LED lights in After Effects

[Mike Clasby]

There are probably many ways, but this works with AE.

Three layer setup:
1) Grid
2) Adjustment layer
3) Actually a set, add all the layers you want to appear in the dots, like text and colored solids, as many layers here as you want.

Here’s two different ways to get the grid of dots, that top layer:

For both ways you need a white solid ontop.

Way 1:

Get Pete’s Plugins Half Tone (freebie):

https://www.petewarden.com/

Set the layer mode to Stencil Luma

Way 2:

On the white solid, add the effect CC Ball Action, grid spacing 5, ball size 40 (tweak to taste). Add a little Fast Blur, maybe 2. Set the layer mode to Silhouette Luma.

Now drop any layer you want under the like Text (your example) colored solids (maybe with a ramp on them), and move them across the screen with position keyframes.

Add an Adjustment layer just below the white solid and above all those moving layers to slightly blur the layers below, a little Fast Blur .

[Mike Clasby]

For more dot control you can get the freebie filter “RetroDots, here:

https://www.philipp-spoeth.de/aftereffects/retrodots.php

Chase with a little Fast Blur and the layer mode is Silhouette Luma.

[Caleb Armstrong]

Could you also create an enormous halftone pattern in photoshop and use it as a matte with your footage?

[Yvonne Hoffman]

Thanks a lot, you made my day! I got started very well with your suggestions.