Animated Film effects in photoshop?!

[Scarab13]

OK How is this done in photoshop? http://scarab13.com/ironman-mask-animation/ 

I use photoshop to clean up my RAW photos and to add some backgrounds, smooth faces, etc. But this is not only animated, it kinda works with user provided photos or something, creating a popular scene from Ironman, and all that in Photoshop. Not after effects or something. I knew that Photoshop has some 3D even some video abilities, but I am interested in learning this technique - and I couldn't find much online. Maybe I don't know what to search for. Anyone can point me to some tutorials, or maybe explain how is this done? I could think of a hundred awesome uses  for this (and maybe cash it out with my models) but I have no idea where to start....

[JJMack]

I would think this would be an PSD file that has a Frame animation timeline.  That a few layers are a duped smart object layers they share a common object. Each layer transform the object slightly differently.  When you replace the content of the smart object with your portrait when you save for web the animation it will be your face moving in the animation.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Set the Workspace to Motion and create a Frame animation

The background image will be on for every frame, and you can turn on the other layers as the frames progress, and move and turn them off and on again.

When you have simultaneous movement it is a good idea to group relative layers together.  Work out the animation for one group. The start at the first frame and turn on layers in another group as you work through the frames.  The start again for the next group.  It can get a bit complicated, which is why using groups is a good idea.

Some of the graphics are most often found as black on white background.  So Invert the layer and set Blend mode to Screen or Lighten (if you want white graphics like below.

[Trevor.Dennis]

OK I couldn't leave it at that

So you create the layers and the frame animation, and go to each frame in turn, and turn on or off the relevant layer.

You can move a layer between frames, or in the case of the Weapon Systems move the layer mask, but you MUST unlink the mask from the layer (click to uncheck the chain icon)

[JJMack]

There is no motion in the face in your frame animation you need several face layers to pull that off where the face transform offset the head position between frames.

[Trevor.Dennis]

JJMack  wrote

There is no motion in the face in your frame animation you need several face layers to pull that off where the face transform offset the head position between frames.

JJ, the head shot comes from the OP's forum profile page, so I assume it is a shot of her.  There are several shots of the same person.  It is on a separate layer to the decayed cityscape background, so a trivial matter to move and animate, but I went with the Terminator HUD rather than the extreme flicker in the OP's GIF.  The same techniques apply though, and can be used to move things however you want.

Incidentally, I picked up a new trick recently.  I used Step & Repeat to create the layers for the revolving compass rose, and added the layers to the frame animation using Create frames from layers, as you would.  The trick I was not aware of is that if you select all the frames and click on the New Frame icon, it duplicates them all.

The new frames will remain selected so you can Reverse Frames from the pop up menu, and have a sort of reciprocation, backwards and forwards animation.  I am sure it was obvious, but there is precious little information about frame animations, and it is largely a case of work it out for yourself.

So that was how I started this animation, and then manually added the other layers frame by frame.  But we might as well share the look and feel with the original

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

Your shifting the hold background.  If you created a Template for the Frame animation that you placed in a portrait you mask into the frame's composition,  You could unlink the layer mask so the mask would stay correct positioned for the frame composition. You could then dupe the place smart object layer a few times with the normal duplicate layer to create additional frame compositions.  In each you can use the smart object layers associated transform to position the portrait slightly different the mask being unlinked would still mask the portrait correctly into the frame composition,  In the framer animation you could then vary the smart object layer use for the portrait in the current frame. You the would save the template PSD.   To replace the portrait all you need do is replace oif the smart object lat object, For all the smart object layers share a common object because of the way the layer was duped.   So you replace the smart object the save for web the animated gif. IMO it is easier than position the portrait with in the the mask area between creating frame.  Using a duplicate layer is easier,  Using a smart object lets you replace the portrait in the all duplicate layers with one replace  the layers associated transforms are not changes as still work to position the portrait.  The only downside is all portrait images must be  preprocessed   all need to the same size and resolution as the original template portrait image..

[Scarab13]

Thanks, I get the idea now. It still doesn't mean I can do it on my own, but I can start experimenting. Awesome, thank you very much on your expertise.