Lesson 6: Animating Layers
Changes in the Auto-Keyframe option
Note
The following replaces the text in the “Animating the birds” and “Animating the Clouds” sections, which begin on page 165 of the printed book. Continue with the original book from the “Previewing the animation” section. The illustrations remain accurate.
Animating the birds
Next, you’ll animate the motion of the birds flying by. To create the animation faster, you’ll take advantage of the Auto-Keyframe option. When Auto-Keyframe is enabled, After Effects automatically creates a keyframe whenever you change a value.
1. Select the Birds layer in the Timeline panel, and press P to reveal its Position property.
2. From the Timeline panel menu, choose Enable Auto-Keyframe.
A red stopwatch icon appears at the top of the Timeline panel to remind you that Auto-Keyframe is enabled.
Note
While the Auto-Keyframe option can make your life easier, it can also create more keyframes than you intended. Choose Enable Auto-Keyframe only when you need it for a specific task, and remember to disable it when you’re done with that task!
3. Go to 4:20, and set the Position values for the Birds layer to 200, 49. After Effects automatically adds a keyframe.
4. Go to 4:25, and set the Position values of the Birds layer to 670, 49. After Effects adds a keyframe.
5. Select the Birds layer, and press P to hide its Position property.
Animating the clouds
Next, you’ll animate the clouds drifting across the sky.
1. Select the Clouds layer in the Timeline panel, and expand its Transform properties.
2. Go to 5:22, and click the stopwatch icon for the Position property to set a Position keyframe at the current value (406.5, 58.5).
3. Still at 5:22, set the Opacity for the Clouds layer to 33%.
After Effects automatically adds a keyframe, because Auto-Keyframe is still enabled.
4. Choose Enable Auto-Keyframe in the Timeline panel menu to deselect it.
5. Go to 5:02, and set the Clouds layer Opacity value to 0%.
After Effects adds a keyframe, even though you disabled Auto-Keyframe. After Effects adds a keyframe when you change the value for a property that already has a keyframe in the timeline.
6. Go to 9:07, and set the Clouds layer Opacity value to 50%. After Effects adds a keyframe.
7. Press the End key, or move the current-time indicator to the last frame of the composition.
8. Set the Position of the Clouds layer to 456.5, 48.5. After Effects adds a keyframe.
Note added to the “Precomposing layers” section (page 168 in the printed book).
Addition to the Precompose dialog box
The Precompose dialog box illustration in the book may vary slightly from the one you see on your screen. In After Effects 12.1 and later, the Precompose dialog box includes the new Adjust Composition Duration To The Span Of The Selected Layers option. (Select the new option to create a composition that has the same duration as that spanned by the selected layers.)
Changes in the behavior of new layers
Note
In After Effects 12.1 and later, a new layer is placed directly above the currently selected layer in the Timeline panel; if no layer is selected, the layer appears at the top of the stack. In previous versions of After Effects, new layers always appeared at the top of the stack. The following text replaces the first step in the “Adding a lens flare effect” section, which is on page 174 in the printed book.
Adding a lens flare effect
1. Deselect all layers. Then, go to 5:10, where the sun is shining brightly into the lens of the camera.