Mailing List AE-List@media-motion.tv ? Message #45519
From: Chris Zwar <chris@chriszwar.com>
Subject: Re: [AE] building a dynamic node-like effect in AE
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:01:18 +1000
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Hi,

It's difficult to offer advice without seeing exactly what you're trying to do, but I think that I would suggest you consider using time-remapping as a tool to select which image you want to use in each comp.

Rather than have a preset which you drop onto a layer, I would put all of your source layers into one composition.  If they're stills - great, sequence them with 1 second durations.  If they're video, then sequence them with even spacings (the duration of your longest clip, rounded up to the nearest second).

Build your effects using this pre-comp as your main layer, and use time-remapping to control which still or video you can see.  You can use the layer as many times as you need to, and link the time-remapping value of each instance to a master slider.

This way, instead of having 3 presets, you will instead create 3 template compositions.  All you need to do is duplicate the one that you want and change the slider value so it's working on a different source image.  If you want to add more images or video, just add them to the end of your sequence in the pre-comp that contains everything.

Hope this makes sense,

-Chris

On 30/08/2012, at 6:20 AM, Teddy Gage wrote:

   Hello, I have a project which is basically a glorified power point presentation. I say node-like because I want one effect instance to change multiple layers with the effect, like in a node based compositor. I have hundreds of images that come onscreen more or less one-by-one, many of which will use pretty basic transitions. My desire is to build a few nice "stock transitions" (like 3) using expressions, and anywhere I drop these on a layer, its properties can be controlled by a single set of sliders or keyframes. For example, I have CC page turn on many of them, and I want to animate the fold position moving in. I want to be able to drop this effect, or effect + expression or preset, onto any layer, and have it automatically begin the transition from the layer in-point. Additionally, every instance of the effect in the project is controlled by a master slider or master set of keyframes in case the client wants to tweak the timing. This way it will ripple through my 100+ layers instead of having to manually change every keyframe. I have some basic expression knowledge, but every time I think I'm close to figuring this out it eludes me. This may be way more complicated than I'm thinking, or way less. Thanks,
TG

--
Animator & Editor
www.teddygage.com
Brooklyn


 
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