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Problems when re-saving Illustrator Files/Importing to After Effects
I’ve inherited an AE animation project that uses a lot of Illustrator files. I’m trying to update some things on the the .ai files. When I resave the files in Illustrator they show up as File not found images in the AE project! I think this has something to do with the fact that each .ai file has been split into layers within the AE project, but those layers don’t necessarily correspond to the .ai file… for example I have a .ai file called ‘man.ai’. In AE it has a folder in the project window called ‘Man Layers’ and it is divided like ‘body man.ai, head.man.ai’ etc. If i replace one of those with ‘man.ai’ it will change every body part to the same main ‘man.ai’ so the entire man is replacing every single body part! I can’t just specify one body part!
Anyone know what is going on/how to fix it? Desperate here!
Thanks.
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1 Reply
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I’ve been using Illustrator and AE for years, and, from what I understand (and the way I generally work), the best way to start out in AE with an Illustrator file, is to send the layers in Illustrator out to separate files, then import to AE. In that way, you can make a change to a layer in Illustrator, then save it out, and it will replace the file in AE. Here’s a good article, with not so good news, on just this topic:
https://www.jamesmerry.co.uk/home/?p=388
Another good idea, if you have to update your AI files, is to create at least a couple of blank layers; that way, you can have these layers available to add to or change in the future.
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com
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