<p>There are a few different ways you can do this depending on your scenario.  Normally, for things like lower thirds, I make one composition in which I enter just the lower third text and plate.  I then use that composition as an asset in another composition to do the actual animations.  I can then simply turn on or off any particular text I need to in the static composition and render the final composition to get the needed output.</p>

<p>Similarly, for a video at the beginning of a clip, you can have a wrapper composition that has the lead-in and then you can replace the contents of the composition that is shown after the lead-in plays.</p>

<p>Alternately, you could probably do a fair bit of it using expressions too, but I've yet to have any tasks that were complex enough to have bothering to setup something with expressions.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T19:08:07.900Z
I'm planning on doing tutorial videos on iPhone apps and settings. I will be re-doing multiple drop-ins and overlays and I would like to find the most intelligent way of doing that. It sounds like I was dead on based on your answer. I can just create one composition, create all of my effects that I expect to use, then reference that composition in each video and edit per video. I just want to have a good templating system in place that is the most efficient. THANKS!
randomblink
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T19:08:35.730Z
And expressions just scare me!
randomblink
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T19:50:09.727Z
Yeah, it sounds like you have a pretty good idea what to do.  What I described is actually how I do lower thirds for conference work.  I built out the graphics so that I just have to put in the speaker's name and hit render.
AJ Henderson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T20:07:56.930Z
Thank you. I love design work of all kinds, this is my first big project where it's both something I am capable of doing and something I love doing... now I just have to find the time and DO IT!
randomblink
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-21T02:22:02.967Z
2013-06-21T02:22:02.967Z
AJ Henderson
<p>I'm trying to put together a library of 'clips' and/or 'effects' to use in some upcoming training videos I am developing. Is there a 'best practices' that includes making each effect into a composition? Or are 'best practices' usually individually developed and there really isn't any such thing for After Effects.</p>

<p>My effects are things like:</p>

<ol>
<li>templated layouts
<ul>
<li>Specific lower thirds fonts and colors</li>
<li>outlines that draw themselves</li>
<li>text blocks that swoop in and settle that can have their text updated per video</li>
</ul></li>
<li>color palettes or swatches</li>
<li>intro videos</li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ol>

<p>I am trying to reduce repetition. I could create these effects each video, but I would like to create an effect ( i.e., text block swooping in at angle x and changing color at arrival ) and then replace JUST the text each video so that the effect becomes something the viewer recognizes as part of my training series.</p>

<after-effects>
After Effects CS6 : Template Compositions
randomblink
# After Effects CS6 : Template Compositions

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-20)

I'm trying to put together a library of 'clips' and/or 'effects' to use in some upcoming training videos I am developing. Is there a 'best practices' that includes making each effect into a composition? Or are 'best practices' usually individually developed and there really isn't any such thing for After Effects.

My effects are things like:

1. templated layouts
   * Specific lower thirds fonts and colors
   * outlines that draw themselves
   * text blocks that swoop in and settle that can have their text updated per video
2. color palettes or swatches
3. intro videos
4. etc.

I am trying to reduce repetition. I could create these effects each video, but I would like to create an effect ( i.e., text block swooping in at angle x and changing color at arrival ) and then replace JUST the text each video so that the effect becomes something the viewer recognizes as part of my training series.

**Tags:** after-effects


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-06-21. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

There are a few different ways you can do this depending on your scenario. Normally, for things like lower thirds, I make one composition in which I enter just the lower third text and plate. I then use that composition as an asset in another composition to do the actual animations. I can then simply turn on or off any particular text I need to in the static composition and render the final composition to get the needed output.

Similarly, for a video at the beginning of a clip, you can have a wrapper composition that has the lead-in and then you can replace the contents of the composition that is shown after the lead-in plays.

Alternately, you could probably do a fair bit of it using expressions too, but I've yet to have any tasks that were complex enough to have bothering to setup something with expressions.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'm planning on doing tutorial videos on iPhone apps and settings. I will be re-doing multiple drop-ins and overlays and I would like to find the most intelligent way of doing that. It sounds like I was dead on based on your answer. I can just create one composition, create all of my effects that I expect to use, then reference that composition in each video and edit per video. I just want to have a good templating system in place that is the most efficient. THANKS!  
> **username_0**: And expressions just scare me!  
> **username_1**: Yeah, it sounds like you have a pretty good idea what to do.  What I described is actually how I do lower thirds for conference work.  I built out the graphics so that I just have to put in the speaker's name and hit render.  
> **username_0**: Thank you. I love design work of all kinds, this is my first big project where it's both something I am capable of doing and something I love doing... now I just have to find the time and DO IT!  

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