Glitch 7in1 - Manual

Introduction

Glitch 7in1 is an effect plug-in for After Effects. It has collection of 7 different glitch effects with advanced options and unlimited variations that can be animated individually. All glitch types can be combined for richer result. Those effects are: Basic Blocks - break your elements or composition into random pixel blocks that can be animated and blended over the source with a full range of blend modes; Pixel Sorter - select ranges of pixels based on different criteria and sort them according to brightness, color channel, alpha and others; Elements Scatter - randomly generate graphics elements, optionally choose a different blend mode for each element type and animate their various properties; Blur Blocks - blur random blocks of pixels; Noise - apply noise of different frequencies and amplitudes that enables you to create a wide range of looks, from subtle film grain to strong chromatic distortion; Warp - warp the pixels in a wave like motion; and Split RGB - treat color channels individually, enabling you to mimic chromatic aberration, or hide / flip / invert individual channels.

Installation

To install Glitch 7in1 you simply need to follow these 2 steps:

1. After unpacking the archive of the plug-in, copy and paste the files contained in it, based on your operating system, to this specific folder of After Effects:
   • On Windows this folder is located in:
     "(after_effects_install_path)/Support Files/Plug-ins"
   • On Macintosh this folder is located in:
     "(after_effects_install_path)/Plug-ins"
2. Make sure the user that runs AE has permissions to read from and write to the Plug-ins folder. If you have issues with your license file you can try to:
   • On Windows:
     run After Effects as administrator or change the permissions of that folder from Properties > Security > Edit..
   • On Macintosh:
     change the permissions of that folder from Get Info > Sharing & Permissions

User Interface

Glitch 7in1 User Interface elements

1) Basic Blocks

A group containing options for creating basic blocks.

• Enable Basic Blocks - enables “Basic Blocks” and reveals its controls.
• Number Of Blocks
• Maximum Horizontal Offset - the maximum range for random position offset in the horizontal direction.
• Maximum Vertical Offset - the maximum range for random position offset in the vertical direction.
• Position Random Seed - changes the random position taking into account both offsets.
• Block Size
  • Minimum Width
  • Width Random Range - the maximum deviation from the Minimum Width (set to 0 for equally sized blocks).
  • Width Random Seed - changes the random width.
  • Minimum Height
  • Height Random Range - the maximum deviation from the Minimum Height (set to 0 for equally sized blocks).
  • Height Random Seed - changes the random height.
• Blend Mode

2) Pixel Sorter

A group containing the options for sorter.

• Enable Sorter - enables “Sorter” and reveals its controls.
• Sort Type - different options for the sort type (new in v1.1.0).
  • Linear
  • Radial
  • Circular
• Sort Direction - the relative direction of each line of pixels to be sorted (0 degrees means left to right, -90 means top to bottom, etc.) (only available in Sort Type Linear since v1.1.0).
• Sort Origin - the point of origin of sort types Radial and Circular (not available for Sort Type Linear, new in v1.1.0).
• Activation Function - different options to determine the range of pixels to be sorted in each line.
  • Luma
  • Sum
  • Minimum
  • Maximum
  • Red Channel
  • Green Channel
  • Blue Channel
  • Alpha Channel
• Enable Inverse Activation - inverts activation range rules (see Minimum/Maximum Threshold).
• Primary Sort Criteria - different options to sort by
  • Luma
  • Sum
  • Minimum
  • Maximum
  • Red Channel
  • Green Channel
  • Blue Channel
  • Alpha Channel

• Secondary Sort Criteria - a secondary sort rule, used in cases where Primary Sort Criteria yields the same result for 2 pixels.
  • Luma
  • Sum
  • Minimum
  • Maximum
  • Red Channel
  • Green Channel
  • Blue Channel
  • Alpha Channel
• Sort Blocks
  • Block Size - treats groups of pixels as one, while sorting.
  • Minimum Sorted Blocks - minimum amount of blocks to be sorted in each time sorting criteria are met.
  • Use Maximum Sorted Blocks - enables a maximum amount of blocks to be sorted each time sorting criteria are met.
    • 1. Maximum Sorted Blocks
• Minimum Threshold - determines the range of pixels to be sorted (Only Available in Method Intervals).
• Maximum Threshold - determines the range of pixels to be sorted (Only Available in Method Intervals).
• Convolution Coefficient - Changes the convolution kernel (only available in Method Convolution).
• Inverse Direction - switches between ascending and descending sorting order:
  • Method - Strategy for determining pixels to be sorted
    • 1. Intervals - Uses Minimum / Maximum Threshold as bounds for each range
    • 2. Convolution - Uses Convolution Coefficient
  • Output - shows the intermediate steps of the algorithm
    • 1. Full - the final result
    • 2. Sorted Pixels Only - only the pixels that have qualified for sorting, based on Activation Function, Method, etc.
    • 3. The result of the Activation Pass including Activation Function, Primary Sort Criteria and Secondary Sort Criteria in the red, green and blue channels respectively.
    • 4. Sorted Activation - a sorted version of the Activation Pass.
    • 5. Mask - a binary representation of the result of pixel qualification (white - sorted, black - not sorted).

3) Elements Scatter

A group containing the options for scatter.

• Enable Elements Scatter - enables “Elements Scatter” and reveals its controls
• Circle - create circle like elements
  • Enable Circle
  • Number of Shapes
  • Position Random Seed
  • Stroke Width
  • Radius
  • Random Radius
    • 1. Enable Random Radius
    • 2. Radius Random Range - maximum deviation from the Radius (set to 0 for equally sized shapes)
    • 3. Radius Random Seed - changes the random radius
  • Color
    • 1. Opacity
    • 2. Color
    • 3. Override Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the circle shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
    • 4. Blend Mode - custom blend mode for the circle shapes (only available when Override Blend Mode is checked )
• Plus - create plus like elements
  • Enable Plus
  • Number of Shapes
  • Position Random Seed
  • Stroke Width
  • Size
  • Random Size
    • 1. Enable Random Size
    • 2. Size Random Range - maximum deviation from the Size (set to 0 for equally sized shapes)
    • 3. Size Random Seed - changes the random size
  • Color
    • 1. Opacity
    • 2. Color
    • 3. Override Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the plus shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
    • 4. Blend Mode - custom blend mode for the plus shapes (only available when Override Blend Mode is checked )
• X - create X like elements
  • Enable X
  • Number of Shapes
  • Position Random Seed
  • Stroke Width
  • Size
  • Random Size
    • 1. Enable Random Size
    • 2. Size Random Range - maximum deviation from the Size (set to 0 for equally sized shapes)
    • 3. Size Random Seed - changes the random size
  • Color
    • 1. Opacity
    • 2. Color
    • 3. Override Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the “X” shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
    • 4. Blend Mode - custom blend mode for the “X” shapes (only available when Override Blend Mode is checked )
• X-Square - create squares with X inside elements
  • Enable X-Square
  • Number of Shapes
  • Position Random Seed
  • Stroke Width
  • Size
  • Random Size
    • 1. Enable Random Size
    • 2. Size Random Range - maximum deviation from the Size (set to 0 for equally sized shapes)
    • 3. Size Random Seed - changes the random size
  • Color
    • 1. Opacity
    • 2. Color
    • 3. Override Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the “X-Square” shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
    • 4. Blend Mode - custom blend mode for the “X-Square” shapes (only available when Override Blend Mode is checked )
• Dotted Line - create dotted line elements
  • Enable Dotted Line
  • Number of Shapes
  • Position Random Seed
  • Dot Size
  • Space Size
  • Minimum Number Of Dots
  • Number of Dots Random Range - maximum deviation from the Minimum Number Of Dots (set to 0 for equal number of dots across all instances of “Dotted Line”)
  • Number of Dots Random Seed - changes the random number of dots
  • Random Size
    • 1. Enable Random Size
    • 2. Dot Size Random Range - maximum deviation from the Dot Size (set to 0 for equally sized dots)
    • 3. Space Size Random Range - maximum deviation from the Space Size (set to 0 for equal spaces across all instances of “Dotted Line”)
    • 4. Dot Size Random Seed - changes the random dot size
    • 5. Space Size Random Seed- changes the random space size
  • Color
    • 1. Opacity
    • 2. Color
    • 3. Override Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the “Dotted Line” shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
    • 4. Blend Mode - enables using a custom blend mode for the “Dotted Line” shapes only (different from the overall Elements Scatter Blend Mode)
• Blend Mode - overall blend mode for all shape types

4) Blur Blocks

A group containing options for blur blocks.

• Enable Blur Blocks - enables “Blur Blocks” and reveals its controls
• Blur Radius
• Number of Blocks
• Position Random Seed
• Block Size
  • Minimum Width
  • Width Random Range - maximum deviation from the Minimum Width
  • Width Random Seed - changes the random Width
  • Minimum Height
  • Height Random Range - maximum deviation from the Minimum Height
  • Height Random Seed - changes the random Height

5) Noise

This group containing options for noise.

• Enable Noise- enables “Noise” and reveals its controls
• Frequency
• Amplitude
• Octaves
• Preserve Frequency - determines the changes in frequency in consecutive octaves
• Preserve Amplitude - determines the changes in amplitude in consecutive octaves
• Tint
• Tint Contribution

6) Warp

This group containing options for warp.

• Enable Warp - enables “Warp” and reveals its controls
• Frequency
• Amplitude
• Offset

7) Split RGB

This group containing options for color channels.

• Enable Split RGB - enables “Split RGB” and reveals its controls
• Red Channel
  • Horizontal Offset
  • Vertical Offset
  • Invert Channel
  • Hide Channel
  • Flip Horizontal
  • Flip Vertical
• Green Channel
  • Horizontal Offset
  • Vertical Offset
  • Invert Channel
  • Hide Channel
  • Flip Horizontal
  • Flip Vertical
• Blue Channel
  • Horizontal Offset
  • Vertical Offset
  • Invert Channel
  • Hide Channel
  • Flip Horizontal
  • Flip Vertical