Required Reading

This class is not only about learning the tools, but having ideas to actually create with the tools.

Anyone can learn After Effects but not everyone can express themselves with this tool.

Hopefully by the end of the semester will not only your toolset be larger, but your mind will be expanded to how to approach your projects in the most creative way.

Required Reading

The first book is Chris and Trish Meyers

Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects

This is a great foundation book and you should try to read and do 2 chapters of this book a week.  This book will give you all the information you need to accomplish the basics of After Effects.  Anything you imagine you can create in after effects.  Though there are many other compositing programs, I recommend you focus your attention on only one, After Effects.  

There are only 5 Programs you need to learn to do 100% of the work you want to make, After Effects, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Color, and if you are really adventurous Maya.  I would add

adobe illustrator to this list, but unless your are focusing on design you will not need this tool.

Maya is also a very special type of work, a program so complex you could spend a lifetime learning it.  We will not be diving into Maya either in this class, but its good to know that with After Effects alone, 90% or more of all jobs could be done.

Keri Smith has written a number of fantastic books, but this one will be our workbook for the semester.  It is called How To Be An Explorer of the World and is a fantastic tool for creativity.

Additional Inspiration

I will be adding additional books in this section so be sure to check back every week.

These books would be great library checkouts or Barnes and Noble reading campouts.

Ways of Seeing by John Berger

Awesome book for understanding how the mind and our society as a whole perceives the world.

The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher

Insane book for conjuring inspiration.