I really like "After effects 6.5, Studio Techniques" by Mark Christiansen.

After effects as I see it, is basically used for two things: creating motion graphics, and compositing. I think it started out as a motion graphics application, but more and more people use it as a compositing program nowadays as a cheaper alternative to shake and combustion.
The first group is best of with the Meyers books, but if you want to go into compositing i think the book by Christiansen is really great. He is a compositor for the orphanage who made effects for the day after tomorrow and sin city.

The book focusses on things like compositing workflow in AE, selecting, keying, rotoscoping, motion tracking, matching foreground and background and much more. It also has a great chapter about how to get around in things like film, video, HDR, latitude, gamma, etc.
It does not cover motion graphics and it is intended for people who are familiar with AE already.

So if you want to go compositing in AE maybe the best step is to start out with the Meyers to get yourself familiar with AE, and then buy this book.

Anyway here's the link on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/032...books&v=glance

Ciao, Steven

Another vote for the Chris and Trish Meyer book.

But if you can afford it, go for the Total Training DVDs. You'll pick up After Effects 10 times faster watching the DVDs.

I went through the DVDs first, and used the the book afterwards to round out and review my knowledge. Kinda like taking a class, and then taking a test afterwards.

After Effects 6 Books
 

Hi,

I am playing around with after effects and I am going to buy a book to help me with it. I have found 2 but don't know which one to get.

My interests are pretty generalised, there is no one specific thing i want to do in AE.however i would Mainly use it for

-tweaking footage, Colours etc
-Titles, motion titles etc


Here are links to the two
1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/032...lance&n=283155

2. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/032...lance&n=283155

The best book on AE, hands down IMO:

Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects by Trish & Chris Meyer

There's three volumes. They're very good.

http://tinyurl.com/p97u5

I agree with Paul.

Thanks very much, I will get that one then.

Only thing is, i have after effects 6.0 not 6.5

Is there a version for 6.0? Would the content be too "6.5" based for me to apply it to after effects 6.0? I'd rather get a book specifically for 6.0, but if I can't then this woudl be fine.

Oh and sorry i posted it here, i didn't realise there was a books section on this forum until after I posted. Thanks again guys.

That's even better; there are older editions going for a song!

Oh really, i can't seem to find any 6.0 books on amazon, could you please link me to one?

Here is the 5.5 edition: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157...Fencoding=UTF8

thanks very much mate.

Now the decision... the 5.5 book, or the 6.5 book..

What do you think would be more relevant to 6.0. And I wonder why they don't make a version for 6.

Which version of the book do you people suggest i get, 5.5 of 6.5?

Cheers

I'd go with the 6.5. 5.5 may not include all the features you have available to you. 6.5 will, but you may have features mentioned in the book that are not in your 6.0 software.

After Effects Book
 

Hey, I'd like to learn to use After Effects.

Anyone have a recommendation for a good book for it?

John,

I'm also teaching myself After Effects. I bought "Classroom In A Book" from Adobe systems. It's a basic book that takes you through most of the features of the program. I don't feel like I've mastered After Effects but it gave me a good general feel for the program. I don't know if that is what you're looking for but it might be worth a look through.

Walter

Thanks. That's one of the books I was looking at on Amazon.

After Effects Apprentice
 

Good, better, best intro training to AE

http://www.amazon.com/After-Effects-...3867613&sr=8-1

After-Effects Apprentice, by Chris and Trish Meyers. Their two previous books, Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1 & Vol 2 are the standard of the business, in the opinion of many.

Do a little web homework, you'll quickly confirm this for yourself.