New to after effects

[Wittman]

I'm working for a design firm and am learning after effects CS3. I'm trying to find out the best way to animate a series of objects along a path so that they follow each other like a train. What is the best way to do this and where's a good tutorial to help a noob out? I expect I'm the only idiot in the world who doesn't know how to do this.

 

[andyman957]

Well, you could either take the object you want and animate the position of them to all go the direction you want or you can play with partical world, partical playground, ect.

 

[MasterP]

From your description, the easiest way to do it is to probably just animate the position of the objects. Set them out at the distance you want them to be apart, parent all of them to the leading object and then animate the position of the leading object to get them to follow in its path


You'll need to find tutorials on Keyframing, interpolation, using the keyframe assistant and also parenting in order to get the exact look that you are after though

I'd thoroughly recommend the Total Training or Lynda.com video tutorial lessons - they'll get you up to speed real fast

 

[Wittman]

Basically what it is, is I have a series of coins that enter from the right side of the screen, arch downward and back to the right - that's what I'm wanting, anyways.
I've tried parenting the objects that follow the first, but all they do is pivot around the arch rather than follow the first objects.

I didn't expect this would be so difficult, that is - I thought it was a fairly common effect.

 

[oneinfiniteloop]

Draw a line that you want your coins to follow with the pen tool. Copy that mask shape to the position or anchor point property of your coin layers. Offset as needed. Done.

 

[banksie312]

i don't know how to do what you are saying (as i am also new to AE CS3). but make sure you check this website out, i have been watching and learning a lot. it has so many video tutorials of some useful stuff.

http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials.html

i hope this helps

 

[Wittman]

Draw a line that you want your coins to follow with the pen tool. Copy that mask shape to the position or anchor point property of your coin layers. Offset as needed. Done.

Could you explain this in a little more in depth noob detail?

 

[kilmyneo]

Cs3 preview

Cs3 preview

with a null?

 

[Wittman]

with a null?

if you wouldn't mind, create your own thread to avoid confusion in this one. I'm confused with Ae as it is.

 

[greggiez]

you could animate the first object to the exact path you want it to follow. Then duplicate that layer. ctrl - D or apple - d, then, off set the duplicated layer by say 15 - 30 frames or so to the right. Now when you do a RAM preview. 0 on the number pad, you will have that exact same object following it's self. What you need to do after that is replace the footage linked to that layer with the new footage (the next coin) which should be in the project window as a PSD or some kind of image file. Click on the duplicated layer so it is highlighted. Then click on the new footage, (the second coin) and "option" drag it on to the duplicated layer. This will replace the footage to the new coin. Now if you RAM preview the 2 coins will follow the same exact path. To change the timing, all you have to do is move the duplicated layer to the right of the time line to the desired following distance.

I think that's what you want to do. Not sure where to find tutorials on that though.