Hot After Effects How-Tos

How To: Create a gradient wipe effect in Premiere Pro CS4/CS5

Learn how to create an eye-catching gradient wipe transition effect within Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 or CS5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular non-linear editor 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: Create a rainbow iris effect in Adobe Photoshop

Join the retro Adobe movement! With this video tutorial, you'll see how to quickly and easily create a colored eye with Adobe Photoshop. You'll be creating alternate Photoshop icons in no time. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular raster graphics editor or a seasoned 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 instructio...

How To: Create motion graphic transitions in After Effects

Learn how to create a transitional motion graphics element in After Effects CS4 or CS5 with this video guide. 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: Clone an object in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5

In this clip, learn the basics on the ideas of cloning in After Effects. See how to paint copies of objects on video or remove them. 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: Rotoscope in Adobe After Effects CS4 or CS5

Heard about the word 'rotoscoping' but not sure what it's about or what to use it for? This clip explains the basic concepts on how and why to rotoscope in this Adobe After Effects CS4 tutorial. 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...

How To: Create a light show with Illustrator & After Effects

In this Illustrator/After Effects CS4 tutorial, Dennis Radeke shows you how you can build your very own light show. It's easy and fun so come along and find out how! 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, ...

How To: Adjust audio effects in Premiere Pro CS3

Working with sounds in Premiere Pro is just as important as working with video. This video will show you how to use some basic techniques to adjust your sound effects in Premiere Pro CS3, including how to use audio filters and create a simple echo effect on some dialogue. Not very advanced, but if you're new to this powerful editing software this video is a good place to get started.

How To: Animate a background in After Effects

Creating cool background for videos is just one of the many awesome things that you can do using Adobe After Effects to do your effects editing. This three-part video will teach you how to create animated backgrounds and add additional text with flare. The results look very cool, as will your video after your apply these lessons.

How To: Use presets to make shine effects in After Effects

People like shiny things. Especially titles it would seem, since so many modern titles seem to have had shine effects put on them using After Effects. Now you can do so at home! This two-part video will show you how to create shine effects in After Effects without downloading any expensive plugins like Shine. It does use some custom presets which are available for download below and should help you speed up the process.

How To: Create shine effects in After Effects without a plugin

Shine effects are one of the cooler and more popular effects that you can add to a title in After Effects. Many people use Trapcode's Shine plugin to accomplish this quickly and easily. But that costs extra money! This two-part video will show you how to create shine effects in After Effects without having to download any additional plugins. If you already shelled out the dough for After Effects, we know you don't want to spend any more, so watch this video!

How To: Leave color in black and white scenes in After Effects

If you've seen the 2005 film Sin City, you most likely remember how most of the film was black and white, but some objects were rendered in livid color. This video will teach you how to create the same effect yourself using After Effects! The creator of this two-part video works with a photo of a fetching young woman and her red blouse, which retains it's color as he turns the rest of the image black and white.

How To: Make a lightsaber in After Effects CS3

Does a fishing rod seem like a boring thing to hold to you? Would you rather it be a lightsaber? Well now it can be, at least for the WoW characters that you are making a machinima with in After Effects. This video will teach you how to create a lightsaber in After Effects and put it in a character's hand, in this case a World of Warcraft fisherman. The process is very quick and the end product looks really cool.

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: Render out normals in Cinema 4D, Modo, After Effects

After Effects allows you to do all sorts of amazing things to your videos and images, but it cannot do it all alone. This video will show you how to use an After Effects plugin called Normality 3 to make lighting adjustments to 3D assets on the fly, having already rendered out a normal pass using either Cinema 4D or Modo (you can use other 3D software too, but those two are both shown as examples in the video). It will also demonstrate how to render out the normal passes.

How To: Apply animated stroke effects to an image in Premiere

Stroke overlays allow you to put semi-transparent lines over you video while it is playing, creating a cool artistic look. This two-part video tutorial will teach you how to use apply stroke overlays to an image using the Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software. This is a very popular technique for fashion videos, so if you are involved in making those then this video should be very useful to you.

How To: Create a hole in a 3D table using 3DS Max and Boujou

Creating movie-quality 3D images takes more than just 3DS Max. It takes a village of graphics programs to really make it look professional. This nine-part video tutorial will teach you how to create a hole in a coffee table using a combination of 3DS Max, After Effects, and the matchmoving software Boujou. This is high-level stuff, but the instructions are great and this video should have you compositing 3D images in no time!

How To: Motion track using a variety of software programs

Most of the 3D modeling tutorial videos out there work within one program or at most two, often Photoshop in conjunction with a 3D modeling program like Maya. This video will walk you through a complete project using four program: 3DS MAX for modeling, Boujou for 3D tracking, Photoshop for texture editing, and finally After Effects for compositing. If you have all of those programs and want to create a seriously good-looking image, look no further.

How To: Create an "Annoying Orange" in Adobe After Effects

Create an "Annoying Orange" to call your very own with this digital video guide. 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: Create a summer blockbuster film look in After Effects

In this clip, Sin City's Visual Effects Supervisor, Stu Maschwitz, shows you how to get the Summer Blockbuster look seen in Transformers 2, Terminator: Salvation, and The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 using Magic Bullet Colorista & Magic Bullet Looks 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 Magic Bullet, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial....

How To: Use corner pinning in Holomatrix for After Effects

Many science fiction feature films and TV shows feature holographic communication and interfaces. Specifically, this video addresses how to use corner pinning within Holomatrix. Red Giant Holomatrix allows you to easily recreate that effect with just a few clicks. 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 Red Giant Holomatrix, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial...

How To: Get started using Holomatrix in After Effects

Many science fiction feature films and TV shows feature holographic communication and interfaces. Red Giant Holomatrix allows you to easily recreate that effect with just a few clicks. This clip, in particular, addresses how to make those few clicks as a complete and utter newcommer to Holomatrix. 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 Red Giant Holomatrix, you're sure to be ...

How To: Use Holomatrix transform properties for After Effects

Many science fiction feature films and TV shows feature holographic communication and interfaces. Red Giant Holomatrix allows you to easily recreate that effect with just a few clicks. 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-...

How To: Make a globe and radio wave animation in After Effects

See how to make a Radio Wave animation that encircles a 3D sphere. First, the clip demonstrates how to achieve this effect using After Effects. Next, it offers instructions on how to do the same thing within Cinema 4D. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started creating your own custom radio wave animation, watch this free video software tutorial.

How To: Create a peel-away vortex transition in After Effects

In this clip, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to create a fun peel-away vortex transition for text and other elements. 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 peel-away...

How To: Create a Twilight Zone-style opening in After Effects

In this clip, Chad Perkins shows you how to create various elements for use in a Twilight Zone-esque TV show opening, using After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator and Cinema 4D. 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: Use the Render Queue in Adobe After Effects CS4

See how to use render and export footage in Adobe After Effects CS4. 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 effects and presets in Adobe After Effects CS4

This quick guide well help you get started using effects and presets when editing video in Adobe After Effects CS4. 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: Create and edit title text in Adobe After Effects CS4

Need help figuring out how to create and manipulate title text when working in Adobe After Effects CS4? 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: Create simple animations in Adobe After Effects CS4

This basic training video will help to get you up and running creating your own custom animations in After Effects CS4. 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 a shatter effect with shadows in After Effects

This clip demonstrates how to use shadows with the Shatter Effect in After Effects CS4. 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 layer order creatively when using After Effects

Need help wrapping your head around how layer order effects visibility in After Effects when using 2D and 3D layers? This clip explains it all. 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 instr...

How To: Enable a stereoscopic post workflow in After Effects

Support and improve your stereo work by using Stereoscopic Scripts in Adobe After Effects. 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: Create an space explosion in Adobe After Effects

Want to create a space explosion for your sci-fi epic? 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: 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.