====== After Effects ======

===== Animated Text =====

==== Pop Reveal by the bottom ====

{{software:animated-text-1.gif?direct}}

  * Add a text
  * Add an ''Animator'' on **Position** & **Opacity**
  * Offset the **Position** property of the text in the ''Animator'' tab to desired position the text pops out from. Its final position will be the non-offset one.
  * Animate the **Offset** property between -100 and 100 to create the pop in effect.
  * Set **Opacity** property to 0 in the animator. Opacity fadeouts can be done in the ''Transform'' tab
  * You can add a fast "Scale down" effect on the **Scale** property of the ''Transform'' tab to add a little snap to the end of the animation. Fade In/Out can also be done on the **Opacity** property here.
  * Under the ''Advanced'' tab of the ''Animator'' tab you can change the **Shape** from Square to Ramp Up or Ramp Down and add some **Ease High** and **Ease Low** to further tweak the animation. You can also toggle a Random Effect here.

==== Electric Effect ====

//Uses **Saber** plugin by **VideoCopilot**. Works with texts, images, etc.//

{{:software:electric-saberfx.gif?direct}}

  * Add a solid.
  * Add the Saber effect on the solid.
  * Add your text or image, and when it's ready for display use top menu **Layer > Autotrace**.
  * This will create masks out of the items composing the layer.
  * Copy all the masks into the Saber effect.
  * Hide or delete the source and the auto-traced layers.
  * In Saber :
    * Render Settings > Composite set to Transparent (for Transparent BG)
    * Custom Core > Core Type set to Layer Masks (to draw Fx on Masks)
    * Select a Preset and tweak it's settings
    * Animate the End Offset property to make it appear dynamically.

==== Animating Arrows ====

//There are many ways to do this, this is one that is quite effective and requires fewer layers / operations.//

{{:software:arrow-animation.gif?direct|}}

  * Create a path with the pen tool. Shortcut **''G''**.
  * **Remove fill** on path and **set the stroke** to required thickness.
  * Add Trim Paths on the layer and animate the **Start** property to make the line appear.
  * //(Optional)// Animate the **End** of the trim paths if necessary.
  * Use the Star Tool to create an arrowhead. Before releasing on click use the **''DOWN''** key to reduce number of points to 3.
  * Use **''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''HOME''** to set the anchor point to the center of the arrow head.
  * Select arrow head layer and press **''P''** to reveal Position.
  * Copy the path created earlier and paste it to the Position of the Arrow Head layer. If the timeline locator was not in the correct position, take time to re-adjust the keyframes created.
  * Right-click on arrow head layer > Transform and select Auto-orient (shortcut : **''CTRL'' + ''ALT'' + ''O''**) and select **Orient along Path**.
  * Manually adjust **Rotation** of Arrow head, and **Fill/Stroke** according to desires. If arrowhead is not perfectly on path end, adjust the position of the **Anchor Point X or Y** accordingly.
  * Select all keyframes and **''F9''** to apply **Easy Ease**.
  * Open Graph Editor and edit Speed curves accordingly.


==== Animating Trim Paths on paths with fills ====

Once the path with the fill is created, duplicate it and use the duplicate as an Alpha Matte.

To activate the Matte options use the **Toggle Switches / Modes** option on the bottom of the timeline.

Set the original path to be matted by the duplicate and on the duplicate recreate the path without the fill, just a single stroke, wide enough to cover the original. Animate this one with Trim Paths.

==== Misc ====

Use the **Animate > Trim Paths** to animate start and end points of paths to make them appear and disappear.




===== Keyboard Shortcuts =====

  * **''CTRL'' + ''ARROWS''** or **''PAGE UP/DOWN''**: Move 1 frame forward/Back

  * **''SHIFT'' + ''ARROWS''** or **''SHIFT'' + ''PAGE UP/DOWN''**: Move 10 frame forward/Back