After Effects Editable File Format

[athyg]

Hi - I'm new to After Effects & currently trialling the free trial version, trying to edit a MP4 video. However, I suspect this is the published version of the video. What format is the raw/editable file that I need for editing, which includes the various layers that are editable? Just need to make some tweaks to text content in video. Is it .aep?

[Mike_Abbott]

: )  If only... an MP4 file, just like any other video file, is simply a collection of pixels. No layers. You're looking through the wrong end of the telescope here...

Start here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/support/after-effects.html

Work through the basic tutorials and they will give you an understanding of how this stuff works.

[Mylenium]

I concur with Mike - you have a completely wrong understanding how this stuff works. Unless you have access to the original project/ template it's not as easy as just tweaking a few layers. If you cannot obtain the original, you may have to re-create entire chunks from scratch and integrate them in the existing video.

Mylenium

[athyg]

I am trying to get hold of the original after effects source file, which I believe is what I need to proceed with the necessary edits, as suspected. Thanks for the confirmation.

[Mike_Abbott · Accepted solution]

athyg,

Just so you understand: To make any edits you will need both the After Effects project file - that's the .aep file AND and source material that was used as assets within that.
For example: The final video might be a combination of original footage, images, audio, graphics and other material. Those items are not stored (embedded) within the .aep, but are linked external files. You will need both the .aep and the source files to edit the project and output a new final .mp4 video.

The only exception to this is that certain .aep files might just be constructed from elements that can be created totally within Ater Effects intself. A simple text animation is one example. In those cases there might be no external source material involved, but that is the exception, not the general situation.