Preparing to Work

You'll need to import a file and make sure a third-party effect is installed into After Effects in order to complete this chapter's project. The project uses some video footage, provided on the book's DVD, to create the background. To create the 3D channel number 2, you'll use an Illustrator file and the Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator effect. You won't need to import the Illustrator file into your project, since the 3D Invigorator effect prompts you to open the Illustrator file from its actual location on your computer.

To prepare for this project, do the following:

1.	Start with a new project, and save it as Ch14StationID.
2.	Import the City_Background.mov file as footage from this chapter's folder on the book's DVD.
3.	Create a new composition named Master using the NTSC DV, 720x480 composition preset, with Duration 5;00 seconds.

Creating the Background

You'll create the background in three easy steps by importing your movie file and applying two effects to it. The Hue/Saturation effect helps give the footage a uniform appearance, and the Glow effect further stylizes the imagery:

Add the City_Background.mov file to the Master Timeline at time 0;00.

To give the City_Background.mov layer a blue hue, apply Effect > Adjust > Hue/Saturation to the layer. Use these effect settings:

Colorize (under Master Lightness): On

Colorize Hue: 0x220

Colorize Saturation: 45

Settings for the Hue/Saturation effect

To add some radiance to the city background, apply Effect > Stylize > Glow to the layer. Use these effect settings:

Glow Threshold: 27%

Glow Radius: 18

Glow Intensity: .3

Settings for the Glow effect

The City_Background.mov layer with Hue/Saturation and Glow effects

Adding the Scrolling Text

A text layer that displays the names of 11 cities (presumably the news station's broadcasting area) scrolls upward on top of the city. To create this effect, you'll animate your text layer's Position property. Once you're done with this project, you can try using any of the Multi-Line text animation presets (in the Effects & Presets palette) to animate the layer instead.

Follow these steps:

1.	Use these Settings for the Horizontal Type tool: Alignment: Center Text Font Family: Arial Text Size: 34px Leading: 72 Tracking: 300 Fill Color: White (RGB: 255, 255, 255) Stroke Color: None Settings for the text layer
2.	Type the names of 11 cities, with one city name per line, in a single text layer.
3.	To set the starting position of the text layer, add a Position keyframe of 360, 505 at time 0;00. This keyframe starts the first line of text just outside the bottom edge of the composition and centered in the composition's width.
4.	Press your keyboard's End key to go to time 4;29. Change the text layer's Position to 360, -725 to position the layer above the top edge of the Composition window. The text's motion path starts below the composition and ends far above.

Save your project, and then preview your results. The text layer should now start offscreen at the bottom of the composition and scroll upward until every line of text is out of view.

Creating an Aperture

The city background is viewed through an aperture you'll create by masking two solid layers . You have a lot of freedom to make your aperture unique when you draw and position your masks; use our illustrations and masking instructions as a general guide. The solids' appearance is created with the Ramp and Bevel Alpha effects:

1.	At time 0;00, create a comp- size Solid layer named Border 2 that's any color . Make sure the Solid layer is above the other layers in the Timeline.
2.	Use the Elliptical Mask tool on the Solid layer to draw an oval shape that encompasses about two thirds of the composition. The right side of the mask in this chapter's final movie is within the composition, and the left side is out of view to the left of the composition. Use the illustration of the first iris as a guide.
3.	Set the Mask's Mode to Subtract so you see the city through the oval shape. Tip Choose Layer > Mask > Free Transform Points after you select your mask in the Timeline to more easily move, rotate, and reshape your mask. Making the first aperture
4.	Still at time 0;00, add a Mask Shape keyframe to the Border 2 layer's mask.
5.	Press End on your keyboard to go to time 4;29. Rotate and move the mask's shape up or down to a new location near the mask's current location, to create a slow and subtle movement. Note Make sure you move only the mask and not the Solid layer.
6.	To create the second half of the iris, duplicate the Border 2 layer and rename the new layer Border 1.
7.	At time 0;00, move the Border 1 mask so it encompasses the area opposite the Border 2 layer's mask. In this chapter's final movie, the left edge of the mask is within the composition, and the right edge is out of view on the right side.
8.	At time 4:29, rotate and move the Border 1 mask up or down in the opposite direction of Border 2's mask. The masked solids create a basic frame over the city scene.

Adding style to the aperture

Currently, your solids appear very flat, and their shapes appear to merge into one another (if you used the same fill color with each). You'll use the Ramp effect with unique settings for each solid so their colors are distinct from one another, and then you'll use the Bevel Alpha effect to give the solids some volume:

1.	Select both Border layers, and apply Effect > Render > Ramp to both.
2.	To complement the blue hue in the city background, set the effect's Start Color to a yellow color and the End color to a blue color for one Border layer. Reverse the colors in the other Border layer's effect.
3.	Select both Border layers, and apply Effect > Perspective > Bevel Alpha. Set the effect's properties as follows : Edge Thickness: 15 Light Color: White (RGB: 255, 255, 255) Light Intensity: 0.70
4.	Set the Bevel Alpha effect's Light Angle to 90 for the effect in Border 1 and to 0 in Border 2. The Border layers using the Ramp and Bevel Alpha effects