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For a lot of, the After Results timeline can seem fairly odd the primary time you see it. It doesn’t seem like a standard enhancing timeline you would possibly see in Premiere Professional or Ultimate Minimize. And it isn’t a node-based editor both, such as you see in Davinci Resolve. As an alternative, After Results treats every thing on the composition timeline like a layer. Nearly like a mix between Photoshop and a standard video enhancing app. This will create some distinctive challenges if you find yourself navigating the After Results timeline.

Shortcuts

Transfer body by body

Want to maneuver down the After Results timeline one body at a time? That is easy, simply push Web page Up or Web page Down to maneuver ahead or backwards one body at a time. You too can transfer in 10-frame segments by holding Shift+Web page Up (or Web page Down).

Toggle Switches / Modes

There are a number of alternative ways you may toggle between Switches and Modes in After Results. The Switches column comprises choices for layers like turning on movement blur or making a layer 3D.

The Modes column has choices for setting layers to completely different mixing modes and utilizing Observe Mattes.

You possibly can shortly cycle between them utilizing the shortcut F4. You too can swap between them manually utilizing the Toggle Button on the backside of the timeline panel.

If you want to show them each on on the similar time (or off), you may have another choice on the bottom-left nook of the timeline panel. You will note two small containers. You possibly can examine them on or off to toggle their visibility collectively as nicely.

Cycle Mixing Modes

Talking of Mixing Modes, in the event you ever have to shortly cycle via them, there’s a a lot quicker means than individually deciding on every mixing mode within the Modes column. Merely choose your layer on the timeline, then press Shift++ or Shift+– and you’ll now have the ability to cycle via all the completely different Modes.

Be sure you use the plus and minus keys positioned on the high of your keyboard and never those on the numeric keypad (you probably have one), as those on the numeric keypad is not going to work for this.

Audio waveform

If you happen to ever have to edit one thing to the beat of music in After Results, I extremely recommend enhancing to the audio waveform and never what you “hear” out of your audio system. (This is because of After Results notoriously being a bit out of sync at occasions with audio.) So it’s higher to play it secure and ensure your animations align with the audio waves. To toggle an audio monitor’s waveform, choose it within the timeline and press the shortcut L, L in fast succession. It will reveal the audio waveform for the layer within the composition timeline.

Duplicate a layer

To duplicate a layer (or something you have chosen in After Results), choose it and press Ctrl+D. This shortcut works for layers, compositions, and even issues like results within the Results panel or footage chosen within the Challenge panel.

Transfer, trim, and cut up layers

You possibly can pace up the fundamentals of the way you edit layers utilizing these layer shortcuts. To shortly transfer a layer to start out at your present time within the timeline, choose the layer and press the left sq. brace [. Alternatively you can press ] to maneuver the tip of your chosen layer to the present time. These will transfer your layer to start or finish wherever your Present Time Indicator (CTI) is within the timeline.

To trim a layer to your present time, choose it and press Alt+[. To trim the layer backwards press Alt+]. These gained’t transfer your layer down within the timeline, they’ll simply trim them to that cut-off date.

To separate a layer, choose it and press Ctrl+Shift+D. It will cut up the layer into two layers on the cut-off date you may have it chosen.

Work Space

The Work Space in your composition timeline is essential, as a result of it permits you to slim in and choose a particular part to preview. (That is useful so that you don’t need to render your entire size of your composition everytime you need to preview one thing again.) You possibly can set the start and the tip of the Work Space with the shortcuts B and N.

One other beneficial factor you are able to do with the Work Space is trim the composition to the Work Space size. That is a lot quicker than leaping into the composition settings and setting the size manually. Proper-click within the Work Space on the timeline and choose Trim Comp to Work Space.

Keyframes

There are many keyframe shortcuts in After Results, however the two I take advantage of essentially the most are Straightforward Ease and Reveal Modified Properties. To transform an ordinary linear keyframe into an Straightforward Ease one, choose it and press F9. It will assist clean out the motion in your animation. (You possibly can then refine it extra within the Spee Graph.)

Subsequent, to disclose all the keyframes in your composition (and all properties which were modified from their default settings) press U, U in fast succession. That is a straightforward solution to reveal your entire keyframes directly and make timing adjustments as wanted.

Timeline Group

Now let’s have a look at some workflow ideas that may assist with group in your After Results timeline.

Markers

Typically you might need to mark sure areas in your timeline or in your layers for timing functions. Markers work completely for this. So as to add a Marker, press the asterisk key * on the numeric keypad. When you’ve got a layer chosen, this can add a marker on that layer. If no layer is chosen, this can add a marker to the composition timeline.

You too can drag markers onto the composition timeline from the Marker Bin positioned on the far-right of the timeline.

To delete a marker, right-click on it and choose Delete this Marker. If you happen to double-click on a Marker, you’ll open up the Composition Marker settings. You possibly can then add textual content labels to the marker, customise the colour, size, and extra. This will make it very easy to determine completely different areas in your After Results timeline.

Labels

It might appear apparent, however you may simply change the colour of various layers in your timeline. This will make it rather a lot simpler to “visually” group issues collectively. Proper-click the label coloration field of your layer on the timeline.

You’ll then see an inventory of colours you may shortly change the label to, or you may choose Edit Label Colours if you want to totally customise the look of all the label choices.

Reveal layer supply

Typically if you find yourself working in your timeline, you might need to know the place a file is in your venture, or to open the folder in your pc the place the unique file is saved at. Fortunately, After Results makes this very easy to do. Simply left-click on the layer in your timeline and navigate to Reveal>Reveal Layer Supply in Challenge. It will spotlight the unique footage file in your venture.

Alternatively, to disclose the place the footage is saved in your pc, navigate to Reveal>Reveal in Explorer. That is actually useful when you might need to shortly navigate footage folders and discover a particular shot.

Easy methods to Copy and Paste layers in the identical order

Have you ever ever copied and pasted layers in After Results, solely to have them paste in a distinct order? It’s because After Results takes under consideration which layers you choose first whenever you copy and paste. To verify your copied layers paste in the identical order, at all times choose your layers from the high down, then copy and paste them.

Cache frames when idle

One other timeline tip for After Results that may actually pace up your previews and renders is to activate Cache Frames when Idle. To do that, navigate to Composition>Preview>Cache Frames When Idle. With this turned on, After Results will begin caching previews mechanically everytime you aren’t actively working in it. (Good in the event you go away for a brief espresso break!)

Conclusion

Hopefully this checklist of timeline ideas will provide help to pace up your workflow and offer you a greater consumer expertise in After Results. These are those that I’ve utilized essentially the most over time utilizing After Results. You’ll want to take a look at a few of our different After Results tutorials on Envato Tuts+!