How can you create the perfect corkscrew spiral in After Effects?

[Steve Roberts]

If you just want the layer to travel in a corkscrew pattern, create a null and parent the layer to it. Rotate the null, and the layer will travel in a circle. Move the null up, and the layer will travel up while rotating around, thus making a corkscrew.

Now … if you want to see the corkscrew, I believe your only hope is Trapcode’s 3D stroke, but I don’t think it does corkscrews. Maybe Zaxwerks Invigorator could do it.

This could be yet another example of trying to push AE beyond its 3D limits.

Anybody else?

[Steve Roberts]

Wait — you could also fake a spiral by making a series of diagonal lines on a very long layer, and applying CC cylinder to that layer. The spiral won’t be a tube, but a strip.

Google “Maffitt” and “spiral” to find the tutorial.

[Craig Wall]

I get the impression this user isn’t looking for a 3d corkscrew but a motion path shaped like a corkscrew.

If I am correct I believe Illustrator has a built-in corkscrew shape somewhere. If you snagged that path and pasted it in as your motion path—then animated the scale of the object over time and perhaps embellished with auto-orient along path…

….would that work for you?

[Colin Braley]

That’s really a funny coincidence, I created a spiral expression yesterday while waiting for a render to finish. Try this out:

//begin expression
//Expression by Colin Braley
//Modify these first few variables to change the effect

centerPoint = [360 , 270];
beginRadius = 25; //pixels
endRadius = 100; //pixels
startTime = 0; //seconds
endTime = 3; //seconds
howManyRings = 3;
clockwise = false;
//if you want the spiral to spin the other way make clockwise = false;

//--
t = time;
if( time < startTime ) t = startTime; if( time > endTime )
t = endTime;
radius = linear( time , startTime , endTime , beginRadius , endRadius );
theta = linear( time , startTime , endTime , 0 , (2 * Math.PI ) * howManyRings );
if( ! clockwise )
theta *= -1;
x = radius * Math.cos( theta );
y = radius * Math.sin( theta );
//--
[x , y] + centerPoint
//end expression


If you want to see how the created motion path looks, apply the expression to the brush position parameter of the write on effect to see it as a stroke. Also, if you set either of the radii to negative values, you can get some cool effects.

~Colin

http://www.colinbraley.com

[Colin Braley]

If anyone want’s an .aep check out this link:

Enjoy..

~Colin

~Colin

http://www.colinbraley.com

[David Bogie]

Searching the forum might bring up an interesting project done last year (i think) using time displacement.
The demo movie was lovely but I never could understand the concept behind how the effect was done.

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Unit_9]

Hi Colin – this is great – thank you!!

Is there any way I can add easing to this expression?

And also, how can I cue expressions? Like how could I add another position expression once it has completed this one?

[Nick]

Pretty cool stuff!