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Why After Effects?
Hi there, I soon will have a question about preparing a commercial for broadcast, but first I have a question about why I always see After Effects being utilized as a means of compression or preparation of formats? In other words, I’ve been noticing lately where it’s suggested, “send it thru AE”. I work in Final Cut Pro, and I’d think Final cut, or Compressor would do the final output. What does AE have up on them?
Thanks!
Lisa
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2 Replies
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For me it’s the flexibility that After Effects offers. I can output to a wider array of formats in AE than either Apple app. While I use all three regularly, I find that AE is better for finish work. It always seems I need to output for TV, web, phones, etc, in a variety of formats that Compressor doesn’t support natively.
Also, Compressor can’t join two different files together, AE can (so can QT Pro and FCP, of course), Compressor can’t add letterboxing or pillar boxing (at least Compressor 2 can’t, haven’t used FCS2). But really they all three have their strengths and it depends on what you need. I wouldn’t run something through AE just for the sake of it, at the end of the day it’s just another tool in the tool box.
-Matt
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“When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
AE is so darn useful and flexible, it invites being used to solve many problems, even those for which it was not really designed. But it is only one tool of many.
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