After Effects Advanced Course

After Effects is recognised as an essential tool for producing motion graphics and visual effects for Broadcast. Our Level 2 course will be based around the principles and techniques of creating broadcast graphics with After Effects.

Primarily project based, the class will explore different techniques to create animated sequences from beginning to end. The class will look at specific areas of After Effects, such as the included particle systems and some 3rd party solutions. Other aspects of the course that will be covered in detail include working in 3D space, using Expressions, Animating cameras and lighting in 3D space, project management, workflow, working with type, shape layers, masks, mattes and track mattes.

Course Content:
* Understanding and creating Expressions
* Hierarchy of comps
* Using Mattes and Stencils
* Colour Correction / Glows + Curves
* Effects and Controls
* Converting Audio to Keyframes
* Animating a particle system to audio
* Creating Cameras and Lighting
* 3D coordinates
* Alternate comp views
* Moving objects in 3D space
* Layer rendering order
* Continuous Rasterization
* Camera Angle of View and Zoom
* Track Camera tools
* Moving and animating cameras
* Switching between multiple cameras
* Creating a viewer comp
* Orientation versus Rotation
* Layer intersections
* Precomposing
* Combining 2D and 3D layers


Lesson Structure:
Project-led practical exercises

Entry Requirements:
Students should have a working knowledge of After Effects, in particular, working with keyframes, understanding layers and 2D space. Students should be fluent in English.

Tutor:
Pierre Vella is an independent digital creative working in film, video and digital technologies. He is a founding member of MITA (Moving Image Training Alliance) and runs a series of training programmes in film and video post-production, web technologies and motion graphics in London and Cambridge.

General
:
Each student will be provided with their own workstation and can discuss any specific areas of interest they may have toward the end of each day with the tutor.