Expressions and Scripting Flashcards
6 cards from real Adobe After Effects practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Expressions and Scripting flashcards as text
How do you add an expression to a property in After Effects?
Answer: Alt+click (Option+click on Mac) the stopwatch icon of the property
Alt+clicking the stopwatch enables expression mode, showing an expression field and disabling regular keyframing for that property.
What does the `wiggle()` expression function do in After Effects?
Answer: Creates random oscillation of a property's value over time with controllable frequency and amplitude
wiggle(frequency, amplitude) adds random variation to a property, with frequency controlling oscillations per second and amplitude controlling the range.
What does `thisComp.layer("Layer Name").transform.position` do in an After Effects expression?
Answer: Returns the current position value of a named layer in the same composition
This expression references the Position transform property of a specific named layer in the current composition.
What does the `time` expression variable represent in After Effects?
Answer: The current time of the composition in seconds at the current frame
The `time` variable returns the composition's current time in seconds (e.g., 2.5 at 2 seconds 15 frames at 30fps).
What does `loopOut('cycle')` do in an After Effects expression?
Answer: Repeats the keyframe animation after the last keyframe by cycling back to the first keyframe
loopOut('cycle') repeats the segment between the first and last keyframes indefinitely after the last keyframe.
What is the Expression Language in After Effects based on?
Answer: JavaScript (specifically the ECMAScript standard)
After Effects expressions use JavaScript syntax, giving access to math functions, conditionals, and the After Effects object model.