After Effects Book

Steven Fokkinga · December 29th, 2005, 04:30 AM

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

Michael Wisniewski · December 29th, 2005, 04:43 AM

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.

Michael Elsegood · April 6th, 2006, 07:33 AM

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

Paul Cuoco · April 7th, 2006, 05:17 PM

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

Emre Safak · April 7th, 2006, 07:30 PM

I agree with Paul.

Michael Elsegood · April 8th, 2006, 03:28 AM

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.

Emre Safak · April 9th, 2006, 09:11 AM

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

Michael Elsegood · April 19th, 2006, 03:49 AM

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

Emre Safak · April 20th, 2006, 06:15 AM

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

Michael Elsegood · April 20th, 2006, 07:34 AM

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

Jacob Ehrichs · April 20th, 2006, 07:46 AM

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.

John Jaquish · July 7th, 2007, 09:16 AM

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

Anyone have a recommendation for a good book for it?

Walter J Walsh · July 7th, 2007, 03:09 PM

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

John Jaquish · July 7th, 2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walter J Walsh

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.

Paul Izbicki · July 7th, 2007, 10:18 PM

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.

December 29th, 2005, 04:43 AM	#32
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	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. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

April 6th, 2006, 07:33 AM	#33
Michael Elsegood New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Western Australia Posts: 9	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

April 7th, 2006, 05:17 PM	#34
Paul Cuoco Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 93	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 __________________ To live a creative life, we must first lose our fear of being wrong. - Joseph Chilton Pearce

July 7th, 2007, 09:16 AM	#42
John Jaquish New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 21	After Effects Book Hey, I'd like to learn to use After Effects. Anyone have a recommendation for a good book for it?

July 7th, 2007, 10:18 PM	#45
Paul Izbicki Panoramic Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 85	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. __________________ Paul Izbicki i2inewMedia

December 29th, 2005, 04:30 AM	#31
Steven Fokkinga Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 204	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

April 7th, 2006, 07:30 PM	#35
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	I agree with Paul.

April 8th, 2006, 03:28 AM	#36
Michael Elsegood New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Western Australia Posts: 9	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.

April 9th, 2006, 09:11 AM	#37
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	That's even better; there are older editions going for a song!

April 19th, 2006, 03:49 AM	#38
Michael Elsegood New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Western Australia Posts: 9	Oh really, i can't seem to find any 6.0 books on amazon, could you please link me to one?

April 20th, 2006, 06:15 AM	#39
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	Here is the 5.5 edition: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157...Fencoding=UTF8

April 20th, 2006, 07:34 AM	#40
Michael Elsegood New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Western Australia Posts: 9	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

April 20th, 2006, 07:46 AM	#41
Jacob Ehrichs Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 169	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.

July 7th, 2007, 03:09 PM	#43
Walter J Walsh Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frankfort, IL Posts: 28	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

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