When asking a question on the After Effects user-to-user forums, you can make it easier for folks to help you by proactively providing the answers to the following questions:
- What version of After Effects? Include the minor version number (e.g., After Effects CS5.5 with the 10.5.1 update). Don't just say "After Effects with the latest updates"; give the specific version number.
- Have you installed the recent updates? (If not, you should. They fix a lot of problems.)
- What operating system? This should include specific minor version numbers, like "Mac OSX v10.6.8"---not just "Mac".
- What kind(s) of source footage? When telling about your source footage, tell us about the codecs, not just the container types. For example, "H.264 in a .mov container", not just "QuickTime".
- If you are getting error message(s), what is the full text of the error message(s)?
- What were you doing when the problem occurred?
- Has this ever worked before? If this worked before by doesn't work now, what has changed on your computer in the intervening time?
- Do you have QuickTime installed. (You should.) If so, what version? The answer should be specific, such as "QuickTime 7.6.2".
- What other software are you running?
- Do you have any third-party effects or codecs installed?
- Tell us about your computer hardware. Include CPU type and number of processor cores, amount of RAM installed, GPU, number of disk drives, and how any external drives are connected.
- Do you have any third-party I/O hardware (e.g., AJA, Matrox, Blackmagic, MOTU)?
- Are you using OpenGL features in After Effects?
- Does the problem only happen with your final output, RAM preview, or both?
- Are you using Render Multiple Frames Simultaneously multiprocessing?
- What is the exact sequence of steps that you are taking?
Screenshots and sample movies are often very useful in showing exactly what you're seeing, and can thus make getting an answer faster and easier.
Also, please do everyone a favor and check the After Effects FAQ list and also do a quick After Effects Community Help search to see if your question has been addressed already.
