Modifying downloaded AE Templates

Question

Folks: Hi and thanks for the forum. I’m relatively new to AE and am puzzled by (quite) a few things. I’m very fluent in digital video editing (I use Avid Media Composer) and was looking/hoping to use some glitzy video opener to a new project I’m doing; I am hoping to find some flashy intro that has four or five text blocks, maybe an image where I can insert my own media
First I went to Adobe and downloaded the free 30-day trial of After Effects (through Cloud Content, it seems). Then, I’ve found free AE templates on various websites, but it seems like every single one when I go to open it (the files came zipped – I unzipped them and then double-clicked the AE Project file in the folders) tells me a multitude of errors have occurred, most commonly –
“This project must be converted from version 8.0x247 (Windows)…” – or some similar message; more often it says MAC OS.
“The following dependencies are missing: “ and lists several fonts…
“After Effects Warning: X# files are missing since you last saved the project” (although I’ve NEVER saved it – yet; I just downloaded and opened it…).
“After Effects Warning: File (NAME OF PROJECT) is locked. You can’t save any changes to this file.”
On most of the files I seem to get a set of color cars as background instead of any image.
When I look to the lower left of the workspace, I don’t seem to see ANY text available to modify…
Man, am I feeling like a TOTAL newbie… Can anyone suggest a way I can locate some decent glitzy project file(s)

Answer 1

foolery1962 wrote:
“This project must be converted from version 8.0x247 (Windows)…” – or some similar message; more often it says MAC OS.
This simply means that the project was designed in a versin of AE older than your version.  So long as the file opens, it's nothing to worry about.  Save your working copy of the project and you won't see the message again.
“The following dependencies are missing: “ and lists several fonts…
The fonts used by the project designer are not installed on your system.  If they weren't supplied with the project, track them down online and download and install them.  Or change any text layers in the project to new fonts.
“After Effects Warning: X# files are missing since you last saved the project” (although I’ve NEVER saved it – yet; I just downloaded and opened it…).
This means that AE can't find the source files that the designer used.  These could be image files, like PSDs, JPGs or Illustrator files.  Or they could be video files, like Quicktimes.  If the downloaded project came with additional files, you can just double click on a missing file in the project window, then direct AE to the file's correct location.  If you don't have any such files you're outta luck.
“After Effects Warning: File (NAME OF PROJECT) is locked. You can’t save any changes to this file.”
This sounds like a permissions issue.  Save a copy of your project with a new name.
I strongly advise you to use some of the resources available here to learn the basics of AE before you jump in deeper than you can swim.