Cartooning in AE7

[Jeric]

I'm working on a 2D project, and wondered about the best way to approach certain simple tasks when 'cartooning' in AE7.

For instance: blinking. For the first segment I just applied a brute force approach, and used a layer that I popped in and out w/Opacity keyframes.

But it strikes me that using Time Remapping may be a more flexible approach: make the character blinking as a pre-comp, and use Time Remap keys to coordinate the time of blinking. At the least, this eliminates one layer in a crowded timeline.

Anyone do any cartooning in AE7? Remember, this is one version BEFORE the 'Puppetry' plugin was released with AE. (Dagnabit.)

[Jeric]

Answering my own question, but in case anyone finds this useful:

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/lip_synch.php

[wesleycorgi]

I found working with nulls helped greatly with 2D cartoon-like animations (breaking up the character into parts/layers and nulling the limbs, for example).

[Jeric]

Since I'm using AE7p, I just missed out on getting "Puppeteer", which apparently does all that kind of linking automagically.

I haven't really looked into it, $ince I was$n't going to purcha$e AE'8' just for that.

As I suspected, TimeRemapping plays a big role in AE cartooning.

[dwburman]

I don't know if there's an AE7 version, but there's a free script called DuIK Tools that gives you an IK setup in AE.

http://vimeo.com/7872163

... and until the end of the month, you can get the latest Adobe Production Bundle (the one that includes Premiere Pro, AE, PS, etc.) for 1/2 price with the "SWITCH" coupon code. They are targeting the sale at Final Cut Pro Users, but they don't require you to enter an FCP serial number or anything. At least that's what my nephew told me. He picked it up last month.