Dynamic effects for updates on several compositions?

[David Tessier]

Hello,

I hope the question has not ever been sent several times…

I'm working on an animation on After, with several compositions, with the same effect (hand drawn animation).

If I'm not really satisfied with my effect, do I have a way to modify its parameters only once and it's automatically updated on all the compositions ?

I don't want to use an effect layer on the main composition, because I have a paper texture on the background that I don't want to be affected by the hand drawn effect.

Thank you for your answers!

[Mylenium]

You can cross-link parameters via pick-whip expressions where possible. Other than that making good use of animation presets would be smart.

Mylenium

[Roei Tzoref]

I'm working on an animation on After, with several compositions, with the same effect (hand drawn animation).

If I'm not really satisfied with my effect, do I have a way to modify its parameters only once and it's automatically updated on all the compositions ?

create the effect on the animation layer/composite and precomp it ->move all attributes. now use this precomp in all the compositions you want and once you update that pre-comp - it will update all the duplicates.

[David Tessier]

Thank you for you answers!

Mylenium​ I don't really know about pick-whip expressions but I'll have a look at it

Roei Tzoref​ Actually, I've never paid attention to those two options when precomposing! But I wonder if I explained well my problem. I want the effect to be applied on several different compositions, not one composition duplicated…

[Roei Tzoref]

Actually, I've never paid attention to those two options when precomposing! But I wonder if I explained well my problem. I want the effect to be applied on several different compositions, not one composition duplicated…

the composition which is duplicated is your animation.

say you apply a tint effect to the animation layer which is a jpg sequence. now precomp this layer with move all attributes. you have now created a new source of your animation with the effect applied let's call it "animation+effect comp". now use this composition in all other composition that need this animation. if you change the tint effect inside "animation+effect comp", it will change in all other compositions.

[David Tessier]

Sorry Roei Tzoref​ I think I get what you mean, but I still can't see how it can work with my problem.

To be more concrete, here's how my after effect document is made :

- a main composition, with several swf files placed the ones after the others (previously made in Animate)

- I have a background with a jpeg paper texture

- I have this hand-drawn effect you helped me yesterday going on all the swf files

- I precomposed all the swf files so I can work with them easily, and apply the hand-drawn effect inside them

- now my montage is done, I think that the hand-drawn effect could be better. So I have to modify parameters in all the precomps. I can not modify in one place the parameters so all the swf animations will update their effect!

Do you see what I mean?

[Roei Tzoref]

I can not modify in one place the parameters so all the swf animations will update their effect!

are we talking about the posterize time to turbulent displace effect to create that orgainic drawing feel? before we move on - are you sure you can't just apply it as an adjustment layer to the composite? one effect on all the layers instead on each layer separately?  please share a few screenshots because this is important. there is probably an effective solution for each scenario but we need to examine this to see you are not making things too complicated.

[David Tessier]

OK I will send some screen shots. But yes, the solution so make an adjustment layer over all the swf files would have been cool, but then the main problem is the background layer. Is there a way for the adjustement layer to ignore some layers? If yes, this would solve the problem. And yes I'm definitly talking about that posterize time to turbulent effect

[David Tessier]

OK so here's a screen capture of my project (simplified). The hand-drawn effect is inside each precomp and not on an adjustment layer so the background is safe. I want to make adjustments on the hand drawn effect in all the precomps. How can I do it once, so all the precomps are affected?

[Roei Tzoref]

I want to make adjustments on the hand drawn effect in all the precomps. How can I do it once, so all the precomps are affected?

it seems to me the effect can and should work on all the composite of these animations as one layer.  I see no effects here so you probably applied it on every swf layer inside these precomps? copy just one instance of the effect and remove all others from every layer and in this screenshot comp you should pre-comp all your compstogether. set the pasted effect on the composite preocmp, leaving the background.

1. composite pre-comp with effect applied

2. background

[David Tessier · Accepted solution]

Thank you again Roei Tzoref​ for your suggestion. Yes I though about this idea, but what you don't see is that the background could change along the animation… so I'de have 2 montage to do! One for the swf and one for the changing backgrounds!

But at least, I've just find the function I was searching for (wich is not hidden at all, how did I miss it?) :

"Copy with relative property links" !

With that function, I just have to make an adjustment layer on the main comp (or anywhere else), apply my effect on it, and then "copy with relative property links", and paste on every comp that need it. And there it is! If I want to make changes on the effect, I do it on the adjustment layer (hidden), and all the comps will change!

[Roei Tzoref]

Yes I though about this idea, but what you don't see is that the background could change along the animation… so I'de have 2 montage to do! One for the swf and one for the changing backgrounds!

I see. yes, this would make it uncomfortable to work in 2 seperate comps. so copy with property links gives you the ability to adjust an effect that's nested in multiple different precomps and suits the job.

But at least, I've just find the function I was searching for (wich is not hidden at all, how did I miss it?) :

"Copy with relative property links" ! With that function, I just have to make an adjustment layer on the main comp (or anywhere else), apply my effect on it, and then "copy with relative property links", and paste on every comp that need it.

you don't need an adjustment layer but only a controller layer that is commonly a Null layer. this is because it's only function is to have the effects on it but not render and this is suited for a null layer which is a special kind of layer that does not render. you can even turn the video switch off.

so create a null layer and apply your turbulent displace effect on it. then select the effect or you can copy just the values you want in the timeline. I usually avoid copying the whole effect because I found it reduces performance since it's more expression heavy and this is unnecessary (I don't use all the parameters...) but you can copy the whole effect since it does not have too many parameters and you would probably want to mess with most of them.

you should choose "copy with property links". the differences between this one and "relative" is that "relative" is if your intention is to duplicate your rigged comp (controller + affected layer) so that if you change parameters in the controller in a duplicated comp , it would affect the layers in the duplicated comp and not reference them to the original controller... (confusing probably I know.). copy with property link uses absolute link so that even if you precomp your linked layers/comps - the link would work. copy with relative is all about the ability to duplicate rigs and you don't really need that. both could work for you in some cases but it's important to know what you are doing...

so this is how your setup should look like:

more about copy with property links:

favorite features in CC versions of After Effects: property links | Creative Cloud blog by Adobe

[David Tessier]

OK, thanks for the precisions! The adjustment layer was convenient so see in real time the effect.

I'll make a null object and try with absolute link !

[Roei Tzoref]

OK, thanks for the precisions! The adjustment layer was convenient so see in real time the effect.

I see. it won't matter for the effect if it's an adjustment or a null of course.. but is a safer practice so you won't accidentally turn the adjustment "on" when it's not needed. null is always not visible (i.e it's really internally at opacity 0). also relative can still work, you should choose what's more appropriate for your workflow.