Learn how to create a null object in Adobe After Effects 7.
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So let's move to the beginning of the Timeline and let's create a new Null Object. Layer, New, Null Object, and I am going to want to you to name this Null Object. So let's select the Null Object, select Return and call it logocontrol.
So what the Null Object is, it's an invisible object that we can use to parent all of the other layers to. So we are going to take {7}, tracker and STORM and parent that to the logocontrol or the Null Object so that we can move them all using just one set of controls. I want you to make sure the logocontrol is in 3D and let's open our Parent control. So if you right-click up here and go to Columns, Parent. You will see our Parent control. I want you to select {7}, tracker, and STORM and where it says None, I just toggle that open and select logocontrol.
So now the logocontrol moves all of our objects. So let's hit R for Rotation and I just want to show you an example of this. I am going to move somewhere in the middle of the Timeline about 215. So I have X, Y, and Z Rotation controls. If I scrub on my X Rotation, you can see I start rotating the logo towards us. If I scrub on my Y Rotation, it rotates around the Y-axis and if I scrub on the Z Rotation, it rotates around the Z-axis. I will set these all back to 0.
Let's go back to the beginning of the Timeline and we are going to adjust the X, Y, and Z Rotation. So the X Rotation, we are going to set that to -25, the Y Rotation, we are going to set that to 25 and the Z Rotation we are going to set that to 25. I want you to put keyframes for all of those.
If we drag down, you can see that our logo is in perspective. At the end of the Timeline, hit the End key to get there, I just want you to put in the opposite settings for the numbers we have right now. So -25 becomes 25, 25 becomes -25 and 25 becomes -25 and this is what we end up with.
Now I also want you to change the anchor point for this, so that it moves a little bit more to the left. So let's go to about 215 and I just want you to select the A key, that's the shortcut for anchor point and all we need to adjust is the X positioning. So let's just move that to the side. Let's put it at 42. So let's hit Return, that centers that up. We will scroll on that a little bit to see what we are getting.
Our logo is coming outside of our Composition window, so we are going to adjust the positioning a little bit as well. So let's go to 1 second on the Timeline, hit P for Position and let's set the X position to 340. Let's set the Z position to -100. This will move it towards the Composition window.
So let's drag on that. Let's set a keyframe there and now let's go to the end of the Timeline and let's change the position. So let's change the X position, we bring that in a little bit. Let's put it to 390. And we will also change the Y position. Let's change that to about 275 to see what that looks like and let's change the Z position. So that it moves further away from us. Let's go a little bit extreme. We will go to 600.
I am just going to scrub on that to test this. And I am going to click the Composition window, hit the Tilde key, hit 0 on the numeric keypad to preview this, so we can see what we have.
Okay, now that we are happy with our animation, we can go and start colorizing it. So you can hit any key on your keyboard to stop this. Hit the Tilde key and let's go up to Layer, New, Adjustment Layer.
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