After Effects Apprentice

By Chris Meyer and Trish Meyer

Book Overview

New to the 2nd edition: * All instructions, screen shots, Guided Tour video training movies, and project files updated for After Effects CS4. CS3 and CS4 features have been integrated throughout, including the pervasive use of Shape layers, Layer Styles, and Brainstorm * More integration with other Adobe applications, including using After Effects with Illustrator, Photoshop (including new Vanishing Point and 3d Layer exercises) and Flash CS4 * Redesigned first and last lessons, including an all-new final project that walks through the creation of a widescreen broadcast TV promo * Free bonus chapters on the DVD from other books on Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Flash, and broadcast design * Coupon for 15% off stock footage from Artbeats on DVD New CS5 Tip Sheet: Chris and Trish Meyer have authored a PDF that covers all changes a reader (including professors) might experience when using this book (authored for CS4) with After Effects CS5. The PDF is available here: http: //www.crishdesign.com/books/After-Effects-Apprentice/index.html If you're new to After Effects and want to get up to speed quickly, After Effects Apprentice was created just for you. With 11 core lessons plus a hip final project that pulls it all together, you'll learn how to tap this program's vast potential -whether you want to create motion graphics for network television, corporate communications, or your own work. Fully updated to cover After Effects CS4, this book presents a professional perspective on the most important features a motion graphics artist needs to learn in order to use this program effectively. You'll learn to creatively combine layers, animate eye-catching titles, manipulate 3D space, key and stabilize a shot to place it in a new environment, and use effects to generate excitement or enhance the realism of a scene. DVD contains: All exercise source material and projects, guided video tours, and movies of the finished projects.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0240811364
• ISBN13: 9780240811369
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Focal Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 2.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.9" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Great Book

I just finished this book. I recommend it highly. I first used the "Adobe After Effects Classroom in a book" and thought I had learned a lot until I began working the "Apprentice" book. "Apprentice" is detailed, highly organized, and the lessons were very easy to follow. For someone who wants to learn After Effects I recommend starting with After Effects Apprentice and don't bother with the Adobe Classroom book, which I found to contain numerous errors that made the lessons difficult to follow. Apprentice contained very few errors and that ones I did find did not inhibit the lesson.

A GREAT BOOK!

I have bought over 32 books in the last year on various subjects related to After Effects and other video software tools. Out of these only 2-3 really stand out, and this book is one of them. It covers quite a bit and it layed out quite well and easy to read. I was so impressed with it, I came back and bought the PDF version for the road. If you are looking for a good book on After Effects, do not pass this one up.

Great Book if you want good information mixed w/ solid tutorials

I am enrolled at a local community college and the teacher is using this book. I would highly recommend if you are (like me) new to after effects. It does a great job of providing you with side notes about the application and how to use it effectively. If you do the additional items at the end of each chapter you will really have a good grip on this program. A+

Not just for apprentices

As advertised, this book is a great introduction to motion graphics design and After Effects. The Meyers are both great artists and great teachers. They really understand how to present both the theory and the practice of building compelling motion graphics. I'll be using this book for my intro video post production class in the fall, but the name is a little misleading. After Effects users who consider themselves proficient, but aren't familiar with all the ins and outs of the application can benefit from the book as well. I've been using After Effects professionally since version 3, and I've learned a lot from this book.