Creating a Composition to Start in After Effects

1. Creating a Composition in After Effects

 

In After Effects, a Composition is the fundamental unit within a project that brings together various elements to create a single scene. A composition is used to combine animations, videos, images, text, audio, and other elements into a cohesive and complete video clip.

 

2. Preset and Composition Size Settings

 

When creating a new composition in After Effects, the Presets offer predefined settings for various video formats and resolutions. These presets allow you to quickly and easily set up your composition to match specific video formats.

For YouTube, it's commonly set to a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1920 x 1080 size. This size is often referred to as 2K because the width value of 1920 is close to 2000. A larger size often used for YouTube is 4K, which is twice the size of 1920 x 1080, resulting in 3840 x 2160. Although modern monitors often use a 16:10 aspect ratio, the 16:9 ratio is still the most common for YouTube content.

 

When creating a new composition in After Effects, the Frame Rate setting determines the number of frames displayed per second. Videos create the illusion of motion by displaying a series of images in rapid succession. This is similar to how flipping through the pages of a book with drawings on each page can create an animation effect. Our eyes perceive continuous motion from these quickly changing images because the human visual system blends the images together, making it appear as if there is smooth movement. The frame rate, usually measured in fps (frames per second), is a crucial factor that determines the smoothness and naturalness of motion in videos.

Common Presets

• HDTV 1080 29.97:
  • Resolution: 1920x1080
  • Frame Rate: 29.97 fps
  • Used in countries with NTSC standards like the USA.
• HDTV 1080 25:
  • Resolution: 1920x1080
  • Frame Rate: 25 fps
  • Used in countries with PAL standards like Europe.
• HDTV 720 29.97:
  • Resolution: 1280x720
  • Frame Rate: 29.97 fps
  • Another standard for HD resolution that maintains good quality while reducing file size.
• HDTV 720 25:
  • Resolution: 1280x720
  • Frame Rate: 25 fps
  • Used primarily in Europe.
• DV NTSC:
  • Resolution: 720x480
  • Frame Rate: 29.97 fps
  • Standard video format widely used in the USA.
• DV PAL:
  • Resolution: 720x576
  • Frame Rate: 25 fps
  • Standard video format widely used in Europe.
• 4K UHD:
  • Resolution: 3840x2160
  • Frame Rate: Various options available (e.g., 24 fps, 30 fps)
  • Used for ultra-high-definition video formats.

Common Frame Rates

• 24 fps:
  • Usage: Movies and cinematic videos.
  • Characteristics: Standard for films, providing a cinematic feel.
• 25 fps:
  • Usage: Broadcasting in countries using the PAL system.
  • Characteristics: Standard frame rate for PAL television broadcasts.
• 29.97 fps:
  • Usage: Broadcasting in countries using the NTSC system like North America and Japan.
  • Characteristics: Standard frame rate for NTSC television broadcasts, including slight frame dropping to maintain accurate time codes.
• 30 fps:
  • Usage: General video and digital content.
  • Characteristics: Similar to 29.97 fps but without frame dropping, commonly used on platforms like YouTube.
• 48 fps, 50 fps, 60 fps:
  • Usage: High frame rate videos, sports broadcasts, gameplay recordings.
  • Characteristics: Higher frame rates for smoother motion, especially useful for action scenes or sports videos.

Importance of Frame Rate Settings

• Smoothness of Video:
  • Higher frame rates provide smoother motion but increase file size and rendering time.
  • Lower frame rates can offer a more cinematic feel but may result in choppy motion for fast actions.
• Project Requirements:
  • Choose a frame rate that matches the intended distribution platform or region's standards.
  • For example, 24 fps for film projects, 30 fps or 60 fps for YouTube content.
• Compatibility:
  • Matching the frame rate of your source footage can prevent unnecessary frame conversion and quality loss.
  • When mixing footage from different sources, consider the final output frame rate to ensure a cohesive result.

 

3. Pixel Aspect Ratio

 

When creating a new composition in After Effects, the Pixel Aspect Ratio refers to the width-to-height ratio of individual pixels. This is different from the overall image resolution and determines how the pixels are displayed on the screen. The pixel aspect ratio can vary depending on the video format, and it is important to choose the correct ratio. For most computer displays, the pixel aspect ratio is square, so setting it to Square Pixels is usually sufficient. In most cases, you won’t need to change this setting unless you have specific requirements.

Common Pixel Aspect Ratio Types

• Square Pixels:
  • Ratio: 1.0
  • Square pixels have a 1:1 width-to-height ratio and are used in most computer screens and HD video formats.
  • Examples: HDTV 1080p (1920x1080), 4K UHD (3840x2160)
• Non-Square Pixels:
  • Used in various older video formats and in specific situations today.
  • There are different ratios, with common examples including:
    • D1/DV NTSC:
      • Ratio: 0.91
      • Used in NTSC video format with a resolution of 720x486.
    • D1/DV NTSC Widescreen:
      • Ratio: 1.21
      • Used in NTSC format with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
    • D1/DV PAL:
      • Ratio: 1.09
      • Used in PAL video format with a resolution of 720x576.
    • D1/DV PAL Widescreen:
      • Ratio: 1.46
      • Used in PAL format with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Considerations When Choosing Pixel Aspect Ratio

• Project Requirements:
  • Choose an appropriate pixel aspect ratio based on the target display device or distribution channel of the project. For example, use Square Pixels (1.0) for HDTV or online streaming platforms.
• Source Video Format:
  • If the source video you are using in the project already has a specific pixel aspect ratio, it is best to use the same ratio to maintain consistency.
• Output Video Format:
  • Ensure that the final output video adheres to the standards of the intended format. For instance, if you are producing a DVD, follow the standard pixel aspect ratio for DVDs.

4. Setting Resolution and Duration in After Effects

When creating a new composition in After Effects, the Resolution setting determines the pixel density used while working on the composition. The resolution impacts the quality and performance of your composition preview. Adjusting this setting is crucial for balancing real-time preview performance and the visual detail of your work. Once the composition is created, you can set it to Auto, which adjusts the resolution based on the composition's viewing size.

Resolution Settings

After Effects primarily offers four resolution options:

• Full Resolution:
  • Displays every pixel of the composition at its original resolution.
  • Provides the highest quality but demands significant system performance.
  • Ideal for high-detail work or when precise detail verification is needed.
• Half Resolution:
  • Reduces the resolution to half the width and height, effectively reducing the pixel count to 1/4.
  • Enhances performance and speed while maintaining sufficient detail for most tasks.
  • Commonly used for general work.
• Third Resolution:
  • Reduces the resolution to one-third of the width and height, decreasing the pixel count to 1/9.
  • Prioritizes speed and performance, useful for basic animation or layout work.
• Quarter Resolution:
  • Reduces the resolution to one-fourth of the width and height, resulting in 1/16 of the original pixel count.
  • Optimizes system performance and allows for faster previews.
  • Useful for complex compositions or projects with heavy rendering.

Importance of Resolution Settings

• Work Efficiency:
  • Lowering the resolution reduces system resource usage, speeding up your workflow, especially in complex compositions with numerous layers and effects.
• Detail Verification:
  • Use full resolution to accurately check details or verify quality before final output.
• Rendering Time:
  • Setting previews to a lower resolution can shorten rendering times. Always check the quality at full resolution before final rendering.

Duration Settings

The duration setting defines the total length of your composition, measured in hours:minutes:seconds

. This setting is crucial as it ensures your entire project timeline fits within the specified length.

• Understanding Frame Rate:
  • The time length changes according to the frame rate. For instance, with a frame rate of 30 fps, once you go beyond 30 frames, it counts as one second. The last number represents the frame rate, followed by seconds, minutes, and hours. You can omit the colons (:) when entering the duration.
  • Example: To set a duration of 10 seconds, you can simply enter 1000.
• Flexibility:
  • You can adjust the duration anytime after creating the composition, so there's no need to worry excessively about getting it perfect initially.

By understanding and adjusting these settings, you can optimize your workflow and ensure your projects meet the desired quality and performance standards.

 

5.  Background Color

 

When creating a new composition in After Effects, the Background Color setting allows you to set the default background color for the composition. This background color is not included in the final rendered video but can be helpful during the preview process. After creating a new composition, you can click the transparency grid icon at the bottom of the composition panel to check the transparency of the current composition. Regardless of the background color you set, clicking this icon will show that the background is transparent. It's important to note that the background color is for convenience during work and will not be reflected in the final video output.

6.  UI 재설정하기

 

Each panel in After Effects can be docked or converted into a tab by dragging the panel name to another panel. Holding the Ctrl key while dragging allows you to detach the panel into a separate window. However, for those new to After Effects, accidentally moving panels can be confusing and overwhelming. In such cases, you can easily revert to the initial layout by clicking "Reset to Saved Layout" as shown in the image above.