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Introduction
This is the result we will create, the same flower footage placed in two different compositions, square for Instagram and wide screen for YouTube, complete with duration and background color that we set ourselves. Let's get started. Hello, welcome back to the complete Adobe After Effects series from Cerdas Inovasi Digital. In the previous episode, the composition was created automatically from the footage. Now we will create it manually through the composition settings dialog, so that the size, frame rate, and duration are exactly as needed for the video.
Step 1: New Composition Dialog
Import the petunia flower footage. Then open the composition menu, new composition, or press Ctrl N. The composition settings dialog is now open. Name it promo Instagram. In the preset section, there are many ready-to-use sizes such as HDTV 1080 and UHD 4K. For uploading to Instagram, we will use the square size.
Step 2: Custom Size and Duration
Select the custom preset, fill in width 1080 and height 1080. Frame rate 30 frames per second. Duration we fill in 10 seconds, then set the background color to dark green. Click OK.
Step 3: Placing Footage and Fit to Comp
Drag the flower footage to the timeline panel. The footage is 1920 pixels wide, so the left and right sides are cropped by the square composition. Press Ctrl Alt F to fit to comp, then the footage is scaled to fit the composition.
Step 4: Changing Settings with Ctrl + K
It turns out the promo video is only 8 seconds long. No need to redo it, press Ctrl KA to open the composition settings for the active composition, change the duration to 8 seconds, then OK. The timeline ruler adjusts automatically.
Step 5: Viewing the Background Color
The background color is only visible in the empty area. Reduce the footage scale to 70%. Around the flower, the dark green background color appears. Click the toggle transparency grid button, then the empty area is displayed as a checkerboard, indicating that the area is actually transparent.
Step 6: Second Composition for YouTube
Press Ctrl N again, name it promo YouTube, and leave the preset HDTV 1080p 29,97. Duration 8 seconds. Drag the flower footage to the timeline. Now there are two compositions in the project panel, and we can switch through the tabs above the timeline.
Done!
Done. We have created a manual composition, set the square size for Instagram, frame rate, duration, and background color, using feed to comp, changed the settings with the KA controls, and created a second composition for YouTube size. In the next episode, we will learn to navigate the timeline quickly. Need a promotional video, logo animation, motion graphics for social media, or visual effects for short films? Cerdas Inovasi Digital provides motion graphics and visual effects services, as well as opens After Effects courses from beginner to advanced. Want to master the entire series, 104 episodes from the interface to the final project? All episodes, complete with PDF step-by-step guides, source footage, and project scripts, are available for premium tutorial subscribers. Subscribe starting at Rp69.000 per month, save 28% with the 12-month package, or pay once Rp999.000 for lifetime access. Want a single class only? Buy a single class with lifetime access. Subscribe now at the premium page cerdasinovasidigital.com Contact us via WhatsApp, or visit cerdasinovasidigital.com Thank you for watching, see you in the next episode.
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Cerdas Inovasi Digital Team
Software developers, BIM & 3D engineers, and AI practitioners
52 video classes1,276 episodes
We build software, BIM models, games and AI automations for clients every day, and turn that hands-on work into step-by-step classes: every step is shown on screen and comes with a PDF guide you can keep.
