From the course: After Effects Hidden Gems

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Expression controls

Expression controls - After Effects Tutorial

From the course: After Effects Hidden Gems

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Expression controls

- This hidden gem is about Expression Controls. A nice little tool that allows you to keyframe expressions. Now why would you want to key frame an expression in the first place? Expressions are something that either replace keyframes, or add on to keyframes. For example, if I was to keyframe this little gizmo going across the screen, go to the end of the comp, and drag him over here, I would have a very simple linear animation. But maybe I want it to be a little more random to make it look like he's unstable and spinning out of control. Well, to do that, I'd hold Option on Mac, Alt on WIndows, click on that stop watch and enable Expressions. I'd use the wiggle expression, open parenthesis, decide how fast I want it to wiggle, maybe two wiggles a second, comma and by how much, in this case, let's say 100 pixels, close parenthesis, hit enter and now let's preview that, and you'll see there is my crazy gizmo, fighting against the cosmic breeze, as he makes his way across this composition…

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