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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Training I've Seen, August 18, 2003
This review is from: Adobe After Effects 5/5.5 Essentials VTC Training CD (CD-ROM)
This set is actually the best AE Training I've ever taken. So I just had to give you my input on this. I only work for clients. In other words, I'm a REAL artist trying to learn design and motion graphics and not a standard 'reviewer' of these things, but I really like this set. I'll agree the recording quality could've been better of course - but I think that's a VTC issue. I have Lynda's AE Training set and it is about the same(256 color/compressed etc.). I've tried training from everywhere I can get it. Live, books, videos etc. This the first set that actually MADE me UNDERSTAND - not from a technical level (like the other sets try to teach) - but from a true designer/artist level. I found the fact that the guy teaches you ONLY the most important stuff first to be EXTREMELY refreshing. Honestly, Lynda's training really bored me out of my mind! Who wants to know EVERY single button and every single menu item with no rhyme or reason??? Just tell me how to do AWESOME stuff! 35 hours of training from Total Training seems like the same thing. It's fine if you have all the time (and money) in the world, but I don't. I've seen examples from them - poorly designed and OVERLY explained! Maybe I'm just more of the younger 'want it quick' type generation. And this definitely delivers! If you're in the older, slower, 'I need to know every single thing before I begin' generation then you MAY be disappointed. (but you'll probably love it anyway) I think if you're technical - wanting to know exactly how AE calculates each pixel colorings and scientific stuff like that, yes, you might want a reference book as well. And that's intended. He starts off TELLING you he's an artist/designer - and teaches you as an artist designer - not a mathematician type. So yes - if you're mostly interested in numbers and not a gorgeous final piece - go for one of the other training products (and end up with poorly designed projects such as what they teach you with - yuck! You REALLY want that?) For me - the examples were great! Lynda's CD uses ONE example for the WHOLE thing!!! Who wants to see a cartoon monkey move across the screen?? How hard is that to 'plan out'?? Instead - Jayse used real pictures, and when possible, real video footage. He explains at first that the recording software limits the possibilities - but still doesn't let it stop him from using real video footage anyway. (which hardly any other training uses anyway) He also has a companion site with examples and further training, updates etc. For me, the beginning was the most important part - the part no other training I've seen has - which is HOW to set yourself up to learn the program ultra fast. It's clear he really wants you to learn it - and that's pretty cool for a 'true' user I also LOVED the end sections on demo-reel tips. Nobody else includes that, so for me it was quite helpful and inspiring. He also includes design theory - color/typography/composition etc. That's stuff these other trainers don't seem to know anything about. This is the first and ONLY training that has helped me QUICKLY and made me WANT to start creating projects immediately! For me - THAT alone is worth the price of the set! ... It helped me more than the Meyer's books, Classroom in a book and online stuff put together. If you really want to learn AE and create beautiful/ WELL-DESIGNED motion graphics and effects with it - then this IS the best training available. Seriously. Period. (at least in my humble opinion) Hope that helps the real artists out there! .Mike
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute Requirement!, October 22, 2002
This review is from: Adobe After Effects 5/5.5 Essentials VTC Training CD (CD-ROM)
This two CD set is an absolute requirement for anyone who wants to learn Adobe After Effects. NOt only the rank beginner, but the seasoned veteran AE User will benefit from the lessons presented here. Hansen really understands the intimate workings of After Effects and presents that knowledge in bite sized portions that are easy to digest. From the very basic to the more advanced sections, the program lets you work right alongside of Hansen as he explains the ins and outs of After Effects and all its many layers. The box claims that there are 9.5 hours of instruction on the two disks, plan on spend at LEAST twice that amount watching and working through the examples contained there. Better than the Adobe Classroom in a book series by an order of magnitude, "Essentials" is a MUST have for any serious AE user.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a bomb, but not terrific either..., March 10, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Adobe After Effects 5/5.5 Essentials VTC Training CD (CD-ROM)
I've viewed many of the video training products from vtc.com, Lynda.com and Total Training. These are the three main creators of video training for Adobe products. I am sorry to say that I was mildly disappointed with the After Effects training package from VTC. Although this video seems to cover all the important functions in After Effects 5/5.5 including production bundle, which is a huge application and takes a fairly long time to master, the problem with this particular video (for me) was that the trainer tends to trail off in his explanations (speech) while demonstrating features in AE. In other words, he either tends to not fully describe the features or explain how they work while he is demonstrating them, for example, explain fully exactly what Transfer modes are, how they affect layers below them while demonstrating them etc., or he starts out with a good explanation, but then trails off in his speech and seems to not finish what he intended to explain while working on the video clips. It left me with some big questions after I was done. It is obvious he understands After Effects, but knowing and having good teaching skills are two completely different things, and he may want to take this to heart when doing his next video, which I am sure he can do since he does seem to have very good knowledge and professional experience with this product. There is lots of room for improvement. In the same price range, I recommend the After Effects Training from lynda.com, same price, better explanations. The package from Lynda.com actually has two trainers in the Video, and their explanations as to what is going on are clearer, to me anyway Another problem I had with this video is that graphics the trainer uses to demonstrate AE features could have been better planned, many of them do not really demonstrate very well the AE features he is focusing on. It seemed that they were thrown together at the last minute when he started making the video, not planned out very well for the material. Some of them you can't see very well, and better plainning for his exported format would have helped. Another thing I had a problem with in this video, is that the trainer spends at least a half hour at the very beginning talking about After Effects without demonstrating it, whereas the product from Lynda.com goes right to learning AE, so there is some dead space in the vtc product. Much of the beginning of this video can be fast forwarded - I tend to like trainers who get immediately into the application. Of course if you have the money, I would strongly recommend the After Effects training from Total Training, over 35 hours and exhaustive, however nearly ... bucks. But well worth it. With an application like After Effects, if you really want to learn it well and fast, this is the best product. But I do wish they would lower their price a bit!
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