Create Realistic Underwater Scene

[captain_astronaut]

I've just been trying to use Red Giant's Psunmai to make an underwater scene. I don't get very far before AE crashes. I'm thinking because Red Giant doesn't include it anymore in their suites, that maybe it's retired. I'm running Adobe CC 2017, so maybe the older plugin isn't compatible. So I was wondering if there's another effect out there to help me create a realistic underwater scene?

So far, all my Youtube and Google searches aren't giving me what I'm looking for. It's usually how to make a watery text, bubbles, foam, puddles etc. But nothing for just plain old underwater where you can see the surface rippling above you.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Peru Bob]

I would submit a support request here:

Red Giant Support

[captain_astronaut]

Yeah, I asked them first before posting here. Still waiting on a response from them.

[Peru Bob]

They also have a chat.

[P.M.B]

Psunami is a big system hog.  It could be your computer just cant handle it.

Even if your computer can handle it, it's not the way to go.

What your trying to achieve is called caustic light or caustic reflection or refraction.

On the most basic level you fake it using evolving cell patterns or fractal noise composited with other effects.

Here's a tutorial I found Youtube by typing "caustic refraction in AE"

Underwater Scene in After Effects (Part 1) - Tutorial - YouTube

[captain_astronaut]

Doubt it. This system is packing:

4 GHz i7 cpu

32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Ram

GeForce GTX 980 TI 6GB

Raid media drives.

Psunami just might not be compatible with 10.12.5, or the latest Creative Cloud.

[P.M.B]

I edited my first response.  Check it out.

[foughtthelaw]

yeah Psunami is also very old and in dire need of an update. Have you considered doing it in C4d Lite? you can just make a plane and apply a material with a noise displacement too it to get a similar water surface. from there you just have to worry about getting the lighting right in comp

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi captain_astronaut,

What did you end up doing to create your underwater effect? Let us know how you did this. Any tips on how others might approach what you ended up doing?

Thanks,

Kevin

[captain_astronaut]

Still looking for the best way. There was an update to Psunami that Red Giant pointed me to, and it worked. I'd like to try the caustic way described by Gutter-fish, but haven't found any good tutorials for what I want. Many of the underwater tutorials are several years old, and I'm sure there are better ways now.

Thanks.

[Szalam]

Here's a fun (old, but fun) tutorial on Caustics and Wave World in AE. You might be able to steal an idea or two out of it.

[ToolfarmJP]

Hi,

Would you try the combination of Mettle FreeForm Pro + Aqua Pack? It may help you.

Aqua Pack | Mettle