Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this lesson, you will learn how to create and save new Compositions (Comps) in After Effects. Compositions are ‘containers’ inside of your AE Project to hold footage/assets (layers) and build animations (timeline) that are previewed in the Comp Window Panel (canvas/stage). Each AE Project can have unlimited Comps and you can nest Comps into each other for complex animations.
Compositions (Comps):
- Containers inside AE Projects
- Add & Arrange footage (layers)
- Build animations (timeline)
- Preview animations (Comp window/stage)
Resource:
Adobe Website Composition Basics
1. What is a Composition?
1. A Composition in Adobe After Effects is a container for layers and animation.
2. A Composition (often called a "comp") is the ‘bucket or container’ inside of an After Effects Project where you arrange and animate footage and elements on a Timeline.
3. Think of a Composition as a single scene in your main AE project.
4. You can create multiple Compositions inside of any AE Project
5. Compositions can be ‘nested’ into other Compositions
6. Double-click to open Compositions
7. Compositions open their own Timeline
2. Create New Compositions
1. Open After Effects (Project)
2. Ways to Create New Compositions (Comps)
1. Click the ‘‘New Composition’ button
2. Go to the Composition Menu
3. Right-click in Interface and select ‘New’
4. Drag Footage from Project Panel on Timeline or Comp Window
5. Drag Footage on ‘New Comp’ Button
6. Use Keyboard Short-cut:
1. Cmd/Ctrl + K
3. Composition Settings
1. Composition Name
2. Preset Menu (select Adobe or Custom settings)
1. HD 1920x1080 pixels 24fps
3. Width & Height
1. 1920 x 1080 px
4. Pixel aspect ratio
1. Square Pixels
5. Frame Rate
1. 24 frames per second (fps)
6. Resolution
1. Full
7. Start Timecode
1. 0;00;00;00
8. Duration (Timecode)
1. hours : minutes : seconds : frames (hh:mm:ss:frames)
2. Enter number of seconds followed by comma or period
1. 10 seconds = 10, or 10.
2. 30 seconds = 30, or 30.
3. 2 minutes = 120, or 120.
4. 5 minutes = 300, or 300.
9. Composition Color
1. For design purposes only (placeholder color)
2. Does not get rendered or exported
3. Pick any color that is visually appealing
4. Click ‘Transparency Grid’ button
1. If you see a checkerboard grid, then you know that the background color will not be rendered (visible) when exporting the Comp.
2. If you click the Transparency Grid button and you still see a background color and not the checkerboard, then the background color will be rendered (visible) when the Comp is exported.
4. Composition Timeline
1. Every Composition in After Effects has its own unique Layers Panel & Timeline
2. Double-click a Composition in the Project Panel to open
1. Multiple Comps can be opened at the same time
2. Opened Comps are nested as Tabs in the Timeline Panel
3. Click the ‘X’ to Close any open Comp
4. Double-click Comp in the Project Panel to re-open
5. Creating Compositions from Footage
1. Select footage to automatically set composition settings
2. Methods for creating compositions from footage:
1. Selecting footage in the project panel
2. Dragging footage into the composition window or layers panel
3. Using the new composition button with footage
4. Creating compositions for multiple footage files simultaneously
6. Customizing and Managing Compositions
1. Changing composition settings after creation
2. Using the composition settings menu and keyboard shortcuts
1. Cmd/Ctrl + K to open Comp Settings
3. Saving and using custom presets for compositions
4. Deleting custom presets
7. Advanced Composition Techniques
1. Nesting compositions within other compositions for complex animations
2. Creating New Solid Layers to add background colors that get rendered
In this lesson, you will learn how to create and save new Compositions (Comps) in After Effects. Compositions are ‘containers’ inside of your AE Project to hold footage/assets (layers) and build animations (timeline) that are previewed in the Comp Window Panel (canvas/stage). Each AE Project can have unlimited Comps and you can nest Comps into each other for complex animations.
Compositions (Comps):
- Containers inside AE Projects
- Add & Arrange footage (layers)
- Build animations (timeline)
- Preview animations (Comp window/stage)
Resource:
Adobe Website Composition Basics
1. What is a Composition?
1. A Composition in Adobe After Effects is a container for layers and animation.
2. A Composition (often called a "comp") is the ‘bucket or container’ inside of an After Effects Project where you arrange and animate footage and elements on a Timeline.
3. Think of a Composition as a single scene in your main AE project.
4. You can create multiple Compositions inside of any AE Project
5. Compositions can be ‘nested’ into other Compositions
6. Double-click to open Compositions
7. Compositions open their own Timeline
2. Create New Compositions
1. Open After Effects (Project)
2. Ways to Create New Compositions (Comps)
1. Click the ‘‘New Composition’ button
2. Go to the Composition Menu
3. Right-click in Interface and select ‘New’
4. Drag Footage from Project Panel on Timeline or Comp Window
5. Drag Footage on ‘New Comp’ Button
6. Use Keyboard Short-cut:
1. Cmd/Ctrl + K
3. Composition Settings
1. Composition Name
2. Preset Menu (select Adobe or Custom settings)
1. HD 1920x1080 pixels 24fps
3. Width & Height
1. 1920 x 1080 px
4. Pixel aspect ratio
1. Square Pixels
5. Frame Rate
1. 24 frames per second (fps)
6. Resolution
1. Full
7. Start Timecode
1. 0;00;00;00
8. Duration (Timecode)
1. hours : minutes : seconds : frames (hh:mm:ss:frames)
2. Enter number of seconds followed by comma or period
1. 10 seconds = 10, or 10.
2. 30 seconds = 30, or 30.
3. 2 minutes = 120, or 120.
4. 5 minutes = 300, or 300.
9. Composition Color
1. For design purposes only (placeholder color)
2. Does not get rendered or exported
3. Pick any color that is visually appealing
4. Click ‘Transparency Grid’ button
1. If you see a checkerboard grid, then you know that the background color will not be rendered (visible) when exporting the Comp.
2. If you click the Transparency Grid button and you still see a background color and not the checkerboard, then the background color will be rendered (visible) when the Comp is exported.
4. Composition Timeline
1. Every Composition in After Effects has its own unique Layers Panel & Timeline
2. Double-click a Composition in the Project Panel to open
1. Multiple Comps can be opened at the same time
2. Opened Comps are nested as Tabs in the Timeline Panel
3. Click the ‘X’ to Close any open Comp
4. Double-click Comp in the Project Panel to re-open
5. Creating Compositions from Footage
1. Select footage to automatically set composition settings
2. Methods for creating compositions from footage:
1. Selecting footage in the project panel
2. Dragging footage into the composition window or layers panel
3. Using the new composition button with footage
4. Creating compositions for multiple footage files simultaneously
6. Customizing and Managing Compositions
1. Changing composition settings after creation
2. Using the composition settings menu and keyboard shortcuts
1. Cmd/Ctrl + K to open Comp Settings
3. Saving and using custom presets for compositions
4. Deleting custom presets
7. Advanced Composition Techniques
1. Nesting compositions within other compositions for complex animations
2. Creating New Solid Layers to add background colors that get rendered
