After Effects CS4 Essentials

Chapter 1: WHAT'S NEW IN ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS CS4 (14 min)
1. Working with Photoshop? 3D Layers
2. Using Dynamic Link to Remove Noise in Soundbooth?
3. The New Timeline Search Feature & Pre-comp Flow Chart
4. Introducing the Cartoon Effect

Chapter 2: INTRODUCTION TO AFTER EFFECTS (46 min)
1. Basic Video Concepts
2. Importing Files
3. Project Panel Overview
4. Creating a New Composition
5. Placing Footage in the Composition
6. Creating a Film Strip Effect with Multiple Movies
7. Timeline Panel Overview
8. Timeline Switches, Time Ruler & Work Area
9. Composition Panel Overview

Chapter 3: ANIMATION BASICS (33 min)
1. Exploring the Transform Properties
2. Introduction to Keyframing
3. Interpolating Keyframes
4. Practicing Interpolation
5. Copying & Pasting Keyframes
6. Creating a Loop

Chapter 4: WORKING WITH MASKS (44 min)
1. Introduction to Masks
2. Animating Masks
3. Working with Mask Interpolation
4. Rotoscoping
5. Using Masks for Position Keyframes
6. Creating a Simple Animation Using Masks

Chapter 5: ANIMATING TEXT (29 min)
1. An Introduction to Text in After Effects
2. Using Text Presets
3. Creating Text on a Path
4. Creating a Preset
5. Animators: Range Selector
6. Animators: Add Property
7. Animators: Two or More Range Selectors
8. Animators: Adding a Wiggly Selector
9. Working with Text from Photoshop

Chapter 6: ANIMATION HELP 29:54 min)
1. Using Motion Sketch & the Smoother
2. Using the Wiggler
3. Working with Auto-Orient & Split Layer
4. Time Remapping
5. Animating Stills Using the Anchor Point

Chapter 7: PARENTING & BASIC EXPRESSIONS (39 min)
1. Parenting Basics & Null Objects
2. Animated Man Exercise
3. Stacking Ruler Exercise
4. Text Animation Exercise
5. Introduction to Basic Expressions
6. Applying Expressions for Wiggle & Loop
7. Using Expressions with Audio Files

Chapter 8: BASIC COMPOSITING (38 min)
1. Applying Layer Blending Modes
2. Creating a Track Matte
3. Keying & Keylight
4. Compound Effects: Gradient Wipe & Displacement Map
5. Compound Effects: Wave World & Caustics
6. Pre-composing & Nesting

Chapter 9: STABILIZING & TRACKING (27 min)
1. Stabilizing a Shot
2. Tracking a Point
3. The Tracker Panel & Motion Tracker Options
4. Corner Pin Tracking
5. Mocha for After Effects

Chapter 10: PARTICLES & PAINT (21 min)
1. Introduction to Particle Playground
2. Breathing Tiger Exercise
3. Introduction to Paint
4. Creating an Invisible Pen Effect

Chapter 11: INTRODUCTION TO THE 3D ENGINE (33 min)
1. Introduction to Camera Angles & Monitor Views
2. Creating 3D Text with Lights & Shadows
3. Setting Up a 3D Scene
4. Animating a 3D Scene
5. Working with Vanishing Point

Chapter 12: SHAPE LAYERS & THE PUPPET TOOLS (20 min)
1. Creating a Shape Layer
2. Animating Shapes with Repeater & Brainstorm
3. Using the Puppet Pin & Puppet Starch Tools
4. Using the Puppet Overlap Tool
5. Animating with the Puppet Tools

Chapter 13: RENDERING & EXPORTING (17 min)
1. Using the Render Queue
2. Working with Adobe Clip Notes
3. Exporting for Flash?
4. Credits