After Effects Course - Introduction
Introductory After Effects course
Live After Effects course online or in-person
In this After Effects course, you learn to use this comprehensive software tool to efficiently produce motion graphics and visual effects for film, video, multimedia, and the Web. This is the entry-level of our After Effects classes, and this two-day course gets you started using powerful tools for creating a wide range of visual and audio effects. You learn through hands-on training with projects and exercises. Experienced motion graphics professionals lead our classes and they bring broadcast, film, and online media production backgrounds to the classroom. This is the perfect After Effects course for beginners or those who have used the app without formal training.
What you learn in this introductory live After Effects course
- Create impressive special effects and animations for video and presentations
- Add effects to existing video
- Effectively navigate the After Effects workspace and windows
- Import, preview, and manage imported media
- Select layer options, including switches and compositions
- Animate layer properties using keyframes
- Animate text and objects
- Add alpha channels and masks, and render for output
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Ways to attend this After Effects Course
- Live Online classes from your office or home as a regularly scheduled small group class.
- Live, in-person regularly scheduled After Effects classes in Boston or Philadelphia with a live instructor in the same classroom.
- Private training customized to your specific needs delivered in-person or online. Call 781-376-6044 or complete the Private After Effects Training form for more information.
- Corporate After Effects Training for your group or team.
Why learn After Effects at AGI
- Hands-on learning: Learn After Effects by doing, using our proven method to gain skills quickly.
- Proven curriculum: We have delivered After Effects training to thousands.
- Our expert instructors are skilled educators and the best in class with After Effects.
- Small class sizes: receive personalized attention with ten or fewer participants per class.
- Repeat for free: If you need a refresher or miss a class day, retake the class at no cost.
- Learn using proven methods: We have been teaching After Effects courses for 25 years.
All After Effects classes include
Free retakes
Detailed curriculum
Live instructor
Flexible rescheduling
Certificate of Completion
Reviews of our After Effects Course - Introduction
After Effects Course - Introduction - Introduction rating: 5 stars from 138 reviewers
"Great instructor made for an awesome class. Learned so much about After Effects." - Keith G
See all reviews for After Effects courses & classesSkills learned in this After Effects course
- Digital video basics in After Effects
- Using the After Effects interface
- After Effects media management
- Using After Effects layers
- Using keyframes in After Effects
- Using text in Adobe After Effects
- Masking and Alpha Channels in Adobe After Effects
- Using Effects in Adobe After Effects
- Introduction to After Effects 3D
- Outputting in Adobe After Effects
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This course is available individually or as part of these certificate programs
After Effects Course - Introduction - Course Dates
All classes are led by a live instructor. Class times listed are Eastern time.
After Effects course course topics
Digital Video basics in Adobe After Effects
- Analog versus digital
- Frame rate and resolution
- Storage space and system requirements
- Defining motion Graphics
Using the After Effects interface
- Creating a project
- Understanding the After Effects panel system
- Organizing the Project Window
- Understanding the Composition Window
- Working in the Timeline Window
- RAM Preview vs. Standard Preview
Media management
- Importing media files
- Importing Photoshop and Illustrator files
- Previewing footage
- Previewing stills and video
- Previewing audio
- Trimming a video clip
- Using the Interpret Footage dialog box
- Looping an audio or video file
Using layers in Adobe After Effects
- Layer basics
- Layer options
- Creating a layer solid
- Understanding the layer switches
- Time stretch and frame blending
- Nesting compositions/layers using precomps
Using keyframes in Adobe After Effects
- Animation of layer properties using keyframes
- Using layer parenting to ease repetition
- Understanding motion paths
- Working with layer blending
- Controlling the speed of animations
- Easing principles
Using text in Adobe After Effects
- Creating text
- Character palette
- Paragraph palette
- Animating text with keyframes
- Animating text using presets
- Using Bridge with After Effects
Masking and alpha channels in Adobe After Effects
- Masking
- Animating masks
- Working with alpha channels
- Track matte
Using effects in Adobe After Effects
- Effect basics
- Animating effects
Introduction to 3D in After Effects
- Exploring the 3D capabilities and limitations of After Effects
- Creating 3D layers
- Using multiple viewports
- Understanding 3D Transform properties
- Animating 3D layers
- Creating and using lights
Outputting in Adobe After Effects
- Rendering from a composition to various formats
- Understanding the Render Queue
- Adjusting render settings
- Duplicating jobs in the Render Queue
- Creating render templates
- Exporting a project file
- Rendering an individual frame
The introductory After Effects training course includes a copy of the book developed by AGI instructors: After Effects Digital Classroom, published by AGI and Wiley provided in a digital book format. Because each course is adapted to the needs of each small group class, the topics may include additional materials not listed, or may vary slightly from those listed based upon the needs of each course section.
Custom and private After Effects classes
This After Effects course is available as a private class. Curriculum can be customized for your specific needs. After Effects classes can be delivered at your location, online, or in our classrooms. For more information, call 781-376-6044 to speak with a training consultant or contact us.
After Effects course prerequisites
We recommend you have the Adobe After Effects application before starting the class. You can purchase subscriptions to Creative Cloud or obtain a trial version from the Adobe website. If attending this class online, check system requirements to ensure you can run After Effects on your computer. Have After Effects installed before the start of class.
It is recommended that you have experience with basic Photoshop and Illustrator concepts, such as layers, vectors, and pixels.
Materials for the introductory After Effects course
You receive a copy of the best-selling Adobe After Effects Digital Classroom book, written by our instructors, provided in a digital format. Our team of instructors has created many official training guides and books for Adobe Systems. You can learn from the authors, contributors, and editors to this well-respected After Effects training guide. Our After Effects tutorials provide examples of some of the training materials created by our team of instructors who teach all After Effects courses at American Graphics Institute.
Exceptional After Effects course materials
Our proprietary curriculum has been proven effective in teaching [category short name] to thousands. You’ll receive our extensive written reference along with lesson files for you to continue your practice following the class. This After Effects course includes a copy of our Digital Classroom book with many projects and exercises.
Repeat for free
If you need a refresher or miss a day of class, you can repeat the After Effects class at no additional cost for one year.
Private After Effects classes for companies and groups
This After Effects class is available as a private workshop for your company, group, or team. Use the contact form on this page or call 781 376-6044 to learn more about private classes.
After Effects FAQ
Do I receive a After Effects certificate?
AGI provides a certificate upon course completion, which can be shared on LinkedIn and verified digitally on the AGI website.
How many students are in a After Effects class?
AGI limits its class sizes so that you receive personalized attention. Classes are limited to no more than 10 participants.
Can I get specific After Effects questions answered in the class?
Yes, as a live class, you can ask the instructor questions about how you will be using After Effects.
Does this After Effects class include job placement support?
AGI provides job support only when After Effects classes are taken as part of a longer-term certificate program, where AGI has a dedicated career counselor assigned to each certificate student.
Is this After Effects class for Mac or Windows?
You can attend this After Effects class using a Mac or Windows computer. The application itself has identical functionality for both. If attending in our classrooms, a computer will be provided using the operating system of your choice.