1. Create an artwork object using Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.
2. After you have completed a simple object, open AfterEffects and create a new project. Name your project with your name and save it in a folder on the desktop. Name your folder with your name.
3. Create a "New Composition". In Preset select NTSC DV 720x480. Use full resolution, however you may want to set it for lower resolution if you find that the program runs slowly. You can reset it to full resolution later. Do not change the frame rate from 29.97 frames per second. Select OK. You will see a black composition viewer and a timeline. You can create as many new compositions as you need in your project. Do not create a new project for every composition. Use this project for all the practise work you will be doing. You can also use it for your final sequence project.
4. Import your artwork into your project window. That's the little window on the top right of the screen, unless your dragged it somewhere else or changed the size. The Project window has the name of the project displayed on the top bar.
5. You can drag your imported artwork into the composition window, the composition timeline or the small composition icon in the project window.
6. To begin you will be using three of the five motions. Position - Scale - Rotation. Position your object where you want it to begin then move your time indicator where you want the time to begin. Set the keyframe. It is the "clock" shape at the beginning of the motion title. Then move your time indicator to where you want the motion to end. Move the object to the position. You will notice that the diamond shapes indicating the keyframe, have been set automatically. You can make adjusts to these keyframes. You can also copy and paste them. Make motions for all three. You can explore possibilities of motion. This is a practise exercise and not a finished animation that you will later show.
When you think you are finished, have your teacher check your work. If you are lost, confused or have any questions, raise your hand or ask another student.
1. Stop and Go using copy/paste. Create a new composition and use the same or a new art object. You are still using the orginal project. This time, use the position settings to have your object move, then stop then move again.
Set the beginning position and time of your object. Set the position keyframe and move the object about half way across the window. Then move the time line about one second. Copy the last key frame and paste it into the new time position. Then move the timeline to the end and move the object. If everything is working correctly you will have made your object stop midway, delay for a second, then move again.
2. Change a curved motion into a straight motion. Find the toolbox or toolbar. It's the small box that says "tools". Find the tool that looks like the old fashioned ink pens, but hold down your mouse button and select the one that says convert vertex tool. Select your object motion path by selecting the object in the timeline. You may notice some points with handles. Find one and click on the point with the tool. Notice what happens.
If all you have is a straight line position path then you will need to create a curve before you can convert it to a straigh line. Postion you object somewhere between the beginning and the end. Then, move the object. Notice how the path becomes a curve. You will also notice a handle. Move the handle and observe what happens.
Try making your object move in a rectangle so that it begins and end in the same position. Have the teacher check your work when you think you are complete.
The anchor point positions the center of the object. You can move the anchor point to create motion effects.
1. In your first composition, use the anchor point tool to move the anchor point. Observe what happens.
2. Return your anchor point to the orginal postion. This time, set the anchor point keyframe at the beginning of the motion, then move it to the end. Use the anchor point tool to move the anchor point at the end. Observe what happens.
3. Create a new composition. Use your rotation setting and anchor point tool to make your object travel in a circle.
Parenting links one object to another.
1. Right Click and find columns. Open the parent column.
You can use the rotation composition you made earlier, but you will need to import another object. You can use the same object twice but you will need to drag it from your project window again to create a new layer in the timeline. In the parent column you will notice a small spiral. On the new layer, position your mouse cursor on the little spiral and drag to the first object. Notice a line appear that connect the two. Observe what happens.
A Null Object is an invisible object. Using what you have learned make an object rotate as demonstrated in class.
If you have completed section 1, you may now move on to section 2.
The green screen is a way to remove unwanted areas of your image by making them invisible. You might want to video a friend, but you want to put them in front of a different background . When you video them, you can place them in front of a green or blue screen while filming. You then import your footage into After Effects, or any program with COLOR KEY capabilites.
Use the class green screen to video another person in class. Have them say a few words (if possible). The footage can be short, 10-20 seconds if sufficient. You will have to convert to quicktime and since none of the computers have Quicktime Pro, you will have to use Imovie. Import your footage into Imovie, edit as much as you like, then convert to Quicktime. Save your work in your AE project folder on your desktop. You can also use a toy attached to a string and film and film it in front of the green screen.
Import your footage into AE. Drag it into your composition. You will see it appear in your timeline. Select the footage then open Effects on the main menu. Find "Keying" and select "Color Key". The Color Key window should open. Use the eye dropper to select the green background and adjust "Color Tolerance" until you have removed as much as the green as you can without losing the main image. Everything green should now be invisible. Use a digital photograph or your artwork as a background. This is not a group assignment, you are responsible for your own work.
You will need some footage for this exercise. Check out a camera and go outside with a partner and shoot about 30 seconds of video. You can film anything, but it is best to have some action for example, have your actor point a finger at somebody you can later paint in a ray emanating from the finger. You will need your own footage. This is not a group assignment, you are responsible for your own work.
AE does not have video capture features (unless you can find it) so you will have to use Imovie to capture your video footage. You can also do a quick edit. When you have completed the capture and edit, export to quicktime. Save your work with your name in your folder.
(Do not create new projects for every exercise. Use your practise project and create NEW COMPOSITIONS.)
Import your video clip into AE. Create a new composition the length of your clip. Drag your QT file into the composition. You cannot use the drawing tool directly on the composition so double click the QT file in your composition. It will open a separate window. Select brush tool from the tools pallete. Select a color by clicking on the foreground color square.
Position your brush and try making some marks. Don't make too many marks and if you "mess up" you can revert or trash the layer. You can always go back to your original QT file. Explore the options by selecting opacity, flow, blending, channel and duration.
After your have spent some time exploring the options and mark making capabilities do a completed practise project that is suitable for class viewing.