How to: Terminator Teleport in Adobe After Effects - Tutorial

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Recreating the Terminator Teleport Effect with After Effects

In this tutorial, we will show you how to recreate the iconic Terminator teleport effect using Adobe After Effects. Follow these steps to achieve this amazing visual effect.

**Step 1: Prepare Your Footage**
Download the exact footage used in this tutorial to follow along or use your own footage. Before adding the teleport effect, adjust the background elements such as the color and depth of the sky to make the scene more appropriate.

**Step 2: Create a New Composition**
  1. Open Adobe After Effects and create a new composition with full HD settings (1920x1080).
  2. Drag your footage into the new composition.


**Step 3: Add a Solid Layer for Fractal Noise**
  1. Create a new solid layer by going to **Layer** > **New** > **Solid**. Name it "Fractal Noise".
  2. Apply the **Fractal Noise** effect by going to **Effect** > **Noise & Grain** > **Fractal Noise**.
  3. Set the **Fractal Type** to **Dynamic Progressive** and adjust the contrast to a lower value.


**Step 4: Apply Blur and Motion Tiles Effects**
  1. Apply the **Gaussian Blur** effect to the fractal noise layer by going to **Effect** > **Blur & Sharpen** > **Gaussian Blur**. Adjust the blurriness to your liking.
  2. Apply the **Motion Tile** effect by going to **Effect** > **Stylize** > **Motion Tile**. Increase the **Output Width** and **Output Height** to create a seamless effect.
  3. Enable **Mirror Edges** in the Motion Tile settings.


**Step 5: Animate the Teleport Effect**
  1. With the fractal noise layer selected, press **P** to bring up the position property. Create keyframes to animate the position of the teleport effect.
  2. Press **T** to bring up the opacity property and create keyframes to animate the opacity, making the effect fade in and out.
  3. Adjust the **Time Evolution** expression in the fractal noise settings to create a dynamic animation. Alt-click the stopwatch next to **Evolution** and enter the expression `time*100`.


**Step 6: Add Additional Details**
  1. To enhance the effect, you can add additional layers such as particles, light rays, or smoke. Use the **Particle World** effect for particles and the **Radial Blur** effect for light rays.
  2. Adjust the colors and blending modes of these additional layers to integrate them seamlessly with the scene.


**Step 7: Final Adjustments and Rendering**
  1. Review your composition and make any final adjustments to the animation, colors, and effects.
  2. Once satisfied, render and export your composition by going to **Composition** > **Add to Render Queue**. Choose the appropriate settings for your final output.


For a detailed, step-by-step guide on creating the Terminator teleport effect using Adobe After Effects, check out the full video tutorial.

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