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Martinnel
Martinnel
Inspiring
December 6, 2017
Answered

Transitions In and Out of Triggers

  • December 6, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 1321 views

I am sure I saw this in a tutorial, but am now having trouble finding it.

I would like to apply an animated puff of smoke or sparkles or something right at the point I switch in and out of a trigger. For example, I'd like my puppet to change outfits in the middle of a scene and would like it to happen with some sort of alla kazaam sort of effect. Can I tie something to him to make this happen?

Martin

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer TDFAP

    OK, that sounds like exactly what I want, but there are just so many steps in there I don't know how to do.

    Like, I managed to create a transition animation in AE. And I can import it, Video Frames to Layers, into PS, but if I try to do that directly into my puppet, PS insists on creating a new file. OK, so I take that video frames project, group it, drag it into my puppet and save. I still don't see any way to cycle layers animation in CA.

    I hope Jeff or someone does a tutorial on this. Or, better yet, points me to one that's already out there.

    But thanks, you've definitely pointed me on the right path. Now I just need to get more educated.

    Martin


    Sorry, I guess I left that part out... When you import the [video-> frames to layers] it DOES open in a new window. PS adds new layers above previous ones, but CA plays them from the top down. This means the animation will be reversed (plays from end to beginning.) So select the range of layers that are your frames and click [Layer-> Arrange-> Reverse] Then copy them (cmnd/ctrl + c) and then go into your puppet PS file and paste them (cmnd/ctrl + v).  Once pasted into your puppet file, you might also need to drag them into a separate group, labeled with the ( + ) independent group tag.

    Once you import your puppet in CA you should be able to apply a cycle layers animation behavior to the group that contains your smoke puff frames, and adjust its properties to match the frame rate you exported with in AE (or a faster or slower frame rate as you choose.) As well as add the trigger/swap set keys you want to use to trigger the animation.

    Hope this helps,

    P.S. This tutorial is an old one, before CA2018 added the functionality of Swap Sets/new Trigger behavior. Things work a little differently now, but is this the tutorial you were thinking about?

    Keyboard Triggers & Cycle Layers (Adobe Character Animator Tutorial - Archived) - YouTube

    - AP

    2 replies

    TDFAP
    TDFAP
    Inspiring
    December 15, 2017

    That's actually exactly what I meant about the frame rate. You can change the scene frame rate in CA to be the same (or purposefully different) than the frame rate you used in AE to create the transitional animation. Glad to help, and glad you got it working!

    Martinnel
    MartinnelAuthor
    Inspiring
    December 12, 2017

    Maybe I didn't phrase this well. Or maybe I imagined this possibility. Let's say I have a pre-built puff of smoke with an alpha channel. Is there a way, within CA, to trigger this over another trigger so, for example, it could hide a change of clothing?

    Or maybe I just dreamt I saw this.

    Martin

    TDFAP
    TDFAP
    Inspiring
    December 12, 2017

    I know that there is an @OkaySamurai tutorial that addresses this, you didn't dream it... alone.

    There are probably multiple ways to achieve this smoke poof effect, but I think the easiest way (that I use repeatedly on multiple puppets) is to create a 3-10 frame series of the smoke poof in PS, (if your pre-built smoke w/alpha channel is a video - import it into PS as a series of layers [File -> Import -> Video Frames to Layers]) You can then use CA to apply cycle layer animation to the smoke poof, and position and trigger it as you desire. Make sure that the trigger key is the same as the key you use to change the puppet's wardrobe, or place both triggers together in the Swap Set menu.

    I use this video to PS layers workflow quite often, using AE to animate something like lightning or fire for 5-10 flames and then importing those frames into my PS puppet to use as a CA cycle layers animation.

    Martinnel
    MartinnelAuthor
    Inspiring
    December 12, 2017

    Thanks TDFAP, I'll try this out tomorrow.

    Martin

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