What are your favorite/recommended plug ins to create a rain effect in FCP?

Uh, None?

To me, CG rain or snow effects are ALL kinda lame.

Yeah, it's an overlay of rain looking thingies - but it's an OVERLAY.

So nothing in the rest of the scene gets WET!

So I''m not a big fan.

You want rain effects, turn on a sprinkler and make it RAIN on things.

I did a gig some years ago where I had to CG in snowfall outside a window. That was kinda OK, since it just involved some dim streaks outside plus a visible buildup in the lower corners of the window panes over time.

Bill, wish it was that simple. We'll be modeling a war of 1812 ship in a storm and since my 3D modeler would frown on me shooting his monitor while the animation plays back I'll have to do it in FCP.

there is a rain effect in Motion (part of FCPS2). It is in the library, I believe under 'behaviors.'

Bill, wish it was that simple. We'll be modeling a war of 1812 ship in a storm and since my 3D modeler would frown on me shooting his monitor while the animation plays back I'll have to do it in FCP.

I guess I don't understand.
Why not create the effect in the 3D app, and then import the final animation into FCP?

I would really like a rain effect myself, but simply to have it start raining in a quick shot. I'm sure there is an effect out there, in motion or after effects plug in. I haven't gotten to the point where I need to find one yet...

Aharon Rabinowitz has a two part weather replacement tutorial for AE CS3 over at the COW. Part two talks about adding rain.

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/Weather_1.php
http://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/Weather_2.php


-Andrew

Thanks for the Motion info. I haven't even opened it yet so I'll have to take a look. The reason for adding the rain after the 3D animation is completed is so that I have the option and flexibility of either adding or deleting rain from the animation without having do a second rendered version - saving time and money for the other animations I need.