AEnhancers at MGLA!!

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Disciple
Posts: 137
Joined: June 5th, 2004, 8:05 am
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I'm glad to announce that I will be talking about expressions at the next edition of MGLA (Motion Graphics Los Angeles). I will be representing AEnhancers, so if you are a member and are in the city, please drop by!


Here is a complete description of the meeting

Hope to see you there

Alex

----

***Next Meeting***
Tuesday, January 16

Gallery Theatre at Barnsdall Art Park
------- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. -------
------Cover charge: FREE courtesy of Adobe Systems------
<http>


* LINEUP: Adobe Soundbooth / Zborn Toy / After Effects Expressions / guest artist: Studio ArtFX / door prizes *

At our first meeting of 2007, we welcome Adobe back as our meeting sponsor for this year. As part of their return, they will be demonstrating their new audio application Soundbooth. We also plan to have a presentation on After Effects expressions, a guest artist doing interesting cel-like animation on the computer, and an intriguing new After Effects plug-in: Zborn-Toy. Details are below.

Make sure you check out the address and directions for BGT at the bottom of this page. Also, remember: there is free wireless Internet access at the theatre! Look for the network BGT Booth.


* Q&A (7:00-7:30) *

Our normal pre-meeting question, answer, and gossip session while people get parked and seated. This month, there will be a lot to talk about, between Adobe announcing that their entire video production suite is coming to the Mac <http>, plus Apple's announcement of the iPhone <http>.


* Adobe Soundbooth (7:30-8:10) *

Soundbooth <http> is a a new innovative and intuitive audio software product for creating and editing audio and fixing common audio flaws using visually-oriented tools. It has been designed to be an easy-to-learn audio editing application for those who are not primarily audio engineers - in other words, for editors, webmasters, and motion graphics artists.

Soundbooth's capabilities include:

* Editing audio quickly
* Cleaning up noisy audio
* Visually identifying and removing unwanted sounds
* Recording and polishing voiceovers
* Adding effects and filters.
* Easily creating customized music - without musical expertise

It is currently in public beta (register and download it here: <https>). Louise Ping of Adobe will be down to demonstrate it, and answer your questions.


* Zborn-Toy (8:10-8:30) *

This new 2.5D rendering plug-in for After Effects allows you to animate, illuminate, and manipulate 2D paintings, 3D depth maps, live action footage, and more.

Zborn's creator Taron describes it this way: "The name Zborn refers to the filters use of a virtual Z-axis, a third dimension, which it finds in any ordinary two dimensional image. It then allows the artist to deal with any image as if it was three dimensional geometry. Lighting with shadows, environmental illumination, professional and comprehensive shading, transparency with refractions and finally caustic projections of light can be generated in near real-time. The suffix 'Toy' comes from both the joy of using and experimenting with it and from the fact that this is merely the beginning of a new set of tools, which all take advantage of the same revelation. There's more to every image than just x, y coordinates and some colors."

Taron will demonstrate Zborn-Toy in person. Make sure you check out both the web site for Zborn-Toy <http> for more images and a free demo, as well as the other Taronites <http> products, including Lenscare and Flair for After Effects. They will also be giving away a copy as a door prize!


* break (8:30-8:55) *

A chance to stretch, network, return calls, peruse the door prizes, ask questions of the presenters, and get something to eat or drink from the snack bar (please: no food or drink in the theatre, and remember to pick up after yourself and your neighbors when you leave.)


* Deeper into Expressions (8:55-9:15) *

Adobe After Effects contains a Javascript based expression language that helps create both simple and complex animations. Many power users swear by it, but all too many regular users are still unfamiliar with it. We hope to help change that.

Alexandre Czetwertynski of AE Enhancers <http> will explain an artistic expression that can help you create an advanced animation with some very simple parameter control. He'll also demystify some of the syntax of the expression language.

In 2004 a few top expression writers - including Paul Tuersley, Byron Nash and Alexandre Czetwertynski - started a website to host expressions, scripts and animation presets. As of 2007, the member list of AE Enhancers has grown to almost 1000 members strong.


* Guest Artist: Studio ArtFX (9:15-9:55) *

Terrence Walker, President of Studio ArtFX <http>, will demonstrate the flexibility of vector artwork and animation using Anime Studio. In addition to his commercial projects, Terrence has created several independent animations. Studio ArtFX client roster includes Electronic Arts and Tokyo Pop.

If you're curious about Anime Studio, you can download the demo version from e frontier at <http>. They have also generously donated a copy for us to give away as a door prize at the end of the meeting.


* door prizes (9:55) *

We don't know if we can match the tremendous bounty of prizes we had in 2006, but we have a feeling it will still be worth your while to stick around to the end of meetings in 2007... For example, we already have $4750-$5000 in prizes lined up for this meeting!

As always, we will hand out free tickets during the second half of the meeting (a host will start a strand at the end of an aisle; take one ticket off the strip and pass them along). Winners get to pick from the remaining prizes in the order tickets are pulled. We will pull fewer tickets than there are prizes, so that the last winner still has some choice among prizes.

Here is the list:

* Holiday-Maker HD Powertools HD 3 DVD pack of stock footage, courtesy of new MGLA sponsor Motionstream ($799 value)
<http>

* Ultra Water stock footage library, courtesy Artbeats ($599 value)
<http>
(Note that Artbeats has a special for the month of January where if you buy any collection worth $399 or higher, you can also get Big Island Aerials for $299 or Big Island Aerials HD Vol. 2 for $399, which is a $4-500 savings.)
<http>

* Automatic Duck's Pro Import AE plug-in set for importing NLE and Motion projects into After Effects, courtesy of Automatic Duck ($495 value)
<http>

* a bundle of FrameCycler Professional 3.5 film resolution playback and color channel viewing software plus SpeedGrade OnSet "look management" (color correction, etc.) software, courtesy IRIDAS ($448 value)
<http>
<http>

* GridIron Nucleo Pro render acceleration plug-in for After Effects, courtesy GridIron Software ($395 value)
<http>

* Lynda.com Online Training Library 1-year Premium Subscription, courtesy Lynda.com ($375 value)
<http>

* a 6 month Pixel Corp membership, courtesy of the Pixel Corps ($300-350 value)
<http>

* Volume 1 of the AE Pro Series stock footage and projects, courtesy broadcastGEMs ($229 value)
<http>

* a copy of Anime Studio Pro, courtesy E*Frontier ($200 value)
<http>

* Zborn-Toy 2.5D rendering plug-in for After Effects, courtesy Taronites ($179 value)
<http>

* Conduit nodal compositing plug-in for Apple Final Cut Pro and Motion, courtesy dvGarage ($149 value)
<http>

* the winner's choice of either the screenwriting software Final Draft or the script processor software Final Draft AV, courtesy of Final Draft ($129-229 value)
<http>

* LME Collections set of 100 animation presets & comps for Trapcode Starglow and After Effects, courtesy Little Men Entertainment ($99 value).
<http>

* VideoSyncrasies: The Motion Graphics Problem Solver DVD by MGLA co-hosts Trish & Chris Meyer, courtesy Desktop Images ($80 value)
<http>

* Cinema 4D 10 Workshop book by Arndt von Koenigsmarck, courtesy Focal Press ($55 value)
<http>

* Animation From Pencils to Pixels book by Tony White (with forward by Roy Disney), courtesy Focal Press ($50 value)
<http>

* Digital Character Animation 3 book by George Maestri, courtesy Peachpit Press ($50 value)
<http>

* After Effects @ Work book by multiple authors, including MGLA co-hosts Trish & Chris Meyer, courtesy Focal Press ($45 value)
<http>

* The Technique of Video and Film Editing book by Ken Dancyger, courtesy Focal Press ($40 value)
<http>

* High Definition Postproduction book by Steven E. Browne, courtesy Focal Press ($35 value)
<http>

* Understanding and Crafting the Mix book by William Moylan, courtesy Focal Press ($35 value)
<http>


And again, thanks to Adobe's sponsorship of MGLA this year, admission is free!
<http>

Chris, Trish, Tony, Warren, and Ko
Your MGLA co-hosts



digital projection made possible through the generous sponsorship of
Apple Computer <http> and the Pixel Corps <http>

with additional support from Adobe Systems <http>, AJA <http>, ProMax Systems <http>, BIAS, Inc. <http>, DigitalFilm Tree <http>, and Gefen Inc. <http>

* Barnsdall Gallery Theatre and Art Park is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department *



*** Directions ***

The Gallery Theatre at Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Boulevard
(between Vermont and Normandie)
Hollywood, CA 90027
Phone: 323.644.6272

* coming South/East on the 101: exit Hollywood, head East
* coming North/West on the 101: exit Vermont, head North, turn left (going West) onto Hollywood
* coming from the 5: exit Los Feliz, head West, turn left (going South) onto Vermont, turn right (going West) on Prospect, Prospect becomes Hollywood

Enter through the gate on the South side of Hollywood Blvd. just East of the light at Edgemont, or West of the light at New Hampshire (which is just West of where Prospect and Hollywood come together). The theatre is at the top of the hill, adjacent to the art gallery (they have separate entrances).

Parking is free. There is parking at the bottom of the hill, but first try to find a space around the perimeter of the park at the top. ***Please park closely together, at an angle*** (regardless of how the parking spaces are painted!) to allow more cars to park. Go to <http> for a PDF map (300k) of the grounds that points out the parking areas and includes other helpful hints.

Wheelchair access (or if you are carrying a lot of gear): Park in the lot next to the Hollyhock house (you will see a handicap parking sign - there are also spaces for loading etc.), come into the theatre entrance, and take the elevator down. There will be space in the front of the theatre for wheelchairs.

Go to <http> for a MapQuest interactive map, including the ability to get directions from your location to this address. There is also a Metro Red Line station at Vermont and Sunset <http> about a block and a half from the park's entrance.

Before or after the meeting, there is a fine restaurant row on Vermont between Hollywood and Franklin (just around the corner from the park). There are also a number of ethic eateries along Hollywood.
hype
Posts: 94
Joined: November 27th, 2006, 11:08 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Hi Alex,

I'd really like to come! I'm not 100% sure if I can make it to Hollywood by 7, though, getting off work at 6 in Marina Del Rey. Do they take late comers, or do the coors close at 7?

Sean
if it's not fun, what's the point?
http://www.mackdadd.com
glennser
Posts: 7
Joined: June 17th, 2004, 1:58 pm

There's no problem getting in to the theatre anytime, they don't close the doors and the first half an hour is usually just mac fanboys raving about new apple stuff anyway (honestly how does the bloody iPhone affect motion graphics artists? If it was the first web or video enabled phone maybe but.... sorry just had to vent there for a second).
The one thing that might be an issue arriving late is parking, the car park usually fills from the top down and it can get quite full on busy nights, then again I've never had to find street parking and I usually get there quite late, sometimes I skip the first half if there's nothing I'm interested in.
Looking forward to tonight, I'm a big fan of AEnhancers and Zborn Toy looks pretty cool!! Actually I was getting a bit tired of MGLA losing focus and featuring less and less after effects in favour of Shake and 3d apps, tonight looks more like it.
Glennser
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Disciple
Posts: 137
Joined: June 5th, 2004, 8:05 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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It is my first time to attend MGLA, so it is an honor to be a presenter!

I will be on around 9.

Just to warn anybody who is very versed in coding, it will be a very light intro geared towards beginner/intermediate users, so no revelations about mighty tips or tricks or anything, just useful things to have an know.

But! AEnhancers will certainly gain some new members!

Alex
hype
Posts: 94
Joined: November 27th, 2006, 11:08 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

my first time going too. leaving in a half an hour to battle traffic.
and, as you guys can see if you read my posts here, i don't know ANYTHING about coding, so i'll be taking notes, Alex!
if it's not fun, what's the point?
http://www.mackdadd.com
hype
Posts: 94
Joined: November 27th, 2006, 11:08 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Awesome demo last night, Alex! It really got me excited about expressions, and i'm certainly gonna be checking out more of them here. I don't think I realized just how little was actually involved in making them. That wiggle one was an excellent way to add some natural camera shake to an all-CG shot!

Great job!

sean
if it's not fun, what's the point?
http://www.mackdadd.com
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