After Effects Expressions

Put the power of Expressions to work in your animations with controls and efficiencies impossible to achieve with traditional keyframing techniques. No programming skills are required. Foundation concepts and skills orient the new designer and serve as a handy reference to the experienced one. Basics of creating expressions, variables, commands, and expression helpers precede the leap into javascript and math essentials for more advanced expressions that include randomness, physical simularions and 3D. Full color illustrations display the scripts and the resulting effects, pickwhip techniques, and sequential animations. Downloadable companion files include Quicktime movies of the demo animations, and AE project files that permit you to examine the Expressions. Extensive notes are provided to aid you in implementing the extensive library of Expressions available for your use on Adobe LiveDocs.

WHAT IS AFTER EFFECTS? One of the most used software Adobe Creative Cloud is probably the most popular collection of softwares amongst creatives around the world. With millions and millions of users, Adobe After Effects might be one of their top programs, mostly used in the Media / Entertainment industry for Motion Graphics, Animation and Visual Effects, and with the ever expanding digital media demands, Adobe After Effects seems unbeatable and the number one go-to program for professionals and enthusiasts. WHO AM I? Everyone I am a motion graphics artist based in New York City, I have over a decade of experience working for major companies and brands such as Google, Amazon, Nike, Marvel, Paypal and WWE among them. My spectrum of expertise spans a wide range of digital/social media, broadcast, and studio design. But above all I'm a regular daily user of After Effects, which knows the concerns of the After Effects community and wants to help to add to the expansion of this huge, generous and super creative community. WHAT IS EXPRESSION? A simple language Expression is the language that allows to program or link the properties in Adobe After Effects. This coding language is written in ExtendScript, developed by Adobe, and based on the JavaScript coding language. Trying to learn Expression can proved to be a laborious journey for a regular user, not because of the difficulty of the language but because all of the materials to learn it are spread everywhere or just outdated, it can be even more frustrating when the After Effects user has to leave the community to learn coding for After Effects through other coding sources such as JavasScript websites. I experienced this firsthand and when it came to learning Expression, you just can't find a precise answer where to start or a global approach, this book is exactly what I wish I had found. WHY A BOOK? A missing piece Expression is known, even to the experienced users, as the dark and mysterious place within the After Effects world, animators mainly understand keyframes. When you don't know anything about coding in general, it can look scary and not accessible but believe me Expression is very logical and you just need to know a few terms to be able to write, read or decipher an expression; my goal is to lighten things up and what can seem complex, at the end is a very beautiful and simple tool that will bring harmony in creativity and boost the productivity, definitely a must for any After Effects user. Expression is still a written language so it's still easier to focus by learning it through reading rather than watching a video tutorial. The purpose of this book is to have a reference where to quickly search, learn, and review the terms necessary to use Expression in After Effects: Finally a real guide of how to learn Expression fast and easy, presented in a modern and minimalist way.

After Effects CS5.5 Update: /tv.adobe.com/show/after-effects-cs55-new-creative-techniques/ Chris and Trish Meyer have created a series of videos demonstrating how to use their favorite new and enhanced features in After Effects CS5.5. Virtually all of these videos use exercise files from Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects (5th Edition for CS5) as their starting point, extending the usefulness of this book for its owners. These videos may be viewed for free on AdobeTV. * 5th Edition of best-selling After Effects book by renowned authors Trish and Chris Meyer covers the important updates in After Effects CS4 and CS5 * Covers both essential and advanced techniques, from basic layer manipulation and animation through keying, motion tracking, and color management * The downloadable resources are packed with project files for version CS5, source materials, and nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters Trish and Chris Meyer share over 17 years of hard-earned, real-world film and video production experience inside this critically acclaimed text. More than a step-by-step review of the features in AE, readers will learn how the program thinks so that they can realize their own visions more quickly and efficiently. This full-color book is packed with tips, gotchas, and sage advice that will help users thrive no matter what projects they might encounter. Creating Motion Graphics 5th Edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect the new features introduced in both After Effects CS4 and CS5. New chapters cover the revolutionary new Roto Brush feature, as well as mocha and mocha shape. The 3D section has been expanded to include working with 3D effects such as Digieffects FreeForm plus workflows including Adobe Repoussé, Vanishing Point Exchange, and 3D model import using Adobe Photoshop Extended. The print version is also accompanied by downloadable resources that contain project files and source materials for all the techniques demonstrated in the book, as well as nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters on subjects such as expressions, scripting, and effects. Subjects include: Animation Techniques; Layer Management; Modes, Masks, and Mattes; Mastering 3D Space; Text Animation; Effects & Presets; Painting and Rotoscoping; Parenting, Nesting, and Collapsing; Color Management and Video Essentials; Motion Tracking and Keying; Working with Audio; Integrating with 3D Applications; Puppet Tools; Expressions; Exporting and Rendering; and much more.

Gain in-depth knowledge of Premiere Pro, and learn how the software “thinks.” You'll acquire new skills that will help you choose the best workflow for your project, and simplify and accelerate your video editing process. Learn how you can edit a lot faster with smarter workflows that automate several steps in the editing process. You'll also see how custom settings, presets, keyboard shortcuts and templates saves hours of work. By tailoring the software to your needs you save clicks on just about every task. With many traditional jobs now being done by one person, its important to understand audio smoothing, color grading, motion graphics, and advanced editing techniques. You’ll learn these skills and disciplines and see how they'll enhance your project's workflow. All the authors are professional editors and want to know exactly how to cut your film as fast as possible with top quality output. There is invaluable information in The Cool Stuff in Premiere Pro that’s not available anywhere else – not even in Adobe’s own manuals. What You'll Learn Edit faster, no matter what the project Understand the technical stuff, like timeline settings, render codecs, color subsampling, export settings, effect controls and monitor settings Know when to send your clips to other Adobe software, and how to treat them there. Master the Premiere Pro timeline, even stacks of timelines, and edit, trim and adjust with ease Who This Book Is For Video journalists (and everyone else) will learn how to edit faster and get home in time for dinner. Bloggers will learn how to make their online video and audio “pop”. Film cutters will learn how to organize, rough cut and fine tune huge amounts of material effectively and how to output for digital cinema. Experienced video editors will learn how to deal with multi-track audio and to work faster in every step of the edit. Marketing people who edit video for social media and web pages will learn simpler ways to make a faster cut. Teachers in media studies will understand the logic in Premiere Pro, and be better prepared for teaching video editing.

This is the only book to focus exclusively on the creation of visual effects for After Effects, and is a one-stop resource for anyone who wants in-depth explanations that demystify the realm of visual effects and how they were created, thanks to veteran author Mark Christiansen's friendly and accessible style. A thoroughly packed, informative read, this masterful guide focuses on explaining the essential concepts, features, and techniques that are key to creating seamless movie-quality visual effects. Users who are comfortable with After Effects will find a helpful review of the fundamentals—managing footage, viewing and editing layers, animating type, and more—so they can learn how to work smarter and more efficiently. Readers of all levels will learn core techniques for effects compositing including color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, emulating the camera, and concluding with using expressions in After Effects. The final section of the book delves into creative explorations, demonstrating professional effects that readers might want to re-create. Readers will also find comprehensive coverage of all new features, including the new workflow between After Effects CC and CINEMA 4D, coverage on the 3D Camera Tracker, and examples of the Refine Edge tool for high-quality matting results. Included with the book are HD media files and After Effects project files used for many of the techniques in the book, as well as demos of plug-ins that you can use to experiment with in your own effects. To access these files goto www.peachpit.com/redeem and redeem the unique code provided inside this book. Information on where to locate the code can be found on page xxvi. Author Expertise: Mark Christiansen (christiansen.com) is a visual effects supervisor and creative director and has worked on features including Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, and Beasts of the Southern Wild, and has served as a director, producer, designer, and compositor/animator on commercials, music videos, live events, and television documentary productions. Mark has done work directly for the Adobe After Effects development and marketing teams, is a founder at provideocoalition.com, and has taught courses at fxphd.com and Academy of Art University. He has been a guest host of popular podcasts such as “The VFX Show” and has written all editions of this book and coauthored After Effects 5.5 Magic. Mark is also founder of New Scribbler Press.

"How to Cheat in After Effects is an easy-to-follow book that lets you in on all of the little secrets to create those commonly needed effects with ease and speed. With clear pictures illustrating the step-by-step procedures, this is the perfect tool for the arsenal of any After Effects user, from novice to advanced." - Michele Yamazaki, Vice President Marketing and Web Development Czarina, Toolfarm.com Compose eye-popping After Effects projects quickly and creatively with dozens of concise, step-by-step tutorials accompanied by vivid 4-color illustration. Covering features new to CS5 such as Freeform AE, Refine Matte, Roto Brush, and more, this book clearly explains how to perform advanced, typically time-consuming tasks in simplified, quick steps. * Create an entire 3D planet scene from scratch * Create true 3D text * Make smoke, snow, rain, chocolate, molten gold, and more from scratch with particles * Create animated growing vines * Fake a tilt shift effect, and so much more The companion DVD includes project files allowing you to work alongside the exercises in the book, as well as QuickTime movies displaying the techniques shown in the book. Chad Perkins is an award winning software trainer, as well as a filmmaker, musician, and visual effects artist. He is also the creator/owner of Movies and Computers (moviesandcomputers.com), which provides training in independent filmmaking. He is an Adobe Certified Instructor in After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere. Chad is also the author of the book The After Effects Illusionist (Focal Press, 2009).

This is the only book on the market to focus exclusively on the creation of visual effects for After Effects users, and is a one-stop resource for anyone who wants in-depth explanations that demystify the realm of visual effects and how they were created, thanks to veteran author Mark Christiansen's friendly and accessible style. A thoroughly packed, informative read, this masterful guide focuses on explaining the essential concepts, features, and techniques that are key to creating seamless movie-quality visual effects. Users who are comfortable with After Effects will find a helpful review of the fundamentals - managing footage, viewing and editing layers, animating type, and more - so they can learn how to work smarter and more efficiently. Readers of all levels will learn core techniques for effects compositing including color matching, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, emulating the camera, and concluding with using expressions in After Effects, written by contributor and expert Dan Ebberts. An incredibly useful appendix on scripting in After Effects is included as well, written by Adobe engineer Jeff Almasol. The final section of the book delves into creative explorations, demonstrating professional effects that are commonly seen in films and games which readers can re-create. Readers will also find comprehensive coverage of all that's new and makes this version of Adobe's effects programa must-have update, including the revolutionary new Roto Brush, all new effects such as the New Refine Matte effect, new support for Color Look-Up Tables, workflows that take advantage of the all-new 64-bit support, inclusion of third-party tools for additional creativity, and much more. Note from the publisher: FREE Adobe After Effects CS5.5 updates are available for this title. Simply register your product at www.peachpit.com/register and you will receive the updates when they become available.

After Effects for Designers teaches design students, artists, and web, graphic, and interactive designers how to design, develop, and deploy motion design projects using Adobe After Effects. Author Chris Jackson balances fundamental aspects of time-based design with related techniques, and explores the principles of animation; composition and layout; visual hierarchy; typography; cinematic storytelling; 3D modelling; compositing, and more. Each chapter contains unique, step-by-step project exercises that offer timesaving practical tips and hands-on design techniques, teaching readers how to effectively use the tools at their disposal in order to conceptualize and visualize creative solutions to their own motion design work. Readers will build professional-world examples in every chapter and, as a result, learn how to both design effectively using After Effects and practically apply these skills in client-based work. An accompanying companion website includes complete project files for the book's chapter exercises, and additional video tutorials.