[Mike Derk]

Man thank you for sticking it out with me. My problem was that I was dragging the keyframe, not the outpoint for the nested comp, so yes, the layer was disappearing before it had a chance to loop. I solved it a different way, but I’m glad to know this way — I’m still trying to get my head wrapped around how this program “thinks”.

I believed (without even knowing it) that if I dragged the nested composition out from 3 seconds to 20 seconds that I would be forcing it into slo-mo, playing at 3/20th the normal speed. Why would I think that? Who knows!

[Mike Derk]

So, I finally got it to work, but here was the main issue: my footage was short, about 3 seconds. But I wanted it to loop for 20 seconds.

However, once footage on the layer runs out, it stops looping, and then runs blank for 17 seconds.

To get around that, I had to precompose the initial 3 seconds in a comp that was 20 seconds long. Nesting that precomp into a 20 second composition allowed the looping to go the whole way.

So, until I figured that out, nothing you were telling me was going to work. But it wasn’t wasted — now it works.

Thanks for the perseverance.

Mike

[Mike Derk]

Ah, this did not work, but I figured it out, so I figured I’d tell you why it didn’t work:

You: “Asumming you wanted to loop the first ten frames…”

Actually, I wanted to loop the *only* ten frames (which I didn’t make clear to you). And even if you extend the composition to infinity, once the footage runs out on the given layer, it stops looping.

So, I had to add to the duration and precompose it (moving all attributes), and then add the loopOut() expression. Then, I could make it repeat ad infinitum.

So, at the end of the day, you solved the problem. Thanks!

Mike

[Mike Derk]

I’m realizing my problem may lie in “making a piece of footage x frames long.”

I’m pre-composing a series of images. (It ends up being 3 seconds, but I don’t think that’s relevant.) Then I’m nesting that precomp into a new composition, but it shows up as 10 seconds (my default comp length). Anyway, I don’t know if this counts as “footage” — I could be using the wrong terminology.

Anyway, I used an actual .mov file, to no use. I’ll try again later.

Mike

[Mike Derk]

I’m beginning to feel like my computer hates me.

I followed your recipe to a T, and yet nothing changed. I even used different footage, just to make sure my original stuff wasn’t “contaminated” in some way.

Could it possibly have something to do with the fact that I’m not on an Intel Mac? I’m on a G5 Quad.

New footage: .mov file, 12 fps. Composition also set to 12 fps.

[Mike Derk]

So you’re saying I can save in in PS as a frame-based animation? Cool, I’ll check that out.

I did finally get it to import. I can’t remember exactly what I did, but I think it was “import as footage” but not highlighting the “Photoshop sequence” box.

Yesterday I had that box clicked, and I just got one big merged file. (I think.)

[Mike Derk]

Yeah, so that pretty much did nothing.

[Mike Derk]

Sorry, I have the CS3 Production Suite.

[Mike Derk]

Well, I’m not making much headway. I’m just ending up with a bunch of pre-comps and no loops.

So, here are the steps I’m about to go try:

1. Make an 13 frame piece of footage. This is Comp 1.
2. Nest Comp 1 into Comp 2. Make Comp 2 only 12 frames long.
3. In Comp 2, enable Time Remapping.
4. In the Animation Menu, go to “Add Expression”
5. In Time Remapping, add the expression “loopOut ( )”
6. Make Comp 3, of any duration. Nest Comp 2 into Comp 3.
7. Play… and see a repeating loop?

Help?

Mike

[Mike Derk]

You know, I think I’m doing something even less brilliant. I think that Comp 1 is 10 ten seconds, so it’s trying to loop all ten seconds, not just the ten frames with content. I’ll check after my coffee hits.