Creating a new project

By default, After Effects opens a new Project window when you start the application. When you know the media for your final project, you are ready to create a project by importing your footage items into a new Project window. You can also open a new Project window at any time from the File menu. (See Working with the Project window.)

To create a new project after closing the current project in After Effects:

Choose File > New > New Project.

To specify project settings:

1. Open the project and choose File > Project Settings.
2. Select a time setting:
• To use timecode, click Timecode Base, and then choose a frame rate from the Timecode pop-up menu.
• To use drop-frame timecode for footage and compositions with a frame rate of 29.97 fps, click Timecode Base, and then choose 30 fps from the Timecode Base pop-up menu and Drop Frame from the NTSC menu.
• To use non-drop-frame timecode for footage and compositions with a frame rate of 29.97 fps, click Timecode Base and then choose 30 fps from the Timecode Base pop-up menu and Non-Drop Frame from the NTSC menu.
• To use frames for the display style, click Frames.
• To use Feet + Frames for the display style, click Feet + Frames, and then choose a film type from the Feet + Frames pop-up menu.
3. If desired, type a value in the Start Numbering Frames At option. This value applies only when you have chosen Frames or Feet + Frames.
4. Select 8 or 16 bits per channel for Color Depth, and click OK.

To instantly cycle through Timecode, Frames, and Feet + Frames, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the timecode display at the bottom of the Composition window or at the top of the Timeline window.