After Effect Books

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book
After Effect
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Session-1
Introduction
After effects is an industry standard software program for compositing animating and creating layered visual effects Most often after effects is used to create motion graphics such as video mintages animated logos network identities and special title and logo effects for broadcast design although its most common use is for digital video after effects is gaining popularity within the film and video industry especially for title sequences broadcast designers are the people who create TV show openings bumpers corporate ids etc and since after effects became available no type or logo on TV is ever stationary even medium budget commercials and TV program now have fancy graphics . Due to hardware limitations the programs use in animation is typically limited to short form production [around five minutes or less ] we expect that as desktop computers become more capable of dealing with higher resolution material more full length animation will be composite is AE [after effects] After effects can also be used for special effects add smoke fire rain and explosions to our existing footage without it looking cheesy or shake the entire picture to simulate an earthquake we can also insert object created in 3-d programs and then tweak their colour and grain making them true to our footage After effects has an openGL feature openGL can be activated to speed up previews most of the work in after effects consists of compositing color corrections and special effects where lots of different layers and effects are stacked on top of each other openGL is excellent for fast screen redraws in such works and 3d applications
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This course will introduce us to after effects so that we will develop a full understanding of high-resolution multilayer compositing animation and visual effects the footage we create in after effects will be suitable for digital output to film video tape CD-ROME and the web this course will appeal to those who are interested in developing their skills in the field of multimedia video and presentation graphics. Set up a project An after effects project is a file that stores references and information regarding the and animation for one or several compositions a composition is the framework for us to add arrange and animate the different media elements we can have multiple composition within a project where for instance they share some of the same footage items in the project or are related in another way Planning our project before we start importing footage will make our work easier a large part of planning is simply determining the best settings for our source footage based on the media for which we will render our finished project this step is essential to achieve optimal image quality rendering order, may also be part of project planning footage is our original source material which we capture create or otherwise prepare before bringing into after effects it can include movies stills [pixel or vector based ] layered still images and audio Before we start importing footage items into our project we have to decide which media we will use for our finished project then we determine the best settings for our compositions and source material if we are rendering our project to videotape we should create footage at an image size color bit depth and frame rate that will produce the best image quality on videotape likewise if our project is intended for streaming video on the world wide web the image size color bit depth and frame rate may need to be reduced to work within the data rate limits of streaming video on the internet however any footage item that can be imported can be used in any composition
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book All the composition contained inside a single After Effects file is known as a Project. Time Basics One of the important characteristics of After Effect, which sets it apart from paint and drawing application, is the concept of time. We can use it to create still images, but things are far more interesting when theyre animated. Movies and sequences themselves are series of still images that change over time, and After Effects can animate the properties of, and effects applied to, any compositions layer over time. The Interval of time between calling up new stills in the sequence is its rate, usually expressed in frames per second (fps), the number of frames that are supposed to appear in each second. For example, video for NTSC television plays at 29.97 frames per second (fps), and PAL plays at 25 fps. Film commonly projects 24 new frames a second. After Effects gives us a number of ways to change the frame rate. SMPTE After effects displays time in the society of motion picture and television engineers time code: hours, minutes, seconds, and frame we can change to another system of time display such as film frames or feet and frames of 16 mm or 35mm film. We can combine sources of different frame rates inside After Effects. It keeps track of each one individually, incrementing to the next image when each ones time is up. We can also set the final rate in Compositions render settings. Frame and fields Each frame in an interlaced video source is made up of fields it s important not to confuse frames with fields for video every frame contains two interlaced fields if we want to use interlaced video as
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book source footage then we will usually want after effects to separate the interlaced fields separating fields ensure maximum images quality when we are producing a movie for videotape we can render the composition to fields in a process known as field rendering We will cover frames and fields in detail a little later. Time stretch The time stretch feature can be used to speed up or slow down video audio and nested composition layers time stretching affects any animation already applied to masks effects and compositions in a project has its own duration Duration determines the beginning and ending times of the timelines in the footage layer and timeline windows as we move further we will get to know these windows in beta 1 it is important to notice which duration we are viewing while we edit in multiple windows Toolbox Toolbox contains tools like selection rectangle pen rotation oval pan behind and zoom, these tools are used to edit layer property masks and motion paths graphically the small triangle to the bottom right of the tool indicates that there are hidden tools available Rectangle oval and pen tools in the toolbox are used for masking but we must have the layer window forward for the later sessions The new version includes brush type eraser and clone stamp tool for easier access to new features. rectangle and oval tools to be active what is a layer window and its use will be covered in
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Tool Box Identifying the component Project Window Settings When we open the software there is always a new project window available for us by default.
Default Project Window
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Using context menus To start working on a project we have to understand the project settings to view it we have to go to the context menu of the project window in addition to the top of our screen context menus display commands relative to the active tool or selected item.
Project Window with Context Window
To display context menu: 1. click on the small arrow at the top right corner of project window 2. select project settings 3. click ok
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Project Setting Window Let us see the use of these settings topmost setting is time code base so lets see how to set a time for our project. Setting time display options after effects supports several methods of measuring and displaying time .the method we select applies to time display in the current project and in any subsequent project we create changing the method does not alter the frame rate of footage or a composition it changes only how frames are numbered . We can select from three time display options: . Time code: which counts frames in frames per second (hours minutes seconds frames). . Frames: which counts frames of footage without reference to time? . Feet and frames: which counts feet of 16mm or 35mm motionpicture film and counts fractions of feet in frames, 35mm film has 16 frames per foot and 16mm film has 40 frames per foot.
Time Basics: A. Time code B. Frames C. Feet and Frames
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book When working with footage digitized from PAL video we usually use the 25 fps drop-frame time code base this counts PAL-created frames using standard drop frame time code for maximum device compatibility for frames [or feet and frames] time code we can also change the starting frame number to match the time counting method of another editing system we may be using. For time code base select the appropriate setting from the drop down menu. To use time code 1. Click time code base 2. Select 25 fps from the time code base drop down menu 3. Select non drop frame from the PAL menu 4. Select color depth 8 bits per channel 5. Click ok . If we want time display in frames then we can select that option from project settings . If we want time display in feet + frames then we can select that option from project settings . If desired type a value in the start numbering frames at option this value applies only when we have chosen frames or feet +frames. For our project we have selected color depth as 8 bits per channel but below that second options is 16 bits per channel lets understand when to use 8 bits per channel commands. After effects can work in 16 bit per channel mode making a larger range of color available when we work with high resolution images that use a narrow range of colors such as when we re creating subtle gradients for film effects or HDTV output transitions between colors are smoother with less visible banding and more detail is preserved
Importing footage items

Footage files are the source files which we will be using in our project these are the files we import to work on project do not contain the sources they point to the sources wherever they exist on the hard disk
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book drivers or network the job of a project is to keep track of the structure of how we want to combine and treat our sources Before proceeding further let s understand what are the other things that go along with a project the most important things to understand first are composition and timeline we cannot make a project without composition and timeline to import a single file select File > Import > File or press Ctrl+I.
File Importing
Project window settings
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book The project window is like a storage area for composition and references to footage items in the project window we import identify replace remove and interpret footage items and composition we organize footage and composition in the project window using folders are used to store the footage & composition which are related to each other if we are working with a particular set of files then we can keep all those files in one folder so that it will be easier for us to work with those files. The folders we create in the project window exist only in the project window we can expand a folder to reveal its contents we can also put folders inside other folders and open a folder in its own window Checking safe zones and grids: When television was being worked out there was a lot of concern over the quality and repeatability of image that would be project on the screen. Picture tubes were prone to shift the image off center, images used to appear blurry and distorted. Therefore television was defined as over scan system. The amount of over scan is not consistent across television sets, we should keep important parts of a video image such as action or titles within margins known as safe zones we can view safe zones in a footage layer or composition window A region inset 5% from each edge of the frame is defined as action safe area it is assumed that any action inside this edge will be cut off by television sets bezel A second region an additional 5% along each side from action safe (taking another 10% overall from the edge consuming a 20% of the total width and height of the frame) is referred to as title safe area It was assumed that picture tube would distort the image too much for text to be readable in this area.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book To view safe zones: In a footage layer or composition window click the safe zones icon to show or hide the safe zones. With a footage window active select view>show grid or hide grid Press alt + click the safe zones icon Press control + (apostrophe)
Snapshots When we want to compare one view to another in either the composition layer or footage window we can take a snapshot of one view . this command for other windows as well we can view this snapshot after opening a new footage window the snapshot will temporarily replace the current window image for example we might want to compare two frames in different locations in a movie. We can instantly show and hide the snapshot to easily identify differences between the views if we have a sound card installed and audio is included in the composition, we will hear a clicking sound when we take a snapshot. Snapshot do not have window restrictions snapshot taken in one kind of window we can be displayed in another kind for example we can take a snapshot of a layer window and display the snapshot in the composition or footage window Displaying a snapshot does not replace the content of the window we can see snapshot only till we hold down the show last snapshot button after effects may discard the most recent snapshot if it needs to use the memory occupied by the snapshot We can take only one snapshot at a time each snapshot we take replaces the previous one.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book If the snapshot has a different size or aspect ratio than the window in which we display it the snapshot is resized to fit the window Snapshot are for reference only and do not become part of the layer composition or rendered movie
Setting composition window

The composition window displays the footage items we have added to the composition each item in its own layer. Even if we have created multiple compositions the composition window makes it easier to toggle between them.
Composition Setting Window In this session we will learn only to open a composition window the settings of the composition window is used view the source files which we will be using in our project the timeline window represents a compositions layers so that we can add effects and animate the layers we will discuss each window in detail later in this session but before that let us study project window.
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Most of the controls of the composition window. Are like those of the footage window there are a few more additional controls let us focus on Current time control Resolution /down sample factor popup Time line button Comp flowchart
The pixel aspect ratio correction option is readily accessible making it much easier to work with native widescreen and D1 pixel aspect ratio projects. It is still not a good idea to animate with this button selected pressing the space bar brings up the hand fool and helps us to pan beyond the visible pasteboard. Editing current time This indicates the current frame we are viewing or editing. We can view a different frame by entering a number. To edit a current time do the following 1. double click on the current time button 2. enter any new value ( hours: minutes: seconds: frames ) 3. click ok Resolution/down sample factor popup resolution determines the dimensions of the image in pixels which affects the image quality of the rendered composition setting a low resolution significantly increases frame rendering speed and decreases the amount of memory required to render we can use a low resolution
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book setting while animating or previewing a movie and then increases the resolution before rendering our final movie. Select from the following resolution settings in the composition window. Full resolution: renders each pixel in a composition this setting gives us the best image quality but also takes the longest time to render. Half resolution: renders one quarter of the pixels contained in the full resolution image- half the columns and half the rows this result in a rendering time that is approximately one fourth of that required to render the entire image at full resolution. Third resolution: renders one ninth of the pixels contained in the full resolution image this results in a rendering time that is approximately one-ninth of that required to render the entire image at full resolution. Quarter resolution: renders one-sixteenth of the pixels contained in the full resolution image this results in a rendering time that is approximately one-sixteenth of that required to render the entire image at full resolution. Timeline button Brings forward the timeline window related to this composition. Comp flowchart When we build composition or projects- especially ones that contain a lot of source footage and composition within compositions-we may find it challenging to visualize the overall organizations and the relationships among elements.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Composition flowchart window is useful to see the overall project at a glance We can optimize the flowchart view by using buttons in the window or by dragging project elements and we can open composition and their elements from this view however we cannot use the flowchart view to change relationships among project elements.
Timeline window
We now know that when we take a new composition the timeline window opens automatically. The timeline window represents a compositions layers on a timeline so we can add effects and animate the layers.
Timeline Window with Composition window
Layer window
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book The layer window displays a layer as it exist in the composition window we can use this window to trim footage draw a mask and move the point from which the layer rotates and scales modifying the layer in this window affects the layer only in the composition from which we opened it Recognizing the basics of composition After effects is a world acclaimed and interesting programme which is used for composition to special effects all over the world those who work with Photoshop and know the limitations of animating effects will find this application as a new door to the creativity there are various ways available by which we can create compositions and apart from the default effects we can install various plug-ins to increase the utility of this application.
Summary
After Effects is a sophisticated software program for compositing, animating and creating layered visual effects. Most often, After Effects is used to create motion graphics, such as video montages, animated logos, network identities and special title and logo effects for broadcast design. All the compositions contained inside a single After Effects file is known as a project. Video for NTSC television plays at 29.97 frames per second (fps) and PAL plays at 25fps. Film commonly projects 24 new frames a second. The Time stretch feature can be used to speed up or slow down video, audio and nested Composition layers. Time stretching affects any animation already applied to masks, effects and transformations, so speed changes also apply to key frames. When working with footage digitized from NTSC video we usually use the 30-fps, drop-frame time code base. This counts NTSCcreated frames using standard drop-frame time code for maximum device compatibility. Page17
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book The project window is like a storage area for compositions and references to footage items. In the project window we import, identify, replace, remove and interpret footage items and compositions. The compositions window displays the footage items we have added to the composition, each item in its own layer. Even if we have created multiple compositions the composition window makes it easier to toggle between them.
Session-2
Introduction In the previous session we have seen a simple workflow of setting up a project. After that we had a look at some main windows like project, footage composition, and Timeline and Layer window. After Effects not only helps us automate a lot of the raster animation process, but it can also tweak the frames in many powerful ways. There are a number of properties we can vary over time: position, scale, rotation and opacity. Take the Gaussian filter, for instance. If we apply the filter with different blur amounts to the same picture and save each resulting image, we would have an animation sequence: a photograph getting increasingly blurry. If we tell After Effects how blurry we want the starting and ending images to be, it will automatically calculate everything in between, doing most of the animation work for us. In this session we will study in detail, all the file formats that can be imported composition settings and timeline window controls. We shall also learn an aspect ratio and how important it is to set appropriate aspect ratio, 3:2 pull down ratios. We have seen the basic method of importing files in the project window in the previous session. In that session we did not discuss the file formats and other various methods Page18
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book of importing files in After Effects. Let us discuss these points in detail in this session. Methods of Importing Images In the earlier session we learned briefly about a project and what a project window is. The footage we import in a project window can be used multiple times in composition. We can use one single file multiple times, which helps in reducing file size and the complexity of the project. There are many ways by which we can import files into a project. We have learnt importing a single file in the project window in Session 1. We also have an option of importing multiple footage files. To Import multiple files 1. Select File>Import>Multiple Files. Or Press Alt + Ctrl +I 2. Select a file type, locate and select file. 3. Click Open. 4. Repeat the previous step for each item . 5. Click done to finish and close import window. The imported footage appears in the project window. Apart from these standard methods there is another method called dragging. To import a folder by dragging Press Alt as we drag the folder into the project window. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Move all the files in the sequence to the same folder. In After Effects, select File>Import>File. Locate and select any file in the sequence. Select the file format name (example 001. BMP) If we want to import alphabetically, select Force Alphabetical order. Click Open. Importing a sequence of still images
To change the default frame rate for a sequence before importing 1.Select Edit >Preferences > Import. 2.Under Sequence Footage, type a new default frame rate. 3.Click Ok.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book To assign a frame rate to a sequence weve already imported: In the project window, select the sequence of still images. Select File > Interpret Footage > Main or press Ctrl + F. Select Conform to frame rate and type the frame rate we want
Interpret Footage Window Other controls of interpret footage window will be covered later in this session. In short there are three ways by which we can import Photoshop files in After Effects. As a single still footage item imported from all the Adobe Photoshop layers merged together. As a single still footage item imported from any one layer in the Adobe Photoshop file.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book As a new composition, with each layer in the Adobe Photoshop file becoming a separate layer in the composition. Importing Adobe Premiere projects After Effects has the ability to import a project from video editing applications like Premiere. This feature is inbuilt in this software. It projects the order of clips in the Timeline, the footage duration, and the marker and transition locations. The display of layers in the Timeline window of After Effects is based on the arrangement of clips in Premiere Timeline. After Effects adds Premiere clips to the Timeline window as layers in the order they appeared-from top to bottom and from left to right-in Premiere Timeline To import an Adobe Premiere project 1. 2. 3. 4. Select File > Import > File. Locate and select file. In Import File As, select Composition. Click Open.
Importing other File Formats After Effects can import 3D-image files saved in Softimage PIC, RLA and Electric Image EI formats. We can import a variety of audio file formats directly into After Effects. Cineon files are commonly used to transfer motion-picture film to a digital format. We can then use the Cineon Import Options dialog box or the Cineon Converter effect to control the conversion. We can import Cineon 4.5 or Digital Picture Exchange (DPX) files directly into After Effects. We can import one After Effects project into another.
Setting Preferences for Importing Files When we import stills in After Effects we can notice that unlike movie files it does not have any specific duration. So when we drag them into the Timeline window, the default images time on screen will be the entire duration of the composition. With the Preferences settings in After Effects we can changes this default duration as per our choice. Let us understand how to go about it with the help of this assignment.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 1. With the new project open, select Edit> Preferences>Import. In the Still Footage section we can see that current length of the composition is selected. In the SMPTE time code format, change the time code to 00:00:30:00 and click OK. With this, the next footage that we import will have a fixed duration of 25 seconds by default. 2. From your folder Import a file. 3. Now open the Import Preferences window again and set the time to 00:00:10:00. 4. Now import Calendar image as footage. 5. Create a new composition of 25 FPS and 1 minute duration. 6. Drag the Dragon file in the Timeline window but do not drop it there yet. We will notice that the Time Indicator follows the movement of the footage and also the Current Time indicator on the left hand side updates itself as we move our file. 7. Move the Time Marker to 0 seconds and drag and drop Fish file in the Timeline. We can see that as we have set its duration to 10 seconds in preferences, it start at 0 and ends at 10 seconds. Importing Motion Footage When we work with After Effects, understanding some of the differences among media can help us decide how to handle footage as we transfer it between digital and analog devices. Analog video: Analog refers to a non-digital continuous waveform signal, which may contain an infinite number of points along a frequency range. Imagine a lake with the wind blowing across if. There are waves which all connect in a seamless, undulating line which can be drawn over the surface of the water. From a baseline the waves form peak, which rise above the baseline, and trough which sink below it. This is the same as an analog signal, a continuous line with peaks and troughs rising above and sinking below baseline just like the
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book waves on the lake. The smooth wave contrasts to digital, which is composed of discrete bits or chunks of information (ones and zeroes) which can approximate a wave form but do not create the same signal with the smooth, continuous flow representative of analog signals. Analog video whether transmitted over cables, read from videotapes or broadcast, is subject to degradation due to noise, distortion and other electronic phenomena. Digital video: A method of representing data using binary numbers. This process virtually eliminates generation loss, as every digital-todigital copy is theoretically an exact duplicate of the original allowing multi-generational copies to be made without degradation. In actuality of course, digital systems are not perfect and specialized hardware/software is used to correct all but the most severe data loss. Consumer digital televisions and camcorders use the term to refer to the uses of digital frame buffers for effects or signal processing. The output of these buffers is still converted back into analog signals for display and storage. Digital video requires more bandwidth than analog video to produce the same results unless compression techniques are used. Digital video is not one format, but a medium within which many file formats exist. Even if our source footage was created digitally, we still need to make sure that it is stored in a file format that After Effects can import. Interlaced and non-interlaced (Progressive Scan) footage Another way to classify analog or digital footage is as interlaced. Interlaced footage: What we see on television are not 25 frames per second. In fact we see 50 half frames per second (we are talking about PAL here- NTSC has 29,97 fps or nearly 60 half-frames per second). One frame contains the odd rows; one frame contains the even rows. That way well get 25 fps. The problem is that those half frames are taken from different times. If we have fast horizontal movement we will then see that an object (or person) is at one position for the odd rows and at another for the rows. Page23
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In NTSC format with interlaced scanning, what we are actually seeing, instead of 30 true frames per second, is 60 pictures (or fields) per second, each containing half of the images information. Again, this is done so fast (at a rate of 60 fields per second) that the human eye perceives a uniform picture or at least it did, until much bigger TVs began to come on the scene. Non-interlaced (Progressive Scan) footage: Progressive scanning uses the rapid computerized application of a sophisticated mathematical algorithm to precisely reassemble the two fields of interlaced broadcasts and videos back together into single progressive frames. Then it duplicates the new progressive frame, showing two entire frames twice, (as opposed to showing two half-frames twice), to ensure the process takes the identical amount of time that the two fields in the original interlaced scan had take, thereby keeping everything in synch. But, without the interference of the interlacing process, the artifacts and scan lines associated with the process are removed. The result is a markedly sharper picture, since its composed of single complete frames instead of interlaced half-frames. The progressive scanning system displays all of the vertical scan lines in one frame at the same time. In other words, all the information for a complete frame of video is displayed at the same time achieving a higher frame rate that an interlaced display. Progressive scanning delivers a sharp, clear image with no perceptible flicker. Refresh rates for progressive displays vary, but most PC motions in use today operate at 60 to 90 frames per second
Importance of 3:2 Pull down Ratio

Simply put, 3:2 pull down is the process of transferring film to video. That sounds easy, but it is actually pretty complicated. If you have ever seen a reel of film, you know that it is nothing more than a bunch of still pictures run at a rapid rate in order to create the appearance of fluid motion. In the movie theater, each second of film is actually 24 of
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book those still pictures (or frames). While film runs at 24 frames per second (fps), NTSC television signals (or video) have a run rate of 30 fps. In fact, television is also different from film in another significant way. Film projectors project the entire image all at once where as TV shows interlaced images. Now we might start seeing a problem. First of all there are 24 fps in film versus 30 fps in video. Secondly, video has two fields per frame whereas film does not have field at all. That means we cannot simply transfer the film to video without issues. If we simply showed 24 fps on an NTSC display, what we would see is jerky, sped up action. This is not a new problem, since we have been converting film to video for years. We even have a name for the process. It is called telecine or 3:2 pull down Notice frame 3 and frame 4 are using images from two different film frames, one for each video field. Also, under the magnifying glass, notice that field 1 in frame 4 is drawing half the lines and field 2 is drawing the second half, making a complete picture. We have successfully converted the film frames to video. It is important to remove 3:2 pull down from video footage that was originally film, so that the effects we add in After Effects synchronize perfectly with the original frame rate of film. Removing 3:2 pull down reduces the frame rate by 4/5: from 30 to 24 fps or from 29.97 to 23.976 fps, which also reduces the number of frames we have to change. To remove 3:2 pull down, we must also indicate the phase of the 3:2 pull down. To remove 3:2 pull down from video transferred from film: 1. In the Project window, select the footage from which we want to remove 3:2 pull down. 2. Select File Interpret Footage > Main.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 3. In the Field and Pull down section, select Upper Field First or Lower Field First from the Separate Fields drop down menu. 4. Do one of the following and click OK: To have After Effects determine the correct settings, click Guess 3:2 pull down. If we know the phase of the 3:2 pull down, select it from the Remove Pull down drop down menu. D1, DV and various pixel aspect ratio of footage The pixel aspect ratio is the width of the pixel (x) with respect to its height (y). A square pixel has a ratio of1:1, but a non-square (rectangular) pixel does not have the same height and width. This concept is similar to the frame aspect ratio, which is the total width of an image with respect to its height. However, these aspect ratios are not necessarily tied together. For example, a widescreen image with a frame aspect ratio of 16:9 can be made of square or non-square pixels.
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Frame Aspect ratio If we encode a video source with non-square pixels as though the pixels are square, the output will be distorted.
Changing Non-Square pixel to square pixels Page27
Setting Pixel Aspect Ratio It is important to set the pixel aspect ratio for a footage file at its original ratio, not the ratio of the final output. To set the pixel aspect ratio for imported footage: 1. Select the footage in the Project window. 2. Select File > Interpret Footage > Main. 3. Select a ratio from the Pixel Aspect Ratio drop-down menu 4. Set pixel aspect ratios for footage and composition with these approximate values: Square Pixels: Uses a 1.0 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 640 x 480 or 648 x 486 frame size. D1/DV NTSC: Uses a 0.9 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 720 x 486 frame size, and our desired result is a 4:3 frame ratio. D1/DV NTSC Widescreen: Uses a 1.2 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 720x480 or 720x486 frame size, and our desired result is a 16:9 frame aspect ratio. D1/DV PAL: Uses a 1.0666 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 720 x 576 frame size and our desired result is a 4:3 frame aspect ratio. D1/DV PAL Widescreen: Uses a 1.422 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 720 x 576 frame size and our desired result is a 16:9 frame aspect ratio. Anamorphic 2:1: Uses a 2.0 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage was shot using an anamorphic film lens. D4/D16 Standard: Uses a 0.948 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 1440 x 1024 or 2882 x 2048 frame size and our desired result is a 4:3 frame aspect ratio. D4/D16 Anamorphic: Uses a 1.896 pixel aspect ratio. Use this setting if our footage has a 1440 x 1024 or 2880 x 2048 frame size and our desired result is an 8:3 frame aspect ratio.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 5. Click OK.
Footage
After we have imported footage, we can view, edit and change settings for our imported footage with our using a composition window. Now we know that we can view our footage in various windows like footage, composition and in layer window. So let us begin editing it. Setting the Frame Rate for Footage We can change the frame rate for any movie or sequence of still images. For example, we can import a sequence of ten still images and specify a frame rate of 5 frames per second (fps). To set the frame rate for footage: 1. Select your avi in the Project window. 2. Select File > Interpret Footage > Main or press Ctrl + F. 3. In the Frame Rate section of the Interpret Footage dialog box, specify a frame rate as 15 In Conform to Frame Rate. 4. Press Play from Time Controls palette or press Space bar key to view the motion. This frame rate will make the motion of the movie slow. If we want the movie to run faster, change the frame rate to 35 and see the difference. Replacing and Substituting Footage After Effects offers a number of ways to replace and substitute footage in a composition. We can replace one footage item with another at any time while working on a project. This can be useful if we receive a new version of a source file used in our project, and we want to replace the original footage with the new version. The new footage item replaces the existing one in layers and compositions throughout the project. When we replace footage, all values (property settings, effect settings and so on) remain applied to the layer. To replace footage throughput a project:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 1. In the Project window, select the name of the footage item we want to replace. 2. To import a replacement file, select File>Replace Footage> File or press Ctrl + H 3. Select the file, and then click Open. If the new footage item is a different size, it is not scaled to fit the original items size. We can replace the original source footage of one or more layers without changing any setting applied to the original footage. The new source footage or composition takes the place of the old source to the layers, but uses the existing key frames. To replace the source footage of one or more layers: 1. In a Timeline window, select the layer or layers to be replaced. 2. Hold down Alt (Windows) as we drag a footage item or composition from the Project window to any of the following places containing the selected layers: the Composition window, the Timeline window, or the Composition icon in the Project window. So far we have learnt how to replace a footage file throughout the project for a single layer or for multiple layers.
Composition
By taking two or more scene elements (which could be video clips, still images, animations or Flash movies to name but a few), and combining them into a single scene, we create an entirely new animation. This is a composite. Sometimes, compositing is very obvious. A picture-inpicture display, for example, or a string of text superimposed over a video clip.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Sometimes, the idea is to make our composite blend realistically into the background. For example, we might want to combine a 3D animated creature with a filmed background. To sell the effect (convince the audience), the join between the real and CG elements would have to be as subtle as possible, and various techniques, including color matching, keying and the addition of grain would have to be used to get the best possible result. When we begin with a new project, we must create a composition before we can start working with our footage items. When we create a new composition uses the same settings as the previous composition. However, changing that frame size or pixel aspect ratio can affect our final movie so set these as early in the project as possible. To create a composition: Select Composition or press Ctrl + N.
Basic Composition Settings When we create a new composition, it appears as a new item in the Project window. Before we set up a new composition, we determine the specifications of the final output. Let us learn the important terms of these settings. A. Preset: Select a Preset of frame size from the menu or specify the frames Width and Height. B. Lock Aspect Ratio: Select Lock Aspect Ratio to ensure that the composition dimensions conform to the aspect ratio for the current values. C. Pixel Aspect Ratio: Select a Pixel Aspect Ratio from the pop-up menu. This is set automatically if we select a digital format (D1, D4, D16, or DV) for Preset. Using square-pixel footage for output to D1 or DV NTSC WE can use square-pixel footage in a D1/DV NTSC composition and generate output that does not appear distorted. The pixel aspect ratio is identical between D1 and DV, but there is a slight difference in
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book composition frame size. To use square-pixel footage when outputting to D1 or DV PAL: Prepare square-pixel footage that fills the entire frame using one of the following methods : If our final output is DV, we create and save it at a 720 x 576 frame size. If our final output is D1, we create and save it at a 720 x 576 frame size. Import the file into After Effects. Select Composition > New Composition, and then select one of the following: If our final output is DV, we select PAL DV, 720 x 576 from Preset drop down menu for Frame Size and D1/DV PAL from Pixel Aspect Ratio drop down menu. If our final output is D1, we select PAL D1, 720 x 578 from Preset drop down menu for Frame Size and D1/DV PAL from Pixel Aspect Ratio drop down menu. Select the other composition settings as desired, and click OK. Add our footage to the new composition. Select the layer containing the square-pixel footage and apply the Shrink to Fit command: press Ctrl Alt +F Since we have learnt layer containing the square-pixel footage and apply the Shrink to fit command: press right option. A. Frame Rate: Specify a Frame Rate in frames per second. The composition frame rate determines the number of frames displayed per second. B. Resolution: As we know that resolution determines the dimensions of the image in pixels, which affects the image quality of the rendered composition, setting a low resolution significantly increases frame-rendering speed and decreases the amount of memory required to render. C. Time code or Start Frame: Specify the Start Time code or Start Frame to determine the time value that will be displayed for the first frame of the composition. Page32
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book D. Duration: The duration is the overall length of the composition. We set the duration by typing values in the Duration box in the Composition Settings dialog box. Advanced Composition Settings A) Anchor: We use the Anchor control to anchor the layers to a corner or edge of the composition as it is resized. B) Nesting option: In the Advanced panel if the Preserve Resolution When Nested option is selected, the nested composition (Composition within the composition) retains its resolution setting. When we select the Preserve Frame Rate When Nested option, it locks a composition to a specific frame rate, which should improve performance in many cases as well as eliminate the need to use Posterize. C) The rendering plug-in: WE can use the advanced panel of the Composition Settings dialog box to specify other rendering plugins for rendering 3D compositions as they get available.
Timeline Window
After understanding composition settings in details it is important to know the Timeline controls. In the previous session we had an overview of timeline window. We have seen how to open a layer window with help of Timeline window. Let us now study the other details of Timeline window. Default Controls and Panels By default, the Timeline window contains a number of panels and controls. Optional panels are also available in timeline window. A. Composition tab: Used to closed or move the window. Click a tab to display its composition in the current window. Drag a tab to move its composition to another window or to put it in a new window. B. Current Time: Displays the current time in the project. Click to open the Go to Time dialog Box. C. Audio/Video Features panel: Contains switches for enabling and disabling audio and video. This panel also includes a lock
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book switch for locking layers and a solo switch for displaying only one layer. D. Layer Outline: Includes a label, a number (assigned by After Effects 5.0), and a source name for each layer. Clicking the triangle to the left of a layer lets us examine and set properties for the masks, effects and transform functions. E. Switches panel button: Displays or hides the Switches panel. F. Switches panel: Contains options for controlling a number of displays and performance features for a layer. G. Time graph: Visually represents the values of the In/Out panel and displays the position of the key frames and timeline for each layer. H. Comp Family Button: Open the corresponding composition window. Optional Panels We can display or hide several optional panels in the Timeline window. To display or hide optional panels: OR Click on the Context menu of the Timeline window. Right-click (Windows) or Control + click (Mac Os) a Timeline window panel heading.
Then select the panel we want to display or hide in the Panels submenu.
A. Comment panel: Type comments for the layer. B. Modes panel: Specifies layer modes and track mattes. C. Parent panel: Specifies a parent layer. D. Keys panel: Move the key frame navigator control closer to the time graph.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book E. In panel: View or change the in point of a layer. We can also display or hide this panel by clicking the Optional panel button () in the lower left corner of the time graph. F. Out panel: View or change the Out point of a layer. G. Duration panel: View or change the duration of a layer. H. Stretch panel: Time-stretch layer. I. Optional panel button: Displays or hides the In, Out, Duration and Stretch panels. Time Graph This section of the Timeline window contains a time ruler, markers to indicate specific times and current work area, and duration bars for the layers in our composition. Use this graph to adjust the range of time shown in the Timeline window. For ease, we can view and move the current-time maker in both the navigator view and the time ruler. The navigator view shows the complete duration of a composition. When we observe the duration of the entire compositions, it is difficult to focus on a particular part. We can magnify a portion of the time graph so as to work on only the portion we need. The time graph also contains control for adjusting time for layers and controlling motion and change over time. A. Time graph: Used to view layer durations, a time markers and key frames. B. Viewing-area marker: Indicates the area displayed in detail in the time graph. These markers are part of the navigator view, described below. C. Navigator View: Uses smaller version of the work-area markers and current-time marker to show their relationship to the entire in the navigator view show our view and the location of the current-time marker in the context of the full duration of the composition. D. Work-Area Markers: Indicates an area of the composition for rendering or previewing. To render only part of the composition,
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book drag the work-area marker to specify the part of the composition to render. E. Time Ruler: Indicates the part of the composition duration currently displayed in the time graph. F. Window Menu Button: Display the Timeline window menu, which includes functions affecting layers and key frames, as well as providing access to the Composition Settings dialog box. G. Composition-Time Marker: Used to add markers to the time ruler. Drag the marker to a point on the time ruler. Drag it back to remove it. H. Comp Family Button: Click to open the active Timeline windows associated Composition window.
Summary
There are many ways by which we can import files into a project. When we import an Illustrator or EPS file, After Effects coverts the path-based art into pixel-based art using a process called rasterization. When we rasterize the file continuously, After Effects recalculates the files resolution inside the project whenever we preview or render, so it display at full resolution regardless of size. Cineon files are commonly used to transfer motion-picture film to a digital format. We can then use the Cineon Import Options dialog box or the Cineon Converter effect to control the conversion. Analog refers to non-digital continuous waveform signal, which may contain an infinite number of points along a frequency range. Digital video virtually eliminates generation loss, as every digital copy is theoretically an exact duplicate of the original allowing multi-generational copies to be made without degradation.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In PAL format with interlaced scanning, what we are actually seeing, instead of 25 true frames per second, is 50 pictures (or field) per second, each containing half of the images information. It is important to remove 3:2 pull down from video footage that was originally film, so that the effects we add in After Effects synchronize perfectly with the original frame rate of film. We can replace one footage item with another at any time while working on a project. This can be useful if we receive a new version of a source file used in our project, and we want to replace the original footage with the new version. When we create a new composition without changing setting dialog box, the new composition uses the same settings as the previous composition.
Session 3
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Introduction
After effects has been around longer than almost any other desktop compositing system, and its in the hands of some very serious users at the top effects houses. They are matched on the adobe side by a terrific team of highly attentive engineers. Every release means that there are lots of smaller interface and workflow enhancements. Because of its tight integration with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, AE remains the single best motion-graphic product for individuals and boutique design studios. It is a solid choice for visual-effects houses and has a presence at practically every major studio on the West Coast. Producers will find that qualified After Effects artists outnumber any other comparable products user base by a factor of perhaps 15 to one. At any price. After Effects is an excellent professional solution. In its price range, it remains the finest compositing and broadcast-design product available. In the previous session we got to know the different types of file formats that can be imported in After Effects. After that we understood 3-2 pulldown ration, basic and advanced composition settings and timeline controls. In the session we will see how to manage layers and how to edit them with markers. After that we will start with animating the layers. Finally we will understand how to preview the animation that we have created. Layers Once we add footage to a composition, it becomes a layer. Layers get arranged with the top-most item in the Timeline window being the forward-most layer in the Composition window. We can use as many layers as necessary to create a composition. When we modify a layer, we do not affect the original source footage. When we view a composition or render it into a movie, After Effects Page38
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book reads footage from its original files on dick and combines our changes with it, generating new frames while leaving the original footage intact. We can easily transform layered Photoshop images into animations, or import files as compositions one at a time or in batches. After Effects preserves layers, common layer effects, adjustment layers, alpha channels, transfer modes, vector masks and more. We can also use Photoshop or Illustrator paths as mask or motion points, apply visual effects to them and animate these layers over time. Working with Illustrator, we can resize layers to any resolution without losing detail, animate those layers, copy paths and paste them in After Effects as masks or motion points, or continuously rasterize layers in both 2D and 3D. Layer intersections, including appropriate transfer functions, are now supported, all beautifully anti-aliased. Layers placed at intersecting angles can pass through other layers, allowing for complex imitation of true 3D sets and environments, including proper rendering of depth of field. Various ways of creating layers a) We can create a new layer by dragging the footage files in Composition or Timeline window. b) When we add a composition to another composition, it creates a new layer in a process called nesting. c) We can create solid layers of any color or size (up to 32,000 x 32,000 pixels) using After Effects. They are used to color a background or create simple graphic images. d) Light and camera layers create interesting effects for the 3D layers in a composition. e) We can create an adjustment layer. Since adjustment layer effects apply to all layers beneath them, they are useful for applying effects to many layers at once. f) We can create a new layer by duplicating the existing layers.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book g) When we split a layer we create two separate layers from one layer. Splitting is useful when we want a layer to change places in th stacking order in the middle of a composition which allows for an object to appear to both go first behind an object and then in front of it. Another important use is to same time in rendering. Showing and Hiding layers in the composition window
We can use the video switch to exclude or include layers from appearing in the Composition window. The Video switch is on by default, so the layer displays in the Composition window. When we want to speed up redraw or exclude a layer from appearing in both the preview and the rendered version, turn off the video switch. To show or hide a layer in the Composition window: Do either of the following To show or hide a layer, click the Video () switch for that layer in the Timeline window. Or Select a layer, select Layer> Switches, and make sure that the Video command is selected (to display the layer) or deselected (to hide the layer) Showing and hiding layers in the Timeline window Shy Layers that are set to be shy can be hidden from display in the timeline window, though they will still render and behave normally otherwise. To mark a layer shy Select the layer in the Timeline window, and select Layer Switches>
Shy to apply or undo shy status for that layer.
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Soloing a layer We can isolate one or more layers for animating, previewing or rendering by soloing. Soloing excludes all other layers of the same type from appearing in the Composition window. Soloing is useful for speeding up redraw and rendering. To isolate a layer: 1. In the Timeline window, we select the layers we want to isolate. 2. Select Layer> Switches> Solo to add a checkmark next to the Solo command. 3. The Solo icon () appears in the switches panel to the left of the layer names in the Timeline window. We can also click this icon to toggle soloing off and on for a layer. Switches/ Modes Panel By default, the layer Switches panel shares space in the Timeline window with the Transfer Modes panel so one or the other is visible but not both. We can toggle between the two panels or show both panels simultaneously. To Toggle between the layer Switches panel and the transfer Modes panel: Click Switches/Modes at the bottom of the panel in the Timeline Window. Types of Modes/Switches a) Collapsing transformation properties The Collapse Transformation/ Continuously Rasterize layer switch () in the Timeline window affects nested compositions and Adobe Illustrator files. When the layer
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source is an Adobe Illustrator file, this switch acts the Continuously Rasterize switch. b) Frame Blending When we change the speed of original footage to a slower frame rate or to a rate lower than that of its composition, movement can appear jerky. Frame blending combines the remaining original frames to create smoother fast motion. Frame blending slows previewing and rendering. To speed things up, we can apply frame blending without using it to redraw or render. c) Using three dimensions We use the 3D switch () to turn a layer into a 3D item that we can manipulate. The other details will be covered in later sessions. d) Motion blur The faster the object moves, the more it blurs; a cameras shutter angle also affects the appearance of the blur. Without motion blur, layer animation produces a strobe-like effect of distant steps instead of an appearance of continuous change. Turning on this switch () for layer animated by After Effects 6.0 will render them with a natural, film-like motion blur. Trimming the Timeline Window We can drag the triangles at the ends of each layer to trim out unwanted frames. The layer bar becomes empty to denote the frames that have been trimmed. We can trim by changing the In and Out points in the Layer window or the Timeline window, depending on what we want to change.
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Removing a section of a layer Remove a portion from the middle of one or more layers from the Timeline using the following two methods: Lifting removes a section from the layers and .leaves a gap of the same duration as the section we remove. Extracting removes a section from the layers and closes the resulting gap by ripple deletion. To remove a section and leave a gap in time (lift): 1. In the Timeline window, we adjust the work area to include only the portion of the layer or layers that we want to remove: Move the time marker to the time at which we want the work area to begin and press B on our keyboard. Move the time marker to the point where we want the work area to end, and press N. 2. Turn on the lock switch () for any layers we do not want affected by the extraction. 3. Select Edit > Lift Work Area to remove the section from all unlocked layers. This producer affects only the selected layers. To remove a section and close the resulting gap (extracting): 1. Follow steps of the proceeding for lifting (above) 2. Then select Edit> Extracting Work Area.
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Trimming in Layer Window:
After learning trimming in the timeline window let us understand, how to trim a layer in the layer window. This method of trimming requires that we double-click the movie to open it in the Layer Window. To trim in the layer window: 1. Move the current-time marker in the Layer window to the time at which we want the footage to begin or end. 2. Click the in () or out () button to set the in or Out point. Audio layers We can also add audio layers in After Effects. For advanced audiolinear editing packages but we must know that audio capabilities of After Effects are also quite handy. We can animate audio when synchronizing speech to a character or keeping the time with music. After Effects also displays a Volume (VU) meter that actively displays audio levels during playback. To view the VU meter and levels control in more details, increase the height of the Audio palette.
To preview audio 1. In the composition window or Timeline window, we move the current-time marker to the time where we want to preview to begin. 2. Selection Composition >? Preview> Audio Preview (Here Forward) or pres the Period Key (.) on the numeric keypad. Previewing Animation After Effects provides five options for previewing animations: OpenGL interactive preview, RAM Preview, Standard preview, manual preview and wire frame preview. OpenGL preview is the default preview option in we have the necessary OpenGL hardware installed. We can enable
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book and disable it as necessary by using the Dynamic Preview Button on the Composition window or by changing the OpenGL preference. We can access Ram, standard and manual previews using the Time Controls palette. After Effects also uses caching and dynamic resolution to facilitate quicker previews and Composition window updates whether we are using RAM Preview, using OpenGL interactive preview, advancing sequentially or non-sequentially through the frames, or dragging layers in the Composition window. Wire frame mode is also available to speed up composition window updates. Time Controls with RAM Preview The preview options represent different balances between preview quality and speed: A) Open GL interactive preview: This option plats a preview of the frames by using installed OpenGL hardware. During OpenGL preview, memory is supplied by the OpenGL hardware and frames are only displayed onscreen rather than being cached, so the quality is high and the speed is exceptionally fast. Use OpenGL preview to interactively preview footage in the Timeline window by dragging underlined values scrubbing the timeline or dragging footage in the Composition window. This option is invaluable for client demonstrations when we want to show our work in a fluid manner without waiting for After Effects to render each change. B) RAM Preview: Use Ram preview to preview the footage in the Timeline. Layer or Footage; windows. The number of frames previewed depends on the amount of available contiguous RAM allocated to the application. We have two choices of RAM preview settings:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book RAM Preview Shift + RAM Preview Before we preview the Timeline, We must check which frames are designated as the work area. Before we preview the Layer or Footage windows, we must check to see that the footage we want to preview has not been trimmed. Standard preview; this option provides a preview of all frames in out composition. When we use this option, After Effects displays every frame as quickly as it can use the current settings of the layer switches, composition switches and composition resolution. This preview generally plays slower than real time. Manual Preview: Using the shuttle control, the jog control and the current time indicator, we can manually navigate through a composition, layer or footage file. The current indicator shows the position of a frame relative to the beginning and end of a composition, layer or footage file. Because position of a frame relative to the beginning and end of a composition, layer or footage file. Because the current time indicator travels only a fixed distance in the Time Controls palette, it is less precise with long compositions. Wireframe Preview: this option displays a preview of the frames for all layers in our active workspace. Each layer is represented by a rectangle or, if a still-image layer has a mask or an alpha channel create in another program, by the outline of the mask or alpha channel. To Access Wireframe preview Select Composition> Preview> Wireframe Preview Preview Motion with Trails: This option also displays a preview of the frame for all layers in our active workspace. We can see a trail of wire frame images in wire frame when we see this preview. With this we can see a precise position of each frame while we preview the animation.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Keyframes A keyframe is the Timeline specifies a value for a property at a specific time. A keyframe animation requires the use of at least two Keyframes. In After Effects one of the main tools used to create and control animation is the keyframe. The term keyframe comes from traditional cel animation: the world of Mickey Mouse and bugs Bunny. In the cel animation world animator complete the drawings in which the most important part of the action occurs. These are the key drawings (or in After Effects terms, the keyframes). The keyframes must have different values specified for the same property, and they must be placed at different points in time. After Effects allow us to animate something frame by frames so that we can directly control every frame (all of the in-betweens). However, most of the time, its worth taking advantage of After Effects interpolation, which will handle all the in-betweens for us. This leaves us free to concentrate on the keyframes. Keyframes Icons When we set a keyframe, it appears in a diamond shape. It is called a keyframe icon. When there is only one icon for a property , the icon will be dark gray color but if there are many keyframes then the first and last icon will be half dark and half-light. All the in-between frames will be in a light gray color. A way to modify a key frame is to double click the diamond shape icon to bring up a dialog box for the keyframe. Moving and deleting Keyframes We can change the keyframe position by dragging it from one side to another. If we want to move a keyframe at a precise point then move the time maker at that time then drag the keyframe at it by holding shift key.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book We can delete the key by selecting it and pressing delete key. If we want to remove all the keyframes simultaneously, click on the active stopwatch to deactivate it. This will remove all the keyframes from the property. Motion Path When we create an animation in After Effects, it displays the layers motion path in the comp window. We can make changes in this path in two ways. We can either select the keyframe in a comp window or we can change the property value in the timeline window Switches/ Modes panel. The X marker denotes the 01keyframes of the animation, and the dots are the dotted line represents the positions for the layer at each frame in the timeline. Motion Sketch Palette We can actually draw a motion path with our mouse in After Effects by using motion sketch palette. To begin with let us understand the features of Motion Sketch palette. By default the capture speed is set to 100%. This speed defines how quickly After Effects will play back our motion sketch relative to the speed at which we draw the path. Show wireframe option shows the bounding box around the footage that we start to capture. Keep Background option should be checked if we want the below layer to be visible while we capture the path. Smoothing a Motion When we work with Motion Sketch palette we normally get many keyframes, which are accessed in the animation. Even if we reduce the keyframes randomly, the animation appears to be jerky. In this case the Smoother comes in handy. It gets rid of unnecessary keyframes and smoothes out the overall motion path of our layer as much or as little was we specify. While working with this palette we can use a trial Page48
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book and error approach by relying on undoes if we are not satisfied with smooth results. Understanding Parent Layers We have the opportunity to apply one layers transform properties to another layer using the Parenting feature. Parenting can affect all transform properties except optically. There can be only one parent but the transforming can be relayed to many child layers (2D and 3D) in the same composition. This is a very handy tool for creating complicated animations. If we want a childs layer properties to change in reference to the parent layer, we would use the Jump option to achieve this effect. We can also have the Parent layer remain invisible while active by using the Null object. Using Pick Whip tool This is another simple method to create a parent and child relationship in After Effects. Once a layer is made a parent to another layer, the other layer is called the child layer. Creating a parenting relationship between layers synchronizes the changes in the parent layer with the corresponding transformation values of the child layers. Using the Pick Whip tool to create a simple Expression for a layer makes working with multiple layers a snap. With a composition of five 3D layers, we could easily have to set 15 separate Keyframes at the beginning and 1`5 at the end (25 totals) to make our layers stay in sync. But if we use the Pick Whip and parent the layers, AE does the work for us. Theres nothing magical about the Pick Whip. Its really no much more than a typing assistant automatically typing the proper name for whatever item we drag it to. We could not type these names ourselves, with just as good results. We should also feel free to edit the text created by the whip to create just part of a more complex expression. Using Null Objects
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book If we want to assign a parent layer but do not want that layer to be a visible element in our project, we use a null object. A null object is an invisible layer that has all the properties of a visible layer, except opacity, so that it can be a parent to any layer in the composition. We adjust and animate a null object as we would any other Effects are not visible on null objects. A composition can contain any number of null objects. A null object is visible only in the Composition and Layer windows and appears in the Composition window as a rectangular outline with layer handles. Summary When we modify a layer, we do not affect the original source footage. When we view a composition or render it into a movie, After Effects reads footage from its original footage intact. Shy Layers that are set to be shy can be hidden from display in the timeline window, though they will still render and behave normally otherwise. Frame blending combines the remaining original frames to create smoother fast motion. We can drag the triangles at the ends of each layer two keyframes. In After Effects one of the main tools used to create and control animation is the keyframe. Parenting let us establish hierarchical relationships without precomposing. In a parent-child relationship, any transformations applied to the parent immediately cascade to the child; changes to the child do not flow upstream to the parent, however.
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Session 4
Introduction
After Effects is used by animators from small studios in small production houses to major studios across the globe. It is used to create not only animated shots and motion graphics, but also special effects for film and Video. As we have learnt in the previous session that to animate effectively in AE, we need to understand keyframes. A keyframes represents a change in the value of a property at a point in time. The distance between two keyframes is called an in-between. The term comes from traditional animation, in which master animators would draw only key images, while junior artists would draw the inbetweens. In AE, the computer fills in the information between the keyframes.
The area between keyframes is known as an in-between, and its rate of change is determined by the value and type of the keyframes on either side of it. There are three basic types: linear, Bezier and hold. Bezier keyframes come in three varieties: Bezier, unto Bezier and continuous Bezier. There are many types of software, which do 2D animations in vector graphics. They are smaller and faster and also allow importing movie files. So the question arises why to use raster animation when we have vector animation packages? The problem with vector animation is that it doesnt handle organic forms very well. In the vector world, objects must be mathematically or numerically definable. If we want to render something thats complex, like our face morphing into Shahrukh Khans then vector animation is of no help. We need the details that only raster animation can provide.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book After Effects is designed around a layer based timeline (as opposed to the track-based timeline found in editing programs), which means that it treats each clip or piece of artwork as a separate object that exists in its own layer, with its own set of properties.
Interpolation
The concept of interpolation is simple. If we move an object from one place to another in After Effects, we tell it where the object is going and where its coming from. After Effects does the rest by interpolating between the two positional keyframes. In other words, we dont have to build every frame from scratch. After Effects handles all the frames of an animation. We specify where the keyframes go, and it deals with the rest of the details rather elegantly. In essence, we get to do more creative work while our processor, in concern with After Effects, gets to do the heavy lifting. Plenty of other animation programs have one tweening features or another, but After Effects allows us to meticulously control all aspects of interpolation without the software being overlay difficult. After Effects simplifies animation techniques with the help of initiative visual aids. We can pit together simple animations in no time at all. Types of Interpolation A) Spatial Interpolation: This animation path created in Composition window can be manipulated using Bezier handles, which create different types of keyframes. This is called spatial interpolation or how the layer interpolates between keyframes in space. Only properties that have values, which contain X and Y-axes (Horizontal and vertical direction respectively) have a spatial component. The different keyframes on the motion path provides information about the type of interpolation at any point in time.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Linear Spatial Interpolation: As the name suggests, if we apply linear spatial interpolation to all keyframes of a motion path. After Effects creates a straight line between each keyframes. At each linear Key Frames where a change of direction occurs, the motion path forms a corner. Auto Bezier Interpolation: This is the default keyframe type in after effects. It creates a smooth angle into and out of a keyframe, with no hard angles or sudden changes in direction. If we adjust an Auto Bezier direction handle manually, we convert it to a Continuous Bezier keyframe. Continuous Bezier Interpolation: Like auto Bezier
interpolation, Continuous Bezier interpolation creates a smooth rate of change through a keyframe. the only difference here is that we set the positions of Continuous Bezier direction handles manually. Bezier Temporal Interpolation: Unlike Auto Bezier or Continuous Bezier, in this type the two direction handles on a Bezier Keyframe operate independently in both the Value graph and motion path. As the two Bezier direction handles operate independently, a uses the Control Key to break the handles. The regular arrow toggles temporarily to the Convert control point tool (). Now we can drag each handle independently of the other. Hold Interpolation: This type is used when we want layers to appear or disappear suddenly. Even though Hold interpolation is available only as a temporal interpolation method, the keyframes on the motion path are visible, but they are not connected by layer position dots. Hold Interpolation
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book B) Temporal Interpolation: Once we have created a motion path, we control the speed of the object as it travels along this path using curves in the Timeline window. This is referred to as temporal interpolation, or how the layer interpolates between keyframes over time. Types of Keyframes These are the types of keyframes available to us in after effects for animation. Each temporal interpolation method appears as a specific icon, so we can immediately see what kind of interpolation is applied to a key frame. Value Graph The Value graph offers complete information about value and control of the value at any point in time in a composition. The Timeline window also gives information about the speed along a motion path in the Speed or velocity graph.
The speed Graph: It provides complete information about the control of the value and rate of change for all spatial values (such as Position) at any frame in a composition. In the Timeline windows speed graph, change in the graph height indicates changes in speed. Level value indicates constant speed; higher values indicate increased speed.
The Velocity graph: It provides complete information about the control of the value and rate of change for all non-spatial values (such as Opacity) at any frame in a composition.
Adding Keyframes to a Value Graph With pen tools we can change temporal properties in the Value graph or a motion path. Editing with the pen tool is similar to modifying a
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book path in a drawing application such as Adobe Illustrator. Here also we can add, delete or edit keyframes with the help of pen tool. Important Factors Related to Value or speed Over Time There are a few factors that play an important part in the speed of the animation. A) Time Difference: The shorter the time interval between keyframes, the faster the layer has to change before reaching the next keyframes value. If the interval is longer, the layer moves slowly, since it must make the change over a longer period of time. B) Value Difference: A greater difference between keyframes values, such as the difference between 75% and 20% opacity, creates a faster rate of change than a lesser difference, such as the difference between 30% and 20% opacity. C) Interpolation Type: The speed depends on the type of interpolation applied to a keyframe as well. For instance, if the interpolation is set to linear interpolation it is difficult to make a value change smoothly through a keyframe compared to Bezier interpolation.
Fine-Tuning Speed
By adjusting the rise and fall of the graph, we can control how fast or slow a value changes from keyframe to keyframe. In the speed graph we can control the values approaching or leaving a keyframe together or separately. The incoming handle increases the effect of a keyframe value on the previous keyframe when we drag it to the left, and decreases the effect on the previous keyframe when we drag it to the right. To change the default graph area size: Select Edit> Preferences> Display
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book For Default Height of Timeline Graphs, specify the number of cells (one cell equals 14 pixels). Starting or stopping change Gradually Ease handles can create gradual starts and stops, such as a boat slowing to a stop and then starting again. When we use this technique, the speed or Velocity graph resembles a smooth U shape. To start or stop change gradually: In the Timeline window expand the outline for the keyframe we want to adjust. Then click the triangle to the left of the property to display the Speed graph or the Velocity graph. At the desired keyframe, drag the ease handle down until it is near the bottom of the graph as seen in fig. Starting or stopping change gradually Changing Speed Numerically We may want to specify speed more precisely than we can by dragging ease handles. In such eases, specify speed numerically in the keyframes Velocity dialog box as seen in Fig. The exact options available in the dialog box vary, depending on the layer property we are editing, and may also vary for plug0-in effects. To specify speed numerically: View the Speed graph for the keyframe we want to adjust. Select the keyframe we want to edit.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Select Animation> Keyframe Velocity or press Shift + Ctrl + K (Window). Type values for incoming and Outgoing Velocity Speed. Type values for the following options, and then click OK. 1. Influence specifies the amount towards the previous keyframe (for incoming interpolation) or the next keyframe (for outgoing interpolation) in %. 2. Continuous creates a smooth transition by maintaining equal incoming and outgoing velocities.
Roving Keyframe Using the roving keyframe option in After Effects we can easily create smooth interchange across several keyframes at once. Roving frames that are not linked to a specific time; their speed and timing is determined by neighboring keyframes. Roving keyframes are available only for spatial layer properties.
To smooth motion over several keyframes: Set up the keyframe in the Timeline window, for the motion we want to smooth. Smooth the beginning and ending keyframes. Do one of the followings: 1. For every keyframe in the range (apart from the beginning and ending keyframes), de-select the roving keyframe option directly below the keyframe. ( 2. A square icon with cross sign inside) Or 3. Select the keyframes we want to rove. 4. Select Animation> Keyframe Interpolation. Then select Across Time from the Roving pop-up menu.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Easy Ease Keyframe Assistant We can prevent sudden changes in a propertys speed using the Easy Keyframe assistant although we can adjust the speed of keyframe by dragging ease handles; using Easy Ease automates the work. After we apply Easy Ease, each keyframe has a speed of 0 with an influence of 33.33% on either side. To ease speed: In the Timeline window, select a range of keyframes. Do one of the following: Select Animation> Keyframe Assistant. Easy Ease or press F9 1. Easy Ease in (to ease speed coming into selected keyframes) 2. Easy Ease Out (to ease speed coming out of selected keyframes)
Time-Stretching a Layer
Speeding up or slowing down a layer is also known as time stretching. With this command, we can easily change how fast or slow a layer containing either audio or video is played back. If we time-stretch a layer so that the resulting frame rate is significantly different from the original speed, the quality of motion within the layer may suffer. This command can be applied on a video layer, an audio layer or a layer that contains both video and audio. Key features of time stretching Any keyframe associated with the layer will also be stretched in proportion to the amount we stretch the clop. (More to the point, the interval between the keyframes will be stretched, rather than the keyframes themselves.) Stretching a clip copies or skips that clips frames depending on whether weve sped it up or slowed it down. This can sometimes produce less than perfect results. Page58
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book To time-stretch a layer from a specific time: In the Timeline or composition window, select the layer. Select Layer> Time Stretch. Type a new duration for the layer, or type a Stretch Factor.
To Time-stretch a layer but not its keyframes: When we time-stretch a layer, the positions of its keyframes stretch with it by default. We can circumvent this behavior by cutting and pasting keyframes. Make a note of the time at which the first keyframe appears. In the layer outline, click the name of one or more layer properties containing the keyframes we want to keep at the same times. Select Edit> Cut or press Ctrl + X. Move or stretch the layer to its new In and Out points. Move the current-time marker to the time at which the first keyframe appeared before we cut the keyframes. Select Edit> Paste or press Ctrl + V.
Time-Reverse
This assistant helps in rearranging the keyframes of an animation so that the animation plays in reverse direction. This is useful when we want to create an animation in one direction and then want to check
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book the reverse result of it if required. The advantage is that we dont have to create an extra keyframe for it or move the key frames manually.
Time-Remapping
We can easily expand, compress, play backwards or freeze a portion of a layers duration using a process known as time remapping. This command enables us to speed up, slow or stop a clip together by using keyframes. Here one thing we must remember is that this command does not affect existing animation keyframes like time stretching. We can apply time remapping to audio files as well. Time remapping in Layer Window The Layer window provides a visual reference of the frames we change, as well as the frame number. The window displays the currenttime maker and a remap-time marker, which we move to select the frame we want to play at the current time. To remap time in a Layer window: Double click on layer to open the Layer window. Select Layer> Enable Time Remapping. A second time ruler appears in the Layer window above the default time ruler and the navigator bar. On the lower time ruler, move the current time marker to the first frame where we want the change to occur. On the upper time ruler, the remap-time marker indicates the frame currently mapped to the time indicated on the lower time ruler. Move the current-time marker on the lower time ruler to the last frame where we want the change to occur.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Move the remap-time marker on the time ruler to the frame we want to display at the time indicated on the lower time-ruler. Time remapping in Timeline window The Timeline window provides an exact view of the changes we specify over time by marking our changes with keyframes and a graph similar to the one displayed for other layer properties. The speed at which the remapped video plays depends on the number of frames we are remapping and the amount of time allocated in the timeline for the changes. To remap time in the Timeline window: In a Composition window or Timeline window, select the layer to be remapped. Select Layer> Enable Time remapping Click the triangle to the left of the Time remap heading to display the time graph for time remapping. Move the current-time marker to the frame where the change should begin, and then click the keyframe check box. If we remap time and the resulting frame rate is significantly different from the original, the quality of motion within the layer may suffer.
Summary
There are three basic types of keyframes: linear, Bezier and hold, Bezier keyframes come in three varieties: Bezier, auto Bezier and continuous Bezier. After Effects is designed around a layer-based timeline (as opposed to the track-based timeline found in editing programs), which means that it treats each clip or piece of artwork as a separate object that exists in its own layer, with its own set of properties. Plenty of other animation programs have one Tweening feature or another, but After Effects allows us to meticulously control all aspects of interpolation without the software being overly difficult.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book The value graph offers complete information about value and control of the value at any point in time in a composition. By Adjusting the rise and fall of the graph, we can control how fast or slow a value changes from keyframe to keyframe. In the speed graph we can control the values approaching or leaving a keyframe together or separately. Although we can adjust the speed of a keyframe by dragging ease handles, using Easy Ease automates the work. If we time-stretch a layer so that the resulting frame rate is significantly different from the original speed, the quality of motion within the layer may suffer. Time-Reverse helps in rearranging the keyframes of an animation so that the animation plays in reverse direction. We can easily expand, compress, play backwards or freeze a portion of a layers duration using a process known as time remapping. Session 5
Introduction
An image (or layer) in a program such as After Effects could be made up of two to four channels, one of which is the alpha channel. The alpha channel is like a piece of glass over the image, letting the rest of its show through. Masks and mattes basically what parts of this glass will be transparent and which will be opaque. Masks define the areas of one layers alpha channel that will be transparent. If we painted over part of our television screams what we would see is like what shows through the transparent portion of the alpha channel. Mattes are similar to masks, but can be used to block off areas of another image in a layer behind the matte image. This is like placing a piece of cardboard in front of our television. We get the same affect as using a mask, but we havent actually affected the television by
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book painting the screen. The cardboard would also block or show anything else between it and the television, like our VCR or the remote control we cant find. With this cardboard matte, the opaque part of the alpha channel would be what cant see through (the cardboard) and the transparent part would be everything else we can see.
Transparency
Transparency, in general terms, means a see through area. Transparency is very useful to se through the image we are working with. For example, we have created a layer with a glass image in it. If we want to se other images through that glass then transparency is the best option. We can create transparency in several ways in After Effects. Methods of creating transparency A) Alpha Channel B) Masks C) Mattes D) Keying If the alpha channel of a layer doesnt meet our requirements, we can use my combination of masks, mattes, And keying. We can also combine layers to achieve visual effects, apply layer modes to control the intensity or transparency of colors or brightness values, and use a color channel in one layer to create an effect in another layer. With a combination of layers and layer masks, we can create an array of effects. Let us understand these different types of transparencies step by step.
Alpha Channel
The alpha channel in an image is the fourth channel of information that decides the transparency of every pixel built by the RGB color channels.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Video footage or an RGB image is made with Red, Green and Blue channels. An alpha channel is a fourth 8 or 16-bil channel, included in addition to the three-8 to 16-bit RGB images. 32-bit PICT, Tiff and Targa files support alpha channels in channel 4. A value of 0 (black in the alpha) means the pixel underneath is totally transparent, 255 (white in the alpha) means totally opaque. Values between these numbers are partially transparent i.e., if we put this image on top of another, we would see part of the image behind these pixels. The alpha channels are very rarely a combination of pure black and pure white. Mostly they contain various shades of gray included in them. Having gray values in the alpha channel serves another important purpose: to help smooth out diagonal edges. When a file contains an alpha channel, its image is defined as containing a total of 32 or 64 bits or using Millions of Colors + or Trillion of colors +. An Alpha channel has the same function as a key in analog video compositing or a matte in optical film compositing; it describes the areas of an image that are transparent. Interpreting Alpha Channels When we import any footage with alpha channel in After Effects we can translate the alpha channel is suitable form so that the footage looks as good as possible when imported in After Effects. The Interpret Footage dialog box helps us in deciding the type of interpretation we want to choose. When we import an image that contains an alpha channel into After Effects, it may be labeled or unlabeled. Some applications label their images when they render; after we import the image into After Effects it will display the alpha type at the top of the Project window. If the alpha is unlabeled, After Effect will normally present us with the Interpret Footage dialog asking how it should treat the alpha channel:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book should it interpret it as straight or Premultiplied with a color, or should it make its best Guess?
Ignore: If selected, this simply means that After Effects will disregard the alpha channel entirely.
Straight Unmatted: When we have grayscale values in the alpha channel, the question then becomes: What do we do with the color information associated with this edge? There are two possibilities: 1) Straight Alpha 2) Premultiplied Alpha. With Straight Unmatted type of alpha channel, theres no color smoothing at edges. Most alpha channels are straight. If a footage items alpha channel is misinterpreted and ignored, any transparency we intended will not exist in any composition in which we place the image.
Premultiplied Matted with color; This kind of alpha channel affects the edges of an image. The problem were most likely to experience is when premultiplied alpha channel is interpreted as straight, which can create an unsightly and undesirable halo around its edges. For example, if the object was against a black background, black would be mixed into the color channels in proportion to how transparent the alpha is. This is known as a premultiplied alpha channel, since black has already been factored multiplied into the color channels.
Guess: We might be inclined to hit the Guess button and hope for the best. If the image was rendered by another compositing or 3D application, chances are high that After Effects will guess correctly.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book After Effects works in straight alpha internally and has to Un-multiply the background out of any footage item that has a pre-multiplied alpha. Masks and mattes also work as straight alpha, cutting out an image.
Masks
Mask is a shape created with pen tool onto the image and acts like a cutout, making anything outside the shape transparent. Masks are animatable and After Effects allows up to 127 masks on each layer. With the mask cut out it becomes easier to create great compositi9ns using multiple or single slips. Mask paths & ready mask shapes We can create mask shapes with the pen tool (). These are called the Bezier masks. Apart from these we also have ready mask shaped like oval and rectangular. The rectangle and the oval shape tools have limitations of drawing the mask shapes because with these tools we cannot go beyond rectangular or oval shapes. Bezier masks are very powerful as we can create various kinds of shapes from simple to complex masks. The mask path can be closed or open. Closed-path masks can create transparent areas for a layer. Open paths cannot create transparent areas for a layer, but are useful when used as a parameter for an effect. All these mask shapes are available in tool palette. We can create masks in Comp as well as Layer window. Once the mask is created, its properties are visible in Timeline window below the mask name. Importing Masks and Animating Them We can import paths from Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop and use them in After Effects layers. Using the special path-editing tools available in these applications, we can create a wider variety of shapes for our After Effects masks. Let us see a simple example of how to animate a mask in After Effects. Page66
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In this we will require two files: one for background & the second for mask animation. 1. Import any file as a background from Photoshop & import Illustrator file, which has revealing word, types. 2. Drag and drop first background footage in the timeline window and then the revealing text file. 3. Keep the Quality switch on so that our text will appear antaliased. 4. Open the layer window for the revealing text. 5. Use the rectangle tool from the toolbox and draw a mask that comfortably encloses the entire word. 6. In the timeline window, move the time marker to a point at 03:00 seconds where we want the word to be entirely revealed. 7. Select the layer, twirl down its mask property (or hit M on the keyboard), and click on the stopwatch icon to the left of Mask Shape. This will set a keyframe for the word to be entirely revealed. 8. Move the time marker back to 00:00. Look at the layer window and note how the mask is drawn differently (larger spaced dotted line rather than solid line). 9. Set the mask into free transform mode by double-clicking on it in the layer window. 10. Hold the right edge of the mask and slide it to the left until it is past the beginning of the first character. Note that the keyframe is set for us in the timeline window at 00:00. 11. Hit the spacebar to preview the animation, which we created just with two key frames. We will see other preview options as we proceed further.
Mattes
All images imported in After Effects do not have transparencies or necessarily the ones we want to use. Therefore, we need to borrow another image to create those transparencies. This second image is
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book called a matte. A matte can be anything from a grayscale still image, another movie, to an animated graphic such as text. Track mattes are similar to track Matters in premiere and Clipping Groups in Photoshop. Control over Track Mattes is found in transfer Controls, Which can be found under the Switches pop-up in the Timeline window. Clicking on the gray box next to switches is the fast way to get to the transfer Controls. A tack matte can only be borrowed from the layer directly above the layer that pulls the matte. Creating Track Mattes and traveling Mattes When we want one layer to show through a hole in another layer, we create a track matte. We will need two layers one to act as a matte, and another to fill the hole in the matte. We can animate either the track matte layer or the fill layer. When we animate the track matte layer, we create a traveling matte. Essentials of Creating a Track Matte The matte layer must be placed directly on top of the movie layer. The track matte popup must be set for the movie layer, not the matte layer. The matte layer visibility should remain off.
To create a track Matte: Click the Switches/ Modes button at the bottom of the Timeline window. The Transfer Modes panel appears in place of a Layer Features panel. The transfer modes panel and the switches panel can also be shown simultaneously. Arrange two layers in the Timeline window. Make sure that the designated matte layer is directly above the designate fill layer.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book From the Track Matte menu for the fill layer, define transparency in the next layer above by choosing one of the following: 1. With no Track Matte, no transparency is created: next layer above acts as a normal layer. 2. With Alpha Matte Opaque when alpha channel pixel value is 100% 3. With Alpha Inverted Mate Opaque when alpha channel pixel value is 0%. 4. With Luma Matte Opaque when a pixels luminance value is 100%. 5. With Luma Inverted Matte Opaque when a pixels luminance value is 0%.
Using Layer Modes

When we apply a transfer mode to a layer, it affects all the layers beneath it. There are many transfer modes available in After Effects. Depending on the option that we choose, the top layer pixels blend with the layer pixels below it. The software calculates the amount of blending with a mathematical formula. Rather that doing just trial and error to get the desired output, we must understand each layer mode and the kind of result it will produce. So let us learn some of these modes in this section.
Add: Add the layers color values to those of the layer beneath it. The resulting color is lighter than the original. This is a good to combine non-overlapping images in two layers. 100% black in a layer does not change the underlying color and also 100% white in the underlying color is never changed. Multiply: It multiplies the two pixel color values and then divides the product by the white color value. The resulting color is never brighter than the original. Screen: It is opposite of multiply. It always results in a brighter image. The resulting color is always lighter than the original.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Overlay: In this mode while blending the colors between two images, it affects both the images simultaneously. It lightens the areas of the top image that are above 50% luminance and at the same time darkness the areas of the top images that are below 50% luminance. Soft Light: It is subtler version of Overlay. Lighter areas on the top result in lighter result where as darker areas on top result in darker result. Hard light: Hard Light is harsh and tends towards over saturation when mixing colors. This option is useful for creating he appearance of shadows on a layer. Linear Burn: Similar to the multiply layer mode, except that the output blend is darker. Linear Dodge: Similar to the Add layer mode. Linear light: Similar to the Add layer mode, except that the output colors are intensified. Vivid Light: A combination of the Color Dodge and Color Burn layer modes. Pin light: A combination of the Lighten and darken layer modes. Color Dodge and Color Burn: With color dodge any black areas in the top layer appear to become transparent. Color burn gives exactly opposite results. With this the white areas of the top layer appear to be transparent. Darken and Lighten: With Darken transfer mode top and bottom layers are compared for the darker values. The darker areas between two red values, two green values and two blue values are displayed. With lighten its just the opposite. The lighter values between the two layers are displayed.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Difference and Exclusion: Difference subtracts the channel values of the layer and underlying colors and displays the absolute value of the result. It always comes up with unusual results. Exclusion creates an effect similar to Difference mode but lower in contrast. Blending with white inverts the base color values. Blending with black produces no change. Hue, Saturation, Color and Luminosity: Instead of being based on RGB color values, these four modes work with hue, saturation and luminance values. Hue creates and combines colors with the luminance and saturation of the underlying and hue of the underlying colors and the saturation creates colors combining the luminance and hue of the underlying colors and the saturation of the layer colors. Color creates colors with the luminance of the underlying colors and the hue and saturation of the layer colors. This maintains the gray levels in the image. Luminosity creates resulting colors with the hue and saturation of the underlying colors and the luminance of the layer colors. This option is the inverse of the Color option. Alpha Add: this mode takes visible edges of separate alpha channels within a composite and makes them seamless. The stencil and Silhouette layer: Stencil modes are like track mattes in some ways but the biggest difference is that while a track matte can only display one layer through the matte, a stencil transfer mode can display all the layers those are visible underneath it. Stencil mode Cuts through all layers, so we can show multiple layers through the frame of the stencil layers alpha channel. Silhouette mode Blocks out all the layers below it, so we can cut a hole through several layers at once. If we want to use layers luminance as a stencil, select the Stencil Luma mode for the layer that we want to act as a stencil.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Lumiscent premul: When slips are added to the composition, this blend mode avoids clipping of color values that exceed the alpha channel value. It is useful for compositing rendered lens or light effects from footage with premultiplied alpha channels.
Summary:
There are three basic types of keyframes: Linear, Bezier and hold. Bezier keyframes come in three varieties: Bezier, auto Bezier and continuous Bezier. Masks define the areas of one layers alpha channel that will be transparent. If we painted a part of our television screen, we would see through the transparent port portion of the alpha channels We can create transparency in several ways in After Effects:
A. Alpha channel B. Masks C. Mates D. Keying An Alpha channel has the same function as a key in analog video compositing or a matte in optical film compositing,. It describes the areas of an image that are t4ansparent. After Effects will normally present us with the Interpret Footage dialog asking how it should treat the alpha channel. Masks are animatable and After Effects allows up to 127 masks on each layer. A matte can be anything from a grayscale still image, another movie, to an animated graphic such as text. When we animate the track layer, we create a traveling matte.
Session 6
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Introduction
In this session we will lean about the new compositing tools that are included in the After Effects version 6.0. These include Brush tool, Clone stamp tool, Eraser tool and the text tool. We will also learn how to use these tools for eh advanced compositing and visual effects and the various parameters that can be used along. The usage of these tools and their parameters depend on the kind of footage that we are working on and the effects required. These things are to be taken care of while shooting and during production so that the compositing is successfully done in post production. As we go ahead in this session we will see how to use these new features are and how we can use their various parameters in combination with other effects.
Brush Tool
After Effects provides the brush tool to let us paint on a layer with the current foreground color. We can paint on individual frames or paint stroke that animate automatically over a range of frames. By default, the brush tool creates soft strokes of color. However, we can change these default characteristics by changing the tools brush options. We can also modify how the brush stroke interacts with the background color of the layer and with other brush strokes by specifying a blending mode. We can animate brush stroke characteristics over several frames or have After Effects interpolate one brush stroke shape. Using the brush tool: 1. Open a new project in After Effects and import any images or movie to work on. 2. Drag the footage on the timeline or in the compositing window. 3. Double-click the layer we want to paint on. 4. Select the brush tool () from the Tools palette. 5. Select the Auto Open Palettes option in the Tools palette to ensure that the Paint and Brush Tips pallets open each time we
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book select the paint tools. We can also click the palette icon () in the Tools palette to pen these palettes. 6. Next choose any of the following in the Paint palette options: Select a brush, and set brush tip options. Select a color by clicking the Foreground Color icon and specifying a color in the Color picker. Specify opacity and flow, blending mode, channel and duration. brush tool changes to a brush tip cursor in the Layer window. Each resulting stroke appears in the Timeline window as a separate item with properties that can be animated. 7. Position the brush tool over the layer and drag to paint. The
We can interleave paint strokes with other effects that are already applied to the layer. Click the view popup menu in the Layer window, and choose the view that we want to paint.
Rotoscoping with the brush tool Rotoscoping involved painting on individual frames over a series frames to create an animation or to remove unwanted details in our footage. Though rotoscoping is tedious, After Effects makes the process somewhat easier. Let us do an exercise on rotoscoping. 1. Create a new project as earlier and import a movie in the composite window. 2. Double-click the layer we want to paint. 3. Select the brush tool in the Tools palette. 4. In the Paint palette, choose Custom from the Duration pop-up menu, and specify the duration in frames. Select paint options as desired. 5. Paint on layer 6. We can also press Control + Page Down to advance the number of fames specified by the Custom duration setting. (To move back the same number of fames, press control + Page Up).
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 7. Repeat stems 4 and 5 as needed. Selecting Brushes Once we have selected a point tool, we can select brushed from the Brush Tips palette or the Paint palette. The brush Tips palette lets us select present brushes and design custom brushes, whereas the Paint palette simply provides preset brushes. Select window. Brush Tip to open the Brush Tips palette.
The brush tips pop-up menu in the Paint palette and the Brush Tips palette are two ways to select a brush. Selecting a preset brush: To select a preset brush we can use one of the following ways: In the Paint palette, drag the Brush Tips pop-up menu to select a brush tip. In the Brush Tips palette, scroll through the list of brushes, and select a brush. A preview of the brush appears in the preview area. Changing the Brush Tips palette displayed in preset brushes: Working with brushes is an important part of using the painting and editing tools. The brush we select determines many characteristics of the resulting stroke. After Effects 6.0 provides a variety of preset brushes to fill a wide range of uses.
We can choose the following options from the Brush Tips palette menu: Text only to view the brushes as a list. Small or large Thumbnail to view the brushes as thumbnails. Small thumbnail is the default. Small or large list to view the brushes as a list with thumbnails.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Customizing brush tips A brush stroke is made up of may individual brush tip marks. The brush tip that we select determines the shape, diameter and other characteristics of a brush mark. We can customize brush tips by changing the brush tip properties. Any changes we make to an existing brush tip can be saved as a new brush tip; the default set of brush remains unaltered. Setting brush tip shape options In the Brush tips palette, select the brush tip we want to customize and change the value for one or more of the following options: Diameter This is used to control the size of the bush. We can enter a value in pixels or drag a new value. We can also control-drag the brush in the Layer window to adjust diameter, release the key, and continue to drag to adjust hardness. Both the cursor and Brush tips palette update dynamically. Angle Specifies the angle by which an elliptical brushs long axis is rotated from horizontal. Here also we can either enter a value in degrees or drag a new value. Roundness Specifies the ratio between the brushs short and long axes. A value of 100% indicates a circular brush, a value of 0% indicates a linear brush, and intermediate values indicate elliptical brushes. Hardness Controls the brush strokes transition from 100% opaque at the center to 100% transparent at he edges. Even with high hardness settings,
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book only the center is fully opaque. Enter a percentage value or drag a new value. Spacing Controls the distance between the brush tip marks in a stroke. The value is a percentage of the brush diameter. When this option is deselected, the speed of the cursor determines the spacing. Creating and managing present brush tips We can customize an existing brush tip and save it as a present brush tip. We can also create custom brush tips, rename present brush tips and delete preset brush tips. To create a new preset brush tip: 1. In the Brush Tips palette, specify the required settings. 2. Choose new brush from the Brush Tips palette menu or click the New Brush Tim icon. 3. Type a name for the brush tip in the choose Name window, and click OK. To rename a preset brush tip: 1. In the brush Tip palette, select the brush tip we want to rename. 2. Choose Rename Brush from the palette menu. 3. Type a name for the brush tip in the Choose Name window, and clock OK. To delete a preset brush tip: 1. In the brush Tips palette, select the brush tip we want to delete. 2. Choose Delete Brush from the palette options menu, or click the Delete Brush icon. 3. Click yes to delete the brush tip. We can also create, rename and delete brush tips by rightclicking the brush tip. Page77
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book To return to the default library of preset brush tips: Choose Reset Brush Tips from the Brush Tips palette menu, and then click OK. To save the custom brushes we created, click append when the dialog box prompts us to replace current brush tips with the default brush tips.
Clone Stamp Tool

We can use the clone stamp tool to clone pixels and repair images in the layer window. The clone stamp tool samples the pixels on a source layer () before effects are applied) and then applies the sample to the same layer or a different layer in the same composition as the source layer. We can clone a single frame or apply clone strokes continuously over several frames. Each clone stroke paints on more of the sample. If we select Aligned in the Paint palette, we can release the mouse button without losing the current sampling point. As a result, the samples pixels are applied continuously to reproduce the entire samples area, no matter how many times we stop and resume painting. If we deselect Aligned, the sampled pixels are applied from the initial sampling point each we stop and resume painting. When selected, the lock source time option applies samples from a single frame to all subsequent frames with applied strokes. When this option is deselected, the clone tool continuously samples and applies strokes over all subsequent frames with a fixed duration (measured in seconds) between the two specified by the Clone Time Shift value in the Timeline window.
Using the clone stamp tool: 1. Create a new project as earlier and import a movie in the composite window. 2. Select the clone stamp tool from the Tools palette
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 3. Select a brush in ht Brush Tips palette, and set brush options. 4. Next day any of the following in the Paint palette: I. Specify opacity and flow, a blending mode or a channel II. Specify how we want to align the samples pixels. III. Sample a single frame or a range of frames 5. Move the current-time indicator in the layer window to the frame to which we want to apply the sample. Alt-click in the layer to set the sampling point. 6. Move the current-time indicator in the layer window to the frame to which we want to apply the sample. 7. To apply the sample to a different layer in the composition, double click the layer and made the current time indicator in the layer window to the desired frame. 8. Position the clone stamp tool over the layer in the layer window, and then drag to apply the sample. Each clone stroke includes properties that are unique to the clone stamp tool in addition to blending modes, stroke options, and transform properties. We can view these properties in the Stroke Options section in the Timeline window: Setting brush tip shape options Clone Source Specifies the samples layer. Clone Position Specifies the x, y location of the sample within the source layer. Clone time Specifies the time (measured in seconds) in the Composition window when we samples the source layer, as indicated by the current-time indicator. This property appears only when Lock to Source is selected. Clone Time shift
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Specifies the time (measured in seconds) in the Composition window when we samples the source layer, as indicated by the current-time indicator. This property appears only when lock to source is selected. Clone Time Shift Specifies the number of seconds between the sample and the clone stroke. This property appears only when lock to source is not selected. Selecting a brush color: The paint palette provides a foreground and Background color for our to use while painting. We can select from a range of colors or enter RGB values to create a new color. Switch the order of these colors by clicking the switch icon () or reset the colors to black and white by clicking the reset icon. To select a brush color: 1. In the Paint palette, click the Foreground or Background color selection box. 2. Do one of the following Select a color from the Basic Color area. Create a custom color by entering or dragging values for the Red, Green and Blue channels Selecting a blending mode: The blending mode specified in the Paint palette or in the Timeline window controls how pixels in the image are affected by the brush stroke. It is helpful to think in terms of the following colors when visualizing the result of a blending mode: The underlying color is the original color in the image. The blend color is the color being applied with the brush tool The result color is the resulting combination of the underlying and blend colors. To select a blending mode for the brush tool:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In the paint palette, choose a blending mode from the mode pop-up menu: Normal: Paints each pixel to make it the result color. This is the default mode. Dissolve: Paints each pixel to make it the result color. However, the result color is a random replacement of the pixel with the underlying color or the blend color, depending on ht opacity at any pixel location. Darken: Specifies an underlying or blend color whichever is darker as the result color. Pixels lighter than the blend colors are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color dont change. Multiply: Multiplies the underlying color by the blend color. The result color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged. When we paint a color other than black or white, successive strokes produce progressively darker colors. The result is similar to drawing on the image with multiple markers. Linear Burn: Darkens the underlying color i\to reflect the blend color by decreasing the brightness. Painting with white produces no change. Color Burn: Darkness the underlying color to reflect the blend color by increasing the contrast Painting with white produces no change. Add: Combines the color values of the underlying and blend colors produce the result color. The result color is lighter than the original colors. Painting with black produces no change. Paining any color onto an underlying color of white also produces no change.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Lighten: Selects the underlying or blend color whichever is lighter as the result color. Pixels darker than the blend color are replaced and pixels lighter than the blend color do not change. Screens: Multiplies the inverse of the blend and underlying colors. The result color is always a lighter color. Painting with a black screen leaves he color unchanged. Painting with a white screen produces white. The result is similar to projecting multiple photographic slides on top of each other. Linear Dodge: Brightness the underlying color to reflect the blend color by increasing the brightness. Painting with black produces no change. Color Dodge: Brightness the underlying color to reflect the blend color by decreasing the contract. Painting with black produces no change. Overlay: Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the underlying color. Patterns or colors overlay the existing pixels while preserving the highlights and shadows of the underlying color. The underlying color is not replaced but is mixed with the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color. Soft Light: Darkness or lightness the colors, depending on the blend color. The result is similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened as if it were dodged. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened as if it was burned in painting with pure black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area but does not result in pure black or white. Hard Light: multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the blend color. The result is similar to shining a harsh spotlight in the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened, as if it were screened.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This is useful for adding highlights to an image. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to an image. Painting with pure black or white results in pure black or white. Linear Light: Burns or dodges he colors by decreasing the brightness, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, then underlying color is lightened, by increasing the brightness. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, then underlying color is lightened, by increasing the brightness. If the blend color is darker then 50% gray, decreasing the brightness darkens the underlying color. Vivid Light: Burns or dodges the colors by increasing the contrast, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light \source) is lighter than 50% gray, then underlying color is lightened, by decreasing the contrast. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray. Increasing the contrast darkens the underlying color. Pin Light: replace the colors, depending on the blend color. If the blend color 9light source) is lighter than 50% gray, pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, and pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color do not change. This is useful for adding special effects to an image. Hard Mix: Enhances the contrast of the underlying layer through the use of a mask on the source layer. The mask size determines the contrasted area; the inverted source layer determines the center of the contrasted area. Difference: Looks at the color information in each channel and subtracts either the blend color from the underlying color or the
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book underlying color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Painting with white inverts then underlying color values: painting with black produces no change. Exclusion: Creates a result similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode. Painting with white inverts the underlying color values. Painting with black produces no change. Hue: Creates a result color with the luminance and saturation of the underlying color and the hue of the blend color. Saturation: Creates a result color with the luminance and hue of the underlying color and the saturation of the blend color. Painting with this mode in an area with no saturation (gray) causes no change. Color: Creates a result color with the luminance of the underlying color and the hue and saturation of the blend color. This preserves the gray levels in the image and is useful for coloring monochrome images and for tinting color images. Luminosity: Creates a result color with the hue and saturation of the underlying color and the luminance of the blend color. This m\ode creates an inverse result from that of the Color mode. Silhouette Luma: Creates transparency in painted areas of the layer, allowing us to see underlying layers or background. The luminance value of the blend color determines opacity in the result color. Painting with pure white creates 0% opacity. Painting with pure black produces no change.
Eraser Tool
The eraser tool removes pixels from an image as we drag through it, thereby creating transparency in the layer. When we erase over paint
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book strokes, we remove pixels from the stroke and the source layer to reveal transparency, depending on the opacity of our eraser.
Brush Dynamics
We can use a graphic tablet with each paint tool. We can adjust the brush tips by using graphic tablets pen pressure, pen tilt or position of the pen thumbwheel. Specify Brush Dynamics options in the Brush Tips palette to ad dynamic (or changing) elements to preset brush tips. For example, we can change the size of our brush tip dynamically by adding more or less pen pressure. Pressing the eraser side of the pen to the tablet always selects the eraser tool. Brush Dynamics are available only when were using a pressure sensitive digitizing tablet such as the Welcome tablet. Specifying a duration option We can choose duration for each stroke in the Paint palette. The option we choose determines the length of the strokes duration bar in the Timeline window.
Single Frame to apply the paint stroke to the selected frame only. Constant (the default) to apply the paint stroke to the current frames and all subsequent frames of the layer. Write on the animate the paint stroke. Custom to apply the paint stroke to a specified number of frames. Specifying opacity or flow We can specify opacity and flow for the paint tools. Opacity specifies the maximum amount of paint coverage applied by the brush. Flow specifies how quickly the brush tool applies paint. Opacity and Flow settings can range from 0% to 100%. To simulate semi-transparent
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book paint, specify a low percentage value; to simulate opaque paint, specify a high value.
Paint strokes
Once we have applied a paint stroke to a layer, we can modify the way the stroke interacts with the layer and the composition by adjusting the blending mode, stroke properties and transform properties in the Timeline window. Each paint stroke is labeled numerically in the Effects section of the Timeline window and is named for the tool that created it. For example, brush strokes are named as Brush I, Brush 2; clone stamp strokes are named as Clone 1, Clone 2 as seen in fig. To view paint strokes, select the layer in the Timeline window, and press the P key twice, each paint stroke has a separate duration bar in the Timeline window, similar to a layers duration bar. The initial length of the duration bar is determined by the duration option we choose in the Paint palette. Paint strokes behave like layers; We can drag the In or Out point of the duration bar to change the stroke duration and shift the stroke up or down to change its position relative to other strokes. We can hide a paint stroke from view by clicking the eye icon next to the stroke. Select any Keyframes for a paint stroke before we move or later the paint strokes duration bar. We can move a paint strokes location in the Timeline window by dragging its duration bar to another time in the Timeline window. To change the order of an overlapping stroke, drag the stroke up or down in the Timeline window. Though we cant edit a strokes shape, we can change its shape by copying & pasting a mask to a selected brush stroke in the Timeline window. Each brush stroke is numbered and includes individual stroke options and transform properties in the Effects section of the Timeline window. Selecting a paint stroke
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Use the selection tool to select strokes in either the timeline window or the layer window. When we select a paint stroke, it appears in the layer window with an anchor point at the start of the stroke and a black line running the length of the stroke. To select a pain stroke, do either of the following Click the paint stroke in the layer window. Select the paint stroke in eth Paint section of the Timeline window. To select multiple paint strokes, do any of the following in the Timelines window or layer window: Shift-click to select contiguous paint strokes. Drag a marquee to select contiguous paint strokes. Hold down the Control key to select non-contiguous paint strokes. To deselect a paint stroke in the Tim4eline window or the layer window: Click anywhere but the paint stroke. To move a paint stroke, change its Position property values.
Specifying transform properties We can specify transform properties of a paint stroke in the Timeline window to set its position, scale, opacity and angle of rotation. Transform properties alter the paint stroke using the paint strokes anchor point as its center. To specify transform options: 1. Click the triangle next to effects and paint to expand the effects section for the layer. Page87
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 2. Click the triangle next to the pain stroke (for example, Brush 1) to expand the brush stroke properties. 3. Click the triangle next to transform to expand he Transform properties. 4. Specify the Anchor Point, Position, and Scale, Rotation or Opacity property by dragging or entering values. Painting on a transparent layer We can hide or display the layer or paint on by enabling the Paint or transparent option. We can enable the Paint on transparent option in the Timeline window or the Effects Control window. When we enable this option, paint strokes appear on a transparent background instead of the source layer. Enabling the Paint on Transparent option 1. Select the layer to which paint is applied in the Timeline window. 2. Select Effect> Effect Controls. 3. Select Paint on transparent to enable it. Specifying a blending mode in the Timeline window We can apply blending modes to a pain stroke after it has been applied to a layer. To specify a blending mode: 1. In the Timeline window, click the triangle to the left of the layer to expand the paint section. 2. Click Normal in the switches column next the paint stroke to open the Blending Modes pop-up menu, and then choose a blending mode. We can specify all the options listed in the Paint palette and the brush Tips palette in the Timeline window. Paint on Transparent is also available through the Effect Controls palette. Animating a paint stroke in the Timeline window
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book We can animate a paint stroke by setting keyframes for paint stroke properties. After Effects animates paint stroke automatically when we choose Write on from the Duration pop-up menu in the paint palette or where we replace paint strokes in the Timeline window. The time we take to apply the stroke determines the strokes duration; the speed of our movements determines velocity. To animate a paint stroke automatically with Write on: 1. Create a new project as earlier and import a movie in the composite window. 2. Open a layer and select a paint tool in the Tools palette. 3. In the Paint palette, choose write on from the Duration pop-up menu. 4. Apply a pain stroke to the layer. As we pain, our movements are recorded in real time and determine the duration and velocity of the resulting stroke. 5. In the Timeline window, open the layer to view the paint stroke in the Stroke Options section. Two keyframes appear in the end parameter. 6. Drag the second keyframe where we want to complete stroke to appear. The stroke begins on the frame indicated by the first keyframe. We can reverse the order of the animation by cutting and pasting the first keyframe in the Timeline window to a later time than the ending keyframe.
Text Tool
After Effects provides a wide range of text features accessible through the Tools palette, Character palette and paragraph palette. We can add horizontal or vertical text anywhere in a composition. Depending on how we use the type tools, we can enter point text or paragraph text. Point text is useful for entering a single word or a line of characters; paragraph text useful for entering and formatting the text as one or more paragraphs. Page89
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In many ways, text layers are just another layer in After effects. We can apply effects and expressions to them, animate them, designate them as 3D layers and even edit the 3D text while viewing it in multiple views. As with layers imported from Adobe Illustrator, text layers are continuously rasterize so when we scale the layer or resize the text, it retains crisp and resolution-independent edges. The main differences between text layers and other layers are: (a) We cannot open a text layer in its own layer window and (b)We can animate the text in a text layer using special animator properties and selectors. Creating a text layer We can create a text layers using one of two methods: By selecting layer> new> text command or By clicking the type tool in the composition window.
When we use the Text command, a new text layer is created and an insertion point for the horizontal type tool appears is the center of the composition window. When we use the type tools, a new text layer is created as soon as we click inside the Composition window. Entering paragraph text When we enter paragraph text, the lines of text wrap to fit the dimensions of the bounding box. We can enter multiple box while were entering text or after we create the text layer. The text we enter appears in a new text layer. To enter paragraph text: 1. Select the horizontal type tool T or the vertical type tool T. 2. In the Composition window, do one of the following: Drag diagonally to define a bounding box for the text. Hold down Alt as we click; then drag diagonally to define a bounding box around a center point.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 3. Select additional text options in the character palette or paragraph palette. 4. Enter the character we want. Press enter on the main keyboard to begin a new paragraph. If we enter more text then can fir in the bounding box, the overflow icon appears on the bounding box. 5. Press enter on numeric keypad, or click anywhere outside of the composition window to end text editing mode. To resize a text bounding box: 1. With the type tool active, select the text layer in the Composition window to display the bounding box handles. 2. Position the pointer over a handle the pointer turns into a double arrow () and do one of the following Drag to resize in one direction Shift-drag to maintain the proportion of the bounding box. Hold down Control as we drag to scale from the center. Editing text in text layers We can text it text layers at any time. If we set the text to follow a path, designate it as a 3D layer, transform it, or animate it, we can still continue to edit it. The cursor for the type tool changes as we move it around the Composition window, depending on whether or not the cursor is directly over an existing text layer. When it is directly over a text layer. It appears as the edit text cursor () click o edit the existing text. When the cursor is not directly over a text layer, it appears as a new text cursor () click to create a new text layer, Shift-click always creates a new layer. To edit text in a text layer: 1. Select the horizontal type tool T or the vertical type tool |T.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 2. In the Timeline window, double-click the text layer to set type tool to editing mode and select the text. 3. Edit text as desired. To move a text in the Composition window without leaving editing mode: With the text tool selected, move the cursor away from the text, when the cursor turns into a move icon, drag the text. Using the Character palette The character palette provides options for formatting characters. When using the Character palette, keep the following guidelines in mind: If text is highlighted, changes made in the Character palette affect only the highlighted text. If no text is highlighted, changes made in the Character palette affect the selected text layers and the text layers selected Source Text keyframes, if any exist. If no text is highlighted and no text layers are selected, he changes made in the Character palette become the new defaults for the nest ext entry. To display the Character palette: Do one of the following: 1. Choose Window> Character, or click the Character palette tab if the palette is visible but not active. 2. With a type tool selected, click the palette button () in the Tools palette. To make After Effects automatically open the Character and paragraph palettes whenever we select a type tool, select any type tool from the Tools palette, and then select Auto open palettes. To change values in the Character palette and update text in real time:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Drag an icon in the palette. To reset Character palette values to the default values: Choose reset character from the Character palette menu. Changing the text color The text we enter gets its color from the Fill and stroke boxes in the character palette as seen in fig. we can change the text color before or after we enter text. We can change the fill or stroke color of individual, selected characters; selected source text keyframes; all text in a layer or all text across multiple selected layers. To change the text color: In the character palette, do one of the following Click the Fill box to select a color in the Color dialog box. Click the Stroke box to select a color in the Color dialog box. Click the Swap Fill and Stroke button to swap colors for fill and stroke. Click the No Color Button to remove the fill stroke, depending on which box is in front. To bring a box to the front, click it. Click the Eyedropper and then click a color on screen to set the fill or stroke to that color Click the set to black or Set to White icon to set the fill or stroke to that color. Aligning and Justifying text We can align text to one edge of a paragraph, (left, center or right for horizontal text top, , center or button for vertical text) and justify text to both edges of a paragraph. Alignment options are available for both point text and paragraph text; justification options are available only for paragraph text. To specify alignment: Page93
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book In the paragraph palette, click an alignment option. The options for horizontal text are: Align text to the left leaving the right edge of the paragraph ragged. Align text to the center, leaving both edges of the paragraph ragged. Aligns test to the right, leaving the left edge of the paragraph ragged.
The options for vertical text are: Align text to the top, leaving the bottom edge of the paragraph ragged. Aligns text to the center, leaving both the top and bottom edges of the paragraph ragged. Aligns text to the bottom, leaving the top edge of the paragraph ragged. To specify justification for paragraph text: In the Paragraph palette, click a justification option. The Options for horizontal text are: Justifies all lines except the last, which is left aligned. Justifies all lines except the last which is center-aligned Justifies all lines except the last, which is right aligned Justify all lines including the last, which is forced justified.
The options for vertical text are: Justifies all lines except the last, which is top-aligned Justifies all lines except the last, which is center-aligned. Justifies all lines except the last, which is bottom-aligned. Justifies all lines including the last, which is force-justified.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Adjusting tsume Tsume reduces the space around a character by a specified percentage value. The character itself is not stretched or squeezed as a result. When tsume is added to a character is reduced by an equal percentage. To reduce spacing between characters: 1. Select the characters we want to adjust. 2. In the Character palette, enter or select a percentage for Tsume () the greater the percentage the tighter the compression between characters. At 100% (the maximum value), there is no space between the characters bounding box its tsume box.
Summary
We learnt the concept of using the brush tool also we saw how we fan paint strokes that animate automatically over a range of frames. Rotoscoping is a process of painting individual frames to create visual effects. Also we learnt how we can use the present brushes and how to manipulate the default settings, to create a new set of brush of to delete an existing one. Clone Stamp Tool was discussed as a new tool in the latest version in After Effects 6 and how to use the different types of blending modes and their effects. We have also learnt about the uses of eraser tool and the brush dynamics associated of AE 6. We learnt about the text tool and the kinds of text with the various color options and the paragraph text box options.
Introduction
Adobe After Effects is recognized as the essential tool for motion graphics and visual effects. It offers a fast flexible, affordable 2D & 3D
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book compositing and animation toolset to help us develop creative ideas with speed and control, and deliver high-quality results for film, video, multimedia or the web. After Effects is one of the leading software used in the industry to create digital effects in production houses. There are many effects available like wrapping, distorting, flares, glows and smoke effects. In addition to this there are many more effects like particle effects by which we can create effects like snow, blast etc. In this software, effects cover a massive range of tools, all of which be animated over time. Each layer can have separate effect or many effects can be applied on a single layer. In addition to this we can also add third party pug-ins and free downloads from the Internet. In the previous session we learnt about transparency masks in After Effects. We learnt how to draw mask shapes and edit them. We also learnt animating masks, using mask and layer modes. In this session we are going to learn about effects. We will se the various types of effects available in After Effects. The effects, which are especially for 3D layers, will be covered in the next session when we will learn about 3D. Let us understand effects in detail.
Sequence and Combining Keys

After Effects contains several different effects that key out, or make transparent parts of an image. Each effect is called a key, and the color specified for transparency is called the key color. All the key effects work on the principal of taking an image shape presented from one video source and using it as the cut-out for placing another video source (or matte color) inside of it or around it. What is Blue/Green Screening? Also known as chroma keying or just keying, blue screening (and the same applies to green screening) is a special kind of compositing,
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book where the mask is calculated from the foreground image. Where this image is blue (or green for green screen), the mask is considered to be transparent. This technique is useful when shooting film and video, as a blue or green screen can be placed behind the object being shot and some other image then inserted in that space later. Blue screening is used in most films with special effects, and now that Computer Editing has become so cheap and popular, amateurs can do it too. What basically happens is we swap the color blue, for another picture or video. This can be very useful, as we can make objects and people, seem like they are somewhere where they arent. This makes set building so much cheaper, because we can film a person standing in our bedroom, and make it look like he is in a big studio. Keying effects are commonly used in many commercial, movies and mythological serials, for example if we have to show an actor flying through the air or just standing above the ground, we can use the keying effects. We have to shoot the Motion footage, which serves as a background with the actor standing against a blue green background. With keying effects we can remove the blue or green background and superimpose that footage on to the motion footage to show the actor standing or flying through air. Luma Key Luminance keying is typically used for titles that are on a copy-stand against a black card. This makes it easy to replace the brightness value of the black with another image, known as the background plate. Since live video can have a varying range f shades, Luma keying can be more difficult. Luminance Key detects the dark portions of a video picture and electronically replaces that with another image, generally from another video source being fed into the digital mixer. Some popular wedding effects using Luminance key consist of incorporating pre-recorded
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book animation videos over wedding footage to create some very sophisticated0-looking graphics. Color Key We can make a range close to a key color transparent. Blue or green color used for footage can be made transparent and composite on a background. Color range We can key an image based on a range of colors. Colors used apart from blue or green can be made transparent.
Effects
Adobe After Effects is a comprehensive post-production tool for editing digital video. At its simplest, it is titler and editor just like Premiere. Its real function lies in its ability to address media in terms of keyframes, marks that specify an effect or manipulation, its value and its point in time. By setting these complicated tasks can be performed that change over time, in relation to the video source, and in relation between them automatically. This allows for professional keying, matte effects and the combination of diverse media types into a fluid, impressive composition.
Adjust Effects We can use these effects to adjust color characteristics such as brightness, balance and levels in a layer. a) Brightness & Contrast As we adjust the brightness, the entire image might get washed out and look bland. To compensate for this, adjust contrast. Contrast is defined by the relative difference between the dark and light colors in the image. When we increase the contrast, the dark colors become darker and the light colors become lighter.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book b) Channel Mixer This effect modifies a color channel using a mix of the current color channels. This is useful to make creative color adjustments that are not easily done with the other color adjustment tools. c) Color Balance Color balance refers to the relative intensity of colors in our image. A picture taken at sunset can seem too yellow or orange. A picture taken under florescent lights might seem too green. By adjusting color balance we can correct the overall color tone of an image. The colors are divided into three pairs: Cyan and Red; Magenta and Green; and Yellow and Blue. As we increase the amount of one color, we also automatically reduce its inverse. d) Curves Curves allow control over specific tonal ranges of an image. For example with this we can change the highlight of the image without affecting the shadows. e) Posterize This effect reduces a continuous tone image to a limited number of grey or color levels. Although the results of this effect are most obvious when we reduce the number of gray levels in a grayscale image, Posterize also produces interesting effects in color image. f) Threshold This effect is used to convert grayscale or color images to highcontrast, black-and-white images. When we specify a certain level as a threshold; all pixels lighter than the threshold are converted to white and all the darker pixels to black. g) Hue/Saturation This effect is same as in Photoshop. It changes the color, intensity and lightness of an image.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book h) Levels It adjusts levels and gamma of an image. i) Audio effects All the Audio effects can be customized to fully change the sound of the original audio. This group contains audio effects that add ambience to a layer, enhance or correct audio characteristics and create effects. A) Backwards This effect reverses an audio footage item by playing it from the endpoint to the starting point. B) Bass & Treble The Bas/Treble option specifies the amount of increase or decrease applied to the low frequencies of the audio layer. C) Delay This effect repeats sounds in the audio footage after a specified amount of time. It reproduces sound bouncing of a surface, such as wall some distance away. D) Stereo Mixer This effect is used to mix the left and right channels of an audio layer and pan the entire signal from one channel to the other. The invert Phase option is used tin invert the phase of one channel of the stereo signal and prevent two sounds at the same frequency from canceling ach other out. Blur and Sharpen Effects These effects are mainly used when we want to soften or sharpen an image. A) Channel Blur
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect blurs a layers RGB or alpha individually. We can specify direction of the blur to horizontal, vertical or both. B) Compound Blur This effect is useful for reproducing smudges and fingerprints, or changes in visibility due to atmospheric conditions such as smoke or heat, especially with animated blurring layers. This effect blurs pixels on the basis of the luminance values of a blur layer, also known as a blurring map. The blur layer is used only as a map; it is not visible in the composition.
C) Directional Blur This effect gives a layer the feeling of motion. The Direction option indicates the direction of the blur. The blur is applied equally around a pixels center, therefore, a setting of 180 degrees and a setting of 0 degree look the same. D) Radial Blur This effect creates blurs around a specific point in a layer, creating the effects of a zooming or rotating camera. The amount options specifies the amount of blur, depending on the selection for type. The Spin blur in circles around the center point, as seen in Fig. and the amount value indicates the degree of rotation. Radial Blur On CP Spaceman file E) Sharpen This effect adds to the contrast where color changes occur. The layers quality setting does not affect Sharpen. F) Unsharp Mask This effect increases the contrast between colors that define an edge. The Unsharp Mask filter has parameters that allow it to affect only the edges in the image, and to exclude the smoother low-
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book contrast areas. And it is these parameters that make the USM so powerful and useful for photographic images. G) Fast Blur Use Fast Blur to apply a smooth blur to an image. H) Gaussian Blur Use Gaussian Blur to apply to an image. It works the same as in Photoshop. Channel effects These effects are used to manipulate, extract, insert and convert the channels of an image. The channels themselves include the component color values (RGB), calculated color values (hue, saturation and luminance) and transparency values (Alpha channel). A) Arithmetic This effect executes various simple mathematical operations on an images red, green and blue channels. B) Blend This effect blends two layers using one of five modes. In the standard way, the original image fades out while the new image fades in. Once we blend layers using this effect, we hide the layer selected from the Blend with Layer menu by clicking the video switch for that layer in the Timeline window. Two images blended together to create a textured spaceman. C) Cineon Converter This effect provides a high-level degree of control over color conversions of Cineon frames. By carefully specifying the range, we can make a version of the image that faithfully resembles the original. D) Compound Arithmetic Page102
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect mathematically unites the layer to which it is applied with another layer. It is planned only to provide compatibility with projects created in earlier versions of After Effects that use the Compound Arithmetic effect. Using layer modes is more effective than using the Compound Arithmetic effect in most situations. E) Invert This effect reverses the color information of an image as seen in fig. we select a color space to invert from the Channel menu. F) Minimax This effect increases or reduces a matte for a specific channel or all channels. It allocates to each pixel the minimum or maximum pixel value found within the specified radius. For example, a white solid layer with a square mask shrinks one pixel on each side using Minimum and a radius of one. G) Remove Color Matting This effect is useful when merging alpha and fill from separate files. When we import footage with a pre-multiplied alpha channel, or if we create alpha channels with After Effects, we might need to remove halos from an image. Halos are caused by a large contrast between the images color and the background or matte, color. At this point this effect is used to avoid problems. H) Set Channels This effect copies channels from other layers to the red, green, blue and alpha channels of the selected layer. With best quality selected, any stretched layers are anti-aliased. We use Stretch Layers to fit to resize all other layers to the size of the layer to which Set Channels is being applied. I) Set Matte This effect substitutes the alpha channel (matte) of a layer with a channel from another layer above it for the formation of traveling matte effects. The effect is planned only to provide compatibility Page103
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book with projects created in earlier versions of After Effects that use the Set Matte effect. J) Shift Channels This effect substitutes red, blue and alpha channels in the image with other channels. In take (Channel) from, specify which channel to use as a source. K) 3D Glasses 3D Glasses effect creates a stereoscopic view by compositing two layers. L) Calculation Calculation uses source and input layer channels to carry out arithmetic operations. M)Channel Combiner Use Channel Combiner to view or move selected channel. N) Compound Arithmetic Compound Arithmetic carries out arithmetic operations between layers. O) Solid Composite Apply Solid composite to composite layer with a solid color. Distort Effects These effects are used to geometrically distort an image. A) mirror This effect divides the image along a line and reflects one side onto the other. The layers quality setting influences the Mirror effect. At best quality, the reflected image is smoother and more precise.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book B) Polar Coordinates This effect deforms a layer by swapping each pixel in the layers x,y, coordinate system to the corresponding position in the polar coordinate system, or the reverse. It produces unusual and unexpected distortions that can vary greatly depending on the image and the controls selected. C) Smear This effect defines an area within an image and then moves that area to a view location, stretching the surrounding part of the image with it. We create masks to define the area we want to distort Calculation time increases, as the source mask gets closer to the boundary mask D) Transform This effect applied 2D geometric transformation to the source layer and supplements the transform properties accessible for each layer in the Timeline window. This effect can skew a layer along any axis. E) Liquefy Use the different Liquefy brushes to distort images. F) Magnify Apply Magnify to zoom a portion of a layer. G) Offset Offset blends in an offset copy of the image. H) Ripple We can create a wave-like radial distortion on an image. I) Spherize We can distort the image around the point by stretching onto a half sphere of given radius. J) Turbulent Displace We can displace a layer using fractal noise.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book K) Twirl Apply Twirl to rotate an image around a given point to smear it. L) Wrap Deform and distort an image using Wrap effect. M)Wave Wrap Apply Wave Warp to use a wave for distorting a layer along an axis. Image Control Effects These effects alter an images color values: A) Change Color This effect corrects the hue, saturation and lightness of a range of colors. Select the range by specifying a base color and similarity values,. White areas in the color correction mask are transformed the most and dark areas are transformed the least. B) Color Balance (HLS) This effect alters an images levels of hue, lightness and saturation. It is intended only to provide compatibility with projects created in earlier versions of After Effects that use the Color Balance (HLS) effect. C) Colorama Colorama converts the selected channel to grayscale; then it remaps the chosen grayscale values to a color palette. It then Wraps the grayscale file around the color wheel, mapping the successive colors to the increasingly lighter grays. When it gets to the white areas of the image, it completes the cycle by mapping those corresponding pixels to the color at the top of the output Cycles color wheel. D) Gamma/ Pedestal/ Gain
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect adjusts the response curve separately for each channel. The effect is the same in all quality settings. Gamma denotes an exponent describing the shape of the intermediate curve. E) Median This effect substitutes each pixel with the median pixel value of neighboring pixels within a given radius. At low values, this effect is useful for reducing some types of noise. At higher values, this effect provides a layer a painterly effect. F) PS Arbitrary Map This effect applies an Adobe Photoshop arbitrary map file to a layer. This map adjusts the brightness levels of an image, remapping a specified brightness range to darker or brighter tones. It is intended only to provide compatibility with projects created in earlier versions of After Effects that use the Arbitrary Map effect. For new work, use the Curves effect. G) Tint This effect alters an images color information. For Each and every pixel, the luminance value specifies a blend between two colors. Inbetween pixels are assigned intermediate values. The layers quality setting does not affect Tint. For more complex tinting, use the Colorama effect. H) Change to Color We can adjust the hue, saturation and lightness of a range of colors. I) Color Link Apply color link to colorize a layer with the average color of a layer. J) Equalize Use Equalize to redistribute pixel values to represent a more even brightness value. K) Grow Bounds Page107
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect grows the bounds of the layer. Perspective Effects These effects adjust an images position in an imaginary 3 dimensional space, ad depth or create an adjustable z-axis. With this effect the object looks more genuine than the normal flat 2D object. a) Basic 3D This effect operates a layer in an imaginary 3D space. We can rotate the image around horizontal and vertical axes and move it toward or away from it. With Basic 3D, we can also create a seculars highlight to give the effect of light reflecting off a rotated surface. b) Bevel Alpha This effect creates a chiseled and lighted appearance to the alpha boundaries of an image, often 2D elements a 3d appearance. The edge created in this effect is somewhat softer than that of the bevel Edges effect. This effect works particularly well for elements with text in the alpha channel. c) Bevel Edges This effect creates a chiseled and lighted 3D appearance to the edges of an image. Unlike Bevel Alpha, the edges create in this effect are always rectangular, so images with non-rectangular alpha channels do not produce the proper appearance. d) Drop Shadow This effect draws a drop shadow based on the images alpha channel. e) Radius Shadow Use this effect to casts a projected shadow. Matte Tools Effects Matte Tools effects like Matt Choker & Simple Choker are used to choke and spread alpha channels. Page108
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Noise Effects These effects ad noise to an image. A) Dust & Scratches Use Dust & Scratches to replace a pixel with the median values within a given radius depending on the threshold. B) Media Media effect is used to replace a pixel with the median values within a given radius. C) Noise Noise adds noise to an image. D) Noise Alpha Noise Alpha adds noise to the alpha channel of a layer. E) Noise HLS Noise HLS introduces noise to the HLS channels of the layer. Render Effects These effects are used to create components in a layer such as ellipses of file, or to render a visual display of an audio file. The presentation of the layer is converted in audio waves, laser beams, and casino style running lights using these effects. A) Audio Spectrum This effect displays the spectrum of an audio layer in the defined range using Start Frequency and End Frequency. It can display the audio spectrum in a number of different ways, including along a Bezier path of a layer. Apply the effect to a layer that contains a solid or an image, and that may contain audio. B) Audio Waveform
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect presents the waveforms amplitude to an audio layer. We can display the audio waveform in a number of different ways, as well as along a Bezier path created by an open or closed mask of a layer. We apply the effect to a layer that contains a solid or an image, and that may have audio. C) Beam This effect animates the movement of a laser beam. We can make the laser appear from a point, or we can create a wand-like laser with stationary start and end points. This effect uses a 3D perspective based on the change in Starting Thickness and Ending Thickness. D) Ellipse This effect illustrates an ellipse based on the dimensions we specify in the Effect Controls window. In addition to width and height, we can specify the thickness, softness and color of the ellipse. E) Fill This effect is used to fill a mask with a particular color. If we want to add, both the stroke and fill to a closed path, the order in which we apply the stroke and fill effects decide the visible width of the stroke. F) Radio Waves This effect produces waves from an effect point and can be used to create pond ripples, sound radial ramps and change the position and colors of the ramp over time. G) Ramp This effect creates a color, blending it with the original image contents. Create linear or radial ramps and change the position and colors of the ramp over time. H) Stroke
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect creates a stroke or border around a mask or along a Bezier path. If we want to use a path created in Illustrator, copy the path and paste it into a layer in After Effects. I) Vegas This effect produces casino style running and other path-based pulse animations around any object. Nearly anything on screen can be outlines, surrounded with any number of lights or longer pulses and then animated to make the lights move around the object. J) 4-Color Gradient Use this effect to create color gradients of four blending color points. K) Cell Pattern This effect creates cellular patterns. L) Checkerboard This effect creates a checkerboard pattern in the alpha channel. M)Circle This effect creates a circle with its properties N) Eye Dropper Fill We can use this effect to colorize a layer with color samples from the layer. O) Fractal This effect produces Mandelbrot and Julia fractal images. P) Grid Use this effect to render grids. Q) Lens Flare This effect produces a synthetic lens flare. Page111
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book R) Lighting We can use this effect to create electric areas and lightning. S) Paint Bucket This effect fills the layer with RGB color or Alpha using Tolerance levels. T) Scribble Create scrawling effects for masks. Simulation Effects Effects like bubbles, explosions, etc are too tiresome to create frame by-frame using some software and then animating in After Effects. As substitute, simulation effects can be used to create real-world occurrences like reflection of light, bubbles, explosions and waves etc. A) Shatter This effect blows up images. Use the effects options to decide explosion points, and adjust the strength and radius. Anything outside of the radius doesnt explode, leaving portions of the layer unchanged. B) Particle Playground This effect creates basic particle simulation effects. Stylize Effects These effects are used to produce abstract or impressionistic images. This effect actually alters and displaces the pixels and manipulates an images color scheme. A) Brush Strokes
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect creates a rough painted look over an image. Use this effect to get a pointillist style look by setting the length of the brush strokes to zero and adding the stroke density. B) Emboss This effect sharpens the edges of objects in the image and control colors. The effect also highlights the edges from a specified angle. The Relief setting controls the maximum width highlighted aedges. Contrast indicates the sharpness of the image contents edges. C) Find Edges When the Find Edges effect is applied, images often look like sketches or photographic negatives of the original. The invert option the image after the edges are found. D) Leave Color This effect eliminates all the colors from a layer except those similar to a given color. For example an advertisement of a mobile phone could be de-colored except for the instrument itself. The layers quality setting does not affect Leave Color. E) Motion Tile This effect duplicates the source image across the output image. It is called motion Tile because, when changing the placement of the tiles, it uses motion blur to highlight the movement if motion blur is enables. Tile Center controls the position of the main tile. F) Color Emboss This effect accentuates image edges at a given angel to create texture. G) Mosaic This effect breaks an image into rectangular regions of solid color to create a mosaic pattern. H) Roughen Edges Page113
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect roughens the alpha edges of a layer. I) Strobe Light Perform calculations on a layer at regular and irregular intervals to create strobe light effect. J) Texturize This effect uses another layer to impart a texture to the current layer. K) Write-on Apply paint stroke onto an image. Text effects Use these effects to create text and numbers for overlays, credit scrolls, titles and other text. A) Basic Text Use this create to effect text and text animation. Changing the Position point over time creates animation. Basic Text also offers the choice of either compositing the text over the layer image or using the text by itself. Best quality creates anti-aliased text that animates smoothly. The basic Text effect places text on an existing layer After Effects creates in alpha channel for text it creates A text effects alpha channel with features such as track matte can be used. B) Numbers This effect generates random and sequential numbers in different formats. Use it to display random times and dates or time codes. C) Path Text This effect simplifies the process of animating text along a path. Use it to animate words or groups of characters on a single layer instead of animating each character on a separate layer.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Time Effects Use these effects to manipulate the timing of a layer. These effects use the source of a layer as the basis of time; so al effects previously applied to a layer are ignored when Time effects are applied. A) Echo This effect has a variety of uses, from a simple visual echo to streaking and smearing effects. This effect must be applied and is visible only in the Composition window, not the Layer window. It is visible only when there is motion in the layer. B) Posterize Time This effect restricts a layer to a specific frame rate. With this we can create special effect and other subtle results. A layers mask and any previously applied effects are ignored when the Posterize Time effect is applied. C) Time Difference This effect calculates the pixel difference between two layers. Transition Effects We can enhance our presentations appeal by adding visual effects that occur when any type of visual clip starts or stops. With more than a hundred transition effects available, our streaming presentation can include special effects found in professional video production. We can also use transition effects to create a still image. When a clip starts, the area it covers is treated as its background, whether that area is a region color, a clip in another region, or a clip in the same region. A transition effect simply introduces the clip over, or removes the clip from, its background. So when we use transitions with a sequence of clips, the clips do not have, to be the same size.
A) Block Dissolve
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This effect makes a layer disappear in random blocks. The width and height of the blocks, in pixels, can be set in dependently. When applied in two clips block dissolve causes each pixel in the old scene to progressively take on the values of that pixel in the new scene, progressively blending the old scene into the new. This means that each pixel changes on every frame in the transition. B) Gradient Wipe A wipe progressively replaces the old scene with the new one. Pixels from the new scene sequentially replace those from the old. This may happen as a straight line or any other shape. If pixels from the new scene replace those of the old in a random fashion, this could also be classified as a wipe. A necessary condition of a wipe is that neither the old nor the new scene move. A pixel from the new scene, once it is places on the screen, remains unmodified by the transition. Gradient Wipe effect creates transitions based on the luminance values of a second layer, called the gradient layer. The luminance of a pixel in the gradient decides the time at which the parallel pixel in the first layer will become transparent. Dark areas of the gradient layer represent those areas, which will become transparent first, followed by lighter areas. C) Iris Wipe This effect generates a radial transition that exposes an underlying layer. When Use Inner Radius is selected, we can indicate values for both the Inner and Outer Radius; the iris is not visible when Outer Radius, Inner Radius or both are set to 0. This iris is roundest when both Outer Radius and Inner radius are set to the same value. D) Radial Wipe This effect uncovers an underlying layer using a wipe that circles around a specified point. The Start Angle option specifies the
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book position or angle at which the transition starts. With a Start Angle of 0 degrees, the transition starts a the top of the layer. E) Venetian Blinds This effect shows an underlying layer using strips of specified direction and width. At Draft quality, the strips are animated with pixel accuracy; at Best quality the strips are animated with subpixel accuracy. F) Linear Wipe This effect creates a linear wipe by modifying the alpha channel. Video Effects Use these effects to prepare our movie for video. A) Broadcast Colors This effect alters pixel color values so that the layer can be accurately represented in a television broadcast. Home video equipment cannot reproduce signals above certain amplitude, and computer generated colors can easily exceed this limit. This effect reduces luminance or saturation to a safe level. The layers quality setting does not affect the Broadcast Colors effect. B) Reduce Interlace Flicker This effect decreases high vertical frequencies to make images more appropriate for use in an interlaced medium (such as NTSC video). For example, images with very thin horizontal lines can flicker irritatingly when broadcast. Reduce Interlace Flicker softens horizontal edges to reduce the flickering. C) Timecode This effect displays timecode or frame number information within a layer. It can also encode the timecode information into the layer for later display within After Effects. This effect cannot modify timecode embedded from external sources; such as QuickTime movie
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book rendered with or assigned a timecode track. Although we cant render movies containing embedded timecode information, we can render movies containing visible timecode.
Session 8
Introduction
We know how powerful After Effects 6.0 is for creating digital effects since we have learnt about most of the available effects in the previous session. In this session we will learn about 3D and how to work with 3D layers. We will also see the effects available in 3D layers and the effect on the overall movie. The 3D features are very powerful in this version of After Effects. We can add realistic drop shadows and create shadows and create realistic camera and layer moves. We can also build a 3D object inside After Effects but then one makes the realization that After Effects is for compositing, not modeling. 3D compositing inside After Effects is great, but we might be better off spending our time designing a highly detailed object in a 3D
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book program instead of compositing application. After Effects allows us to import camera data from Maya and 3ds max. This allows the artist to import RLA and RPF data directly into After Effects to match 3D shots exactly. Let us proceed with 3D in general and then proceed further with Camera and Light features.
3D
Adobe After Effects is one of the most popular desktop compositing environments of Mac and PC, and is used in all kinds of production houses, small or big. The new version of After Effects focuses on 3D design. While 3D support was brought into the product in version 5, the new version has improved upon it with several new and interesting features. Those conversant with 3D software are accustomed to working on multiple views at the same time. This was a problem with the earlier After Effects, and the new version now supports multiple and simultaneous views of the 3D space. Getting to know 3D space Imagine ourselves at the very center of the universe. There are six directions ranged about us in three pairs: Left and right-the horizontal directions Up and down-the vertical directions Forward and backwards (or front and behind) for which we have no general name because of gravity, up and down have a physical meaning quite distinct from left and right or forward and backward. Pasted as we are to the surface of what (for most practical purpose) is a flat plane, we do not have the same freedom to move up and down as we do in the other direction. In a abstract 3D space, such as that found in 3-d computer graphs application there is no gravity and so there is no natural meaning to
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book up & down, left or right, forward and backwards. We simply have a defined space of 3D dimensions and call the dimensions X, Y, and Z. We choose a point in this space and call it the origin. As the origin, it is the location where X=0, Y = 0, Z = 0 and the point is designated as (0,0,0). We run three axes right through this point, the X,Y, and Z-axes, each perpendicular to the other two. Now we can designate the exact location of any point in our space relative to the origin. 3D Layers Just like we work with 2D layers, we can combine 3D & 2D objects and create a composition. In After Effects Lights & Cameras are 3D layers; they are treated like normal layers. These layers are used to improve the view and beauty of the image layers. All 3D layers can be animated in 3D space and they often create dramatic and complex animations that can successfully simulate actual motion and perspective. We can convert all standard 2D layers except the adjustment layer into 3D layers. We can also create and animate camera to view and light layers to illuminate images from any angle. To designate a layer as 3D: Do one of the following: In the Timeline window, locate the layer to be designated as 3D and click the 3D layer switch for that layer as seen in fig. 8.1. OR Select the layer to be designated as 3D in the Timeline or Composition window, and select Layer> 3D layer. Recognizing the 3D views.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Among the biggest improvements are multiple simultaneous views of the 3D space and high quality intersections. Multiple scene views are standard operating procedure for 3D artists and for good reason; trying to navigate around a black void using a single view can be disorienting. Default simultaneous side, top, front and camera views are available, but these can also be customized with unlimited options for creating and saving personal preferences. We can view 3D layers from several angles, using orthogonal views or custom views that utilize perspective. The orthogonal views (Front, Back, Left, Top, Right and Bottom) show a layers position in the composition but do not show perspective. The three custom views place us at a certain height and angle within the composition, depending on the view we select. We can save up to three views for quick access using keyboard shortcuts. We can adjust viewing angle and height of object within custom views with the camera tools. To set a 3D view: Do one of the following: Click the 3D menu at the bottom right of the composition window and select a view. Select View> Switch 3D view and select a view from the menu. Select View> Switch to Last 3D View to switch to the previous view.
Cameras
With the addition of Maya camera import, multiple viewing windows and clean rendering intersection of 3D layers, After Effects has a very powerful dimensional solution. Because of its tight integration with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, After Effects remains the Page121
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book single best motion graphic product for individuals and boutique design studios. After Effects does 3D very well, but theres more to it than simply moving layers or objects around in 3D space. By licking on a 3D Layer switch, we gain the ability to position or rotate a layer using Z coordinates in addition to X and Y. We can set up multiple cameras to view the 3D layers, each with standard or custom lens settings, along with multiple light sources, including spot, parallel, and ambient and point lights. Camera and light properties including the cameras position and orientation can be animated with keyframes. Similarly, we can define and animate shadow effects. If we set up multiple cameras, we can cut between them in the final composition. We can automatically orient 3D layers toward the camera, and set up the camera to track a particular subject. Any 2D layers in the composition are unaffected by the camera and lighting effects. Viewing the Camera Keyboard commands let us toggle among top, front, back, right, left, bottom, and camera and up to three custom views. We can get multiple simultaneous views of the scene by setting up additional composition windows, but theres no automatic dual view or quad view mode. We have two options to view the composition. One is through the Active Camera or through a Particular named camera. a) The Active Camera is the topmost camera in the layer order at the current time. If a camera is not created, then the Active Camera is the same as the default composition view. The Active Camera is the only camera view that will be rendered. b) Particular Named Camera When we create a camera manually, After Effects allows us to view the composition from
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book the cameras view. If there are many cameras in the composition we can select the name of the camera from the view pop up window. As the camera layers are inherently 3D they cannot be designated as 2D Camera layers can be both a parent and child to 2D and 3D layers. Camera settings When we are working with a camera we need to be through with the camera settings. There are many settings available for camera layers in After Effects so let us learn how to create a camera and the function of each setting. To create a camera: Select either the Timeline or Composition window. Select Layer> New> Camera or press Shift+Alt+Ctrl+T This command shows a camera settings window in front of us. Name by default, Camera I name is assigned to the first camera we create in a composition, and all following cameras are numbered in ascending order. Preset There are several presets available for camera. The presets are named according to focal lengths. Each preset is meant to signify the behavior a of 35 mm camera with a lens of a certain focal length. Zoom it is the distance from the position of the camera to the image plane. Angle of View this is the width of the scene captured in the image. The focal length, film size and zoom determine the angle of view. Enable Depth of Field -It is the distance range within which the image is in focus. Images outside of the distance of this field
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book range are blurred. Operated the depth of field to create more realistic camera-focusing effects using these variables. Focus Distance The Distance from the cameras [position to the plane that is in perfect focus. Aperture The size of the lens opening. The aperture setting also affects the depth of field; increasing the aperture increases the depth of field blur. When we specify new values for the aperture, the values for f-stop change automatically to match it. F-stop A number indicating the ratio of the focal length to aperture. Most cameras specify aperture size using the f-stop measurement, thus, many photographers prefers to set the aperture size in f-stop units. When new values for the f-stop setting are specified the values for aperture change automatically to match it. Blur-level Controls the amount of depth-of-field blur in an image. A setting of 100% creates a natural blur as dictated by the camera settings. Lower values reduce the blur. Film Size- The size of the exposed area of film, which is directly related to the composition size. When new values for film size are specified, the zoom changes to match the perspective of a real camera. Focal Length in the after Effects camera model, the distance from the film plane to the camera lens. In After Effects the cameras position signifies the center of the lens. When new values for the focal length are specified, the zoom changes to match the perspective of a real camera. Units- The units of measurement in which the camera setting values are expressed. Measure Film Size- The dimensions used to depict the film size Page124
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Use the guidelines above to determine the optimal setting and Click OK. After placing the camera we can view images from different angles by just changing the camera view. Understanding camera Transform properties The Camera Transform properties help us to change the angle and distance of the composition view. Cameras have all the Transform properties that a layer has, except for scale and anchor point. Cameras also add a transform value called the point of interest. The point of interest is the spot in the composition at which the camera points. The point of interest icon in the Composition window specifies it. By default, the point of interest is the center of the composition, and the cameras views are auto-oriented to it. To change the orientation of the camera: Opposite to 2D layers, 3D layers in After Effects include additional
auto-orientation options in the Auto-Orient dialog box. The additional options that are include on the layer to which auto-orientation is applied. In the Timeline, selected the camera whose orientation is to be adjusted. Select Layer > Transform > Auto-Orient. Or Press Alt + Ctrl + O
Select the appropriate option and click OK.
Orient towards Camera: When we change the cameras position in the Composition window or in the Timeline window, the point of interest remains constant within the composition
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book and, as the camera moves along the motion path, it continues to point towards the point of interest. Orient along Path: If the camera is auto-oriented towards the motion path, the camera points only in the direction of the motion path. Off: If the camera auto-orientation is turned off, the camera rotates freely, independent of the motion path or the point of interest. Using the camera tools Use the camera tools to adjust the view. These tools manipulate the position of the camera viewing the scene indicated by the Camera View drop down. Use the orbit camera tool () to rotate the current view around the point of interest. Use the track xy camera tool () to adjust the view horizontally or vertically. Use the track z camera tool () to adjust the view along the line leading to and from the point of interest or, if using an orthogonal view, to adjust the scale of the view. These tools are specifically for manipulating the camera and views and do not become active until we create a 3D layer, a camera or a light.
Using Lights
The lights feature in After Effects gives us enormous flexibility in illuminating a 3D scene. Besides brightening an area of a layer, lights also after perspective or cause an image to cast a shadow upon other layers. If you animate a light, then the shadow cast by the illuminated layer moves as well. This tip demonstrates how combining animated Page126
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book lights with images create in Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator yields ominous , moving shadows. Choose a light type to create a specific look. For example, spotlights provide dramatic lighting effects by pointing a cone of light at the point we define. Unparalleled shadow controls determine whether lights cast shadows when they interact with other layers. Create as many lights as we need, and then adjust and animate each lights properties, controlling its shadow and illumination. Create as many cameras as we need to produce the results we envision. Light settings To create a new light From the Timeline or Composition window, select Layer> New Light. Or press Shift + Alt + Control + L. Before using light in the composition let us have a look at the light settings.
Select settings according to the requirement, and click OK. Light Type: Select any of the following light Type drop down menu: - Parallel light rays emit directional, unconstrained light from an infinitely distant source. - A spot light produces light from a source that is constrained by a cone, like the spotlight used in stage productions. - A point light discharges unconstrained omni-directional light, like the rays emitted from a bare light bulb. - Ambient has no source but rather contributes to the overall brightness of a scene and casts no shadows. Intensity: Sets the brightness of the light. Negative values create nonlight. Nonlight subtracts color from a layer.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Cone Angle: Sets the width of the Spot Light by changing the angle of the cone surrounding the source. This option is active only if Light Type is Spot. Cone Feather: Adjusts the edge softness of the Spot Light. This option is active only if the Light Type is Spot. Color: Sets the color of the light. Casts Shadows: Indicates whether the light source causes a layer to cast a shadow. Shadow Darkness: Sets the darkness level of the shadow. This option works only if Casts Shadows is selected (checked). Shadow Diffusion: Sets the softness of a shadow based on its evident distance from the shadowing layer. Larger values create softer shadows. This option works only if Casts Shadows is selected (checked)
Material Options for Light Layer Materials determine how a 3D layer interacts with light and shadow, both of which are important components of realism and perspective in 3D animation. In the Timeline window, 3D layers have an additional set of properties called Material Options as seen in Fig. 8.7
In the timeline, when we expand a 3D layer and then expand the Material Options for that layer, the following properties appear:
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Casts Shadows Used to cast a shadow on layers within the range of that shadow. The direction and angle of the shadows is determined by the direction and angle of the light sources. Accepts shadows Used to show the shadow cast on a layer by another layer. Accepts Lights Lets the layer be illuminated by any light that reaches it. Ambient Sets the level of ambient (non-directional) reflectivity of the layer. A setting of 100% creates the most reflectivity; a setting of 0% means that the layer does not exhibit my ambient reflective properties. Diffuse Establishes the level of diffuse reflectivity of the layer. Applying diffuse reflecting to a layer is like draping a dull, plastic sheet over it. Light that falls on this sheet reflects equally in all direction. Specular decides the level of specular reflecting of the layer. Light rejecting from a layer with specular reflective attributes reflects from the layer as if the layer were a mirror. Shininess Sets the size of the specular highlight. This value is only active if the specular setting is greater than zero. Expressions Expressions are based on the standard JavaScript language. We dont need to know JavaScript to use expressions. Instead, we can create expressions by using Pick Whip, by using simple examples and modifying them to suit our needs, or by changing objects and methods together using the expression language guide. Pick Whip The Pick Whip tool can help us write basic expressions. Simply drag the whip to another parameter and After Effects will create a live link, driving the current parameter with values form the whips target. This creates a live link that will drive the current parameter with values from the target parameter. For instance, dragging the whip from opacity to rotation will create an expression that copies values from
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book rotation to opacity. Thereafter, animating our layers rotation will also animate its opacity: If we drag the pick whip to a property of another layer in the same comp, the whip will create a slightly more complex expression, identifying which layer to copy values from. For example: This_comp.layer (Solid 1).opacity This expression first identifies a composition (this_comp), then a particular layer within that comp, and finally an attribute of that layer. After Effects is being very careful to specify the right layer, and not accidentally select a Solid 1 in some other Comp in our project. We will become very familiar with this kind of construction, as well use it almost every time we refer to any layer other than the current one. Pick Whip is really not much more than a typing assistant,
automatically typing the proper name for whatever item we drag it to. We should feel free to edit the text created by the whip or to use the whip to create just part of a more complex expression. Advantages of Using Expressions We can use Expressions to help coordinate animations. They are also very useful for coordinating effects or creating other types of parent-child relationships. We like to use Expressions to set up master colors for a design. The trick is defining the color of a layer by using a effect that has a color swatch you can animate, such as Fill, Path Text, Stroke or Tint. The master parameter for an Expression can be layer that appears in the final render, or a dummy layer such as a Null Object or Solid. Expressions can even bridge across comps, so we can set up one master color composition and link layers in all of our working comps back to it.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Expression can also be linked between dissimilar parameters. For example, a popular text trick is to animate the tracking of a line of type to adjust how far apart the characters are spaced, and to make them blurrier as this space increases. This would normally require coordinating two sets of keyframes one set for tracking and another for blur. However, we can now link an Expression so the blur amount follows the tracking amount. If we want a tracking value of 10 to correspond to a blur value of one, simply tack / 10 onto the end of the script to divide by 10. What is an Expression? An expression is a statement that produces values for a specific parameter. The simplest expression would be just a number: 6; This kind of expression is not very useful. We can do much better by just setting the parameter to 6 directly. A slightly more useful expression would be something like: Rotation; When evaluated, this statement will return the value of rotation for the current time. This return value, or result, will then be used for whatever parameter the expression is attached to. If applied to a layers opacity parameter, this expression would make the layers opacity change in sync with its rotation: when the rotation was 30 degrees, the opacity would be set to 30%, etc. Expression use the JavaScript language and syntax ( an industrystandard language commonly used for web development). Javascript includes a rich set of tools for creating more complex expressions, including, of course, the basic math operations: Opacity*10;
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book This expression is slightly more sophisticated, but still very simple. Its result is the value of opacity for the current layer at the current time, multiplied by ten. Since opacity has a range of zero to 100, the results of this expression will range from zero to 1,000. These results will be used for whatever parameter to which we have applied the expression. Wheres the =? We may expect expression to look something like, position=rotation. But expressions dont need to explicitly assign their result to a parameter, so they dont use equals sign (assignment operator) in this way. The king of assignment is implicit. An expression supplies values for the parameter to which it is attached. So the position= part of the expression is simply assumed by the fact that it is attached to our layers position parameter, for instance. We can certainly use the equals sign in our expressions, for instance to assign values to variables. We dont need to start (or end ) our expressions, with a parameter=. One Expression, One Parameter A consequence of this is that a single expression can control only one parameter. That is, because each expression is attached to just a single parameter, it can supply values for only that parameter. We cannot use, for instance, create a single expression that would modify both a layers position and its rotation; we need to create two distinct expressions, one attached to position and the other attached to rotation. Multi-line Expressions Expressions can be more than one line. In fact, they could run to several hundred lines. Its a good idea to keep them short however, as
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book that will make them easier to follow, and probably quicker to execute as well. When an expression contains more than one line, its result will be the value of the last line evaluated. For instance, the value of the following expression: Offset=30; Ralph=rotation offset; Ralph; Will be the value of Ralph, which would be the layers current rotation plus 30 degrees, viz: Here we should notice that each line of these expressions ends in a semicolon be must end every line with a semicolon, so that After Effects knows where one line ends and the next begins. Consider it the equivalent of a full stop in English language. When to Use Expressions When we want a. live link . As discussed above, expressions are an excellent way to create a live link between layers. Any situation where we tempted to copy and paste keyframes from one layer to another is an ideal candidate for an expression. When we want to copy just one parameter from a parent. Sometimes, we want to copy values from just one parameter of a layer, rather than a full parent-child relationship. For automatic animation. We can animate any parameter without a single keyframe by applying an expression whose results vary over time. To add randomness to a parameter. We can write a simple expression that takes our parameters existing keyframes, and wiggles the values slightly. This is an excellent use of expressions, because it preserves our original keyframes. We
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book could accomplish similar results with The Wiggler, but it would create many keyframes, overwriting our original keyframes. With an expression, we could simply disable the expression and return anytime to our original keyframes.
Object
An object is a container. Each object can contain other objects, attributes or methods. For example, a comp is a kind of object in After Effects. Each comp can contain other objects, such as layers, or attributes such as duration or width. All of the After Effects elements that we have learned so far comps layers, opacity, etc either are objects or are contained by objects. Because objects can contain other objects, locating the element we are after can involve a series of object identifiers. We should think in terms of hierarchy: start with the largest container and work towards the smallest. In slightly more technical terms, we will always start with a global object. Global and Non-Global Objects To identify a property to take data from, we must first start by identifying a global object. A global object is simply an object that can be referred to without any introduction, anywhere in our expression. Other objects, the non-global ones live inside global objects (or inside objects that are inside global objects) and can only be accessed by first naming the objects which contain them. So, in After Effects, we always need to start with a global object. After Effects global objects include: Global Object Returns Object of Type
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book this_layer this_comp Comp(name) footage(name) Time Value Table: 1 Whats in an Object? After we have identified a global object, we have to specify some attribute, method or sub-object belonging to it. First, we need to find out what kind of object we actually have i.e. what kind of object is returned by the specified we have chosen. For example, this_comp returns a comp object. Then, we can look in the reference material to see what objects of that type contain. In this example, we have seen that comp objects contain layer objects and attributes such as width or duration (among many other elements). So, after specifying this_comp, we could choose a particular layer within the current comp: this_comp.layer (Solid 1) This will return the layer named Solid 1 in the current comp. We could stop here, if we just needed a layer object. Since we typically need a value or vector, however, we probably would repeat the above process, this time looking up what objects, attributes and methods are contained by layer objects. Let us see the period separating the comp and layer identifiers. This is basic JavaScript syntax, a way of specifying that the second object is inside the first. To build this kind of reference, we simply start with one object, then a period, then another object (or method or attribute). We can repeat this process as long as necessary, stringing references together until we arrive at the element that we need. Layer or Light or Camera Comp Comp Footage Number Number
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Notice also that there is no space in object specifiers, except when rererring to item names, in quotation marks.
Now that we have a layer object, we will identify an attribute or method we want to use. For instance: this_comp.layer(Solid 1). Opacity Again, a period separates the object and its attribute. If we ever have trouble with this syntax, we can always use the pick whip as discussed in Session 7. Just put the text cursor at the spot in our expression where we need the object reference, and then drag the pick whip to the object or attribute we need. After Effects will automatically insert the correct object reference. We can drag the pick whip to other windows, including even the Project window. Inverse Functions: Arcsine, Arccosine and Arctangent The inverse functions, tells us which angle would produce the value we have specified with the corresponding trigonometric function. For instance, arcsine(n) gives us the angle whose sine equals n. Because the trigonometric functions are periodic, many different angles will produce the same values. For instance, 0 0 and 3600 both have the same sine (0). The inverse functions will always return the angle closest to 00 that would produce the trigonometric value we have specified. In JavaScript, the inverse functions return angles specified in radians. So in order to use their results with parameters such as rotation or with effect controls, we have to convert units with radians_to_degrees().
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Like the other trigonometric functions, the inverse functions belong to the Math object. The table below shows how each of these functions is written, the range of values it accepts, and the range of values it can produce, given in both radians and degrees: Inverse Function Math.asin(number ) Math.acos(number ) Math.atan(number ) Math.atan2 (y,x) Input Range -1 to 1 -1 to 1 -inf to inf -inf to inf,2D Reaults, in radians -Pi/2 to Pi/2 0 to Pi -Pi/2 to Pi/2 -Pi to Pi in Degrees -900 to 900 00 to 1800 -900 to 900 -1800 to 1800
Table: 2 We cannot pass values larger than 1 or less than -1 to either Math.asin() or Math.acos (),because neither sine nor cosine can ever produce values outside this range. So theres no possible angle the inverse functions could return. If we try to pass a too-large or too-small value to these inverse functions, we will get an error.
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Session9
Introduction:
In the previous session we have learnt working with 3D layers and Expressions in depth. Now it is clear to us that in After Effects we can work with Z-axes as well. With the Expressions we are able to incorporate JavaScript to a certain extent. As we know in After Effects we can combine 2D or 3D layers in the same composition. However, each type of layer has a different set of rendering rules. How does the program determine whether these 2D layers will render in front of or behind the 3D layers? 2D layers can be thought of as rendering breaks that divide and group the 3D layers in a composition. After Effects in essence reduces groups of 3D layers into 2D composites, and then renders the composition as if it consists of only 2D layers. A 3D group is composited on top of any 2D layers underneath. The next 2D layer up the stack is in turn composited on top of this. In this session we will learn, in detail, rendering and how to manage projects effectively. This session will make us aware of the various compression techniques as well. Rendering After Effects support exporting a wide variety of file types that differ in their usefulness from general purpose QT or AVI movies to high quality still sequences. The output of the final movie depends on the final use of it, whether it is being prepared for Film, Television, DVD or Internet. No matter for which media we are outputting, the important thing is to maintain the good quality. Always remember that we must output our project at the highest quality no matter what output is expected out of it. Later on from this Page138
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book good quality master output we can create multiple copies at any resolution. In this section we are going to take a look at how After Effects is used in many ways throughout the production process and how simple it is to export files from this software. Rendering Process Creating or making a movie from a final composition is the last step of the After Effects process, and it could take few minutes, to many hours, depending upon the size and complexity of the composition. To render a movie, we must first place the composition in the Render Queue. Here, it becomes a Render item and render according to the settings given to it.
To make a movie from a composition: Select the composition in the Project window, select Composition>Make Movie, or press Ctrl + M. Specify the name and location of the output file, and then click Save. This will open a Render Queue Window, where we can see and manipulate a list of current and previous render, and watch the progress of your rendering as the movie is created. Let us learn about the render queue settings. The Render Queue isnt quite as frightening as it may first appear. Each new composition weve selected for rendering appears as an item in the list. It can be opened or folded away neatly with the triangle to the left of the composition name. Just next to this is a tick box. This will be checked initially, and indicates whether the shot will be rendered or not when we click the render button. The label indicates the name of the composition to be rendered. When double clicked this opens the composition itself. Next to the label is the status of the render that indicates whether the item is rendered or is waiting to render. If we uncheck the tick box at the left, the item will
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book become unquoted, and once its rendered, the message will change again. Underneath the label row, four more items let us choose the way our project is set up and the kind of file it will produce. Lets look at each of them briefly. Render Settings Render Settings is the first option in the Render Queue window below the colored square label box. Click the Current Setting label to bring up the Settings window. The Render Queue window, displays the current render settings either default settings or setting that were made when we created the composition. When rendering, we can have After Effects automatically adjust the settings of all layers and compositions in our final rendered item. Quality: The quality selector defines whether were using best, draft quality, or wireframe. Draft quality saves rendering time by doing quick and dirty versions of some filters. Resolution: Determines the size and clarity of the rendered composition, relative to the original composition dimensions. Proxy Use: The Proxy Use drop-down box lets us choose whether to render using the original files or proxies. Effects Use: The Effects drop-down lets us choose to have effects filters included or turned off during rendering. Removing the effects can be useful in speeding up a test render, but of course, isnt a lot of use in a final version. If we select All On, all applied effects are used in a composition or a layer. If we select All Off, all effects for the composition are disabled. Frame Blending: Determines the frame blending settings for all layers. This creates a much smoother look. Normally slowing a piece of footage down simply involves repeating certain frames. This can lead to a jerky effect. With frame blending enabled, new Page140
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book frames are created by blending the before and after frames together. Field Render: Governs the field-rendering technique used for the rendered composition. Select Off while rendering for film or for display on a computer screen. 3:2 Pulldown: The 3:2 pulldown controls is only useful for work, which was originally on film, effects which are to end up on film, or animations which we want to look more filmic. It alters the apparent frame rate of our composition to a film frame rate (24fps), but leaves the real frame rate unaltered. Motion Blur; Concludes when motion blur is applied. Use On for Checked Layers to render motion blur only for layers with motion blur enabled in the Switches panel in the Timeline window, regardless of the compositions Enable Motion Blur setting. Motions blur also has an override shutter angle box so we can render output with different amounts of motion blur. Time Span: Indicates how much of the composition is being rendered. Frame Rate: The frame rate setting lets us choose our own frame-rate. Skip Existing Files: When we keep this option checked, we can re-render part of a sequence of files without wasting time on previously rendered frames.
Output Module Settings The Output Module brings up a window, as seen in fig. 9.5, which allows us to choose the way the images, once rendered, will be placed on disk. The Render Queue window shows the current settings for an output module. To change output module settings from the Render Queue window: Or Page141 Click the underlined output template name
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Select a template from the Output Module drop-down menu. We can specify the following settings in the Output Module settings dialog box. Format: Indicates the format for the output file or sequence of files. Movies Video For Windows or QuickTime, although Realmedia movies for the net can also be rendered. Still image sequences- TGAs, BMPs, PNGs, and Photoshop Internet animations can be exported as Animated GIF images. although well need to be very careful about the file-size of images produced if you want to keep download time realistic. MP3 can be used for audio only export. Filmstrip files are useful because they can be imported into
Photoshop and further altered there. Embed: This is quite useful especially if were working with Adobe Premiere as our editing package. The selector lets us embed either a pointer to the After Effects projects file, or the whole file itself inside the movie. With this, editing packages with the edit original function will let us click on the finished file in the editors timeline, and instead of opening the rendered movie, well open After Effects with the project in it, so we can work on the composition some more. Post-Render Action: This allows us to instruct After Effects to perform certain For duties after it has can finished tell After rendering Effects a to composition. example we
automatically import the finished render back into the project or use it as a Proxy or a replacement for another file. If our project is made up of several pre-compositions we could set AE to render these and automatically replace the un-rendered originals in our final composition ready for easier editing. Format Options: Opens a dialog box with format-specific information.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Depth: Indicates the color depth of the rendered movie. Select from color or grayscale options, and note that certain formats may limit depth and color settings. Crop: Used to trim or add pixels to the edges of the rendered movie. Audio Output: Specifies the sample rate, sample depth (8 Bit or 16 Bit), and playback format (Mono or Stereo). For DV the audio sample rate is fixed at either 44 or48 kHz, giving higher or lower sound quality. 22kHz is usually fine for CD ROM productions, and 8khz is good for Internet movies. The mono/stereo choice will depend on our own preference-stereo sound uses twice the bandwidth of mono. 16-bit sound is higher quality than 8 bit, but also users twice the file space.
Compression
In the rendering process and while giving the final output, we have to understand how to reduce the size of the movie. The technique used for this method is called Compression Technique. Compression is essential to reduce the data size of movies that would otherwise be so large as to prohibit effective playback. In the Output Module Setting the video section has a Format Option button to allow us to choose compression settings for our video or image file. These will depend on our own system, and the file type were creating, but its worth noting a couple of compression codes for video productions: Cineoack, and Indeo codecs are good as standards for video material: theyre present on most peoples computers, so almost anyone will be able to play files compressed in this way. In addition, they all good at compressing video to a bandwidth that will work well for CD ROM distribution and playback on computers. DV software codecs are good for general purpose video work and give us TV quality images, which will always be 3.6mb per second. Just make sure we use the correct codec for our TV Page143
UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book system (PAL or NTSC) and for the aspect ratio were producing (4.3 for normal work, or 16.9 for widescreen work). Presents Both the Render Settings and the Output Module can be given presets to save us time in setting up our render. The down-arrow to the left of the label gives us access to a dropdown list of presets. Just select the Make Template item at the bottom of the list and then use the Edit button on the window that appears, to create our own template. Once created, a template will remain in the Render Queue forever. It will be available to us instantly in any future project we create until we decide to delete it.
Exporting
With the capability of saving the composition in Flash File Format (SWF) After Effects has many advantages over its competitors packages. Flash creates vector-based animations and hence the output size is much smaller and takes minimal amount of hard disk space. This is main reason for this format getting so popular in web. Web browsers with the Flash player plug-in can play the SWF format. During export, After Effects maintains vectors as much as possible. Because flash is a vector-based animation tool there are limitations on what can go from After Effects composition into its SWF file export. Raster images and certain features such as pixel effects, layer modes and motion blur cannot be represented as vectors in the SWF file. SWF Settings The settings we determine in the SWF settings dialog box need to be such that we should be able to keep the file size minimal and quality good. Let us go through these settings step by step.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book To export a composition to Macromedia Flash (SWF) format: Select the composition we want to export, and then select File > Export > Macromedia Flash (SWF). Specify a filename and location, and click Save or OK.
JPEG Quality: Here we can drag the slider or set the quality from the drop down menu. This section sets the quality for the images that are not vector graphics like video or still images. We can also include Illustrator files if we want to rasterize unsupported in the drop-down menu beneath the image quality settings.
Ignore/Rasterize Unsupported features: If we have created a composition suitable for flash output and does not have any features that are not supported by flash, we can select Ignore button and our file size will be small. Select Rasterize to render all frames that have unsupported features such as bitmap images. Selecting Rasterize increases the file size and may significantly reduce the streaming quality.
Audio: In this section we can set Sample rat, Stereo/ Mono and bit rate for the exported file. The Auto option in bit rate settings helps in optimizing the audio files that get created as a part of the flash file. Flash audio files here are created using MP3 format.
Loop Continuously: Select if we want the exported SWF file to loop continuously during playback. Prevent Import: This option prevents the SWF file from being imported into editing programs. Include Object Names: This includes layer, mask and effect names from the After Effects composition in. Flash files. Selecting this option increases file size.
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Include Layer Marker Web Links: Select this if we want layer markers to be used as URL (Uniform Resource Locator) Web links.
End
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UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book Session-1

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Default Project Window

Project Window with Context Window

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Time Basics: A. Time code B. Frames C. Feet and Frames

Importing footage items

Project window settings

Setting composition window

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Timeline Window with Composition window

Importance of 3:2 Pull down Ratio

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Changing Non-Square pixel to square pixels Page27

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book 5. Click OK.

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Shy to apply or undo shy status for that layer.

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Trimming in Layer Window:

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Using Layer Modes

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

Clone Stamp Tool

Sequence and Combining Keys

Select the appropriate option and click OK.

UTTARANCHAL COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES After Effect Book

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