Ok I just got AE and I am in serious need of help!

Like I said I just got it and I was looking at it, and I don't uderstand anything about it.

I don't know what rotscoping, or keying, or motion bluring or any of those terms are.

All I want to do right now is like cut out a person from one piece of film and place them in another.

After that mabey add an effect like they are teleporting in on the second piece of film. But I don't have a clue how to do anything with this program.

I am well aware that it is capable of doing everything that I want to do but I just need somebody out there to help me get goin. I also tried looking at some online tutorials but they confuse me even more than that huge manuel does. Can someone plese help me get started?

 

I don't mean to bust le bubble... but I'm seeing this one of three ways.

1- You downloaded it illegally, hence no manual. First, we know this happens a lot, but the community doesn't condone this. If you insist upon keeping a pirated copy for the duration of your filmmaking, you'll have to find other sources I'd imagine. The internet is full of tutorials for AE.

2- You bought a student version. In which case it should still come with a manual which can explain what all of AE's tools are capable of. You can still check the net for tutorials.

3- You bought the full legal version (6 or 6 Pro). In this case it still comes with a manual and the net still has tutorials.

If it is the first option, which is sounds like, I'd suggest trying it long enough to decide if it's really worth having, then picking up a student copy (if you don't know, student copies are significantly less expensive).

Regards,

~DK~

 

There's also the little tab up top of the screen called "HELP."
If I'm not mistaken, there are generally numerous tutorials within.

 

Thanks, guys. I was about to go crazy on him.

 

But they confused me even more then that huge manual does...

LOL! That huge manual should tell you everything you need to know, so start reading.

 

Thanks, guys. I was about to go crazy on him.

As was I. I don't mean any offence to anyone out there, but is seems like this is happening a lot lately. When I first used AE, I didn't know what I was doing either... then I followed two tutorials and got the basics of the layout and how things worked, from there, I have taught myself/read manual/done more tutorials to learn the specifics. Wanna know which tutorials they were? Ryan W.'s lightsaber tutorial, and Durb's cloning one. Don't give up before you've started.

-DeadEyesSmiling

 

First off all I wanted was a little help I don't know mabey I am mistaken but I thought that was what this site was for. A fourm to talk about and get help with your fan fims.

As to the assumption that I got an illegal version and have no manuel. If I had no manuel why would I say that they tutorials are even more confusing than that huge manuel. I do have one and have read in it but I still don't get how to do the type of effects I want to be able to do.

I guess I am jumping the gun because I have seen all the great stuff you guys have done and want to be able to do it too.

You shouldn't be so quick to "go off" on somebody. What ever happened to help your fellow man. All I know is that were I in your position and someone asked for help I would do everything in my power to help them cause that is just the kind of person I am, but I guess I wasn't fortunate enough to come across people with that kind of moral fiber in this thread.

 

Oh, bull. Don't tell us about moral fiber. Judging from your other posts... I highly doubt that you attained it legally. Just because you allude to having a manual does not at all make us believe for a moment that you might actually own it. That is not solid proof. Even if you could cite a manual, you could've gotten a .pdf off of the net, just as easily as having had it. It's your character that makes us not believe you -- the fact that you were asking such noobish questions, the manner in which you asked them, and that just a short while ago you didn't have AE, and didn't even know you needed it.

If you are litterate, and you have an AE manual, you should know how to do these things.

 

Everyone please just calm down. This is not what TFN is all about. Come on....a lot of noobs do this because of your work (all of you). You inspire them...like you all inspired me (especially Ryan). Shouldn't that be something to be proud of? I know I would.

 

There is a difference between needing help and just being lazy. We have no problem giving advice to people about specifics but you can't come on here and say teach me AE. Especially when you admit you have access to the manual and other resources. Spend sometime and figure it out like the rest of us.

I won't be able to do anything for a while because funds are short now-previous thread

Fox, it is obvious that in the last seven days he won the lottery and was able to find the best software dealer and have it shipped and delievered.

 

The stuff he wants to know are in tutorials all over this site. He can look himself.

 

I can't disagree with that. It's true...no one can teach you the ENTIRE After Effects program...looks like we found an even plane Fox.

 

I must admit that I did aquire AE from a friend of mine after having spoken with them about it and learned that they had this piece of software. I would however hardly say that, that is illegal.

And I must concede to the fact that I have not spent as long with this program as the people on this forum have. But in my defense I only just got it. I did not ask anyone to teach me AE, I went back and read my post and funilly enough didn't see that phrase in there anywhere.

If that is what you percieved it to say than I am sorry you assumed wrong. I know just as well as the next person that if you want results you have to work hard for them and I am up to the challenge, however it doesn't hurt to help out someone in need.

If helping is beyond your capability then don't I won't cry over it, but for those of you who know that just because you help someone else out you don't loose anything by it and it actually makes you a better person feel free to give me any advice you can come up with. As I said earlier I would be forever greatful. Thank You.

 

edit: wasted my time as before I posted he posted pretty much saying his copy is illegal. disregard.

 

Dude, these are all basic functions of AE, you can look in the manual's index and find exactly how to do them. We are willing to help, but you can figure this stuff out on your own without a ton of effort. If you had even attempted to look through the manual you would have realized that.

And yes, your copy is IS illegal...unless your friend bought his copy with multiple lisenses, which I doubt.

 

The best thing I can recommend for learning basic stuff in AE is trying Ryan and link's saber tutorial and Durb's cloning tutorial. Those two will give you a good start with Your Friend: The Mask?

Read the manual. Yes, it looks scary, but it will tell you what you need to know.

Also, I'd recommend getting Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects by Trish and Chris Meyer. It's an excellent resource for learning AE.



Edit: Dang, beaten to the punch. Though, my CMG was more than $40....

 

There you go for now on just recommend books.

Edit: Beautifully said JediTAC

 

CadetPlanet17 . . . .

You yourself admit that you "just got" AE. It's not about having spent as much time learning the program as other people on this Forum, it's about spending at least some time working with it and getting to know your way around it. I don't think people here care as much abou tthe fact that you got the program from your friend, as much as you got the program from your friend AND NOW you want to further the "easy way out" and have people simply throw tutorials your way.

You yourself say this - don't know what rotscoping, or keying, or motion bluring or any of those terms are.

CadetPlanet17 - these are among the most basic functions of an application such as After Effects. People on this Forum LOVE helping people ... but by the same token, you will garner a lot more respect and credibility if you show us that you have actually tried to put some personal effort into it first. Trust me, I've been around this Forum a long time ... people respect those who show that they have at least tried to learn things on their own before requesting additional help on the basics.

To this effect, TFN FanFilms has a whole list of tutorials already in place for many of the types of things you are aking about. Have you tried looking there yet?

Also, I just did a basic Google search for "After Effects Tutorials."
Lookee Lookee what I CAME UP WITH.


It's quite obvious that you are young and enthusiastic - which is FANTASTIC. The "tough love" lesson some are trying to learn you is that the greatest rewards come from those who take the bull by the horns, practice, develop and imagine. The BASICS are there at your fingertips - via your manual, TFN tutorials, books and the Internet. After you have some of the basics down (i.e. basic compositing, keyframing, etc.), THEN present your stumbling blocks for additional insight and advice.


GOOD LUCK YOUNG PADAWAN.




JediTAC

 

Dang, beaten to the punch. Though, my CMG was more than $40....

I was just going by the price I saw on amazon.com at the moment. I bought mine at the college bookstore, so mine was more expensive too, but I've since seen it online other places for very cheap.

 

I do thank you for your help and the tutorials you have linked me to, I am currently on the process of downloading them. Which is not to say that I hadn't tried to get tot them e before with that thread at the top of the main page that says learn how to make light sabers. Well when you click to look at Ryan and link's saber tutorial the link is broken so I didn't know how to get to it.

But now that I have it downloading I am sure that I will learn a lot by it, someone else on this site mentioned it several times but like I said I could never get to it.

Anyway, my goal here is not to be the most annoying user, although to date I think that is how I am coming across, and it is completely unintentioal. I am sorry if it seems as though I am being lazy.

I have been to the Adobe site and requested they send one of those free cd's with tutorials on it, I have spent the past 5 hours trying to figure out anything I can in AE and all I have come up with is creating a new project. I have also read some of that manuel but as it was stated earlier it is quite hard to learn everything from words on a page. So that is why I am so dependant on you guys for help. And yes I will be watching the tutorials and putting more time into reading that blasted manuel, so please don't think lazy when you see my name.

I am just trying like you all did ince to learn something new and without the benifit of someone to be right here with me to help me out it is a little bit scary the first time around, so all I ask is that you please be just a little patient with me, and once again I am terribly sorry.

 

Now see ... THAT'S what we all like to see. You sound like you are taking the basic steps you need to get started.

EXCELLENT.

Spend some time getting to know the AE user interface and the various functions, menus etc. Try some test shots out ... heck, even post a couple on the Forum if you can. Show us how you are coming along. It will be at that point that you will find this one of the most helpful and inspiring FanFilmmaking Forums on the net.



GOOD LUCK !!!

 

All is cool. No harm done. Can we get off each others' throats now? j/k

EDIT: Yeah...what JediTAC said. JediTAC the voice of reason. And ultimately what the TFN boards are all about.

EDIT # 2 There not new but still a voice of reason lol sorry Fig

 

The new voice of reason? New?

 

When I saved up my money (blood, sweat, and tears as my dad would say...) mowing lawns, working for my parents, the neighbors, and finding other things to do, I really had a burn in my heart to get adobe AE, and a matching Premiere. Thus, when I got it, I read the manual. My thought process was, "I can't wait for TF.N to teach me, I've come this far, lets read the manual.

However, when I had the demo, and the PDF Manual, I didn't read the manual. (I know I must be spelling manual wrong...) Why? because I hadn't worked for it. To earn the money for a program, you have to work. Which means you'll be willing to work to learn it.

Pirating a program shows a person is too lazy to earn it, showing they're too lazy to read the manual.

Logic = Earn it, and read the manual.

EDIT: Grammar and the like.

 

In the above post, "can't wait" is literal.

--Colin