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Adobe After Effects CC Level 1

Animation, Video Post-Production, and Visual Effects

Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool for animation and video post-production. It can be used to create stand-alone videos, animations,  special effects, animated titles, and much more. Use it to create compelling video content for broadcast TV and web.

This training will take you from the basics of After Effects such as understanding the workspace and basic animation techniques, all the way through to advanced animation techniques, motion tracking, and particle effects.

It is strongly recommended that you have experience with Adobe Photoshop before taking this course.

After Effects Course Instructor

Kalika Kharkar Sharma is an expert at producing animation for a wide range of clientele, from gag animations for CNBC’s “The Filthy Rich Guide” to character animations for “Sesame Street” and Nickelodeon’s “Little Bill” show; motion graphics for “Doctor Oz” and effects work for Cartoon Network’s “Team Toon.”

Currently, Kalika teaches motion graphics and traditional and digital character animation techniques at NYU and Noble Desktop, and previously taught at Pratt Institute and Rhode Island School of Design.

Kalika directs animated videos for her company Antidote LLC, and freelances as an animator, editor and motion graphics artist.

  • Learn to animate graphics, text and photos.

  • Create dynamic transitions and sync to music.

  • Create a movie title sequence.

  • Learn how to build 3D objects incorporating video clips.

  • Animate and edit real-world graphics.

Upcoming Classes

Price: $975 Click for Discounts

  • 18 hours of Hands-On Training
  • Custom Written Workbook Included
  • Mac or PC
  • In New York City and Live Online

We Literally Wrote the Book!

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To make the perfect class we had to write our own workbooks which are included with each class.

Can’t take a class? Our workbooks are the next best thing.

Buy Workbook

Other After Effects Classes

What You’ll Learn

Section 1
Intro to After Effects

Topics

  • The Project, Composition, & Timeline panels
  • Splitting layers
  • Color correction
  • Previewing in real time
Fade-Ins & Working with Text

Topics

  • Creating a fade-in by animating the Opacity property
  • Creating & animating text
  • Adjusting clip lengths in the Timeline
  • Using Title Safety to ensure TV viewers can see the text
  • Copying & pasting styles
Styling Text & Rendering

Topics

  • Styling the main & secondary text
  • Adding a cross-fade between the video & title text
  • Working in the Render Queue
  • Using masks to create a vignette

Section 2
Anchor Points & Working with Images

Topics

  • Resizing images to fit the Composition frame
  • Setting layer in points using the In column
  • Aligning still images & changing anchor points
  • Adjusting animation timing
Cross-Dissolves & Working with Logos

Topics

  • Creating cross-dissolves (“fade-ups”) between layers
  • Pre-composing layers
  • Scaling up vector layers
  • Adding a fade to black using a solid color layer
  • How to find missing project files
Null Objects & Hold Keyframes

Topics

  • Scaling up multiple child layers using a Null Object
  • Creating a color wedge using a shape layer
  • Animating the Rotation property
  • Changing text values using hold keyframes
Alpha Mattes & Animated Colors

Topics

  • Using an alpha matte to hide/show the text based on the wedge’s movement
  • Bringing back the colored wedge
  • Animating instantaneous color changes
  • Ensuring the Logo stays in the Title Safe grid
Section 3
Importing Layered Files & Adding Easing

Topics

  • Flattening a layered file or individual layer on import
  • Importing a layered file with all its layers intact
  • Isolating the Feature & Presentation text using masks
  • Creating fade-ins & fade-outs
  • Adding automatic easing to slow down portions of the animation
Working with Numerous Layers

Topics

  • Cropping the layout & creating a grid in Photoshop
  • Scaling up each tile using a null object
  • Randomizing the order in which the photos animate in
  • Orchestrating the exit animation so the tiles fall down in diagonal groups
Vector Layouts & the Graph Editor

Topics

  • Using the Invert effect to swap black & white
  • Using the Graph Editor to customize easing speed
  • Animating vector shapes using the Trim Paths feature
  • More null objects: animating the three pay television content descriptors
Putting It All Together & Adding Audio

Topics

  • Sequencing multiple compositions
  • Animating like an editor: overlapping shots & using blending modes
  • Adding audio to a composition
Section 4
Hard Ease Fashion Reveal

Topics

  • Setting Keyframe Velocity for fine-tuned ease control
  • Understanding basic motion paths
  • Sequencing the “stripes”
  • Adding a Drop Shadow effect
More Reveals from Different Directions

Topics

  • The benefits of a composition with modular parts
  • Creating three more reveals
  • More keyframe influence, animation sequencing, & drop shadows
Time Remapping to Match Audio

Topics

  • Best practice: adding audio to a nested composition
  • Time remapping the video to sync well with the audio
  • Globally adjusting audio volume to ideal levels

Section 5
3D Lighting & the Wiggler

Topics

  • 3D lighting
  • Randomizing with “The Wiggler”
More 3D Fun: Lights, Rotation, Motion!

Topics

  • More 3D rotation
  • Adjusting lighting settings to stylize light
  • Creating shadows
Using 3D Cameras

Topics

  • Adding a camera layer
  • Viewing text with a 3D Camera
Rendering & Exporting Options

Topics

  • Rendering uncompressed files
  • Rendering a video with transparency
  • Creating a render template
  • Exporting images
Section 6
Background Lighting & Cropping Square Videos

Topics

  • Adding 3D lighting to the background
  • Using the Wiggler panel to make the light fluctuate
  • Cropping the videos so they become square
  • Individually preparing the pre-comps so they can be used as cube sides
Constructing a Seamless 3D Object

Topics

  • Setting up a camera layer & its parent null object
  • Building a 3D cube made of six videos
  • Setting a 3D layer’s initial rotation using the Orientation property
  • The Unified Camera tool
Animating a 3D Object

Topics

  • Animating the cube as a whole: 3D rotation via null object
  • Animating a null object’s child layers separately
Casting Light & Shadow on 3D Objects

Topics

  • Lighting & shadows on 3D objects
  • Adding music & adjusting keyframe timing
  • Adding a lens flare effect to a solid & animating it

Why Train With Noble?

27 Years of Experience

Noble Desktop has been teaching computer graphics and web development since 1991. In all those years we have perfected the craft of teaching. If students get hung up on any issue, we tweak the class to make it work better. Every instructor uses the same time-tested curriculum we have developed. Ask around: Noble Desktop has a stellar reputation for exceptional computer graphics training.

Our Teaching Method is Better

We don't ask you to simply "follow along," copying what the instructor does. Instead we ask you to focus 100% attention on the lesson at hand. Only after the lesson do you then put into practice what you have learned by working on a computer with our step-by-step workbooks. This "learn, then practice" method results in the student learning and retaining much more than traditional "follow along" classes.

We Wrote the Book Ourselves

Most of our classes include a custom training workbook written by our top instructors. Take it home with you: with step-by-step exercises and power-user keyboard shortcut guides, it’s like having a refresher course right on your desk. We wrote the book ourselves because we couldn't find any book that was good enough. Now our books are being used by other schools and training centers worldwide.

We Provide Computers, Mac or PC

Since when did training centers expect you to "bring a laptop"? Noble Desktop has always had classrooms full of computers, Mac and PC. Each computer is loaded with software and has a 19-inch monitor. The next time you are asked to "bring a laptop," ask why you aren't being provided a computer. Noble Desktop always has up-to-date equipment in our state-of-the-art classrooms.

Not Just Anyone Can Teach

All our instructors are working professionals who bring on-the-job experience to the classroom. But we don't just let anyone teach a course. How many experts do you know who can't teach? We've learned to audition and test our instructors. Only after they have been through our screening process will they be put in front of students. And they are required to use our time-tested curriculum, assuring a positive learning experience for all our students. Read our instructor bios.

Money-Back Guarantee

We’re the only school to offer an unconditional money-back guarantee. If within the first half of the class you don’t absolutely love it, we’ll give you a full refund. Please note any request needs to be made before the halfway point of any class.

We Are NY State-Licensed, and Adobe Authorized

When looking at a computer training school, check to see if they are NY State-licensed. Any school in New York should be licensed by law. Noble Desktop follows state-issued guidelines for curriculum development and teacher licensing. Adobe Authorized means our instructors have passed the rigorous Adobe Certification Exam, and that we follow Adobe's quality-control standards.

Our Students Love Us! 2200+ Testimonials and Counting

We offer our guarantee because we think we’re the best—but don’t take our word for it. Ask more than 2200 industry professionals who have enjoyed our classes and are putting what they learned to use on the job. Read their testimonials.