Am I an imposter for this? | After Effects Templates

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

So what do you think? Should I include more videos like this in the rotation?

[@64kernel]

Definitely would be very useful to have this tips.

[@kelvinchuks8885]

Not using templates could actually be holding you back, wow! Absolutely True. You are the most truthful motion designer out there.

[@frandeleon5237]

Adobe stock has helped me with inspo rather than feeling like I'm stealing

[@64kernel]

Excelent advise. I love building projects from scratch from time to time, but you really need templates to boost productivity.

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

Very true!

[@pedrogorilla483]

I realized that when I started working with audio. Everything was based on plugins and templates. Then I started combining multiple templates and elements which is one of the best things I’ve done for my work.

[@Xbadre]

Im never creating original work ever again, original work was holding me back, you opened my eyes, thank you 😁 dont try to change my mind, its done, downloading every template out there right now.

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

This guys got jokes!

[@williamfrances]

From the way I see it, we should always keep a good balance between working from scratch and using templates or any pre-made assets depending on the project itself. Thanks for your honesty bro.

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

This exactly. Hopefully it didn't come across as though I was leaning into templates too hard. (though I may have to spark the conversation.) Like I said at the end, templates will never replace the need to for actual design skills.

[@NLENinjaEffects]

Excellent video and great points brought up. I've been kitbashing all these years and called it franken-templating. Who knew? I think sometimes people forget that time and/or money may not be on your side so there is nothing wrong with using templates especially if the client expresses wanting you to use a particular one

[@madebydbm]

Wow this video really resonated with me - agree with every word. I'm coming up for 7 years in business and it's taken me that long to realise for some projects, using templates is the best option. And as you say, taking the time to investigate how templates are put together is a great way to learn and improve.

[@AchHadda]

I always see it as a time saver at some point i used to make my own template to speed up the process !

[@alessandroscalifix]

I’m completely agree with you. In any project management the first, most important part is : “the final result”. If you make a stand out project, no one will contest it. Our job as motion designer in today’s world is to provide the best solution at the right price for our client. no matter how you get there. This is a part of our professionalism and experience, a value that has a price. 👍🙏💪👋

[@gabriel-mckee]

Fantastic video; superbly shot and edited!

[@renatovelarde422]

great advice, I came to same conclusion after the requisite years of being stubborn and snotty about it first. If you actually do paying work, at minimum titling templates for smaller projects, educational, corporate things, instructionals, saves SOOO much time. The clients 95% of the time have no clue, don't care, don't even want to know if you try to explain how it works. Why toil with keyframes for every bouncy bullet point by hand when you have other more creative projects probably already waiting for you. Also saving custom preset animation sequences in your effects saves boatloads of time too.

[@TheYahn]

Thanks for the affirmations my dude I learned a lot from kit bashing templates early on, and with it the performance and workflow limitations -the hard way. The buggy inconsistent nature of adobe’s QC threw me off multiple times in my career, most recently considering learning “Cavallry” instead, but i always end up going back to Ae if only for the template and tool marketplace that comes with it. Channels like yours included! Thank you

[@WallyJ2K]

Great video!! Thanks!

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

You're welcome!

[@larsgadeby]

This hit a little too close to home😀, I needed this video, thank you!

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

You got this!

[@LesLuisLush]

Good advice! But I'm actually wondering what kind of work you're refering to, because I find this actually really useful for edition, but what kind of templates would work for a motion graphics work besides text or some kind of transition?

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

I mean it goes beyond template project file right? It could be vector art that you're using for an explainer video because maybe you don't have time to sketch everything out, create it in illustrator and then animate it. It would be much quicker to snag something from freepik and use as a starting point that you of course would need to modify/customize to fit your project. But also the exmaples you give are what I'm talking about too. Stealing a transition from 1 template and text presets from another is a quick way to get things done. No need to go and make completetly new brush stroke transitions in procreate that will look 95% identical to a already existing template anyway. I'm not taking the use of templates too literally in this video. Like I said, most of the time it's not going to be appropriate to use a template stright off the shelf, but they can be useful shortcuts on projects with small budgets or tight deadlines.

[@LesLuisLush]

@@TheKeyframeAcademyI get it know, I totally forgot about explainers. Thanks!

[@wjakok]

Thank you for the video! Good stuff to think about. A concern of mine is: Not having a Design background as a beginnen Motion Designer. An advice I got: “don’t bother. Just focus on motion.” What is your take on this?… My first thing was, how can I make Personal Projects than.

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

you should focus on motion design, but having good design skills wont hurt

[@artemtsenev]

Thanks, John.

[@JHamid-qh1nx]

I am struggling with this a lot. I am considering using more templates. Like you mentioned at the beginning of the video, why would a client pay money for something that they can do themselves? Using a template is easier than building an entire scene from scratch especially if you are building your skills. How do I justify charging a client for something I did not put together "officially"? My time yes, my skill, mostly no. It does feel like being a fraud somehow. Thanks for the video and arguments to consider like being a service provider first.

[@ImpactodasRuas]

I work on Corel, creating logos, layouts, etc (image and vector in general), and I refuse to use templates, idk, I do like the process (and proud). But when I need to make some video I use fast way as possible, like filmora with all that simple tweaks and ready to use effects. BUT, when need some brand presentation it is limited, I use some sites like renderforest to apply logo, etc, but things turn complex and this week I finnaly install after effects to try some templates and a new world open for me heheheh! I could do something, gorgeous results but I have no idea how you motion professionals use AE from scratch, jesus christ, too many tools and things to learn!

[@nikyabodigital]

Even I have a list of my own made templates because it just makes workflow efficient. I'd say we don't use templates for the sake of using it. Everything must have meaning. Everything must have purpose. Client doesn't care at all how you do it. They just want to achieve things for their business..

[@jlindsay0709]

I am a hobbist in music creation (on top of my profession of motion. I know expensive work, expensive hobby) and synth presets and samples are constatly talked there. I just think of Timbaland producing for Justin Timberlake for the song "Fithly" The bass wobble synth you hear is a built in preset for a synth plugin called Serum. Nothing special was done. So "pros" are using default presets on big name tracks and not programming everything themselves. Then I think of my motion career. I buy a lot presets and scripts, Why? I'd rather break a toe than mess with text animators again. I know how they work but they are just huge cluster to work with. So I download a preset like TypeArray. Now it takes me seconds to do the text animations I want to do. Instead of slogging through endless twirl downs and settings for everytime I want to animate text. I'd rather worry about the animation timing and composition then doing all the mind numbing tasks of animating text. This is what I say, and Joey Korenman over at School of Motion who taught me this thinking, you should know how to use the animation graph and text animators. You should know how to use the default, no plugins, vanilla After Effects, because there will be times where you won't have all the extensions and plugins to help you. Also if you have the base understanding how things work you will be a better animator even with the extra help because you understand how things work. You start going "no templates or presets" you start putting yourself down a paradoxal path to the point of "Why don't you just code your own After Effects? or build your own computer? Or build the chips that go into the computer, etc"

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

Couldn't have said it better

[@mishy4eyes]

Yes, god, yes! It's sounds like a sermon, only the screaming crowd is missing in this video. You, Mr John, should grow long hair and wear long white dressing. God bless you, sir!

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

Well said!

[@osoanasteciado]

And remix a template and sell on videohive? is bad too?

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

If you intend to sell a template, that is a case where it should be 100% of your own creation.

[@apdirectedit]

Brah... I literally just bought some After Effects Templates on Envato, and then your video popped up 👀! You're so so so right though! Thank you for making us feel better about ourselves! #CHEATERSALWAYSWIN

[@TheKeyframeAcademy]

There are no concidences

[@verilobosh]

I love you

[@ColectivoOtredad]

clients in third world market expect that on a 150$ payment a month.... just digest that

[@juanjm12]

No you're cool