In this course designed for videographers, graphic artists, and animators who have little or no experience using Adobe After Effects, the standard in the TV and film industries for motion graphics and compositions, you will learn how to incorporate text, graphics, and effects to your movies.

Certification:

This course prepares you to earn the Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) designation. Becoming an ACE means you have demonstrated a professional level of proficiency with one or more Adobe software products. To become an ACE, you must pass one or more product-specific proficiency exams and agree to the ACE terms and conditions.

What You'll Learn

• Basics of motion graphics
• Creating compositions
• Creating a basic animation
• Working with masks
• Working with text
• Working with shape layers
• Applying effects
• Rendering and outputting

Who Needs to Attend

Video, animation and graphics professionals who need an essential working understanding of Adobe After Effects

Prerequisites

• Practical working knowledge of computers

• Adobe Photoshop CS5 Fundamentals: An Introduction to Photoshop

Follow-On Courses

• Adobe InDesign Fundamentals: An Introduction to InDesign
• Adobe Photoshop CS5 Advanced: Print and Photography
• Adobe Photoshop CS5 Advanced: Web and Video
• Adobe Illustrator CS5 Fundamentals: An Introduction to Illustrator
• Adobe Flash CS5 Fundamentals: An Introduction to Flash

Course Outline

1. Fundamentals of Motion Graphics

• RGB Color Model
• Frame Size
• Resolution
• Pixel Aspect Ratio
• Alpha Channels
• Frame Rate
• Time Code
• Interpreting Footage

2. Getting to Know the Workflow

• How After Effects Works
• The Project Panel
• The Timeline Panel
• The Monitor Panel
• The Info Panel
• Other Panels
• Customizing the Workspace

3. Importing Files and Creating Compositions

• Importing Video Clips
• Importing Stills
• Importing a Sequence of Stills (Interpreting)
• Importing Multilayered Photoshop and Illustrator Files
• Creating a Composition and Arranging Layers
• Changing Parameters Globally
• Previewing Your Work

4. Creating a Basic Animation

• Using Animation Presets
• Position and Anchor Point
• Animating Position
• Using the Keyframe Navigators (J and K)
• Animating Scale, Rotation, and Opacity
• Keyframe Interpolation
• Temporal and Spatial Interpolation
• Auto, Continuous, and Bezier Interpolation
• Roving in Time

5. Working with Masks

• About Masks
• Creating a Mask with the Pen tool
• Editing a Mask
• Feathering the Edges of a Mask
• Replacing the Content of the Mask
• Mask Interpolation
• Mask for Position Keyframes
• Using Masks from Illustrator and Photoshop

6. Using Masks for Animation

• Masks for Position Keyframes
• Animating a Stroke
• Using Paths from Illustrator
• Animating a Signature

7. Text Basics

• About Text Layers
• Point Text vs. a Text Box
• Creating and Formatting Text
• Using a Text Animation Preset

8. Animating Text Manually

• Text on a Path
• Adding Animators
• Using the Range Selector
• Adding a Property
• Adding a Range Selector
• Using the Wiggly Selector
• Animating Imported Photoshop Text

9. Working with Shape Layers

• Creating Custom Shapes
• Creating Stars
• Properties of Shape Layers
• Adding Effects

10. Puppet Pin Tool

• Using the Puppet Pin Tool
• Animating the Pins
• Puppet Starch Tool
• Puppet Overlap Tool

11. Other Effects

• Time Remapping
• Motion Sketch
• The Smoother
• The Wiggler
• Auto Orient
• Splitting a Layer
• Adjustment Layers
• The Effects and Presets Panel

12. Rendering and Outputting

• The Render Queue
• Creating Templates for the Rendering Process
• Creating Templates for Output Modules
• Exporting to Different Output Media