Using Preset Animations

For this animation, we will make use of the extensive preset animations that are available in After Effects. These are various packaged animations that allow us to complete common tasks without having to create all of the animation settings manually.

We use preset animations in the exact same way that we use Effects. The main difference between the two is that Effects are controlled through the Effect Controls panel, while animation presets are controlled through the timeline.

We'll select the object we wish to animate and then double click the preset animation to apply it.

We already have much of our title card completed. We just need to apply the animations and any effects we wish to add.

Let's check our title card now.

Step 1. To move to the Project panel, from the Menu bar,

Click Window, Click Project

Our title card is already created and in our Project panel. Let's view it now.

Step 2. To open the title card in the Composition panel,

Double-Click Movie Title Card

The title card appears in our Composition panel.

Step 3. Preview the animation.

We can see that currently the animation includes two pieces of text. We will keep these in place and animate them individually.

For our animation, we'd like the text to expand slowly. This is an effect used frequently in trailers and commercials; it is done by animating the Tracking property of the text.

Tracking controls how far apart the individual characters are spaced. By animating it, we can make the characters slowly move apart.

Let's see how to do this now.  We'll start working with the Moving Day text.

Step 4. To select the appropriate layer, in the Timeline panel,

Click the Moving Day layer

The layer is now selected.

Step 5. To ensure the playhead is at the beginning of the timeline, on the keyboard, press:

Home key

Now we can add the Increase Tracking effect to the text.  We'll need to open the Effects panel to do this.

Step 6. To open the Effects & Presets panel, in the Menu bar, if necessary,

Click Window, Click Effects & Presets

Now, we'll search for the Increase Tracking effect and add it to the text.

Step 7. To find the effect we want to apply, in the search bar of the Effects & Presets panel, type:

Tracking

Step 8. To apply the effect, in the Effects & Presets panel,

Double-Click Increase Tracking

Step 9. Preview the animation.

Step 10. Save the file.

We can see that it expands quickly at the beginning and then stops. We will need to fix this by moving the keyframes.

Moving Keyframes to Alter Timing

Earlier, we talked about the idea of a keyframe being a package. The keyframe package includes a series of settings. These settings can be placed at a specific point in time. By moving the keyframe on the timeline, we are changing how long it takes for the object to reflect those settings. Two keyframes close together will make the change quickly, while two keyframes far apart will make the change more gradually.

In our current timeline, the two keyframes are about 1 second apart. We can't see them yet, since they're hidden underneath the layers they are attached to. We'd like the tracking to expand as long as the text is visible. This means that for the text to get to its maximum length at the end of the animation, we need to move the second keyframe to the very end of the Moving Day timeline, or possibly even beyond the end.

Before we move the keyframes, we need to be able to see them. Since After Effects will keep keyframes in several places on various timelines, we'll use a keyboard shortcut to show all the keyframes in the animation.

Step 1. To view all the keyframes in the animation,

Click the Moving Day layer, then type: u

We see a new row appear with two small symbols:

These keyframes appear as an hourglass shape, rather than the diamond we've seen previously. This is because they have a special type of motion applied to them which helps them maintain a continuous change throughout the animation. This means that as the animation occurs, the speed continually increases or decreases in a smooth manner.

Let's move the ending keyframe now.

Step 2. To move the rightmost keyframe, in the timeline,

Press & Drag to the right until it reaches 8 seconds

This timing of the keyframe will ensure that the text is moving the entire time it's visible.

We'd also like our text to fade out in an interesting way, so let's add another animation preset.

Reversing an Animation with Keyframes

There are many animation presets that deal with fading in and out in interesting ways. All of these are possible to create without using the preset, but creating the animation will be easier as we are beginning to learn how to use the vast animation options available in After Effects.

Let's prepare and create the effect now.

Step 1. To verify that the Moving Day layer is selected, in the Timeline panel,

Click Moving Day

Step 2. To move the playhead to the correct place on the timeline,

Press & Drag the playhead near the 6-second mark

This will ensure that our effect to fade out the text will begin around the 6-second mark.

Step 3. To search for an effect, in the search bar in the Effects & Presets panel, type:

Transporter

Step 4. To apply the appropriate effect, in the Effects & Presets panel,

Double-Click Transporter

Step 5. Preview the animation.

We can see the text transport in, and then disappear when the text stops being visible on the timeline. This is backwards from how our final animation should appear.

We can fix this by reversing the keyframes. Remember that each keyframe contains the settings at that point in time. By switching the two keyframes here, we will get the reverse effect.

Let's do this now.

Step 6. To deselect all of the layers, in the Timeline panel,

Click a blank area of the panel

Everything is deselected.

Step 7. To see the keyframes for the new animation, on the keyboard, type:

u u

NOTE: We need to press the key twice to first hide the original property layer we're working with, then show all the properties for the selected layer.

We can see that there is an additional row of diamond-shaped keyframes. If we reverse the order of these keyframes, the animation will reverse as well, fading out instead of in.

We will have to move the first keyframe out of the way, before we can correctly place both of these keyframes. Let's do this now.

Step 8. To move the leftmost keyframe to the end, in the Range Selector 1 sublayer of the Transporter Animator layer,

Press & Drag to the right until it reaches the 9-second mark

Step 9. To move the end keyframe,

Press & Drag  to the left until it reaches the 6-second mark

Finally, let's move the keyframe currently at the 9-second mark back to the 8-second mark.

Step 12. To move the final keyframe,

Press & Drag the far right keyframe to the 8-second mark on the timeline

Step 13. Preview the animation.

Now we can see that the text is visible at the beginning, and disappears by the end.

Now we need to add similar effects to the Coming Soon layer. Before we continue, let's hide the Moving Day layer.

Step 14. To shy the Moving Day layer, in the Timeline panel,

Click, Click 

Step 15. Save the file.

Now we can focus on the Coming Soon layer.

Challenge Exercise - Animate the Coming Soon Layer

We want to animate the Coming Soon layer in the same way the Moving Day layer is set. Rather than duplicate the steps from above, we will attempt to create it with a minimum amount of assistance.

Here are some basic steps we will have to complete.

Step 1. Select the Coming Soon layer.

Step 2. Move the playhead to the beginning of the Coming Soon layer.

Step 3. Add the Increase Tracking animation preset.

Step 4. Adjust the keyframes (type u on the keyboard to view them), so the tracking animation continually extends while the text is visible.

Step 5. Select the Coming Soon layer.

Step 6. Move the playhead to the 7-second mark.

Step 7. Add the Transporter animation preset.

Step 8. Reverse the keyframes of the Transporter animation, similarly to how the we did for the Moving Day layer.

Step 9. Preview the animation.

Step 10. Make any final adjustments.

Step 11. Save the file.

As we can see, working in After Effects can be a delicate process.

NOTE: Each preset places keyframes at a certain distance apart; if you don't see the second keyframe in the animation, you might need to undo and replace your playhead. To undo, on the keyboard, press Control key + Z.