Week #1: Workflow

Welcome to MULTIMEDIA using AE (After Effects).

Here are some of the items we explored together in class this week.
TIP: The Footage Folder. Create a folder with all your footage inside of it. The AE project panel only has "links" to footage.
1. Workflow
i. Import files into the Project panel & organize footage into folders
ii. Create comps (compositions) & arrange layers
iii. Add special effects & presets to the layers
iv. Animate elements & Adjust properties (adding keyframes)
v. RAM Preview
vi. Render & Output final video
2. Text tool: Used for typing text in the Comp panel.
We also looked briefly at the Character and Paragraph panels for setting the type and aligning the type.
3. Stopwatch: Used for setting the initial keyframe. To set additional keyframes, just move the Current Time Indicator to a new position, and change a property value.
4. Animation > Browse Presets: Used for the text presets. Select the text layer then apply a preset. It's that simple.
5. Animation > Keyframe Assistant > Time-Reverse Keyframes: Used to reverse a text animation. It reverses the order of the keyframes in the layer.
6. Properties: Position, Scale, Opacity. We adjusted these properties by setting the Stopwatch and additional keyframes.
7. RAM Preview: Suggestion is to use Quarter resolution. Use SHIFT & RAM Preview to Skip frames in the preview.
8. Render the final compsosition.


A HOW TO VIDEO for some of the items we practiced in today's class:
PART 01:


PART 02:


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WEEK#1, IN-CLASS EXERCISE:
Due in-class WEEK #2.
• Create a five second video that animates your name.
• Use one Text Animation Preset
• Include a background picture.
• Save the video to your USB drive.
• Create a YouTube account and post the video.
• Create a blog on blogger and embed the video.
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HOMEWORK:
1. Try out all the text animation presets
2. Buy a portable hard drive (100-200 gig would be helpful).
3. Practice animating text and setting keyframes
4. Read all the handouts, projects sheets, course outline
5. Start design thinking about all the projects.
6. View the Project references/examples on the blog.
7. Practice, practice, practice
8. Make notes based upon what you have learned.
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AE DESIGN CLUB:
Starts next Tuesday 6pm,...
for help session on the first project,
posting video to YouTube,
embedding a video on a blog.