Creating an intro in After Effects is not an easy task. First, you need to have an effortless introduction that would immediately pique the viewer’s interest in the video you’ve created. Then, built-in filters, transition effects, overlays, animation, and After Effects templates can help you enhance your intros’ quality. And with a couple of tips and tricks, you can learn how to create bang-on intros for your videos.
So if you’ve been looking to master the art of making professional-quality intros in After Effects, we’re sure this post will help you! Read ahead to find out more:
Setup the Composition
Depending on the output, you need to set up the composition of your video. Once you select the composition and the duration, you can upload the video you have already recorded. After this, right-click and choose the Pre-compose option. You can also rename your video here for easy access later.
You can then add a solid layer to the composition. To access this option, you can follow Layer > New > Solid. You can also pick a color depending on the video you wish to create. Further, you can add text layers with the help of the Text button so that the different words can appear separately at other times. When you create separate layers for each word, you can alter them individually. Finally, you can drag the text around and even edit the reader’s color to match the requirements of your videos.
Editing the text composition and importing it into the video’s timeline is super easy with After Effects. When importing a text composition, a panel opens to the right side. You can change the text’s size, position, and color here.
Add in the First Transition Layer
Adding in the transition layer allows you to add different effects to your videos with the help of effects templates within After Effects again. After Effects has many transition layers (CC Light Wipe is a crowd favorite), which you can experiment with before shortlisting the best one.
After applying the transition to the layer, you can adjust it. For example, you can set the first key transition right at the beginning of the timeline and choose to apply the second key transition at a later point in the timeline. Setting the completion value is an important step here, as it would determine the duration for which the word will be visible in the video.
Add in the Second Transition Layer
You can either continue with the same transition effect you added in the first stage or choose a completely different one in this step. Add the layer, and set the completion value depending on the duration you want the text to be visible. When you put the completion value to 100%, the reader is invisible, or set it to 0% so that the word is pronounced.
Light Sweep
To complete the effect, you need to add a final transition effect to the video, which you can find in the Effects > Generate section. Adding in a final flourish is the same as adding the other keyframes. You can use the direction, sweep intensity, and edge intensity in this stage. With this, you can effortlessly blend the transition of words and light effects.
These are some simple steps to add some professional-looking intros to your videos. Let’s also look at some popular templates that you can use to create bang-on intros in your videos. We need to keep in mind that the first few seconds of any video are essential, so After Effects has compiled some amazing templates that include a selection of video footage, graphics, text, sound effects, and music tracks. You have to download the perfectly suited template or the video you wish to create. Here are some super cool templates you can incorporate into your videos:
Instagram Toolkit
Instagram is a super popular social media platform these days. Videos and reels thrive on Instagram, and you need to put in every effort to make your video stand out from millions of others out there. The Instagram Toolkit template is short, crisp, and eye-catching – just what the social media platform demands!
Corporate Opener
Corporate videos require a more formal (yet impressive) intro. However, you cannot compromise on the creative aspect of the video just because it’s a corporate one! You have a professional-looking template with subtle and elegant animations with the Corporate Opener. The template is easy to apply, as it comes with all critical text and image elements to create an exciting video.
Memory Sketch
The memory sketch is a fantastic template if you’re creating a more intriguing video in the black and white mode. It comes with great text captions, smooth transitions, and excellent animations, which help you create a visually appealing video.
Summing Up
While it takes time to understand the different tools in After Effects, using templates will speed up your workflow. We recommend practicing by adding some clips and titles to have a play and get a general idea of how After Effects works. Then, follow the guide in this article, and you will be well on your way to having an amazing intro for your next video project.