[Keith Mcgregor]

You need to change from rich text to plain text. Under the ‘format’ drop down menu, and voila! .txt!
-K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

Sounds like you want rigid body dynamic simulation
which would be a 3d project. There might be
a fake way to do it but you would have to hand animate
the letters as 3d layers or each one would be a shatter
layer animated. -K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

I’m gonna kick myself but, do you have the downsample
factor set to full? The display resolution? If it truly
is aimation compressed it should look immaculate in AE.
I’m thinking you know what your doing but sometimes we overlook
the little things. -K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

Shatter is one of the fx that use the beginning
of the layer as a start point. So if you are 1 second
in you won’t see anything. Set view to rendered,
set render to all, ram preview the first 2 second
And see it in default action. You will be able
to modify the start point by animating the radius
of force 1 or using a gradient map and keying the
thresh OR animate the origin of force 1.-K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

First part: depending on the files (type, size) you could make one proj with those in there and
save as a template and always open that first and save as each time?
Does any other app do what your asking? I can’t think of one.
Second part: make a master comp to lay your ws version and have both comp windows open.
-K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

How about finishing the animation and precomp top? half, dupe it and make bottom white
then use the blending mode?
-K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

There are many ways but you have already begun
the right path. Find fire footage to blend with
your sphere. Warp it to the sphere in multiple layers
using different blend modes, add a little vector blur
and turbulent displace for more bubbly fun. Finding
fire footage with mattes or keyed bkgrnd at stock
Footage places. Or yu could get a 3d package and
line up the shots and make a flaming sphere animated to your liking!
Have fun! -K

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

Did you get the 802 update? How many processors? Does it
render anything? My act mon says after effects not
What yours says. Are you using render engine?
-k

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

Which version of ae? How many processors? Does it
render anything?
-k

Reality? What did you make it?

[Keith Mcgregor]

As long as you keep all your project files and media
you have it all saved. Just clone the drives to
back them up. And like raf said check your hd space.
Delete old render files for more space.
-K

Reality? What did you make it?