Research Resource Discovery

Expressions are one of the most powerful but underused features in After Effects. They can be used to animate layer properties with code, as compared to explicitly keyframing every value in the Timeline, and have multiple parameters and layers that follow the lead of a master layer or controller effect, making it much easier to coordinate complex animations and quickly accommodate client changes. In this introduction, Chris Meyer shows how to let After Effects do most of the work by creating simple but very useful expressions that can be put to work on a wide variety of jobs.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

Discover how to manipulate time in After Effects. Author Chris Meyer shows how to stop, slow, and speed up footage, and how to combine these techniques with nested compositions, expressions, and the Graph Editor. Along the way, he reveals several important yet somewhat hidden functions, such as the advanced composition setting that ensures predictable stop motion, the Frame Mix and Pixel Motion modes of the Frame Blending switch, and the Time Remap parameter.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

This installment of the After Effects Apprentice series introduces 3D space in Adobe After Effects. Authors Chris and Trish Meyer highlight key design considerations for working in 3D and provide step-by-step instructions for enhancing a scene with 3D lights and cameras. The course explores integration between Photoshop and After Effects, including modeling 3D objects with Repoussé extrusions and creating dimensional still images, and offers tips on using the different Axis Modes and maintaining maximum quality in 3D. There's also a chapter dedicated to the ray-traced 3D renderer, introduced in After Effects CS6, which allows you to build 3D layers into your composites, with realistic motion blur, depth of field, and reflections.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

Explore how to use the motion tracker and stabilizer built into After Effects and shows how to handle a variety of shots. Author Chris Meyer leads a quick tour of the third-party software mocha and demonstrates the workflow for The Foundry's KEYLIGHT, both bundled with After Effects. The course also covers tracking a greenscreen shot with a handheld camera and replacing its background.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

In this course, Trish and Chris Meyer introduce a series of creative tools inside Adobe After Effects. The centerpiece is Paint, where Trish demonstrates how to use the Brush, Eraser, and Clone Stamp tools to draw on a layer, remove portions of it, or repeat elements around a composition. These tools can be used for artistic purposes as well as to repair problem areas in footage. Chris shows off the Puppet tools for distorting layers, and the incredible Roto Brush, introduced in After Effects CS6, which allows you to separately define foreground and background elements so that you can replace backgrounds and selectively add special effects.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

In this course, author Chris Meyer shows how to create and animate vector-based artwork directly inside Adobe After Effects. The course covers the ins and outs of working with shape layers, including creating shape paths, applying shape effects, and reordering shape operators. The course also contains a series of exercises on creating common motion graphics elements using shape layers.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

This course pulls together the skills you've been learning in the previous After Effects Apprentice installments to create a real-world video promo. Trish leads you through building the artwork and components used in the final piece, and then Chris shows how to assemble these precompositions into a 3D world, timed to music. Along the way, Trish and Chris also share their thoughts as they design a video project, including unifying the overall look and handling change requests from clients.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

This project-oriented course leads you through the creative and technical process of building an opening title sequence from scratch in Adobe After Effects. Author Chris Meyer shows how to pull together numerous skills you've learned in the other After Effects Apprentice courses, from working in 3D space to creating type and shape layers to writing expressions. Along the way, Chris lets you in on the mental process he uses when creating similar spots for real-world clients, while sharing numerous tips that will help broaden your After Effects skills.

The After Effects Apprentice series was created by Trish and Chris Meyer. These tutorials are designed for After Effects CS4 through CC, and can be used on their own or as a companion to the Meyer's book, After Effects Apprentice.

Want to play video against "walls" or other objects in your After Effects animations? You need to learn how to map video to 3D space. Although After Effects supports 3D, its native implementation is rather limited. Fortunately, After Effects CC comes bundled with the 3D application CINEMA 4D Lite and a pipeline to integrate its output directly into the After Effects timeline. In this first of three project-oriented courses for C4D beginners, After Effects expert Chris Meyer shows you how to map video into the face of a 3D object, and then composite animated 3D text over it in After Effects.

These courses are designed for users who are familiar with 3D space in After Effects, but who have never used CINEMA 4D. This course includes an overview of the C4D Lite user interface, as well as setup information you need to know whenever you use live C4D layers in After Effects. A bonus chapter shows how to set up a C4D Lite and After Effects scene to maximize production efficiency—and minimize render times.

Look for the upcoming courses After Effects Apprentice 18 and 19 for more C4D Lite projects.

After Effects CC comes bundled with the 3D application CINEMA 4D Lite. But many new users are intimidated by 3D space. After Effects Apprentice offers three training courses just for C4D beginners. In this installment, After Effects expert Chris Meyer shows you how to create, extrude, and animate 3D text in C4D Lite, and believably composite it over a 2D background inside After Effects. The tutorials cover creating 3D text from scratch, animating with effectors, texture mapping and lighting the text, working with 3D cameras, and rendering. Chris also shows a workflow for extruding Illustrator artwork for animation.

The first course in the series, After Effects Apprentice 17, includes an overview of the C4D Lite user interface, as well as important setup information you need to know whenever you use live C4D layers in After Effects. We recommend you watch it first if you have no prior experience with C4D.

Learning After Effects? Take your skills to the next dimension: 3D. After Effects CC comes bundled with the 3D application CINEMA 4D Lite and a pipeline to integrate its output directly into the After Effects timeline. In this course for C4D beginners, After Effects expert Chris Meyer shows you how to track and extract the camera move and ground plane from already shot footage, and add a 3D model—complete with lighting and shadows—to the scene. These project-based lessons are a great way to familiarize yourself with C4D motion tracking and layers.

The first course in the series, After Effects Apprentice 17, includes an overview of the C4D Lite user interface, as well as important setup information you need to know whenever you use live C4D layers in After Effects. We recommend you watch it first if you have no prior experience with C4D.

Work along with motion graphics artist Eran Stern in this course, as he uses After Adobe Affects and Illustrator to create a TV broadcast promo from concept to design. Eran shows how to build compelling broadcast graphics, tell a short story with huge impact, and create a graphic package for a special sports event by harnessing the power of simulation effects, 3D spheres, and live footage. The course also offers tips on building a matching color scheme for your video, creating 3D titles, and much more.

In this one-of-a-kind workshop, motion graphics artist Eran Stern shares techniques for using Adobe After Effects to create an eye-grabbing sci-fi visual effect. Follow along as Eran takes a homemade video shot, prepares it for high-end postproduction, and uses a combination of tools in After Effects to achieve a complex, realistic visual effect. The course covers tracking, masking, and effects, as well as how to animate strokes, repeat elements, and fix problem areas in your footage.

Well-done motion graphics have the ability to add interest to even the driest subject matter. In this course, learn how to leverage the 3D options in Adobe After Effects to create a bouncing animated sphere that can make your motion graphics project stand out. To familiarize you with the technical aspects of creating and animating this sphere, Ran Ben Avraham takes you through his creative workflow. He demonstrates how to create a basic sphere, create squash and stretch animation, prepare your sphere for animation, and animate it.

This is a project-based learning experience. Each step of the process is rich with object lessons that are applicable to the variations that a motion design and compositing artist will face in the real world.

Get a glimpse behind the scenes of a real-world commercial made with After Effects. This course is for artists who are familiar with After Effects and want to better understand advanced techniques, design concepts, and approaches to complex projects.

The featured product is the N-trig pen, a digital pen that "draws the line from idea to technology." You will reverse engineer the finished project to understand the practical steps and creative decisions the filmmakers made along the way.

Eran Stern shows how to decode a client brief, present design concepts for signoff, create previsualizations and animatics, and then transition the design to After Effects. Many of the effects, such as dust layers, streaks of light, and geometric lines, are achieved using some of Eran's favorite third-party plugins (Particular, Form, and Plexus). The lessons are full of practical examples for broadcast television as well as online distribution. Along the way, Eran weaves in tips, shortcuts, and professional techniques that will amaze both veteran After Effects users and new motion graphics artists.

After Effects Breakdowns is for artists who want to better understand advanced techniques, design concepts, and approaches to complex motion graphics projects. The infographics-driven video in this installment, designed for the nonprofit organization Com.unity, explains how social tech is designed to solve large-scale social problems, such as obesity, accessibility, and car accidents. Watch Eran Stern reverse engineer the finished project using his favorite tools: After Effects and a few third-party plugins (Animation Composer, Particular, and Newton).

Eran shows how to decode a client brief, perform storyboarding in Illustrator, and then transition the design to After Effects for animation. Along the way, he weaves in tips, shortcuts, and professional techniques that will amaze both veteran After Effects users and new motion graphics artists.

Delve into the world of motion graphics, keying, and compositing in After Effects CC. In this course, Ian Robinson lays out six foundations for becoming proficient with After Effects, including concepts such as layers, keyframe animation, and working with 3D. To help you get up and running with the program, the course begins with a project-based chapter on creating an animated graphic bumper. Next, explore the role layers play in compositions and find out how to add style to your projects using effects and graphic elements. Last, see how to build 3D objects with CINEMA 4D Lite, as well as stabilize footage, solve for 3D cameras, and paint in graphics with the Reverse Stabilization feature.

Veteran After Effects user Chris Meyer shares real-world production and workflow advice as he demonstrates the newest features in Adobe After Effects CC. Chris reviews the streamlined connection to MAXON CINEMA 4D and the Refine Edge tool for creating mattes around hair and other partially transparent areas, and reveals how to get more accurate tracks and stabilizations with Reverse Stabilization and ground planes. He also reviews the upgraded Warp Stabilizer and 3D Camera Tracker and important new usability features such as layer snapping.

The September 2013 update brought the new Rigid Mask Tracker, as well as additional ways to scale up footage cleanly, while the highlight of the December 2013 update was the ability to convert parametric shape layers to Bézier paths, and Bézier paths into shape layers. The NAB 2014 update shows off important new integration with Adobe Premiere Pro and Typekit, as well major updates to effects. Smaller yet still important new and enhanced features in each release are also touched on throughout. As always, Chris doesn't just show you where these new features are, but how to apply them to your own projects, along with preferred working practices and potential gotchas.

Note: This course was created and produced by Chris and Trish Meyer. We are honored to host this content in our library.

After Effects CC Essential Training covers all of the fundamentals required to get new video editors and mograph artists up to speed with this powerful program. The first two chapters explore the key concepts, terminology, and interface of After Effects, and break down the six foundations of After Effects mastery—compositions, layers, animation, effects, 3D, and rendering. Follow-up chapters introduce a variety of real-world projects designed to reinforce the skills you've learned, such as:

• Building graphics such as lower thirds, logos, and credit rolls
• Repairing and retiming video
• Keying green-screen footage
• Rotoscoping
• Animating a 3D logo
• Motion tracking

Your guide, Ian Robinson, wraps up the course with some project management techniques that will help you merge projects from multiple editors, and get you in the habit of archiving completed work.

Adobe After Effects CC 2015 brings significant breakthroughs in performance and shared workflows—and in this course, master user Chris Meyer will show you how to put them to work in real-world situations. After Effects has been rewired underneath the hood to be more responsive, including a new preview scheme optimized for those with an editing background. Creative Cloud Libraries were also introduced in the CC 2015 release, as well as face tracking technology thanks to Adobe Character Animator, which is now bundled with the program. With over 20 years experience using After Effects, Chris Meyer demonstrates these and other changes using real-world examples, including how to work around the inevitable shortcomings and gotchas.

Check back often for updates. New chapters will be added each time Adobe releases a major After Effects update.

In this course, Alan Demafiles covers the core aspects of After Effects commonly used in editing and post production: masks, shapes, type, logos, stills, animating, rendering, and exporting. To begin, Alan compares After Effects to Premiere Pro so you can see the similarities and differences. Then he dives into hands-on demonstrations of how to limit effects with masks, create elements with shape layers, use text templates, animate a logo, and create a 3D type extrusion. Next he shows you how to work with imported pictures, create a Z-space camera montage, change the speed of animations, and more. He wraps up by walking through outputting steps and then kicks off a challenge exercise where you can put your skills into practice.

Get up and running with After Effects CC 2017. Although this is an introductory course, if you're brand new to After Effects, check out After Effects CC 2017 Essential Training: The Basics; in that course, instructor Mark Christiansen starts from the very beginning, introducing you to the interface and other basic concepts to help you understand what After Effects is, and how it's used in a variety of workflows.  In this course, Alan Demafiles covers all of the main aspects of this program, providing you with a solid foundation for using this tool in a motion graphics context. To begin, Alan breaks down After Effects into six foundations, each of which serve as the basis for subsequent course chapters. He covers how shape layers offer some of the power of Illustrator vector tools right in After Effects, and shares basic animation techniques like creating looped animation with expressions. In addition, he also touches on the program's powerful Type tool and shows you how adding type animators can make unique text manipulation possible. He wraps up the course with a project-based chapter that helps reinforce your new skills and provides you with valuable workflow tips.

After Effects CC is powerful, versatile, and complex. But if you need to learn it for the first time, it helps to break down the program into its very basics. This course is designed to help absolute beginners understand the fundamental concepts and techniques that make After Effects the flagship motion graphics and compositing application—without bogging you down with too many options or theories. In the first chapter, instructor Mark Christiansen shows the simplest way to guide a shot from start to finish through the program, working with its most popular features: the Timeline, layers, keyframes, effects, and the Render Queue. The second chapter features a short motion project that shows how all the tools come together in a real-world workflow. Start here to learn everything you need to get up and running with After Effects CC 2017.

Find out what the latest update to After Effects CC has in store for VFX and motion graphic artists. This update is part of the Creative Cloud 2017 overhaul, and offers exciting new performance improvements (like instant preview) and workflow enhancements, including markers with durations, one-click Adobe Media Encoder queues, and freeze frames for final frames. Instructor Mark Christiansen also shows how to use new features to find missing fonts by syncing with Typekit, create luminance-based alpha channels using Red Giant's Unmult plugin as an animation preset, render compositions with the built-in CINEMA 4D renderer, and collaborate more effectively than ever with After Effects team projects.

The November 2016 release is just the first of many for After Effects CC 2017. Mark will update the course as soon as new features are released. Check back often for new tutorials.

Learn how to create stunning visual effects with one of the most widely-used and highly-regarded compositing applications on the market—Adobe After Effects CC 2017. Although this is an introductory course, if you're brand new to After Effects, check out After Effects CC 2017 Essential Training: The Basics; in that course, instructor Mark Christiansen starts from the very beginning, introducing you to the interface and other basic concepts to help you get up and running with the popular program.

In this course, Alan Demafiles dives into the fundamentals you need to start creating visual effects with After Effects CC 2017. Discover how to work with green screen footage, use rotoscoping to separate foreground from background, track footage, and add your own 3D elements to a scene. Learn how to use particles to create fire, use noise to replace the sky, and more. In the final, project-based chapter, reinforce your new skills by putting techniques into practice using real-world scenarios.