Hot After Effects How-Tos
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: Expand the boundaries of footage in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you a an often-missed tool in After Effects (Grow Bounds) that can help you out in a pinch, by expanding the boundaries of your footage. Expand the boundaries of footage in After Effects.
How To: Create cartoon animation with After Effects
A lot of people use Flash for 2D cartoon animation, but Adobe After Effects is another great tool to create some very cool cartoon animation. This how to gives you a clear idea of the steps to take to use AE as a cartoon creation device. This short video tutorial will demonstrate how to properly export character animation from Flash and import it into After Effects to combine with background and foreground elements. It also gives a handy trick of how to duplicate a character animation clip to...
How To: Create custom shapes in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to move beyond the Basic shape tools to create your own custom shapes. Part two shows you how to combine several shapes to make a complex shape. Create custom shapes in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
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 an outline around an actor in After Effects
In this tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to create the popular effect in which a colored stroke is placed around a keyed or rotoscoped subject. This example outlines an actor, but you can use it on anything. Create an outline around an actor in 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 tornado text in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow contributing editor Eran Stern shows you a very cool way to create 3D ribbon text animation using After Effects CS3 Text tool. Part two enhances the 3D ribbon text composition by adding a ripple effect to the floor plus a flock of fireflies that dance around the scene. Create tornado text in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Make an intro animation using Adobe After Effects
Check out this tutorial and learn how to make a cool, slick intro animation for your YouTube videos or website. You will be using Adobe After Effects to make this effect and this clip will walk you through all of the steps. Check it out and brand your YouTube channel like a real TV program.
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: Make a cool YouTube intro in After Effects
You can learn how to use After Effects to make an interesting introduction for your YouTube video by following the steps in this video tutorial. You will need to use a preset called Trapcode Particular 2. 0. Once this trial version is downloaded, go into After Effects and select New Composition. Create any name you want for the file and then select HDV/HDTV for the Preset. This video outlines how to create the introduction from the initial layer to the final layer, which is up to you to decid...
How To: Get rid of edge seams in Adobe After Effects
Interested in getting rid of edge seams within Adobe After Effects? This video guide will show you how it's done. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular compositing editor or just want to better acquaint yourself with the popular video editing program, you're sure to benefit from this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this tutorial.
How To: Animate rotation in Adobe After Effects
Get started using Adobe After Effects with the help of The New Boston! This beginner's tutorial is bound to answer the many questions you have about the popular digital motion graphics and compositing software. The main purpose of After Effects is for film and video post-production.
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: 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 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: Animate scale in Adobe After Effects
Get started using Adobe After Effects with the help of The New Boston! This beginner's tutorial is bound to answer the many questions you have about the popular digital motion graphics and compositing software. The main purpose of After Effects is for film and video post-production.
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: Create your own Presets in Adobe After Effects
Make your job a little easier by setting presets in After Effects. This will allow you to save time while you add visual effects to your film. Having custom presets makes it much simpler to achieve consistency is your VFX.
How To: Create Poltergeist-style audio with Adobe Audition & After Effects
Recreate the scary effect in Poltergeist when the girl gets trapped inside the television using Adobe Audition, Adobe After Effects or any similar editing software. Harry Frank and Aharon Rabinowitz take you through the detailed tutorials step by step using a couple of different software methods.
How To: Do a shatter & disintegration effect in After Effects
Themadcowmoo continues to show us how to create a shatter & disintegration effect in Adobe After Effects. In the second part of his two part video series he begins by getting rid of the extrusion depth in the shadow by changing the value to 0 (0.00). He then instructs on how to accomplish and even smaller disintegration effect by selecting the 'Shatter Map' tab, going to the fractal layer, choosing 'Fractal Noise' in the top right panel and then selecting '10' as the value within the 'Transfo...
How To: Create a wipe with a mask animation in After Effects
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a wipe by animating masks in After Effects. This tutorial is for beginners and should give you an idea of how to animate a mask and what alpha channels are. 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 d...
How To: Control the camera point of interest in After Effects
Expressing the camera: animating along a path. Rick Gerard presents a five minute tutorial movie as the second in a series that teaches basic After Effects Camera animation. In this example you'll learn how to simplify animating a camera over a still image and how to orient the camera along a path using expressions to gain complete control. Control the camera point of interest in After Effects.
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 colorful abstract animation in After Effects
This clip explores the use of presets in After Effects CS4 and CS5 to make an interesting element that can be used in a variety of situations. Besides, it’s just cool looking! 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 inst...
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: Make a CCTV monitor effect in After Effects
CCTV's (closed-circuit televisions) are more common than ever before, and have become more and more popular to depict in films and in video games like Manhunt. This video will teach you how to create a CCTV monitor effect akin to what a security guard would see on their camera monitor using After Effects. This will work great for any horror movie that you might be shooting, the effect is very creepy.
How To: Create a pond ripple effect in After Effects
An After Effects tutorial on creating a pond surface effect and simulating an underwater video. Start with footage of a person looking down at the camera and then "touching" the water, then follow along with this tutorial and you'll have rippling water in no time.
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: Copy masks & paste them as keyframes in After Effects
This tutorial shows you the proper way to copy a mask in After Effects to the position property of another layer (and use it as a keyframe).
How To: Create eye shooting laser beams with After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Contributing Editor Eran Stern will show you how to create a fiery iris animation which has laser beams shooting from a girls eyes.
How To: Use Radium Glow plugin in After Effects
This software tutorial shows you how to use the Radium Glow plug-in for After Effects. Radium Glow is also available for Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro and more. Don't settle for glow effects that are just a blur. Radium Glow simulates the way real light behaves, giving you ultra-realistic glimmers and glows. If you've never used Radium Glow, get started with this tutorial.
How To: Simulate slot machine reels in After Effects
Colin Lea has come up with a tutorial for creating animation that simulates slot machine reels. Ko Maruyama has made this video version of the tutorial for you to learn from.
How To: Create realistic animated smoke in After Effects
This video editing software tutorial shows you how to create animated smoke in After Effects. You will learn how to create authentic smoke for any special effects purpose such as fires and action sequences. See how you can use After Effects CS3 filters to create animated smoke. The tutorial is best viewed full screen and you will need Particle Playground plug-in.
How To: Create a custom wave form in After Effects
In the first part of this After Effects tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to create a customized, sound-reactive waveform using a stroke, a distortion effect and an expression. One reason you may want to do this is if you need a rounded wave (ie: a sine wave). Once you have your rounded wave, part two shows you how to improve the look of the customized waveform by changing it's amplitude Create a custom wave form in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create custom particles in Particular in After Effects
This software tutorial shows you how to create custom particles in Trapcode Particular plug-in for After Effects. Learn how any object can be used to create particles with the Particular plug-in in this After Effects tutorial. Create custom particles in Particular in After Effects.
How To: Mask with the pen tool in Adobe After Effects
Get started using Adobe After Effects with the help of The New Boston! This beginner's tutorial is bound to answer the many questions you have about the popular digital motion graphics and compositing software. The main purpose of After Effects is for film and video post-production.
How To: Render in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5
Learn how to render projects in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5. This guide also covers the use of background renderer, creation of output modules and render settings templates, memory, multi-processing and disk-cache preferences, as well as showing a basic preset for rendering FLVs and Quicktime H.264 out of After Effects. The tutorial is aimed at users at a basic to intermediate level. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector editor or a seasoned graphic arts professional just looking to...
How To: Duplicate elements in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Contributing Editor Eran Stern shows you how to duplicate elements in After Effects using the Shape Tool's Repeater function. Part two shows you a neat way to duplicate elements in After Effects using the Puppet Tool. Part three shows you how to duplicate elements in After Effects using the CC RepeTile Effect. Part four shows you how to duplicate elements in After Effects using the Clone Stamp Tool. Part five shows you how to duplicate elements in After Ef...
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.
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