How to Cheat in After Effects

How to Cheat in After Effects is an easy-to-follow book that lets you in on all of the little secrets to create those commonly needed effects with ease and speed. With clear pictures illustrating the step-by-step procedures, this is the perfect tool for the arsenal of any After Effects user, from novice to advanced. - Michele Yamazaki, Vice President Marketing and Web Development Czarina, Toolfarm.com Compose eye-popping After Effects projects quickly and creatively with dozens of concise, step-by-step tutorials accompanied by vivid 4-color illustration. Covering features new to CS5 such as Freeform AE, Refine Matte, Roto Brush, and more, this book clearly explains how to perform advanced, typically time-consuming tasks in simplified, quick steps. * Create an entire 3D planet scene from scratch * Create true 3D text * Make smoke, snow, rain, chocolate, molten gold, and more from scratch with particles * Create animated growing vines * Fake a tilt shift effect, and so much more The companion DVD includes project files allowing you to work alongside the exercises in the book, as well as QuickTime movies displaying the techniques shown in the book. Chad Perkins is an award winning software trainer, as well as a filmmaker, musician, and visual effects artist. He is also the creator/owner of Movies and Computers (moviesandcomputers.com), which provides training in independent filmmaking. He is an Adobe Certified Instructor in After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere. Chad is also the author of the book The After Effects Illusionist (Focal Press, 2009).

Get the most from the most widely used application in the postproduction field! Gain the insider tips you need to compose eye-catching, imaginative Adobe After Effects projects quickly and effectively Get the most from the most widely used application in the postproduction field! Gain the insider tips you need to compose eye-catching, imaginative Adobe After Effects projects quickly and effectively. In How to Cheat in After Effects, Second Edition seasoned AE expert Chad Perkins provides dozens of concise, step-by-step tutorials and lavish 4-color illustrations to get you on the fast track to producing amazing motion graphics and visual effects. Updated for CS6, this new edition has been revised to include: A brand new chapter on the most popular 3rd party effects including Trapcode Particular and Video Copilot's Element 3D New cheats on professional compositing, expressions, and high end visual effects Tons of cool light tricks and lessons on how to use Video Copilot's Optical Flares A thorough explanation of the Ray-trace 3D engine introduced in After Effects CS6 Downloadable resources with project files allowing you to work alongside the exercises in the book, as well as QuickTime movies displaying techniques There’s no time to waste! Whether you are an intermediate After Effects user in need of its more advanced tools or a novice looking for techniques to up your game, this book will bring your motion graphics, visual effects, and graphic compositions to the next level. Downloadable resources project files are available at