How to Animate a Timeline in Adobe After Effects

In this video, you’ll learn how to animate a timeline in Adobe After Effects, which can be useful for explainer videos.

You’ll learn how to:

  • create masks
  • use mattes
  • parent layers
  • animate with trim paths
  • animate text with text animation presets
  • utilize pre-comps

In this video:

Download the project files to follow along (or for a quick already set up animation, swap out the placeholder images for you own).

If you’re brand new to After Effects, check out this video.

Learn more about how to adjust motion curves in the graph editor.

How to export (render) your animation as a video file.

After Effects, Explained

Build real-world animation skills through 7 hands-on projects that come together as a final explainer animation. For beginner and intermediate animators ready to build real projects.

Learn More