After Effects Lesson 4

Import the Assets

1. In a New Project import the lesson file Avebury.psd as a composition retaining

layer sizes.
2. Make sure Composition Retain Layer Sizes is selected from the Import kind
menu.
3. Expand the Sunrise folder and youll see all the layers we will be working with

Creating the Composition

1. Double click the Avebury composition in the project panel to open it in the
composition panel.
2. In the composition settings change the Duration to 10:00 seconds.
3. Choose File > Save.

Creating 3D Shapes

1. Select all layers apart from the background layer and make them 3D by
clicking on the 3D object switch check box in the timeline panel.

Using Cameras

When compositions are 3D we can use the camera tool to view the 3D spaces
were working in.

1. From the drop down menu in the composition panel change the camera
from active camera to custom view.
2. Select the camera tool from the tools toolbar.
3. You can now use the camera tool to rotate around the view of the
composition.

Adjusting to look 3D

1. Hide all stone layers from view.

2. Select the ground layer and press Y.
3. Move the anchor point so that it sits on the top area of the shape.
4. Press R to open up rotation and change the first value of orientation so that
the ground is angled towards you like an ascending slope.
5. Press S to bring up your scale values and click on the chain link radio button
to unlink the scale properties.
6. Increase the Y Scale so that the ground becomes less pixelated.
7. Apply CC PowerPin effect and stretch out the bottom two corners of the
ground layer.
8. Repeat this process with the hill layer, adjusting so that it suits the image.
9. Scale up the sky layer so that it fills the background.
 10. Chose each individual stone, press Y and move their individual anchor points
to their bases.
11. Chose each individual stone and position them into place by adjusting their Z
position properties.
12. Use the background image to adjust the rocks scale and position properties
so they more accurately match the picture.
13. Add an adjustment layer to sit beneath the stones.
14. Rotate the sky layer backwards and scale up the Y properties.
15. Add a blur effect and Bevel Edge effects to the rock layers.

Adding a Camera

1. Go to Layer>New>Camera
2. Open up the camera Position properties and keyframe the Z values so that
the camera zooms into the composition.
3. Open up the rotation properties and adjust the X position so that the horizon
remains at the same point throughout the zoom.