Home > Customize compositions to suit you

Luisa Winters

Instructor and consultant for Adobe products

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Customize compositions to suit you

Learn how to adjust the work area, background color, naming compositions, composition from footage, etc.

This summary is AI generated

Learning Outcomes:

  • Create compositions from video clips
  • Adjust work area and background colors
  • Sequence layers for smooth transitions

Level: Intermediate

Skills you'll gain:

After Effects, Composition, Layering, Editing

Key Insights

  • Use 'New Comp from Selection' for quick composition creation.
  • Change composition duration in settings for flexibility.
  • Utilize the transparency grid for better visibility.
  • Select multiple clips to create a single composition.
  • Adjust background color for convenience during editing.
  • Use work area bar to define renderable sections.
  • Employ shortcuts 'B' and 'N' for work area adjustments.
  • Trim compositions using the work area bar effectively.
  • Undo actions with Ctrl+Z or Command+Z for efficiency.

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Related Tutorials

What you need to know before starting the course
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What you need to know before starting the course

Before you get started, Luisa introduces you to how to get the most out of this course including more information about the certification exam.
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 1

Learn to consider the purpose, audience, and their needs when working on visual effects and motion graphics projects.
Working in the motion graphics industry part 2
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 2

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Working in the motion graphics industry part 3
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 3

Identify the intellectual property rights, permissions, and licensing needed for using content.
Working in the motion graphics industry part 4
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 4

Identify when and how to obtain permission to use images, audio, or footage such as a model release, location permitting, property release, rights, permissions, licensing.
Working in the motion graphics industry part 5
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 5

Understand essential terms and tools in digital audio and video including frame rate, aspect ratio, safe zones, and more.
Working in the motion graphics industry part 6
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 6

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Working in the motion graphics industry part 7

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Working in the motion graphics industry part 8
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Working in the motion graphics industry part 8

Understand common cinematic composition terms and principles such as aspect ratio, rule of thirds, foreground, background, and more.
Working in the Motion graphics industry part 9
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Working in the Motion graphics industry part 9

Identify general design principles and guidelines for motion graphics including space, line, shape, form, color, texture, and more.
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Find and use the exercise files used in this course

Learn how to access the exercise files in this course.
After Effects Certification: How to optimize project settings
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After Effects Certification: How to optimize project settings

Learn how to choose the right project settings such project location, media assets, rendering and effects.
How to create and modify compositions
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How to create and modify compositions

Create and modify compositions to match the delivery requirements such as frame rate, resolution, duration, and more.
Workspaces
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Workspaces

Navigate, organize, and customize the application workspace and learn to identify, navigate, and manipulate elements.
Everything you need to know about the project and timeline panels
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Everything you need to know about the project and timeline panels

Learn how to identify, navigate, and manipulate elements such as Key Panels: Project panel, and Timeline panel.
Panels
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Panels

Identify, navigate, and manipulate elements such as the Composition panel, Preview panel, Effects & Presets panel.
Effects controls and layer panels
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Effects controls and layer panels

Identify, navigate, and manipulate elements such as the Effect Controls panel, Layer panel, etc.
Workspaces and shortcuts
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Workspaces and shortcuts

Customize and manage workspaces such as showing, hiding, grouping, and docking panels and utilizing the Workspace panel, shortcuts, and more.
Preferences
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Preferences

Navigate, organize, and customize the application workspace and configure application preferences.
Zoom, pan, play, pause
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Zoom, pan, play, pause

Learn to use non-visible design tools in the interface to aid in controlling and working with the timeline and media.
Markers
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Markers

Learn to use non-visible design tools in the interface to aid in video workflow composition (timeline) and layer (clip) markers.
Grids and guides
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Grids and guides

Learn how to use guides and grids to define title/action safe zones (areas) and more.
Importing
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Importing

Learn how to import media from various sources and learn how to work with compatible files, importing layers, and more.
Layers
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Layers

Learn how to use the Timeline panel and recognize the different types of layers in the Timeline panel.
Manage layers
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Manage layers

Learn how to manage multiple layers in a composition.
Precomposing and parenting
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Precomposing and parenting

Learn about pre-composing, parenting, null objects, render order, synchronizing/ aligning audio with visual effects, etc.
Layer visibility
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Layer visibility

Learn how to modify layer visibility using opacity, blending modes, track mattes, and masks.
Masks & mattes (part 1)
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Masks & mattes (part 1)

Create, apply, and manipulate masks and track mattes.
Masks & mattes (part 2)
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Masks & mattes (part 2)

We continue to learn more about masks and track mattes.
Shape layers (part 1)
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Shape layers (part 1)

Learn core tools and functionality as well as tools that affect the visual appearance of composition elements.
Shape layers (part 2)
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Shape layers (part 2)

Create visual elements using a variety of tools such as the Pen and vector editing tools.
Place assets
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Place assets

Learn how to place assets into a composition. You'll learn concepts such as temporal (timeline) position, spatial (coordinates) position, and more.
Create text
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Create text

Create, manipulate, and animate text in a composition.
Character
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Character

Adjust character settings such as font, size, style and kerning.
Paragraph
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Paragraph

Adjust paragraph settings such as alignment, indentation, paragraph spacing, and more.
Text animation
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Text animation

Animate text by applying and adjusting preset animations.
Adjust layers
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Adjust layers

Adjust footage for use in compositions and learn moving, sequencing, trimming, and splitting layers.
Transform layers
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Transform layers

Modify digital media within a project and transform visual elements in the composition by scaling, rotating, flipping, and moving.
Speed changes
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Speed changes

Modify digital media within a project. Change the speed of a video clip using time remapping, time stretching, creating freeze frames. and more.
Stabilize and color correction
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Stabilize and color correction

Manipulate digital video and use basic auto-correction methods and tools.
Video effects
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Video effects

Apply and adjust a video effect or preset to a layer using properties in the Effect Controls panel and timeline.
3D space
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3D space

Add and modify effects and presets in the 3D space to modify composition elements.
Keying & track mattes
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Keying & track mattes

Create composites and learn features such as keying, opacity, masking effects, mattes, and alpha channels.
Adjustment layers
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Adjustment layers

Learn more about adjustments layers and animation presets
Keyframes part 1
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Keyframes part 1

Apply and adjust transformations using keyframes and transform properties, motion paths, and more.
Keyframes part 2
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Keyframes part 2

Part two of learning more about keyframes.
Effects controls and wiggle
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Effects controls and wiggle

Animate effects using keyframes in the Effect Controls panel and timeline.
Check for errors
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Check for errors

Learn how to save and export compositions or specific assets in multiple formats.
Archive
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Archive

Learn how to archive a project and find missing files, fonts, file names, file locations, and more.
Export stills
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Export stills

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Mastering After Effects video export
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Mastering After Effects video export

Learn how to export a composition to Premiere Pro as well as file formats, video codecs, and more.
Expert tips for mastering After Effects for certification success
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Expert tips for mastering After Effects for certification success

Luisa gives some tips on how to take the After Effects Certification test.

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Advanced Project Management

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