After Effects Expressions

Chapter 1

Creating Simple Expressions

Adding Expressions

How do you create an Expression in After Effects (AE)? The easiest way is to Option click (PC: Alt click) any stopwatch in the Timeline or Effect Controls panel. I like to think of Expressions as another option (or another alternative) to keyframes, which helps me remember to hold down the Option (PC: Alt) key when I’m adding them. To animate with keyframes, you click a stopwatch; to animate with Expressions, you Option click (PC: Alt click) a stopwatch.

Let’s say you want an Expression to control a layer’s position: create a small solid— say 100 by 100. Or you can use the little guy in Chapter01.aep, Comp1. Now do this:

1.  Twirl open the layer’s properties in the Timeline.

2.  Twirl open ...