Alpha Transitions of the 30s

How to use a specific alpha transition in After Effects ?

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use a specific alpha transition from the DVD Alpha Transitions of the 30s. You can visit Turner Classic Movies, a cool site to vizualise some classics trailers.

01 - First, import as footage TGA sequence from the DVD Alpha Transitions of the 30s. Select the first frame of the folder and click on the radio button Targa Sequence. In the case of HD, you must import the Quicktime.

fig.1 - Importation of a targa sequence

02 - Now, you must interpret your footage as 24 frames per second : select your sequence then do File>InterpretFootage>Main... In the Frame Rate's section indicate 24. For the remainder, the Pixel Aspect Ratio is Square pixels, no fields. For the sequence of Channel 01 and Channel 02 folders, you must interpret the alpha as Straight - Unmatted.

03 - In the Timeline, place at the top of your two footages, the outgoing (Piper Cub) and the entering (Dakota), the targa sequence in this order : 1-(01Straight_[00000-00023].tga), 2-(02Straight_[00000-00023].tga) and 3-(Alpha_brik_[00000-00023].tga).
Duplicate the last sequence.
Thus, we'll use the first sequence as the transition, the other as a shadow for a little realism touch.
Rename Layer 1 : SeqTransition and Layer 2 : SeqOmbre.

04 - Select Dakota (outgoing footage), choose Luma Inverted Matte in the TrkMat column and choose Layer>Time>EnableTimeRemapping on SeqOmbre.
Click on the eye of SeqOmbre to view the layer on you viewer and change its blend mode to Multiply.
Apply the effect Fast Blur with those settings :
Bluriness : 15
Blur Dimensions : Horizontal and Vertical
Cochez Repeat Edge pixels

fig.2 - your timeline at this stage...

fig.3 - ...and your viewer

05 - Now, select SeqOmbre and choose Luma Matte in the TrkMat column.

fig.4 - Your timeline at stage 05

fig.5 - Your viewer at stage 05

05 - Now, we're going to precompose (01Straight_[00000-00023].tga) and (02Straight_[00000-00023].tga) : Select them, apply Layer>Pre-compose... and name the new composition SeqFX. Open it...

06 - First, in the SeqFX composition, apply Effect>Generate>Fill on the 2 sequences to reproduce the same footages' black and white values on the sequences and texturize them. In this case, you can scan a piece of paperboard, desaturate it and, after importing it, place it at the top of you timeline. Click on Preserve Transparency (T) and change its blending mode to have a cool texture (in this case, I've chosen Hard Light). Also to avoid an effect of texture too static, modify its position frame by frame (select the first keyframe and apply Animation>Toggle Hold Keyframe).

fig.6 - Timeline at stage 06

fig.7 - Viewer at stage 06

07 - Close the SeqFX composition and go to the final composition. Apply Effect>Perspective>Drop Shadow at the SeqFX layer with those settings :
Shadow color : Prenez, à l'aide la pipette, une valeur de noir se rapprochant au mieux de vos métrages.
Opacity : 95%
Direction : 0x +135,0
Distance : 2,0
Softness : 1

fig.4 - Timeline at stage 06

07 - To finalize your composition, you can apply a global color correction, add grain and some scratches...