How to Keyframe Wiggle in Camera

[ali m.r7155227]

Hi, I added a wiggle expression to my Camera layer but I'd like to use keyframes to enable and disable it. Tutorial on YouTube said use "Slider"" effect to create keyframes wbut it doesn't work.

[Jose Panadero · Accepted solution]

The best way is to link the frequency or amplitude of the wiggle expression to expression controllers

1.- Add the wiggle expression to your camera. It should be something like wiggle(a,b) where a is the frequency and b is the amplitude.

2.- Create a Null Object and apply two Slider Control effects (you will fin under the Expression Controls category). Rename them like Frequency and Amplitude.

3.- Select the "a" parameter in the wiggle expression and use the pick whip to link to the slider parameter of the Frequency effect. Do the same with the "b" parameter, linking it to the slider of the second effect. Your expression will be something like wiggle(thisComp.layer("Null 1").effect("Frequency")("Slider"),thisComp.layer("Null 1").effect("Magnitude")("Slider"))

4.- The you can animate the slider parameters to obtain desired result. Anyway, you will have to convert your keyframes to Hold KF to control the wiggle like an "ON-OFF" switch.

[Nexahs1138]

The main reason I stay away from keyframing wiggles

[ali m.r7155227]

Thanks so much Jose!

[Mike_Abbott]

While Jose's suggestion is broadly correct, you need to be aware that keyframing the slider control for wiggle frequency is not a good idea - unless you use a more sophisticated expression - see below. Keyframing the slider control for wiggle amplitude is fine, so if this gives you enough control, leaving frequency with a fixed value, I would suggest you go with that.

If you do need to keyframe wiggle frequency I would suggest you read and use the very useful information in this document by the master expression writer Dan Ebberts. It will explain the problem of keyframing frequency - and give you an expression solution.

Expression Speed and Frequency Control

Mike A.

[ali m.r7155227]

Thank you Mike!