After Effects masterclass & Adobe certified
Course dates
Remote
- 18–22 December 2023
- 05–09 February 2024
- 11–15 March 2024
- 15–19 April 2024
- 20–24 May 2024
- 24–28 June 2024
- 29 July–02 August 2024
Overview
This After Effects training course is your fast track option to go from a video editing beginner to Adobe certified level.
You’ll begin by understanding the After Effects interface, before getting hands on with animation, layers, effects and more. You’ll then progress to the advanced features like how to animate text layers, keying, working with 3D and finish the course by taking on the certification exam.
This course will be delivered through our Accelerated learning approach, allowing you to learn more information, easier and more efficiently than standard training approaches.
Our Adobe certified training team will be with you all the way, helping you go from a beginner to an Adobe certified professional. Afterwards you can publicise your certification with Adobe digital badges which provide a standardised certified outcome.
You must undertake the exam on a non-work (home) computer in a browser (Chrome, EDGE or Safari) which is connected to your home broadband connection (no VPN). You don't need any Adobe software installed to undertake the exam itself. The exam is delivered in Windows mode but since you're connecting via a browser - it doesn't matter if you're a Windows or MacOS user.
Target Audience
This course is for designers, marketers, developers or anyone looking to take their motion graphics and visual effects skills to an advanced level and gain After Effects certification status.
Upon completion, you'll be able to:
- Navigate the After Effects interface and understand the both the core and specialist 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
- Animate text layers, vector paths and master masks and shapes
- Utilise 3D layers, the 3D axis and integration with cinema 4D
- Integrate with other Adobe tools and be able to implement project management best practices within After Effects.
- Take on the certification exam and become an Adobe certified professional
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
The first two days of After Effects training are focused on getting you up to speed with the interface and progressing through the starter level features e.g. basic animation, layer control, effects and more. Days three and four are targeted towards the more advanced features and you'll create animated text layers, masks and shapes, work with 3D and more. The final Day will be focused on the certification exam with the first half of the day dedicated to exam preparation, before sitting the exam.
You’ll leave the training course with an advanced motion graphics and visual effects skill level, and you'll even have the Adobe certified status to further promote your skill level.
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
Day three – Enhancing motion processes
Animating text layers
- Animating text along a path
- Text animators
- Animating individual characters
- Range selectors
- Advanced range selector features
- Wiggly selector
Nesting and dependancies
- Precomps
- Editing precomps
- Locking panels
- Using null objects
Animation and keyframes
- Different types of keyframe
- Velocity
- Keyframe shortcuts
- Keyframe graph editor
- Proportional adjustment
- Snapping to keyframes
- Keyframe assistants
- Easy ease
- Time revers keyframes
- Animation and behaviour presets
- Keyframe interpolation
Masks and shapes
- Creating masks
- Importing masks from Illustrator
- Animating masks
- Shape layers
- Shape layer modifiers
- Repeater
Path animation
- Animating along a vector path
- Auto orient to the path
- Creating a path from a nomination path
- Stroke a path
- Scribble in a path
- Other path effects
Day four – Further motion development and consolidation
Generator effects
- Radio waves
- Particle effects
More on effects
- Production bundle effects round-up
- Compound effects
Keying
- Using keylight
- Using the roto brush
- Simple wire removal
Time and tracking
- Time re-mapping
- Time warp
- Motion tracking
- Tracking faces
- Perspective corner pinning
- 3D camera tracking
Working with 3D
- Understanding 3D
- 3D Layers
- The 3D axis
- Cameras
- Lights
- The unified camera tool
- Integration with Cinema 4D
Adobe and NLE integration
- Integration with Premiere Pro
- Working with Photoshop
- Working with Illustrator
Project management
- Collect files
- Consolidate footage
- Remove unused footage
- Reduce project
- Advanced ‘Rendering-render farm concept’
Day five – Adobe Certification day
The final day of your course will be focused on the official Adobe After Effects exam objectives.
– Exam preparation - 10am – 1pm
– Undertaking exam - 1.30pm – 2.45pm (exam itself 50 mins)
You must undertake the exam on a non-work (home) computer in a browser (Chrome, EDGE or Safari) which is connected to your home broadband connection (no VPN). You don't need any Adobe software installed to undertake the exam itself. The exam is delivered in Windows mode but since you're connecting via a browser - it doesn't matter if you're a Windows or MacOS user.
Exam format
– Section 1 - multiple choice - covering approximately 10 questions
– Section 2 - actually ‘driving' the Adobe application to complete tasks - covering approximately 30 questions
Should you not pass the first time, you can retake the exam (up to 5 separate free attempts are allowed) for no charge when the course runs again in our schedule.
The Adobe certified professional (ACP) exam is facilitated solely by Certiport and their testing solution (Exams from Home [EFH]).
See our booking conditions should the Certiport EFH system become inaccessible or inoperable.
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 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
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.
After your course, we don’t leave you high-and-dry. Our technical support is provided for a lifetime
We understand that before booking your course, knowing that you can have a free course refresher gives you that added insurance
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
We start at 9.30 and finish at 4.30pm with plenty of breaks and 40 minutes for lunch
- Start 9.30am - Finish 3.30pm.
- Exam 2pm
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
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
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.
Course dates
Remote
- 18–22 December 2023
- 05–09 February 2024
- 11–15 March 2024
- 15–19 April 2024
- 20–24 May 2024
- 24–28 June 2024
- 29 July–02 August 2024
Option to split dates when booking
Location
Spaces, 60 St. Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4JS
Reviews
5
30 reviews
90%
recommended the course
This is only my third day using After Effects but I've already learned a lot. The course is easy to follow and I can replicate what we've done during the day. I'm just hoping we're covering all the topics that may come up in the exam
Thomas Proud. 15th November, 2023
Was an amazing course and would definitely want to do another one again soon!
Chris Hackney. 5th October, 2023
My biggest fear was understanding the timeline and creating motion graphics with no experience whatsoever. I left the course on Friday afternoon with a clear understanding and also Adobe certified
Lee Bannister. 1st September, 2023
Terry was an excellent trainer, right level for me and well explained with hands on projects
Mike Hunt. 8th August, 2023
I never used After Effects prior to the course but now I feel extremely confident on the way in which After Effects ticks! Our trainer explained the workflows before we started and this was very clever. I’m also certified now with After Effects
Peter Mabbut. 20th July, 2023
Thank you for your booking
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