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Nulls, Adjustments & Solids – All Want to be Top Dog!
Hi,
I just have a(nother) simple question:
When I make a new Null, an Adjustment Layer or a Solid, no matter where I am in the current Layer order it will always appear as very the top layer.
Usually I’ll just drag it down to where I want it – no big deal… unless you have a project with over 400 layers! (Don’t ask, it’s a long story)
Anyway, with this project, making new Nulls, Adjusts or Solids wastes a fair bit of time just dragging them to where I want them to be in the stacking order.
My question is, then: “Is there a way to make them appear in a particular place in the layer/stacking order?”
From memory it seems that sometimes they do, in fact, appear immediately above a selected layer but most of the time they just jump to the top of the heap. Not sure how to ‘place’ them where I want on creation.
I know it’s only a small thing… but every minute counts (especially with 400 layer projects – oh dear).
Thanks in advance,
ALEX
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2 Replies
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I’ve never heard of a way to do this, but if you’re working in a 400 comp layer my suggestion would be to color code layers and use the Shy layers to hide stuff. It’s the little guy poking his head over a bar on each layer, click that for any layer you want to hide and then click the larger guy at the top of the timeline. I would also recommend Pre-Comping stuff. If you’re working in 3D you can pre-comp something, then click the sundial box to Collapse Transformations so you retain the 3D. Good luck!
Jeff McBride
Motion Graphic Designer/Editor
LimeGreen
Chicago, ILhttp://www.limegreenproductions.com
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Thanks for the suggestions, Jeff.
Have pretty much done all of them – out of necessity – as I’ve progressed through this ‘very big’ project.
It’s a music vid and I’m trying to do a ‘finish’ in AE – as suggested by Stu Maschwitz in his DV Rebel’s Guide – to avoid any visual loss through compression.
I do miss the speed of Final Cut though – the rendering time in AE kills me!
It’s all a grand experiment though. I’m going to do a comparison of a final render in AE as compared to a re-render in Final Cut (of all the composited shots) and see if there really is that much of a visual difference between the two.
I really do prefer just bringing in specific shots where needed in AE, but apparently taking them back out to Final Cut and re-rendering for a finished cut will noticeably degrade my footage. Will see.
Would be interested to know what other people’s workflows are for maintaining optimum quality in the final output.
Appreciated,
ALEX
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