The Custom Effects Workshop

Master cc composite by keeping all elements on a single layer and blending the original with blurred and text layers, noting layer order matters.

Explore the transform effect to independently control position, anchor point, scale, and rotation, and combine it with cc composite to move or blur elements—without affecting the original timeline transforms.

Master the After Effects sandwich technique by layering two distort transform effects, linking rotation with an expression, and adding box blur and polar coordinates for a hologram-like look.

Learn to create reusable presets with layer styles and text effects, including a drop shadow and stroke, and apply styles after effects for a clean, user-friendly workflow.

Master puppet tool tricks to animate mask positions with expressions and puppet pins. Create dynamic masking by applying keyframes across layers and moving pins on text and shapes.

Apply single layer thinking to create a text effect in After Effects using one layer, blur, masks, and cc composite to produce a split look, then save as a preset.

Explore expression controllers in After Effects, tying sliders, 3D point controls, colors, and angle to your presets for dynamic, linked visuals. Learn how to connect controls to drive complex effects.

Explore pseudo effects controllers to simplify After Effects controls with angle, length, opacity, color, and feather options, and learn editing the SML preset and two methods to call it in.

Explore essential after effects expressions, including pick whip, expression controls, and wiggle, to animate text and presets. Learn to apply expressions, link controllers, and use time for dynamic animation.

Master expressions for presets by using if-else to drive opacity from scale, clamp values, center a composition, and index keyframes.

Master wide compatibility for After Effects presets by saving back to older CC versions, covering version compatibility, language independence, and using the number index with option/alt to keep controls consistent.

Leverage the expression universalize script to make After Effects expressions work with all languages and create sellable templates or presets, with a one-click universalize feature and about 99 percent efficiency.

Learn to build a vignette preset from scratch in after effects using expression controllers to adjust center, radius, feather, and color with multiply or screen blending.

Learn to create dynamic long shadow effects on text layers in After Effects using a sandwich of transforms, minimax, and color controls, plus building a reusable preset controller.