After Effects Wiggle Effect
- In your after effects file, select the layer that you want to shake.
For this example, I have an image of pancakes and then some stars. I want to apply a wiggling or shaking effect to both of these layers, so I will repeat these steps for both objects. - Pressing the alt/option key, click the stopwatch beside “position.”
When you see the position text turn red and begin typing in the timeline, you are creating what is called an “expression” in After Effects. Using a coding language adapted from javascript, you can use all sorts of customizable commands to apply complex motion to layers. Discover the other things you can do with expressions here.
You can edit your expression at any time by hitting alt/option on the stopwatch again—or by pressing the down arrow beside “position” and then double-clicking the text in the timeline. - Type “Wiggle (3,8)” and adjust the settings as necessary.
The first number in this expression represents the frequency of the wiggle—essentially, how fast it appears to shake. The second number represents the amplitude of the wiggle, which is how far it moves. You can adjust these numbers however you would like. Wiggle (2,40) will make a layer shake dramatically, but slow. Wiggle (10,3) will make a layer dart around quickly without moving too much in any one direction. - Optional: Adjust the frame rate of your composition.
If you want more of a jerky wiggle instead of something smooth, you can reduce the frame rate of the video to make the overall effect more “choppy.” Go to Composition > Composition settings and lower the frame rate. 24.5 is standard in After Effects. Something like “12” will give you a choppier feel, but you can go as low as “8.”
Note: Reducing the frame rate will make your entire composition choppier—so if you have other moving elements in your comp, it might not make sense to apply to everything. If you only want the frame rate to affect your wiggling object, create a pre-comp containing the wiggling layer(s) and adjust only that frame rate.
Quickly add a whole new dimension of random to your wiggles with this quick expression in After Effects.
Type: wiggle(1,35) to get a good handheld effect (3,55) is a good effect for hand held while running effect. First number is how many times the clip moves per second; Second number is how many pixels per second the clip moves per second; Hit “S” to open the scale options for the layer and boost the size of the layer to 107% or so. By using the simple expression wiggle you can quickly add simulated random movement to your layers in After Effects. However, if you’ve worked with the After Effects wiggle expression for any amount of time, then you probably know that the wiggle expression has a very specific look that can sometimes be annoying and difficult to work with. Wiggle is one of the most popular After Effects expressions, as it is easy to use and visually interesting. Instead of creating a bunch of keyframes to make a layer randomly move, we can do this with a couple of numbers. Jan 30, 2013 Wiggle is one of the most popular After Effects expressions, as it is easy to use and visually interesting. Instead of creating a bunch of keyframes to make a layer randomly move, we can do this with a couple of numbers. The Wiggle Expression in After Effects For this example I created the word ‘wiggle’ from text. In After Effects, use the wiggle expression to create random movement by modifying numbers, not keyframes. Sometimes, our animation lacks character or feels a little lifeless. What would fix the issue is a slight bit of movement.
If you learn only one expression while using After Effects, it needs to be the wiggle expression. By using the simple expression wiggle() you can quickly add simulated random movement to your layers in After Effects. However, if you’ve worked with the After Effects wiggle expression for any amount of time, then you probably know that the wiggle expression has a very specific look that can sometimes be annoying and difficult to work with.
In the following video tutorial, AE expert Mikey Borup shows us how to use the random() function inside of the wiggle expression to get an even more random looking effect.
After Effects Wiggle Effect Definition
This video was first shared by Mikey Borup on his YouTube channel. Thanks for sharing, Mikey!
If you want to quickly add this expression into your next motion graphic project, you can simply copy and paste the following expression:
wiggle(random(1,2),random(20,100));
Want to learn more about using the After Effects wiggle expression? Check out a few of the following articles:
After Effects Wiggle Effect Diagram
Using Wiggle to Create Random Movement in Adobe After Effects – PremiumBeat
Expression Language Reference – Adobe
Random Motion – Motion Script
Have any tips for working with the “random()” function? Share your tips in the comments below.
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