AE timeline question

M

Marshallarts

Well-known member
Please forgive me. I'm knew to AE though I'm very proficient with FCP. After years of holding off I'm beginning to learn AE and am thrilled with what it offers. I am very confused about what must be simple things, however.

I'm trying to understand how to construct sequences and as simple as this sounds I can't figure it out and can't find anything on the web or in the manual to help. What I'm referring to is the equivalent of simply adding shots in a timeline in FCP.

In AE I made a time lapse with my 5DmkII with a resolution over 5K. So I was able to go in and make a pan within the time lapse. I would like to add that after my initial wide "establishing shot" time lapse.

What I'm asking is simple, but I can't figure it out. How do I add stuff to my timeline? I don't understand. Is this not like FCP? Do I have to individually make clips and then add them together in FCP? Does not AE allow you to create sequences of more than one shot?
 
I'm on PC, but I think it might be similar on MAC

You can import the whole folder with the stills into the clip bin (when you select the folder, there will be an import folder button)

Twirl open the imported folder in the clip bin, and marquee select (shift click) all the images that you want, then drag and drop onto the create new composition icon, you will be presented with a dialog box for stills duration. Check sequence layers if you want them sequential

Another way is to file=>import multiple files , and there should be a checkbox for importing as a sequence. This method will import as 1 layer vs. the former which will be on separate layers
 
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You can lengthen your timeline in Composition Settings and then add more layers and thus, more sequences. However, for tighter organization, you'll want to start nesting and precomposing.

To begin, simply choose New Composition. Call it Final. Drag your completed comp to the timeline. Make another New Composition and call that whatever is appropriate for your next sequence. Once that's complete, drag its comp to the Final comp as well. This way, your Final comp will serve as the FCP timeline equivalent.

Hope this helps.
 
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Thanks for the replies.

PDR, thank you but I already knew how to create the time lapse itself. My original post was somewhat confusing so please excuse me. My question was more related to what jordanov replied to... I have my final timelpase. It is at resolution of 5K. large enough that I can go in and do pans and tilts at HD resolution. I figured out how to do that. But I can't figure out how to add those pans and tilts to the end of my original wide "establishing shot" so the sequence (as we would call it in FCP) would be three shots: the original wide, a pan, and a tilt. I want to "add shots" to my sequence. Something SOOO simple on FCP because it's designed for sequence editing. I suspect AE is too but am having trouble understanding the interface.

I know the resolutions would be different if I did this, because the crops are of different sizes. I don't know now if that would cause I problem in AE or how to fix it, but step #1 is even adding the crops into the timeline.

I will try your advice, jordandov, when I have time, I am leaving for a shoot now and it's a very busy week (fashion week in NYC). I hope to do this soon. Do you have advice on my issue with resolution being different and if that will be a problem?

thx
 
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