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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects Expressions Dots – Grid Transition

  • Dots – Grid Transition

    Posted by Rafael Cruz on March 9, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    I need to create a grid-like layer of slightly random dots which cross the screen in a transition. I realize this is quite simple, but I’m having trouble manipulating the dots properly with particular, and think an expression could really make it easier.

    Ideally, I would like the dots to appear from left to right by adding the dots (rather than using keyframes to actually move them). The result is, a bunch of dots being added from left to right (not moving) covering the screen for a moment before disappearing screen-right.

    The problem with particular is that, while the grid dots can be randomized well, the perimeter of the grid is pretty much fixed. I haven’t been able to, say, extend any of the rows of dots out ahead of the rest (like fingers on a hand of grid dots).
    I can solve that by breaking the grid down into single rows and duplicating those screen-crossing rows into the “broken” grid I’m looking to create, but then I can’t get the right randomness on the back end of the dot trail.

    is anyone familiar with an expression i can tweak for this?

    ~Raf

    Jonan Grobler replied 11 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Filip Vandueren

    March 9, 2009 at 11:40 pm

    Is this what you need ?

    step 1:
    Animate a gradient from left to right in an oversized comp.

    Step 2:
    Add Horizontal Turbulent displace:

    Step 3:
    Precomp, Crop and add a Mosaic Effect:

    Step 4:
    Multiply or Stencil Luma, a grid of dots (I made this with Generate->Circle and Stylize->Motion Tile)

    Step 5:
    Finished.

  • Rafael Cruz

    March 10, 2009 at 12:59 am

    Yes!
    Thank you filip. So clear.
    This looks like it’ll work.

  • Filip Vandueren

    March 10, 2009 at 1:35 am

    Right now, the trails are actually all of equal length, just scattered.
    This can be easily mimicked by overlaying some blurred out fractal-noise over the original gradient:

  • Jonan Grobler

    May 30, 2014 at 10:02 pm

    Oh wow. You just saved my life sir. 😀

    Jonan Grobler
    Editor/Motion Graphics
    GTG MOTION PICTURES
    filmstudio.co.za

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