Distortion effects
After Effects contains a large set of distortion effects, both proprietary and third-party, that allow you to distort (deform) images. Warp effects include the ability to correct or stabilize images with the Floating Shutter distortion.
Bézier Warp effect
The Bézier Deformation effect shapes the image by moving a closed Bézier curve along the layer boundary. The curve consists of four segments. Each segment contains three points (a vertex and two tangents).
The “Bézier deformation” effect (before and after)
Source (top left) and with changes after the “Bézier deformation” effect (bottom left and right)
The positions of the vertices and tangents determine the size and shape of the curved segment. Dragging these points changes the shape of the curves that form the edge, which distorts the image. For example, you can use the Bézier Deformation effect to reshape one image to match another (as when you stick a label on a can). The Bézier Warp effect is also recommended for correcting lens aberrations (e.g., the fisheye effect (barrel distortion) that can occur when using a wide-angle lens); you can use the Bézier Warp effect to bend the image backward to restore a distortion-free view. By animating the effect and selecting high quality settings, you can create flexible visual effects, such as a jelly or fluttering flag effect.
Bulge effect
The “Bulge” effect distorts the image around a given point, making it appear convex or distant from the viewer (depending on the settings you choose).
Dome effect (before and after)
Source (top left) and with changes after the Dome effect (bottom left and right)
“Horizontal Radius” and “Vertical Radius”
Width and height of the distorted area (in pixels). You can also set radius values by dragging the handles of the selected area on the layer.
Dome height.
The visible depth of the dome. If you select positive values, the dome moves closer to the viewer. When negative values are selected, the dome shifts farther away from the viewer.
Radius of taper.
The flatness of the walls of the dome. Selecting a cone radius value of 0 results in a steep convex dome.
Smoothing
The degree of edge smoothing (color blending) within the boundaries of the dome. Smoothing is applied only if the layer quality is set to “Best”.
Fix all edges.
Prevents the edges of a layer from warping.
Snap to Corner effect
The Corner Binding effect distorts the image by changing the position of each of the four corners. This effect is used to stretch, compress, tilt, or twist the image, or to simulate perspective or rotation from the edge of a layer (such as opening a door). You can also use this effect to join a layer to a moving rectangular area that is tracked with the motion tracking tool. You can move the linked tracking points in the Composition, Timeline, or Effects Controls panel.
The Corner Snap effect (before and after)
The original image (top left), with the angle moved (bottom left), and the resulting image (bottom right)
On the AE Enhancers forum, Donat van Bellingen provides a description and links to a template of animation settings for scaling a set of points of the “Angle Pinning” effect.
Displacement Map effect
The Displacement Map effect distorts a layer by shifting pixels horizontally and vertically based on the pixel color values in the reference layer defined by the Displacement Map Layer property. The type of distortion created by the Offset Map effect can vary significantly, depending on the control layer and the options you choose.
The “Plastique” effect
The “Plastic” effect lets you shift, rotate, zoom, and shrink areas in a layer. Some plasticity tools distort the brush area when the mouse button is held down or when you drag. The distortion is concentrated in the center of the brush area, and the effect of the tool is intensified by repeated dragging in that area as well as by holding down the mouse button.