Flash + After Effects [Paperback]

Chris Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2008

Flash Designers: push Flash to the next level with After Effects' robust toolset.
* Add motion graphics and visual effects to your Flash projects
* Fuse 3D depth into 2D animations
* Prepare Flash animations for broadcast
* Save development time in executing animations

Combine these two powerhouse applications to expand your multimedia horizons. Flash + After Effects gives the experienced Flash designer a working understanding of the After Effects toolset with professional techniques that raise the design bar for Web, broadcast, or CD/DVD delivery. The companion DVD contains project media that permit you to practice essential After Effects skills that include:
* Working with video and the AE timeline
* Using alpha channels for keying and enhancing interactivity
* Putting vector animation to work with Text and Shape Layers, and animation presets
* Creating 3D backgrounds with cameras and lights
* Animating with Behaviors, Parenting, Expressions and the Puppet Tool
You also get a video primer, render and file optimization techniques, and publishing and streaming guidelines.



Combine two powerhouse applications to:
* Add motion graphics and visual effects
* Fuse 3D depth into 2D animations
* Prepare Flash animations for broadcast
* Save development time

Editorial Reviews

Review

"the definitive guide for Flash designers and artists. Not only does he cover the nuts and bolts of combining these programs in practical and efficient ways, but the examples he uses are wonderfully designed. This is a book I will keep within easy reach in my studio."
-Chris Georgenes, Mudbubble LLC, animator and author of "How to Cheat in Flash CS3"

From the Back Cover

Flash Designers: push Flash to the next level with After Effects' robust toolset.
* Add motion graphics and visual effects to your Flash projects
* Fuse 3D depth into 2D animations
* Prepare Flash animations for broadcast
* Save development time in executing animations

Combine these two powerhouse applications to expand your multimedia horizons. Flash + After Effects gives the experienced Flash designer a working understanding of the After Effects toolset with professional techniques that raise the design bar for Web, broadcast, or CD/DVD delivery. The companion DVD contains project media that permit you to practice essential After Effects skills that include:
* Working with video and the AE timeline
* Using alpha channels for keying and enhancing interactivity
* Putting vector animation to work with Text and Shape Layers, and animation presets
* Creating 3D backgrounds with cameras and lights
* Animating with Behaviors, Parenting, Expressions and the Puppet Tool
You also get a video primer, render and file optimization techniques, and publishing and streaming guidelines.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240810317
• ISBN-13: 978-0240810317
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a computer graphics designer and tenured professor at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where I teach a variety of graduate level courses including 2D Computer Animation, Instructional Multimedia, and Motion Graphics. My professional work has received over 25 distinguished national and international awards for online communication. I present my research and professional work at Adobe MAX and ACM SIGGRAPH. My published books have been translated into foreign languages. I continue to be a Flash animator, designer, developer, and consultant for worldwide corporations and nonprofit organizations. I lecture and conduct workshops relating to interactive design and Flash animation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! Very helpful and easy to follow., March 17, 2008

By 

J. Bulmahn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flash + After Effects (Paperback)

This book is excellent and I highly recommend it for all animators! There are many tips, examples, and workflows that show exactly how to bridge Flash and After Effects. There is a nice balance of web and video examples and how to properly prep and animate assets for each. I found the chapters on character animation and visual effects most helpful. The examples clearly show how to get the most out of parenting, puppet tools and fractals. I found the examples fun and inspiring. Unlike many books out there, the artwork and examples are well thought out and look great! The book is also well written. All examples were very easy to follow. I commend the author for this wonderful book!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to animation in two media!, April 9, 2008

By 

Nancy Beiman "Northernexpress" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Flash + After Effects (Paperback)

Chris Jackson is an excellent teacher. His classes in After Effects at the Rochester Institute of Technology featured notes that were far easier to understand than standard books on After Effects and Flash, and I always hoped he'd write a book incorporating some of the lessons taught in his classes.

He has, and it's a winner. Most computer animation books are heavy going, but this one is easy and fun to read. There is no waste, no padding, no jargon, just solid information. It is easier to animate 'parented' puppets in After Effects and export in Flash than to work in Flash alone--the enjoyable exercises on the enclosed DVD will have you up and animating your own characters in no time at all.

I can recommend this book to anyone who is interested in hand drawn computer animation.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book on After Effects, August 18, 2008

By 

Rob Huddleston (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Flash + After Effects (Paperback)

This book is a great introduction to After Effects and Flash. If you have experience with Flash, it will have you creating stunning motion graphics in After Effects in no time.

Chris Jackson's writing style is light and eminently readable. He doesn't get bogged down in a lot of exposition, but instead introduces the concepts needed and then gets right down to step-by-step instructions. His examples are well-thought-out and, rare for books like this, they are actually realistic.

I had never used After Effects before, but this book got me going and up-to-speed much faster than I thought I would. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to get started with After Effects and motion graphics.