Specifies which type of light you want to use. Distant Source simulates sunlight and casts shadows in one direction, where all the light rays strike the object from virtually the same angle. Point Source is similar to a light bulb and casts shadows in all directions. First Comp Light uses the first light layer in the composition, which can use a variety of settings.
Distributes light over the layer. Increasing this value adds an even illumination to all objects and prevents shadows from being completely black. Setting Ambient Light to pure white and setting all other light controls to 0 makes the object fully lit and eliminates any 3D shading from the scene.
Takes into account the position of the viewer. It modelsthe reflection of the light source back to the viewer. It can createthe illusion of shininess. For realistic effects, you can animatethis control by using higher and higher values to mask the transitionfrom filtered to nonfiltered versions of the layer.
Controls shininess. Shiny surfaces produce small, tight reflections, whereas duller surfaces spread the highlight into a larger region. Specular highlights are the color of the incoming light. Because light is typically white or off-white, broad highlights can desaturate an image by adding white to the surface color.
In general, use the following process to adjust lighting: Set Light Position and Diffuse Reflection to control the overall light level and shading in a scene. Then, adjust Specular Reflection and Highlight Sharpness to control the strength and spread of highlights. Finally, adjust Ambient Light to fill in the shadows.
This effect creates the appearance of card choreography by dividing layers into numerous cards and then controlling all geometric aspects of the cards by using a second layer. For example, Card Dance can simulate an extruded pin sculpture, a crowd doing the wave, or letters floating on the surface of a pond.
If you want half of the cards in a layer to come in from the right, and the other half to come in from the left, create a gradient layer that is half black and half white. Set the gradient as the source for X Position, and set X Position Multiplier to 5, and animate it to 0. The cards in the black area initially appear at the left, and the cards in the white area initially appear at the right.
Specifies the interaction of the numbers of rows and columns. Independent makes both the Rows and Columns sliders active. Columns Follows Rows makes only the Rows slider active. If you choose this option, the number of columns is always the same as the number of rows.
The layer that appears in segments on the backs of the cards. You can use any layer in the composition; its Video switch can even be turned off. If the layer has effects or masks, precompose the layer first.
The first control layer to use to make the cards dance. Youcan use any layer. Grayscale layers produce the most predictableresults. The gradient layer acts as a displacement map for animatingthe cards.
The Caustics effect ignores masks and alpha channels on the layer to which it's applied. You can precompose the layer with the effect and apply the mask to the precomposition layer, or you can precompose the layer with the mask and apply the effect to the precomposition layer, depending on what result you want to achieve. For more, learn about precomposing, nesting, and pre-rendering in After Effects.
Makes the bottom layer larger or smaller. If the edges ofthe bottom layer show, because of the refraction of the light throughthe waves, scale up the bottom layer. Scaling down is useful fortiling a layer to make a complex pattern.
Specifies how a scaled-down bottom layer is tiled. Once usesonly one tile, basically turning tiling off. Tiles uses the traditionaltiling method of abutting the right edge of one bottom layer tileto the left edge of another bottom layer tile. This option workswell if the bottom layer contains a repeating pattern, like a logo,that needs to read a certain way. Reflected abuts each edge of abottom layer tile to a mirrored copy of the tile. This option caneliminate a hard edge where the two tiles meet.
Specifies the layer to use as the surface of the water. Caustics uses the luminance of this layer as a height map for generating a 3D water surface. Light pixels are high, and dark pixels are low. You can use a layer created by using the Wave World or Radio Waves effect; precompose the layer before using it with Caustics.
Specifies the layer above the water. Scaling makes the skylayer larger or smaller. If the edges of the sky layer show, scalethe layer up. Scaling down is useful for tiling a layer to makea complex pattern.
Specifies how a scaled-down sky layer is tiled. Once usesonly one tile, basically turning tiling off. Tiles uses the traditionaltiling method of abutting the right edge of one layer tile to theleft edge of another layer tile. This option works well if the layercontains a repeating pattern, like a logo, that needs to read acertain way. Reflected abuts each edge of a layer tile to a mirroredcopy of the tile. This option can eliminate a hard edge where thetwo tiles meet.
Specifies how to handle the layer when it is smaller than thecomposition. Intensity specifies the opacity of the sky layer. Convergence specifieshow close the sky and the bottom or water layer appear, controllingthe extent to which the waves distort the sky.
This effect generates bubbles that flow, cling, andpop. Use the controls for the effect to adjust attributes for thebubbles such as stickiness, viscosity, life span, and bubble strength.You can control exactly how the foam particles interact with eachother and with their environment, and specify a separate layer toact as a map, controlling precisely where the foam flows. For example,you can have particles flow around a logo or fill a logo with bubbles.
Displays the bubbles without fully rendering them. Using Draft mode is a fast way to preview the behavior of the bubbles. Draft mode is the only way to preview the universe edges, the Flow Map alignment, and the Producer location, orientation, and size. Blue ellipses represent bubbles. A red ellipse represents the Producer Point. A red rectangle represents the bubble universe.
Determines the rate at which bubbles are generated. This control does not affect the number of bubbles per frame. Rather, the rate is the average number of bubbles generated every 30th of a second. Higher numbers yield more bubbles.
Specifies how fast a bubble reaches full size. When a bubble is released from the producer point, it generally starts out rather small. If you set this value too high and you specify a small producer area, the bubbles pop each other, and the effect generates fewer bubbles than expected.
Influences how likely a bubble is to pop before it reaches its Lifespan limit. Lowering the Strength of a bubble makes it more likely to pop early in its life when forces like wind and flow maps act upon it. Lower values are good for soap bubbles. The highest value is recommended for flocking animations.
Controls how popping bubbles affect each other. When a bubble pops, it affects other bubbles around it by leaving a hole that other bubbles can fill, pushing other bubbles away, or popping other bubbles. The higher the value, the more popping bubbles affect one another.
Specifies the rate at which bubbles decelerate after being released from the producer point and controls the speed of the flow of the bubbles. A high Viscosity value creates resistance as the bubbles get farther away from the producer point, causing them to slow down. If Viscosity is set high enough, the bubbles stop. The thicker the substance, the higher the Viscosity. For example, if you want to create the effect of bubbles traveling through oil, set Viscosity fairly high so that the bubbles meet resistance as they travel. To create the effect of bubbles floating in the air, set Viscosity fairly low.
Causes bubbles to clump together and makes them less vulnerable to other Physics controls like Wind Direction. The higher the Stickiness, the more likely the bubbles are to form clusters and cling. Use Stickiness and Viscosity to create a bubble cluster.
Sets the boundaries of the bubble universe. When bubbles completely leave the universe, they pop and are gone forever. By default, the universe is the size of the layer. Values greater than 1 create a universe that stretches beyond the borders of the layer. Use higher values to make bubbles flow in from outside the frame, or make it possible to zoom out and bring them back into the picture. Using a value lower than 1 clips the bubbles before they reach the edge of the layer. For example, when you want to confine bubbles to a specific area, such as inside a mask shape, set Universe Size a little larger than the mask size to remove all the extra bubbles and speed up the rendering process.
Specifies the relative transparency of bubbles as they intersect. Transparent blends the bubbles smoothly together, allowing you to see the bubbles through each other. Solid Old On Top makes a younger bubble appear to be underneath an older bubble and eliminates transparency. Use this setting to simulate bubbles flowing toward you. Solid New On Top makes younger bubbles appear to be on top of older bubbles and also eliminates transparency. Use this setting to make bubbles appear as if they are flowing downhill.
Specifies the bubble texture. Use a preset texture, or create your own. To see the texture, make sure that View is set to Rendered. To create your own texture, select User Defined, and from the Bubble Texture Layer menu, choose the layer you want to use as the bubble.
Specifies the layer you want to use as the bubble image. To use this control, choose User Defined from the Bubble Texture menu. If you want the layer to appear only as a bubble, turn off the video switch for the layer in the Timeline panel.
Determines the direction which the bubble rotates. Fixed releases the bubble from the producer right side up and keeps it that way. Use this control if the bubble has built-in highlights and shading, as all of the preset bubbles do. Physical Orientation buffets and spins bubbles around by the forces on them, creating a chaotic scene. Bubble Velocity faces the bubble in the direction of its motion. This setting is the most useful for flocking-style animations.
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