Introduction to Adobe After Effects CS4

Delivery Options

• Live Online Training - Public Class (2 days): $790.00

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Upcoming Live eLearning Classes

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Class Description

Class Overview

Class Goals

• Get familiar with the After Effects CS4 work area
• Learn to work with frames
• Learn to import and edit text
• Learn about type
• Learn to work with color and styles
• Learn to link graphics
• Learn to create tables
• Learn to export to PDF
• Learn to work with XML

Class Outline

1. Getting to Know the Workflow
   1. Lesson overview
   2. Creating a project and importing footage
   3. Creating a composition and arranging layers
   4. Adding effects and modifying layer properties
   5. Animating the composition
   6. Previewing your work
   7. Optimizing performance in After Effects
   8. Rendering and exporting your composition
   9. Customizing the workspace
   10. Controlling the brightness of the user interface
   11. Finding resources for using After Effects
   12. Checking for updates
2. Creating a Basic Animation Using Effects and Presets
   1. Lesson overview
   2. Importing footage using Adobe Bridge
   3. Creating the composition
   4. Working with imported Illustrator layers
   5. Applying effects to a layer
   6. Applying an animation preset
   7. Previewing the effects
   8. Adding transparency
   9. Rendering the composition
3. Animating Text
   1. Lesson overview
   2. About text layers
   3. Creating and formatting point text
   4. Using a text animation preset
   5. Animating with scale keyframes
   6. Animating using parenting
   7. Animating imported Photoshop text
   8. Animating text using a path animation preset
   9. Animating type tracking
   10. Animating text opacity
   11. Using a text animator group
   12. Cleaning up the path animation
   13. Animating a nontext layer along a motion path
   14. Adding motion blur
   15. Exporting to Adobe Flash CS4 Professional
4. Working with Shape Layers
   1. Lesson overview
   2. Adding a shape layer
   3. Creating custom shapes
   4. Creating stars
   5. Incorporating video and audio layers
   6. Applying a Cartoon effect
   7. Adding a title bar
   8. Using Brainstorm to experiment
5. Animating a Multimedia Presentation
   1. Lesson overview
   2. Animating the scenery using parenting
   3. Adjusting an anchor point
   4. Masking video using vector shapes
   5. Keyframing a motion path
   6. Animating additional elements
   7. Applying an effect
   8. Creating an animated slide show
   9. Adding an audio track
   10. Zooming in for a final close-up
   11. Sending the project to reviewers
6. Animating Layers
   1. Lesson overview
   2. Simulating lighting changes
   3. Duplicating an animation using the pick whip
   4. Animating movement in the scenery
   5. Adjusting the layers and creating a track matte
   6. Animating the shadows
   7. Adding a lens flare effect
   8. Animating the clock
   9. Retiming the composition
7. Working with Masks
   1. Lesson overview
   2. About masks
   3. Creating a mask with the Pen tool
   4. Editing a mask
   5. Feathering the edges of a mask
   6. Replacing the content of the mask
   7. Adding a reflection
   8. Creating a vignette
   9. Adjusting the color
8. Distorting Objects with the Puppet Tools
   1. Lesson overview
   2. About the Puppet tools
   3. Adding Deform pins
   4. Defining areas of overlap
   5. Stiffening an area
   6. Animating pin positions
   7. Recording animation
9. Keying
   1. Lesson overview
   2. About keying
   3. Creating compositions in Device Central
   4. Changing the background color
   5. Adding the foreground subject
   6. Using garbage masks
   7. Applying the Color Difference Key effect
   8. Choking the matte
   9. Removing spill
   10. Adjusting contrast
   11. Adding the background animation
   12. Adding text
   13. Preparing the composition for mobile devices
10. Performing Color Correction
    1. Lesson overview
    2. Adjusting color balance
    3. Replacing the background
    4. Removing unwanted elements
    5. Correcting a range of colors
    6. Warming colors with the Photo Filter effect
11. Building 3D Objects
    1. Building a 3D object
    2. Working with a null object
    3. Working with 3D text
    4. Creating a backdrop for 3D animation
    5. Nesting a 3D composition
    6. Adding a camera
    7. Completing the scene
12. Using 3D Features
    1. Lesson overview
    2. Animating 3D objects
    3. Adding reflections to 3D objects
    4. Animating a camera
    5. Adjusting layer timing
    6. Using 3D lights
    7. Adding effects
    8. Adding motion blur
    9. Previewing the entire animation
13. Advanced Editing Techniques
    1. Lesson overview
    2. Using motion stabilization
    3. Using single-point motion tracking
    4. Using multipoint tracking
    5. Creating a particle simulation
    6. Retiming playback using the Timewarp effect
14. Rendering and Outputting
    1. Lesson overview
    2. Creating templates for the rendering process
    3. Creating templates for output modules
    4. Exporting to different output media

Class Materials

All students receive a course manual or book and all the class examples.

Students in private onsite classes will also receive:

• Adobe After Effects CS4 Classroom in a Book

Technical Requirements

Our computer technical requirements and setup process is easy, with support just a click away.

• Instructor-led Online course technical requirements and setup instructions.
• WebEx system requirements for Instructor-led Online delivery option.
• Onsite course technical requirements and setup instructions.