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Need to resize complicated animation file with hundreds of assets
Hi! Newb question, but your infinite wisdom could save me HOURS.
I’m animating a short commercial. It’s my first project in AE. The project is done. But suddenly the client informs me that they ACTUALLY need the dimensions to be 3840×2160 instead of 1920×1080.
Most of the animation bases are eps files created in illustrator that I imported at 100% size. Though they’re eps, the video is pixelated when I render the it at the new larger dimensions. I guess it rasterizes the eps files when they are imported?
Since I was just learning, I set this project up so stupidly. There are 10 scenes each with over a dozen sub-compositions. There are easily over 100 vector assets. The folder structure is a mess.
As far as I know, I’m just going to have to start resaving the assets at 2X in illustrator – but then when I reopen the project, they’re gigantic in their scenes. And I’ll have to go to to each layer in each scene and reset the dimensions. I’ll probably have to do that with any vector shapes created in After Effects also?
Anyways, before I wade into this quagmire that I dug for myself, I wondered if any old pro’s had tips or tricks that would help me on this resolution-based nightmare.
Thanks!
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6 Replies
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Is the rasterize option available for each layer imported?
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AE can scale vector graphics, if the scale goes above 100%, use the ‘continuously rasterize’ switch, the little star next to shy guy. this will enable scaling above 100%.
Shape layers are vector layers so should scale up no issue.
maybe theres a script that could globally turn these switches on, i dont know though!
How are you scaling up each comp? I would make the comp 4k, then add a null and parent all layers to it, then 200% it, unparent and delete null. But that depends on any other parenting you have going on.
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Agree with Andy here, anything vector will scale. You might find that a large quantity of raster items also look fine when scaled at 200% also, to save you exporting them again. – worth a try before you begin the work over again, just see how they look.
As a rule of thumb, I tend to always make graphics in illustrator about 4x bigger then required to give me plenty of elbow room for resizing. Don’t worry about your folder structure, I’ve seen plenty of pro’s who don’t give a damn about organising files, got to do what’s right for you.
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I instruct at a local college on the side and it boggles my mind when they don’t teach the importance of using Layers in both InDesign and Illustrator.
The years I’ve spent receiving artwork from all levels of designers and I rarely get a file that’s clean.
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Agree with that. I don’t worry so much about folder structure but I do think it’s important to keep layers clean in After FX, Illy and InDesign. Premiere Pro is the only program that I spend a lot of time organising all the project folders and assets, and that’s only because I often revisit old projects and work on new iterations of them.
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How are you scaling up each comp? I would make the comp 4k, then add a null and parent all layers to it, then 200% it, unparent and delete null. But that depends on any other parenting you have going on.
There’s a script bundled with Ae (Scale Composition.jsx) that does exactly this. It respects parenting chains correctly and automatically.
A downside of this method, whether you do it manually or with the script, is that some things expressed in pixel values will NOT automatically scale. For example, if you were applying a blur to a shape layer, you’ll have go manually update the Radius value to get the same visual result at the higher resolution.
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