If you are new to AE and you want to start working efficiently start by opening the Learn workspace or the Learn Section of the Home Screen and start with the UI basics and first comp. It will take you about 20 minutes. Then look for the User Guide . You'll find it on the After Effects product page, available on this forum, and you can find things with the Search Help field in the top right corner of AE. Two or three hours on the basics using those tutorials and learning how to properly set up renders will save you days of fiddling with YouTube tutorials presented by enthusiasts that don't really know what they are doing or how to explain things and days waiting for help on the forums. AE is a lot more complicated than any NLE you have ever used, the UI is completely different, and unless you have some good training you are going to spend a lot of time in trouble.