I. Basic Displacement Glitch (Simplest & Good Starting Point)
This method relies on displacement maps to create the jagged, shifting appearance of a glitch.
Steps:
1. Import Your Footage: Import the video or image you want to glitch.
2. Create a New Solid: (Layer > New > Solid). Make the solid black. Name it "Displacement Map".
3. Add Fractal Noise: (Effect > Noise & Grain > Fractal Noise) to the "Displacement Map" solid. This will be the basis of our glitch distortion.
* Adjust Fractal Noise Settings:
* Fractal Type: Choose "Basic", "Turbulent Basic", or "Subscale" (experiment to see what you like).
* Noise Type: "Linear" or "Block" are good choices.
* Contrast: Around 150-200 to increase the difference between dark and light areas.
* Brightness: Adjust to get a good balance of dark and light.
* Complexity: Around 4-6. Higher values are more detailed but can take longer to render.
* Scale: Adjust to change the size of the noise patterns (usually 50-150 is a good range). Animating the scale over time can create a more dynamic glitch.
* Evolution: Animate the "Evolution" property (using the stopwatch icon) to make the noise change over time. A simple expression like `time*100` can work well. Alt-click the Evolution stopwatch and paste that expression.
4. Pre-compose the Displacement Map: (Layer > Pre-compose). This helps keep things organized. Name it "Displacement Map Precomp" and choose "Move all attributes into the new composition".
5. Apply Displacement Map: Select your original footage layer. Go to (Effect > Distort > Displacement Map).
* Displacement Map Layer: Set this to the "Displacement Map Precomp" layer you just created.
* Max Horizontal Displacement: Experiment with values between 20-50. Higher values create more extreme glitches. Animate this property to make the glitch appear and disappear.
* Max Vertical Displacement: Similar to horizontal, experiment to taste. Animate for a more dynamic effect.
* Displacement Map Behavior: Set both Horizontal and Vertical to "Stretch Map to Fit".
* Edge Pixels: Set to "Wrap Around" to avoid black edges.
6. Animate the Glitch: Animate the "Max Horizontal Displacement" and "Max Vertical Displacement" properties on your footage layer to create the glitch effect. Use keyframes to control when the glitch appears and disappears. Short, sudden spikes in the displacement values are typical for glitch effects. Consider using the Graph Editor to refine the animation curve for sharper, more impactful glitches.
II. Channel Shifting Glitch
This technique separates the RGB channels and then shifts them slightly, creating color separation.
Steps:
1. Duplicate Your Footage: Duplicate the layer you want to glitch. Name the duplicates something like "Red", "Green", and "Blue".
2. Add Fill Effect: Select the "Red" layer. Go to (Effect > Generate > Fill). Change the color to Red (R: 255, G: 0, B: 0). Set the Blending Mode of this layer to "Screen".
3. Repeat for Green and Blue: Apply the Fill effect to the "Green" layer and set the color to Green (R: 0, G: 255, B: 0). Set the Blending Mode to "Screen". Do the same for the "Blue" layer with the color Blue (R: 0, G: 0, B: 255).
4. Shift the Layers: Select the "Red", "Green", and "Blue" layers. Press 'P' to reveal the Position property. Slightly offset the position of each layer along the X-axis (horizontal). For example:
* Red Layer: X position + a few pixels (e.g., +5)
* Green Layer: X position - a few pixels (e.g., -3)
* Blue Layer: Leave the same.
5. Animate the Shifts: Animate the X position of the Red, Green, and Blue layers to make the color separation change over time. Use keyframes and the Graph Editor to control the timing and intensity of the shifts. Consider short bursts of shifting, followed by periods of stability.
6. Add a Shake (Optional): Add a slight wiggle expression to the position property of the Red, Green and Blue Layers. Alt-click the Position stopwatch and use the following expression: `wiggle(10,5);` This makes the glitch even more dynamic.
7. Add Brightness/Contrast Effect (Optional): A brightness/contrast effect on one of the red, green or blue layers can further exaggerate the effect.
III. Block Glitch (Data Corruption Style)
This creates the appearance of blocks of data being corrupted.
Steps:
1. Duplicate Your Footage: Duplicate the layer you want to glitch.
2. Add Mosaic Effect: (Effect > Stylize > Mosaic).
* Horizontal Blocks: Set this to a low value (e.g., 8-16). This controls the width of the blocks.
* Vertical Blocks: Set this to a low value (e.g., 8-16). This controls the height of the blocks.
* Sharp Colors: Check this box. This ensures the blocks have defined edges.
3. Animate Mosaic Blocks: Animate the "Horizontal Blocks" and "Vertical Blocks" properties. Keyframe the values to quickly jump between different block sizes. Try setting the blocks to zero, then jumping to higher values, and back again. Sudden changes in block size create the glitch effect.
4. Masking (Important): Create a mask on the mosaic layer to isolate the glitch effect to specific areas of the frame. This makes the glitch look more realistic and less uniform.
* Use the Pen Tool to draw a rectangular or irregular mask around the area you want to glitch.
* Animate the Mask Path (the shape of the mask) to move the glitching area around. This makes the glitch feel more dynamic.
* Feather the mask slightly to blend the edges of the glitch effect. A small feather value (e.g., 2-5 pixels) is usually sufficient.
5. Optional: Combine with Displacement: Use the Displacement Map method (from section I) on *just* the mosaic layer. This will distort the blocks themselves, making the glitch even more chaotic.
IV. Combining Techniques and Adding Polish
* Stack Effects: The best glitch effects often combine multiple techniques. For example, you could use Displacement Map to create the initial distortion, then add Channel Shifting to create color separation, and finally add Block Glitch to simulate data corruption.
* Timing is Key: Short, sharp glitches are generally more effective than long, drawn-out ones. Use the Graph Editor to create abrupt changes in effect parameters.
* Sound Effects: Don't forget the audio! A good glitch sound effect (static, buzzing, digital distortion) is crucial to selling the effect. Sync the audio with the visual glitches.
* Experiment: These are just starting points. Experiment with different effects, settings, and combinations to create unique and interesting glitch effects. Try using "wave warp", "turbulent displace" or even "CC Bend it".
* Plugins (Advanced): Several third-party plugins are specifically designed for creating glitch effects. These plugins often offer more advanced features and presets, saving you time and effort. Examples include "Datamosh 2" from Plugin Everything, "Deep Glow" to add glowing blooms and many others.
Important Considerations:
* Complexity: Glitch effects can be processor-intensive, especially when using multiple layers and effects. If you experience slow performance, try reducing the resolution of your composition during editing (but before rendering).
* Subtlety: Sometimes a subtle glitch is more effective than an over-the-top one. Consider the context of your project and use glitches appropriately.
* Pre-Rendering: If your composition is very complex, consider pre-rendering sections that are particularly heavy on effects. This can significantly speed up the final render.
* Look-up Tables (LUTs): Applying a LUT, either before or after adding the glitch effects, can drastically change the colors of the footage and make the glitch more or less pronounced.
By combining these techniques and experimenting with different settings, you can create a wide variety of compelling glitch effects in After Effects. Good luck!