Realistic Muzzle Flare Tutorial

[@DSLRguide]

this was the basis of so many short films I made! directional blur looks good on muzzle flashes too, often people make them too sharp.

[@Onemanphalanx]

It’s been many years, what modern effects programs and techniques should an early film maker use today?

[@BrandonBurket]

@@Onemanphalanx After effects is still very relevant! Also Fusion in DaVinci Resolve is great too if you’re willing to learn the node system.

[@LameFreerunners]

This video started my career as a video editor, so I come back every now and then to watch it to reminisce :D

[@Tommytoday]

Holy crap me too!

[@icyBulls]

ThatMovieCompany Saaaaame

[@poohda2152]

What the name of the software?

[@LameFreerunners]

@@poohda2152 Adobe after effects 👍

[@davidkoch8554]

I was filming an action movie with a friend, a neighbor didn't understand why an actor was standing in the back of a convertible with an AK47, unfortunately, the cop who came 15 minutes later didn't realize it was airsoft until he had already approached us with the business end of a Remington M870 Express. Good thing that old cop wasn't trigger happy! In the end, everyone left happy and the cop was glad we were making a movie instead of doing drugs or something.

[@goldenalphagames1008]

Thats why you should always put up signs and tell people in your area that the guns are fake.

[@davidkoch8554]

A DP who argues with the director isn't a DP for long... But yes!

[@ACoolStupidDog]

Always call your neighborhood AND put signs around the environment you are. If the SWAT comes, you WILL have to pay their transport and other things.

[@WhoWouldWantThisName]

Signs hell, you shouldn't even brandish a toy gun around your neighborhood, espeecially a realistic airsoft gun. You guys need to shoot in a location where you don't have passersby and such. Also you should probably let your local PD know what you're up to and where beforehand. They will be a lot easier on you if or when they do get a call. That is what airsoft event producers do as SOP.

[@dreperez8403]

David Koch Guerrilla film making at it's finest. I tip my hat off to you Sir. :)

[@itzlordz1]

I watched this video 3 years ago...when i was a kid who loved stuff like this. But didn't understand anything. Now i saw this again...what a great and straight forward tutorial! :D Made some movies already...but now, its time to be a pro like Freddie! :D

[@JokerIsAJoker]

Even over a decade later this still looks better than most action movies

[@JonnyNitpick]

Years ago I would have been so confused by this tutorial, but now I'm not. Getting older can rock sometimes.

[@TomDownieMedia]

Haha i'm the exact same here :)

[@JonnyNitpick]

Yay for getting old! Kinda. lol

[@TomDownieMedia]

Haha, it's a win/loose situation, kind of. Lol

[@jamershun5575]

+Tom DownieMedia There is literally no way this conversation can be exaggerated. Its just so true.

[@TomDownieMedia]

Hahaha it is man :D

[@williamsitton]

So cool to see other content creators in the comment section that were inspired by the footwork of freddie and the rest of the team. You guys are legends and created a lot more filmmakers with your work alone.

[@Kiahsobyk]

Now about that ejected shell...

[@Suddgy]

the question that never got answered... yet.

[@EzDyt]

@@Suddgy They do have a shells tutorial though.

[@Suddgy]

@@EzDyt pog

[@SmartAlex1203]

A year ago, I watched this and was all like what language is this? Now it all makes sense and really helps. Thanks guys. Stay awesome.

[@ericyi5661]

10 years later, this still looks amazingly good!

[@TransistorBased]

I understand you're basing this off movie rules, but a real muzzle flash for a pistol (assuming this is a 9MM or .44) is nowhere near that big.

[@KhronosStudios]

They are very close to that big, i have flares taken from real pistols on back background and when showing every bit of spill that comes from the flare it looks huge even though the fire spill is less then an inch out of the barrel. 2nd off people have no idea what real gun shots sound or look like and judge them by movies. To a normal person this looks as real as it gets.

[@KhronosStudios]

***** Um, but..,... the flares are taken from real guns..... I know you like to explain things and you're completely right... But the flares are that big lol... They are filmed from REAL guns shooting against a black background....

[@julianrose9883]

Quantum Productions They can easily change the size of the flare. I agree with what you're saying, but take that into consideration.

[@KhronosStudios]

***** Yes sir, and they usually are highly exaggerated especially in "future" movies. If you ever watched the new hunger games for instance, those flares are nearly twice as big as i've ever seen anyone use =P.

[@julianrose9883]

Quantum Productions Yeah that too. Bigger flares look a lot cooler than normal ones.

[@noscope1876]

About to be 12 years since this has been out and its still in my opinion, on of the best tutorials for gun muzzle flashes.

[@zwickflixproductions4379]

Dude, I remember watching this 5 years ago and thinking, I’ll never be able to do that. You never really realize when you’re learning until you look back at what used to be really hard for you.

[@Vixarya]

Buy toy replica guns!

[@johnmcgerty1323]

What is happening in the background at 1:33? That's what i want to know.

[@johnmcgerty1323]

Does anybody else hear that?

[@Fofanarmy]

John McGerty lol

[@SuperTiaanBro]

I heard it too

[@TMGRskat]

Wow, you followed a tutorial exactly as it is presented to you without even thinking about adding your personal touch or details. You got a briiight future ahead of you boy.

[@BeastUnleashed12]

I like old freddie. I want him back. :(

[@EzDyt]

I want Freddie back in general

[@mohamed745600]

best free software is blender; you can make animations, games, videos, animations in the videos and a lot more it's good if you don't have programs like cinema 4d or after effects.

[@jakeny1584]

I love blender :D

[@diamondhd3895]

It's so complex that's why!

[@ichheissemarvin5613]

Well after effects is completly different..

[@AntoineBandele]

Google

[@cheeseballznumerouno]

what

[@maplegumm]

@@cheeseballznumerouno don’t question him

[@cheeseballznumerouno]

@@maplegumm yes maam

[@W00KYs]

DANKE! Meaning: thank you so much. I have only ever dabbled in editing some small clips for special occasions like weddings, special birthdays etc. to create some story boards relevant to the occasion but creating some special effects is very hard. Having tutorials like this is SO helpfull it can not verbalize it. These tricks or actually just ways to take advantage of all the possibilities this kind of software allows are soo helpful. PLEASE, share your experience with us!

[@kokalj777]

1:19 when I click on that image, a new composition with just picture of it arrises.. What to do?

[@brucehazen9658]

Metal c4mp wow, nobody answered your question in 6 years

[@summershorizon6789]

Lmao

[@EzDyt]

If it’s been 6 years, I guess I’ll answer Maybe just drag it into the comp

[@Micronisus]

Just close the new comp panel via the small X

[@bluevortex55]

After watching this several times, I finally question the yelling in the background at 1:34.

[@anisshahrim8048]

where can i get those firing sounds?

[@kevinzhang3313]

from this video :p

[@anisshahrim8048]

115MichaelJackson nope

[@anisshahrim8048]

115MichaelJackson its okay i already have the firing sound ^_^

[@woahitsnick4965]

115MichaelJackson hey could you send me some sounds?

[@woahitsnick4965]

115MichaelJackson if you have it silenced semi automatic pistols

[@Birlap]

is that final cut pro.

[@j1a2y3m4y5]

fun fact; you actually dont see a muzzle flash on most videos, 90% of the flashes you see in clips (even if they seem casual) are edited

[@scorezockt4570]

+j1a2y3m4y5 You beat me to it.

[@kevinkwok3460]

yeah most guns don't emit a flare

[@zachreed2186]

+Kevin Kwok well trust me in the night it does lol

[@somethingthatpops]

Sometimes even if it does emit a flare, it gets lost between frames since a lot of shutter speeds cover the camera for half of a frame length

[@myxion2671]

@@kevinkwok3460 they do but the camera does not always pick it up

[@rawZnis]

Who else is here because of the Alec Baldwin / Halyna Hutchins homicide?

[@gladius_arbor]

to mutch work i bought a real gun

[@ZezFilmsGH]

Lmao

[@mitchellh5869]

Man the effects you guys do are really amazing and very realistic.

[@stejac133]

There's a $3 app that can do a not as good version of this, if your on a small budget.

[@zevac]

well, what's it called?

[@bigzxck]

Brandon Chavez gun movie fx

[@BrutalRandon]

tlammco thanks

[@dezmite7225]

although cheap, that app isnt the best to use when going for realism. i used to use that back in the day before i got into after effects. remember to do the things that freddie said, the flash should interact with the scene. gun movie effects cannot achive that. also gun movie effects only has a few different types of flashes all with the same sound which doesnt create any variation. if you dont have the money to spend on after effects, there is a pretty good free software called hitfilm express. the full version with extra features costs money but for a starting filmaker, hitfilm express should suffice. finally, although gun movie effects works if youre just messing around and wanna make a movie, you should get into actual softwares like hitfilm express and after effects if you want to truly learn to become a filmaker.

[@barrybeans]

My After Effects Wont Let Me Drag In Most Videos For Some Reason... Some Videos Work But Some Wont Even Come On... Pictures And Audio Work Fine Though... Please Can Someone Help?

[@higaindane]

TheMatboe Your grammar is awful.

[@barrybeans]

I don't care

[@higaindane]

TheMatboe Correct grammar is one of the most crucial parts of good manners

[@barrybeans]

Ohh, I'm terribly sorry good Sir.

[@orleyfenelon1002]

TheMatboe hELLO cAPTAIN sHIFT kEY! wE mEET aGAIN!!!

[@ScyrousFX]

Yeah, uhm... I can't let everyone know it's not a fake gun. Anything that looks like a real gun in the Netherlands is highly illegal. Telling people I own a BB-gun would result in jail either way.

[@mingusfilms873]

Dat is zo waar hé hahah

[@thecrabmage8745]

+Scy use a nerf gun

[@ScyrousFX]

miningman 456 I hope you're kidding.

[@HutchinsonSkater]

+Scy nerf guns are actually a really good idea just make your film more syfi and paint the gun to look like a syfi one

[@ScyrousFX]

***** Better be safe than sorry.

[@chrisabueva5704]

This was the very first video tutorial i really really want to learn when i was on my highschool days year (2011) and now i'm 28yrs old video editor. this one is really gold. Thank you so much fred

[@mairo9633]

In real life muzzle flares cant be seen because they’re too fast to physically be able to be so. I would say just skip the muzzle flare and have the smoke and the lighting and it becomes more realistic!

[@tree5723]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZW3f6Z8l8yYbsU i can see the muzzle flash.

[@EzDyt]

Nah they can be seen You’re just fucking blind

[@SimplyNDP]

He's from VGHS! LIKE IF YOU KNOW AND FINISHED THE SERIES

[@edosindustries5797]

No, VGHS is from him.

[@SimplyNDP]

h

[@SimplyNDP]

blahblah... uhh... i was too lazy to read the whole thing but yes i knew it.

[@novawatch2327]

New Day Productions | мoтιon grapнιcѕ ΛПD GFX That wasn't rude at all

[@SimplyNDP]

Nova Watch Shhh ? wait wat?

[@martijn415]

to god damn hard to follow, i just got after effects today...

[@K3bab90]

www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/simulated_lighting/

[@martijn415]

Thanks!

[@WarTornProductions]

***** Hey man, Watch ours if you want! I think it would be helpful since you just got after effects! :)

[@nexus1g]

Respect the artists and technicians who put time into making something and pay them for their work.

[@SayanSYaksayan]

You guys are the best action editors. This video is really helped me with my school media project as i had to make a small thrilling action scene. thanks

[@kenkrk]

FINALLY put this tutorial to use! Bit the bullet and bought a pretty decent effect packaged (I'm unemployed, and was scouring the internet for free downloads of anything I could get my hands on!) I think it turned out pretty good!

[@ModdedMoon]

thx Freddie for these tutorials, I was having trouble with muzzle flash. but now I know how to do it. I wish you luck on making more videos.

[@fxcm92]

I swear but this was the first after effects tutorial i ever saw !

[@Soulsphere001]

Yes, it does. Although I've only used Adobe After Effects CS6, so I don't know if earlier versions support it or not. Oh, and Adobe is giving away their CS2 software for free, in-case you didn't know.

[@creaturesamongcreatures]

Thank you for giving such a good explanation and not taking 27 minutes

[@itsTheSarz]

I still remember watching this the day it came out. When I was a major Freddiew fan.

[@DursTuckle]

I only have CS3. :/ Yeah, I'm outdated by like, 7 years. I learned a lot about After Effects just by screwing around with it, and this video still helped me because I knew how to do all the things you demonstrated, just with an older interface. Thanks a lot! :D

[@SteelexIFY]

FREDDIE! FINALLY WITH YOU I LEARNT VFX BY THE BEST WAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@AJKKprod]

I've watched this video about 100 times. Very good tutorial

[@shahzelsyed3494]

This is an excellent technique for producing realistic gunfire glow. Thank you and God bless you!

[@FessyPix]

Awesome video! 1 question: did you saw off the orange tip on your airsoft gun? Because I can't find any w/out orange tips.

[@slumberditch]

I got Action Essentials 2 for Christmas and practically exploded when i saw it!!

[@WestKatoHardcore]

This video really improved my life.

[@Shemesis]

I haven't used iMovie in nearly 2 years but I'm almost certain you can't do this in it. iMovie is a lot more basic. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have compositing modes (the blending to screen thing he did in the video) or the masking abilities in it. If I'm wrong someone will correct me here. Once you are used to iMovie I would suggest trying out Final cut pro. It's the next step up. Or else Sony Vegas or Adobe Premier pro. Both very good too.

[@Andersbrinchp]

Thank you SO much, please keep posting tutorials, it is Extremely useful!!!

[@jessylabrie9298]

i really like the fact they do this to help out other people struggling with special effects.... like me :-D

[@yuutoshikaisho2210]

Really great tutorial! Finished my first muzzle flare!

[@dardyboy300]

dude this is awesome, how did you make it so easy??

[@TheFrostbite108]

If you have that after effects thing then can you just load up muzzle flares and stuff? All answers appreciated

[@FrodoThaHobo]

Thank you Freddie. YOU are me and my friends big idol, we are new to action movies and just After Effects! i really appreciate your help. :D

[@OperaDog]

Both of them are correct, at the time of this video they used FInal Cut Pro for the actual edit and After Effects for any VFX work. They have moved on from there and use Premiere pro for editing and a combination of After Effects and 3DS MAX for VFX. But the whole point of this video and the things Freddie teaches is that there is no need for super expensive programs, that doesn't equal quality.

[@Gtarswordman533]

Thanks for the video. I had a question involving your airgun I went on snake rattle to purchase my air gun which was about $20.00, and was wondering where you got yours where gas blow soft air gun? Also am on a budget so not looking to spend too much.

[@wannabeninja2230]

Try Evike.com

[@GlucoseYummy]

the one in action essentials is a clip because you can choose what frame of muzzle you wanna use

[@dgedawesome1]

When it comes to editing the only thing I can use is final cut pro. Sony Vegas, After effects and others just confuse me. But this helped me figure out a way to do this in final cut. Thanks!

[@EBProductions10]

You make it look so easy. If there is any way you could do a tutorial with Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11.0 that would make my day. Thanks

[@bebasvisuals]

Hey Freddie, I want to ask something. Why do most guns in your videos does not eject bullet shells...

[@Mr18TB]

For those that keep asking "what programs does that guy use?": 1. ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS for all the VFX (special effects and motion graphics) work, like the one demonstrated in the video. 2. FINAL CUT PRO or ADOBE PREMIER PRO or some other high end video editing software for the actual arrangement and compiling of footage.

[@Retromak9]

This was how I started with VFX, now I'm with 3DS MAX, thanks freddie :)

[@NoSuRReNDeR001]

This is a great tutorial and thank you for the links the cheaper $20 pack had the perfect flare footage for my piece. Again...thank you.

[@TheIceman623]

quick flashes of light on the body. Make them as long at the muzzle flash but dont let it fade completely at the end of the frame just dim it.

[@ViewData]

7 years later and I still come back to the same tutorial whenever I want this effect... How about an updated version? C:

[@Tugezu]

I literally have watched this like 1000 times. I still can't make look realistic, this is like my one of the hardest steps on editing...

[@JackSiriany]

hey man , is sony vegas is as good as adobe after effects?

[@infinitworld7106]

0.0.... I was originally searching for Photoshop tutorial but this one is way too cool!

[@XcodXx200]

also to what the other guy said ADD used light around you to get the effect so if its like a white color just use tint to fix it

[@ChinsomanFilms1]

Muzzle flares in AE2 are one frame long, the rest of the shot is just a little smoke. Hope that helps

[@joachimlarsen2k]

Are you talking about the blowback (the slide on top of the gun sliding back)? You'll have to keyframe it if you don't own a gass blowback airsoft gun. Andrew Kramer (Video Copilot) has a very nice tutorial for this.

[@Remer714]

Question: Should I use Camtasia or Sony Vegas Pro? (I already have After Effects)

[@goldiyon]

my interest of video editing, begin with this video, thank you so much fred

[@acvaticlifE]

what about the ejected shell casing? Or is this solely touching muzzle flares only?

[@Whacks]

This is the best tutorial ever

[@AloneAntonin]

You import a your mp3 (or else) in After Effect and then you just have to put it at the right spot in the timeline ;)

[@Balthazar2242]

So how would this be done with an automatic machine gun? I hope there is some kind of strobe option in Sony Vegas because I would hate to put tons of individual muzzle flare instances in.

[@2020rhal]

im sure what you wanted to say was (what program is the best for muzzle fash but for "windows") because hes using a mac right? just use after effects!

[@zfxnoose7871]

If I don't have a blow back type of air-soft pistol, how can I make the slide blow back? I know he said in Photoshop, but how? Thanks in advance! And other than that, great video!

[@HELPME-g2p]

14 years ago this video was uploaded!

[@TheFeronix]

Do you have the duplicate layer, or the original layer on top? Duplicate should be on top, original under that :)

[@jasonmezilis1512]

this was SUPER helpful - great tutorial thank you man

[@MrFaundoo]

one problem with going off of what the flashes look like in the movies is that movies usually use blanks when shooting the guns for their scenes. which are just cartridges that have no actual bullet in them. Blanks don't generate nearly as much recoil as actual rounds do, and the muzzle flash is generally A LOT bigger with blanks than actual rounds. When shooting firearms for real, especially in the day time, you can barley even tell that there is a muzzle flash, you can barley see it.

[@TheGigadan]

Where did you get your prop gun? I tried Walmart and Amazon. Most BB guns they sell don't offer the gun slide kick-back effect.

[@smccabe2012]

Hey Freddie, I really look up to you as a role model, and I want to be just like you. But my question is, I've seen a lot of videos saying that dry fire is really bad for an airsoft gun, because it can make a certain mechanism in an airsoft gun move a lot of times and practically beat itself to death, and the gun may not shoot BB's. Considering I only need an airsoft gun to make videos and not shoot anything, I don,t know if the same rules apply, because I see you dry firing all the time. Do I need to be worried? I only will be using spring pistols and cheap airsoft shotguns in my videos. Please respond, anyone.

[@tomoose_art]

Um... if you're using a spring pistol then you have no problem... It's like a nerf gun. I think the dry firing you're refering to only applies to co2 and green gas bb guns.

[@GtAwyFrmMyRamen]

When I change my duplicated base layer to Add nothing changes at all. No tint or anything. Suggestions?

[@normietwiceremoved]

Why am I getting nostalgic for a muzzle flash tutorial?

[@jeanangelo98]

Sorry, I don't mean to be ignorant but what program are you using?

[@fbeatsbtw]

you bought it ?

[@rontom7344]

What's the next best editing software that does just as great a job as After Effects...and is affordable for the average Joe? I saw the ending list of alternatives but I don't want a cheap looking effect that no one will believe is realistic enough.

[@papercutstudioz]

i use corel videostudio pro. i bet not allot of people use that for muzzle flares. but it works kinda the same way

[@kokalj777]

How and where did you learn all this? Even its for starters though

[@maisonsparks9333]

There are soundboards, and stuff like that. But, most soundboards have bad quality sounds, but some are very good!

[@aditheunbeatable]

No, I meant about the sliding slider over the gun which you use to put bullet into the barrel. How do you slide that..?? Manually by using a gun that has that function or through editing software??

[@Quasimojo007]

Everyone needs to realize that Freddie's muzzle flashes are unrealistic. He said it himself. And I agree with some of the people on here saying that there is rarely a muzzle flash when shooting a gun. Trust me, there aren't as many flashes as Freddie puts in his vids. Muzzle flashes are particularly rare and look different every time.

[@prodfalci]

He usually mixes diffrent sound together to make them he has a video on it so you can check it out but heres a link for some i use soundbible if this didnt help just look on Google gun sfx there's almost a guarantee of getting atl east one sufficient sound

[@Pikefisher95]

nice vid thanks for the tips but what's the music called that you play in the movie?