After Effects is a video-compositing software developed by Adobe Inc. It is used to create visual effects (VFX), motion graphics, animation, etc. The After Effects template is its pre-animated project with some customizable components in it.
You will often find two types of resources available: 1) After Effects template and 2) After Effects animation preset.
The After Effects template will come with an After Effects project file. You can create a whole video by simply replacing image/video assets or changing the intensity of effects within it.
The After Effects animation preset is a file containing specific settings of layer properties and animations, including effects, keyframes and expressions. In an effect preset you are provided with a file with extension “ffx.” Before using it, you need to store this file in the specific folder in your own computer; the Presets folder located in the Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects CC\Support Files (Windows) or Applications/Adobe After Effects CC (Mac OS) folder. In the After Effects project, you can use it by a drag and drop action to layers just like other generic effects. Color grading, image transitions and text effects are those found most frequently in this file type.
Some templates require the use of third-party plug-ins. It is important to check the requirements of templates before you buy them because they do not function fully without plug-ins. For instance, some templates require the use of a plug-in called “Element 3D” by which you can create more complex 3D elements than you do only with After Effects. “Trapcode” is a series of another plug-in most frequently used. It enables you to create particles of diverse variety (e.g., snow, smoke, water).
Generally, once you open the template project file it will be clearly indicated how you should use it. For instance, you may find compositions and/or layers named as “placeholder” or “change this” and these are where you can place your own pictures and videos to customize the video. In case you would like to replace the logo or text in a template, their locations in the project file are clearly indicated as “logo” and “text” on the namings of layers and compositions so that you can find them easily.
