[Ben Griggs]

Michael,

I don’t think the font can be changed with expressions the way the characters can. It seems that you would be stuck making a precomp for each font having an expression to change the letters and then use time displacement in order to smoothly replace one with the other. If you use a properly sized square fractal noise for your displacement you should have no issues.

If you do find an expression change the fonts I would like to know.

Another option is to just create your own font set by mixing several of letters from the ones you want to use and drastically simplify the work inside of AE with this.

Hope that helps,
Ben

[Ben Griggs]

Sid,

Have you tried just dragging the folder containing only the images you need to sequence onto the project panel and dropping it there?

You will still need to put this into a comp after getting it into your project panel.

Other than that if your importing multiple files there is a check box in that file selection window that needs to be selected for sequences.

[Ben Griggs]

Sid,

It looks like your going to File->Import file where it should be File->Import Multiple Files. Then the “Import as” menu should appear so you can import as footage.

Hope that helps,
Ben

[Ben Griggs]

Michael,

Have you set your preferences for “Audio Hardware” and “Audio Output Mapping” inside of AE? They are located under Edit->Preferences. I couldn’t get any audio preview at all until I found that.

Hope that helps,
Ben

[Ben Griggs]

Michael,

For moving letters about the page like that unless you want them changing from letter to letter as they move, I think particular is going to make things more difficult than they should be. Because of the need to precompose each letter and whatnot.

There are many ways in AE to accomplish what you want. From combining fractal noise with time displacement to Particular and what I would use Card Wipe.

Card wipe is a very useful tool. If your text is properly spaced you can divide up a precomp so that each letter is on it’s own slice. Don’t rotate them or mess with the Z axis, just mess with X and Y axis position and speed jitters -keyframe as desired-
See Tracking and Kerning in the character window of AE to get your letters spaced and ready for Card Wipe.

With this done in it’s own comp you can then track it to the notebook as needed without worry about the positioning of each individual letter in relation to the edge of the page.

Don’t forget details like blend mode and the font/size of the fonts being used to keep away from the student feel.

You can read this post about random letter generation if you think it to be helpful. https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/922207

PS it sounds like a couple of quick and light defocus moves would make it seem a touch more realistic.

Hope that helps,
Ben