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Are there any After Effects users here? Let's get a thread going for AE Q&A.
I've been an After Effects user for 20+ years and I like to help people who are looking to learn. I would just ask that anyone asking a question has done due diligence searching for an answer already.
I also use 3D Studio Max and Vray.
I was a video editor long ago and used After Effects. Now, once again, I have a decent machine. It's installed, along with Premiere and the other Adobe stuff. I just can't force myself to run it. I don't think I like video editing anymore. I don't have many good memories, it never felt like creative work for me. And, more and more, video editors are accumulating functions. I feel like now I have to be a Photoshop/Illustrator/whatever guy as well and I have no talent or inclination for that stuff.
To me After Effects always felt like an untameable beast that will crush your dreams and eat all your RAM. I wielded it with care and only when there was no alternative. Maybe I got traumatized, but it was way too complex. More like visual programming than visual work. Programming with buttons. Not my idea of fun.
IDK. I'm not excited at the perspective of video work, but eventually, I'll have to do it. I have a job lined up. It's good money, and no one's requesting my services for anything else at the moment.
I'm pretty good at Premiere and I like being very nerdy and organized about it, optimizing every bit of my workflow for maximum efficiency. So I'll have that going for me.
So maybe my question could be, how can I prevent After Effects from crushing my soul?
Sorry for the depressing response :P
Please reach out if you want to try something out of your comfort level
I would be more than happy to help you where I can. Reach out to me if you have any questions. =)
Primarily a (hobbyist) video editor here who dabbles with AE for motion design (lower thirds and 2D intros/outros mostly). I've followed some tutorials on special fx from time to time, but barely do anything else with it.
I teach a highschool course that includes video editing. After effects is a little above where most of my students are, but I love messing around with it.
I've got a few videos I'm really proud of that combine 3d camera tracking with blender environments. Mostly I just see someone else do something cool and I try to figure out if I could do something similar. Everything I know, I pretty much learned from YouTube tutorials and general messing around.
If you haven’t heard of videocopilot.net definitely check it out. There hasn’t been a tutorial released for a while, but Andrew has a (I think) hilarious presentation style and the tutorials themselves are phenomenal.
Their plug-in Element 3D plug-in is also worth checking out. Makes 3D really easy.
I’m still an AE novice, but I decided not to go the plug-in route for 3D and am currently learning Blender as well. All YouTube tutorials, all at my own pace. Some of the talent out there is mind blowing, and it’s even better when they explain their approach slowly and clearly. Max Hay is my favorite channel at the moment - lots of well-explained tutorials on creating surreal environments and slick motion graphics.