After Effects Essentials


  • Title: After Effects Essentials
  • Dates: Fri & Sat, November 10th and 11th (9a-5p, ~12 classroom hours)
  • Instructor: Trish Meyer and Chris Meyer (about)
  • Price: $490
  • Max Students: 24
  • Location: RMI - 525 Venezia Avenue, Venice, California 90291 (map)
  • Description:

    In this intensive 2-day hands-on class, learn the essential techniques for creating professional motion graphics in After Effects through in-class examples, tips and tricks used by the instructors Trish & Chris Meyer (authors of the best-selling "Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects" and "After Effects in Production" series of books) in their own professional work.

    This course is for new users of After Effects who would like to hit the ground running – in the right direction! You'll learn not only how to create refined animations, but also how to organize a hierarchy of compositions so that a complex project is easy to manage and edit. Emphasis is placed on learning the most useful keyboard shortcuts and developing good working practices.

    Although no prior experience is necessary, basic familiarity with After Effects will be helpful. It is suggested that students aquire After Effects Apprentice as a companion to this course.

    While After Effects CS3 will be used for this course, the techniques taught are entirely applicable to version 7. Students are free to use either version. A full 30-day tryout After Effects can be downloaded from Adobe's website.

    Mac version / PC Version.



    Course Outline

  • - Day 1

    • Introduction to the After Effects CS3 Interface
    • Importing Footage
    • Navigating in time and space
    • Animating Transformations (Position, Scale, Rotation)
    • Editing motion paths in the Comp panel
    • Adjusting velocity controls and interpolation in the Graph Editor.
    • RAM Preview vs. Standard Preview
    • Layer management & trimming
    • Editing the Anchor Point
    • Making a complex animation easy with Parenting & Null Objects
    • Building hierarchies by Nesting and Pre-composing comps
    • Understanding the internal render order

  • - Day 2

    • Importing Photoshop & Illustrator files as Compositions
    • Continuously rasterizing Illustrator layers
    • Blending Modes
    • Alpha & Luma Track Mattes
    • Using Track Mattes in a hierarchy
    • Basic Masking techniques
    • Creating text and using Text Animators
    • Apply and animating Effects
    • Adjustment Layers
    • Using and creating Animation Presets
    • The Render Queue: time-saving shortcuts and workflow tips
    • FLV and SWF Export

  • Computer Policy:

    To keep prices this low, all training is bring-your-own-laptop (we provide power and wireless internet access).

  • Refund Policy:

    Refunds are permitted prior to 14 days before the event, less a $25 administrative fee. Regrettably, due to venue capacity, we can not permit refunds within 14 days of the event.


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