There are several options for obtaining an After Effects Certificate or Certification. Although they have similar names, and are viewed similarly by employers and clients, the process for obtaining an After Effects Certificate is different from a certification.
After Effects certification vs. certificate: understanding the differences
By taking a stand-alone After Effects course, or attending an After Effects course that is part of a longer-term program, you can earn an After Effects certificate that demonstrates to potential employers and clients that you have learned specialized skills in motion graphics, compositing, and animation. For example, individuals who complete an After Effects course or video editing certificate with the American Graphics Institute (AGI) earn a certificate and complete a portfolio of work to showcase their skills.
After Effects certifications are earned by passing an exam that proves a user has a certain degree of proficiency. Most employers do not require certifications, and consider schooling, a portfolio of work, and a certificate from a reputable school to be sufficient. Adobe has a business relationship with a third-party testing company called Certiport that offers a basic level exam called the Adobe Certified Professional for visual effects and motion graphics. The exam is not a practical exam, and is focused on memorization of the capabilities, options, and menus within After Effects.
Best After Effects certification and certificate
An After Effects certificate from a well-known school such as AGI is both an efficient and cost effective option for showcasing they have dedicated time to learning motion graphics skills. Completing AGI’s introductory After Effects course, advanced After Effects course, or After Effects bootcamp provides a certificate demonstrating they have passed a comprehensive learning that covers a range of skills.
For those that want to showcase skills with both video editing and motion graphics, the video editing certificate program includes courses on After Effects as well as Premiere Pro and Phothshop. This program teaches in-depth skills necessary for careers in video editing, special effects, and motion graphics. In addition to After Effects training, individuals who enroll in this program receive assistance with job placement, and spend time buildinging a portfolio to showcase their motion graphics, animation, and video editing skills.
Is After Effects certification required
While an After Effects certificate or certification can help job applicants stand out, it is not a requirement for individuals who want to work in the visual effects or motion graphics industries. However, obtaining a certificate or certification of After Effects is one of the simplest ways for users to demonstrate their skills and past experience to potential employers and clients.
After earning an After Effects certificate or certification it can be listed on resumes, job applications, LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and personal websites, giving prospective employers the opportunity to assess your skill level. The ability to showcase a certificate or certification is useful for freelancers who use After Effects for their work, and need to attract and retain clients. After Effects users who pursue a certificate or certifications can also highlight specialized skills learned in a certificate program, such as 3D animation, compositing, and visual effects, in order to offer additional services and take on new projects.
Where to get certified in After Effects
Individuals who want to earn a certificate or certification in After Effects must complete a class or program that teaches foundational skills required to work in the software. Stand-alone After Effects classes that include certificates of completion are offered by AGI for both beginners and advanced users. These classes teach essential skills through advanced techniques for using After Effects more effectively, whether learning foundational skills about media management, or advanced techniques in masking, using alpha channels, time remapping, or color correction..
AGI also offers a video editing certificate, which includes courses on motion graphics and effects with After Effects, as well as training on related tools and skills such as image editing with Photoshop, and video editing using Premiere Pro. These courses can be taken remotely or in person at an AGI campus location on either a part-time or full-time schedule. Each student who enrolls in the video editing certificate also receives help with career placement and one-on-one guidance from industry professionals.
Available After Effects certificates
There are a variety of certifications, certificate programs, and individual courses available for learning After Effects:
- American Graphics Institute (AGI): AGI has offered training courses for over two decades and is a reputable organization for certification in After Effects and other Adobe software. AGI’s After Effects certification course includes 16 hours of instructor-led training on various After Effects capabilities, including animation, compositing, and visual effects. The course also includes hands-on exercises and projects, which provide a practical approach to learning the software, as well as a digital copy of the “Adobe After Effects Digital Classroom” book written by AGI instructors.
- Video editing certificate: Learn After Effects, Premiere pro, Photoshop, build a portfolio, and get job placement assistance in this program from American Graphics Institute.
- Certified Professional in visual effects and motion graphics: This certification is an exam that tests a user’s knowledge of the software through a 50-minute exam, which includes questions on organizing video projects, publishing digital media, and working in the visual effects and motion graphics industry. Adobe recommends instruction, such as the After Effects Bootcamp at AGI as well as hands-on experience before sitting for the exam. The exam fee is good for a single attempt at passing the test.
Preparing for After Effects certification
Anyone interested in learning After Effects can choose from a variety of training options with live, experienced instructors. You can gain proficiency in motion graphics, compositing, and animation through hands-on training and projects.
Individuals who take After Effects courses with AGI receive the benefits of live training, including hands-on instruction, feedback on projects, and guidance from professionals with backgrounds in broadcast, film, and digital media. You can learn After Effects from anywhere with an instructor that comes to your office, through live online training, or a private training for your group. See all locations for After Effects training.
Favored by video professionals working in film and animation, After Effects is used for compositing, creating animations, and adding special effects to videos in the post-production process. The demand for employees who are skilled in After Effects has increased in recent years, and is projected to continue to grow.
About After Effects
Originally developed by the Company of Science and Art (COSA), After Effects was acquired by Adobe in 1994 and made available for both MacOS and Windows computers. Adobe has released multiple versions of the application since then that have expanded upon and enhanced its original limited features.
Today, After Effects is used by a variety of creative professionals, including visual artists, animators, video editors, and motion graphics designers. Although each of these roles use After Effects for different purposes, you can easily access this software on its own, or as part of a Creative Cloud subscription.
After Effects is most frequently used for its compositing, special effects, and animation features. Whether you need to create motion graphics, add visual effects, or layer together videos from multiple sources, After Effects has an abundance of tools that can help you achieve your post-production needs.
Why you should learn After Effects
After Effects can be used to create visual media for YouTube channels, short films, documentaries, advertisements, websites, and more. In addition to its compositing, special effects, and animation tools, users can also add transitions, trim footage, and color correct clips in After Effects, making it a versatile option for individuals who want to complete a project from start to finish in one application.
Individuals who learn After Effects have the ability to work more efficiently through their post-production process, and pursue high-paid video post-production jobs. Employment in roles that require a working knowledge of After Effects, such as motion graphic designers, multimedia artists, animators, and video editors, is growing due to an increasing demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, television, and other media formats.
Video production companies seek individuals who are skilled in After Effects and related tools like Premiere Pro. Freelancers who offer a range of services in After Effects can also attract a broader clientele and can use their skills on a number of creative projects. Anyone who takes the time to learn After Effects can explore multiple career paths as video editors, motion graphics designers, and visual effects artists.
Film and video editors are expected to see a 12% growth in their field by 2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations, according to projections from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS also reports that employment of multimedia artists, animators, and motion graphics designers is projected to grow at an average rate of 5% during the same time period. While the wages for these roles vary greatly depending on the industry, location, and experience, the overall employment prospects are good for well qualified motion graphics artists with After Effects certificates, certifications, or demonstrable skills.