Create a Simple Map Highlight Effect in After Effects

This tutorial explains how to create a very simple map highlight effect in After Effects. It can be done with a solid layer, a mask, one built-in effect, and a layer style. Here’s how:

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Why Use a Pre-Comp for Text in After Effects

This article explains the power behind using pre-comps for text in After Effects. You’ll learn what a pre-comp is, how to make a pre-comp with a text layer, how to edit text inside a pre-comp, and how to make variations of a pre-comp.

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Easily Create Transitions Using Animation Presets in After Effects

This article shows you dozens of different pre-made transitions that are already sitting in After Effects waiting for you to use. They’re tucked away but once you know where to find them they’re pretty easy to use. Here’s where you can find them and how to use them:

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Quickly Change Transparency and Fade In or Out Layer in After Effects

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This article is on how to quickly change the transparency (also known as “opacity”) and do a fade in or fade out of a layer in After Effects. It’s super easy to do and takes only a few seconds. Here’s how:

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How to Export a Frame (.jpg, .png, .psd, .tif) from After Effects in Seconds

This tutorial is on how to export a still frame out of After Effects. In it you’ll learn how to take a frame in After Effects and export a JPEG (.jpg), PNG (.png), PSD (.psd), or TIFF (.tif). And you will learn how to export a still with or without an alpha channel as well. Here’s how:

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Export QuickTime Video with Alpha Channel in After Effects

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This tutorial is on how to export a QuickTime video with an alpha channel from After Effects. It’s simple to do. Here’s how:

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Solving a Common JPEG and Image Import Issue in After Effects

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This tutorial is on how to solve a common JPEG and image import issue in After Effects. If you have a JPEG, TIF, PNG, or PSD image that you imported into After Effects and it’s only a handful of frames long, more than likely you accidentally imported an image sequence instead of just the one image file. Here’s how to fix it:

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