[Todd Kopriva]

If you’re precomposing multiple layers, the precomposition will have the dimensions of the original composition. If you’re precomposing only one layer, you can choose whether to use the dimensions of thelayer or the composition.

If you’d like to have more options, I suggest making a feature request.

Here’s a description of precomposition options from “Precompose layers”:

Leave All Attributes In

Leaves the properties and keyframes of the precomposed layer in the original composition, applied to the new layer that represents the precomposition. The frame size of the new composition is the same as the size of the selected layer. This option is not available when you select more than one layer, a text layer, or a shape layer.

Move All Attributes Into The New Composition

Moves the properties and keyframes of the precomposed layers one level further from the root composition in the composition hierarchy. When you use this option, changes you applied to the properties of the layers remain with the individual layers within the precomposition. The frame size of the new composition is the same as the frame size of the original composition.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
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If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

I agree with Bogie. This looks like a few filled masks or shapes (with opacity set somewhat low), with their paths animated, superimposed on the map.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

Here’s Rich Young on the QuickTime H.264 gamma bug.

There are some notes at the bottom of this page of After Effects Help.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

Are you using After Effects CS3 (8.0.2)? The 8.0.2 update fixed some problems with the import of layers from PSD files.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

Perhaps you need to precompose the control layer (the layer with the gradient).

from “Compound effects and control layers”:
“The compound effect ignores effects, masks, and transformations of a control layer. To use the results of effects, masks, and transformations on a layer, precompose the layer and use the precomposition layer as the control layer.”

Regarding your question about whether there are tutorials for the Shatter effect: Here’s an After Effects Community Help search that brings up several, including some here on the COW.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
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If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

The trick is to use the valueAtTime method.

Dan has some examples and explanations on his site.

There’s a simple example in After Effects Help:
“Expression example: Create a trail of images”

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

Orienting individual particles is different for each particle effect. The Particle Playground effect has an Auto-Orient Rotation option.

You really need to just play around with, experiment with, read about, and learn a particle effect. They’re deep, fun effects.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

If you upload your project, I’ll have a look.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

I think that you’re misunderstanding how RAM preview works. It only plays as many frames as can fit in the RAM cache. If you want to preview an entire movie at full quality, then you will need to render and export a movie. RAM preview is not designed for previewing entire movies at full quality.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
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If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.

[Todd Kopriva]

I don’t understand what Form or 3D have to do with this, unless I’m completely mis-visualizing what you’re describing.

You can use a particle effect (Particle Playground or whatver you have available) to turn one roach into many and have them scatter.

Under the layer with the particle roaches, you have your title layer. I’d probably use layer styles to create the look of the engraved text. Here’s an After Effects Community Help search for ‘engraved text’ to get you going in the right direction.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
———————————————————————————————————
If a page of After Effects Help answers your question, please consider rating it. If you have a tip, technique, or link to share—or if there is something that you’d like to see added or improved—please leave a comment.