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After Effects CS3: Classroom in a Book
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Lesson
Practice Assignment
Getting Started
Lesson 1:
Getting to Know the
Workflow
Look at samples, Install files
 Create a project and import
footage
 Create compositions and arrange
layers
 Navigate After Effects interface
 Use Project, Composition, and
Timeline panels
 Apply basic keyframes and
effects
 Preview your work using
standard and RAM previews
 Customize workspace
 Adjust preferences related to
workspace
 Find topics in After Effects Help
 Use Adobe Bridge to preview
and import footage items
 Work with layers of imported
Illustrator file
 Apply drop shadow and emboss
effects
 Apply text animation preset
 Adjust time range of text
animation preset
 Precompose layers
 Apply a dissolve transition effect
 Adjust transparency of a layer
 Render an animation for
broadcast use
 Export animation in SWF format
for web
 Create and animate text layers
 Stylize text using Character and
Paragraph panels
 Animate text using presets
 Preview animation presets in
Lesson 2:
Creating a Basic Animation
Using Effects and Presets
Lesson 3:
Animating Text
Teacher
Signature
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Lesson 4:
Shape Layers
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Lesson 5:
Animating a Multimedia
Presentation
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Lesson 6:
Animating Layers
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Adobe Bridge
Customize animation preset
Animate text using keyframes
Animate layers using parenting
Edit and animate imported
Photoshop text
Use text animator group to
animate selected characters on a
layer
Apply text animation to graphic
object
Create custom shapes
Customize shape’s fill and stroke
Use path orientations to
transform shapes
Animate shapes
Repeat shapes
Explore design options with
Brainstorm feature
Use After Effects in DVD
interface workflow
Create complex animation with
multiple layers
Adjust duration of a layer
Clip live motion video using
shape layer
Animate with Position, Scale,
and Rotation keyframes
Animate precomposed layer
Apply Radio Waves effect to
solid layer
Add audio to a project
Loop audio track using time
remapping
Animate layered Photoshop
image
Duplicate animation using pick
whip
Work with imported Photoshop
layer styles
Apply track matte to control
visibility of layers
Animate layer using Corner Pin
effect
Apply Lens Flare effect to solid
layer
Use time remapping and Layer
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Lesson 7:
Working with Masks
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Lesson 8:
Distorting Objects with the
Puppet Tool
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Lesson 9:
Keying
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Lesson 10:
Performing Color Correction
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panel to dynamically retime
footage
Edit Time Remap keyframes in
Graph Editor
Create mask using Pen tool
Change mask’s mode
Edit mask shape by controlling
vertices and direction handles
Feather mask edge
Replace contents of mask shape
Adjust position of layer in 3D
space to blend it with rest of shot
Create reflection effect
Create vignette
Use Auto Levels to correct color
of shot
Place Deform pins using Puppet
Tool tool
Define areas of overlap using
Puppet Overlap tool
Stiffen part of image using
Puppet Starch tool
Animate position of Deform pins
Smooth motion in animation
Record animation using Puppet
Sketch tool
Create garbage mask
Use Color Difference Key effect
to key image
Check image’s alpha channel for
errors in key
Use Spill Suppressor effect to
remove unwanted light spill
Key out background using
Keylight effect
Adjust contrast of image using
Levels effect
Use masks to isolate areas of
image for color correction
Use Color Balance effect to
enhance areas of shot
Use Auto Levels effect to
introduce color shift
Use track matte to isolate area of
image
Apply Hue/Saturation and
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Lesson 11:
Building and Animating a 3D
Object
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Lesson 12:
Using 3D Features
Lesson 13:
Advanced Editing Techniques
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Lesson 14:
Rendering and Outputting
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Brightness & Contrast effect to
convert color image to highcontrast, black-and-white image
Correct range of colors using
Synthetic Aperture Color Finess
2
Apply Photo Filter effect to
warm portions of image
Remove unwanted elements with
Clone Stamp tool
Create 3D shape from solid layer
Animate shapes in three
dimensions
Look at 3D scene from multiple
views
Apply Grid effect to add depth
perspective
Control the way layer animates
by moving its anchor point
Rotate and position layers long x,
y, and z axes
Create and position light layer
Cast realistic shadows
Create and animate camera layer
Use CC Sphere effect
Apply 3D text animation preset
Use motion stabilization to
smooth out shaky camera shot
Use single-point motion tracking
to track one object in shot to
another object in shot
Perform multipoint tracking
using perspective corner-pinning
Create particle system
Use Timewarp effect to create
slow-motion video
Create render-settings template
Create output-module templates
Render multiple output modules
Select appropriate compressor
for delivery format
Use pixel aspect ratio correction
Render the final animation for
NTSC broadcast video output
Render test version of
composition
Render web version of final
animation