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Tziporah Zions/2 min read

Paper Rip Transition

Paper Rip Build

1

Create Solid

Background color of the 'paper' you'll rip.

2

Add Mask

Animated mask reveals beneath layer through ripped edge.

3

Apply Roughen Edges

Effect > Stylize > Roughen Edges for jagged tear.

4

Add Sound Design

Paper rip SFX sells the effect.

Master After Effects at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop's Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate teaches After Effects alongside Premiere Pro and Cinema 4D.

Want to make your own ripping paper screen wipe? Learn how in this tutorial from Noble Desktop!

Want to make your own ripping paper screen wipe? Learn how in this tutorial from Noble Desktop!

Masks

  1. Place the paper texture into the layer stack.
  2. Use the Pen tool to Mask half of the paper layer, giving the border a ragged, ripped look.
  3. Duplicate the paper layer.
  4. In Mask settings, change the duplicate’s Mask to Inverse.
  5. Rename the two paper layers to “Paper Top” and “Paper Bottom.”

Animation

  1. Select Paper Bottom.
  2. Hit P and Shift-R to open up Position and Rotation.
  3. At the origin, hit the stopwatch on both to set a keyframe.
  4. Now, move the Playhead over to 0:00:00:10.
  5. Change Rotation to +9.
  6. Slide the Playhead to 0:00:01:00.
  7. Set Position to 560,970.
  8. Select Paper Top.
  9. Like before, open up Position and Rotation on Paper Top.
  10. With the Playhead back at the origin, click the stopwatch on both properties to set a keyframe.
  11. Move the Playhead over to 0:00:00:12.
  12. Set Rotation to -6.
  13. Finally, move the Playhead over to 0:00:01:02.
  14. Change Position to 560, -410.
  15. Select all of the keyframes.
  16. Right-click on any keyframe, and head to Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease.

Applying the Transition

  1. Precomp both Paper layers.
  2. Name the Precomp “Paper Rip Precomp.”
  3. Back in the Main Comp, trim the Paper Rip Precomp layer so just the animation is showing.
  4. Place the Paper Rip Precomp right over where the jump cut in the footage occurs.
  5. Select the first footage layer, Screen A.
  6. Hit Cmnd-Shift-D (Mac) / CTRL-Shift-D (PC) to split and duplicate the footage layer.
  7. Select the second half of the footage layer.
  8. Set the second half of the footage to Track Matte. If the option isn’t visible, hit Toggle Switches/ Modes at the bottom of the layer stack.

Final Details

  1. Select the Paper Rip Precomp.
  2. Hit Cmnd-D (Mac) / CTRL D (PC) to duplicate it.
  3. Rename the duplicate to Paper Rip Edge.
  4. In Effects and Presets, type in Mesh Warp.
  5. Apply Mesh Warp to Paper Rip Edge.
  6. Manipulate the mesh to make Paper Rip Edge look slightly different from Paper Rip Precomp.
  7. Position Paper Rip Edge underneath the second half of the footage layer.
  8. Line up Paper Rip Edge, so it starts one frame after Paper Rip Precomp does.