How to Organize a Project With Adobe After Effects

Adobe After Effects is a complicated animation and compositing program that cannot easily be learned in a few steps. The best way to learn the program is to start simply, learn the basics and build from there. After you create a composition and import files into your project, and begin working with many layers, you will find it is important to keep your project organized. Here are a few tips.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Import files into your Project window. Go to the File menu at the top of your workspace. Select "File," then "Import File." Search for your video or animation footage. Select it with your mouse and click "OK." Repeat for all of your media elements.
2. Look for your files in the Project Panel, listed by name. Depending on the type of footage you are using, you may want to organize your footage into folders by type. These may be video, animation, audio, backgrounds, effects or stills, to name a few.
3. Open a new file folder within the Project Panel. Click the “Create a New Folder” icon at the bottom of your Project Panel. It looks like a little file folder.
4. Look for the “Untitled” file folder that appears. Type in a name, and drag the appropriate media into the folder. You may also rename it later by selecting the folder with your mouse and pressing "Enter."
5. Drag your footage directly into your Timeline. You will be working with multiple layers, and it is important to keep in mind that in your Timeline, files are organized from the bottom up, meaning your background image will be at the bottom of the Timeline and your foreground image at the top.
6. Move items up or down within the Timeline by selecting an item with your mouse and dragging it up or down while holding down your left mouse button.
7. Rename layers in your Timeline by clicking on the name of the layer with your mouse, then pressing "Enter" to activate the text name of your layer. You can now type directly over the original name of the layer. Press "Enter" again to change the name.

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