Effectively creating templates in After Effects CC 2017

The creation of projects in After Effects becomes significantly easier with the new feature of using templates. If you often create similar types of projects, this feature allows you to save a lot of time and effort. With templates, you can not only save basic settings, but also folder structures, media content, and even special effects. This guide will show you step by step how to create and use such a template in After Effects CC 2017.

Key insights

• You can create templates for new projects in After Effects, thus increasing efficiency.
• Templates can be saved in various formats, including AEP, AET, and AEPX.
• With templates, you can quickly load specific media content and settings.

Step-by-step guide

To start, open After Effects CC 2017 to create a new project. This is the first step you need to take. After starting the program, click on "File" in the menu and select "New". Here you can create a new project. This is the foundation for the upcoming settings that you will define.

In the next step, create a new composition. You do this under the menu item "Composition" and then "New Composition". Carefully select the parameters of your composition. For example, you can set a specific width of 1920 pixels and a height of 1080 pixels. To ensure that the composition has the correct frame rate, set it to 60 FPS. Keep in mind that the material should have a runtime of one minute. These settings are crucial to ensure that your project meets the desired requirements.

Once you have made the composition settings, click "OK". Your composition will now open with the desired settings. To further customize your composition, add music that you already have. You can simply drag and drop it into the program. To better organize your elements, you should create a new folder. Name this folder, for example, "Music", and load your music file into this folder.

Furthermore, you can add images or other media that you want to use in your project. Select the appropriate image and also drag it into the composition. To refine your composition even further, you could also create solid color layers. These are useful for structuring visual elements in your work. Create a solid color layer, select the color, and confirm with "OK". This gives you a clear and structured base for your project.

Now it is time to save the settings for your project so that you can use them as a template. Go to "Edit" and then to "Templates" or "Preferences". There you will find the option for "New Project". When you select this, After Effects will create a new project based on your existing composition.

Before saving the template, you need to make sure that you first save the project. To do this, press "Ctrl + S" or "Command + S" and select a folder where you want to save your project. Name the project something like "psd-Tutorials". Now you have saved a simple project.

You now have the opportunity to create the template. Go back to "File" and select "New". In the window that opens, it is important to choose the correct file format. Typically, you would select an Adobe After Effects project (AEP) or the AET template format. Make sure to name the file correctly and select the format.

When you create the new project now, it will automatically load with all your previous settings. This means that your colors, music, and other elements are immediately available again. When you now open a new composition, you will see all your settings that you defined earlier.

This approach has immense advantages, especially if you frequently work on projects that require similar structures or effects. With this technique, you can build your project in no time and save time since you do not have to recreate the basic settings from scratch each time.

You will notice that After Effects CC 2017 is now not only more effective but also smarter. You can easily plan, save, and reuse your project template without having to go through all the conceptual steps again.

Summary – Lessons on Creating Templates in After Effects CC 2017

The ability to create templates in After Effects offers you numerous benefits. You can build precise reusable elements and thus increase the efficiency of your work.