QUESTION: how to affect shape layer skew value based on the velocity & direction of position property

[John Cuevas]

You would want to use one of the ease expressions applied to the “Skew” property of Distort Transform effect. Something like this:

myVel = transform.position.velocity[0];
linear(myVel,0,500, 0, -18)

Here’s a simple little project I made demonstrating the technique.
11234_skew.aep.zip

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
ThinkCK

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[John Gardner]

Thanks, John!

[John Gardner]

Hi John,

In case you need additional reference… I hacked together this solution as well… My apologies for not providing credits, as I pulled info from many people, so its a bit like making Frankenstein…

Anyway, I would like to figure out how to add in some anticipation to the Skew value, just before the 1st key frame, so the shape layer sort of flexes before it moves.

Place the following expression at: Shape layer > Content > Transform > Skew

freq = 5;
decay = 5;
p=transform.position;
x=transform.position[0];
n = 0;

if (p.numKeys > 0){
n =p.nearestKey(time).index;
if (p.key(n).time > time) n–;
}
if (n > 0){
t = time – p.key(n).time;
amp = p.velocityAtTime(p.key(n).time – .001);
w = freq*Math.PI*2;
result = amp*(Math.sin(t*w)/Math.exp(decay*t)/w);
x=result[0];
}else
n;