Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1: The Essentials (3rd Edition, Version 6.5)

Additional Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1: The Essentials (3rd Edition, Version 6.5) Information

Creating Motion Graphics is divided into two volumes. Volume 1: The Essentials is for all users of the version 6.5 Standard edition. It covers the core concepts and tools you need to tackle virtually every job, including keyframe animation, masking, mattes, 3D space, and over 100 plug-in effects. This thoroughly updated third edition features new chapters on mastering the new Type tool for dynamic text animation, plus Animation Presets for saving and recalling your work--as well as coverage of the hundreds of shortcuts and enhancements introduced in version 6.0 and 6.5 of this powerful tool. An introductory tutorial ensures that even the newest user can get up to speed quickly.

Topics include:

- Mastering complex animation through keyframe and velocity control - Blending imagery using masks, mattes, and modes - Building groups and hierarchies through parenting and nested comps - Thorough coverage of 3D layers, cameras, and lights - Exploring the new Type tool, as well as Text and Animation Presets

Includes DVD-ROM with hundreds of movies, stills, objects, and audio clips, plus free plug-ins and more. Includes Tryout version of Adobe After Effects 6.5 (Mac or Windows).

Also available: Volume 2: Advanced Techniques covers topics such as integrating with Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3D programs, motion tracking, keying, video and film issues, alpha channels, as well as Professional edition-specific features.

What Customers Say About Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1: The Essentials (3rd Edition, Version 6.5):

This book is quite helpful. It covers the basics in manipulating images in After Effects and serves as a great teacher of the software.I highly recommend it.

Though this book series was written for After effects 6.5, I used it as a supplement to CS3. A must read for anyone new to After Effects. I am very glad that I did, the authors answered the question - Why do you use an effect or tool. The other "teach" books demonstrated what After Effects can do, but not how other than enter the number required in the exercise. I hope I can find such in depth books on the other Adobe Suite software. Kudos to the authors - thanks, thanks, thanks.

This book was very helpful in teaching me how to use and understand After Effects. I'd recommend this book to any beginner wanting to learn AE. It is easy to follow and comes with a great CD (very beneficial).

2: The Essentials (4th edition, not yet published) by Trish and Chris Meyer which should both be available very soon. Their next books will cover the new CS3 release.Normally they write the new version's manual (yes, you can consider their books to be the missing user manual for Adobe After Effects) when the 'X.5' version comes out. If you are new to After Effects and Motion Graphics, or want to learn from Chris and Trish about the new features in Adobe's CS3 release, I recommend the Brand New: After Effects Apprentice (DV Expert Series) (DV Expert Series) (Paperback)by Chris & Trish Meyerwhich is the only one of their books to cover After Effects 7, I'm pretty sure. I don't actually recommend getting the 6.5 version unless you are not going to upgrade to AAE 7 or AAE CS3. There was no 7,5 version of after effects, so except for After Effects Apprentice, there is no manual for AAE 7.Plus the book covers the new release of After Effects, the CS3 release.AND this is a GREAT introduction to motion graphics in general, and to working with files in After Effects:[.].and when you finish that, you will certainly want:Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1: Advanced Techniques (4th edition, not yet published) by Trish and Chris MeyerandCreating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. With the ton of new features (like Photoshop can handle video now). in Adobe CS3, I DO recommend getting the CS3 version of every Adobe product that you use, and if you use more than just a few, you should get the whole suite, it will be cheaper.

The book itself is pretty good. I had to cancel my order of this book three weeks into waiting, because for some unknown reason after the estimated 3-5 week shipping time, there was yet another delay. So I had to buy this book at twice the cost at my corrupt/evil University store. I have only examined it a few times. However, some of the explanations can be confusing, it seems you have to read the entire thing to be sure to understand it, you cant pick and choose which things you want to learn from it.