Datasheet

■ Setting Up a Composite 15
A B C D E F G H
I J K LM N O P Q R S T
Figure 1.12 Layer outline of Timeline panel. The composition switches include (A) Open Parent, (B) Live
Update, (C) Draft 3D, (D) Hide Shy Layers, (E) Frame Blending, (F) Motion Blur, (G) Brainstorm, and (H)
Graph Editor. The layer switches include (I) Video, (J) Audio, (K) Solo, (L) Lock, (M) Shy, (N) Collapse
Transformations, (O) Quality, (P) Effect, (Q) Frame Blending, (R) Motion Blur, (S) Adjustment Layer, and
(T) 3D Layer.
Composition switches affect all the layers of a composition while layer switches affect
individual layers. Composition switches include the following:
Open Parent, when clicked, displays a menu that lists the nested location of the cur-
rent composition. For example, if Comp 1 is nested inside Comp 3, the menu reads
Comp 3, Layer n. If you select a menu item, the Timeline panel will jump to the com-
position tab where the nesting occurs.
Live Update, when toggled on, updates the composition in the viewer while its layers
are transformed or otherwise manipulated. If Live Update is toggled off, manipulated
layers are drawn as wireframe boxes.
Draft 3D, when toggled on, disables 3D lights, shadows, and camera depth of field.
3D setups are discussed in Chapter 11, “Working with 2.5D and 3D.”
Hide Shy Layers, if toggled on, hides all Shy layers (see the list of layer switches later
in this section).
Frame Blending, if toggled on, enables frame blending for all layers. This is necessary
for time warping, which is described in Chapter 12, “Advanced Techniques.”
Motion Blur, if toggled on, enables motion blur for all layers and is described in
Chapter 6, “Convolution Filters.”
Brainstorm, if clicked, creates multiple, temporary variations of the composition.
To activate the Brainstorm dialog box, you must first select layer properties. The
Brainstorm function randomly offsets the values of the selected properties to create
the composite variations.
Graph Editor, if toggled on, reveals the Graph Editor in the Timeline panel. For infor-
mation on the Graph Editor, see Chapter 5, “Transformations and Keyframing.”
As for layer switches, the Frame Blend switch is discussed in Chapter 12, the Motion
Blur switch is covered in Chapter 6, and the 3D Layer switch is detailed in Chapter 11.
Additional layer switches follow:
Video toggles the layer’s visibility. The layer remains in the layer outline, but it is not
used for the composite.
Audio mutes any audio attached to the layer. (Since this book is concerned with digital
compositing, the audio functionality of After Effects is not covered.)
Solo displays the layer for which the switch is activated but disables all other layers.
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