AE Digital Distortion 1 Minute Limit

[Rebel Squadron]

Hi there, making the jump from Filmora to AE. Downloaded the Digital Distortion .aep from Rocketstock. For the most part, it works great and does what I need it to do, but there is one glaring issue with it. The actual distortion effect layer (Magical Place) is only 1 minute long. It has all of the tools to create the distortion effect.

Attempted to change the Composition length beyond that, but it doesn't affect the Magical Place layer. Attempted to duplicate the layer, but for some reason it retains the first 1 minute of the composition footage, no matter where you place it in the timeline. Someone in the comments said that a Time Remapping Loop would fix that, but I can't get it to work. Not even sure if they know what theyr'e talking about. 

Scoured the internet. Can't find anything about this at all. Last ditch attempt before either having to take a long and complicated workaround, or ditch it altogether for this project. Is it possible to do a Time Remapping Loop on a VFX layer? If a Time Remapping Loop isn't the solution, does anyone know if there is one?

After attempting to do a Time Remap, it ends up turning the Magical Place layer into a completely transparent background.

Direct link if anyone wants to check out the actual Download page. https://www.rocketstock.com/free-after-effects-templates/digital-distortion/

Thanks ahead of time.

[Andrew Yoole]

The issue you have is that the project contains many nested comps that weill also need their durations extended.  To do it manually you'll need to open every composition in the Comps folder, change the comp duration, then extend the layers within each comp.  And note that there are some nests that are 3 or 4 precomps deep.

Alternately, you can buy (set your own price) this great script that does all the work for you in an instant:

https://aescripts.com/match-comp-duration/

[Rebel Squadron]

That looks like a useful script. Thanks for sharing that. I have a question though. Changing the durations on the comps that I created isn't an issue. It's the Magic Place layer that's built into the .aep that's the issue.

The MP layer contains the control panel for the Digital Distortion effects. So far (based on my limited experience with AE), it's impossible to change the duration manually. And if you duplicate the MP layer, it imprints the 1st minute of the comp footage. If you slide it to the right, it doesn't apply the new comp footage within that new timeframe. 

Can you confirm that this script would actually be able to extend the MP layer? And enable it to imprint comp footage beyond the 1 minute mark?

[Andrew Yoole · Accepted solution]

You can manually extend the layer itself.  It's a nested composition, and is actually called TV Lines, but has been re-labelled in the main comp.  Right click on the layer in the timeline and choose Reveal > Layer Source in Project.  Double click to open the comp.  Change the comp duration.

But here's where it gets tricky, and where the Script becomes useful.  Insode TV Lines (Magic Place) are three layers, and two of those are nested comps.  Within those nested comps are MORE nested comps.  Every single one needs to be opened, have the duration changed, and have all layers stretched to fill the comp.

[Rebel Squadron]

That's what I'm trying to explain. The included effects layer cannot be expanded manually like a normal layer.

[Rebel Squadron]

I just got done streaming and my brain is fried. Took me a second to process this. There doesn't seem to be an option to edit replies, so here's a new one. That's information that I didn't have before. I've seen the "TV Lines" when I comp the footage. Figuring out how the stacks of comps are connected. I'll give it a go tomorrow, see if I can get that to work.

[Rebel Squadron]

Aight, got some sleep and can think straight. I followed your directions and everything was as you stated, but there's a hitch. As I feared, it looks like certain layers are locked in at a specific timeframe. You can actually shorten them, but if you try to extend them, it won't let you. The bottom layer on this one, Dark Orang Solid 1, will extend, but not the other two. No idea if the layers were designed like that on purpose, or if it's a natural limitation of the program. But it's looking like I'm going to have to do a work around. I have an idea of how to get it done, but it'll def take a bit more time. Unless someone knows of a way to unlock the timeframe limit?

 

[Rebel Squadron]

Unless you're saying that the Nested Comps need to be opened and changed individually. Where the Script will do that automatically? I think I'm getting the picture, if that's accurate.

[Rebel Squadron]

Update: I tried opening each indvidual comp. All of the layers are locked at a maximum timeframe of 1 minute. Unless the Script can unlock the timeframe limiter, or there's some other way to force AE to extend the timeframe, then I'm going to have to use the workaround.

[Kyle Hamrick]

There's no way to lock durations in After Effects. As Andrew said, most of the "layers" in this project are actually nested compositions, aka Pre-comps. Each of them is set to be 1 minute long, which is the issue you're running into.

The solution, also as suggested by Andrew, is to individually extend each of those compositions, allllll the way down, until they're all set to the desired length (or longer). You can either leverage a script to do this, or open each and do it manually in the Composition Settings (CTRL/CMD+K).

[Andrew Yoole]

^^^ What Kyle said.  

All the layers who's duration won't change are nested compositions, and must be individually opened and changed, just like the first.

[Rebel Squadron]

Gotcha. So it's just the nature of the layers. I already attempted to follow the layers down, opening one after the other. Eventually, it turned into this weird feedback loop. The nested layer led to another nested layer to another nested layer and finally back to the original nested layer. Can't even figure out which one is the original layer. It's like Layer Inception. At this point, it's impossible to even find a layer within the nest that I can even adjust.

Appreciate the info from both of you. I like to understand how stuff works. Helps with future problems. The script makes sense now, as does the reason why it won't let you adjust the timeframe on the effects layer. Already created the video with a workaround. I'll mess around with the script for the next one. Thanks to both of you for helping me understand this one.

[Kyle Hamrick]

For your future reference/understanding:

Yes, template projects like this can become a rat's nest very quickly when you try to alter durations or overall strutcture. They're usually built for simplicity in ONE VERY SPECIFIC CONTEXT, so there can sometimes be a lot of "tangled wires" behind the scenes.

For what it's worth, you can't recursively next compositions, but it can indeed get confusing and may seem that way sometimes! After Effects has a Flow Chart view that can help you untangle and track a more structurally-complex project like this. The Tab key opens a quick version, or you can find a full flowchart in your Window menu, or by right-clicking in a Comp and choosing Composition Flowchart.

How I would appraoch a problem like yours:

Option A: Use a script like the above.
or
Option B: Manual, but still pretty quick approach:

From the Project panel, open every single composition in the project. (Select all, double-click any)
CTRL/CMD+K to open Comp Settings. (Tab to the Duration field)

Change Duration to 5 minutes (type 50000 into that field) or similar longer-than-you-need length.
(Hit Enter to close out the Comp Settings)

CNTL/CMD+W to close that comp.

Lather, rinse & repeat.

[Rebel Squadron]

Thanks for the additional info. I'll def take a closer look at that. Filmora was a great launching point. AE is def way more complex in functionality. The hardest part has been learning the complex functionality and developing a methodology that will maximize what the program can do. Learning how to bounce between Premiere Pro and AE effectively and efficiently seems to be a vital skill to develop. This "simple" video project has been a great learning experience. Very much appreciate the input.