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Saber Electric Logo Animation | After Effects Tutorial | Video Copilot Free Plugin

Howto & Style

Introduction

Welcome back to another exciting After Effects tutorial! In this guide, we will create a stunning saber logo reveal animation using the Video Copilot Saber effect. So, let’s dive right in!

First things first, import your logo into your composition. It's crucial to pre-compose it to ensure that its small size doesn't affect the output later.

Next, we want to create some masks on our logo, but we won’t do it manually. Instead, select the logo pre-comp layer, head to the Layer menu, and choose Auto Trace. For the outline mask, select Alpha as the channel to trace, and for the inner mask, opt for Luminance. Feel free to adjust the auto trace parameters to best fit your logo.

Once the auto tracing is done, delete any unnecessary masks that you don’t need. This step will help keep your project neat and efficient.

Step 3: Applying the Saber Effect

Now, let’s electrify things! Apply the Video Copilot Saber effect to your logo layer. Set the Core Size to 2 and the Glow Intensity to 25. In the Customize Core dropdown, select Layer Mask as the core type. This process will apply the effect to the masks you created.

Animate the Core

To animate the core, set the Start Size to 125 and the Start Offset value to 100 at 0 seconds. Keyframe this value, move to the 2-second mark, and set the Start Offset to 0. Adjust the Start Roundness to 2 and the End Size to 0.

At the 1-second mark, set a keyframe for the End Offset, then move one second ahead and set it to 0. For smoother animation, don’t forget to apply Easy Ease to your keyframes.

Change Glow Color and Duplicate Layers

Next, change the color of the glow and duplicate the logo layer twice. Offset each duplicate by 10 frames. Adjust the glow color and change the blend mode of these duplicated layers to Screen. This technique allows you to see all the glow layers.

After duplicating the layer once more, move it 10 frames ahead and remove the saber effect. Instead, add the Radial Wipe effect to the top layer. Set the Wipe Value to 100 and choose Counterclockwise. Keyframe the Transition Completion after 25 frames, setting it to 0 for a softer transition. Apply a feather of 70 to create those stunning god rays.

Step 4: Adding the CC Radial Fast Blur Effect

Apply the CC Radial Fast Blur effect. Start with an amount of 90, and keyframe it. Move 20 frames forward and set the amount to 0. Once again, don’t forget to apply Easy Ease to those keyframes.

Step 5: Convert to 3D and Null Object

Now that our effects are ready, convert all layers to 3D and create a Null Object. Parent all layers to the null object. Keyframe the null’s rotation from 0 to 2 seconds as needed. Additionally, give the null scale a slight decrease over 10 frames to add a subtle motion effect.

And there you have it—a mesmerizing electric logo reveal animation! To make your animation even more dazzling, consider adding smoke or glitter stock footage.

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FAQ

Q: What is the Video Copilot Saber effect?
A: The Video Copilot Saber effect is a plugin used in After Effects to create stunning light effects, such as lightsabers, neon lights, and more.

Q: Do I need to pre-compose my logo before using the saber effect?
A: Yes, pre-composing your logo ensures its size does not affect the output of the animation.

Q: How do I create masks for my logo in After Effects?
A: You can create masks automatically by selecting your logo layer, going to the Layer menu, and choosing Auto Trace.

Q: How can I enhance the glow effect in my logo animation?
A: You can duplicate the logo layer and adjust the glow color. Setting the blend mode to Screen will help enhance the visual effect of the glow.

Q: Can I add additional effects to the animation?
A: Yes! Consider adding effects like smoke or glitter stock footage to make your animation even more eye-catching.