• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Expression HELP

  Posted by Darren Gardner on October 4, 2006 at 8:24 pm

  Does anyone know of an expression that will change render order in the timeline.

  I’ve made a representation of a DVD player using solids in 3D in AE. I’m trying to make a DVD land on the disk tray and then disappear into the body of the player as the tray slides in. I’ve successful made the tray dissappear, but the DVD image continues to render on top of everything else. It look really goofy.

  Will an expression do the job, or is there another way?

  Thank you so much for any help you can offer!

  Kevin Reiner replied 19 years, 10 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Steve Roberts

  October 4, 2006 at 8:58 pm

  Personally, I know of no script or expression that will do what you want.

  I’d position the DVD (as a 3D layer) below the top layer of the player, probably by giving it a lower Y-position. Then it will get hidden by the box as it slides in.

  Alternately, you could mask the DVD and animate the mask shape, or use a track matte to hide the DVD as it moves under the track matte layer.
• 

  Kevin Reiner

  October 4, 2006 at 9:07 pm

  I agree, not an expression or scripting problem. If you’re working in 3D, why not make the disk 3D and slip in through the slot by rotating on the X axis and then moving the Z position. Do a search for AE 3D tutorials to help figure it out and get you up to speed on 3D if you need to.
  Good luck,
  Reins

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