Your Guide
Erik Holsinger
President/Executive Producer
Media Alchemy, Inc.
STEP 1: Select T_Fire plug-in
After you’ve installed The Foundry’s new Tinderbox 4 plug-in set, you are presented with twenty new plug-in effects. For this job, you’ll need the T_Fire (2.1) plug-in. Create a solid layer (with a dark color or black color) that covers the entire size of your composition. Add the T_Fire to that solid layer. Just to keep track of things label this solid layer "Torch Flame."
STEP 2: Select the flame type
Tinderbox T_Fire can generate four different fire types, from small candle flames to a towering inferno. Select Torch, which gives us a hot, yet localized flame.
STEP 3: Set transfer mode to add
When your flame first pops on, it will still show on a solid background. Change the transfer mode to Add, and the background will disappear. Screen can also work, but I like the way Add blends the flame into the background.
STEP 4: Position your flame
In the T_Fire controls, click on the Source Position crosshair. This pinpoints where the flame will occur. Move your cursor to where you want the flame, which in this case is right above the torch holder, and click. Your flame is now in position.
STEP 5: Add flame glow and enjoy
Because the torch is set up in a fairly dark area of the background plate, I also increased the brightness around the flame to further the illusion that it is providing the main light in the scene. To add glow to your torch, adjust the Glow Size and Glow Strength settings in the T-Fire effect settings.
Erik Says Keep in Mind...
The Tinderbox plug-ins have long been a wonderful set to have in your After Effects toolbox. While specialized, the Tinderbox plug-ins are invaluable when you need them. With the latest version, The Foundry has updated the Tinderbox plug-ins for After Effects 7, as well as increased the resolution of the various plug-ins to 16-bit color. In the brand new Tinderbox 4 set, there are a variety of great plug-ins, including a fire generation plug-in.
Here, we’ll use the T_Fire plug-in to create a wall torch on a static background plate. As with any naturalistic particle generator, the less attention it draws to itself, the better. Be sure to add some glow or other light enhancing plug-in to increase the ambient light output of the torch.
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