Import comps from AEP as Mogrts with live updating

[RobBarrett]

Something I find myself wishing for more and more is the ability to import compositions from other AE projects as components.

For example, I have a selection of end card animations that need to be adjustable for localisation, but also need to be kept consistent across multiple projects. When I make a change to the end card, that needs to be reflected in each of these projects.

I'd love to be able to have a single 'Endcards.aep' project and be able to import comps from that – then, when I place them into another composition, they would act as pre-comps with any essential properties exposed. The only difference is that they would not be openable or editable.

Later, if I make a change in 'Endcards.aep', and then re-open my other projects that refer to this, the end card comps would be automatically updated (in the way that other footage files are automatically updated).

Essentially – Mogrts inside After Effects. This would allow component libraries that are always kept up-to-date across multiple projects.

[Swade]

I'd also love to have this. If it could work like an external reference works in 3D apps like Autocad that would be amazing!

[_nicdean]

Absolutely

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Yup. This will be good. It's a lot like Premiere Pro's Productions Workflow - https://helpx.adobe.com/sg/premiere-pro/using/production-panel.html which uses a Read/Write and Read/Only modes to add additional/required functionality when importing an AEP. 

This is also similar to Cavalry's Reference feature - essentially updating once and having the update flow to other comps/layers. 

But if you're code savvy, building this from scratch is the ideal cos you get to really fit everything you need without leaving any gaps in the system and also allow for a nuanced archectecture. Pros that develop design systems, especially those dealing with a single org with multiple sub-brands almost always require a custom set up so that they can easily enable/disable the flow. Of course Team AE can easily build these into the solution too but until this happens, developing a custom set up isn't too difficult and NOT EASY TOO!!!  🙂