HELP NEEDED: How to organize scenes with multiple assets into composition timeline? (New to AE)

[Katie5EF5]

Hi, I just started using After Effects two days ago so I'm at a loss for many things, but this in particular I couldn't find ANYWHERE on the internet, partly because I don't even know how to word it properly in the google search bar. What I want to do is seen it this video at 7:15. The guy making the tutorial has what looks to be all these different compositions organized within his main timeline so he can double-click on one row of the timeline and have acces to editing all the layers within that composition - all the while his timeline is neat and tidy with organized scenes and everything. I'm making a video using several moving .png assets and the amount of layers I have is ridiculous. It's all arranged to music so in order to time it with the music properly I'm editing all the scenes in one timeline with the score, but that makes things VERY chaotic. I'd love if I could have each scene and all of the moving bits and pieces that comprise it in one separate composition tab so I can edit and move around each of those images, but still be able to access it from the main timeline while "hiding" the assets that make up the scene (if any of that makes sense). Essentially I want to replicate what the previous program I worked with, Toon Boom Studio, could do which was organize assets of the timeline into folders - what is demonstrated but not explained in the linked video is the closest I've seen to that level of organization.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, but keep in mind I'm new to this program so pictures would help a lot so I know where I'm supposed to click, etc.

[Mylenium]

It's called pre-composing and an essential AE working technique, not only to structure your project but also achieve certain effects. A simple web search will give you enough tutorials and of course an excursion to the online help is strongly advised as well. You know, basics. No point diving into AE head first with a blindfold. It's just as complex as Toonboom and other programs and many things simply cannot be learned intuitively just by watching other people's work.

Mylenium

[Katie5EF5]

Thanks for the quick response. After trying to figure out via tutorials for over an hour I ironically figured it out on my own shortly after posting this. I think my main struggle was not knowing how to word my search since nothing that popped up answered my question. Thanks for telling me what it's called - that should make future searches much easier.

[ari.cvps]

Yes it's actually very helpful, you can just double-click on a pre-composition and it would show all the files from the composition and make some changes if you want, specially from making mistakes, it is great cause you don't have to re-do a clip if you made a mistake