After Effects CS3 Essentials

PACKAGE INCLUDES

 •  Format - DVD-ROM
 •  Duration - 9.17 Hours of Beginning to Intermediate Training
 •  Author - Ko Maruyama
 •  Platform - Windows & Mac OS
 

COURSE INTRODUCTION

Discover the world of animation with After Effects CS3 Essentials. Hosted by professional animator Ko Maruyama, these training videos focus on new features and essential tools including Shape Layers, the Puppet Tool and Brainstorm. You’ll also learn how to use many of the new effects found in After Effects CS3 as well as how to import Photoshop Layer Styles. Learn the tricks you need to get on your way to producing high-end animations.

Highlights

 •  Learn how to create and animate graphics with new Shape Layers.
 •  Find out how you can bring your animation to life with the new Puppet Tool.
 •  Conjure up some suggested variants in your animations with the new Brainstorm user interface.
 •  Discover how to master some of the new Effects in After Effects CS3.
 •  Experience a streamlined workflow as you learn how to import your existing Photoshop layers.

COURSE OUTLINE

Part 1

Lesson 1: OVERVIEW OF AFTER EFFECTS CS3 (42 min)
1. Setting Preferences
2. Importing Illustrator? Files
3. Introducing the Shape Layer
4. Reusing Compositions
5. Animating with the Puppet Tool
6. Creating a Ramp Effect
7. Understanding Masks & Modes
8. Basic Keyframing
9. Animating a Title
10. Setting Up a Render

Lesson 2: NAVIGATING THE WORKSPACE (46 min)
1. Manipulating Panels & Creating a New Workspace
2. Examining the Project Pane
3. Information & Thumbnails in the Project Pane
4. Shortcuts to Find, Delete & Create a New Folder
5. Introducing Compositions & Timelines
6. Exploring the Composition Window
7. Examining the Icons & Columns in the Timeline
8. Navigating the Timeline & Adding Markers
9. Working with Layers in the Timeline

Lesson 3: IMPORTING & COLLECTING FOOTAGE (33 min)
1. Prepping an Image in Photoshop? or Illustrator
2. Importing Footage & Image Sequences
3. Importing as a Composition
4. Importing Layer Styles
5. Using the Edit Original Command
6. Saving as a Photoshop Document

Lesson 4: KEYFRAMING PARAMETERS (33 min)
1. Understanding Layer Parameters
2. Creating Simple Keyframes
3. Differentiating Anchor & Position
4. Selecting & Modifying Keyframes
5. Managing Temporal Speed
6. Using Hold Keyframes

Lesson 5: PARENTING, NESTING & INTRO TO EXPRESSIONS (33 min)
1. Linking Children to Parents
2. Creating a Precomposition
3. Keyframing Time
4. Parenting & More Parenting
5. Bringing It All Together
6. Final Comments & Credits

Part 2

Lesson 1: EFFECTS & ADJUSTMENTS (39 min)
1. Locating & Applying Effects
2. Using the Checkerboard Effect
3. Using the Distort & Transition Effects
4. Applying Effects to a Bitmap Image & a Shape Layer
5. Layering Priority
6. Saving an Animation Preset
7. Applying Multiple Instances of the Same Effect
8. Using a Layer to Define the Effect on Another Layer
9. Using Adjustment Layers

Lesson 2: MASKS, MATTES & MODES (43 min)
1. Applying Masks with the Vector Tool
2. Editing & Animating Mask Properties
3. Using Auto-trace to Generate Masks
4. Using Transparency & Masks to Reveal Images
5. Understanding Path Relationships
6. Using Shape Layers
7. Using a Track Matte
8. Preserving Transparency
9. Using a Composition as a Layer

Lesson 3: USING THE TYPE TOOL (46 min)
1. Setting Up the Character & Paragraph Palettes
2. Adding Text
3. Modifying Character Formatting
4. Fill & Stroke Options
5. Exploring the Paragraph Options
6. Creating Text from Photoshop? Layers
7. Introducing Animation Perimeters
8. Using Text Animators
9. Range Selector Basics
10. Converting Text to Outlines
11. Replacing Fonts & Another Type Treatment Example

Lesson 4: EXPORTING & OUTPUTTING (21 min)
1. Exporting as an SWF File
2. Exporting to Clip Notes
3. Making a Movie
4. Controlling Render Settings

Lesson 5: NEW TOOLS & FEATURES (33 min)
1. Introducing Shape Layers
2. Working with Shape Fills
3. Animating Shape Layers
4. Exploring Photoshop Integration
5. Using the Puppet Tool
6. Introducing 3D Type
7. Brainstorming with Eects

Lesson 6: SETTING PREFERENCES (11 min)
1. Setting General Preferences
2. View, Display, Import & Output Preferences
3. Appearance, Memory & Saving Preferences
4. Exploring New Preference Options

Lesson 7: TIPS, TRICKS & BEGINNER QUESTIONS (16 min)
1. Tips for Importing & Interpreting Footage
2. Managing Source Material
3. Making a New Composition
4. Working with Ram
5. Using the Collect Files Feature
6. Final Comments & Credits