Adobe After Effects Tutorial

Adobe's After Effects is a professional animation program that enables users to create detailed animations in both 2D and 3D. The program serves several other uses, including video special effects, 3D titles and compatibility with other Adobe software. At first glance, the program may seem impossible to learn and understand, but by breaking down the different elements, users can create animations and learn the functions within the first few projects.

1. Set Up

   • After opening the program, a project automatically begins. Create a new composition by right-clicking in the project window and choosing "New Composition." Select a video size from the list of options, and choose the default size, "NTSC DV." Import files into the project by right-clicking in the project window and selecting "Import." When importing Adobe Photoshop files, you can import them as footage or as a composition. Choose "composition" if you want to keep all your photo layers.

   Timeline

   • The Timeline window is the main base for creating and editing all the animations in After Effects. A file is not part of an animation until it has been dragged down to the Timeline. Once it is on the Timeline window, a preview of the object can be seen in the "Composition" window. The main adjustments to an animation are made through the "Transform" option under each animation. These include "Position," "Rotation," "Scale" and "Anchor Point."

   Key Frames

   • Create the animations by activating key frames. The key frames are controlled by the stopwatch icon next to each object's effect and options. The timeline navigator sets the point where the key frames are located, so always be aware of the position. Start a key frame animation by clicking the stopwatch icon so it is indented. Move the timeline navigator to the point where you want the animation to end, and set the end point for the animation. The key frames will fill in the rest of the animation for that object.

   Preview

   • View a preview of the project by going to "Windows" and "Time Controls." A small control window will pop up on the screen. Press the "Play" button to see a rough cut of what the animation will look like. Press the "Ram Render Play" button on the far right of the controls to render a preview of the actual final product. The video will loop until you click on the screen. Change the resolution at the bottom of the window if it's a long project that requires a lot of memory.

   Animations and Effects

   • Apply preset animations and effects to projects to add professional style and save time. Find these effects by going to "Window" and "Effects and Presets." A list of different effects and animations will load. Simply drag and drop an animation or effect onto an object to apply it to the object. Different effects include color correction, 3D, camera views and transitions like fades and wipes.