Learning After Effects! 1st tutorial:Time mapping

Good afternoon, design friends!

This week, we begin a new class: After Effects! I want to share how excited I am, even though I also feel a bit intimidated by everything After Effects has to offer. I know it can be overwhelming, but I am eager to learn as much as I can. From what I've seen, this is an incredible program, and I've been looking forward to learning it!

I chose a the time mapping tutorial https://www.adobe.com/learn/after-effects/web/the-unlock-karen-x-cheng-on-going-viral-and-optimizing-for-fun?learnIn=1

FIRST- Click on your footage layer in the timeline. Then click on the Layer and right click on Time then Enable Time Remapping.This will automatically add two keyframes. One at the start and one at the end of your clip.

THEN - Add Keyframes for Speed Changes

Move the playhead to the point where you want the fast section to end and the slow motion effect to begin. Click the diamond icon to drop a keyframe. Next, move the playhead to where the slow motion should end and the final speed up should start, then add another keyframe. You should now have a total of four keyframes:  

- One at the very start  

- One where the slow motion begins  

- One where the slow motion ends  

- One at the very end of your clip  

NEXT- Control the Speed with Keyframe Spacing

The spacing between your keyframes controls the speed of the video:  

- Keyframes that are closer together will result in faster motion.  

- Keyframes that are farther apart will result in slower motion.  

To adjust the speed, do the following:  

- Drag the first and second keyframes closer together to speed up the beginning.  

- Pull the second and third keyframes farther apart to slow down the middle section.  

- Bring the third and fourth keyframes closer together to speed up the end.  

LASTLY- Smooth Out the Transitions

• Highlight the keyframes, especially the two middle ones. Press F9 or right click them and choose Keyframe Assistant and choose Easy Ease. This will make the speed transitions feel more natural and less abrupt.

I then decided to add a clip of bubbles, change the blend mode to "screen," and lower the opacity. I also scaled the clip and adjusted its position to effectively cover the footage. I created a couple of versions, experimenting with different effects. I hope this helps you!