Workflow for re-using animation

[Guym20]

Hi

I'm creating animated explainer for years, doing quite a lot of videos every month.

Since I want to re-use my graphics/animation in future projects, I always use the same project file.

It has dozen of images and compositions in it, so it will be easy for me to pull up any animation/graphics/icons/background that I already created and combine them in the new video.

The problem is - the file gets so big, it's becoming very hard to work with.

Saving every project in a different file is not pratical, because I need to have access to all previously created animations/graphics easily, and not import multiple project files every time.

I was wondering what's the right way to do it, or if my case is too extreme to actually find a solution for it.

Thank you

[David Arbor · Accepted solution]

Are you changing these animations at all? If not, what about creating a library of pre-rendered animations with alpha channels (if necessary)? The files will take a lot of space, but your rendering will be very quick if you have a library of ProRes 4444 files (or 422 if you don't need alpha channels).

I know you said having multiple projects isn't practical, but I think your only two options for a speed increase are pre-rendering videos or having multiple projects. Check out AEViewer on Aescripts: AEViewer - aescripts + aeplugins - aescripts.com

It's a tool that might help you manage all of this.

Also, are you aware of Master Properties? I'm not sure if you have the same base animation duplicated multiple times with little tweaks, but if you do, Master Properties can greatly simplify this workflow. You can have one base animation, then add a bunch of parameters to the Essential Graphics panel. After that you can drop the same pre-comp in as many comps as you want, reveal the published parameters (now referred to by AE as Master Properties) and make changes all without affecting your base comp or any of the other instances. It's completely changed the workflow for After Effects in such a good way: https://www.schoolofmotion.com/tutorials/master-properties-after-effects

[Guym20]

Thank you David

Although Master Properties can help, most of my re-used animations are drastically changed (which also means I sometimes duplicate it, change it, and keep both comps on my projects), so I think that pre-rendering it or using Master Properties won't help in this case..

I'm sure I'm not the only one who works this way, but it seems impossible to manage..

[David Arbor]

I'm sure you're not, but I think the general workflow is multiple projects if speed is becoming an issue. Out of curiosity, if you spend the time (and I'm sure it would require a fair bit of effort) to split your giant project into multiple, and create yourself a nice, accessible library, what's the downside of that?

[Guym20]

Because it will be hard to navigate and explore the projects every time I'm looking for something.

Also, I constantly change it, and adding more animations..

[Mo Moolla]

David I agree with you on the Master Comp usage. It would be the easiest and most space saving option to use.

With the new AE update more values are now open to add to new comps from the Master and Push and Pull allows for easy customisation.

I have used a similar workflow as the OP on several vfx heavy projects and the only way to do these is to EITHER have multiple independent comps on a timeline or having multiple project versions.

I understand is why its becoming too space intensive but the OP seems to want to save HDD space.

This to me is an easy fix but not sure if the OP will agree on it. That being said most if not all large studios follow this workflow.

As an example if the OP started on his original comp and save all assets in say the Project A folder all he needs to do when creating Project B is save the Project B AE file into the same folder so all assets will point in the same location.

UNLESS...his assets are changing so much that he is accumulating gigs of data per project and from my experience the only time this happens is when your RAW footage e.g video clips, audio, stills etc are changing per project.

Should this be the case the OP needs to learn how to archive on backup drives. There is no possible way that you can save hard drive space if you are continuously changing assets. So he needs to create a main project, do whats needed with assets for that project and after final render he needs to archive that on a drive with ALL its necessary assets. He must keep a copy of the main project in its original position and then use the Replace Footage function to bring in his new assets.

So on and so forth...

You CANNOT save space if you are adding more to something. Its just the law of physics lol.

Add more water to a glass and you cannot expect to to get less full (even with evaporation as a factor)

Mo

[David Arbor]

Mo, I'm not sure that file size is the issue here. I think the issue is that the .aep is getting so large, which means that it's slow to import and slow to save when adding new animations.

guyman20​ without more information about the types of animations you're creating I think it will be hard to offer better recommendations. To me, breaking the animations up into categories by .aep makes a lot of sense. Perhaps you have one for icons, intros/outros, transitions, and textures. Without specifics, all we can do is make broad suggestions.

[Guym20]

Let me add more information -

For example, I have a document graphic that seems to be folded in its edge and is filled with text, and I want to use the same document but without the fold and without the text on it. I have to duplicate the composition and change it.

This adds up very quickly, despite the fact both animations share some nested comps and look quite similar..

Another more complicated example -

I create a scene of 2 characters (pre-rigged, pre-comped, shared through all of my videos) walking down the street and then shaking their hands.

Later on, I need a similar scene with 2 characters walking down the street, waving, and then shaking their hand.

I will then duplicate the parent comp, duplicate the characters comp, slightly change the animation of the characters to wave before they shake, and use it.

Now I have multiple comps which are quite similar and share some comps (like the street comp), but have different nested comp

I hope that explains the situation better

[David Arbor]

That does help, thanks.

For the first example of the document, that's right up the alley of Master Properties. You can have the fold be a layer on top of the document, then assign it's visibility to a checkbox via the Essential Graphics panel, name it "Doc fold" and then that shows up as a Master Property that can be turned on or off. The text can even have an animation on it and you can assign the Source Text property to the EGP to be able to change out the text elsewhere. To get this to work you do need to have another text layer. You would pickwhip the Master Property's Source Text to the secondary layer's Source Text.

As for the second example, it depends how you rigged your characters. If it was something very complicated like DUIK, yeah, you're better off fully duplicating the comps, although DUIK does have an option to extract controllers via Master Properties it's currently very slow and somewhat experimental. However, if it's a much simpler rig, then consider making a master rig comp and trying to set up your hand and foot controls in the EGP so they show up as Master Properties.

[Guym20]

Thank you davidarbor​

After watching the Master Properties tut it really seems like it can help in some of the cases (like the first example).

However, it doesn't help if I need to duplicate a comp in order to replace a nested comp in it (like my second example, because my characters use DUIK indeed)

So to make a long story short - any way to change a nested comp without duplicating the parent comp, while still having two versions of the parent comp (with the two different nested comps)?

Rick Gerard​ - thank you for that. I'm familiar with presets, but as I described in the examples above - it doesn't really help in my case.

Maybe you have a suggestion to my above question?

[David Arbor]

You can actually still use Master Properties in your second example. Think about it this way:

As I understand, you want this:

>Parent Comp 1

   >>Nested Comp A

>Parent Comp 1

   >>Nested Comp B

Currently, in order to achieve this you have to duplicate Parent Comp 1, but ideally you have the scenario I type out above, correct?

If so, try this:

Nested Comp X w/Master Properties

     >>Nested Comp A (Add Opacity to EGP)

     >>Nested Comp B (Add Opacity to EGP)

--------------------------------------------------------------

>Parent Comp 1

     >>Nested Comp X (Opacity A Master Prop = 100%  /  Opacity B Master Prop = 0%)

>Parent Comp 1

     >>Nested Comp X (Opacity B Master Prop = 100%  /  Opacity A Master Prop = 0%)

[Guym20]

Thank you David

I thought about that option, it might work sometimes, but I have many scenarios where it won't work, for example -

my characters can have multiple different faces, up to around 50

Each face is in a different comp, so if I have a waving character and I want it to be sad or happy, I need to replace the face comp.

Using your method, I would have to set 50 layers and add their opacity to Master Properties, and then scroll through 50 properties in the master comp in order to find the right face.

Also, I'm not sure if having so many layers with 0% opacity won't slow down the project

[David Arbor]

If there are no expressions and the opacity is 0% then I don't believe the frames will be processed. That being said, I can see how that would be a pain. I think the best solution here is Duik Bassel's Connector feature. Connector - Duik Documentation

You can easily put all 50 faces in a single comp, tie them to a slider, then control the slider to call up the faces. This is the same process for controlling phonemes for lip sync. You can then use that Slider as a Master Property. Scroll down to the bottom of the link and look at the head turn and phoneme sections.

[Guym20]

Thank you

I tried working with EGP a little, and very quickly it seems quite useless for most of the cases.

For example, it doesn't allow changing the timing of layers, it doesn't allow to easily change the position/scale of layers (although it's possible, it's not easy at all to work this way)

Not sure if there's another way around it.

What do you guys think?

[David Arbor]

I've been using Master Properties extensively since they were introduced. When the EGP was initially introduced I saw its potential, but it definitely didn't warrant a spot in my workspace. Now, with how far along Master Properties are (and there's definitely still more work to be done), it's permanently docked in my workspace behind my Project panel.

You can select and add multiple properties to the EGP at once (make sure you have the correct comp open in the EGP first), and I find it quite easy to add position, scale, rotation, opacity, and many other properties. I have done extensive animation tweaks from a base comp using Master Properties. One of my favorite uses is for a long animation with multiple scenes and transitions. I used to have to copy layers outside of my scene, animate them so they line up seamlessly for a transition to the next scene, then move them back into their parent comp. Now I just expose certain parameters as Master Properties and this process is so much easier. I think it takes time to get used to Master Properties as they're a totally new way of working, but I think it's probably one of the strongest features to come to After Effects in the last ten years.

Here is a screenshot of a project I'm working on now. All of those keyframes are exposed Master Properties. What do you feel is useless about the EGP? There are definitely some things you still need workarounds for, and there are parameters that aren't supported yet, but MPs have been getting more robust with each release this year.

[Guym20]

Thank you David, I'm starting to get convinced!

I can understand I'll have to get used to it and it probably provides almost every kind of control I'll need, but still can't think of a way to change the timing of layers.

Do you have a solution to that specific problem?

[David Arbor]

Do you mean the overall speed of a pre-comp? If so, I just use Time Remapping, but I find that I don't have to do that nearly as much since I started using MPs. I just publish the necessary properties to change the timing of my child comp.

[Guym20]

I mean let's say I have a parent comp with just 2 nested comps in it, for simplicity, and I simply want to change the timing that each comp starts ("in-point" and "out-point")

And another quick question -

Since I have hundreds of comps in my project, when trying to find the master comp in the EGP - I simply can't. Not only there are so many copms to scroll there, my needed comp doesn't even appear there.

Any quick way of finding the current active comp in the EGP?

Workflow for re-using animation

[David Arbor]

I see. Then you're getting into more complex things like using expressions based on markers to trigger the in/out point. It can be done, but it will definitely add complexity.

Yup! That dropdown list isn't very helpful with many comps. Just right-click in the empty area of any timeline and choose "Open in Essential Graphics.

[Guym20]

Ok, then I guess besides the in/out points it may help in some cases.

I'll try and get used to it

And thanks for the tip!

Thank you all so much guys, you've been very helpful!

[Byron Cortez]

What if you import the Ae project where you have the previous animation to the new project of Ae, it creates a folder with all the compositions and resourses, delete what you do not need, do a Collect Files to have everything in one folder, and you only have what is necessary for this new project. This way your new project is not saturated and you only have what is necessary from the previous one to work on the new one.

[Rick Gerard]

A set of animation presets for this kind of thing are extremely useful. I have created over 200. It only takes a few minutes to set up many of my animations. This works extremely well if you use shape layers and in and out points with expressions. Then all you have to do is sequence the layers, put them in their hero position, and apply the animation presets. Basically, any move you make can be set up as an animation preset. Here's one of my favorites. It flys any layer at any scale in from the right, then it bounces to a stop then drops the layer off the screen just before the out point.

Dropbox - flyInBounceDropOut.ffx

You'll see what I mean if you apply that preset to a layer that contains a photo or some artwork.

[Mo Moolla]

Presets and Master Comps are the way too go

davidarbor​ Rick Gerard​ Both of you are spot on