Breathing Wall effect

[tode713]

I am trying to figure out the best way to create a breathing wall effect in After Effects.  I am pretty new to After Effects, but learning all the time in everything that I do with it.

I have run across a few videos saying to use the liquify tool, or displacement maps in photoshop with keyframes to create the distortion, but the brush size isn't big enough to affect an entire wall surface in either case and I am not getting the desired effect I am trying to achieve.

I am trying to make it look like the wall is exhaling out and inhaling in subtlety - not an extreme but definitely noticeable.  The sound will sell the effect as well.

Any ideas? Would love to see if someone has a solution that will work.

Many thanks,

~ Kurt

[Mike_Abbott]

Potentially lots of ways you could do this - but we'd need to see an image of your scene first to advise. Can you post a screen shot of the comp and some arrows or something to describe exactly what you want to create?

[tode713]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for responding.  Here is an image that at least shows generally what will be in the video that was shot.

I did hear back from an After Effects expert who said to use the bulge distortion.  That way, I can control the x,y,z axis and affect the entire wall surface in very minute increments and just key frame them to achieve the desired effect.

I figured I would mask out the individual elements for the sofa, end tables, lamps and framed pieces.  The curtains and bookcase will not be in the shot and the framed pieces will be just two vertical paintings in frames directly over the couch.

That way, I can control each element and even animate the movement of the framed pieces ever so slightly as the wall expands or contracts.

Does that sound like the best direction to go in? Let me know what your thoughts are.

Many Thanks,

~ Kurt

[Mike_Abbott]

For a simple head on shot like this, yes - Bulge is quick, easy and should do what you need.

As you suggest you could separate out the furniture onto a new layer - on top. You may need to do some cloning / patching on the layer to be bulged, depending on how much bulging you want. You might find that easier to do in Photoshop before you bring it into Ae. But you sound like you're heading in exactly the right direction.

If you're looking for a distortion type effect as well as a bulge, you might also want to ckeck out a subtle application of the 'turbulent displace' effect.

Hope this helps.

[tode713]

Thanks for the super quick response!

This was a preliminary still frame grab from a camera phone video that was sent to me of the proposed set.

We actually shot footage of the scene with furniture and without to use as the actual frames I will be working from.

SO, it was lit perfectly and will lend itself to masking the different elements in place in front of the wall.

I will check out the turbulent displace effect as you suggested.  Your suggestions, along with the AE expert have given me hope that I will be able to pull this effects sequence off and it will work.  The sound will sell it as well.

Once I start to get some results, I will post the final result.

Many Thanks,

~ Kurt

[Rick Gerard]

Just about everything in the Distort section of the Effects list can be used in one way or another to create or enhance this kind of effect. If you have money for a 3rd party plug-in Freeform Pro would be my choice to give 3D movement to a wall. It's amazing. Here's one of my favorite tutorials from Metal....

You just have to decide exactly what you want to try and do.

You could even use Shatter and make the pieces very small and not let them fall or move very much then blur the layer use a blend mode to bring back the detail in the original layer, throw in some lighting to give the wall some shape and add a simple bulge effect. Without seeing the shot and understanding exactly what you are trying to accomplish it is pretty hard to give you some detailed suggestions.