After Effects Guru: Expressions

Learn to use expressions—short snippets of math—to generate and automate various types of effects in Adobe After Effects.

Introduction

• What you will learn
• Using the exercise files

1. What Are Expressions?

• Things to keep in mind when adding expressions
• Adding expressions
• Commenting expressions
• Editing expressions manually
• Pick-whipping expressions
• Modifying an expression you did not create

2. Expression Dimensions

• Changing the rate of an expression
• Changing the value of an expression
• Wiggle expression
• Music amplitude
• Expression controls
• Convert an expression to keyframes
• Posting an expression graph with a visible expression editor

3. Variables

• Variables and arrays
• Elements of an array
• Using simple variables to adjust just one dimension
• Controlling minimum and maximum return values

4. Expression Language Menu

• Using the playhead for control
• Ease expressions
• More wiggle
• JavaScript math
• Loops

5. Using Expressions to Create Dynamic MOGRTs

• Turning layers on and off
• Dynamically positioning text on the lower-third
• Dynamically changing the size of the font
• Restricting users to three fonts
• Using multiple lines of text dynamically
• Changing designs by using a slider

6. Other Expressions

• Random values
• Delay
• Amplitude, frequency, and decay
• Bounce
• "toComp" expression

Conclusion

• Next steps