Common After Effects Questions (FAQ) -- Please look here first

System/Software Version Issues


How do you open an AE 7.0 file in AE 6.5?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...

How can I speed up my computer for After Effects?
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/workflow_2/index.html
• http://generalspecialist.com/2006/08/ae-render-in-background-work-in.asp

Why won't AE see all my RAM?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=86...


Software/Hardware Choices

After Effects or Shake?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?univpostid=887832&f...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...

What is a good 3D app?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?univpostid=787212&f...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?univpostid=696318&f...

What is good screen capture software for making tutorials?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=73...

MAC vs. PC
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...


Version Issues/Plugins

Where is Fractal Noise?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=64...

Where are my Cycore FX plugins?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=86...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=85...


Expressions

How do you loop footage?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=46...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=44...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=47...

How do wiggle expressions work/how do you tie one to a slider?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...

Can you give me a general overview of expressions?
• http://www.jjgifford.com/expressions/index.html
• http://www.motionscript.com/
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/ae6_exp/index2.html


Rendering /Codecs / Aspect Ratio

What is the best codec/render setting for web?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=85...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=59...

What is the best codec/render setting for DVD?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=86...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...

Codecs
• http://www.siggraph.org/education/materials/HyperGraph/video/codecs/Default...
• http://stream.uen.org/medsol/digvid/html/2C_codec0.html
• http://codecs.onerivermedia.com/

What is pixel aspect ratio?
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/gerard_rick/pixel_madness/index.html

How do I turn NTSC into PAL? (and vice versa)
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=85...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=72...


Camera

How to make a good 3D camera?
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/expression_cont/index.html
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...


General Effects

How do I get an "old film look"?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=67...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=53...
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/graham_doug/film_look/index.html

How can I create a 3D ball/globe/sphere?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=87...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=49...

How can I create 3D extruded text?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...

How can I create 3D ribbons in After Effects?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=62...
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/chao_joe/ribbonsandconfetti/index.html

How can I turn Text to smoke?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...

How can I create scrolling credits?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=11...

How can I create an earthquake effect?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/ae6_exp/index2.html
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=60...

How can I create an Earth Zoom In?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=59...
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/rippon_richard/cloud_flythru/index.html

How to make the page turn effect?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...

How do I get that organic growing vines look you see all the time?
http://www.creativecow.net/articles/hansen_jaysen/growing/index.html
• http://creativecow.net/articles/simpson_mark/growing_tree/index.html

How do they do the HP commercials?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=69...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=47...

How do they do the iPod Nano commercials?
• Creating Light Streaks
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=88...


Rotoscoping / Masking / Greenscreen

How do I greenscreen?
• http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/chroma_key_part_1.html
• http://www.philipwilliams.com/greenscreen.aspx
• http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/408492

How do you cut out an actor from the background (Rotoscoping)?
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=85...
• http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=85...
• http://www.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/junk_mattes/index.htm...


Free Stuff (Stock photos/movies, Programs)

Where can I find free green screen stock footage?
• http://www.ribbitfilms.com/cgi/site/site.cgi/

Where can I find explosions footage?
• http://www.detonationfilms.com/free_stuff.htm

Plugins
• http://www.petewarden.com
• http://www.obviousfx.com/products/copyimage/copyimage.php
• http://www.andrewdavidson.com/aeflame/
• http://thepluginsite.com/resources/freeafx.htm
• http://www.philipp-spoeth.de/aftereffects/sinedots.php

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