How to decrease resolution from 1920x1080 to 720?

Question

I have After Effects CC running on Windows 10.

I have this template with resolution of 1920x1080. After rendering with this resolution my video player keeps on buffering, possibly because the resolution is really too high.

So when I try to render, where settings should I go to change resolution?

Answer 1

I would reccomend downscaling after, maybe using handbrake. Also, when you upload the video to YouTube, it may just be your pc that lags.

Answer 2

Your video player might keeps buffering for other reasons, try this before changing resolution:

• Video player might be buffering due to a huge file size, especially if you render as AVI. Try H.264 and see how it goes.
• Video player might be buffering due to the player itself, try other video players on your PC, you might also try "Media Player Classic" here its light weight and free. Most probably its your PC that can't handle the file.

To change resolution in After Effects do this:

1. In the composition you want to render, select all layers and Right Click > Pre-compose.
2. Click composition in the upper panel and chose Composition Settings > Change Width & Height and click ok.
3. Scale down your Pre-composed layer to composition size and render.

Answer 3

As mentioned by other users I don't think down-res'ing is the right option. But I thought I'd chime in to at least answer the question directly so you have that data too!

The easiest way to down-res the clip would be to take the composition you are rendering and place it into a precomposition by dragging it onto the comp icon at the bottom of the project panel. Then open the new composition and under the menu bar click Composition>Composition Settings and change the width and height to 1280 x 720 respectively. And lastly select the one layer in your new composition and right-click it, then choose Transform>Fit to Comp.

Answer 4

Try reducing the file's data rate, not just it's resolution. If your data rate's set too high (and a lot of programs' default settings are higher than they need to be), that'll cause your player to buffer more frequently without necessarily increasing image quality enough to justify the choppy playback.

Answer 5

Adobe Media Encoder, as a Standalone App, Can Re-Render Videos

When using Adobe CC for video (After Effects, Premiere Pro, etc.), as part of the rendering process, the base program passes the files through Adobe Media Encoder (AME). The AME app can also be used on its own to fix your videos after an initial rendering:

1. Open AME,
2. drop in the file,
3. adjust the video settings, especially the data-rate; and
4. export the file.