How do I loop a video in After Effects?

Answered by Jarrod Smith

To loop a video in After Effects, you can follow these steps:

1. Identify the specific piece of footage in your project panel that you want to loop. This could be a video clip or any other type of footage.

2. Right-click on the footage and select “Interpret Footage” from the dropdown menu, then choose “Main” from the submenu. This will open the Interpret Footage dialog box.

3. In the Interpret Footage dialog box, you will find a Loop option at the bottom. Check the box next to “Loop” to enable the looping feature for this footage.

4. Once the Loop option is enabled, you will notice that the footage layer in your project panel becomes longer, reflecting the number of loops that will occur during playback.

5. Now, whenever you use this particular piece of footage in your composition, it will automatically loop according to the number of loops you specified in the Interpret Footage dialog box.

It’s important to note that enabling the loop feature in After Effects does not alter the original footage file itself. It simply allows you to create a looped playback within your composition.

Using the loop feature can be particularly useful when you want to create seamless loops for backgrounds, animations, or any other repetitive elements in your project. It saves you the time and effort of manually duplicating and aligning multiple copies of the footage.

In my personal experience, looping footage in After Effects has been a convenient way to create visually engaging and continuous animations. Whether it’s for creating animated backgrounds or looping video effects, the loop feature in After Effects helps to achieve a seamless and uninterrupted playback.

Remember that looping can be done with any type of footage, including live-action videos, motion graphics, or even animated sequences. It’s a versatile tool that allows you to experiment and create captivating visual effects.

To summarize, looping a video in After Effects involves identifying the footage, interpreting its properties, and enabling the loop feature in the Interpret Footage dialog box. Once enabled, the footage will loop automatically when used in a composition. This feature is valuable for creating seamless loops in various types of projects, adding a visually appealing and continuous element to your animations or videos.