Opening layers and layer sources, Still footage – Adobe After Effects CS4 User Manual
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USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Layers and properties
Last updated 12/21/2009
Creating and editing text layers
Cameras, lights, and points of interest
Layers in the Layer, Composition, and Timeline panels
After you add a layer to a composition, you can reposition the layer in the Composition panel. In the Timeline panel,
you can change a layer’s duration, starting time, and place in the layer stacking order. You can also change any of the
properties of a layer in the Timeline panel. (See “
Layer properties in the Timeline panel
You can perform many tasks—such as drawing masks—in either the Composition panel or the Layer panel. However,
other tasks—such as tracking motion and using the paint tools—must be performed in the Layer panel.
The Layer panel shows you a layer before any transforms are applied to the layer. For example, the Layer panel does
not show the result of modifying the Scale property of a layer. To see a layer in context with other layers and with the
results of transforms, use the Composition panel.
Layers that are not based on a source footage item are synthetic layers. Synthetic layers include text layers and shape
layers. You cannot open a synthetic layer in the Layer panel. You can, however, precompose a synthetic layer and open
the precomposition in the Layer panel.
To view changes to a layer (such as masks or effects) in the Layer panel, select Render in the Layer panel. Deselect
Render to view the original, unaltered layer.
Opening layers and layer sources
•
To open a layer other than a precomposition layer in the Layer panel, double-click the layer, or select the layer and
choose Layer > Open Layer.
•
To open the source composition of a precomposition layer in the Composition panel, double-click the layer, or
select the layer and choose Layer > Open Composition.
•
To open the source footage item of a layer, Alt-double-click (Windows) or Option-double-click (Mac OS) the layer,
or select the layer and choose Layer > Open Layer Source.
If you right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) a layer, you can choose Open Footage or Open
Composition to open the layer’s source item.
•
To open a precomposition layer in the Layer panel, Alt-double-click (Windows) or Option-double-click (Mac OS)
the layer, or select the layer and choose Layer > Open Layer.
Create layers from footage items or change layer source
You can create a layer from any footage item in the Project panel, including another composition. After you add a
footage item to a composition, you can modify and animate the resulting layer.
When you add a composition to another composition, you create a layer that uses the composition that you added as
its source. (See “
Precomposing, nesting, and pre-rendering
The Still Footage preference setting (Preferences
> Import) controls the default duration of layers that use still footage
items as their sources. By default, when you create a layer with a still image as its source, the duration of the layer is the
duration of the composition. You can change the duration of the layer after it’s created by trimming the layer.