Composition Considerations; Rendering And Exporting Considerations - Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 Manual

For example, if you want an image to fill the screen at 100% scale, you can configure the image in Adobe Photoshop
so that the image size and pixel aspect ratio match the composition size and pixel aspect ratio. If the image is too large
when you import it into After Effects, you'll increase the memory requirements of your project. If the image is too
small, you'll lose image quality when you scale it to the desired size.
If possible, use uncompressed footage: less compression means better quality. Don't use footage whose frame rate is
less than the frame rate of your output: you'll lose quality here, too.
After Effects uses a set of internal rules to automatically interpret footage that you import. Generally, you don't need
to change these settings. However, if your footage isn't standard, After Effects may interpret it incorrectly. In this case,
you can use the settings in the Interpret Footage dialog box to reinterpret your footage. The settings in the Interpret
Footage dialog box should match your source footage settings; don't use it to specify settings for your final rendered
output.
You can ensure that different footage items use the same settings by copying Interpret Footage settings from one item
and applying them to others.
If you'll be mixing source footage with different pixel aspect ratios, specify this ratio for each footage item in the
Interpret Footage dialog box. For more information, see "About pixel aspect ratio" on page 96.
See also
"To specify interpretation rules" on page 71
"To apply Interpret Footage settings to multiple footage items" on page 125

Composition considerations

After you prepare and import footage items, you add them to a composition, where you create animation, layering,
and effects. When you create a composition, specify composition settings such as resolution, frame size, and pixel
aspect ratio for your final rendered output. Although you can change composition settings at any time, it's best to set
them correctly as you create each new composition to avoid unexpected results in your final rendered output.
You can save composition settings and apply them to other compositions.
If you'll be rendering a project to more than one media format, always match the resolution setting for your compo-
sition to the highest resolution setting used for your output. Then set up the Render Queue panel to render a separate
version of the project for each format.
See also
"Specifying composition settings" on page 111
"Setting pixel aspect ratio for compositions" on page 113
"Setting resolution" on page 114
"Setting frame size" on page 112

Rendering and exporting considerations

Because render settings and output settings determine how After Effects processes your composition and saves the
rendered file, it's important to consider these settings, based on your final output, while planning your project.
ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 50
User Guide