Introduction to Adobe After Effects CC

Course Description

After Effects CC software lets you deliver cinematic visual effects and motion graphics faster than ever before with new Global Performance Cache. Extend your creativity with built-in text and shape extrusion, new mask feathering options. Get into motion graphics - come learn what After Effects CC can do!

Who Should Attend

Video, animation and graphics professionals who need a working knowledge of Adobe After Effects CC.

Prerequisites:

• Practical working knowledge of computers and basic Mac OS X or Windows skills.
• Photoshop Fundamentals: An Introduction to Photoshop class or equivalent experience is recommended.

Instructor in Action

Course Outline

Note: The curricula below comprise activities typically covered in a class at this skill level. The instructor may, at his/her discretion, adjust the lesson plan to meet the needs of the class.

Lesson 1: Fundamentals of Motion Graphics

• RGB Color Model
• Frame size
• Resolution
• Pixel aspect ratio
• Alpha channels
• Frame rate
• Time code
• Interpreting footage

Lesson 2: Getting to Know the Workflow

• How After Effects Works
• Overview of panels
• Creating a project and importing footage
• Creating a composition and arranging layers
• Adding effects and modifying layer properties
• Animating the composition
• Previewing your work
• Optimizing performance in After Effects
• Customizing workspaces
• Controlling the brightness of the user interface
• Finding resources for using After Effects

Lesson 3: Creating a Basic Animation Using Effects and Presets

• Importing using the Creative Cloud Library
• Importing video clips
• Importing stills
• Importing a sequence of stills (interpreting)
• Importing multilayered photoshop and illustrator files
• Creating a new composition
• Applying effects to a layer
• Changing parameters globally
• Creating keyframes
• Keyframe interpolation: auto, continuous, and bezier interpolation
• Temporal and spatial Interpolation
• Position vs. Anchor Point path
• Roving in time for spatial properties
• Creating and applying an animation preset
• Previewing your work
• Viewing Audio in the timeline
• Adding Markers in real-time

Lesson 4: 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
• Using masks from Illustrator and Photoshop
• Masks for spatial keyframes

Lesson 5: Animating Text

• About text layers
• Creating and formatting point text vs. paragraph text
• Using a text animation preset
• Text on a path
• Animating imported Photoshop text
• Animating text using a path animation preset
• Using a text animator
• Adding properties
• Adding a range selector
• Using a text animator group

Lesson 6: Working with Shape Layers

• Adding a shape layer
• Creating custom shapes
• Creating stars
• Default properties of shape layers
• Add properties
• Creating Groups
• Stack your shapes & properties

Lesson 7: Other Effects

• The smoother
• The wiggler
• Auto orient
• Splitting a layer
• Adjustment layers
• The effects and presets panel
• Pan Behind tool

Lesson 8: Distorting Objects with the Puppet Tools

• About the Puppet tools
• Adding Deform pins
• Defining areas of overlap
• Stiffening an area
• Animating pin positions
• Recording animation

Lesson 9: Rendering and Output

• Creating templates for the Render Queue
• Exporting using the Render Queue
• Rendering movies with Adobe Media Encoder