Overview


The After Effects introduction training course is perfect for beginners and a significant first step into the world of motion graphics and visual effects.
Our focus is not on what you learn – but how you remember. Our accelerated learning format allows you to digest more information by making it more memorable by emphasising how the brain works.
Throughout your two days, you’ll begin by understanding the After Effects interface before working with animation, layers, effects, and more.
What to expect from this course
Our experienced training instructors will help you understand the Illustrator environment, 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.
Target audience
This course is for designers, marketers, developers, or anyone who wants 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 adjustments within your layers
- Export your files efficiently, add to the render and Adobe media encoder queues
Prerequisites
You must already possess basic computer skills, such as knowing how to open and save files onto a computer.
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


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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


Remote training
Remote professional Adobe training allows high-quality training to be delivered anywhere globally.
In addition to the positive aspect of no travel, our remote training courses also allow you to interact with the trainer and ask questions just like you were right in front of them.
Our remote training courses include videos, which makes them extremely valuable when you wish to review some or all of the courses you just completed to keep things fresh and thus increase memory retention.
FAQs
Is the training just 'watching', or is it interactive?
The training is interactive, just like in the training room with the trainer. You will download the training files and work with your experienced instructor through modular exercises.
Is there any pre or post-study required before undertaking any course?
No, there is none. - If you have booked an 'Adobe certified' course with us, you can view some sample documents we send before your exam. However, this might only affect your scoring by a couple of percent.
What if I am unwell on the morning of my course?
This is just fine from a course perspective since you can re-arrange it again (according to our course schedule) for no fee.
What are the training times?
We start at 9.30 am and finish at 4.30 pm with plenty of breaks and 40 minutes for lunch.
Can I jump immediately to an advanced course?
Can I work on my agenda during the training?
Our courses are scheduled and run with the same outline and objectives. While our trainers can answer some ad hoc questions, we cannot provide specific information on your project.
Do I receive a video after my course is completed?
You will receive a video of the applicable course for future playback when you complete your course.
Is there any technical support afterwards?
We don’t leave you high and dry after your course. Our technical support is provided for a lifetime.
Will I get a certificate for attending?
Yes - your certificate of attendance will be emailed after completing your training course.
How do I obtain the Adobe Creative Cloud software?
Adobe offers a free trial for each application if you wish to try before subscribing.
What is Adobe certification?
Become an Adobe certified professional, build a unique portfolio, and gain a professional certification communicating your advanced Adobe knowledge. That’s what becoming Adobe certified is about.
What if I fail my Adobe certification exam?
Should you not pass the first time, you can retake the exam (up to 2 separate free attempts are allowed) for no charge when the course runs again in our schedule.
I become Adobe certified a couple of years ago. Does this mean I'm still Adobe certified?
When you pass an Adobe certified professional (or the retired Adobe certified associate) exam, you will always be approved in the specific version of the exam you undertook.
For example, if you become Adobe certified in Premiere Pro CC2022, you will always possess this accreditation.
However, as time passes, Adobe will release more recent versions of the exams (e.g. CC2025, etc). Therefore, you must pass the latest Adobe certified professional exam version to remain current.
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 0800 112 5432.