ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to show the readers how to create a composition, add source footage as layers, and navigate in both space and time. The Timeline panel contains a number of columns that display different parameters for the layers (source material) used in a composition, followed by the time ruler area. To close a composition, in the Timeline panel click on the tiny “close” box near the tab’s right edge. Separate from a composition’s magnification or zoom factor is its Resolution. Full Resolution means After Effects calculates every pixel in a composition. A significant portion of a composition the readers are creating for video or film playback may not be visible once it is projected. The chapter focuses on the Comp and Timeline panels, but since they’ll need some footage to practice with, go ahead and add a few sources to the My Creation comp.
