Adobe After Effects is Slow Rendering Compositions

Adobe After Effects is Slow Rendering Compositions

Symptom
After Effects takes a very long time to render compositions.

Causes

  • Linked files for the composition may be stored on external media, including course shares or home space.
  • The Media Cache may be set to external media.

Solution

There are two parts to resolving this issue successfully. The first part involves setting the preferences in After Effects to use only local drives for the media cache; the second part involves collecting all files for the project in the LocalScratch to render them from the local drive. Files stored external to the computer in course shares, home spaces, or portable drives will take longer to access and process.

Part 1: Resetting the Media Cache

  1. Start After Effects and click "After Effects > Preferences > Media & Disk Cache."
  1. Set all Media Cache folders (3 in total) to the computer's LocalScratch, within a folder labeled using the format "username-AE-Cache". The naming convention is for simplicity, but you can choose another name if necessary.
  1. Quit After Effects and start it up again.

Part 2: Collecting all files to the LocalScratch

  1. Start After Effects and open your project file.
  2. Click on "File > Collect Files...".
  1. Store the file in the LocalScratch or another local drive.
  2. Close the open project and open the project file you just stored on the LocalScratch, making sure you open it from the LocalScratch.
  3. Render the composition.

Any time you encounter slowness rendering from After Effects, contact Technology Support at 941-359-7633 to report the issue. We want to know how often this issue surfaces so we can proactively support the needs of our students.

IT Support Hours

  • Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 4:30pm


phone: (941)359-7633

fax: (941)359-7615

online support requests (for current students, faculty, and staff): support@ringling.edu