AFTER EFFECTS

BY GUNEET SINGH
About After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a software application for creating motion
graphics and special effects used in video, online content and
presentations. After Effects is available on both Mac OS and Windows
computers.

After Effects is used widely in TV and film post‑production for the

creation of special effects, animation, and video compositing. Projects
created using After Effects can be used in broadcast TV, video, on the
web, in‑store displays, and kiosks. After Effects is part of the Adobe
Creative Cloud

After Effects can be used to design titles, create cartoon characters,

and apply animation. Although it can do all these things, it is not the
same as video editing software. This program is best used to apply
effects after the footage has been edited, or to create animation and
motion graphics from otherwise static objects.

It is a tool for storytelling, creating visually appealing motion graphics

that integrate into any medium to enhance a presentation, story,
image, or mood.

Primary uses of After Effects

The primary uses of After Effects can be divided into three categories:
Animation, Effects, and Compositing

The specific type of animation for which After Effects is mostly used is
known as Motion Graphics, which involves creating motion and
movement of traditionally static objects such as logos, text, and other
graphic elements.

The type of Effects, sometimes called visual effects (VFX) are well
known from film and video. Adding snow to a video scene, creating
fire or water, making objects appear to turn into liquid are all
examples of effects. You can use After Effects to create these visual
effects from your own video.
After Effects is also used for digital compositing, which involves
assembling multiple videos into a single product. Whether the videos
are layered on top of each other, or in separate corners of a screen,
After Effects makes it possible to merge together multiple videos using
compositing.

Who uses After Effects

After Effects is used by visual artists, animators, advertising agencies,
video artists, video editors, visual designers, social media
professionals, video producers, motion graphics designers, UX
professionals, and animators. Gaining proficiency in After Effects
comes from in‑depth training and hands‑on use.

After Effects is the industry‑standard software application for creating

visual effects and motion graphics and can be purchased on its own or
as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. Gaining proficiency in After
Effects program comes from in‑depth training and hands‑on use.

After Effects for TV and Video Graphics

After Effects started as a program for graphics professionals to create
high quality video for broadcast on television and it still is an
important tool for broadcast‑design professionals today. Walk into just
about any post‑production facility, advertising agency or motion
graphic design studio in New York and you will find After Effects being
used to create original content for video such as lower‑thirds,
bumpers, commercials, and title treatments. Many video professionals
consider it an essential tool in their daily work for both motion
graphics creations and compositing. In fact, you can see it in use by
networks in NYC such as MTV, NBC, Spike, truTV, and the Food
Network, where it’s used to produce stunning, high quality graphics
and motion design packages quickly and affordably.

After Effects for creating Web Content

Companies of all sizes use the Internet as marketing and public
relations tools and it is an excellent medium for displaying high quality
motion graphics created using After Effects.
Whether user‑created content being shared on YouTube and Vimeo, or
professional level content created for Netflix and Hulu, After Effects
has a place in online content creation.

After Effects for Presentation Graphics

Digital displays, such as high‑definition televisions, monitors, and
projectors, are some other areas where motion graphics is displayed.
Whether you walk into a bank and see a display with an animated
logo, or attend a Sports Match at any Indoor Stadium and see
animation on the scoreboard, you are viewing After Effects in action.
After Effects is used to add impact to otherwise static objects. This can
also involve corporate presentations with animation for slides, charts,
and graphs. With the proliferation and affordability of high‑definition
televisions and other digital displays, many public venues, such as
malls, retail stores, schools, and even military bases, are using motion
graphics to both inform and entertain.

After Effects Creative Cloud (CC)

Adobe After Effects CC is the industry standard software for visual
effects and motion graphics. It is part of the subscription‑based Adobe
Creative Suite. CC stands for “creative cloud” and is automatically
updated for its users on a continuous basis. This collaboration also
makes it easier to use other Adobe applications when needed. CC also
allows syncing of your settings to use it on any computer anywhere in
the world. Although the program can be stored locally, the subscription
must be active to receive updates and have all functionality.
Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time.

What is created with After Effects

As a creative and technical tool for video, effects, and compositing it
can be used to compose, create and stylize 2D footage in a 3D space.
After Effects can be used to design titles, create 2D cartoon characters,
merge videos together into a single unified set of moving images,
animate static logos and text. After Effects is not the same as video
editing software, as it is generally used to apply effects after video
footage has been edited or to create stand‑alone motion graphics.
 AFTER EFFECTS INTERFACE

 FILE MENU WORKSPACE BAR

 TOOLS PANEL

COMPOSITION PANEL

STACKED PANEL
PROJECT PANEL

TIMELINE PANEL

Application Window
The main window of a program is the application window. Panels are
organized in this window in an arrangement called a workspace.

Each application includes several predefined workspaces that optimize

the layout of panels for specific tasks.

You can also create and customize your own workspaces by arranging
panels in the layout that best suits your working style for specific tasks.

You can drag panels to new locations, move panels into or out of a
group, place panels alongside each other, and undock a panel so that
it floats in a new window above the application window.

As you rearrange panels, the other panels resize automatically to fit

the window.
1. File Menu
At the very top are your menus that can do everything from starting a new
project to changing the layout. You find all the necessary options to run
the application and also to customize the shortcuts and other application
settings. It is a necessary panel especially if you are not familiar with the
shortcut commands.

It has the following options:

1. File – This menu allows you to open, save, import, and export files.

2. Edit – This menu includes the cut, paste, duplicate, history, and redo
functions.

3. Composition – With this menu you can create compositions, toggle

settings, and set the render output module.

4. Layer – This menu controls layer creation, settings, style, and

pre compose options.

5. Effect – This menu provides a list of possible effects for your

composition layers.

6. Animation – This menu includes functions for animation presets,

keyframes and expressions.

7. View – With this menu you can adjust resolution, zooms, 3D toggles,
and guides.

8. Window – This menu lists of all possible panels or frames you can
open.

9.Help – From this menu you can access Information based on search or
direct guidance for proper use.
2. Tools Panel
The main toolbar is also in the upper left portion of your program window.
The toolbar contains all the tools you need to create working files/layers
in After Effects.

Like Selection/Hand/Zoom tools are for navigating through your project.

Rotate/Camera/Pan Behind tools are used to move elements around in

2D/3D space.

Mask/Pen tools allow you to create assisting elements for your project.

Brush/Clone Stamp/Eraser tools are three major pixel manipulation

tools;

Local/World/View Axis Modes are primarily for 3D composition.

Pan Under
Selection Tool Zoom Tool Cursor Tool Rotation Tool Mask/Shape Type Tool Clone Stamp Roto Brush
(V) (Z) (2) (W) Tool (Q) (Ctrl+T) Tool (Ctrl+B) Tool (Alt+W)

Home Hand Tool Orbit Around Dolly Towards Pan Behind Pen Tool Brush Tool Eraser Tool Puppet Position
(H) Cursor Tool Cursor Tool (Anchor Point) (G) (Ctrl+B) (Ctrl+B) Pin Tool
(1) (3) Tool (Ctrl+P)
(Y)

1. Selection Tool (V): This is your default mouse/pointer that you use
to click things and move them around.

2. Hand Tool (H): The hand tool allows you to move the composition
within the window. You'll notice that at the bottom left of the
composition window is a percentage. This percentage is how big your
composition is relative to the settings you chose for the composition. I
typically choose Fit up to 100% which automatically adjusts the size of
the composition so that it fits in the Composition window. But
sometimes you'll want to zoom in closer and actually move the
composition itself around within the window to focus on a specific part
of the frame. This is where the hand tool comes in handy.
3. Zoom Tool (Z): If you want to zoom in or out of your composition
(without using the percentage option above), just select the zoom tool
and click within your composition window. To zoom out, hold
option/alt while clicking.

4. Rotation Tool (W): The previous two tools had to do with adjusting
the composition itself, and not the objects within the composition. The
rotation tool allows you to select an object in your composition and
rotate by dragging to the left or right.

5. Pan Behind (Anchor Point) Tool (Y): This tool allows you to move
the anchor point for a selected layer/object. The anchor point is the
point of the object which all other adjustments are made from. For
example, if the anchor point is in the middle of the object and you
want to increase the scale, it will grow from the center ‑ increasing in
scale in all directions. If the anchor point is at the bottom of the object,
it would only increase from the bottom. Play around with it to see how
it works.

6. Shape Tools (Q): Holding down this button will bring up a menu of
different shape options including my favorites ‑ the ellipse and
rectangle tools. With this tool selected, click and drag in the
Composition window to create a new shape.

7. Pen Tool (G): This tool allows you to create custom shapes or
masks of objects.

8. Text Tool (Ctrl + T) ‑ Text Tool allows you to type Text either
Horizontally or Vertically mostly used for titles. The text tool is your tool
for creating text and text boxes. To create text, simply click in the
composition and start typing. To create a text box, click and drag to
make a bounding box for your text.

9. Brush Tool, Clone Stamp and Eraser Tool (Ctrl + B) ‑ These

tools allows you to paint, clone stamp or erase on any layer, much like
in photoshop. You'll also have different settings to choose from, which
can help you customize it for different situations. To see the effect
double click on the layer to open the Layer Panel.
By clicking the icons that have the smaller triangle in the bottom right
corner, you can open up the drop menu, which provides more options
within that specific tool selection.

Once selected, some of the tools will open access to controls for active
tools, as seen in the image above.

Below, you can see the toolbar items that have more options within
their drop menus.
3. Project Panel

Project panel (upper left corner below the Tools panel) is the area where
you import, search, and organize assets in your After Effects projects.

In the bottom of the panel you can create new folders and compositions
as well as change item and project settings.
 4. Composition Panel

Composition Panel is a viewport showing the currently loaded

composition. Compositions contain one or more layers of video and or
graphic elements stacked in the timeline.

Choose Grid
Toggle Mask and Reset Exposure
and Guide Options
Shape Path Adjust Exposure
Visibility Show Snapshot
Preview Time
Channel & Color Take Snapshot
Magnification Resolution/Down Management Settings 3D Renderer
Ratio Popup Sample Factor Toggle
Popup Transparency Select View
3D Renderer
Grid Layout
Fast Previews Region of
Interest
 5. Timeline Panel
The Timeline panel is one of the main panels used for creating
animations. Each composition has its own independent Timeline panel,
where you can animate layer and effects properties, position layers in
time, and change the layer blending modes.

The Current Time Indicator, also called the playhead, is the blue vertical
line that runs perpendicular to the Time Ruler. It indicates the current
frame that is being displayed, moving as the animation or composition is
played.

BC

D E F G H

A. Current time
B. Composition name
C. Timeline Panel menu
D. Audio/Video Switches column
E. Source Name/Layer Name column
F. Layer switches
G. Parent and Linking
H. Time graph/Graph Editor area
A D
B D
F

A. Time navigator start and end brackets

B. Work area start and end brackets
C. Time zoom slider
D. Time ruler
E. Composition marker bin
F. Composition button
6. Stacked Panel

a. Effects and Presets Panel

Effects & Presets panel reveal a number of tools, with the Animation
Presets folder right at the top.

After Effects has presets to help you create backgrounds, behaviors,

transitions, shapes, sound effects, and a host of other options.
b. Characters Panel
The Character panel provides options for formatting characters like their
fonts, color, stroke, tracking, leading etc.

If text is highlighted, changes you make in the Character panel affect

only the highlighted text. If no text is highlighted, changes you make in
the Character panel affect the selected text layers.

If no text is highlighted and no text layers are selected, changes you

make in the Character panel become the defaults for the next text entry.
c. Paragraph Panel
Use the Paragraph panel to set options that apply to an entire
paragraph, such as alignment, indentation, and leading. For point text,
each line is a separate paragraph.

You can use the Paragraph panel to set formatting options for a single
paragraph, multiple paragraphs, or all paragraphs in a text layer.

You just need to make one adjustment in the Paragraph panel for this
composition’s title text.
Importing Files

There are three ways to import footage into your project. But first, you’ll
want to create a new project (File > New > New Project and save it using
File > Save As). Now that you have saved your project, you can begin to
import your footage.

Here are the ways you can do it.

By clicking on File > Import > File

By double‑clicking the project panel window
All of these methods will allow you to open your import window. From
here you can select a single image or you can select multiple images.
Once you have the footage selected, click open and all your files will
appear in your project window.

Importing Folders
After Effects can also import an entire folder of footage files. Just
select the folder and click open. Make sure the files are acceptable in
AE, such as images, video, audio and other adobe application files.
You will receive an error message if the footage in unreadable.
Organizing Your Files

Once you’ve imported all the footage you need to get started, it’s time to
start organizing your files. When you’re working with smaller projects, it
may seem easier to see everything you’re working with. However, once
you become more experienced you could have hundreds of footage files
inside your project—when this happens, being organized will save you
both time and headaches.

Renaming Files

It is very easy to rename files, as well as efficient in the long run. Let’s face
it, most of the files we create and or download to use in our projects have
generic names (or names that make no sense at all). The best way to fix
this is to rename footage by selecting the file and hitting the “Enter key,”
which will open up the text field for you to type in your own title/name for
that specific file. When you have 50+ images all starting with DSC008, it
really helps to have “Red Car” or “Dog on Beach” as a title.
Creating Folders and Moving Footage

AE makes it easy to create folders and to move files around to keep

footage organized. It’s always good to keep things together like
images, audio, or movie clips separate in different folders for each
media type. You’ll then be able to create specific compositions in other
folders—this way each working component of your movie can be easily
located when you need to go back and make adjustments.

To move a file, simply drag one or multiple files into the desired folder.
Once you have your folder full, you can collapse the folder by clicking
the triangle next to it on the left. To open a folder to reveal it’s
contents, click the triangle again.

Searching For Files

There may come a time when you need to locate a file. Hopefully you
named them so you can locate the file easier later during production.
AE has made it easy to simply search for a file name. In the project
window, right above where all your files/folders sit, you will notice a
small magnifying glass. If you click the magnifying glass, you will be
able to type into the search function for locating those lost files.
Supported Video Formats
Some filename extensions—such as MOV, AVI, MXF, FLV, and
F4V—denote container file formats rather than denoting a specific
audio, video, or image data format. Container files can contain data
encoded using various compression and encoding schemes.

After Effects can import these container files, but the ability to import
the data that they contain is dependent on which codecs (specifically,
decoders) are installed.

By installing additional codecs, you can extend the ability of After

Effects to import additional file types. Many codecs must be installed
into the operating system (Windows or Mac OS) and work as a
component inside the QuickTime or Video for Windows formats.

Audio formats
•Adobe Sound Document (ASND; multi‑track files imported as merged
single track)
•Advanced Audio Coding (AAC, M4A)
•Audio Interchange File Format (AIF, AIFF)
•MP3 (MP3, MPEG, MPG, MPA, MPE)
•Video for Windows (AVI; requires QuickTime on Mac OS)
•Waveform (WAV)

Still‑image formats
•Adobe Illustrator
•Adobe PDF
•Adobe Photoshop (PSD)
•Bitmap (BMP, RLE, DIB)
•Camera raw (TIF, CRW, NEF, RAF, ORF, MRW, DCR, MOS, RAW, PEF,
SRF, DNG, X3F, CR2, ERF)
•Cineon/DPX (CIN, DPX; 10 bpc)
•EPS
•GIF
•JPEG (JPG, JPE)
•PICT (PCT)
•Portable Network Graphics (PNG; 16 bpc)
•Softimage (PIC)
•Targa (TGA, VDA, ICB, VST)
•TIFF (TIF)

You can import files of any still‑image format as a sequence.

Supported Video Format

QuickTime (MOV)
Sony X‑OCN
Panasonic
RED
MXF
ARRIRAW
H.265
3GPP (3GP, 3G2, AMC)
Adobe Flash Player (SWF)
Adobe Flash Video (FLV, F4V)
Animated GIF (GIF)
AVCHD (M2TS)
DV
Media eXchange Format (MXF)
MPEG‑1 (MPG, MPE, MPA, MPV, MOD)
H.264 (M4V)
MPEG‑2 (MPG, M2P, M2V, M2P, M2A, M2T)
MPEG‑4 (MP4, M4V)
Video for Windows (AVI)
Windows Media (WMV, WMA)
XDCAM HD and XDCAM EX (MXF, MP4)
Open Media Framework (OMF)
Creating a New Composition
A composition is where you create all animation, layering, and effects.
Each composition has its own timeline, with multiple layers that can
represent video and audio footage, animated text and vector graphics,
still images, and lights.

Knowing how to properly set up your composition will make your project
workflow a little faster.

You will need to have some advanced planning. For example, you need to
know what you want your composition size to be and how long you want
the video to be.

The following will show you how to setup and create a new composition
for your project.

1. Click Composition > New Composition

or Right Click on Project Panel > New Composition

2. The Composition Settings window will appear.

 a.
(1)

(2)
b.
(3)

(4) c.

(5)

d.

e.

1. Composition Name – This is where you name your project

2. Preset – This is the format that you will export your project as.
When choosing the format of your video, it is important to
think about how you will be presenting your final piece.
Notice it is divided up into 4 different sections:

a. The first section is for custom settings.

b. NTSC and PAL are used for standard definition broadcast settings.

c. If you prefer to work in High Definition, choose either HDV,

DVCPRO or HDTV.

d. This section is used for Ultra High Definition settings.

e. This section is used for Film settings.

 (1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

3. Width and Height – Setting the width and height will set the
dimensions of your project, the amount of working space that you will
have to work with. Checking the box that reads: “Lock aspect ratio to
16:9, helps you to set your composition so that it will be in high definition
(HD)

4. Duration – This will be the length that you want your composition to
be.

5. Background Color – This is the color of the background of your

working space
Layers
Layers are the elements that make up a composition. Without layers, a
composition is only an empty frame. Use as many layers as necessary
to create your composition. Some compositions contain thousands of
layers, whereas some compositions contain only one layer.

Layers in After Effects are also similar to layers in Photoshop, though

the interface for working with layers differs. Working with layers in the
Timeline panel in After Effects is similar to working with layers in the
Layers panel in Photoshop.

You can create several kinds of layers:

•Video and audio layers that are based on footage items that you
import, such as still images, movies, and audio tracks

•Layers that you create within After Effects to perform special

functions, such as cameras, lights, adjustment layers, and null objects

•Solid‑color layers that are based on solid‑color footage items that

you create within After Effects

•Synthetic layers that hold visual elements that you create within After
Effects, such as shape layers and text layers

•Precomposition layers, which use compositions as their source

footage items

When you modify a layer, you do not affect its source footage item.
You can use the same footage item as the source for more than one
layer and use the footage differently in each instance.

Changes made to one layer do not affect other layers, unless you
specifically link the layers. For example, you can move, rotate, and
draw masks for one layer without disturbing any other layers in the
composition.
After Effects automatically numbers all layers in a composition. By
default, these numbers are visible in the Timeline panel next to the
layer name. The number corresponds to the position of that layer in
the stacking order. When the stacking order changes, After Effects
changes all numbers accordingly. The layer stacking order affects
rendering order and therefore affects how the composition is rendered
for previews and final output.

Layer Transform Properties

Each layer has properties, many of which you can modify and animate.
The basic group of properties that every layer has is the Transform
group, which includes

1. Anchor Point (A)

2. Position (P)

3. Scale (S)

4. Rotation (R)

5. Opacity (T)

When you add certain features to a layer—for example, by adding

masks or effects, or by converting the layer to a 3D layer—the layer
gains additional properties, collected in property groups.
You can expand the layer outline to display layer properties and
change property values.

All layer properties are temporal—they can change the layer over
time. Some layer properties, such as Opacity, have only a temporal
component. Some layer properties, such as Position, are also
spatial—they can move the layer or its pixels across composition
space.

Most properties have a stopwatch . Any property with a stopwatch can

be animated—that is, changed over time.

1. Anchor Point

Anchor point is a position from which all scaling, rotating, and

positional movement controls occur. If your anchor point is dead
center, your layer will rotate and move from that point. If your anchor
point has been moved to a true corner of your layer, then when you
scale or rotate your layer, it will rotate from this new anchor point. This
is very useful when you are making multiple layers all rotate from a
single point.

Though there are times when you’ll want to animate the anchor point,
it’s most common to set the anchor point for a layer before you begin
animating.
For example, if you’re animating an image of a person made up of
one layer for each body part, you’ll probably want to move the anchor
point of each hand to the wrist area so that the hand rotates around
that point for the whole animation.

Move a layer anchor point

Drag the anchor point using the Selection tool in the Layer panel.

To move a layer anchor point in the Composition panel without

moving the layer, select the layer and use the Pan Behind (Anchor
Point) tool to drag the anchor point.
Moving an anchor point with the Pan Behind (Anchor Point) tool
changes Position and Anchor Point values so that the layer remains
where it was in the composition before you moved the anchor point.

2. Position

Position moves the layer in the composition window. It allows you to

specify exactly where you want your layer to be on both the X and Y
axis. It is one of the most commonly used transform controls. When
working in 3D space, you can also adjust the Z‑axis position, which
pushes layers back or forward toward the camera.

Press P to reveal the scale property for selected layer in the Timeline
panel.
3. Scale

Scale is measured by two values, x and y or width and height. By

default the scale is set to keep it’s original ratio. However, if you want
to adjust a single side of your solid or layer separately, you will need to
deactivate the lock between the two. You can do this by clicking on the
small (link) icon next to the “100.0%, 100.0%.” This will now make
each side an individual value. Animating the scale of a layer can be
used to create a logo or image that appears to be moving toward you
or away from you.

Scaling of a layer occurs around the anchor point of the layer.

Some layers—such as camera, light, and audio‑only layers—don’t

have a Scale property.

Press S to reveal the scale property for selected layer in the Timeline
panel.

You can scale a layer beyond the composition frame.

4. Rotate a 2D layer

As with other transformations, rotation of a layer occurs around the

anchor point of the layer.

To reveal the Rotation property value for selected layers in the Timeline
panel, press R.

In 2D rotation, you have two values. The degrees on the right will
show you a numerical value from 0 – 360 before starting over. After
you reach 360, the number on the right will change from 0 – 1 and so
forth, for every complete 360 degree rotation you create.
5. Opacity

Opacity is simply the amount of opacity or translucence. The layer has

100% is fully opaque and 0% means the layer is completely invisible or
fully transparent.
Adjustment layers

When you apply an effect to a layer, the effect applies only to that layer
and no others. However, an effect can exist independently if you create
an adjustment layer for it.

An adjustment layer is an invisible layer that applies any effect you

attach to it to all layers below.

Any effects applied to an adjustment layer affect all layers below it in

the layer stacking order. An adjustment layer at the bottom of the layer
stacking order has no visible result.

Because effects on adjustment layers apply to all layers beneath them,

they are useful for applying effects to many layers at once. In other
respects, an adjustment layer behaves like other layers; for example,
you can use keyframes or expressions with any adjustment layer
property.

Applying an effect to an adjustment layer improves rendering

performance compared with applying the same effect separately to
each of the underlying layers.

Use masks on an adjustment layer to apply an effect to only parts of

the underlying layers. You can animate masks to follow moving
subjects in the underlying layers.

To create an adjustment layer, choose Layer > New > Adjustment

Layer, or press Ctrl+Alt+Y (Windows) or Command+Option+Y (Mac
OS).
Null Object Layers

To assign a parent layer, but keep that layer from being a visible
element in your project, use a null object.

A null object is an invisible layer that has all the properties of a visible
layer so that it can be a parent to any layer in the composition.

Adjust and animate a null object as you would any other layer. You use
the same commands to modify settings for a null object that you use
for a solid‑color layer.

You can apply Expression Controls effects to null objects and then use
the null object as a control layer for effects and animations in other
layers.

For example, when working with a camera or light layer, create a null
object layer and use an expression to link the Point Of Interest
property of the camera or light to the Position property of the null
layer. Then, you can animate the Point Of Interest property by moving
the null object. It is often easier to select and see a null object than it is
to select and see the point of interest.

A composition can contain any number of null objects. A null object is

visible only in the Composition and Layer panels and appears in the
Composition panel as a rectangular outline with layer handles.

Effects are not visible on null objects.

To create a null object, select the Timeline or Composition panel and

choose Layer > New > Null Object.
Animation in After Effects

Animation is change over time. You animate a layer or an effect on a

layer by making one or more of its properties change over time.

For example, you can animate the Opacity property of a layer from 0% at
time zero to 100% at time 1 second to make the layer fade in.

Any property with a stopwatch button to the left of its name in the
Timeline panel or Effect Controls panel can be animated.

A. Active stopwatch B. Inactive stopwatch

You animate layer properties using keyframes, expressions, or both.

Many animation presets include keyframes and expressions so that you

can simply apply the animation preset to the layer to achieve a complex
animated result.

You work with keyframes and expressions in After Effects in one of two
modes: layer bar mode or Graph Editor mode. Layer bar mode is the
default, which shows layers as duration bars, with keyframes and
expressions aligned vertically with their properties in the Timeline panel.
Graph Editor mode does not show layer bars, and shows keyframes and
expression results in value graphs or speed graphs.
Keyframes in After Effects
Keyframes are used to set parameters for motion, effects, audio, and
many other properties, usually changing them over time.

A keyframe marks the point in time where you specify a value for a layer
property, such as spatial position, opacity, or audio volume. Values
between keyframes are interpolated.

When you use keyframes to create a change over time, you typically use
at least two keyframes—one for the state at the beginning of the
change, and one for the new state at the end of the change.

When the stopwatch is active for a specific property, After Effects

automatically sets or changes a keyframe for the property at the current
time whenever you change the property value. When the stopwatch is
inactive for a property, the property has no keyframes. If you change the
value for a layer property while the stopwatch is inactive, that value
remains the same for the duration of the layer.
If you deactivate the stopwatch, all keyframes for that layer property are
deleted, and the constant value for the property becomes the value at
the current time. Don’t deactivate the stopwatch unless you’re sure that
you want to permanently delete all of the keyframes for that property.

The Graph Editor

The Graph Editor represents property values using a two‑dimensional

graph, with composition time represented horizontally (from left to
right). In layer bar mode, on the other hand, the time graph represents
only the horizontal time element, without showing a graphical, vertical
representation of changing values.

Two types of graphs are available in the Graph Editor: value graphs,
which show property values; and speed graphs, which show rates of
change of property values. For temporal properties, such as Opacity, the
Graph Editor defaults to the value graph. For spatial properties, such as
Position, the Graph Editor defaults to the speed graph.
In the Graph Editor, each property is represented by its own curve. You
can view and work on one property at a time, or you can view multiple
properties simultaneously. When more than one property is visible in the
Graph Editor, each property’s curve has the same color as the property’s
value in the layer outline.
Precomposing and Nesting

If you want to group some layers that are already in a composition, you
can precompose those layers. Precomposing layers places them in a
new composition, which replaces the layers in the original composition.
The new nested composition becomes the source for a single layer in the
original composition.

The new composition appears in the Project panel and is available for
rendering or use in any other composition. You can nest compositions by
adding an existing composition to another composition, just as you
would add any other footage item to a composition.

Precomposing a single layer is useful for adding transform properties to

a layer and influencing the order in which elements of a composition are
rendered.

Select the layers in the Timeline panel, and choose Layer >
Pre‑compose or press Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows) or Command+Shift+C
(Mac OS).

Select one of the following:

Leave All Attributes In ‑ Leaves the properties and keyframes of the

precomposed layer in the original composition, applied to the new layer
that represents the precomposition. The frame size of the new
composition is the same as the size of the selected layer. This option is
not available when you select more than one layer, a text layer, or a
shape layer.

Move All Attributes Into The New Composition ‑ Moves the

properties and keyframes of the precomposed layers one level further
from the root composition in the composition hierarchy. When you use
this option, changes you applied to the properties of the layers remain
with the individual layers within the precomposition. The frame size of
the new composition is the same as the frame size of the original
composition.
Nesting is the inclusion of one composition within another. The nested
composition appears as a layer in the containing composition.

A nested composition is sometimes called a precomposition, which is

occasionally abbreviated in casual use to precomp or pre‑comp.

When a precomposition is used as the source footage item for a layer, the
layer is called a precomposition layer.

Uses for precomposing and nesting

Precomposing and nesting are useful for managing and organizing

complex compositions. By precomposing and nesting, you can do the
following:

1. Apply complex changes to an entire composition ‑ You can create

a composition that contains multiple layers, nest the composition within
the overall composition, and animate and apply effects to the nested
composition so that all the layers change in the same ways over the same
time period.

2. Reuse anything you build ‑ You can build an animation in its own
composition and then drag that composition into other compositions as
many times as you want.

3. Update in one step ‑ When you make changes to a nested

composition, those changes affect every composition in which it is used,
just like changes made to a source footage item affect every composition
in which it is used.

4. Alter the default rendering order of a layer ‑ You can specify that
After Effects render a transformation (such as rotation) before rendering
effects, so that the effect applies to the rotated footage.

5. Add another set of transform properties to a layer ‑ The layer that

represents the composition has its own properties, in addition to the
properties of the layers that it contains. This allows you to apply an
additional set of transformations to a layer or set of layers.
Parent and child layers

To synchronize changes to layers by assigning one layer’s

transformations to another layer, use parenting. After a layer is made
a parent to another layer, the other layer is called the child layer.
When you assign a parent, the transform properties of the child layer
become relative to the parent layer instead of to the composition.

For example, if a parent layer moves 5 pixels to the right of its starting
position, then the child layer also moves 5 pixels to the right of its
position. Parenting is similar to grouping; transformations made to the
group are relative to the anchor point of the parent.

Parenting affects all transform properties except Opacity.

A layer can have only one parent, but a layer can be a parent to any
number of layers in the same composition.

You can animate child layers independent of their parent layers. You
can also parent using null objects, which are hidden layers.

Dragging the pick whip in the Timeline panel from Shape layer 1 (child layer) to
designate Shape Layer 2 as the parent layer
3D layers
When you make a layer a 3D layer, the layer itself remains flat, but it
gains additional properties: Position, Anchor Point, Scale, Orientation,
X Rotation, Y Rotation, Z Rotation, and Material Options properties.

2D layers (left) and layers with 3D properties (right)

When you convert a layer to 3D by pressing the Toggle Switches /

Modes button located at the bottom of the Timeline panel, a depth (z)
value is added to its Position, Anchor Point, and Scale properties, and
the layer gains Orientation, Y Rotation, X Rotation, and Material
Options properties.

The single Rotation property is renamed Z Rotation.

When you convert a 3D layer back to 2D, the Y Rotation, X Rotation,
Orientation, and Material Options properties are removed, including
all values, keyframes, and expressions. (These values cannot be
restored by converting the layer back to a 3D layer.)

When rendering for final output, 3D layers are rendered from the
perspective of the active camera.

Material Options properties specify how the layer interacts with light
and shadows. Only 3D layers interact with shadows, lights, and
cameras. Nine different options allow you to customize how your layer
will accept light and shadows.
3D View

Often times when working in 3D space you can’t tell where an asset is
located in Z space (the space that measures the axis that moves
towards you and away from you). A layer might even disappear
entirely behind another one. To get a better view of your work area,
simply change the view layout.

The After Effects 3D View Popout menu is located at the bottom of the
Composition panel and allows you to view your comp from a variety of
angles. These angles include

1. Active Camera View

2. Front View
3. Left View
4. Top View
5. Back View
6. Right View
7. Bottom View

It’s nearly impossible to work on a 3D project without occasionally

changing the view of the composition.
If you prefer to view several angles at the same time, go to the Select
View Layout drop‑down menu. Choose to view 1, 2, or 4 angles
simultaneously. You can also take a bird’s eye view of your project with
three different Custom Views.
Camera
You can view 3D layers from any angle and distance using camera
layers.

Just as it’s easier in the real world to move cameras through and
around a scene than it is to move and rotate the scene itself, it’s often
easiest to get different views of a composition by setting up a camera
layer and moving it around in a composition.

You can modify and animate camera settings to configure the camera
to match the real camera and settings that were used to record
footage with which you’re compositing.

You can also use camera settings to add camera‑like behaviors—from

depth‑of‑field blur to pans and dolly shots—to synthetic effects and
animations.

Cameras affect only 3D layers and to 2D layers with an effect from

effects and presets which has special feature to work with the Camera.
With effects that have a Comp Camera attribute, you can use the
active composition camera or lights to view or light an effect from
various angles to simulate more sophisticated 3D effects.

You can choose to view a composition through the active camera or

through a named custom camera. The active camera is the topmost
camera in the Timeline panel at the current time for which the Video
switch is selected.

The active camera view is the point of view used for creating final
output and nesting compositions. If you have not created a custom
camera, then the active camera is the same as the default composition
view.

All cameras are listed in the 3D View menu at the bottom of the
Composition panel, where you can access them at any time.
Working with Cameras

To create a camera, simply highlight the Timeline panel and select

Layer > New > Camera.

When you create a new camera layer, a Camera Settings dialog box
will appear. Here you can modify your camera attributes with a helpful
visual reference.

Manually adjust the Film Size, Zoom, Angle of View and Focal Length.
You can even Enable Depth of Field and customize the Focus Distance,
Aperture, F‑Stop and Blur Level.

If you don’t want to modify all of the individual settings, simply choose
a preset. Double click the camera layer at any time to reopen and
make adjustments in this dialog box.
Camera Settings
After Effects offers two different camera types—one or two‑node. The
only difference between a one and two‑node camera is that a two‑
node includes and is oriented toward a “Point of Interest.”

When you open up the Transform properties of a two‑node camera

layer, you’ll see a Point of Interest attribute with X, Y, and Z attributes.

The Point of Interest essentially allows you to control what the camera
is looking at very precisely, and it can come in very handy.
Just below the camera’s Transform properties, you’ll find thirteen
different Camera Options.

These thirteen properties include attributes inside the Camera Settings

dialog box with a few additional tools to make detailed adjustments to
the camera.

These additional tools allow you to fine‑tune how the camera’s iris is
set up, and adjust how the camera deals with highlights.

Again, to reopen and make adjustments in the Camera Settings dialog

box, double‑click the camera layer on the timeline.

You can add keyframes to any and all of the thirteen camera options in
the Timeline panel.

Add keyframes for some interesting 3D camera effects, such as a snap

zoom or a rack (shift) focus. The possibilities are truly limitless.
Camera 3D Tools
There are various camera tools in After Effects that allow you to
navigate and fly your camera around the 3D space of your
composition.

Pressing keyboard shortcut C will cycle between four different camera

tools—Unified, Orbit, Track XY, and Track. R

emember, in order to see what your camera sees, change the 3D View
Popout at the bottom of the Composition panel to the specific camera,
or select Active Camera.

Now let’s take a closer look at each camera tool.

Unified Camera Tool

The Unified Camera tool allows you to switch between the other three
camera tools. Use a mouse to quickly jump between the Orbit, Track
XY and Track Z camera tools.
Orbit Camera Tool

Using the Orbit tool will move, or “orbit”, your camera around the
Point of Interest. The camera positions change, while the Point of
Interest stays locked in place. Orbiting a one‑node camera will only
change the Orientation of the camera since there is no Point of
Interest with one‑node cameras.

Track XY Camera Tool

As the name implies, the Track XY camera tool will move the camera
horizontally and vertically in 3D space. The Point of Interest also moves
along with the camera.

Track Z Camera Tool

Again, as the name implies, the Track Z camera tool will move the
camera forward and backward in 3D space.
Lights

Just as you can create and customize a camera inside of After Effects,
you can also create and customize lights that will interact with your 3D
layers.

You can also work with a variety of different light types and customize
how each light interacts with layers, adjusting settings such as
Intensity, Color, Falloff, Shadow Darkness

Let’s have a closer look at lights.

Working with Lights

To create a light layer, simply highlight the Timeline panel and select
Layer > New > Light. You can customize the light to your content in
the Light Settings dialog box.

Double click the light layer at any time to reopen this dialog box and
adjust the settings.
When you create a new light layer, you have four different light types
from which to choose:

1. Parallel
2. Spot
3. Point
4. Ambient

These light types differ slightly in their controls and how you use them
in 3D space. Now let’s have a closer look at each light type.

Parallel Light

A Parallel light gives off directional light from an infinitely distant

source, mimicking sunlight. You can move a parallel light through 3D
space by adjusting Position and Point of Interest Transform properties.
Customize the light’s Intensity, Color, Falloff, Radius, Falloff Distance,
Shadows, and Shadow Darkness in the Light Options section.
Spot Light
The Spot light provides a source of light constrained by a cone, similar
to a spotlight.

This light has additional Transform properties, including Orientation

and Rotation options.

You can also adjust the angle and feather of the light’s “cone” in the
light options section, as well as change Shadow Diffusion.
Point Light

The Point light emits unconstrained omnidirectional light, much like

light from a bare bulb.

Since it is omnidirectional, this light doesn’t have a Point of Interest

property.

You only have Position attributes in the Transform section. The rest of
the light options are the same as the parallel light.
Ambient Light

Ambient light contributes to the overall brightness of a scene. It has no

source and casts no shadows.

This simple light features only two options—Intensity and Color.

If you end up with shadows that are too harsh from your other lights,
an ambient light can fill things out.
Light Options

You can customize the Light Options of the actual light layer. Each
light type has a different combination of options and properties.
Customize and precisely control your light with these options.

For instance, change the intensity of a light via percentage, and the
color via a color picker.

Make adjustments to the cone angle and feather of a Spot light.

Select a light’s falloff type, radius, and distance. Specify if you want
your layer to cast shadows and then customize the darkness and
diffusion of those shadows.
Material Options

In addition to changing the Light Options, you can adjust the Material
Options of individual 3D layers.

Material Options specify how a 3D layer reacts to light layers. Nine

different options allow you to customize how your layer will accept
light and shadows.

These options include Cast Shadows, Light Transmission, Accepts

Shadows, Accepts Lights, Ambient, Diffuse, Specular Intensity, Specular
Shininess, and Metal.
Mask
A mask is an invisible shape that tells After Effects to only pay attention
to a specific section of your composition. You can use it to hide or
reveal part of a layer or object.

Regular masks are attached to and exist within the layer they are
affecting, while Shape Layers exist as separate objects which can work
in a similar way to masks.

Masks are very versatile tools but generally can be used for hiding and
revealing text, or cropping out a frame.

Animations can begin with a mask over an object, such as text, and
then slide out to reveal the object.

Alternatively, they can remain static on the frame to crop out any
unwanted elements.
Create Masks
You can create shapes and masks with the Rectangle and Pen tool in
After Effects.

When you create a mask or shape layer, keep the following things in
mind:

Step 1: Select the layer you’d like to mask.

Step 2: Hit the Q button to bring up the rectangle shape tool.

Step 3: Click and drag on the frame to draw a mask around the object
you’d like to reveal.

This will hide everything else in the frame that isn’t beneath the mask.
The second way of using masks in After Effects is using the pen tool to
create a custom shape mask.

Step 1: Select the pen tool or hit G on the keyboard.

Step 2: Click different points around the frame to draw a custom

shape. Try outlining an object that you’d like to remove from the frame
if the shot is static.
When you create a mask within a layer you can amend the mask mode
to one of seven options, all of which do different things.

Beside the name of the mask, click the dropdown. By default, it should
be set to Add.

Add – Select Add for the most commonly used and default mask
mode. It simply creates a mask, and if you lay multiple masks together
it will sit one on top of the other.
None – This deactivates the mask.

Subtract – This mask mode shows the difference between a mask and
anything beneath it, negating the one beneath it but unaffecting the
mask above it.
Intersect – If you have more than one masks that overlap, the
Intersect mask mode will reveal only the sections of the masks which
overlap.

Difference – Difference is basically the opposite of Intersect. Selecting

the Difference mask mode will reveal all of the mask, except for the
section which is overlapping another mask.
Lighten – When two masks that have less than 100% opacity overlap,
the color of the intersection will be darker than the opacity of the rest
of the masks. Selecting Lighten will make the opacity even across the
masks.

Darken – Darken works the opposite way of Lighten, increasing the

opacity of two masks that are intersecting.
Blending Modes
Blending modes for layers control how each layer blends with or
interacts with layers beneath it. Blending modes for layers in After
Effects (formerly referred to as layer modes and sometimes called
transfer modes) are identical to blending modes in Adobe Photoshop.

Most blending modes modify only color values of the source layer, not
the alpha channel. The Alpha Add blending mode affects the alpha
channel of the source layer, and the silhouette and stencil blending
modes affect the alpha channels of layers beneath them.

Each layer has a blending mode

1. Normal

2. Dissolve

3. Dancing Dissolve

4. Darken

5. Multiply

6. Color Burn

7. Classic Color Burn

8. Linear Burn

9. Darker Color

10. Add

11. Lighten

12. Lighter Color

13. Overlay
14. Soft Light

15. Hard Light

16. Linear Light

17. Vivid Light

18. Pin Light

19. Hard Mix

20. Difference

21. Classic Difference

22. Exclusion

23. Subtract

24. Divide

25. Hue

26. Saturation

27. Color

28. Luminosity

29. Stencil Alpha

30. Stencil Luma

31. Silhouette Alpha

32. Silhouette Luma

33. Alpha Add

34. Luminescent Premul

Layer Styles
Photoshop provides a variety of layer styles—such as shadows, glows,
and bevels—that change the appearance of a layer. After Effects can
preserve these layer styles when importing Photoshop layers. You can
also apply layer styles in After Effects and animate their properties.

You can copy and paste any layer style within After Effects, including
layer styles imported into After Effects in PSD files.

In addition to the layer styles that add visual elements—like a drop

shadow or a color overlay—each layer's Layer Styles property group
contains a Blending Options property group. You can use the Blending
Options settings for powerful and flexible control over blending
operations.

Layer styles that you can apply and edit in After Effects

1. Drop Shadow
Adds a shadow that falls behind the layer.

2. Inner Shadow
Adds a shadow that falls inside the contents of the layer, giving the
layer a recessed appearance.

3. Outer Glow
Adds a glow that emanates outward from the contents of the layer.

4. Inner Glow
Adds a glow that emanates inward from the contents of the layer.

5. Bevel And Emboss

Adds various combinations of highlights and shadows.
Use the Bevel And Emboss layer style rather than the Bevel Alpha
effect if, for example, you want to apply different blending modes to
the highlights and shadows of a bevel.
6. Satin
Applies interior shading that creates a satiny finish.

7. Color Overlay
Fills the contents of the layer with a color.

8. Gradient Overlay
Fills the contents of the layer with a gradient.

9. Stroke
Outlines the contents of the layer.
Render and Exporting
Rendering is the creation of the frames of a movie from a composition.

It is a process that allows you to create a video product in After Effects.

Basically, it is the final part of any project in After Effects.

It allows you to create a product with all the details and resolution you
may need. And most importantly it will help you to balance the quality
and size of a video file you create.

It combines all layers with images, music, effects and other data in one
frame. Basically, this is how you develop a movie.

There are two ways to render in After Effects.

1. The first way is to render products via Render Queue feature built in
the After Effects.

2. Another option is Adobe Media Encoder. This is a side program from

Adobe. It has all the necessary features for media data processing.
Like ingest, transcode, create proxies, and output to any format. Most
importantly it works not only with After Effects but also with other
Adobe applications.
Render and export with a Render Queue
panel
Render Queue is the built‑in feature. As the name implies you can
simply render media files with this feature.

At first, you have to create a composition. Then place a composition

into the render queue.

 You should simply click on it and choose the “Add to Render Queue”.

After you do that, your composition becomes a render item. Keep in

mind that you can add few render items at a time and After Effects will
render them separately. Moreover, each render item has its own render
settings, and you can play with them too.

Some of the settings that you can make use of:

 Duration
 Output frame rate
 Resolution
 Layer quality

After you are done with render item settings there will come the post‑
render customization. You will be able to choose an Output format,
Compression options, and Cropping format.

With Render Queue you can render one composition into different
formats at once.
Render and Export with an Adobe Media
Encoder
Adobe Media Encoder provides you with more flexibility when it comes
to rendering. It allows you to work in After Effects while rendering files
and it gives you more options and provides you with additional
presets.

Adobe Media Encoder makes life easier when you have to work with
different videos at the same time.

In Adobe Media Encoder you can play with different formats to see
which one is better for you.

 Open a composition you want to render.

 Go to Composition and press Add To Adobe Media Encoder Queue.

 Wait a bit until Media Encoder opens.

 Press the arrow in the Format section and choose whatever format
you want.
 Now go to preset and choose Match Source ‑ High Bitrate.

 Choose the destination of a file in Output File.

 And press Enter. Or the green triangle.

 That’s all, you have started rendering of your product.

 In the end, your video will be ready.

Shortcuts to Remember
Here is a few frequently used shortcuts in producing animation; it is
highly recommended to remember them because it will help you
speed up your work flow tremendously;

T ‑ Opacity
A ‑ Anchor Point
S ‑ Scale
P ‑ Position
R ‑ Rotation
Y ‑ Moving Anchor Point Tool
O ‑ Jump to the end of the Timeline
HOME ‑ Jump to the beginning of the Timeline
SPACE BAR ‑ Hand Tool, Play/Preview
CTRL + D ‑ Duplicate Layer
CTRL + SHIFT + D ‑ Split Layer
B ‑ In
N ‑ Out
CTRL + Z ‑ Undo Change
CTRL + SHIFT + Z ‑ Redo Change
Enter ‑ Rename a Layer
F9 ‑ Easy Ease
Shift + F9 ‑ Easy Ease In
Ctrl + Shift + F9 ‑ Easy Ease Out