After Effect Expression For Looping In and Out - How To Use It

Loop In and Out After Effects Expression

What is the Loop Expression in After Effects?

‍The loop expression, as the name suggests, allows you to loop a series of keyframes. But it's not just about cycling between the first and last keyframes. It's a versatile tool that can be used in various scenarios like walk cycles, logo reveals, and background designs.

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How to Use the Loop Expression:

1. Accessing the Expression Field: To start, you'll need to hold the 'Alt' key and click on the stopwatch icon next to the parameter with keyframes. This will open the expression field.
2. Types of Loop Properties: There are two main properties you should be familiar with:
3. loopOut(): This loops beyond the last keyframe.
4. loopIn(): This loops before the first keyframe.
5. For most projects, you'll likely use the loopOut property.
6. Loop Types: There are different types of loops, and each has its unique behavior:
7. CYCLE: This simply repeats your keyframes indefinitely. For instance, once it reaches the last keyframe, it jumps back to the first.
8. PINGPONG: As the name suggests, this type goes back and forth between your first and last keyframe.
9. OFFSET: This type builds on itself by adding or subtracting the ending value from the starting value, creating a continuous movement.
10. CONTINUE: This type continues the speed/value of the final keyframe. So, if your animation ends with a certain speed, that speed would persist beyond the final keyframe.
11. Argument Modifier: This is an advanced feature that tells After Effects which keyframes you want to loop. For instance, if you have 5 keyframes, you can instruct After Effects to loop only the last 2. This is achieved by adding a comma and a number to your loop expression.

Visualizing the Loop: You can see a visual representation of the loop's motion in the graph editor by selecting the small graph button next to the expression window.

Practical Application:To use the "Loop Out" function in After Effects:

• Select the layer or keyframes you wish to loop.
• Right-click on your selection and choose "Keyframe Assistant" from the dropdown.
• From the submenu, select either "Loop Out" or "Loop Out (Ping-Pong)" based on your desired looping style. After Effects will then automatically create additional keyframes to form a seamless loop.