Keeping animation elements grouped when moving

[Cy Cosper]

Hi, I'm working on an animation project and I'm stuck on a specific scene. I have a longhorn beetle model with separate elements (elytra, abdomen, antennae, body, legs, etc.). I want to animate the beetle lifting off from a tree and flying away, but I'm unsure how to animate the flapping wings, (+pulsing abdomen) in sync with the beetle's flight. 

Is there a way to anchor or link these individual elements together, so they can continue their respective animation sequences while the beetle flies away? 

here is a link to the animation so far so if it helps to visualize: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLk-x01xpz5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

[nishu_kush · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in. You can create a Null object, align it with the beetle's body and then parent all of its layers with the null. Now all the layers will follow the Null object. Here's a video that should help: https://adobe.ly/3GsXVeb

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks,
Nishu

[Cy Cosper]

Thank you Nishu!