Tool Summary #
Adobe After Effects is an advanced tool used for creating and compositing videos, motion graphics design, and animation. This tool gives creators the ability to combine different elements like text, video, music, and sound, then add motion to make new compositions that move in artistic and creative ways.
Quick Facts #
- Price: Part of Adobe Creative Cloud subscription – 7-day free trial, a monthly fee after that. There is a discount for students.
- Platforms: Mac and Windows
- Recommended For: Advanced Users – Great tool for people with any animation, and/or video editing experience, but may be overwhelming for beginners. Will also be easier to learn with previous Adobe product experience, such as Adobe Premiere Pro where a similar layout is used.
- Where to access: Adobe Creative Cloud Student Subscription. Also available for free on HCC lab computers, including the Multimedia Editing Lab, and AppsAnywhere.
Things to Know #
Adobe After Effects is an extremely powerful creative tool that can be used to help add motion or visual effects to your next video, graphic design, or animation project. One feature includes the ability to change the position, scale, motion path, anchor point, rotation, and opacity of an object. This allows creators to assign different motions and effects to individual elements (for example letters) so they create some type of animation, like letters flying in to create a word. Another great feature on this platform is the vast library of effects at your disposal. With a variety of effects such as mirror, blur, perspective, and time, there is a lot of room for creativity.
Getting Started Guides #
After Effects Beginner and Advanced Tutorials – Online, searchable tutorials made by Adobe.
Additional Resources #
Video Accessibility Guide – Check out our tips and resources on how to make your video projects more accessible.
AppsAnywhere – A virtual computer lab available to UMW students. Includes Adobe Creative Cloud and many other programs.
Free Media Resources – A list of websites where you can find free audio, video, and graphics to use for your project.
Want More Help? #
- Book an appointment with a consultant at the DKC. We would love to help you with your video editing projects!
- Check out our Getting Started with Video Projects Guide for some additional tips and tricks and common mistakes.
Reviewed by Haley Gosman 03/25/24