After Effects- How to "link images"

[LuisBranco97]

Hello! How can I replace an image so that all compositions that have that same image are also replaced? I mean, when I have the same image in 2 different compositions when I replace that image by holding the alt key, the image is replaced only in the composition that I made that command. I would like to know if it is possible to "link" the images so that when I replace this image all the "linked" images are replaced as well. I hope you understand my question, thank you!

[Rick Gerard]

Locate the asset in the Project Panel, right-click and select Replace File or use the File>Replace Footage>File menu. The replacement image or vector file must be the same size, any replacement footage should be the same size and the same length or longer.

These are basic principals you'll find in the User Guide.

[LuisBranco97]

Thank you very much for the answer but I don't think I was clear on my question. I'm creating a template in which I have the same image in 2 different situations, one is blurry and a little dark and the other is clean and on a smaller scale, they are in different compositions. It is possible that when you replace one of these images, the two will be replaced keeping their respective characteristics, that is, keeping the blur and darker in one and the image clear and with a smaller scale in the other? What I want is for only the image itself to be replaced, but to keep all the features and effects previously applied.

[Rick Gerard · Accepted solution]

If you replace the source file the image the changes will show up in the comp immediately. If you add another source file (image) to the project and replace it in one comp you will have to replace it in the other manually. There is no automatic way to replace every instance of one image in the Project with another image that is in the project without writing a very specific script. The reasonable and efficient way to do that is to either replace the original images in the Project or have a duplicate set of images with the same names in a folder with the same name and simply move the two folders. After Effects will not follow folders if you move them so when you move the first folder the images will show up as missing and then when you move the replacement folder to the same path the images will be changed.

Let me be more specific. Let's say you have a folder called Project. Inside that folder you have the AEP file named Master Project, then you have a folder called Footage. Inside the Footage folder, you have another folder that is named Images. In the Master Project folder, you also have a folder called Version 1 and Version 2. Inside the Version 1 folder, there are no other folders. Inside the Version 2 folder, there is a folder named Images. To replace the images in the Master comp with the images in Version 2 start by dragging the Images folder from the Footage Folder into the Version 1 folder, then drag the Images folder from Version to the Master/Footage folder. That is all there is to it.

There is nothing you can do to the images in the Project Panel that will change how they appear in your composition because After Effects is nondestructive and only points to the source files. The blurry one in one comp is blurry and dark because you applied some effects to it. The other one has been scaled and repositioned.  The original images have not been changed.

The standard workflow for templates is to use placeholder images in the Project that the person using the project will replace with their own images. A good template would have instructions that say something like replace the Logo Placeholder image with your own Logo and make sure that it is 1920 X 1080 pixels wide and high.

I hope this helps. 

[LuisBranco97]

Thank you very much for your answers, it was very attentive and explanatory! It is great to have a place where you can have professionals in the field to answer and explain questions as specific as this. Thanks again, have a great day!