… for Visual Effects

Tip #1215: Create a Crash Zoom from Two Shots

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

A crash-zoom rapidly zooms from one shot to the next. Here’s how to do it in post.

This article, written by Jason Boone, first appeared in PremiumBeat.com. This is a summary.

The crash (or snap) zoom is a cinematography technique you’ll see quite often in big-budget films. Quentin Tarantino frequently uses it to snap the viewer’s attention to specific items on screen, such as the tip of a shotgun or the blade of a Hattori Hanzo sword.

Here are the steps to create this effect in post using After Effects:

• Step 1: Capture a WS and a CU
• Step 2: Align the clips so the object centers match
• Step 3: Animate the Crash Zoom
• Step 4: Cover up the cut
• Step 5: Add Camera Shake

The great thing about this technique is that you can quickly add motion graphics elements, as the Crash Zoom is already animated separate from the layers. To add an element, just parent it to the Crash Zoom and switch on the motion blur. Some anime speed lines might work nicely here as well.

EXTRA CREDIT

The article includes step-by-step instructions, along with two demo videos.