AFTER EFFECTS BASICS

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In this section, Peter McKinnon introduces the topic of Adobe After Effects and explains his plan to cover the basics in multiple tutorials.

Introduction to Adobe After Effects

• Peter acknowledges that he has received many requests for After Effects tutorials.

• He describes After Effects as the "Photoshop of video" and emphasizes its potential for creating special effects and enhancing creativity.

• Peter plans to split the tutorial into multiple parts due to the complexity of the program.

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In this section, Peter provides an overview of the After Effects interface and discusses his plan for creating a simple title animation.

Interface Overview

• The interface of After Effects is similar to other Adobe Creative Cloud products like Premiere Pro.

• The timeline is located at the bottom, workspace at the top, file storage on the left side, and effects panel on the right side.

• Peter assures that although there may be some unfamiliar elements, users with experience in other Adobe programs will find similarities.

Project Window

• The project window is where all files such as graphics and music are dropped in for use in compositions.

• It is similar to importing footage into Premiere Pro.

Composition Window

• The composition window displays what you are working on and where your video will be seen.

• It is where adjustments, effects, and animations are applied to footage.

Effects Panel

• Located on the right side, it allows users to apply various effects, change text properties, fonts, etc.

Tool Bar

• Running along the top of the screen, it contains different pointers and tools depending on what you're doing in After Effects.

Timeline

• Similar to video editing software, it is where all elements of a project are organized and manipulated.

Setting up the Project

In this section, the goal is to have a title on the footage that tracks into the scene and grows with the camera movement.

Creating a New Composition

• Drag the footage into the "Create a New Composition" button to create a composition based on its settings.

• Adjust the composition resolution if needed for faster rendering.

Marking In and Out Points

• Play through the video using space bar to determine where to start.

• Click on the video in the timeline and drag it to match desired in point.

• Use Page Up/Down or B/E keys for fine-tuning.

• Trim down the clip by dragging from end back to play head.

Trimming Composition Length

• Drag the time ruler at top of timeline to match end of clip.

• Go to Composition > Trim Comp to Work Area to remove empty space and make entire timeline our clip.

Adding and Tracking Text

This section focuses on adding text and tracking it with camera movement.

Adding Text

• Use text tool (T) in toolbar to add desired text on screen.

Playing Through and Adjusting

• Play through video using space bar.

• Notice that as camera moves closer, text remains static and doesn't look good.

Understanding Null Objects in After Effects

In this section, the speaker explains what a null object is and its role in tracking and controlling effects in After Effects.

Introduction to Null Objects

• A null object is an invisible aid that lives on the screen during editing.

• It cannot be seen in videos but can be used to attach different effects.

• Null objects control various effects throughout After Effects.

Tracking Text with Null Objects

• To track text and make it work, a null object needs to be attached to something on the screen.

• A null object serves as a step to begin using After Effects.

Activating a Null Object

• Right-click in the timeline, select "New," and choose "Null Object" to activate a null object.

• A red box representing the null object will appear on the screen.

• The null object can also be found in the layer section of the interface.

Tracking Pixels and Attaching Data

This section focuses on tracking pixels in a scene and attaching tracking data to a null object.

Tracking Pixels with After Effects

• After Effects needs to track all pixels in a scene by playing it forward and analyzing its movement.

• The tracking data is then attached to a null object.

Attaching Text to the Null Object

• By attaching text to the null object, it becomes tracked along with the scene's movement.

• Both text and tracking data run through this invisible helper, which is the null object.

Using Tracker for Motion Tracking

This section explains how to use the Tracker feature in After Effects for motion tracking.

Accessing Tracker Feature

• Select your footage layer (e.g., DJI clip) from the timeline.

• Go to the right side of the interface where you'll find "Tracker."

• If the Tracker window is not visible, go to the top toolbar, click "Window," and ensure "Tracker" is selected.

Track Motion

• Click on "Track Motion" in the Tracker window.

• A new layer window will open alongside your composition.

Zooming In for Better View

• Use the plus and minus keys on your keyboard to zoom in and out.

• Zoom in to get a clearer view of the track point box.

Adjusting Quality and Adding Tracking Boxes

This section covers adjusting video quality and adding tracking boxes for position and scale tracking.

Adjusting Video Quality

• Increase the video quality back to full for better visibility.

• This can be done by changing the quality settings from a lower value (e.g., quarter) to full.

Adding Tracking Boxes

• Ensure both Position and Scale are checked off in the Tracker window.

• A second tracking box will appear for scale tracking.

Editing Target Selection

This section explains how to edit target selection for attaching tracking data.

Editing Target

• Click on "Edit Target" in the Tracker window.

• A pop-up window will appear with Null 1 selected as the target.

• Null 1 refers to the null object created earlier for tracking purposes.

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In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of choosing high-contrast points for tracking in After Effects.

Choosing High-Contrast Points

• It is important to select solid, stationary, high-contrast points for tracking in After Effects.

• Avoid choosing faint or moving elements in the scene.

• Two windows are selected as tracking points: one on the right and one on the left side.

• Clicking and dragging a tracking point magnifies the area it covers.

• The sharp edge of a window with high contrast (black inside) is chosen as the first tracking point.

• Another window on the right is selected as the second tracking point.

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This section demonstrates how to track selected points using After Effects.

Tracking Points

• After selecting the tracking points, click and drag them to their respective positions.

• These points act as targets for After Effects to track.

• Before hitting "Track," it is recommended to double-check the tracking points by skipping forward in the timeline to see if there are any changes in the scene.

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This section explains how trial and error may be involved in achieving successful tracking.

Trial and Error

• Sometimes, trial and error is necessary when it comes to tracking scenes in After Effects.

• If a particular point loses track during analysis, adjustments can be made to ensure better results.

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This section demonstrates adjusting tracking points for better accuracy.

Adjusting Tracking Points

• To prevent losing track of a point, adjust both inner and outer boxes around it.

• The inner box represents what After Effects tracks, while the outer box acts as a backup system.

• If the inner box moves, the outer box can be resized to encompass a larger target area.

• By increasing the size of both boxes, After Effects has a better chance of maintaining track throughout the scene.

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This section emphasizes the importance of adjusting tracking points and reanalyzing frames.

Reanalyzing Frames

• Adjusting tracking points provides more room for movement without losing sight of the target.

• Increasing the size of both inner and outer boxes helps prevent the small tracking box from moving out of bounds.

• After making adjustments, reanalyze the frames to overwrite previous tracking data and continue with improved accuracy.

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This section highlights that successful tracking may require multiple attempts.

Trial and Error in Tracking

• Sometimes, it takes several attempts to achieve accurate tracking.

• Familiarity with what tracks well and where good contrast points are will improve results over time.

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This section concludes the process of adjusting tracking points for successful tracking.

Finalizing Tracking

• Adjusting tracking points ensures they remain within bounds throughout the scene.

• Once adjustments are made, continue analyzing frames to maintain accurate track until it is no longer visible in frame.

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This section explains how to view and understand tracked boxes in After Effects.

Understanding Tracked Boxes

• Tracked boxes consist of an inner box (representing what After Effects tracks) and an outer box (acting as a backup system).

• Clicking and holding on a tracked point reveals its exact position within the program's perspective.

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This section demonstrates how to adjust bounding boxes for better tracking.

Adjusting Bounding Boxes

• The outer box targets the inner box, ensuring it remains within bounds.

• If the inner box moves, resizing the outer box provides a larger target area for improved tracking accuracy.

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This section explains how to increase the size of bounding boxes for better tracking.

Increasing Box Size

• Enlarging both inner and outer boxes allows more room for movement without losing sight of the target.

• By increasing the size of the target area, reanalyzing frames will yield more accurate results.

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This section concludes the process of adjusting bounding boxes for improved tracking.

Finalizing Box Adjustments

• After adjusting bounding boxes, continue analyzing frames to maintain accurate track while keeping all previous data intact.

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This section concludes the tutorial and encourages practice to become proficient in After Effects.

Completing Scene Tracking

• Despite some challenges, successful scene tracking has been achieved.

• Watching and practicing this tutorial multiple times will help develop proficiency in creating titles using After Effects.

• To store all tracking information, it is important to move it to a null object.

Removing Unnecessary Layers

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to collapse and hide unnecessary layers in the Layers panel.

Collapsing Layers

• Click on the little arrows next to each layer in the Layers panel to collapse them.

• Hide unnecessary layers to reduce clutter and make it easier to work with.

Attaching Title to Null Object

The speaker explains how to attach the title to a null object, which will inherit all the tracking information.

Connecting Title to Null Object

• Use the pick whip tool in the Layers panel (represented by a zigzaggy line) to connect the title layer with the null object.

• Click and hold on the pick whip tool, then drag it over until "Null 1" (the null object) is highlighted, and release.

• This attaches all settings and tracking information from the null object to the title layer.

Assigning Settings of Null Object

The speaker explains how attaching the title layer to the null object assigns all its settings and tracking information.

Assigning Settings

• By connecting the title layer with the null object, all settings and tracking information from the null object are now applied to the title layer.

• This ensures that the title takes on characteristics such as position, scale, rotation, etc., from the null object.

Verifying Connection with Pick Whip

The speaker shows how to verify if successful connection between layers has been made using pick whipping.

Verifying Connection

• Look at the right side of After Effects interface under "Effects & Presets" panel.

• If you see "Null 1" listed under the drop-down menu, it means the title layer has been successfully connected to the null object.

Previewing the Result

The speaker demonstrates how the attached title looks when played forward.

Previewing

• Play the composition to see how the attached title looks in action.

• Note any glitches or issues that may occur, such as loss of tracking data when objects go out of frame.

Adjusting for Lost Tracking Data

The speaker explains how to adjust for lost tracking data and trim unnecessary layers.

Adjusting for Lost Tracking Data

• Identify where tracking data is lost by scrubbing through the timeline until text snaps or becomes unstable.

• Drag all layers, including the title layer, to that specific point on the timeline using snapping (hold shift while dragging).

• Trim unnecessary layers beyond that point to ensure a smooth sequence without loss of tracking information.

Finalizing Scene and Customization

The speaker emphasizes that now we have a complete scene with proper tracking and suggests customization options.

Finalizing Scene

• Ensure that the scene includes all desired elements and doesn't lose tracking information at any point.

• Trim composition to work area once everything is in place.

Customization Options

• The attached title can be moved anywhere on-screen since it is connected to the null object.

• Experiment with different positions and layouts based on personal preference or project requirements.

Exploring Advanced Possibilities

The speaker hints at advanced possibilities like changing fonts and masking titles but mentions they will be covered in a future part of this tutorial series.

Advanced Possibilities

• Changing fonts and masking titles to create more complex effects will be covered in a future tutorial.

• Stay tuned for part two of the tutorial series.

Recap and Practice

The speaker concludes the tutorial and encourages viewers to practice and familiarize themselves with the concepts covered.

Recap

• Congratulations on completing part one of the After Effects tutorial.

• Review the concepts learned, such as using null objects, pick whipping, and attaching titles.

• Consider repeating the process multiple times to reinforce understanding.

Practice Recommendations

• Delete all previous work and start again from scratch to gain more practice.

• Familiarize yourself with compositions, timelines, project files, effects, and shortcuts in After Effects.

Closing Remarks

The speaker wraps up the video by thanking viewers and mentioning potential future tutorials.

Thank You

• Thank viewers for watching and sticking around until the end of the tutorial.

• Express appreciation for those who are already experienced in After Effects.

Future Tutorials

• Mention that there may be future tutorials covering specific topics like creating a Gary Vee video.

• Indicate that part two of this tutorial series will be released at some point.