Adobe After Effects is software that enables you to create digital motion graphics, visual effects and composites during the post-production process stage of film making and other film based media. I found the first induction very helpful, because despite the simplicity and very straight forward tutorial since it was our first session using it properly, it was very helpful. Our tutor for the induction went through all the basics including; the work space and how you can adapt it to suit your needs; presets and different video formats; also how to change the playback quality of the video when you're editing it so that it runs smoother despite the effects and layers that can accumulate when using the software. We were also informed about different video formats both digital and analog the differences in regional formats such as PAL. Finally, the use of frame rates and where to apply different frame rates based on what kind of video or film you are editing. All of this information I found very useful and transferable to other areas of the course.
We were also taught about layers and how to utilise them when using Adobe After Effects using our knowledge of Photoshop layers as a basis for this. One type of layer we were told about specifically, was the 'solid' layer. We used solids as a way to practice with some of the very basic features and functions of After Effects since they're basically just shapes filled in colour and are easy to work with due to their simplicity.
The next aspect of After Effects we were introduced to was the idea of using shortcuts via the keyboard, similar to how you would in other software such as Photoshop. Using keyboard shortcuts speeds up the process and work flow, so it was helpful to know these. Some of the main shortcuts we were introduced to relate to different properties of objects, for example; A - anchor point, R - rotation, S - scale; T - opacity. The last thing we looked into was key frames which reinforced my knowledge of them and how to utilise them when animating not only shapes and objects in after effects but in animation in general.
Other useful shortcuts;
Window > Workspace (re-sizing/changing panels)Composition Settings > Resolution (change resolution)
B (Beginning of clip)
N (End of clip)
The second After Effects induction lasted the whole day from 9:30am until 3:30pm and during this time we learnt a huge amount of things about the software and overall, had the chance to practice and become comfortable using it. During the induction, I realised how much After Effects has to offer and how much you can do with it, I found myself constantly discovering new features.
Our tutor for the induction, Matt, provided us with a lot of material and images what we could use to utilise some of the features in After Effects. We learnt how to layer images and make them move, rotate etc. It was also fun to play around with different effects and simulations such as snow or rain, combined with the adjustment properties similar to that of Photoshop where you can modify contrast, brightness and other colour correction functions to enhance the quality of the film you're working on.
There is also a lot of functions that apply to animation, such as the ability to make objects ease in and out once you've given them a path to transition on. I found this particularly interesting and definitely something that could be utilised in a range of different ways in the future. Something that we also learnt about was 'key frame interpolation', where you can move and alter the location of keyframe points to overall change the path of movement of objects.
During this induction there was a huge amount I learnt, and I feel even more comfortable using the software now, not just for basic functions but also the more intermediate and slightly more complex things it has to offer. Whilst I was using it, I also considered the idea that it could become useful during the post-production stage of our 'The Classical Elements' brief. However, I would perhaps need to become a little more familiar with it before using it in that way, but there were features that I could definitely see myself using with future briefs. So far, the inductions, particularly this one was immensely helpful in increasing my confidence the the After Effects software compared to when we've touched on it before.
We were also taught about layers and how to utilise them when using Adobe After Effects using our knowledge of Photoshop layers as a basis for this. One type of layer we were told about specifically, was the 'solid' layer. We used solids as a way to practice with some of the very basic features and functions of After Effects since they're basically just shapes filled in colour and are easy to work with due to their simplicity.
The next aspect of After Effects we were introduced to was the idea of using shortcuts via the keyboard, similar to how you would in other software such as Photoshop. Using keyboard shortcuts speeds up the process and work flow, so it was helpful to know these. Some of the main shortcuts we were introduced to relate to different properties of objects, for example; A - anchor point, R - rotation, S - scale; T - opacity. The last thing we looked into was key frames which reinforced my knowledge of them and how to utilise them when animating not only shapes and objects in after effects but in animation in general.
Other useful shortcuts;
Window > Workspace (re-sizing/changing panels)Composition Settings > Resolution (change resolution)
B (Beginning of clip)
N (End of clip)
The second After Effects induction lasted the whole day from 9:30am until 3:30pm and during this time we learnt a huge amount of things about the software and overall, had the chance to practice and become comfortable using it. During the induction, I realised how much After Effects has to offer and how much you can do with it, I found myself constantly discovering new features.
Our tutor for the induction, Matt, provided us with a lot of material and images what we could use to utilise some of the features in After Effects. We learnt how to layer images and make them move, rotate etc. It was also fun to play around with different effects and simulations such as snow or rain, combined with the adjustment properties similar to that of Photoshop where you can modify contrast, brightness and other colour correction functions to enhance the quality of the film you're working on.
There is also a lot of functions that apply to animation, such as the ability to make objects ease in and out once you've given them a path to transition on. I found this particularly interesting and definitely something that could be utilised in a range of different ways in the future. Something that we also learnt about was 'key frame interpolation', where you can move and alter the location of keyframe points to overall change the path of movement of objects.
During this induction there was a huge amount I learnt, and I feel even more comfortable using the software now, not just for basic functions but also the more intermediate and slightly more complex things it has to offer. Whilst I was using it, I also considered the idea that it could become useful during the post-production stage of our 'The Classical Elements' brief. However, I would perhaps need to become a little more familiar with it before using it in that way, but there were features that I could definitely see myself using with future briefs. So far, the inductions, particularly this one was immensely helpful in increasing my confidence the the After Effects software compared to when we've touched on it before.
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