Is there a way to pull this off with expressions?

[S***@adobeforums.com]

I am not up to speed yet on expressions, however, a client has requested a treatment that looks like it could possibly be done in a more timely manner with expressions rather than animating with key frames. I could be way off base by this assumption but I thought it was worth a shot. The treatment comes from the pepsi website. One object in the center with other objects rotating around it in a 3D space. The only thing I would like to make slightly different is to make the objects blur as they go to the back of the circle and enlarge and come into focus as they come into the foreground. Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Here is the link to the pepsi site.

<http://www.pepsi.com/home.php>

All the best,
Scott Carter

[A***@adobeforums.com]

I constructed some "molecules" once for a project using expressions that would apply here. The setup is a bit elaborate, since I wanted to quickly and easily modify the parameters of the molecules without having to change each and every expression. Bear in mind, all the names are arbitrary, they just have to be properly reflected in the expressions.

I created a 3D null (you could also use a visible layer, just so you know), and to it I applied three Slider Control effects named "Attachment", "Radius", and "Number of Atoms". The values for these three depend entirely on your own project, but I used 1.0, 333.0, and 6.0, respectively (based on the web reference this last one would be 5.0 for you). Then I added a Layer Control Expression to each of the atoms (in this case, the orbiting graphics) and named it "Attachment parent", and I used it to select the null. Finally, I added the following expression to the position of each of the atom layers:

P=effect("Attachment parent")("Layer");
atomIndex = index - P.index;
numAtoms = P.effect("Number of Atoms")("Slider");
radius = P.effect("Radius")("Slider");
if(numAtoms > 0) theta = degreesToRadians(360/numAtoms*atomIndex) else theta = 0;
offset = [Math.sin(theta)*radius, Math.cos(theta)*radius];
attachedXYZ = P.to_world(P.anchorPoint+offset);
linear(P.effect("Attachment").param("Slider"), position, attachedXYZ)

Position or even animate the null in 3D space and the orbiting layers should follow.

The blur can be handled using the 3D camera's Depth of Field settings. Set the focus distance such that the front of the orbit is in focus and set the Aperture and Blur Level to taste.

[S***@adobeforums.com]

thanks Aaron! I will give it a shot. I still do not have my head completley wrapped around expressions yet but your step by step explanation will spead things along for me. Greatly appreciated!

All the best,
Scott