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basic animation in After Effects

assignment 1
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by JuliannaKunstler.com

Create a short animation that includes:

  • duration of the video: 4 and a half seconds
  • ground: solid layer
  • 3 shapes: circle, square, and star (3 separate shape layers)
  • all shapes start and end movement at different times
  • Star: shoot across from one side of the screen to another - become smaller and disappear (become very small).
  • Circle: bounce at least 3 times, gradually become smaller, and disappear (become transparent)
  • Square: Drop from the top while rotating and changing colors.

STEPS

Adobe AfterEffects animation

New composition.

Choose a background color.

ground

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Create a new Solid layer and choose a ground color.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

The Solid will take up the whole screen.

Choose Anchor point tool.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the Anchor point down.

Hold Ctrl/Command to snap it to the point.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Resize the Solid as shown.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Rename the layer (right-click)

Lock the layer.

shooting star

Adobe AfterEffects animation

New Shape layer.

Draw a star. Use up or down arrow keys on your keyboard to add or remove points as you drag.

Choose colors for fill/stroke.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move Anchor point to the star center (hold Ctrl/Command).

Rename the layer: star.

Adobe AfterEffects animation, timeline

Define the time span for your shooting star by dragging the ends of the blue bar in the timeline.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move Time Indicator needle to the start of the animation.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

In Transform menu (not Content):

Place the keyframes for Position and Scale.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Keyframes will be placed.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Place the Time Indicator needle at the end of the animation.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the star.

Use direction lines to create a nice curved Moving path.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Once you moved the star - a new keyframe is automatically generated in the timeline for Position property.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Stay on the same frame.

Change Scale property to 0.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

A keyframe will be generated for this frame for Scale property.

Lock the layer.

circle

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Create a new Shape layer.

Rename it "circle".

At this point you can hide the "star" layer.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Draw a circle on the "circle" layer.

Move the Anchor point to the bottom of the circle (hold Ctrl/Command).

Choose colors for fill/stroke.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the circle off the screen.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

In the Layer Transform menu:

Click on the stopwatch of Position property to place the first keyframe.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the Time Indicator to 1 sec. mark.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the circle down.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Move the Time indicator to 01:12f mark.

Move the circle up, but not as high as the starting point.

You should see 3 keyframes in your timeline.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

If your moving path does not look like this - you need to create a corner point for the bottom point.

creating corner points

There are two ways to create a corner point in After Effects.

vector corner point1. Using Selection tool - move the second direction line into the point.

vector corner poiny2. Using Convert Vertex tool (in Pen group) drag the direction line to start a new curve direction.

Adobe AfterEffects animation

Continue moving the ball and adding keyframes at

to convert a point

convert anchor pointUse Convert Vertex tool and drag to the direction you want your curve to go.
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation

square

Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
Adobe AfterEffects animation
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