Picked from the software, topic, and level of “Class After Effects #5: Navigating the Composition Panel: Zoom, Pan, Resolution, Safe Zone, and Alpha Channel”.
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Introduction
Here's what we'll master: zooming in to see details in the composition panel, moving the view, lowering resolution to make the preview lighter, checking the safe text area, and viewing the alpha channel. Let's get started. Hello, welcome back to the complete Adobe After Effects series from Cerdas Inovasi Digital. In the previous episode, we navigated the timeline. Now it's time for the composition panel, where we check the results. We'll use footage of a skyscraper at sunset.
Step 1: Zoom in the Composition Panel
Create a composition from the sunset skyscraper footage. Move your cursor to the composition panel and click the dot to zoom in, and the comma to zoom out. You can also use the Magnification menu at the bottom left of the panel. Select 100% to view the original pixels, or Fit to make it fit the panel.
Step 2: Move the View
When zoomed in, part of the composition is outside the panel. Use the Hand tool by pressing the previous key and drag to move the view. A faster way: hold the spacebar while dragging with any tool. Return to the full view by selecting Fit in the Magnification menu.
Step 3: Preview Resolution
Next to the time code, there's a resolution menu. Full renders every pixel. Select HAF, then After Effects only renders a quarter of the pixels, making the preview much faster. You can see this from the render time number below the timeline. For heavy work, quarter is even lighter.
Step 4: Title Action Safe
Add a title text so there's something to check. Click the grid icon and activate the title action safe. Two boxes appear. The outer box is the safe action area, and the inner box is the safe title area. Important text should be inside the inner box to avoid being cut off on any screen. Turn off the footage eye.
Step 5: Transparency and Alpha Channel
That black background is actually transparent. Enable the transparency grid toggle to view the checkerboard. Then open the show channel menu and select alpha. The white area that is visible is the non-transparent part, which is our title letters. Select RGB in the Show Channel menu.
Step 6: Return to Normal View
Turn off transparency grid. Turn on the footage again. And restore the resolution to full before checking the final result. Preview with space to see the title above the sunset building.
Done!
Done. We have already learned zooming with the dot and semicolon. Magnification menu, panning with the Hand Tool and spacebar full resolution preview, HF, and quarter, Title, action save, transparency, and alpha channel. In the next episode, we'll delve into preview and cash. Need promotional videos, logo animations, motion graphics for social media, or visual effects for short films? Cerdas Inovasi Digital provides motion graphics and visual effects services, as well as opening After Effects courses from beginner to advanced level. Want to master the entire series? 104 episodes from the interface to the final project? All episodes, complete with step-by-step PDF guides, source footage, and project script, 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? Buy single classes with lifetime access. Subscribe now on the premium page cerdasinovasidigital.com. Contact us via WhatsApp, or visit cerdasinovasidigital.com. Thank you for watching, see you in the next episode. Thank you for watching,
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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.
