After Effects is a visual effects program used for animating text and video compositing. It is part of Adobe Creative Cloud as are Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Audition, and others. After Effects lets you fix color and sound during post-production, fill in missing elements after the footage has already been shot, remove items that don’t work in the shot, and access a large collection of animation libraries.
After Effects works in layers, so it is easy to try out an effect and then remove it if you don’t like it without sacrificing the original footage. You can correct color, blur faces in a crowd, or increase the size of a crowd. After Effects is used for motion graphics animation, video compositing, motion tracking, creating special video effects, and 3D camera tracking.
After Effects excels in graphics and animation. It is a compositing program that allows you to create layers of effects and merge them together. You can import files from other Adobe Creative Cloud products like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro and animate them with After Effects.
The 10 Best Online After Effects Classes
- Lumenbrite—After Effects Training: Bootcamp (Live Online)
- Noble Desktop—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
- Certstaffix Training—Adobe After Effects (Live Online)
- Training Connection—After Effects Training (Live Online)
- NYC Career Centers—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
- Ledet Training—Adobe After Effects Training (Live Online)
- NYIM Training—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
- Luminous Works Training—After Effects Essentials
- LinkedIn Learning—After Effects CC 2025 Essential Training (On-Demand)
- Udemy—Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert (On-Demand)
#1: Lumenbrite—After Effects Training: Bootcamp (Live Online)
Lumenbrite’s After Effects Training: Bootcamp covers an introduction to the general foundations of Adobe After Effects and its basic functions. Students will become familiar with the After Effects interface and workspace, including time-saving shortcuts to improve workflow. Upon completion, students will be able to use After Effects to integrate Photoshop and Illustrator files with images, video, and audio. Students will also learn to work with color and use third-party effects. After Effects is the basis for many 2D motion graphics and animation effects and, along with Premiere Pro, is an important skill to learn if you want to switch to a career in video editing and motion graphics design.
Key Information
This full-time, four-day course meets for seven hours a day, either in a morning or afternoon session, and is available in-person in Austin, TX or Phoenix, AZ or live online. Before taking this class, students must complete Computer Skills on Windows or Mac. The After Effects Training: Bootcamp costs $1,995.00. Payment is due before the first class. Lumenbrite doesn’t offer scholarships but there are group discounts for three or more.
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Once students have mastered the basics of After Effects, they can work on their own projects during class. Classes are recorded and the recordings can be downloaded for 14 days after the end of the course. When students complete the course, they receive a certificate of completion. Students liked the live online format: “The online course was well done! Very well organized and presented! Highly recommend!”
#2: Noble Desktop—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
Noble Desktop’s live online After Effects Bootcamp will give you the tools to go from static images like photographs and drawings and add graphics and movement. This course covers the After Effects interface, timeline, and layers, plus adding audio and video footage. Learn to create dynamic transitions, remove greenscreens, and add graphics to videos. Expert instructors will cover important principles of animation to help you create interesting and dynamic projects. When you finish the class, you will have videos that you can add to your online digital portfolio or upload to social media.
Key Information
The tuition for Noble’s After Effects Bootcamp is $975 and includes supplemental materials, a certificate of completion, and a 1-year free retake policy allowing students to retake all or part of the course for free within that time. Payment for the course is due before class starts. There are no extra fees for the class, but the instructor will help students sign up for a free trial of Adobe Creative Cloud. No discounts are offered for the bootcamp class itself, but if you take it as part of a video editing or motion graphics certificate, it will cost less.
There is a prerequisite for the After Effects Bootcamp. Students need a basic understanding of Adobe Photoshop. If you have never used Photoshop, consider signing up for Noble’s Photoshop Bootcamp first. Graphic design and video editing skills are helpful but not required. This bootcamp course is available as a full-time, three-day class or a seven-session, part-time course including 18 hours of hands-on instruction.
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The After Effects Bootcamp is taught in-person in New York City or live online anywhere through the Zoom platform. Classes are small with an experienced instructor in the room, and you can ask questions or get help with assignments. “This course does a great job of setting up the foundation of the program and building your skills from there, ” Alina B. said. “If someone doesn’t understand something, [the instructor] will work with them until they get it.”
Students receive a custom workbook and access to class recordings and slides after the session, plus they can retake the class for free for up to a year afterward. “Noble Desktop is a gem, I highly recommend students to take advantage of their offer to retake the course, ” said Julia L. “I just did. Repetition is key.”
#3: Certstaffix Training—Adobe After Effects (Live Online)
This Adobe After Effects hands-on class is available either live online with a remote instructor or as a self-paced on-demand course. Instruction is task-based and students tackle real-world situations and challenges designed to teach the skills they will need to work with After Effects. The class covers animating text, shaping layers, masking, puppet tools, using the roto brush, color correction, 3D features, rendering and outputting, and more. After class, students will be able to create animations and special effects like those used in videos, games, websites, commercials, and films.
Key Information
The price for the live online Adobe After Effects course is $1,330 for a three-day class, and the Self-paced Adobe After Effects on-demand class is $250. Students can watch this 3-hour and 20 minute class as often as they want according to their own schedule. The live online class is offered about once a month. There are no prerequisites for this class.
Students need to pay for the class before the session begins. Certstaffix accepts major credit cards, bank transfers, and personal or company checks. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and discounted pre-paid vouchers are also an option for group training.
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When students complete the class, they will receive a certificate of completion. This is not a certification from Adobe. Necessary software is provided or the instructor will help students sign up for a free trial. In reviews students express satisfaction with how Cerstaffix courses are designed and the content that is taught. Josie V. said “The layout and structure of the course was very easy to follow and… the platform … made learning much easier than I expected.” Dale M. said “Content was useful and met my expectations. Instructor was helpful and did an excellent job of keeping everyone engaged.”
#4: Training Connection—After Effects Training (Live Online)
Training Connection offers in-person After Effects Training in Los Angeles and live online classes from anywhere. The course is built around exercises to help students learn how to use Adobe After Effects in real-world projects. Students will learn the industry standards for animation and motion graphics, including title design, rotoscoping, background removal, and compositing. The instructor will cover the best ways to use Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator with After Effects, as well as the fundamentals of animation physics and other techniques. Other topics include integrating 3D layers, lighting, and virtual cameras, stabilization and tracking techniques, and particle effects. At the end of the course, students will practice rendering their projects for mobile, web, and broadcast platforms.
Key Information
Training Connection has three classes on After Effects: a three-day fundamentals class, a two-day advanced class for experienced users, and a five-day Zero to Hero Bootcamp. The three-day introductory course costs $1,395, the two-day class is $895, and the five-day bootcamp is $1,845. All classes meet from 9 a.m. To 4 p.m. Pacific time. There are no prerequisites for these courses.
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Students can repeat the After Effects class for free for up to six months, and a full refund if they drop the class after the first day. Students receive a training manual that is theirs to keep, and a certificate of completion when the class is finished. Laura Wilkins called the class “fun, informational that I really enjoyed and learned a lot from.”
#5: NYC Career Centers—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
NYC Career Centers’ After Effects Bootcamp is available in-person in New York City or live online. The class will focus on creating professional videos suitable for the web and broadcast TV. After Effects works seamlessly with other Adobe Creative Cloud products like Photoshop and Illustrator. Start with drawings or photographs and add text and animation. Learn about the After Effects interface, timeline, and working shortcuts. The course also covers adding and fixing audio and correcting color. Other topics include adding graphics to videos, compositing, and rotoscoping. The instructors have decades of video editing and motion graphics experience and will share important principles of animation. At the end of class, students will have videos to add to a demo reel in a digital portfolio.
Key Information
After Effects Bootcamp includes 18 hours of instruction over three days or seven. The $975 tuition includes class materials, a 1-year free retake policy allowing students to retake all or part of the course for free within that time, and a certificate of completion. Full payment is due before class starts. There are no additional fees and students don’t need to purchase software. The instructor will help students sign up for a free trial of After Effects. Discounts are not available for the bootcamp, but taking it as part of a video editing or motion graphics certificate will cost less overall.
Students need some experience in Adobe Photoshop before signing up for After Effects Bootcamp. If you have never used Photoshop, consider signing up for a Photoshop class first. Graphic design and video editing skills are helpful but not required.
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NYC Career Centers After Effects Bootcamp is taught live online anywhere through the Zoom platform with small class sizes and an experienced instructor in the room. Students can interact with the instructor, ask questions, get help with assignments, or network with other students. Robert B. said “This was a wonderful class and having a live instructor made a huge difference in the class experience.” Alina B. said. Eric V. struggled to learn After Effects on his own before signing up for class. “Now I feel that I have a solid foundation and am more excited than before about learning After Effects.”
#6: Ledet Training—After Effects 501 Bootcamp (Live Online)
Ledet Training’s After Effects Bootcamp is designed to take students from novice to experienced users. Experienced industry professionals will teach students best practices and what to watch out for when working with After Effects. After Effects 501 Bootcamp is a combined course made up of After Effects Intro 101 and After Effects Advanced 201. This course covers creating dynamic, visually stunning motion graphics and visual effects that can be used to enhance video projects for websites, television, or film. Students will learn the After Effects workflow and interface. In the second part of the course, students will study color correction, 3D camera and light effects, and advanced shapes and effects. At the end of the course, students should have the skills they need to get a job as a Motion Graphics Designer.
Key Information
After Effects 501 Bootcamp is a six-day class that is taught in-person in Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Washington DC, and San Diego and live online. The course is designed for users who are new to After Effects but some experience with Photoshop is helpful. The cost for the bootcamp course is $2,199. This is a significant discount from the cost of taking the intro and advanced classes separately, which cost $1,299 each.
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Payment for classes is due before the first session and Ledet Training partners with several companies that students can work with for financing. Students may retake a course while the current version is in effect until the next major upgrade. There is a $100 registration and administrative fee. Course materials include a full-color printed text book and links to the class data files. After Effects Bootcamp can help students who want to prepare for the exam to become an Adobe Certified Expert. Students appreciated the small class size and quality of instruction. Nicoe K. said “The instructor was awesome and he made the material very easy to understand.” Howard K. said “The class was small and I was able to get all of my questions answered.” Daniela T. said “The training was very informative and accommodating. The instructor was great and extremely helpful.”
#7: NYIM Training—After Effects Bootcamp (Live Online)
Learn to use this powerful tool to create motion graphics, animation, and special effects for videos. This After Effects Bootcamp covers the basics of the After Effects workspace and animation techniques as well as more advanced operations like particle effects and motion tracking. Students will also learn how to correct color and audio, remove greenscreens, and create dynamic transitions. When all of the assignments are finished, students will have a professional-looking demo reel to add to a digital portfolio.
Key Information
NYIM’s three-day After Effects Bootcamp costs $975. This includes a handbook and any extra materials and a digital certificate students can upload to a portfolio website or LinkedIn profile. NYIM has a 1-year free retake policy, so students can retake the course for free if they need a refresher. Payment is due before class starts. There are no materials fees but students will need to sign up for a free trial of Adobe After Effects before class. No discounts are offered for a single class, but if you take After Effects Bootcamp as part of a certificate program in video editing or motion graphics, it will cost less.
Students need a basic understanding of how to use Adobe Photoshop to complete assignments, so if you have never used Photoshop, consider signing up for a Photoshop class before starting After Effects. Graphic design and video editing skills can help you learn After Effects, but there is no formal prerequisite. You can choose a full-time, three-day class or a seven-session, part-time course. After Effects Bootcamp includes 18 hours of hands-on instruction.
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You can attend NYIM’s After Effects Bootcamp in-person in New York City or live online anywhere through the Zoom video conferencing platform. The small class size makes it easy to ask questions or get assistance. Hazel S. said “Excellent classes and excellent venue! It has just the right level of personal attention and class participation. I would highly recommend NYIM and look forward to taking future classes there.”
#8: Luminous Works Training—After Effects Essentials (Live Online)
This After Works Essentials course covers motion graphics essentials and cinematic effects created through Adobe After Effects. Start with an overview of the After Effects workflow, including creating a project, importing files, working with layers, and customizing a workspace. Continue on to basic animation, using presets, animating text, masks, advanced animation techniques, and rendering the final product.
Key Information
After Effects Essentials is available live online or in-person in Seattle. The course includes 12 hours of instruction and is aimed primarily at beginners, although professionals who need a refresher will also find it useful. Tuition for the two-day class is $595. There are no required prerequisites but prior experience with Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop will be helpful.
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Students can retake the class within one year if they like. Classes must be paid for by the start of the first session. One student praised the course saying, “small class size, easy to follow & keep up, energy of the instructor helped keep my energy level up even at the end of day two. Instructor pacing was great, willing to respond to questions but did so efficiently so I stayed engaged even if the question didn't at first seem to apply to me. Nice facility. Sunny deck! I learned so much. Really enjoyed this.”
#9: LinkedIn Learning—After Effects CC 2025 Essential Training (On-Demand)
LinkedIn Learning is a collection of more than 5,000 courses and videos on numerous subjects, including Adobe After Effects. Students subscribe to access the material on demand whenever and wherever they want to watch. LinkedIn Learning also offers learning paths, curated collections of courses and videos all focused on a particular set of skills. The After Effects Learning Path is designed for new users and builds a solid foundation in the After Effects workflow and interface. Learn to create animated effects with type and graphics, advanced techniques like rotoscoping, and how to animate static images to use in social media campaigns.
Key Information
The cost of a LinkedIn Learning subscription is $39.99 by the month or students get a one month free trial if they sign up for the annual membership. The yearly membership saves $20 a month compared to the monthly price. The After Effects Learning Path on LinkedIn Learning includes 18 hours and 50 minutes of videos, and there are no prerequisites listed. LinkedIn will let students know a week before the free trial period is due to end.
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Students receive a certificate of completion when they are finished with the learning path. They can also access exercises and quizzes to help gauge how well they understand the material covered in the course. A subscription to LinkedIn Learning also includes LinkedIn Premium, which comes with extra benefits like job and salary insights across the industry, unlimited profile viewing, and more. Students like the flexibility of the self-guided course: “LinkedIn Learning is a very good self-development program to use and I love it. There are hundreds of options to pick from on self-guided courses to read and learn about so you can customize your learning journey to your liking.” The platform is also mobile friendly: “The quality of the content and excellent delivery from the lecturers are unmatched by other platforms I have come across. Users even have several options for audio materials that can make it easier when mobile if you don't want to use as much data as videos require.”
#10: Udemy—Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert (On-Demand)
Udemy offers thousands of courses on numerous topics. The format follows a lecture model, which can include videos, slides, text, and exercises. Classes are on-demand and can be accessed anywhere at any time from any device. Udemy offers many classes on After Effects including Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert. The course is intended to take beginners through how to use After Effects and includes animating icons and infographics, working with one and two node cameras, creating icons and data visualizations, fixing color, masking, and how to preview and playback motion graphics videos. While you can’t ask the instructor a question or get help during class, Udemy has a messaging system where you can contact instructors.
Key Information
The price for the Udemy Adobe After Effects: Complete Course from Novice to Expert is $169.99. This includes 35 hours of instruction plus 41 downloadable resources. The class is designed for beginners and there are no prerequisites. Full payment is due all at once, but there is a 30-day return policy for a complete refund. You can find some free introductory After Effects courses, too.
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Students can opt to buy the course out right or subscribe to a pilot program called the Personal Plan. When students buy the course, they have access to it for life, but if they opt for the Personal Plan, the content will only be available while the student is a paying subscriber. The plan is still rolling out, but the monthly cost will be around $20. Students like Udemy because it is convenient and not too expensive. “The beauty of Udemy is that anyone, anywhere with an internet connection can learn from the world’s experts. Most courses are taught on demand, meaning you can take them at your own pace, and every course includes a discussion board where you can interact with the instructor and your fellow students. The courses are easy to access. As one student noted, “the underlying idea driving Udemy is simple: the site makes it easy to both take and offer courses (free and paid). The most basic courses consist only of video lectures. The more advanced courses mix video lectures with workbooks, samples, and sometimes audio that can be downloaded to your iPod.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Different Types of Online After Effects Classes?
There are basically two different types of online After Effects classes: live online and on-demand. Live online classes are taught through a video conferencing platform like Zoom, with a live instructor in a remote location. Sometimes there are some students in the room with the instructor, and sometimes it is just the instructor with all of the students joining online. Live online classes have many of the same advantages as in-person classes in a physical classroom. Students can interact with the instructor and other students, but they can attend class from their home, office, or any quiet space with a secure internet connection. Instructors are experienced industry professionals who have worked in the video production and motion graphics industry for many years.
On-demand classes are pre-recorded videos that students can watch whenever or wherever they like, according to their preferred schedule. The main advantage of on-demand classes is convenience. You can also go back and rewatch the videos as much as you like if you need to. Finally, on-demand courses tend to be less expensive than live online classes. They are often accessed through subscription platforms that usually have a free trial period that allows students to try some classes before they have to pay. Some platforms let you buy individual courses rather than signing up for a regular subscription. The disadvantage of pre-recorded videos is that students cannot interact with a live instructor.
What Will I Need for an Online After Effects Class?
To take an online class, students will need a computer with an internet connection and a copy of the software they will be learning. Adobe Creative Cloud offers a one-week free trial of their collection of products, after which you will need to buy a subscription to continue using After Effects. Students will also need a computer powerful enough to handle motion graphics. Adobe recommends a fast processor, at least 2 GB of RAM but 16 GB is best, fast storage, and adequate video processing to run After Effects.
Can I Learn After Effects Online for Free?
Theoretically yes, you can learn After Effects online for free. As a matter of fact, Adobe has a collection of free tutorials on its website that cover all of its products. There are also many YouTube videos and online tutorials to teach you the basic concepts, but After Effects is a complicated program and can be challenging to learn. The guidance of an experienced instructor is valuable when learning After Effects.
Is It Better to Learn After Effects in a Live or Self-paced Class?
Whether it is better to learn After Effects in a live or self-paced class depends upon a student’s learning style, personal motivation, budget, and schedule. Many people find it easier to master new skills in a traditional classroom setting with an instructor who can answer questions and classmates who can interact with each other. Self-paced classes lack interaction but are more flexible. Having an instructor and other students can help keep students accountable and focused, but self-paced classes are usually less expensive and easier to fit into your schedule.
Best After Effects Classes Near Me
Motion Graphics Designer, Special Effects Artist, Animator: These are jobs that use tools like Adobe After Effects (Ae) to create titles and special effects for videos, films, websites, and mobile apps. Adding movement to text, photos, and drawings is called motion graphics and After Effects is an excellent tool for the job.
After Effects is most commonly used to add motion to graphic elements, composite video, and add visual effects. You can also use After Effects in post-production to fix color and sound, fill in missing elements, and remove elements from shots that don’t belong there. One of the most common uses of the application is to replace cell phone, television, and computer screens that appear in a video or on film.
After Effects and Creative Cloud
Because it is part of Adobe Creative Cloud After Effects works well with other Adobe products. You can start a project in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Premiere Pro, then import the file into After Effects to add movement and other features. Which Adobe product you choose to learn before Ae will depend on what you eventually want to do with the programs.
After Effects and Photoshop
If you want to learn to use the products in Adobe Creative Cloud, Photoshop is a good place to start. This is one of Adobe’s most popular and accessible tools. Photoshop is known primarily as a photo manipulation tool used to retouch images; adjust color, brightness, or contrast; composite or combine images into something new; mask portions of an image; and add special effects.
Adobe products work with layers, so you can try an effect and then scrap it if you don’t like the way it looks without altering the original file. Learning to use layers in Photoshop will give you a head start on After Effects.
After Effects and Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a drawing program used to create all kinds of artwork including logos, patterns, and icons. What sets Illustrator apart is that it is vector-based, not pixel-based, so drawings can be scaled up or down easily. You can create beautiful and detailed digital designs in Illustrator and give them life with After Effects.
Illustrator is also used to create charts and graphs for infographics and explainer videos. Once the images are designed in Illustrator, they can be imported to After Effects to make them move. This is an effective way to demonstrate change in a graph or chart. Movement captures the user’s attention and helps them focus on your message.
After Effects and Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro is Adobe’s video editing software. While Photoshop and Illustrator let you add movement to static images, Premiere Pro opens the door to video effects. Premiere Pro allows you to import raw video footage, then make cuts, move clips, add B roll, and make transitions. You can add audio and then import the finished piece to After Effects to add titles, correct color, and create special effects. While Premiere Pro is not simple to learn, it is easier than After Effects, so experienced Video Editors recommend starting with Premiere Pro before learning Ae.
What Can You Do with After Effects?
You can import files created in other programs into After Effects or use Ae to create a video. The former is the most common way to work in Ae but Animators can use the program to create videos from start to finish. Here are some of the things you can do with After Effects.
Motion Graphics
After Effects lets Graphic Designers and Web Developers add motion to text for videos, websites, and mobile apps. You can add movement to logos and icons, infographics, and ads for social media. A common use is to create titles and credits for films and videos.
Compositing
When you composite video using After Effects, you are putting together clips from different videos to create a new scene or removing an element from one scene and placing it in another. This technique is often used to create large crowds or battle scenes. Green screen filming is another form of compositing. An actor is filmed in front of a green screen, then the screen is replaced in the video with another background and special effects in post-production.
Rotoscoping
Rotoscoping is an old animation technique that got new life when tools like After Effects were developed. In rotoscoping, live actors are filmed for a scene and then their movements are traced over to create animated characters. Digital tools make this process much easier.
Motion Tracking
Motion tracking, or match moving, refers to inserting a computer-generated image into live-action footage to make it look like a character is interacting with an object or element that wasn’t on the footage. After Effects has a built-in motion tracking tool to make this process much easier. Motion tracking is often used for special effects like fantasy weapons and magical hand trails.
Animation
You can import text and images into After Effects and animate them or create animations entirely in After Effects. Plug ins and preset animation effects are available in Ae, and you can organize the assets into libraries to use over and over. These plug-ins let you add texture or a particle effect, squash and stretch movement, create fire or smoke, and many, many more animation effects.
Industries That Use After Effects
Motion Graphics Designers work in any industry that produces videos containing animation and special effects. Most companies use websites to sell products and advertise services and these websites often include animation and motion graphics. Social media is another area where Motion Graphics Designers place videos and infographics.
Motion Graphics Designers often work alone, but functioning as part of a team is important, too. Presenting ideas at meetings, talking with clients, and giving feedback are all part of the job, no matter the industry. The most prevalent industries using After Effects are advertising, tech startups, television and film, game development, websites and mobile apps, and immersive installation design.
Advertising
Digital marketing promotes goods and services through digital channels, and Motion Graphics Designers are hired to create animated logos, design moving text, and animate objects for media such as television, social media, websites, and mobile apps. Studies suggest that motion captures the audience’s attention and increases engagement.
Another area where After Effects is used in advertising is in commercials. Adding animation, moving text, and special effects help make video advertisements successful. Not only do advertising agencies hire Motion Graphics Designers, but people who know After Effects can also work as freelancers creating advertisements for local small businesses like grocery stores and car dealerships.
Startups
Another industry that needs Motion Graphics Designers is startups. These businesses need to get their message out and let people know what they make or what they do. Startups need explainer videos and animated infographics to reach investors and clients. Some new companies have bigger budgets than others, so this can be another opportunity for freelance work.
Television and Film
When people think of video production and animation, they think of television and movies. After Effects is one of the tools used to create the title and end credits for television shows and feature films, as well as many of the animated effects. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to break into this segment of the industry, but one place to start is on sports and news shows. People with video editing and motion graphics skills create graphics and animation like chyrons that identify a channel and follow a brand strategy. People with solid After Effects skills can often get a start in television and film work through sports shows and newscasts.
Another task that Motion Graphics Designers perform for TV and movie production is screen replacement. Every screen that appears on another screen needs to be animated. If a character in a television show or movie looks at a cell phone, the screen the audience sees has been created by a Motion Graphics Designer. This is an important skill that can be accomplished with After Effects.
Game Development
Whether it's PlayStation, Nintendo, or Xbox, web-based or an app, computerized gaming is a huge industry and shows no signs of slowing. Animation and special effects are at the heart of the popularity of video games and many Motion Graphics Designers work in the rapidly growing game development industry. Not only do Game Developers use tools like After Effects to add graphics and animated effects to video games, but they also create game advertisements for movies, television, and social media.
Websites and Mobile Apps
Movement captures a user’s attention and makes them more likely to engage with a website or mobile app. These products are created by Web Designers and Web Developers, but as animated graphics become more prevalent in this industry, the demand for Motion Graphics Designers grows. Knowing how to edit videos and create motion graphics are valuable secondary skills for Web Designers and Web Developers, and some larger companies hire just to work on animation.
This type of design is known as user experience (UX) or user-centered design because it strives to improve the way users interact with a digital product to accomplish a task like paying bills or ordering lunch. Motion Graphics Designers understand how to move text and use animation to make the most successful connection with users.
Immersive Art Installations
Tools like After Effects are used to bring art to life in immersive art installations like the Immersive Van Gogh Experience and Otherworld. This blending of art and technology creates a multi-sensory environment for visitors to experience and Motion Graphics Designers are part of creating that product.
What Skills Do Motion Graphics Designers Need?
There are certain skills Motion Graphics Designers need to be successful in their careers. This includes both soft skills–which are mainly innate abilities, preferences, and personality traits–and hard skills–which can be taught through classes, practice, and work experience.
Soft Skills
The abilities most necessary for Motion Graphics Designers involve creativity and organization, among others.
- Art- Artistic ability is one of the most important of the soft skills Motion Graphics Designers need. You will need to create sketches, mockups, and storyboards to show clients and an artistic sensibility helps you come up with ideas.
- Storytelling- Part of the work of a Motion Graphics Designer is storytelling. You need to have a sense of how to construct a narrative and support the story with animated text.
- Affinity for technology—Motion Graphics Designers work on computers and enjoying learning and working with technology is a given.
- Attention to detail—Making sure that animations are crisp and clean and include the necessary details is another important skill.
- Teamwork—Motion Graphics Designers often work as part of a team and need to be able to get along with others and communicate.
- Persistence—Working with video editing and animation often requires trial and error, at least at first. To be successful, it is important to keep trying even when things are not working.
- Organization—The ability to set up and follow an organizational model makes it easier to find the files you need. When you are organized, it is easier to stick to a schedule and get a project done on time.
Hard Skills
Hard skills for Motion Graphics Designers involve software training, design principles, and time management.
- Software training—Motion Graphics Designers need to be willing to put in the effort to learn necessary tools like Adobe After Effects. Staying on top of technological changes is crucial.
- Design Principles—Like technology tools, Motion Graphics Designers need to study the basic principles of design like fonts, color, texture, light, spacing and others.
- Project management—The ability to create and follow a design and production schedule is another important skill.
- Communication—Writing and editing are other important skills for Motion Graphics Designers to be able to communicate with clients and other members of the production team.
After Effects Jobs & Salaries
The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 5 percent growth in animation jobs over the next decade. There are currently around 60,000 people working with special effects and animation in the U.S. right now. A 5 percent increase would result in 6,700 new jobs for Animators and Motion Graphics Designers.
Most of the jobs are concentrated in California, with Los Angeles being the most popular city for people who work with tools like Adobe After Effects. Seattle, Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco also offer a significant number of motion graphics and animation jobs. These cities have many connections to the entertainment industry. Large studios like Disney, Industrial Light and Magic, and Pixar are located in California. Seattle has a large number of game development companies, and New York and Atlanta are both centers for movie and television production.
Wages can vary widely from city to city. The median wage in this field is $79,000 per year or about $38 an hour. The top wage for Animators in the U.S. is $119,000 in the San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward area of California, which is home to companies like Industrial Light and Magic and Apple. The next highest wage is $113,000 in the San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, California area, followed by Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue, Washington at $98,000. New York and Los Angeles both come in at around $95,000 with San Diego at $88,000. Salaries in other major U.S. cities are lower than those in California, Washington, and New York, but so is the cost of living. Special Effects Artists and Animators in Atlanta, Georgia earn a median wage of $74,000 a year followed by $67,000 for Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford, Florida–Disney has a studio there. Wages in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas are $66,000 a year and $62,000 in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida region.
What Will I Need to Learn After Effects?
Whether you decide to teach yourself or take a class, you will need a subscription to After Effects or Adobe Creative Cloud and a computer that can handle video processing.
After Effects Subscription
In order to learn Adobe After Effects, you will need access to the program. After Effects is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, a collection of different software products for photography, graphic design, video production, illustration, and animation. There are more than twenty apps in Adobe Creative Cloud and you can access most of the collection with a yearly or monthly subscription.
A month-to-month plan costs $82.49 and an annual plan paid monthly costs $54.99.
You can subscribe to After Effects on its own for $20.99 per month for an annual subscription or $31.49 per month. The subscription comes with 100GB of cloud storage and a 30-day free trial of Adobe Stock, a collection of stock images, including 4,000 and HD video that you can use in projects.
A seven-day free trial of After Effects is available if you sign up for the annual subscription. You are not charged until the end of the trial and if you cancel before the seven days is up, you will not be charged at all.
Most beginner-level After Effects classes are one to three sessions, so a week’s trial subscription should give you a chance to decide if you want to pay for a full subscription. In an in-person class, the instructor can help you sign up for a free trial. In an online class, you will be sent instructions before the class starts but if you have trouble, the instructor can help.
System Requirements
In order to learn After Effects, you will need a computer. When you take an in-person class, equipment will be provided at the location for you to use during the class. If you sign up for an online class, you will need your own computer.
Adobe has recommendations for minimum and optimal systems specifications for Windows and macOS computers. You will need the following:
- A fast processor
- An up-to-date operating system
- 16-32 GB of RAM
- 2-4 GB of VRAM
- Ample hard disk space
- 1920 X 1080 monitor resolution
- A stable internet connection
Is It Difficult to Learn After Effects?
After Effects is not an easy tool to master but there are some factors that make it easier to learn. It will be easier for you to learn After Effects if you are already familiar with other Adobe applications, especially Photoshop and Illustrator. The workflow and interfaces on the different applications are similar, so if you already know Photoshop, you can concentrate on learning how to use the other parts of After Effects. Adobe’s Premiere Pro is another tool that can help you learn After Effects. If you have video editing experience, you will have a basic understanding of working with raw footage, which is helpful.
Experience with graphic design is also helpful when you are learning After Effects. This will give you a head start on the principles of design and animation and you will be able to concentrate on learning the particulars of working with the program. Designers are used to using storyboards, which can help you plan a project before you start keyframing.
It can be a challenge to learn After Effects on your own, and many people find classes helpful when acquiring new skills. Most people find it easier to learn a complicated tool like After Effects if they sign up for a class. You can watch tutorials and work on projects by yourself, but having an experienced instructor to guide you makes the process so much smoother. Plus, in an in-person or live online class, you will have other students to share your projects with, give and get feedback, and network with for future job searches.
There are many courses to choose from if you want to learn Adobe After Effects to change to a new career in motion graphics and animation. You can choose between in-person classes, live online sessions, and on-demand video courses according to your personal learning style, budget, and time schedule.