Creating a 3D Ocean Surfaceby David Sam D, India



In this after effects tutorial we will create a 3D Ocean surface without using any Third party plugins. You will require one file to start this project which you can download from here Ocean Required File

*There are two compositions we have to create in this project. The first composition is a displacement map and the second one is the final composition setting up the cloud image and applying the displacement map.

Creating the Displacement Map


Step 1: Create a New PAL D1/DV size composition for 10seconds or more as per your requirement, and name the composition as Water Map. Also create a new 1200x1200 size solid layer.

Step 2: Change the Position and Orientation values as follows
Position          = 360, 332, 0
Orientation    = 270, 0, 0


Step 3: Apply the Fractal Noise to the solid layer and change the settings as follows.

            Fractal Type  - Dynamic Progessive
            Noise Type     - Linear

            *In the evolution set the keyframe to do the animation.

Evolution        - start frame 0x0.0
                        - end frame 3x0.0

Step 4: Apply the Fast Blur and set the blurriness value to 25 and switch on the Repeat Edge Pixels.


Creating the Final Composition

Step 1: Create a New PAL D1/DV size composition for 10seconds or more as per your requirement. Import the Cloud Image into the composition and rename it as Top. Also drag the Water Map Composition and switch of the visibility.

Step 2: Change the layer into 3D and change the Position settings as 360,-68,600



Step 3: Duplicate this layer and rename it as Bottom and parent  it with the top layer. Change the Position and Orientation settings as follows. Position = 600, 1200, 0 Orientation = 180, 0, 0


Step 4: Apply the Motion Tile Effects to the bottom layer and change the Output height to 150 and switch on the Mirror Edges.


Step 5: Create a new Adjustment layer and place it on top of the bottom layer and apply the Displacement Map effect. In the displacement map effect, change the settings as follows.
Displacement map layer = water map.
Max Horizontal Displacement = 50
Max Vertical Displacement = 125



Final Touches

Step 1: Add a Camera and apply these settings.

Position          340, 288, -450
Zoom              800
DOP                On
Focus Dis.       800
Aperture        17


Step 2: In the bottom layer  u can add curves, tint and so on for the color corrections or for the blendings.


That's it, hope you like the tutorial. Have fun.