Lunchtime VFX #1

Recently I opened up my 3D software of choice, Newtek's Lightwave. After 10 minutes, I noticed how rusty I was with it. Three years ago, I used to use it every day. I'd manufacture sitautions in which I'd need to use it. I can say with some degree of pride that I was very good with it. However, I haven't done any 3D art in a long time, and after messing with Lightwave a bit this weekend, it was apparent how much I'd forgotten.

In order to makre sure that this doesn't happen with After Effects and VFX in general, I've decided to make a quick VFX test every week during my lunch break at work. Nothing huge, but just something that ensures that I keep using the software as much as possible. This week's edition was the Energy Ball.

The Energy Ball is kind of the staple of what I like in visual effects. As I wrote in my critique of my We Don't Need no Stinkin' Moon piece, there's something very cool about someone being able to manipulate energy with their body. Of course, there are about a million videos like this online. Some pull off the effect very well, some not so well. This particular one was based off of Andrew Kramer's piece on 3D Light Casting in After Effects.

For a quick 5 minute effects from a cheap iSight camera, it's not that bad. Not great, but not bad.

What do you think I should attempt next?