Learn about the After Effects workflow. Import footage into a project. Create layers in a composition by dragging footage into the Timeline panel. Render and export a movie by using the render queue.
The first step in many After Effects workflows is to import footage, whether it's video, still images, or audio. Explore the multiple ways to import files and organize assets in the Project panel.
Learn how to work in the Timeline panel. Hide and show layers with the Video switch. Learn about layer duration and how to use composition markers. Zoom in and out in the Timeline panel, and move forward and backward in time.
Animate layers quickly and easily by using animation presets. Drag and drop animation presets onto layers in the Timeline panel and combine them for a unique result.
Animate layer properties by using keyframes. Modify properties over time by using the Effect Controls panel and the Timeline panel. Adjust the start and end points for an effect. Change the direction of an animation and adjust a layer's opacity.
After Effects ships with more than 200 effects, including effects for color correction, distortion, and even audio adjustments. Search for an effect and drag and drop it onto a layer in the Timeline panel. Adjust effects in the Effect Controls panel.
Render and export a composition as a playable movie file. Change output module settings in the Render Queue panel to choose output format and file destination.
Adobe After Effects CS5: Basic Workflow and Terminology Overview
Before diving in to the details, you'll want to get a big-picture view of After Effects. In this video, you'll see how the pieces fit together and learn the basic terms that will be used throughout this training.
Learn the advantages of a 64-bit After Effects application, including longer RAM previews and the ability to render larger frames. See how to allocate memory to After Effects and other applications for optimum performance.
Learn how to create and prepare artwork in Illustrator for use in After Effects. Learn how to maximize the quality and flexibility of vector graphics in After Effects.
Tour Adobe Media Encoder CS5 and learn how to add files to the encoding queue, customize settings, and thin and edit XMP metadata. Learn how to use Adobe Media Encoder with After Effects and Premiere Pro.
See how to quickly apply the new Warp Stabilizer to footage for instant gratification, including setting the Smoothness amount as well as choosing between Smooth Motion and No Motion.
Learn more about the new Warp Stabilizer's Result and Smoothness settings, Stabilization Method, choices for how to treat the borders of an image, and automatic scaling options.
Explore the new Warp Stabilizer's advanced settings, including its innovative Synthesize Edges option. In the process, you will learn how to make custom adjustments to compensate for problem footage.
The Warp Stabilizer's ability to automatically distinguish between foreground and background requires user intervention on some shots, such as a greenscreen stage with tracking dots in the background. Learn how to work around these issues.
Chris Meyer gives an overview of the significant updates to 3D space inside After Effects CS5.5, and then explores the creative options provided by the new 3D Light Falloff parameters.
Explore the greatly enhanced 3D Camera Depth of Field options in After Effects CS5.5, including realistic iris simulations as well as the ability to enhance specular highlights.
After Effects CS5.5 sports several new tools that automatically sets a 3D camera's depth of field focal plane to align with chosen objects inside your 3D worlds.
After Effects CS5.5 makes it easy to create a 3D Orbit Camera Rig, which simplifies circular animations. Chris Meyer expands on this by demonstrating how to perform smooth crane and zoom moves with this rig as well.
The greatly improved Camera Lens Blur effect in After Effects CS5.5 allows you to add the same advanced iris simulations and highlight enhancements to already-shot 2D footage offered in CS 5.5 by the impressive new 3D camera depth of field.
See how After Effects CS5.5 greatly eases the creation and control of stereoscopic camera rigs for 3D layers. Chris Meyer explains the resulting chain of compositions, including how to preview, where to add stereo footage, and what to render.
Learn how the new stereoscopic 3D camera rig plus resulting chain of compositions in After Effects CS5.5 are manipulated by the Stereo 3D Controls effect, including setting camera separation (inter-axial distance) and the convergence options.
The Stereo 3D Glasses effect has been updated in After Effects CS5.5, including better convergence and alignment options for correcting problem footage plus a wider range of stereoscopic viewing options. Color balance workflows are also explored.
An oft-overlooked issue in stereoscopic production is how the point of convergence relates to the viewing plane. Chris Meyer demonstrates adding 3D depth of field blur to the equation to create more realistic, easier-to-view scenes.
Chris Meyer shows how a visually oriented person can take advantage of the Favorites and Presets in Audition to improve their After Effects soundtracks, from utilities such as Repair DC Offset to creative possibilities such as lo-fi simulations.
Learn the proper workflow for using Audition with After Effects CS5.5 to enhance the sound when audio is already embedded in video sources. Includes a tutorial for using Audition's Dynamics Processing module to improve the loudness of voiceovers.
Chris Meyer reviews existing methods to work on one portion of a chain of compositions while viewing the final result in another, then introduces a new feature in After Effects CS5.5 that simplifies opening a second viewer for side-by-side work.
Review recent enhancements for finding sources, effects, and parameters that may be buried deep inside an After Effects project, including the new-in-CS5.5 "Most Recently Used" search terms - plus the power of "and" versus "or" searches.
As an extension of Adobe's recent focus on metadata and being able to track information throughout a production, After Effects CS5.5 now has the ability to access the Media Start and End times as well as "tape" names for assets that include them.
Gain a better understanding of how After Effects takes advantage of both RAM and disk caching for both individual layers and entire compositions to improve performance and reduce rendering times.
Chris Meyer demonstrates the new 3D Point Control for expressions, plus the ability to tie together effects with complex arbitrary controls. He also lists the additions and enhancements to both expressions and scripting in After Effects CS5.5.
After Effects CS5.5 includes the long-requested ability to save a project file back to the prior version. Chris Meyer demonstrates how this interacts with the new features added in CS5.5, including the ability to remember CS5.5-specific effects.
