User Guide

CHAPTER 5
182
Animating Layers
3 Choose Layer > Transform > Auto-Orient.
4 Do one of the following, and click OK:
• To activate Auto-Orient, choose Orient Along Path.
• To deactivate Auto-Orient, choose Off.
Setting and animating an anchor point
After Effects rotates and scales from a layer’s anchor point. By default, the anchor point is
at the center of a layer. You can move the anchor point to change rotation into revolution,
making the layer rotate from one end or the other. For example, if you want to animate a
maraca so it appears to be shaking, you first need to move the anchor point from the center
of the maraca to the end of the handle.
With anchor point in center of layer (left), layer rotates around the center.
With anchor point moved to end of handle (right), layer rotates from one end.
Move an anchor point in the Layer window. As you do so, the selected layer moves in the
Composition window, so you can view its position in relation to other layers.
UG.book Page 182 Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:05 PM