Creative After Effects 5.0: animation, visual effects and motion graphics production for TV and video - Softcover

Taylor, Angie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0240516222 ISBN 13: 9780240516226

Publisher: Focal Press, 2001

Synopsis

In this dynamic new text Angie Taylor provides a comprehensive guide to the fundamental workings of After Effects, explaining how to think creatively with the software, so that you can achieve the most unique and professional-looking results. Also included are lots of invaluable tips, tricks, ideas, animation rules, design and typography rules and details of other resources you will find useful.




The free CD-ROM provides the necessary files to complete each tutorial in the book, as well as a plethora of free fonts, footage, plugins and demo software (including Adobe's After Effects 4.1 Tryout version). Readers are also encouraged to build their own, custom project, applying the techniques learned in each chapter, and completing the book with a totally unique piece of work. The associated website (www.angie.abel.co.uk/book.html) contains links to interesting related sites for up to date news, as well as inspirational work from other professional After Effects artists.

If you are a designer already using After Effects and want to improve and reconfirm your working methods, brush up on your creative skills, and improve your graphic and animation techniques, or if you simply need to learn After Effects from scratch, then this is the book for you.



FREE CROSS-PLATFORM CD-ROM INCLUDES:
AFTER EFFECTS TEMPLATES
EXTRAS
FREE STUFF
- FONTS
- FOOTAGE
- PLUGINS
MOVIES
SOFTWARE DEMOS (INCLUDES ADOBE® AFTER EFFECTS® 5.0 TRYOUT VERSION)
TRAINING MATERIALS

About this title

Review

"Of all the After Effects books I looked at whilst trying to learn it, I found Angie's was the most user-friendly and creative."
Chris Cunningham - director of music videos, commercials and video art

"Angie has a knack for demystifying the intricacies of After Effects and coming up with creative uses of the features."
Steve Kilisky, Senior Product Manager, After Effects, Adobe Systems Inc.

"Angie Taylor is the best After Effects teacher I know. She goes beyond technical descriptions of features, and shows you how best to use them in real-world projects."
Bruce Bullis, Senior API Engineer, Adobe Dynamic Media, Adobe Systems Inc.

"This book takes you on a roller coaster ride through the world of creating animation and special effects with Adobe After Effects. It is much more than just a software manual, Angie Taylor seeks to stimulate the creative use of computer animation. Complex technical issues are clearly and concisely explained, making it suitable for beginners and the more advanced users. Creative After Effects is the ideal companion for all students of computer animation and motion graphics."
Birgitta Hosea, Course Director, London Animation Studio, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London.

Angie Taylor's work is inspired. She is a highly creative animator - inventive, witty and naturally sympathetic to individual programme's styles.
Carys Edwards, Director, Children's BBC

'This book has an inventive approach to developing the creative skills of the reader. The upshot being that, whilst working through the book, readers actually create their own unique work that they can add to their portfolio, rather than spending time with unoriginal exercise material that they can't use.'
DIGIT magazine

'There's nothing more frustrating than devising the perfect solution to a design brief and then not knowing how to fully realise it. If you want to be able to create eye-catching motion graphics then "Creative After Effects 5.0" by Angie Taylor should be the answer... this is the book all After Effects users have been waiting for - written by an animator for animators. Taylor has obviously thoroughly researched her subject, and engages the reader with her personal approach. The book is well designed with clear, easy-to-follow instructions, and plenty of screen grabs. It will soon have even a complete beginner enthused and ready to create their own sequences.

What's different to other manuals is the lack of the usual 'do this, then this, to get this' feel. For technophobes like me, it allows - indeed insists on - the reader having fun in creating sequences and anticipates when you may come unstuck with uncanny accuracy.

The free CD (Mac and PC) is full of goodies, including some great technical guides and links. Taylor has included demo versions of the software, and all related files necessary to complete the tutorials.

It's great for those of you who already use After Effects to improve your skills, and via the associated Web site share hints and tips for an easier life. While it doesn't cover everything - and couldn't - it certainly gives the best grounding possible in comparison to other books available.

Macworld's buying advice: I defy anyone in computer animation and motion graphics not to benefit from this excellent book.'
Kerry Cathro, Macworld magazine (this book was awarded a Macworld 5-Star rating ***** as a result of this review)

'The book is designed as a course in After Effects 5.0 and is accompanied by a CD-ROM with all the files needed to complete the tutorials. There is also an associated website with information and help from other After Effects users.'
Dope Sheet the ASIFA UK magazine

'...your knowledge of After Effects will be enhanced by the book. Enjoyable read. Rich chapters on Time, Tracking and Type... Buy Angie's book. No question. Buy it.'
David Bogie, review for CreativeCOW.net

"An invaluable read"
Zerb

About the Author

A freelance animator and digital filmmaker, Angie produces animations, motion graphics, and visual effects for production companies and broadcasters including the BBC and Channel 4 television in the UK.. An Adobe Certified Expert, and Apple Solutions Expert, she is active on the training circuit; providing corporate training for Adobe and Apple, and seminars at key industry events like NAB, SIGGRAPH, and IBC.

Edition details

• Publisher: Focal Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0240516222
• ISBN 13: 9780240516226
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320