[Mike Clasby]

You can distribute layers along a path or trail with this, depending on where the “lead” layer is:

https://www.motionscript.com/mastering-expressions/follow-the-leader.html

[Mike Clasby]

This should also help;

https://www.motionscript.com/design-guide/marker-sync.html

[Mike Clasby]

jj gifford use keyframes to change the wheels position, and an expression so the rotation always matches the movement. Maybe this will help:

https://www.jjgifford.com/expressions/basics/range.html

[Mike Clasby]

Bravo!

[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.

[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]

Here’s some more detail form an earlier post.

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/939735

[Mike Clasby]

You can do a pretty good quickie of the TV commercial tooth twinkle with this.

Overview:

A white solid with a star mask, rotation and opacity keyframes with CC Radial Fast Blur in the Add mode.

Details:

Add a white solid (Ctrl Y).

Draw a 4 point star with the Pen tool the size you want the twinkle (a little smaller actually).

Set Opacity keyframes (T reveals, click the stopwatch) at zero, then 3 to 5 frames down the timeline at 100, then another 2-5 frames set to zero again.

Set rotation (R) keyframes with the same timing.

So you know have a very sharp edged star that appears and rotates on a tooth then disappears.

Now ad the effect “CC Radial Fast Blur” the defaults should work fine, except you need to center the “Center” with the middle of the star.

Set the Blending Mode of the layer to add.

Tweak keyframes and effect to taste.

[Mike Clasby]

“*” (asterisk) on the numeric pad.

[Mike Clasby]

I too like Pete’s Kaleidascope, it’s free, here:

https://www.petewarden.com/