Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 171)

165 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Layers and properties
Last updated 12/21/2009
Though it's not very well suited for movies, the content-aware scaling feature in Photoshop is very useful for extending
and scaling still images. This feature can be useful when repurposing images for wide-screen formats that were created
for standard-definition formats.
For a list of plug-ins that provide high-quality scaling—including some designed to create high-definition images from
standard-definition sources—go to the
Toolfarm website .
For a script that scales multiple compositions simultaneously, go to the AE Enhancers forum .
More Help topics
“ Show or hide layer controls in the Composition panel ” on page 205
“ Selecting and arranging layers ” on page 143
“ Layer anchor points ” on page 162
“ Modifying layer properties (keyboard shortcuts) ” on page 749
Rotate a 2D layer
As with other transformations, rotation of a layer occurs around the anchor point of the layer.
To reveal the Rotation property value for selected layers in the Timeline panel, press R.
The first part of the Rotation property value is the number of whole rotations; the second part is the fractional rotation
in degrees.
For information on rotating 3D layers, see “ Rotate or orient a 3D layer ” on page 182.
• To rotate a layer by dragging in the Composition panel, drag the layer using the Rotation tool . To constrain
rotation to 45° increments, hold down Shift as you drag.
• To rotate selected layers by 1 degree, press plus (+) or minus (-) on the numeric keypad.
• To rotate selected layers by 10 degrees, press Shift+plus (+) or Shift+minus (-) on the numeric keypad.
More Help topics
“ Layer anchor points ” on page 162
“ Selecting and arranging layers ” on page 143
“ Modifying layer properties (keyboard shortcuts) ” on page 749
Adjust audio volume levels
When you use footage containing audio, the default audio level for playback is 0 dB, meaning that the level is
unadjusted in After Effects. Setting a positive decibel level increases volume, and setting a negative decibel level
decreases volume.
Note: Double-clicking an Audio Levels keyframe activates the Audio panel.
The VU meter in the Audio panel displays the volume range for the audio as it plays. The red blocks at the top of the
meter represent the volume limit of your system.