After Effects I
Master the art of motion graphics
Adobe After Effects is a powerful application used to create motion graphics and visual effects for film and video. After Effects is used in a variety of contexts, including broadcast graphics, music videos, feature films, video rotoscoping, corporate presentations, and conferences.
In this 6-lesson course, you'll study with a leading animator and learn how to use After Effects to create sophisticated motion graphics—using text and object animations, compositing videos and images, and adding audio and effects. You'll learn how to set keyframes on a timeline and work with transform properties, motion paths, masks, and effects, developing a solid foundation in this increasingly popular and versatile program.
Tuition: $900 US
Course Instructor(s):
Requirements:
- Computer with Internet connection (broadband recommended).
- Computer that meets the Adobe After Effects recommended system requirements.
- Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5.
- Adobe Photoshop and experience in Photoshop.
Prerequisites:
Course Objectives:
- Create an After Effects composition on a timeline utilizing keyframes and anchor points.
- Apply transform properties: Anchor Point, Position, Scale, Rotation, and Opacity, and work with multiple layers of content.
- Utilize three kinds of interpolation: linear, Bezier, and hold to define the relationships between keyframes.
- Develop the skills to make original animations with text and objects.
- Create and import masks, layer masks, and backgrounds from Photoshop and combine video and still images with Photoshop artwork.
- Use blending modes to correct color, lighting, and sharpness in video footage and still images.
- Implement the basics of rotoscoping to composite a video.
- Slow down and speed up movie clips through time remapping.
- Utilize painting and erasing tools to add or remove elements from a movie.
- Gain techniques for introducing audio into After Effects projects.
Course Outline
LESSON 1 Intro to After Effects
Lesson One begins by familiarizing you with the many facets of the After Effects interface. After an introduction to some real-world After Effects applications, you'll dive right into using the basic features of the program. First you'll learn how to create, copy, and nudge keyframes in order to develop your first composition on a timeline. Then you'll learn the purpose of the transform properties (Anchor Point, Position, Scale, Rotation, and Opacity) and explore how to work with multiple layers. In the first project, you'll import a layered Photoshop file into After Effects and create a short weather animation.
LESSON 2 Motion Paths and Interpolation
Lesson Two explores how to customize motion paths to create realistic-looking animations. By delving further into keyframe interpolation, you will learn to use easing and velocity to gain control over motion in your animations. You will also learn how to paste motion paths from other programs into After Effects and zoom in and out of panels to get a better view of your intricate keyframing handiwork. In the exercise, you'll take on a classic animation challenge: animating a bouncing ball using linear and Bezier keyframes and scaling to achieve a convincing-looking action.
LESSON 3 Text and Effects
After Effects allows you to manipulate text with considerable control and finesse, which explains why it's a favorite for television and film titling. In Lesson Three, you will learn to use the Text tool along with text animation techniques such as motion blur and text effects presets. You will learn to import and manipulate text from Photoshop. For the project, you'll demonstrate your new skills by creating a 15-second preview for three upcoming TV shows.
LESSON 4 Masks and Effects
If you're familiar with non-linear editing, you'll have heard about the power of After Effects as a compositing tool. You can combine video files, stills, and Photoshop and Illustrator art (and more) into a single animation. Lesson Four shows you how. You'll learn to use layer masks to full advantage, creating custom shapes, and pasting them from Photoshop and Illustrator, while using alpha channels to manage transparency. You'll also become familiar with such widely used effects as stroke, scribble, and 3D. In the exercise, you'll get the chance to try out rotoscoping on your own.
LESSON 5 Blending Modes, Time Manipulation, and Painting
In this lesson, you will learn how to add original content or remove unwanted elements from your movies and beautify footage shot in less than ideal lighting conditions. You'll explore how to apply toning and blurring to your images or adjust their saturation and luminosity. You will also learn how to speed up and slow down time with time remapping. In the exercise, you'll create a movie in which Sesame Street puppets are seamlessly composited onto an animated background.
LESSON 6 Video, Audio, and Layers
After Effects projects can range from very simple to quite complex. In this lesson you'll be introduced to keyframe assistants and various other panels and tools that will make your make your projects easier and more efficient. You'll see how After Effects fits into the video production workflow and learn how to organize your files for output. Finally, you'll learn how to utilize sound to support an action and create an original final project that integrates audio into an animation.
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