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👋 Welcome to the latest edition of my monthly motion design newsletter, where I bring you fresh tutorials, a sneak peak of what’s coming soon, a handy tip, and a random recommendation!

🥳 New

Learn 20 things you may not have known you could do in the After Effects timeline.

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A new feature in After Effects (released in August) is Quick Offset, which is handy for creating sequential animations.

This feature allows you to select layers then hold command + option on a Mac or Ctrl + Alt on Windows and drag to offset layers (or keyframes) in the timeline.

But, there isn’t an option to randomly offset layers. So, I made a script that you can download for free.

With the script installed, all you have to do is select layers, hit a keyboard shortcut (that you set up) and then hold command + option (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt (Windows) and drag to offset layers randomly. Jump to 6:46 in the tutorial above to see this in action.

🤫 Sneak Peak

I’m working on a new short Skillshare class that I’m hoping to publish soon! It’s festive 🍂

⚡ Quick Tip

If you hover over the zoom percentage number in the bottom left of the Composition Viewer, you can then click and drag or scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in or out.

Note that this is a new feature in After Effects.

Using the keyboard shortcut shift + / will fill your composition to the available space in the Composition Viewer.

👉 Random Recommendation

I mostly read non-fiction, but while on vacation last month, I read The Women by Kristin Hannah, in two sittings (to be fair, I was on a plane). Would HIGHLY recommend! Maybe bring tissues 😢😉.

Megan Friesth

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