After Effects, VFX Day 1

Objectives

  • Students understand what After Effects is and what i can and can’t do.
  • Students understand how the workspace is laid out and what the different panels do.
  • Students will be able to import footage.
  • Students will be able to create objects and text.
  • Students will apply basic transform keyframes.
  • Students will know how to use the align panel
  • Students will use parenting to save time and work
  • Students will export their projects.

Link to files: https://files.learnsoftware.org/after-effects-vfx/

Outline

  • Intro
    • Show a Demo Reel (this one is by Harrison Brownell)
    • Show an example of what we will do today.
    • Explain what AF does
      • Is not a video editor
  • Show everyone how to make a project. From footage.
  • Walk everyone through the workspace
    • Timeline
      • Space to go. Commd arrows to move forward frames.
    • Project panel
    • Other panels on side
    • , and . to zoom
    • Hold Space to move
    • How to fit to screen.
  • Have everyone create a text layer.
    • Edit color
    • Edit stroke
    • Font
    • Ect
  • Have everyone create an object (maybe two dots on either side)
    • How to toggle between different objects
    • Hold space to move
    • shift to maintain dimensions
    • Command to create from center
  • Align panels
    • Have everyone center the title
  • Different keyframes
    • Show shortcuts p,r,s,t,u
    • Explain what key frames are,
    • Explain they are automatically created
    • Show how to edit already made key frames. 
    • J and k jump to keyframe
  • Parenting
    • Parent objects to text