows in a row. I have lost track. Trust me, I’m a Pluginologist.
In Depth: Gunfire and Muzzle Flash (Updated 18 January 2019)
January 18, 2019
If you’re planning on making an epic action film like Max Max: Fury Road or Rambo, you’re going to need lots of fire power. Here is a rundown on how to add spectacular muzzle flash and gunshot effects to your films in your host of choice. I’ve also included info on 3D models of weapons and some sound effects.
In Depth: Time Effects – Time Displacement aka Slit Scan, with Examples
December 31, 2018
Learn all about the Time Displacement filter, which creates an effect known as slit scan, a trippy looking time manipulation that can be used to represent a time travel, a warp in the space time continuum, a drug trip and much more.
In Depth: Troubleshooting After Effects Issues and Plug-ins (Updated 17 Dec 2018)
December 17, 2018
Even though After Effects is a very solid product, everyone will run into issues from time to time, whether it be from corrupt preferences, random errors, codec problems, and more. Here is a general problem-solving guide on how to troubleshoot some common issues with After Effects.
News: 7 of the Most Popular Posts of 2017 at Toolfarm
January 2, 2018
To celebrate the new year, we thought we would take a look back at some of our most popular blog posts from 2017. Lots of freebies and a few tutorials top the list.
In Depth: 32 Uses of 360° VR + Some VR Tools to Get You In the Game
November 7, 2017
We get asked all the time if we think that VR and 360° immersive video is something that is just a novelty or if it is an important technology. Plus, I’ll go over some of the 360° VR tools available for your favorite NLEs, 3D programs, and more to help you get started in VR.
In Depth: Brilliant (and Possibly Dangerous) Future Video and Audio Technologies
August 7, 2017
When I was a kid, I’d watch Star Trek and The Jetsons and be in awe of the ability to teleport or fly around with a jetpack or flying car. While those technologies have been tough to bring to reality, some of the technologies for film, video, and audio are just on the horizon or already in existence. This technology will help filmmakers fix botched lines, avoid retakes, make actors look younger, and even bring an actor back to life who died during filming. We’re going to cover a lot of cool technology in this article, technology that also has high potential to have ethical issues attached to it if it becomes available to consumers.
In Depth: Freelancing Essentials, Part 1: Creating Your Brand
July 26, 2017
With any small business owner or freelancer, you’ll wear many hats. You will likely be the artist, the marketer, the accountant, the custodian, and more. You’ll constantly be thinking about your current job, your next job, who you can rely on to help you. It’s a lot of work and it’s sometimes exhausting! Not only this, you’ll end up taking on a higher amount of tax burden than someone who works for a corporation. Still, the appeal of being your own boss and working your own hours is very appealing.
This is the first in a series for those who are freelancing and those who want to be their own bosses. Some of the tips will be specific to video and digital media, and others will be more general. Today’s topic is creating your brand, which has to do with marketing, sales, and protecting your brand.
In Depth: Creating Space – A Galaxy of Resources for your Epic Space Film
March 7, 2017
Space, the final frontier! Learn to create stars, galaxy, moons, and more for your next space themed film or science fiction short.
In Depth: Keying and Background Removal in Photoshop, Part 2: Primatte Chromakey
February 14, 2017
Part 2 of this series on background removal covers Digital Anarchy’s Primatte Chromakey and how to use it with Photoshop for the best workflow possible.