Radio Detection And Ranging
Collision detection and audio triggering. Learn how to build a radar that actually works using only four keyframes! This one is a must-see!
This tutorial is no different from the others. It’s not creating a certain effect. Oh no. It’s about solving common and uncommon problems, and about finding solutions to situations that might occur in the future. All to help you work more efficiently by saving huge amounts of time. It’s not about the final visual result, but the way to get there.
So… what is this tutorial really about? We’re going to create a radar that really works! Draw the radar, animate the target over it, and watch how the radar detects the object by itself, marks it on the grid and even makes a beeping sound.
This whole project consists of only four keyframes, and few expressions, that will detect the collision between the target and the scanning line. When the collision occurs, the target will become visible, and a beep sound will be generated.
You must see this one! I hope you’ll like it. Enjoy!
Update
There is an update for this tutorial. If you’re using After Effects CS3 than you should check out the CE PixelSampler tutorial, where you can learn how to use my CustomEffect to detect collisions.
Download Project File: Radar.zip (After Effects 7.0)






The expressions for the collisions are pretty clever.
Thanks for all the tutorials, I always learn a lot from them.
marra182 said this April 29th, 2007 at 22:37
Thanx 4 all da gr8 stuffs.
You are just awesome with your every tutorials.
Once again thankyou & keep going.
Sandy —-> SG
SG said this May 20th, 2007 at 20:33
thn for let us use your tutor in our own work
BTW i change the color,look
and use it here ( with your credit included )at
http://www.lovenara.tk
thnx
lovenara said this June 1st, 2007 at 7:10
Hola faretaste
mekodinosad
AnferTuto said this July 29th, 2007 at 0:34
pure gold, thanks
Antonyb said this July 29th, 2007 at 16:04
just GREAT!
videoman said this July 30th, 2007 at 2:29
oh man, that is sweet! I went through the pain of doing all of that by hand a few months ago, not that much fun. This definitely goes in the tool box. Thank bro!
Aron Duby said this July 31st, 2007 at 7:07
very very nice, thankyou for your time putting this together. One can never say “sweet” enough! SWEET!
eric said this July 31st, 2007 at 16:17
GOOD STUFF! THANKS FOR THE TUT.
PEDRO said this July 31st, 2007 at 17:46
Nice Stuff! Thanks for creating this. It’s informative to see how different people use different techniques to produce same effects. more great tools here for my work.
kurtmo said this July 31st, 2007 at 23:09
Hey Maltaannon great video tutorials! It was good to see some expression work, and it shows that it’s not too difficult to work with expressions,in fact you made using them seem essential. Entertaining too can’t wait to see more.
Sonny said this August 4th, 2007 at 2:05
Just WOW
Shalom said this August 27th, 2007 at 0:38
Excellent. Thank you for all.
I discover your site by Videocopilot Site.
Wise3 said this October 3rd, 2007 at 9:41
I observe you for some time and I have to leave at least one comment! I’m pretty amazed by your tutorials. On one side they are very advanced and on the other you present it in a very simple way without any useless steps. Thanks for your “creation”.
By the way.. it is nice to see some fellow countryman who do his best to pass his wisdom to everyone. CHEERS! AND DO YOUR BEST!
(another one who came here thanks to videcopilot ;))
Merstzik said this October 24th, 2007 at 23:54
Great Tutorial. Love the fact that it is all generated in AE. please keep them coming.
Jay said this October 31st, 2007 at 3:54
Wow. You’ve got those expressions down. I made a radar a long time ago, with keyframes and it was quite tedious to make a small change- based off of just keyframes. Thank you so much for this expression-oriented tutorial. Have a great day!
Isha said this November 21st, 2007 at 18:19
Check out the updated version at the end of the CE PixelSampler tutorial. There are no expressions involved, and it still works.
Maltaannon said this November 21st, 2007 at 18:45
Very awesome. This is my first time here and you are truly a master at what you do and I will be watching everything you do!
Mickey said this November 28th, 2007 at 19:21
Very Very good and excelents tutorials and stuff, i live in cuba and tha after effects and all the programs of adobe are my passion, thanks one thousand maltaannon you are icredible, good luck for you, ameth
ameth said this December 17th, 2007 at 10:25
This is really great tutorial thank you.
You use some Pro expressions, really sweat.
Artillusion said this February 15th, 2008 at 19:09
Hi, this is really amazing and very informative tutorial. But i will be thankful if you would kindly tell me the expression that you used on the opacity of the aircraft. thanking you.
regards
Faisal said this April 6th, 2008 at 19:13
The expression is in the tutorial and in the project file. Like I’ve explained in the tutorial…. it’s hard for me to explain it in Polish, not to mention explaining in English so you’re on your own. Sorry.
Maltaannon said this April 6th, 2008 at 23:10