Create Controller for Attributes (size, opacity, tracking, etc.) of Multiple Text Layers

[Walter Soyka]

Not simple, but here’s one way to do it.

1) Create a comp for your text, animate it however you like, and use the Essential Graphics Panel to make its text a master property. (For more, see https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/creating-motion-graphics-templates.html)

2) Space out multiple layers of that text precomp in your main comp, and change the text however you need.

3) Write some expressions linking the Time Remapping property to its position in the comp. This way, the text comes into focus as it moves into place, and you only have to worry about animating the position property.

Here’s a sample:
12897_slidingtextitems.aep.zip

This is pretty elegant, flexible, and fast to change — but it’s not simple to understand or to build in the first place and I imagine you’ll have questions. Please feel free to ask away and I’ll do my best to explain.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Austin Corbett]

Incredible. Thanks so much Walter.
Though things are a bit foggy with steps 1 & 3, I’ll poke around your project file and see if I can sort things out.
Your final product is very much what I’m going for.
I’ll spend some time with this over the next couple weeks and will loop back around if I have additional questions.

My only question now is: Where’s the best place to learn the ins and outs of AE?
My primary experience has been utilizing a half dozen or so VideoCopilot tutorials along with a few other free templates and YouTube tutorials. A push in the right direction would be appreciated.

Thanks for going above and beyond with the project file.

best,
Austin

[Walter Soyka]

You’re welcome, Austin.

There are some really good resources right here at the COW if you want to dig in more. Andrew Devis has a good series here that covers a lot of different areas in Ae:
https://library.creativecow.net/product-tutorials-category.php?tablename=adobeaftereffectsbasics&category=andrewdevis

It’s not necessary to learn expressions to use Ae at a high level — but it sure helps. There are some good recommendations for expressions resources here:
https://forums.creativecow.net/docs/forums/post.php?forumid=227&postid=36602&univpostid=36602&pview=t

And ask questions! There are lots of people here who are happy to help.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]