All classes After Effects Syllabus · Episode 11 of 104

After Effects Class #11: Pre-compose and Nested Composition: Grouping Layers

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After Effects Tutorial: pre-compose, nested composition, grouping layers and applying effects at the same time. Episode 11 of the Complete Adobe After Effects Series.

Software: Adobe After Effects
Level: Beginner
Duration: ± 4 min
Series total: 6 h 45 min · 104 videos
Published: October 27, 2026

Episode 11 of 104 · view syllabus

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Transcript

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Introduction

This is the result we will create, a title card containing text and decorative shapes grouped into one pre-comp, with a single shadow applied, then sliding in over old city footage. Let's get started. Hello, welcome back to the complete Adobe After Effects series from Cerdas Inovasi Digital. After Effects doesn't have a layer folder in the timeline like design programs. Instead, we use pre-compose, which is moving several layers into a new composition. In this episode, we will master how it works.

Step 1: Preparing the title element

Create a composition from old city footage. Add a white rectangle shape as the card, one yellow line below it, and then the text 'old city' on top of the card. Now there are three graphic layers forming one title.

Step 2: Pre-compose with Control Shift C

Select the three graphic layers with Ctrl-Click, then press Ctrl-Shift-C. The pre-compose dialog opens. Name it 'title card', make sure 'Move OL Attributes into the New Composition' is selected, then OK. The three layers are replaced by a new layer with a composition icon.

Step 3: Open the contents of the precomp

Double-click the title card layer. The composition inside it opens in a new tab, containing the three layers. At the top of the composition panel, you can see the navigation trail from the main composition to the title card. Change the text color to dark blue directly here.

Step 4: Changes follow in the main composition

Return to the old city tab. The text on the card is already dark blue, because the pre-comp layer is just a window showing the composition inside it. One pre-comp can even be used multiple times, and everything changes when its content is edited.

Step 5: One effect for the entire group

Select the title card layer and apply the Drop Shadow effect. Set Distance to 12 and Softness to 30. The shadow is applied to the combined card, line, and text at once, so there's no need to apply the effect to the three layers individually.

Step 6: Animate the precomp

Press P on the title card layer. At frame 0, drag the card out of the left side of the screen and activate Stop-Off Position. Go to 1 second and drag the card back to the center. The entire group slides in as a single unit. Press Space to see the result.

Done!

Done. We have prepared the title elements, grouped them using pre-compose, opened and edited the contents of the pre-comp, applied one effect to the entire group, and animated the pre-comp as a single unit. In the next episode, we'll learn about blend modes. Need a promotional video, logo animation, motion graphics for social media, or visual effects for a short film? Cerdas Inovasi Digital provides motion graphics and visual effects services, as well as After Effects courses from beginner to advanced levels. 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. Thank you for watching, see you in the next episode.

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52 video classes1,276 episodes

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Transcript

0:03Introduction

0:39Step 1: Preparing the title element

0:59Step 2: Pre-compose with Control Shift C

1:19Step 3: Open the contents of the precomp

1:40Step 4: Changes follow in the main composition

1:58Step 5: One effect for the entire group

2:16Step 6: Animate the precomp

2:38Done!

Ask the class material

My notes

Questions & answers

Your instructor

Recommended classes for you

Need more than a video?

Transcript

0:03Introduction

0:39Step 1: Preparing the title element

0:59Step 2: Pre-compose with Control Shift C

1:19Step 3: Open the contents of the precomp

1:40Step 4: Changes follow in the main composition

1:58Step 5: One effect for the entire group

2:16Step 6: Animate the precomp

2:38Done!

Ask the class material

My notes

Questions & answers

Your instructor

Introduction

Step 1: Preparing the title element

Step 2: Pre-compose with Control Shift C

Step 3: Open the contents of the precomp

Step 4: Changes follow in the main composition

Step 5: One effect for the entire group

Step 6: Animate the precomp

Done!

Introduction

Step 1: Preparing the title element

Step 2: Pre-compose with Control Shift C

Step 3: Open the contents of the precomp

Step 4: Changes follow in the main composition

Step 5: One effect for the entire group

Step 6: Animate the precomp

Done!