Wave World + Caustics | Effects of After Effects

In this quick tutorial, I explain how to use the Wave World & Caustics effects in Adobe After Effects.

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:07 Wave World
07:20 Caustics
19:28 Dialing in the waves
23:40 Animating the producer
31:10 Ground settings
36:31 Thanks for watching!

[JonathanStray]

I wrote this effect more than 20 years ago, thanks so much for taking the time to explain it. One note: the purpose of the "smoothing" parameter is to blur out the steps between pixel values where the water height is changing slowly. Otherwise you can see exactly where the pixel value of the wave map changes, as with the concentric rings at 10:46. This is probably far less of an issue if you're working in 16 or 32 bpc (though I don't know if Wave World and Caustics were ever updated past 8bpc!)

[mattw]

How you demystify the enigma that is AE is borderline therapeutic. It's like I can feel a drop in my cortisol levels where the direction I wanna take a project doesn't seem all too impossible after watching one of your videos. Thanks, Jake, for these masterclass tutorials.

[nipungrover]

This is perhaps the most detailed AE tutorial I've seen in a while. I mean thanks, this effect is just overwhelming and I couldn't have understood it myself. It'll take a while for me to get comfortable but I know the potential now.

[kaustik]

my proudest binge ever.

never stop. just continue with red giant stuff once you're through :P

[ryanmancini.official]

I literally was in tears before I watched this video... Thank God you explain so clearly and thoroughly. THANK YOU!

[Bafprod]

you use it with a top shot comp, but it could be interesting to know if we can use it with isometric 3D for example

[sushansirisena]

AE has so many unknown powerful effects! Amazing! Thank You

[maximumblackness]

Another Great Tutorial. I learned a lot! Thanks Jake!!!

[zohaibmalik]

Awesome, these seem really realistic simulations. Thanks for sharing these really cool effects. These are long-awaited in my list and at last here. Love your tutorials and this whole series. Can't wait to see more. 🥰😇👍

[danielallison]

Thank you so much man this was really helpful. I found a way to incorporate some things you said into my project and I'm satisfied with where it is.

[matelu]

Thank you very much, you´re always saving my life.

[shanemcknight]

Well done! This is a huge help in producing cartoon fx that I currently do.

[ubon]

this is pure magic, thank you for the tutorial

[motionshmotion]

I watched few tutors about this effect before and understood nothing. Thanks for such clear tutorial!

[theambient]

Excellent tutorial. I've never really understood caustics before. Thank you!

[substate]

bravo. Well done. Some great material for new creative directions.... very well explained. A fun new tool in the arsenal. Thanks

[MintFX]

11:11 a little contradictory to the sign in the water haha, if the depth is high I’m sure there is no danger in diving

[thekadirsahin]

I had no idea i can do this. Thanks again!

[bmccarty]

Thanks for the in-depth information on caustics. I can't make the surface 100% clear though, even when I set opacity to 0. The surface is still about 15% opaque, which affects the look of the bottom image.

[StoutPika]

I've never knew this existed in after effects