by Jeff Sengstack | Publisher: Infinite Skills | Release Date: November 2012 | ISBN: 9781771370486

In this After Effects CS6 training course, expert trainer Jeff Sengstack introduces you to this powerful, non-linear visual effects software from Adobe. This tutorial is designed for the beginner, with no previous experience in After Effects required.Your lessons begin with an overview of what After Effects is, and what it can do. You will explore the workspace, and how that is used in your workflow. You then jump head first into creating your first project, and importing assets. Once you are are comfortable with the interface and basics of managing your project, this computer based training course teaches you how to use features such as layers, adding and animating text, working with shapes, using paint tools and masks as well as animating objects. You learn how to apply effects and transitions, how to use expressions, about tracking motion, how to work in 3D space, and finally, saving and exporting your project.With over 15 hours of training in this video tutorial, but the time you have completed it, you will have a deep understanding of the fundamentals of After Effects CS6 and how to apply what you have learned to your own projects. Extensive working files and assets are included to allow you to work alongside the author using the same files he is throughout the training, allowing you to reproduce the same results on your own.

1. Introduction
   • Outlining What Is Covered In This Course 00:08:13
   • An Overview Of Adobe After Effects CS6 - Part 1 00:09:27
   • An Overview Of Adobe After Effects CS6 - Part 2 00:09:34
   • Setting Up The Exercise Files 00:02:11
   • Re-Linking To Assets 00:04:38
2. Explaining The After Effects Workflow And Workspace
   • Explaining The Workflow 00:04:46
   • Walking Through A Mini-Project 00:11:29
   • Touring The Workspace 00:07:39
   • Customizing The Workspace 00:09:06
   • Examining Timeline Panel Features 00:10:44
3. Creating A Project And Importing Footage
   • Starting A New Project 00:03:44
   • Importing Video, Audio, Graphics, And Still Images 00:09:09
   • Importing Layered Photoshop And Illustrator Files 00:09:38
   • Organizing Assets In The Project Panel 00:08:58
4. Creating, Arranging And Compositing Layers In A Composition
   • Creating A New Comp 00:07:22
   • Adding Assets To A Comp 00:06:30
   • Adding Layers To A Comp 00:05:12
   • Adjusting Comp Panel Settings 00:08:29
   • Viewing And Previewing A Comp 00:11:36
   • Selecting, Moving, Trimming And Splitting Layers 00:13:23
   • Working With Image Sequences 00:06:02
5. Modifying And Animating Layer Transform Properties
   • Setting Layer Transform Property Values 00:12:13
   • Animating Transform Properties With Key Frames 00:12:11
   • Creating And Changing Motion Paths 00:15:17
   • Using Easy Ease And Hold Key Frames 00:19:24
   • Using Anchor Points And Motion Blur To Create Whip Pans 00:12:32
6. Working With Text
   • Creating And Editing Text 00:10:38
   • Using Layer Styles With Text 00:13:47
   • Importing Text From Photoshop And Converting To Editable Text 00:09:27
   • Moving Text Along A Path 00:10:33
   • Using The Source Text Property To Instantly Change Text Characteristics 00:04:34
7. Animating Text
   • Text Animation Basics 00:06:59
   • Using Animation Presets 00:10:23
   • Creating Custom Animations 00:17:02
8. Working With Shapes
   • Introducing Shapes 00:06:25
   • Using Shape Tools 00:11:40
   • Drawing Shapes Freehand 00:06:48
   • Using Photoshop And Illustrator Paths 00:10:44
   • Creating Shapes From Vector Graphics And Text 00:10:42
   • Using Shape Presets 00:14:22
   • Applying And Animating Shape Effects 00:11:02
   • Creating Advanced Animations Using Brainstorm 00:07:11
9. Working With Paint Tools: Brush, Eraser, Clone Stamp And Roto Brush
   • Introducing Paint Tools 00:08:17
   • Working With The Brush And Eraser Tools 00:16:18
   • Using The Clone Stamp Tool To Replace Portions Of A Scene 00:13:35
   • Selecting Moving Objects With The Roto Brush Tool 00:12:09
10. Working With Masks
    • Using Shape Tools To Make Masks 00:10:18
    • Using The Pen Tool To Make Masks 00:15:03
    • Creating Vignettes With Masks 00:11:55
    • Animating And Morphing Masks 00:11:17
11. Making Track Mattes And Stencils
    • Understanding Track Mattes: Luma And Alpha 00:08:15
    • Animating Track Mattes 00:07:53
    • Making Stencils From Text 00:07:40
    • Using Effects And Layer Styles With Track Mattes And Stencils 00:10:06
12. Distorting And Animating Objects With Puppet Tools
    • Introducing Puppet Tools 00:05:57
    • Using The Puppet Pin Tool 00:10:07
    • Recording A Puppet Pin Tool Motion 00:07:19
    • Checking Out Overlap And Starch Tools 00:08:11
13. Applying Effects And Transitions
    • Applying After Effects Effects 00:07:45
    • Sampling After Effects Effects 00:08:17
    • Checking Out The Cycore FX (CC) Effects 00:08:55
    • Applying Transitions 00:10:34
    • Performing Color Correction, Featuring Color Finesse 3 00:10:53
    • Stopping, Stretching, Reversing And Remapping Time 00:11:56
14. Parenting, Nesting, Pre-Composing And Null Object Layers
    • Intro To Parent/Child Relationship 00:10:28
    • Using Null Object Layers For Parenting 00:07:27
    • Explaining Nesting And Pre-Composing 00:12:00
15. Using Expressions
    • Using The Pick Whip To Create Expressions 00:13:45
    • Trying Expressions Templates 00:09:24
    • Using The Wiggle Expression 00:04:57
    • Working With Expression Control Effects 00:10:09
16. Tracking Motion And Stabilizing Shaky Footage
    • Tracking Motion With The Tracker 00:10:43
    • Applying Motion Key Frames To Layers, Objects And Effects 00:10:08
    • Working With The Corner Pin Features 00:08:52
    • Stabilizing Shaky Video With The Tracker And Warp Stabilizer 00:11:37
    • Using The Clone Stamp Tool With The Tracker 00:07:19
17. Working In 3D Space
    • Working In Three Dimensions 00:09:22
    • Basic 3D Animation And Multiplaning 00:12:50
    • Animating 2D Text In 3D Space 00:07:02
18. Using Cameras In 3D Space
    • Setting Up A One- And Two-Node Cameras 00:12:39
    • Animating A Camera Using The Selection Tool 00:09:46
    • Animating A Camera Using The Unified Camera Tool 00:06:03
    • Using Null Object Layers As Animation Aides 00:06:29
    • Using The Camera To Animate Still Image Layers 00:08:28
19. Using Lights In 3D Space
    • Intro To Light Types, Properties, And Settings 00:08:09
    • Adjusting Light Properties 00:08:58
    • Working With Layer Material Options Including Shadows 00:09:19
20. Tracking Camera Moves In Simulated 3D Space
    • Analyzing 2D Footage With The 3D Camera Tracker 00:06:39
    • Attaching Content To 3D Camera Track Points 00:13:34
    • Adding A Shadow Catcher And A Light 00:06:32
21. Using The Ray-Traced 3D Renderer
    • Creating Beveled And Extruded Text And Shapes 00:09:33
    • Working With Transparency And Refraction 00:06:48
    • Adding Reflections And An Environment Layer 00:11:07
22. Completing Your Project
    • Saving And Exporting Your Project 00:03:41
    • Rendering A Comp: Render Queue Or Adobe Media Encoder 00:09:02
    • Good Bye: Resources And Acknowledgements 00:02:03