hot air rising, or bubbly stuff in a jaccuzzi, Chernobyl Spa... PD Pro post fx

[staigermanus]

Here's a tutorial in the making, using the new Animated Swap feature of PD Pro 4.1, to simulate the distortion effect of hot air rising (can also be used for underwater effects)

http://thebest3d.com/pdpro/tutorials...wap/index.html

In a nutshell, the displacement map DWA was created byvertically flipping an animation containing snowfall. Lots of snowfall, to the point where you don't see or recognize a few distinct snow flakes. Instead, it's a whole 'wall' of particles moving like through rush hour. Large flakes, lots of them. And not too much contrast either unless you want it crazy distorted.

I also used an alpha channel with progressive transition (linear alpha fader) so the amount of distortion is stronger up high and down low. As a result and side effect, when the camera moves sideways fast and you see the edge of the sand dune go from high to low along the slope,
you see a ghost image, like double-vision. Not intended, but actually a neat effect when you want to convey the looks and feels of fata-morganas and you're about to collapse from this desert heat.

Towards the end of the animation you'll see also that we yanked up the intensity of the displacement. This can of course be overdone, and we did. Could be good for an effect showing hot bubbly waters in a jaccuzzi, at a Cousteau meeting a volcanic vent in 8000-meter deep ocean waters, or a healthy swim at Chernobyl Sports & Spa just seconds before your journey to China ;-)



Welcome to Death Valley

-Philip