Unlink compositions of a template in After Effects

[Nina0D4D]

Hey Support Team, 

I downloaded an after effect template from Motion Array and now i encountered a problem: I would like to use a title from the After Effects file (template) more often but with different content. But if I change the content of one title, the content of the other titles changes automatically. I have duplicated the titles and worked on them, but it just doesn't work. It's probably because of the links between the sub-compositions. Unfortunately, I don't know how to remove these links. I have been doing research on the net for a long time, but have not found an answer.

Therefore I turn to you now, maybe you can help me. I would be very happy about an answer.

Regards,

Leonie 

[Rick Gerard]

To make a unique copy of a comp you need to duplicate that comp in the Project Panel. If the comp has been nested (added) to another composition you must also duplicate the parent comp. You can discover the relationships using the Flow Chart. There are scripts like True Comp Duplicator that make this easier, but you can do it manually if you understand your project flowchart and make the right decisions. 

[Nina0D4D]

Thank you very much for the quick answer. On the picture you can see how the file of the template is structured. At 01 Edit this/Title 02 you can change the text, but then there is no animation here. At 02 Final/Render/Title 2 I have the finished composition, that is the animation with the text and at 03 Ignore this/design Title/Title 2 I can change the color. Which file do I duplicate then and how can I duplicate the parent composition. So how do I know that the new composition then accesses the correct duplicated composition? I've seen the flowchart, but I couldn't change anything there either.

[Rick Gerard]

You have to look at the flow chart to know what comps need to be duplicated, then you need to work backward and replace the nested comps in each comp that was duplicated.

For example, if the Text comp is in the Title_2 comp and the Title_2 Comp is in the Title 02 comp then all 3 have to be duplicated, then you have to open the Title_2 Copy comp and replace the Text comp with the Text Copy comp. Then you have to open the Title 02 Copy comp and replace the Title_02 comp with the Title_02 Copy comp. 

You replace an asset in the timeline by selecting the layer in the timeline, then select the new asset (comp) in the Project panel and drag the replacement asset to the timeline while holding down the Alt/Option key. True Comp Duplicator automates this process. To keep things straight it is critical that you carefully pay attention to the asset names in the project panel and carefully rename them so you can keep things straight. 

Start with the flow chart, find the comp you need to duplicate, then duplicate every comp in the family tree until you get to the comp that you are going to render. Here's a flow chart I used in a different thread showing how you find a layer that needs to be fixed. 

If I needed to create a unique copy of Scene 3 - ext tat removal that uses a different version of layer 3 in Scene 3_11 Repair Comp 1, then I would have to duplicate Scene 3 -ext tat removal, and Scene 3 -11, and Scene 3_11 Repair Comp 1, rename them all and replace each of those nested comps with the duplicates. I often have comps that go six or eight comps deep so I invested in True Comp Duplicator to save time, but if you check the flow chart and properly organize your files then it's pretty easy to do manually, it just takes time.

[Nina0D4D]

If someone else has this problem, this video explains it very well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJVoB26nxA&feature=youtu.be 

[luka354461237u0p]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVaQAGkb9cw&ab_channel=LearningandSolutions
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