Overview


The After Effects introduction training course is perfect for those with little to no experience and a great first step into the world of motion graphics and visual effects.
Throughout your two days you’ll begin by understanding the After Effects interface, before getting hands on with animation, layers, effects and more.
This course will be delivered through our Accelerated learning approach, allowing you to learn more information, easier and more efficiently than standard training approaches.
Target Audience
This course is for designers, marketers, developers or anyone looking to start their motion graphics and visual effects journey.
Upon completion, you'll be able to:
- Navigate the After Effects interface and understand the core features
- Implement basic and intermediate level animations to your video content
- Master layer control, how to manage effects within layers and even adjustment within your layers
- Export your files efficiently, add to the render and Adobe media encoder queues
Accelerated learning
Our Accelerated learning approach at Certitec is unique within the Adobe training industry. Our focus is not on what you learn, but how you learn. Referred to as ‘Accelerated Learning’, this process allows you to digest a significant amount of information more quickly, and more easily than through other methods.

- Establish a firm understanding on the learning process before embarking
- Overcoming any learned helplessness by reframing what will be learnt upon completion
- Sessions no longer than 60 minutes each to maximise how we learn
- The use of course workbooks to strengthen memory retention (classroom)
- Finding a balance between new and recap learning
- Kinaesthetic (‘hands-on’) techniques
- Video of entire course upon completion (remote)
Find out more about our Accelerated learning process.
Outline


What to expect from this course
Our Adobe certified training team will take you through the journey of understanding the Illustrator environment, through to using basic animation, layer control, effects and more.
You’ll leave the course with the experience and know-how to create professional looking motion graphics and visual effects.
Show all Hide all
Day one – Gaining After Effects motion concepts
User interface and animation
- What is a project file and what is in it?
- Tools and panels
- Creating a composition
- Importing media into a project
Basic animation
- Adding layers to a composition
- Navigating the timeline
- Transform properties of layers
- Keyframing layer properties
- RAM preview
Intermediate animation
- In-depth keyframe manipulation & interpolation
- Graph editor
- Motion sketch/smoother
- Auto-orient/motion blur
- Roving keyframes
- Anchor point/pan behind tool
Layer control
- Trim-move-stack-split
- Sequence layers
- Looping footage
- Image sequences
- Frame rate vs time stretch
- Blending modes
- Effects and solids
- Blending modes
- Layer styles
- Masks
Day two – Building on acquired knowledge
Transparency
- Opacity
- Masks
- Shape
- Feather
- Expansion
- Masking with the pen tool
- Track mattes
Effects
- Effects and presets panel
- Applying effects to layers
- Modifying effects using the effects control panel
- Animating effects
- Changing order of effects
- Using adjustment layers
The text tool
- Using the text tool
- Animating text
- Text animation presets
Render order
- How After Effects puts it together
- Exporting files
- Add to render queue
- Add to Adobe Media Encoder queue
Classroom trainint


Advantages of classroom training
Classroom training has many advantages over other formats of training since in-person interaction and communication plays an extremely important part to absorbing information.
Classroom training allows you to get trained in a safe, quiet, clean environment, away from the noise and pressures of the office or home. The classroom environment provides the important “human touch,” which is often missing in technology-based training.
You can’t beat real life interaction when asking important questions and receiving immediate feedback.
Other benefits of classroom training include:
- Group interaction. People learn from one another as well as from the trainer
- Training groups can be large or small
- Classroom training also teaches us how to interact with one another in a professional, productive, cooperative way, which is something that other forms of training often don’t provide
Remote training


Advantages of remote training
Remote training introduces a virtually no-limits training option since it's extremely flexible. You can attend a remote training session anywhere in the world and has become increasingly popular over the last few years.
Remote training plays itself into your hands and you can harness technology to enable you to use traditional computers, tablets and even phones for complete flexibility.
You can see your trainer (webcam) and they will take you through the training session like you're actually attending a classroom training event.
Other benefits of remote training include:
- No travel to the classroom - you can attend remote training in your pj's if you wish!
- Training groups can be large or small and even split over multiple locations and even multiple countries at the same time
- You have the ability to interact with your trainer by talking, electronically raising your hand and even allow for them to see your screen (if you authorise)
- All remote training sessions are recorded - so you can play-back at anytime in the future and enhance your learning experience
More details
Adobe certification
Adobe certified professional. Build a unique portfolio and gain a professional certification that communicates your advanced knowledge- that is what becoming Adobe certified is about.
Adobe certification masterclass
Become an Adobe certified professional. Save up to £1,000 with our Adobe certification masterclass. It will increase your chances of landing your dream job!
Discounts for self funders and charities
You will save 15% off the course price if you’re a non-business delegate and includes the following:
- Self funding individual
- Charity
- Student
- Educational establishment
Flexipay over 6 months
With the option to split the cost of your 5 day Adobe certified training course, our Flexipay payment plan allows you to develop your skills, without breaking the bank.
Post course support
After your course, we don’t leave you high-and-dry. Our technical support is provided for a lifetime.
Course computers
When it comes to classroom training - our training facility computers are better and faster than ever.
All our modern 27-inch computers have faster processors, expanded memory, larger storage and enhanced audio and video capabilities for an even better experience in the classroom.
Free course retake
We understand that before booking your course, knowing that you can have a free course refresher gives you that added insurance.
London training facility
Located in the heart of London's West end ... our training facility at 60 St. Martin's Lane ensures the location is as exciting as our training!
Lunch and refreshments
We provide healthy snacks (high quality dark chocolate, walnuts, fresh fruit) and coffee, all of which have been suggested to improve focus in the sessions.
For lunch, we give you the flexibility to eat what you want and introduced a lunch voucher scheme that can be used at nearby outlets.
Adobe Creative Cloud software
You can either subscribe to the entire suite (that’s all the applications) or just one application on a monthly basis. Adobe offers a free 7-day trial for each application if you wish to try before you subscribe.
Just visit the Adobe Creative Cloud page and see what might be the best option for you.
FAQs
What happens if I am unwell on the morning of my course?
This is just fine from a course perspective since you can re-arrange again (according to our course schedule) for no fee.
How do I actually book my course?
Find the course you wish and then click on the ‘book now’ button and complete the form.
Can I jump immediately to an Advanced course?
Delegates attending an Advanced course must already possess at least 80% of the knowledge of the (previous) Introduction course. This is so you are not out of your depth in the Advanced course and also so other delegates are not affected.
Do I need to bring my own computer (classroom training)?
We supply all computers (macOS and Windows) at our training facility. You can bring your laptop along if you wish for anything work related but due to Adobe guidelines - delegates must use our computers to ensure the software meets our requirements.
What are the training times?
We start at 9.30 and finish at 4.30pm with plenty of breaks and 40 minutes for lunch.
Are refreshments and lunch provided (classroom training)?
Yes - we provide all refreshments (tea, coffee, water, biscuits etc) and also lunch (in the format of a voucher which can be spent at many nearby locations).
What if I fail my ACP exam?
- Start 9.30am - Finish 3.30pm.
- Exam 2pm
You will undertake a practice exam just before lunch, then undertake the certification exam in the afternoon.
Should you not pass the first time, you can retake the exam for no charge when the course runs again in our schedule.
Will I get a certificate for attending?
Yes - your Adobe authorised training centre certificate of attendance will be emailed after your training course.
What is the dress format for attending training (classroom training)?
Anything goes since our training caters for the creative industry - so wear what you like (although please consider the training rooms are air conditioned).
Will I be able to work to my own agenda in the training?
Our courses are scheduled and run with the same outline and aims. Whilst our trainers can field some ad hoc questions along the way we are unable to provide specific information on your project.
If you did wish to cover your own agenda why not arrange a private training course.
Can I park at the training facility (classroom training)?
There are numerous NCP car parks close to the facility although you might find it more cost effective parking further afield and travelling into the city centre on public transport.
Course Enquiry
Interested in one of our courses but need a couple of questions answered first?
Use our simple form below to send a message directly to our consultant trainers. We value great customer service and will endeavour to get back to you within the hour inside normal business hours.
If you require an immediate response then please do not hesitate to call 0845 527 0768.