After Effects Tips & Tricks, Keyboard Shorts for Motion Graphics Artist

Best ShortCuts keys for AE

To Rename the layer – Select Layer and Press Enter Key

To Cut/Split the Layer – Select the layer ent point and press the following Shortcut key.

Ctrl+Shift+ D

Move the Pivot point to the center

1. Select the layer
2. The go-to Layer -> Transform -> Center Anchor Point in Layer Content.
3. Short Cut key -> Ctrl+ Alt+ Home

AE Tips & Tricks

Trim/Crop composition Timing in AE

First Set the In, and Out points using the following Short cut keys

• In Point – B
• Out Point – N

To Trim the composition, use the following shortcut key

Ctrl+ Shit + X.

That’s all.

Reference: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/after-effects-trim-composition

How to Replace Image or Composition in AE

1. First, add a replacement image to your AE project.
2. Then select the layer that should be replaced and hold down the Alt key.
3. Then grab the replacement image in the project panel and drag it on to the layer to be replaced.

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZW7aPLrrA4

How to Flip an Image or Composition in AE

Select Image and go to Layer -> Transform -> Flip Horizontal/ Flip Vertical.

How to render transparent video in After Effects

1. Remove any background and check whether the video is transparent or not via the “Toggle Transparent Grid” button.
2. File -> Export -> Add to Render Queue.
3. In “Render Queue”, click the “Output Module” settings.
4. Select Format -> “QuickTime”
5. In the “Video Output” section, click the “format options’ button. Choose “Video codec” to “Animation”. Click “OK”.
6. Then select the channels to “RGB+Alpha”. Then click the “OK” button.

That’s all. Now render the video. You will get a transparent video.

How to create a Gradient background

1. Create a solid layer.
2. Open the Effects and Preset panel via Windows -> Effects & Presets (Shortcut key: Ctrl + 5. 5 in the top of the keyboard).
3. Search with the keyword “gradient”.
4. Apply “4-Color Gradient” or “Gradient Ramp” which one you want to the solid layer.
5. Change the gradient colors. That’s all.

To Create Different Animations

Animation 1: To Add a Numbers running Animation

1. Select the Text Layer,
2. Add Slider control Effect via Effects & Preset Widget.
3. In Text Properties, Alt + click the Source Text Timer to open Expression Editor.
4. Then in Effects -> Slider Control settings, Just Click the parent pick whip to that slider control.

Now when you adjust the slider, Numbers will change. But this slider output Display decimal value.
To change that to an integer value, Paste the following command in the Expression editor.

x=Math.floor(effect("Slider Control")("Slider"));
x+" %"
J

Just remove the %, to get the whole number.
That’s all.

Reference:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-discussions/how-to-remove-decimal-value-00-from-slider-control/m-p/6999680
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQPwWZuyzZk

Problems & Solutions: Missing/ Grayed Out

Problem 1: Is the 3D view icon/layer Switch missing?

Solution:-

Press the “F4 key” to switch between the switch column to mode.

Problem 2: RGB+Alpha option grayed out when I try to export transparent video in AE

Solution:-

1. Add your file to Render Queue.  Click the “Output Module” settings.
2. In Output Module Settings Windows, click the “Format Options” button.
3. Select Video codec from “Apple ProRes 422” to “Animation”.
4. Now try to select “Video OutPut channels” to “RGB+ Alpha”.

That all.