Overview of AEScripts Time Bend for After Effects & Premiere

It serves as an evolution in the world of temporal distortion. It ingeniously distorts footage by merging multiple frames from various points in time relative to the current frame, resulting in an artistic and visually striking output. This innovative plugin offers various parameters that can be categorized into three key sections: timeline frames, mapping source transformations, and blending choices.

Frame Fusion and Sequencing

The frame count parameter determines the number of frames merged, while the time step parameter governs the temporal gap between these frames. This sequence can be configured in either a forward or backward direction using units like frames or seconds. Time offset adds another layer of flexibility, enabling you to modify the sequence's starting point. Edge time mode handles frames beyond the layer's boundaries, ensuring seamless results, particularly in looping layers.

Mapping Source Transformation

The default time-mapping source is the current frame, but this can be expanded to include other layers. This mapping source serves as a blueprint mask that dictates the blending order of frames from different time points. Using grayscale values, black pixels represent the first frame, white pixels signify the last, and the gradient controls the transitions. The plugin offers a Luma channels mode, where combined RGB values shape the distribution and work on entire pixels, resulting in intricate color variations. You can also apply various curve shapes and phase adjustments to animate the mapping source mask.

Frame Blending

The default settings ensure linear crossfade transitions between frames, maintaining color consistency. However, users seeking more intricate transitions can explore various blending modes, transition curves, distance settings, position offsets, and overflow strategies. These options allow for a remarkable level of customization and artistic control.

Navigating the Uncharted Territories

The plugin's intricate parameters require a visual aid to grasp their effects fully. Consequently, each section of this tool boasts a graphical user interface that displays parameter changes via graphs. This visualization tool serves as a guiding light, illuminating the possibilities it offers and transforming the creative process into an exhilarating exploration.

Usage Hints

Working in 16/32-bit color modes is recommended to maximize the plugin's potential. This ensures seamless blending between frames, especially when utilizing custom gradients for the Time Mapping Source. When applying the effect to animated text layers, it's wise to employ adjustment layers and a solid background to encompass the entire screen space. Additionally, clearing the RAM preview cache might be necessary, particularly when encountering issues with frame invalidation after changing compositions.

System Requirments

- Operating System: Windows 7 or later

- After Effects: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC

- Premiere: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC 

Conclusion

AEScripts Time Bend plugin carves a niche by offering a novel and powerful approach to manipulating time within visual compositions. Its innovative frame fusion, intricate mapping source transformation, and versatile frame blending options unlock creative possibilities. As an experimental tool, it invites users to embrace curiosity and harness its graphical user interface to explore the unknown terrains of temporal manipulation.