Creating the Text Effect from Superman (1978)

kdi001 wrote on 8/11/2008, 12:59 PM
I would like to recreate (well, as close as possible) the opening titles sequence of the 1978 Superman movie (arguably ,the best titles sequence ever).

The text begins completely off screen in the foreground and "flies" into the center of the screen to the vanishing point. If you don't recall the sequence, it's difficult to explain, but I'm told that the "Shine" effect by Trapcode is what is needed, but I want to use Vegas exclusively NOT some other program. Any ideas?
Anyone remember this text effect?

---Dale

Comments

DGates wrote on 8/11/2008, 1:41 PM
They were also the LONGEST title sequence ever.

I don't think it can be done quite as effectively in Vegas alone.
kdi001 wrote on 8/11/2008, 1:47 PM
Well, if you have a good home theater (grin), those titles on the projected screen are one thing---on a TV, yes, quite another (a bit long).

Anyway, I'm not intersted in three minutes of effects;
maybe VelvetMatter can get me close. Vasst sings its praises.

Dale
DGates wrote on 8/11/2008, 1:55 PM
Here's an example.

http://homepage.mac.com/specialcase/superman.html
CorTed wrote on 8/11/2008, 1:56 PM
I'm not sure I remember the effect, but have you looked at Bluff Tiltler.
Just a suggestion.

Ted
johnmeyer wrote on 8/11/2008, 2:11 PM
I'm pretty sure these can be done, even with the original Vegas title generator. Try this old VEG as a starter:

Eerie Title

You might also get some ideas from Kelly's old 3D experiments:

chienworks-vegas3d.veg

You will need to combine several things together to make this work, but I think you can get pretty close.

Here's a Youtube of the effect I think kdi is trying to achieve:

[edit] YouTube video removed.
UKAndrewC wrote on 8/11/2008, 3:12 PM
You can definitely do that in Bluff Titler

Andrew
DGates wrote on 8/11/2008, 3:23 PM
John,

Those are great examples of how Vegas CAN NOT do 3D well. Nor should it be expected to. That's why we get software that CAN do it.
johnmeyer wrote on 8/11/2008, 4:13 PM
Those are great examples of how Vegas CAN NOT do 3D well. Nor should it be expected to. That's why we get software that CAN do it.Sorry. I was just trying to help the guy.
Xander wrote on 8/11/2008, 4:25 PM
Yeah, it looks like a 3D extrude based effect versus echo type effect. Not for Vegas unless you have Boris or some other plugin(s).
DGates wrote on 8/11/2008, 4:29 PM
Nothing to be sorry about.
DrLumen wrote on 8/11/2008, 6:31 PM
While it is not Vegas, the free 3d app called Blender could get close if not able to completely recreate.

blender.org

intel i-4790k / Asus Z97 Pro / 32GB Crucial RAM / Nvidia GTX 560Ti / 500GB Samsung SSD / 256 GB Samsung SSD / 2-WDC 4TB Black HDD's / 2-WDC 1TB HDD's / 2-HP 23" Monitors / Various MIDI gear, controllers and audio interfaces

Infinite5ths wrote on 8/11/2008, 7:37 PM
Blender is amazing.

The YouTube video posted above is no longer available; and I have not yet seen the original 1978 Superman movie (despite being a HUGE fan of the soundtrack). So I can only say that for 3D work, Blender is really astounding.
Bob Greaves wrote on 8/11/2008, 8:06 PM
Grab the url and go to you tuybe directly it is still there it just does not allow indirect display.
AtomicGreymon wrote on 8/11/2008, 9:31 PM
The YouTube video posted above is no longer available; and I have not yet seen the original 1978 Superman movie (despite being a HUGE fan of the soundtrack).

Then you've already experienced the best part of the movie. I've never really understood the praise this film receives. The good portions of it are limited to the opening credits, the scenes on Krypton, and those in Smallville & the Arctic while he's still a teenager.

If you do want to watch the movie, I'd turn it off right after it hits that point.

I love the score as well, though, and have the 2-disc CD release of it. You can't go wrong with John Williams.
DGates wrote on 8/12/2008, 12:14 AM
The first film was just fine. It was the sequels that sucked.
Rory Cooper wrote on 8/12/2008, 12:36 AM
It can be done send me your email address via my name at the the top and ill send you some raw veg files just change the text
kdi001 wrote on 8/12/2008, 4:01 AM
Hi,

Is Bluff Titler a stand alone app or can it be opened within Vegas?

---Dale
Rory Cooper wrote on 8/12/2008, 5:45 AM
Dale

your e-mails bomed

resend your details
CorTed wrote on 8/12/2008, 8:11 AM
Bluff Titler is a stand alone app, but well worth the $40 bucks
Google Bluff titler, and download the demo

They have a great gallery of samples (for registered users) to download


Ted
video777 wrote on 8/12/2008, 5:51 PM
Definitely get BluffTitler - you will be glad you did. Ignore the cheesy samples as they are not indicative of the "professional" titles you can get with this app. It receives my highest recommendation.

I like Superman 3 the best. That's the one with Richard Pryor as Gus Gorman. Truly a fun and entertaining movie.
DGates wrote on 8/12/2008, 9:08 PM
Glad you didn't say Superman 4. Truly one of the worst films ever.
kdi001 wrote on 8/14/2008, 5:43 AM
xfx,

My email address is below and thanks a lot. Dale

dale001@prodigy.net
BibbityBoo wrote on 8/14/2008, 7:55 AM
Which part of the effect is most interesting to you? As I recall the 3D letterforms left a sort of vapor trail effect as they receded from extreme close up towards the vanishing point? It seems to me you could probably do this with the new ProType Titler (though getting the sculptural letter forms might be tricky?)

While I'm trying to resolve my 24f capture issue, maybe I'll take a look again and the DVD and see what can be done.

As for the quality of the movie or its sequels, who cares? De gustibus non disputandum est and all that. This was a technical question not a dissing match on individual movies, for which no one's ever going to conclude anything of use in shooting them, unless you can point to some specific technical failures. And this movie was so pre-CGI there's almost no point in discussing the effects -- especially in the original movie.

Btw, I couldn't recall where the original DVD was, but did find the credit sequence here:

What I didn't recall was that the first 4 cards are the reverse of the effect you're looking for. Not that this should matter much... worst case run the finished card backwards. I have a feeling, with an outline font and maybe some 3D plane compositing this could be done in Vegas with no add ons.

If I have the time I'll take a shot at it.




BibbityBoo wrote on 8/14/2008, 6:27 PM
Well, take a look at:

http://www.vimeo.com/1529599

I have no idea if this is close enough to what you're after. Clearly, I didn't replicate the Superman sequence perfectly, but this approach did use Vegas exclusively, and it did it without resorting to the ProType Titler. However, you will need 3D Source Alpha compositing to use this method. I also spent very little time on this, so it could be made much better (and probably much closer to the original) with more time and more precise keyframing of the sequences.

And since I used the draw outline effect in basic Sony text to generate the visible portions of the text, this method should be extensible to any font in your collection, not strictly to the oddball fonts that include an outline version as part of the basic packet.

I'm not going to detail it further until I know it's of use to someone, though, so contact me here (or better bet) through my vimeo account (which is likely to get checked more often and reliably).