I’ll admit it. I’m a voyeur: Every chance I get, I ogle other people’s After Effects project files.
What I find just as fascinating as the keyframes and expressions that make the magic happen on the timeline are the folders and naming conventions that keep the magic from melting down in the Project panel. It’s like peering into the machinery of an artist’s brain.
In general, an unkept project is a sign of an unkept mind.
Time to “Get Your Shit Together”
The folks at Justin McClure Creative decided to help us all have tidier minds by launching Get Your Shit Together, a website that offers clear advice for creating project folder structures, project naming conventions and After Effects project folder scripts.
The site also offers free downloads from Justin McClure Creative and other industry vets, including David Bennett of CMT, Jonathan Winbush of Winbush and Harry Frank from GrayMachine.com.
Whatever organizational paradigm you adopt, GYST is a great way to start a conversation with your team about being better organized and working more efficiently together.