Day One

Project Settings in Detail

• Better workflow practices - structure

• Workflow for replacing and organising your assets

• Using Collect files for "Packaging"

The Info Palette

• Checking footage integrity

• Checking the Alpha Channel

• How Alpha Channels really work

• Avoiding basic Alpha mistakes

• Bit depth and colour spaces - 8,16 and 32 Bits per channel

Exploring Effects in Detail

• Using masks with effects - "compositing options"

• Better colour correction

• Combining effects with layers modes

• Better effect combination with effect transfer modes

• Some key under used effects

• Distortions and Warps

• Basic particle systems

Keyframes in Detail

• Keyframe Interpolation

• Spatial and Temporal Interpolation

• Controlling bezier path behaviour

The Graph Editor

• Two graphs in one - the Value and Velocity curves

• Controlling Speed with the graph editor

• Adjusting temporal Interpolation types for better control

Masks in Detail

• Tips for better mask control

• Creating a basic Rotoscope

• Rotoscoping - good and bad examples

• Refining edges

• Avoiding Rotoscoping where possible

• Mask Tracking

• Using Chroma keying to remove backgrounds

Text Layers in Detail

• Source text - a hidden gem

• Creating counters - source text with an expression

• Text animators in detail - advanced settings

Motion Tracking

• Following an object in a shot - basic position tracking

• How the tracker works

• Track settings for better results

• Tracker options

Day Two

Basic Expressions

• Wiggling and looping - getting better control

• Loop types

• Duplicating Wiggles - why and how

• Random "Seeds" - how they work and why it matters

• Linking properties with the "Pickwhip"

• Using Expression controls

• Using Expressions to create animations easily

• Creating automatic audio based animation

Shape Layers in Detail

• Adding more complex parameters to shape layers

• Converting Vector files to shape layers for better control

• Using Repeaters for shape generation and animation

Time Changes

• Time remapping

• Using correct Frame Blending settings

Render Settings in Detail

• Alpha output - avoiding problems with pre-multiplication

• File formats with greater bit depth

• Better use of Media encoder

• Compression settings - bit rates and how compressed files work

3D Layers in Detail

• Camera settings

• Depth of field

• 3D rendered choices

• Geometry options for extrusion

• Material options and reflections

• Lights Settings in detail

• Shadow problems solved

• Animated Camera problems and solutions

• Creating a Camera "Orbit Null"

• Creating complex camera animation easily

• The Collapse transformation button in 3D

Using After Effects with Adobe Premiere

• Dynamic link options

• Examples of typical workflows

The Link to Cinema 4D

• Cinema 4D Lite - how to access it

• Using Cinema 4D files within After Effects