Composition Settings

Term from Motion Graphics industry explained for recruiters

Composition Settings are the fundamental building blocks in motion graphics and animation software like Adobe After Effects. Think of them as the canvas settings where artists define how their animation will look and play. This includes things like the size of the video, how long it runs, and the quality of playback. It's similar to how a painter chooses their canvas size and type before starting artwork. When someone mentions Composition Settings in their resume, they're showing they understand how to properly set up animation projects from the start.

Examples in Resumes

Managed multiple projects using custom Composition Settings to meet varied client delivery requirements

Optimized Comp Settings for both web and broadcast deliverables

Created template Composition Settings for consistent project delivery across team projects

Typical job title: "Motion Graphics Artists"

Also try searching for:

Motion Designer Animation Artist Visual Effects Artist Motion Graphics Designer Digital Animator After Effects Artist Multimedia Artist

Where to Find Motion Graphics Artists

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you determine the optimal composition settings for different delivery platforms?

Expected Answer: A senior artist should explain how they consider factors like final output (TV, web, mobile), client requirements, and project complexity when setting up compositions. They should mention resolution, frame rate, and render optimization strategies.

Q: How do you manage composition settings across large-scale projects with multiple team members?

Expected Answer: Should discuss creating project templates, developing standard operating procedures, and implementing quality control measures to maintain consistency across team deliverables.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What composition settings would you use for a social media campaign versus broadcast television?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain different resolution requirements, frame rates, and aspect ratios for various platforms, showing understanding of delivery specifications.

Q: How do you handle composition settings when working with client-provided assets?

Expected Answer: Should discuss checking source material specifications, adjusting composition settings to match, and ensuring quality isn't lost in the process.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic composition settings you need to check before starting a project?

Expected Answer: Should mention frame size (width and height), duration, frame rate, and background color as fundamental settings to consider.

Q: How do you create a new composition with specific settings?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe the basic process of creating a new composition and where to find and adjust basic settings in common software like After Effects.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic knowledge of standard composition sizes
  • Understanding of common frame rates
  • Ability to create basic compositions
  • Knowledge of resolution requirements

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Advanced composition organization
  • Multi-platform delivery setup
  • Template creation
  • Optimization techniques

Senior (5+ years)

  • Project-wide composition management
  • Complex multi-composition projects
  • Team workflow optimization
  • Technical specification development

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Unable to explain basic composition settings like resolution and frame rate
  • No knowledge of industry-standard delivery specifications
  • Lack of experience with different output formats
  • No understanding of optimization techniques