[Eric Epstein]

Hello,

Good idea using Element like this.

I don’t know why this happens exactly. But my workaround was to simply not parent it, and connect the top of the chain to the body via expression.

Lets say the upper leg is parented to a null called ‘hipA’ and also there is a ‘hipB’ parented to the body.
I’d use the following expression on the position of ‘hipA’
L = thisComp.layer(“hipB”);
L.toWorld(L.anchorPoint)

Additionally, you can use the expression below on the orientation of ‘hipA’ to have that chain auto orient to a free-floating ‘foot’ null.

Hope that helps. -eric

q=lookAt(thisComp.layer("foot").transform.position, position);
[q[0],q[1],value[2]]

[Eric Epstein]

It’s just like how the motion path of a layer can be curved or straight, it all depends on the keyframe interpolation. Right click on the Brush Position keyframes to change it.

If you knew all that already and just wondered why it starts out one way or he other, I have no idea.

[Eric Epstein]

It is possible to have expressions connect attributes across different comps (made easier by opening two timeline tabs at once). But it’s probably simpler to keep that animation all in the main comp.
In any case, you need to loop your animation keyframes if those are what you want to pass on, not time.
The loop expression that you used on time remapping should work the same on any property, so just apply it to the two vertexes.

Yes, whole effects are not connectable with the pickwhip. It needs to be used on individual properties.
When using the pickwhip, make sure you drag it to the name of the property and not one of it’s numbers.
If you drag it to just the X value, it will make an expression that only transmits the X, but not the Y.

[Eric Epstein]

Testing in CS5, Remove Grain works on an adjustment layer.
I don’t know what would cause it to not work.
Have you tested the adjustment layer with other effects, just to make sure it isn’t somehow disabled?

[Eric Epstein]

You could have an effect animated on one ‘master’ layer, and then on another layer use the expression pickwhip to connect that layer’s effect’s values to the master. Then you can copy that ‘slalve’ effect (expressions and all) and paste it on as many other layers as you want, and they will all follow the keyframes from that one layer.

If the tree rustling animation isn’t anything precise and you don’t care if the trees move in unison, I might recommend a wiggle expression instead of keyframes. With that route, it would be still be advisable to set up some central control. You could put some ‘Slider Control’ effects on a null or something, and have the wiggle expressions in your effect look to those sliders for its amplitude and frequency.

Sorry if that was incomprehensible.