As a rule of thumb, the project structure needs to be as flat as possible. It should contain one composition (named “main”), use placeholder images for images that you mean for the user to be able to change and keep all image assets that are either static or used for user options in the “(footage)” folder inside the project folder. The project should not keep any references to assets outside the project folder.
The “main” composition should be correctly set up, according to frame rate and settings as stated above but also timed correctly so that the composition length reflects the exact length of the template: Don’t use timeline-based out points as the only way of communicating that.
Insert a non-transparent solid as background in the main comp to ensure that the video renders correctly. Don’t rely on the “Background Color” setting in the Composition Settings panel.
How the project should be constructed (project pane, footage folder)
As stated, the project should be constructed of the main composition with all editable entities (footage and text fields) exposed. Revert from the use of advanced pre-comp structures.
Fonts and deliverables
All assets that are explicitly used in the project should be in the (footage) folder of the project folder, which holds the .aep file at the root level.
You should do a zip file with a descriptive name [your client name]_[name of the template]_[version number]_[date], and the zip should contain:
• A project folder with the .aep file and all assets used in the project in the structure described herein.
• A folder with the font files that are used in the project in .zip format. Rights clearance and licensing for fonts will have to be in place.
• A text file describing any instructions for the template.