(smooth music)
- Hello, and welcome to the 20th episode
in this beginner's guide to Adobe After Effects.
In this tutorial, we're going to look
at video transitions in After Effects.
So now we are starting to learn some fundamental techniques
we can use to build a project.
In the last video, we learned how to use effects and presets
to add dynamic animation effects to our type.
Now we are going to look
at how we can use effects and presets
to add transitions to our video
and animation sequences.
After this video, you should feel more comfortable
using and animating transitions in After Effects.
So let's get into it.
So here I am in After Effects,
and I have a project open here
that I'm going to use to demonstrate
some video transitions and how to create them.
Now, if you have the project folder,
you can open up the document I have here.
With the project folder open,
click into the S2 essential practice folder,
into folder 20, transition presets,
and open the transition presets After Effects file,
and you'll have the same document I have open here.
This is a document you can use
to quickly experiment with the transition effects
and presets, with me, in this video.
Now, if you don't have the project folder,
and you want to follow along with this tutorial,
using this document I have prepared especially for you,
you can download this project folder for a small fee.
The download link with instructions is in the description.
The download folder comes with lots of exercise documents
we will be using on this course
that have been carefully developed
to aid your learning experience.
The folder also comes with document resources
such as videos, graphics, and images
you can use to build
your first video presentation from scratch
later on in this course.
To get the full learning experience,
I recommend you get the project folder.
Download link with instructions is in the description.
With the project folder open,
click into the S2 essential project folder,
into folder 20, transition presets,
and open the transition presets After Effects file,
and you will have the same document I have open here.
So in the last episode,
we looked at the type effect
in the effects and presets panel,
over on the right of the interface.
Now, if we toggle down the animation preset category,
we can see we have three folders towards the bottom
called transition dissolves,
transition movement, and transition wipes.
Now, if we toggle these down,
we can see lots and lots of presets to choose from.
So just like we applied effects and presets
to our type in the last episode,
we can apply effect and presets
to our video layers, much the same.
In the previous episode,
we learned how to apply simple animation
to shapes and images.
So we could animate our transitions
manually, in After Effects,
to add very subtle effects,
but if we want to create something a little more dynamic,
we could use some of the presets here.
So now I want to draw attention
over to the project panel.
Here you can see I have a transitions animations folder,
with 10 examples of animated transitions.
Now, we are going to have a go
at applying transition presets very shortly,
but let's first take a look at some examples.
So first, double-click
on the first composition, linear wipe.
So I'll make sure the time indicator
is set to the start of the timeline,
and I'll press Spacebar to activate preview.
So here we can see a basic linear wipe transition
from one video clip to another.
To create this effect, I simply dragged on a preset.
Now, if we look down in the timeline panel,
we can see we have just two keyframes
applied to the top layer.
Right now, this animation is happening over about a second.
Now remember, we can use these keyframes
to control the speed and duration
of the sequence over time.
So I'll press spacebar to stop the preview,
and if I select the first keyframe
and drag it in a little,
and drag the last keyframe in,
I'll press spacebar to activate preview,
and we can see the effect happens a lot faster.
So I'll press spacebar to stop the preview,
and I'll drag my timeline indicator
just halfway between the transition.
Now, when you apply a transition to a video,
you will also be able to tweak the settings
in the effect controls panel.
So with my layer selected,
if I come over into the project panel
and look at the top and look at the effects control tab.
And here we can see the settings.
In this instance, I can tweak the wipe angle.
As I do so, we can see the angle changing
in the composition panel.
So I'll tweak this from -90 degrees to around -65,
and I'll press spacebar to activate preview,
and now the linear wipe is set at more of an angle.
So I'll click the project tab at the top of the panel,
and this time, in the project panel,
double-click on the second comp,
wipes, iris, points.
So I make sure the time indicator
is at the start of the timeline,
and I'll press spacebar to activate preview.
This time, we have a wipe transition
from a video clip to a pre-comp.
In After Effects, as well as a video,
you can also apply transition effects
to composition layers.
So I'll press spacebar to stop the preview.
In this instance, I'm transitioning
from a video clip into an image layer.
If we double-click on the picture pre-comp layer,
we can see that the picture
has been placed into a separate comp.
This is because the picture
is bigger than the video canvas area.
So back in the main comp,
the transition is applied nicely
to the pre-comp layer that fits the frame nicely.
Again, for the effect, we have two keyframes,
which we can drag to tweak the duration of the effect.
And in the effect and controls panel,
we have some settings.
In this example, we can click the invert alpha.
This inverts the transition,
so instead of going from the video clip to the picture,
we can go from the picture to the video clip.
So next, in the project panel,
double-click on the third comp, clock wipe.
I'll make sure the time indicator
is at the start of the timeline,
and I'll press spacebar to activate preview.
This time we have a wipe transition
from a video layer to a solid layer.
In After Effects, as well as video and compositions,
you can also apply transition effects to a solid layer.
So again, for this effect,
we only have one setting applied, with two keyframes.
Next, in the project panel,
double-click on the fourth comp, dissolves vapor.
I'll make sure the time indicator
is at the start of the timeline,
and I'll press spacebar to activate preview.
This time, we have a dissolve transition,
from one video into another.
So lastly, in the project panel,
double-click on the fifth comp.
Slide and drop.
I'll make sure the time indicator
is at the start of the timeline,
and I'll press spacebar to activate preview.
So for this transition, a whole video dropped in,
to transform on top of another video.
For this effect, we have two keyframes
applied to the layer,
and settings we can tweak in the effect controls panel.
For this one, we can reverse the direction.
And now the transition comes up instead of down.
Pretty simple.
So here in the project panel,
there are a few other effects you can look at,
but for now, I think you get the idea.
So let's move on and have a look
at how we can apply these ourselves.
Now, if you come into the project panel,
you can see I have a folder called worksheets.
So double-click on worksheet one,
and you should see this comp ready.
What we have here is two video layers in the timeline,
and if you toggle the visibility of the top layer,
you can see another one below.
What we want to do here
is transition from the top video
into the one below.
So I'll toggle back the visibility of the top layer,
and now we are ready to apply a transition preset.
So just like we did earlier,
let's come into the effects and presets panel,
into the animation present folder,
down towards the transitions folders,
and let's start with the transition wipe folder.
Now, there is something you may find useful here,
and you may remember this from the previous episode.
Here we have lots of presets to choose from.
Now, as a beginner,
it's hard to know what any of these do.
Now, wouldn't it be nice to preview them?
Well, we can.
So if we come up to the top-right
of the effects and presets panel,
and click the lines to pull up the menu,
we will get a menu dropdown.
Now, there is an option here to browse presets.
If I click this, Adobe Bridge will open.
Now, it's important to mention that to do this
you will need Adobe Bridge installed.
For those of you not familiar with Bridge,
this is a separate program by Adobe
that allows you to explore
creative content on your computer,
and we can use Bridge here to preview the presets
so we can get a visual idea
of what it's going to look like.
Now, if you don't have Bridge installed,
don't worry too much.
This won't stop you
from applying the preset in After Effects.
So here in Adobe Bridge,
all these folders represent the folders
in the effects and presets panel.
So I'll come and double-click on the transition wipes,
and here we will get some thumbnails of the sequences,
to give us an idea of what the preset will look like.
So if I click on clam shell,
that's looking interesting.
So back in After Effects,
let's come down to the transition wipes folder
in the presets panel, and select clam shell.
Now remember, wherever the time indicator
is on the timeline, the effect will start from there.
So I'll make sure my time indicator
is towards the middle of the timeline,
and I'll click and drag the clam shell preset
onto the layer.
Upon release, the video will disappear.
So I'll press U to see my keyframes on the layer,
and notice we have two keyframes applied for the settings.
Also, we can see some settings available
in the effect and controls panel.
So I'll press spacebar to activate preview,
and we can see the animation effect has been applied.
Easy.
So this is an animate-in effect.
So that is why it starts invisible when animating in.
Now a quick tip with these transitions.
Here, the video transitions in instead of out.
If you want to reverse the transition,
you have to look closely in the effects and controls panel.
Up at the master control,
we can see the transition completion value.
Now, when we place the time indicator
over the first keyframe,
this is currently set to zero.
And when we place it over the second keyframe,
it is set to 100%.
Now, if we want to reverse the transition,
all we need to do is reverse these values.
So on the first keyframe,
I'll change the value from zero to 100%,
and the second keyframe,
I'll change the value from 100% to zero.
So now, instead of the video transitioning in,
it now transitions out.
Whenever you use a transition preset,
be sure to keep an eye on the effect controls
if you want to reverse the transition.
Easy.
So I'll press Command + Z on Mac, or Control + C on PC,
a few times, to undo that preset,
and I'll come and apply another.
So in Adobe Bridge,
let's come back a step,
and this time, double-click into the dissolves folder.
So I'll click on dissolves ripple,
and that's looking a bit different.
So back in our After Effects,
let's come up to the effects and presets panel
and toggle down the dissolves folder.
And I'll select ripple.
I'll make sure my time indicator
is towards the start of the timeline,
and I'll click and drag the preset
onto the video layer,
and upon release, the video will disappear.
So I'll press U to see my keyframes on the layer.
Notice again, we have two keyframes
applied for the setting.
And I'll press spacebar to activate preview,
and we can see the ripple transition effect applied.
So I'll press spacebar to stop the preview,
and again, if I want to alter the duration,
I can come and drag the last keyframe along,
or inwards, like so.
And I'll press spacebar to activate preview again,
and now the sequence is longer.
So that's how easy it is
to apply transition presets to layers in After Effects.
And remember, you can apply them to video,
composition, and solid layers.
So over the past few videos,
we have been looking at some interesting animation effects
that can be applied to our layers.
Now, After Effects is not just good for adding animation.
Now, a lot of designers will use After Effects
to color grade, and adjust color to their videos.
In the next video, I'll be looking
at how we can use After Effects
to adjust color in our video footage.
So see you in the next video.