Adobe 12040118 - After Effects Standard Tutorial page 469

Rows, Columns, Layer, and Order controls
Rows & Columns Specifies the interaction of the numbers of rows and columns. Independent makes both the Rows and Columns sliders active.
Columns Follows Rows makes only the Rows slider active. If you choose this option, the number of columns is always the same as the number of
rows.
Rows The number of rows, up to 1000.
Columns The number of columns, up to 1000, unless Columns Follows Rows is selected.
Note: Rows and columns are always evenly distributed across a layer, so unusually shaped rectangular tiles don't appear along the edges of a
layer—unless you use an alpha channel.
Back Layer The layer that appears in segments on the backs of the cards. You can use any layer in the composition; its Video switch can even
be turned off. If the layer has effects or masks, precompose the layer first.
Gradient Layer 1 The first control layer to use to make the cards dance. You can use any layer. Grayscale layers produce the most predictable
results. The gradient layer acts as a displacement map for animating the cards.
Gradient Layer 2 The second control layer.
Rotation Order The order in which the cards rotate around multiple axes when using more than one axis for rotation.
Transformation Order The order in which the transformations (scale, rotation, and position) are performed.
Position, Rotation, and Scale controls
Position (X, Y, Z), Rotation (X, Y, Z), and Scale (X, Y) specify the transformation properties you want to adjust. Because Card Dance is a 3D
effect, you can control these properties separately for each axis of the cards. However, because the cards themselves are still 2D, they have no
inherent depth—hence the absence of z scaling.
Source Specifies the gradient layer channel you want to use to control the transformation. For example, select Intensity 2 to use the intensity from
Gradient Layer 2.
Multiplier The amount of transformation applied to the cards.
Offset The base value from which the transformation begins. It is added to the transformation value (a card's center pixel value times the Multiplier
amount) so that you can start the transformation from some place other than 0.
Camera System and Camera Position controls
Camera System Specifies whether to use the effect's Camera Position properties, the effect's Corner Pins properties, or the default composition
camera and light positions to render 3D images of the cards.
X Rotation, Y Rotation, Z Rotation Rotate the camera around the corresponding axis. Use these controls to look at the cards from the top, side,
back, or any other angle.
X, Y Position Where the camera is positioned along the x and y axes.
Z Position Where the camera is positioned along the z axis. Smaller numbers move the camera closer to the cards, and larger numbers move the
camera away from the cards.
Focal Length The zoom factor. Smaller numbers zoom in.
Transform Order The order in which the camera rotates around its three axes, and whether the camera rotates before or after it is positioned
using the other Camera Position controls.
Corner Pins controls
Corner Pinning is an alternative camera control system. Use it as an aid for compositing the result of the effect into a scene on a flat surface that is
tilted with respect to the frame.
Upper Left Corner, Upper Right Corner, Lower Left Corner, Lower Right Corner Where to attach each of the corners of the layer.
Auto Focal Length Controls the perspective of the effect during the animation. When Auto Focal Length is deselected, the focal length you
specify is used to find a camera position and orientation that place the corners of the layer at the corner pins. If this isn't possible, the layer is
replaced by its outline, drawn between the pins. When Auto Focal Length is selected, the focal length required to match the corner points is used,
if possible. If not, it interpolates the correct value from nearby frames.
Focal Length Overrides the other settings if the results you've obtained aren't what you need. If you set the Focal Length to something that
doesn't correspond to what the focal length would be if the pins were actually in that configuration, the image may look unusual (strangely
sheared, for example). But if you know the focal length that you are trying to match, manually setting Focal Length is the easiest way to get
correct results.
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Caustics effect
Note: For information on properties shared by several of the Simulation effects, see Common Lighting controls and Material controls.
This effect simulates caustics—reflections of light at the bottom of a body of water, created by light refracting through the surface of the water. The
Caustics effect generates this reflection and creates realistic water surfaces when used with Wave World and Radio Waves.
Eran Stern provides a video tutorial on the Creative COW website in which he demonstrates how to use the Caustics effect with the Wave World
effect.
Note: The Caustics effect ignores masks and alpha channels on the layer to which it is applied. You can precompose the layer with the effect
and apply the mask to the precomposition layer, or you can precompose the layer with the mask and apply the effect to the precomposition layer,
depending on what result you want to achieve. (See Precomposing, nesting, and pre-rendering.)