Each one of us has our own secrets, and it seems that After Effects has its fair share as well. Whether you refer to it as a secret or an easter egg, the screaming goat sound is the most peculiar thing I’ve ever noticed in After Effects.

While working on a project, I accidentally pressed a combination of keys, and my After Effects let out a ‘mehhhhhhhhhhh‘.

At first, I was taken aback and assumed it might have been my browser. However, after scouring online forums and Creative Cow, I discovered this Easter Egg within After Effects.

Typically, failed renders cause After Effects to emit a goat-like “maaah.” But you can also trigger this sound manually.

Shift-click on the top of the Effects window, right below where it says ‘Effect Controls: Layer Name‘, and you’ll hear a distinct and loud goat sound.