For frame by frame instructions go to 

http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/q/light%20saber/

My Software Shift
By Gregory Fish

Let me cut right to the chase. I always want to create better looking graphics and have better designed videos than I ever have put together. I see what others are putting out for churches to use and I say to myself that I would like to do something as professionally and visually appealing as what I am seeing. I could make excuses and determine that it is not possible. I could give up trying to improve because of a lack of formal training. I could say that my equipment and software is outdated. OR, I could learn new skills and put them to use. And so can you.

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whole magazine issue pdf- http://www.christianvideomag.com/pdfissueviews.php?recordID=200909

Is God’s love for us like the love of the parents of a newborn? I think even more so. With a passage from John 1.

and in Spanish…

MY BABY’S NAME IS RUTH.  After three boys, I finally have a daughter.  She is perfect.  She already has me wrapped around my finger.  We’re so happy!

For the long story AND pictures, you can check out http://thejoyofbeingme.blogspot.com/2009/09/ruth-ann-ayelen-is-here.html

What was Jesus thinking? What was on His mind while he endured the cross? YOU were. This short dramatic piece is perfect for Easter or any other church service, communion meditation, etc. Hebrews 12:2 and 2:9 are cited. THIS CAME TOGETHER NICELY AND TURNED OUT BETTER THAN I HAD ENVISIONED IT!

Emily helped inspire this idea back after Easter.  I’ve switched to doing most of my work in After Effects now instead of Premiere. I’m getting comfortable and faster in this awesome program. I have a ton to learn still. I started this video early in the week, little by little, mornings, nights, lunch hours, my day off yesterday. Also, my wife, who helped inspire this video after Easter, helped with the tedious After Effects YOU animation after I taught her the process for that bit.

The opening sequence was made from scratch. So was the mosaic. http://www.revostock.com/After-Effects-Project/83441/The-Legend.htm is for sale for $30. I liked it, but one, didn’t want to spend the money, two, it was for a later version than my old 6.5 version, three, I wanted to see if I could reconstruct it w/out the help of a tutorial, just by my own knowledge, and I did.

To download this file: http://www.sermonspice.com/product/27201/what-was-on-his-mind-3f

This video was essentially done in a day.  I started early in the morning.  I had a family game night for the kids, then immediately kept at it.  I finished at 3am.  I set it to render in After Effects.  In the morning it wasn’t done.  I stopped it, thinking it messed up.  I started it again.  It took 7 1/2 hours, but when I watched it there was only 24 seconds.  So again I started it to render.  This time it looked like all was good.  It still took about 3 hours, and for a 1:44 video it was a 14gig file!

Here’s the youtube version.  I’ll be writing an article in Christian Video Magazine on Kinetic Typography, and this, my first real experience.  What a process it was!

To download- http://www.sermonspice.com/product/26865

For the whole issue- http://christianvideomag.com/cv2009_07/cv2009_07.pdf

For my new article- http://www.christianvideomag.com/cv2009_07/cv2009_07gfish.pdf

I’m always amazed at how long it takes to make a two minute animation!  Well, especially in my case, when you edit a little at night, and a little in the morning before going to my real job, it’s slow moving.  This one probably took me a couple of weeks. But it pays off in the end.  I’m having a lot of fun learning the power beast of a program that After Effects is.  Some techniques I learn, or steal, others I stumble upon myself.  I think that is the goal of all of the tutorials online, to get you to experiment for yourself.

My latest endeavor in the video realm is a new series from Mark E. Moore’s book “Encounters with Christ”.  I don’t know how many of these I’ll end up making.  Probably 5 or 6, that will become a decently priced fishxpressions bundle on www.sermonspice.com.  Next up on the slate- Nicodemus.  Then I have to think about Spanish versions, and possibly my first video  offerings exported in HD.

To use this video, purchase and download here- http://www.sermonspice.com/product/26844/encounters–mary-and-martha

Here’s my final illustration for my ex-professor and friend Doug Mark’s book.

you can see the other’s at a website I built for him: www.inthepottershouse.com

ORDER THE BOOK!!

My God Billboard video is being given away today on www.sermoncentral.com to all pro subscribers.  I am a pro subscriber and usually on mondays I’ll pick up the giveaway of the week, but today in my email was the newsletter featuring my video.  Since I made it, I had no need to download it!