User Guide

CHAPTER 2
70
Preparing and Importing Footage
Importing a sequence of still-image files
After Effects can import a sequence of still images with the same numeric or alphabetic
filename pattern and automatically combine them into a single sequence file. In sequence
files, each original file represents one frame. After Effects uses the dimensions and bit depth
of the first image in the sequence. It then imports (in numeric or alphabetic order) all still
images in the folder that have the same filename pattern and file type as the one you selected.
A sequence of still-image files (left) becomes one image sequence when imported into After Effects (right).
To import a sequence of still images:
1 Move all the files in the sequence to the same folder.
2 In After Effects, choose File > Import > File.
3 Locate and select any file in the sequence.
4 Select the file format name Sequence option.
5 If you want to import alphabetically, select Force Alphabetical Order. Then click Open.
Note: You can import a subset of a numbered sequence by using a variation of this procedure.
In step 3, select the first file you want to include, hold down Shift, and select the last file you
want to include. In this case, only the two files you selected appear highlighted in the Import
File dialog box, but all files that fall between those two in the sequence will also be imported.
UG.book Page 70 Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:05 PM