So, you think you want to venture in to the world of After Effects templates, huh? Not to fret! It’s really a lot easier than you think, especially if you’re working with a professionally made pre-designed template. However, there are some terms that you should be familiar with if you’re new to the game.

It’s an AFTER EFFECTS template…

…that means you must use it in After Effects. After Effects in an Adobe program that is used to create motion graphics. It can be kind of a beast to learn, but starting with pre-made templates is a good way to learn the basics. If you do not have After Effects, you will not be able to use After Effects templates in any other program.

It says it is pre-rendered? Does that mean I can’t change it?

If an After Effects template says it is pre-rendered, that simply means that someone has gone ahead and put in some extra time to ensure that you don’t need any third party plugins to make the template work the way it should. Pre-rendered is a great thing for a beginner!

What is a third party plugin?

A third party plugin is some piece of additional software (usually downloaded from the Internet) that works with After Effects to create new visual effects. These typically cost money and sometimes require vast experience with After Effects to use properly. Third party plugins can be great for creating new looks, but if you’re new to the game you’ll probably want to avoid them for a while.

How do I make it work?

There is no quick answer for this question. Each After Effects template is a work of art that is comprised of many layers. If you recently purchased or downloaded an After Effects template, chances are it came with instructions on how to use it. Check your disc or look in your .zip file to find the how to. If you still can’t find instructions, consider getting in touch with the creator of the template.

This is taking forever…

Remember, After Effects is a beast of a program. Depending on your computer, it can take hours to render a file. Heck, it might even take hours just to download the template from the Internet. But remember, it took the person who created this template twice as long to make it from scratch as it did for you to simply drag and drop your text. Take your rendering time as a chance to stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air!