| Let's start:
1. Create a new workspace. Mine is NTSC DV/DiscreetEdit 120 Frames Long.
2. Create a new Text layer (Either by right clicking your comp, or Object>New Layer). Make sure that it is Transparent. Well, you don't HAVE to, but it is probably a good idea.
3. Add some text to the layer. Mine says “This is Jitter”. The font is called Firestarter, and I think it is pretty cool!
Your workspace should look like this:
Now comes the fun part. Making the Putting the Jitter into the word “Jitter”
Make the Timeline tab active (F4) and expand the Text operator to show the letters.
In your Timeline tab, make sure that the Context Button is selected. This will make the timeline jump right to the active operator.
Select the “J” in Jitter and twirl down the Transform Property. Add key frames to the X position channel every ten frames or so by moving the current time marker and pressing the add keyframe button.
Move back to Frame 1 (Home key) and copy the keyframes for the X position.
Paste these “dead” keyframes into the X and Y Positions of the “i”, both “t"s, the “e” and the “r”.
You should have a bunch of key frames that do nothing. Now comes the fun part. Adding some motion!
Select the X Transform Channel for the “J” and click on the Math Operation button.
You will be presented with the Math Operations dialogue box.
Who said there would be no math in art?? Anyway, you should click randomize. Make sure that you have the preview Changes selected and change the amount to 18, or so. Then click apply. You will now see that Combustion has randomly placed keyframes for you along the time line.
Repeat this for the Y channel as well. Repeat for the rest of the letters. Randomizing the keyframes for the X and Y Channels.
Render out your comp and you will be all set.
For extra credit, work with the text’s Opacity and blending modes.
Hope this inspires all of you.
Adam
Feel free to ask questions or discuss this technique in the Discreet Combustion* forum at CreativeCOW.
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