Organize, relink, and replace assets
Tame assets in your Adobe After Effects projects by relinking missing files, replacing footage across compositions, swapping assets within a comp, and using a folder structure to organize files — saving time whether you work by yourself or share assets across a team.
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In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to manage assets on your hard drive before you ever import them into your Adobe After Effects CC project.
I'll also show you how to relink missing footage, how to swap assets within a single composition and how to swap assets across multiple compositions using the "Replace Footage" command.
Organize project files
If you've ever had to go searching through your computer for missing or unlinked files in an After Effects CC project, utilizing a common project folder structure will make that process a breeze.
Now, the project files I'm working with are for demonstration purposes only, but I highly encourage you to apply the same principles using your own assets.
I like to start each project folder with a number, that way as I work throughout the gear, I can easily view all of my projects sequentially.
Inside the project folder, I have seven sub folders which I numbered sequentially to keep them in order.
Since After Effects CC supports many different kinds of files, I like to keep my project organized based on the kind of file I'm using in my project.
By using this method of organization, you can quickly move projects to other drives as needed, simply by moving the entire project folder as one unit.
Those of you working on a system where you store your video footage on a separate or shared drive, you can definitely keep working that way.
However, you can still use this project-based structure for your other elements.
Relink missing files
Now, let's jump into our After Effects CC project.
When we look down at the Timeline, you'll notice there are some files that have color bars for their icons.
This means After Effects CC has lost the link to that file.
In order to fix this, I need to relink the file.
To do this, I'm going to go up to the search area in the Project panel and start to type the word "missing".
Any missing elements will pop up in my Project panel.
Now, I can right click, or Control click on any missing element and choose "Replace Footage", "File...", and navigate to that file in the folder structure, select it then click "Import".
Once I relink one missing element, all the other elements are found as well.
After relinking, it's always wise to go back to the search field and clear it out.
Replace footage across comps
You can also use the "Replace Footage" command to quickly create multiple versions of a project.
As I scroll up through the Timeline, I want you to notice there are two different market time lapse shots.
Let's say I want the opening shot to be the time lapse shot with the dome instead of this one, and I want that to update across both compositions at the same time, well, I can do that quickly with "Replace Footage".
I'll right click, or Control click on Layer 8 and choose "Reveal Layer Source in Project".
Now, I can right click on that file in the Project panel and choose "Replace Footage", "File..." and navigate to the "Footage" folder.
Let's replace this with the "Market_wide" MP4 file.
When we look in the Timeline of each composition, you'll notice the file was updated in both.
Now, you'll notice the same footage appears in the Timeline again.
So, let's reinforce what we just did before and replace this "Market_Wide" MP4 clip with the "Market_MS" MP4 clip we saw earlier.
I'll right click on the "Market_Wide" Layer 14 and choose "Reveal Layer Source in "Project".
Then right click on the revealed MP4 and choose "Replace Footage", "File...", and choose "Market_MS.mp4".
Now you'll notice, we've swapped both clips in both compositions simply by using the "Replace Footage" command.
Swap assets
Now, what if we want to replace one element in one composition but not the other.
To do that, we'll use a keyboard command instead of the "Replace Footage" command.
I'll replace the black and white logo in the corner with a color version.
In order to utilize this key command, it's very important that you make sure the layer you want to replace is selected in the Timeline.
Notice how this logo has keyframes applied.
Since Layer 7 is already selected, I can go open the AI folder in the Project panel and drag the color version of the file down to the Timeline.
As I drag down, I'm going to hold down the Alt key on Windows or the Option key on the Mac.
Once I'm over the Timeline, I can let go of my mouse, then let go of the Alt or Option key and you'll see the new color version has been swapped in place of the black and white version, keeping the keyframes and edits in place.
So, remember, whenever you're working in an After Effects CC project, it pays to keep things organized on your hard drive.
And if you want to swap an element used in multiple compositions, use the "Replace Footage" command.
If you want to simply swap one element in one composition, select the layer, make sure to hold down the Alt or Option key and drag the new element into the Timeline.
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