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After Effects 5.0 Basic Skills 2
(16 hours)

Course Description
This introductory level course will teach you further about compositing and animation in one of the most powerful motion graphics software packages available. You will learn how to import layerd Photoshop files, synchronize audio and motion, and organize complex projects. Prerequisite: After Effects 5.0 Basic Skills 1. (Text is included with the course fee)

Performance-Based Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
· Import Photoshop files as compositions, preserving the structure and attributes of the layers.
· Time-remap source footage to create complex motion sequences with ease.
· Synchronize an audio layer with the motion of an animated mask.
· Apply effects to masked layers, use track mattes as video transitions, and adjust layer modes.
· Efficiently and effectively work with high-resolution footage to be output to film.
· Use Luma and Color keying to create background transparency in layers.
· Visually organize complex projects, interpret footage, and create templates for rendering movies.

Course Content

Lesson 1: Working With Photoshop Compositions
Topic 1A: Importing Multi-layered Photoshop Files
Topic 1B: Animating and Adding Effects to Photoshop Layers
Topic 1C: Creating Natural Animation Using Motion Blur

Lesson 2: Time-remapping
Topic 2A: Freezing the First or Last Frame of Video ina Layer
Topic 2B: Varying the Speed of Motion in the Video Layer
Topic 2C: Freezing Motion in the Middle of the Layer'sDuration
Topic 2D: Making the Motion in a Video Layer Change Directionand Accelerate

Lesson 3: Creating Masks and Synchronizing Them WithAudio
Topic 3A: Previewing Audio
Topic 3B: Audio Waveforms and Layer Markers
Topic 3C: Creating and Animating Mask Shapes in the LayerWindow

Lesson 4: Masked Layers and Creating Track Mattes
Topic 4A: Applying Effects to Layer Masks
Topic 4B: Using Illustrator Files as Track Mattes
Topic 4C: Video Transitions as Track Mattes

Lesson 5: Working With High-resolution Film Footage
Topic 5A: Customizing Preference Settings and the Creationof a Timecode Effect
Topic 5B: Prerendering and Editing Nested Compositions
Topic 5C: Creating a Timecode Effect

Lesson 6: Using Keying Effects to Create Transparency
Topic 6A: Using the Luma Key Effect
Topic 6B: Creating the Lens Flare QuickTime Movie
Topic 6C: Importing a Project, Copying the Motion Keyframes,and Adding a Drop Shadow

Lesson 7: Managing Projects in After Effects
Topic 7A: Organizing Your Project With Flowchart View
Topic 7B: Understanding and Changing Default RenderingOrder
Topic 7C: Understanding Interlaced and Non-interlacedVideo, and Interpreting Footage in After Effects
Topic 7D: Creating a Rendering Template

Text
After Effects 5.0: Advanced for Windows by Element K Press

Course Requirements
Students must complete at 80% of the scheduled course, and score a minimum of 70% on a final end of course test.