After Effects Parenting with a Null Object

Skill Level: Easy

Version: AE 7 or later

Movie Sample: View Flash Video (pops)

Plug-ins Used: No third party plug-ins used

This tutorial is more of a concept. It demonstrates parenting to a null object.

Create a new composition (720 x 534 5:00 seconds long).
Create a new solid (control/command y) call it circle.
Create 2 mask on your circle one just about 15% smaller than the first set both mask to a mode of difference.
Enable 3d for each circle layer (the little box in the switches panel).
Hit “r” to bring up rotation on each of the circles rotate one circle 90 degrees on the y axis, one 90 degrees on the x, leave the last one unchanged.
Hit “aa” to open each circles material options set all 3 of your circles cast shadow option to yes (at the end for another neat trick come back and set this to only).
Create a null object (layer new null object).
Enable 3d for the null object just like you did for the circles.
Parent each circle to the null object.
Hit “r” to open rotation for your null object and set rotation keyframes for x, y , and z axis.
Create a light (layer new light) I think a spot light works best make sure your set your light to cast a shadow and adjust both shadow darkness and diffusion.
Position your light (I set mine to the top left side).
Create a new solid (control/command y) make it about 2 times the size of your comp, name it background, make it white.
Hit “p” to open your background position and adjust the z axis so that it will be behind your circle.
Go back to step 6 and try it with shadow only if you would like you can also adjust the position of your null object which in turn would affect the position of all of your circles.

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