True mastery in After Effects isn’t knowing every effect. It’s knowing when not to use them.
It’s not about the software. It’s about what happens to your brain when you live inside a compositing program for too long.
Because after effects normality isn’t a style. It’s a habit. And habits can be broken.
You show a friend a clean, simple lower third. They say, “That’s nice.” You hear: “That’s boring.” So you add a faux VHS overlay. Then a camera shake. Then a glitch map. Now it’s “interesting.” And you’ve just contributed to the visual noise of the internet.
Welcome to .