

How To: Create a twinkling star effect in Adobe After Effects
This is a great background for Christmas plays, holiday pageants or any other video you want to add a little twinkle! You can add a twinkling star quite easily in Adobe After Effects, and this tutorial shows you exactly how!

How To: Change the color of an object in After Effects
This video shows you how to change the color of an object in After Effects.

How To: Make a pulse or pulsating wave effect in After Effects
Making really attractive titles for your films is just one of the way that you can dramatically improve them using After Effects. This video will help you make them by showing you how to create a pulse or pulsating wave effect from whence your titles can emerge. They look great, and will make your movie (especially horror or sci-fi movie) look much more professional right from the beginning.

How To: Create a simple scrolling LED display in After Effects
This simple After Effects tutorial from Laurence Grayson will show you how to use CC Ball Action effect in AE to create a realistic scrolling LED signboard effect, like the ones you see at conference centers and football stadiums. Then end result can be altered to suit your project, and corner-pinned into a scene. There are no plug-ins required, and this method uses the standard toolset in CS3, CS4, and CS5.

How To: Create custom particles in After Effects
Are you getting better at using After Effects and finding that you want to create your own custom particles instead of using the default ones? Then this video is for you. It will show you how to create custom animated particles which can be used to create all manner of cool effects like the one created as an example for this video. Don't keep using clublets of particles, make them do what you want them to do.

How To: Create a Super 8mm effect in After Effects
Using Curious Turtle's Film Wash Color Effects in After Effects create a Super 8 look to your film. In this tutorial, you will learn how to build up a color grade using several layers, then using expressions and After Effects own filters to finish the look. To learn more about the Film Wash, visit www.curiousturtle.com

How To: Change the language to English in After Effects
Have you got a copy of After Effects installed with the language set to another language? Check out this helpful video to learn how to set the language English, whatever the current language is. Maybe your film is in French, but that doesn't mean your visual effects software has to be.

How To: Create a watercolor painting effect with Toonit for Adobe After Effects
In this video tutorial, we learn how to create an animated watercolor painting effect with the Toonit plugin in Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide. Crea...

How To: Create a stitch effect with Trapcode Particular in Adobe After Effects
In this video tutorial, we learn how to create a stitched denim effect with Trapcode Particular. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide. Create a stitch effect with Trapcode Par...

How To: Use World of Warcraft model viewer with After Effects
World of Warcraft, or Wow as it is affectionately known, is the most popular MMORPG of all time. In the wake of all of this popularity, WoW characters have become a popular subject for machinima, movies made within video games. This video will teach you, the budding machinima filmmaker, to use a piece of software called WoW Modelviewer with Adobe After Effects to incorporate your favorite WoW characters into a video.

How To: Create an explosion behind someone in After Effects
Want to create an explosion behind your subject? With After Effects, it's easy. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.

How To: Make a building explode in After Effects
This video shows you how to create a building explosion (more specifically, the Statue of Liberty) in Adobe After Effects in less than ten minutes. The smoke and fire are downloaded separately, while the shattering of the statue is created in After Effects. First, duplicate the layers into what will and what will not explode, then create a mask around each one. Then, set the shatter effect to the exploding layer. Set the shape pattern to glass to make it more realistic. Also, you can raise th...

How To: Use 3D Stroke in Adobe After Effects
After Effects is one of the best digital motion graphics software programs out there. Learn it. Now.

How To: Creating an Eclipse in Adobe After Effects
In the first part of this two-part project tutorial, J. Schuh demonstrates how he creates a bright sun and then blocks it out in part 2.

How To: Ensure broadcast-safe colors in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you a simple method of ensuring Broadcast-Safe Colors in your final output. Ensure broadcast-safe colors in After Effects.

How To: Recover corrupt After Effects files & import projects
In this tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shares tips on the many uses of importing After Effects Projects, and how you can recover corrupt AE files. Recover corrupt After Effects files & import projects.

How To: Create a ghost effect in After Effects
In this Adobe After Effects tutorial Tony Reale shows you how to create a ghost effect for your films.

How To: Simulate air flow over an object in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to simulate airflow over an object by using the After Effects CS3 puppet tools with a particle system. Simulate air flow over an object in After Effects.

How To: Turn a 2D still image into a 3D space using After Effects
This tutorial shows you how to replicate a popular Hollywood technique. It can be difficult to get the camera projection look with an actual camera, but Adobe After Effects has an easy alternative. Turn any 2-D still image into a dynamic 3-D clip.

How To: Use node-based compositing in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5
This video presents an introduction to node-based compositing from the perspective of an After Effects User. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.

How To: Use Vector Smart Objects in Adobe After Effects
After Effects is one of the best digital motion graphics software programs out there. Learn it. Now.

How To: Use the RG Warp Corner Pin in Adobe After Affects
In this video tutorial, Eran Stern shows you a technique to enhance your tracking and compositing results by using Mocha AE and RG Warp Corner Pin plug-in.

How To: Make shimmering glitter in Particular in After Effects
In this After Effects tutorial, Creative Cow leader, Michael Park, demonstrates how to simulate shimmering glitter particles using fractal noise, colorama effect and Trapcodes Particular plugin. Make shimmering glitter in Particular in After Effects.

How To: Use FreeForm to simulate flowing cloth or ribbon in After Effects
You can use the FreeForm plugin to create the look of cloth blowing in the wind - like an animated ribbon, or a banner waving in the wind. The key is in designing the displacement map to get a truly realistic effect.

How To: Create visually stunning compositions from 3D renders in After Effects
Compositing and color correction are important and integral steps in processing a 3D render after it is generated in Cinema 4D, 3D Studio Max or any other 3D package. Compositing transforms simple renders and provides them with life, vibrancy and atmosphere. In this demonstration, Greyscale Gorilla breaks down a 5 second project from Rich Hinchcliffe and demonstrates how Rich uses Adobe After Effects, color correction, blurs, ReelSmart Motion BLur, Frischluft Lens Care and Lens Flares to tran...

How To: Give your architectural renderings a film look in After Effects
This tutorial shows you how to take your architectural renderings in Adobe After Effects and give them a 35mm film look. Even better, this tutorial uses only the basic program - no plugins or extra add ons to worry about.

How To: Create a force field effect in Adobe After Effects CS5
Want to create a force field effect within a video project? This clip will show you how it's done using only stock After Effects CS5 plug-ins.

How To: How Did He Do That?
I asked Cyriak Harris, a freelance animator from the UK, to reveal a few secrets on how he made his trippy, forever-multiplying hand fingers:

How To: Create a radial sunburst effect in Adobe After Effects
In this free video software tutorial, you'll learn how to create a sunburst effect when compositing footage in After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular compositing application or a seasoned digital video professional merely looking to pick up a few new tips and tricks, you're certain to be well served by this video guide. Take a look.

How To: Create animated frozen titles in After Effects
This After Effects tutorial will show how to create a nice, smooth animated text effect, which turns your icy font into a frozen font. This is a great animation that can be easily learned, whether you're an AE pro or novice. Laurence Grayson chills out as he shows you how to create this ice texture effect, glassy text and a frozen text animation - all using just the standard effects that come in CS3, CS4 or CS5.

How To: Create a text-to-sand transition with Trapcode Form in After Effects
In this video tutorial, we learn how to create dissolving text-to-sand transitions with Trapcode Form within Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide. Create ...

How To: Loop particles with Trapcode Particular & Starglow in Adobe After Effects
In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to create a seamlessly looping particle system within Adobe After Effects with Trapcode Particular and Starglow. For all of the specifics, and to get started using this effect in your own projects, take a look! Loop particles with Trapcode Particular & Starglow in Adobe After Effects.

How To: Make someone burst into flames with After Effects
In this video, we learn how to make someone burst into flames with After Effects. You will first need Fire Assets from Action Essentials 2 or from somewhere online. Know which you are going to use before you shoot so you can get the right angle. Then, bring your shots into your software and position the fire above your character. Change the size and shape the match your actor. Then, track your footage by clicking on track motion and continuing forward. To make this look more realistic, change...

How To: Create a particle animation loop with After Effects & Trapcode Particular
This video guide offers a complete overview of how to create a seamless looping particle animation with Trapcode Particular and Adobe After Effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free v...

How To: Make abstract waves in After Effects with the Trapcode Form plug-in
Creating an abstract wave effect in After Effects will allow you to make graphics like those in the thumbnail, basically clouds of particles with that smokey / silky effect like they used in James Bond titles. This video will show you how to make this effect yourself in After Effects in two parts. Apply this technique to your titles and they should be much, much sexier.

How To: Import footage into PFTrack and export it to Cinema 4D
In this tutorial, you'll see how easy it is to bring your footage into PFTrack and then quickly take that data into Cinema 4D to begin to add your elements. Whether you're new to MAXON's popular 3D modeling application or are just looking to get better acquainted with Cinema 4D and its various features and functions, you're sure to enjoy this free video software tutorial. For more information, including complete instructions, watch this 3D modeler's guide.

How To: Avoid the wobbly keyframe in After Effects
Nick Campbell shows us how to avoid the wobbly keyframe in After Effects. When you are animating logos and want them to come onto the screen, stop for a few seconds, and then continue off the screen. To fix it, highlight your key frames and then right click on "keyframe interpolation". Now, where it says "temporal interpolation" click to make it say "linear" next to it. Save this change and now the wobbly effect should have gone away. This can come up in a number of different moves, no matter...

How To: Create a smoldering text effect in Adobe After Effects
Looking for something dynamic and new for your After Effects work? In this clip, you'll see how to have elements come together in smokey bits again with no third party effects. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step ins...

How To: Composite green screen shots with Maya, After Effects
Compositing green screen images with images from other sources is the most important part of using a green screen. This video will teach you how to composite a green screen element with a 3D stage created using Maya in After Effects. The end result looks very professional, and your videos will as well after you apply the lessons from this video.

How To: Create a 1980s retro video game look in After Effects
In this clip, Aharon Rabinowitz walks you through the process of creating the look of a vector style arcade game from the early 1980's. He'll use PlaneSpace, Particular, & Text Anarchy, as well as expressions and other techniques. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For ...