# After Effects

> Describe a look and an AI model plans video effects, such as a color grade, film grain, vignette, letterbox or motion blur, and previews them before you render.

Source: https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/after-effects

The **After Effects** node adds post-processing effects to a video from a plain-language description. An AI model turns your prompt into an effect plan, such as a warm color grade with a vignette and film grain. The settings panel previews the plan on your video. Connect the plan to [Render Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/render-video) to get the finished clip.

- Found in: Video › Titles, Graphics & Captions
- Output: video
- API type: `after-effects`

## When to use it
- You want a cinematic color grade on raw footage or on an AI-generated clip.
- You want a vintage look with film grain and a vignette.
- You want a letterboxed widescreen frame.
- You want animated blur, motion blur or a trail effect to stress a moment, or a ghosting echo.

## Quick start
### Add the node

Press Tab on the canvas and choose **Video › Titles, Graphics & Captions › After Effects**.

### Connect a video

Drag from the output of any video node to the **Video** input. The node needs a video to run.

### Describe the look

In the settings panel, type the effects under **Effect Prompt**, for example `cinematic color grade with warm tones and a subtle vignette`. Set **Duration (s)** to the length of your video.

### Run it, check it, render it

Click **Run**. A preview of the effects on your video appears in the settings panel. When the look is right, connect the **Composition** output to a [Render Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/render-video) node and run it.

Workflow: Raw footage gets a warm grade, film grain and a letterbox, is rendered, then uploaded.

- Upload Video → After Effects (video)
- After Effects → Render Video (composition)
- Render Video → YouTube Upload

## Inputs
| Input | Accepts | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Video** | Video nodes | The source video for the effects. Required. |

The output, **Composition**, is the effect plan. It connects only to [Render Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/render-video).

## Settings
| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **AI Model** | The language model that writes the effect plan. The default is **Claude Sonnet 4.6**. The model's tier (**Economy**, **Standard** or **Premium**) sets the price. |
| **Reasoning Effort** | Shown for models that can reason. **Auto (model default)** keeps the price. **Very high** and **Max** may bill one tier up. |
| **Advanced mode** | Gemini models only. Unlocks **Temperature**, **Max Tokens** and the full reasoning range, and costs one credit tier more. |
| **Effect Prompt** | The look you want, in plain words. |
| **FPS** | `24`, `30` or `60` frames per second. The default is `30`. Under **Settings**. |
| **Duration (s)** | From 1 to 300 seconds. The default is 10. Under **Settings**. |

## Available effects

| Effect | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Color grade** | Changes the colors and tones of the picture. |
| **Vignette** | Darkens the edges of the frame. |
| **Grain** | Adds film grain. |
| **Noise** | Adds noise to the picture. |
| **Letterbox** | Adds bars for a widescreen frame. |
| **Animated blur** | A blur that changes over time. |
| **Trail** | Ghost copies of the picture that follow it, for a ghosting or echo effect. |
| **Motion blur** | Blurs the picture to suggest motion. |

## Credits
After Effects costs credits in two steps:

1. **Writing the plan.** The price follows the tier of the **AI Model**: Economy, Standard or Premium. The range is shown in the box at the top of this page.
2. **Rendering the plan.** [Render Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/render-video) costs 50 credits per render on Nodaro Cloud.

## Tips
- **Describe the look, not the tools.** "Cinematic color grade with warm tones and a subtle vignette" works better than a list of settings.
- **Use one node for many effects.** Combine every effect in one prompt instead of chaining After Effects nodes.
- **Match the duration to the video.** A **Duration (s)** longer than the source video leaves blank frames at the end.
- **Check before you render.** The preview shows the effects on your video, so you only pay for the render once the look is right.
- **Want a new style, not an effect?** To restyle the picture itself, for example as a watercolor, use [Video to Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/video-to-video).

## Frequently asked questions

### Which effects can the After Effects node apply?

Color grade, vignette, film grain, noise, letterbox, animated blur, trail and motion blur. Describe the look you want and the AI model chooses and combines the effects.

### Why does After Effects not give me a video file?

The node writes an effect plan, not a video. Connect its Composition output to a Render Video node, which renders the effects onto your video as an MP4.

### Can I check the look before I render?

Yes. After a run, the settings panel shows a preview of the effects on the source video. Change the prompt and run again until the look is right, then render.

### Should I chain several After Effects nodes for several effects?

No. Describe all the effects in one prompt, for example "warm grade, subtle vignette and light film grain". One node combines them in one plan.

### How many credits does After Effects cost?

Writing the plan costs credits by the tier of the AI Model you choose. Rendering it with Render Video costs 50 credits on Nodaro Cloud.