Rotating around an object or layer in After Effects
Graham Quince April 14, 2025
0 Comments
One of the most frequently asked questions on forums is: how can I smoothly rotate around or orbit another layer?
And the answer is really simple, but that obvious if you are just starting out. In this short tutorial, I take you through the steps twice (it's that quick!)
1) Create a null object
2) Set its position to be the centre ( or center ) of rotation
3) Parent your layer, shape or 3D object to this null layer
4) Position your child where you want the distance from your center of rotation
5) Edit the rotation properties of the null.
Your parented layer, shape or object will now perfectly circle the null. And because you have set any position keyframes, you can go on to move it closer or further away, creating a spiral.
Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!
This happens because the functionality/content marked as Google Youtube uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.
Can't see this video? Click here! If you are in Safari, hover over Safari in your menu, click settings for creativecow.net and toggle the Auto-Play to Allow All Auto-Play .
March 4, 2025Animate 3D Materials in After EffectsSwap textures on 3D models for animated precomps, with only a tiny
February 25, 2025Animate color changes of 3D Objects in After EffectsIt is so cool these days that Adobe After Effects supports 3D
Enjoying the news? Sign up for the Creative COW Newsletter! Sign up for the Creative COW newsletter and get weekly updates on industry news, forum highlights, jobs, inspirational tutorials, tips, burning questions, and more! Receive bulletins from the largest, longest-running community dedicated to supporting professionals working in film, video, and audio.
Enter your email address, and your first and last name below!
-- Sign up: * indicates required
Email Address *
Name
--
Most recent headlines
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
15/04/2025
As women in Afghanistan are stripped of their rights - banned from education, barred from public life and rendered invisible - a number of women journalists con...
15/04/2025
In March this year, Spotify unveiled its annual Loud & Clear report, a transpare...
15/04/2025
As the world's most popular audio-streaming subscription service, Spotify is...
15/04/2025
Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lif...
15/04/2025
SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Champions...
15/04/2025
Seven different platforms deliver March's most-watched streaming titles.
St...
15/04/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communication Commission's Media Bureau has issued a Notice seeking comments on a major filing by the National Association of Broadca...
15/04/2025
PHILADELPHIA As cable operators face increased competition from fixed wireless plans, Comcast is introducing the option to choose a five-year price guarantee wh...
15/04/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. Kaleidescape has announced that it has joined the 8K Association (8KA)....
15/04/2025
Jan Krupp, VFX supervisor at Scanline VFX, tells TVBEurope how the company created a range of environments for the Netflix film
By Matthew Corrigan
Published...
15/04/2025
Ateliere said that due to the current, unforeseen turbulence in the US and in the global business and financial markets the company is no longer in a position t...
15/04/2025
WASHINGTON In a wide-ranging filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Sinclair applauded the agency's push towards deregulation while arguing that...
15/04/2025
From Homer to Mickey, How ESPN Is Blazing the Live Animated Broadcast Trail ESPNs Amy Nelson, Sparky Sparrgrove, and Spike Szykowny offer an inside look at the ...
15/04/2025
SVG College Sports Media Awards 2025: Final Deadline to Enter is Wednesday All entries must be received by end-of-day April 16 By Brandon Costa, Director of Di...
15/04/2025
Football Summit 2025: BBC Sport and Sunset Vine share plans for UEFA Women's...
15/04/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: ScorePlay Cofounder and CEO Vic Tixier on Media Manag...
15/04/2025
Inside IOWN: Envisioning a high-speed, high-capacity future for live productions By Joe OHalloran
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - 09:38
Print This Story
As dele...
15/04/2025
Neither fair nor objective , Mediapro reacts strongly to LaLiga decision to awar...
15/04/2025
HBS and NVP take LaLiga production and distribution for first and second divisio...
15/04/2025
LA28 Details Venue Plans for 2028 Summer Games By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - 1:37 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
St...
15/04/2025
Rohde & Schwarz unleashes the key to unlocking true spectrum dominance in multid...
15/04/2025
Rohde & Schwarz expands testing equipment portfolio to support Telesat Lightspee...
15/04/2025
Matter interoperability has become the foundation of uniting diverse ecosystems. The universal connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards All...
14/04/2025
Rwanda's vulnerability to climate change is underscored by its ranking of 124th out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative's in...
14/04/2025
By Bailey Pennick
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
14/04/2025
On Monday, April 14, Blue Origin's NS-31 mission lifted off from Launch Site...
14/04/2025
Whether it's having first access to tickets, being a part of once-in-a-lifet...
14/04/2025
SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduc...
14/04/2025
For 190 years, innovation and technology from our talented workforce have distin...
14/04/2025
As Calrec continues to lead a new era of technical innovation with its portfolio of complimentary broadcast audio solutions, the company has today announced the...
14/04/2025
For the first time, advertisers and agencies can directly compare campaign perfo...
14/04/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communication Commission's Media Bureau has issued a Notice seeking comments on a major filing by the National Association of Broadca...
14/04/2025
magic multi media unveils new customizable features and advanced AI for EDIUS 11...
14/04/2025
Rotating around an object or layer in After Effects
Graham Quince April 14, 2025
0 Comments
One of the most frequently asked questions on forums is: ...
14/04/2025
Does Clearing the Cache Really Work in Premiere Pro?
Colin Smith April 14, 2025
0 Comments
This tutorial clearly outlines the types of problems that c...
14/04/2025
Stanley has been promoted to the role following seven years as general manager with the company
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 14, 2025 Updated: Apri...
14/04/2025
StreamAMG delivers more than 15,000 live events each year, with over 52,000 hours of content watched in 200 countries
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 14...
14/04/2025
TVBEurope content director Jenny Priestley sums up her 2025 NAB Show experience, from the end of AI hype to the impact of tariffs, trying out virtual production...
14/04/2025
Ottawa, April 14, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce a new creative partne...
14/04/2025
14 Apr 2025
VEON Publishes 2024 Integrated Annual Report Detailing Commitment t...
14/04/2025
NAB 2025 in Review: Broadcast Audio Faces a Future of Tariff-Induced Higher Cost...
14/04/2025
Changing the world: Behind the collaborative production of the 2025 Special Olym...
14/04/2025
From Paris to Milano Cortina: The International Paralympic Committee on the move...
14/04/2025
SVG College Summit 2025: Jimmy Platt, ESPN's College Football Playoff, Women...
14/04/2025
NAB 2025 in Review: SVG Audio Roundtable Reflects On a Changing Industry Global sports, speech intelligibility, digital microphones are on the table By Dan Dal...
14/04/2025
NAB 2025 in Review: The Pairing of AI and Audio Is Possible But it won't necessarily happen tomorrow By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Monday, April 14, 2025 - ...
14/04/2025
WNBA Draft 2025: ESPN's Onsite Effort Fits Into NYC Grid for National Teleca...
14/04/2025
Monday 14 April 2025
On an unmissable day of world-class sporting drama, Sky Sports created its own history by breaking viewership records on Sunday 13 April, ...
Rotating around an object or layer in After Effects 
