Advice on creating "burning paper" effect

Here is an After Effects tutrial that may point you in the right direction:

http://www.creativecow.net/articles/dallos_matt/fire/index.html

You might start with Motion's Pyro particle generators - Corona in particular. It's a circular burn, but the shape of the emitter can be changed in the Inspector to anything you want by setting it to geometry. Make your shape and drop it in the shape source well. You can then use that shape as a mask for whatever it is you're burning. Ramp the shape's size and, if you want, change the shape over time by editing its points while the record animation button is on.

I spent a little time with it and got this admittedly low-grade burn through:

http://homepage.mac.com/longstrider/iMovieTheater25.html

Hope it's helpful.

RFW

Cool - just like Bonanza. You're distorting the center as it burns?

Patrick

Cool - just like Bonanza. You're distorting the
center as it burns?

Yah Hoss, a little Black Hole filter applied and ramped.

All good stuff.
Allow me to add that fire is a naturally chaotic phenomenon. Realistic fire effects are buggers to sell to an audience while stylized combustion tends to be easier to accept.

When After Effects was an infant and fire/particle filters were just starting to become affordable, we still had the most fun shooting practical fires. Go to a magician's supply shop and talk to the guy behind the counter. You can acquire some great pyrotechnics, totally legal, in the form of accelerants and A-B compounds. Controllable ignition and the accelerants can guide the burn. Other compounds contribute color, smoke and sparklies.

Much more fun that rendering.

bogiesan

Ah, that explains it. I offered one of my kids the choice of a copy of Motion or a box of Roman Candles and she went for the candles.

Go figure, tho I suppose I'll opt for pyrotechnics over particle emitters as well this 4th.

Cheers.