How To: Fake The #BottleCapChallenge in After Effects

×
WHERE SHOULD WE SEND
THE FREE TUTORIAL FILES?

Faking the Bottle Cap Challenge with After Effects

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to fake the #BottleCapChallenge using Adobe After Effects. This challenge involves unscrewing a bottle cap with a kick without moving the bottle. Follow these steps to achieve a convincing fake.

**Step 1: Record Your Footage**
Record yourself performing the kick aimed at the bottle cap. Ensure the bottle is stable and doesn't move. It's best to shoot this in slow motion to capture the detailed movement. Also, record a clean plate of the bottle with the cap on it.

**Step 2: Import Footage into After Effects**
Import both the kick footage and the clean plate into Adobe After Effects. Create a new composition and drag your footage into it.

**Step 3: Mask the Bottle Cap**
  1. Find the frame where your foot makes contact with the bottle cap.
  2. Select the **Pen Tool** and draw a mask around the bottle cap.
  3. Feather the mask slightly to blend the edges.


**Step 4: Animate the Bottle Cap**
  1. Create keyframes for the position and rotation of the masked bottle cap layer.
  2. Animate the bottle cap to fly off as if it was kicked off by your foot. Adjust the timing to match the kick's impact.


**Step 5: Composite the Clean Plate**
  1. Place the clean plate layer below the masked bottle cap layer.
  2. Use the **Roto Brush Tool** to isolate your leg and foot from the background if necessary. This ensures the foot appears in front of the clean plate while the cap flies off.
  3. Feather the edges of the rotoscoped mask for a smoother blend.


**Step 6: Add Motion Blur**
  1. Select the masked bottle cap layer and enable **Motion Blur** to make the movement more realistic.
  2. Adjust the motion blur settings in the **Composition Settings** if needed.


**Step 7: Color Correction and Final Adjustments**
  1. Apply **Color Correction** effects like **Curves**, **Hue/Saturation**, and **Brightness/Contrast** to match the bottle cap with the rest of the footage.
  2. Make any final adjustments to ensure the animation looks natural and convincing.


**Step 8: Render and Export**
Once you are satisfied with the effect, render and export your composition. Go to **Composition** > **Add to Render Queue** and choose the appropriate settings for your final output.

For a detailed, step-by-step guide on faking the Bottle Cap Challenge using Adobe After Effects, watch the full video tutorial.

RELATED PORFOLIO