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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects How do I show the motion path in playback in AE?

  • How do I show the motion path in playback in AE?

    Posted by Audrey Beeley on May 11, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    Hi,
    Is it possible to show the motion path during playback in the Composition panel in AE CC?
    Either that, or export the video with the motion path visible in the exported file? (preferable, but I imagine least likely).
    Thanks!
    Claire

    Kevin Camp replied 9 years ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Audrey Beeley

    May 11, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    Hi Dave,
    Thank you for responding so quickly.
    That’s a shame! I’ve been doing the window grab option, but it doesn’t look quite as vivid in the export.
    For an art installation I’m doing a video of some fish in a tank, which I wanted to map the motion of, then show the motion path in the exported video as if I had animated them.
    Thanks,
    Claire

  • Audrey Beeley

    May 11, 2017 at 5:10 pm

    Hi, Here’s a terrible video I took of the first stage I was at yesterday, but it’s enough to give you an idea of what I’m looking for; https://vimeo.com/217045119/441b829f6a
    The current version now has a tiny red square that follows the motion path as the fish does, and there are also multiple paths showing the motion paths of other fish.
    Cheers,

    Claire

  • Kevin Camp

    May 11, 2017 at 6:06 pm

    the write-on effect could create a trail of dots that follow the motion path.

    • select the position property of the layer that is tracking the fish and copy those key frames
    • add write-on to either a new comp sized solid (or the footage itself, but I’ll describe the new solid method).
    • twirled own the layer properties to get to effects>write-on>brush position, select that property and paste the position keyframes from the other layer.
    • in the ‘paint style’ property set it from ‘on original’ to ‘on transparent’

    as you scrub thru the timeline, a line should follow the motion path of the fish.

    adjust the brush spacing property to make it a solid line or a series of dots.

    Kevin Camp
    Art Director
    KCPQ, KZJO & KRCW

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