ISBN:0782143172Book Description
"... a book that needs to be on every motion graphic designer's shelf."
--Scott Kelby, President, National Association of Photoshop Professionals
Author Jeff Foster appeared on the DV Guys, a weekly radio show devoted to DV professionals and enthusiasts, for a LIVE online interview on Thursday, June 17, 2004. If you missed it, you can still listen to their archive.
If you're in the business of motion graphics or desktop digital video production, you know that Adobe's After Effects and Photoshop are two of the most indispensable content creation tools. More integrated than ever before, the world's number-one compositing and image-editing programs can be used in tandem to create quality work at a relatively low cost. But it takes years of experience to figure out how to get the most out of this remarkable duo.
With After Effects and Photoshop: Animation and Production Effects for DV and Film, graphics guru Jeff Foster has created the first book devoted to showing how you can use these two programs together to produce animations and effects on the desktop. This practical guide focuses exclusively on techniques commonly used in the field as well as cutting-edge production tricks. These hands-on projects will demystify cool Hollywood effects and help you solve your daily challenges. And they'll inspire you to think more artistically when approaching your creations.
Inside, you'll discover pro techniques for motion graphics and video production, including how to:
* Add depth and realism to your animations by mimicking real motion
* Use exaggerated movements to enhance characterization
* Apply 3-D animation to 2-D images
* Remove background fodder with blue-screen garbage mattes
* Employ rotoscoping techniques for frame-by-frame retouching
* Construct realistic composites and scene locations using matte painting techniques
* Make movies from stills by simulating 3-D camera motion
* Utilize perspective, speed, and scale to create believable moving objects
* Produce realistic special effects such as noise, clouds, and smoke
* Practice imaginative motion titling effects that grab people's attention
* Develop professional scene transitions using 3-D layer animations
* And much more!/p>
Reviews From AMAZON.COM
Book Could have been SOOOO Good.....
This book seemed to cover all the topics I wanted to get me in to being able to doing some of the things that I wanted to do right away with 3-D photo montages and working in 3-D space with AE and Photoshop but the book skips far too many steps and assumes you can read minds and know the "in-between" steps to get from one set of instructions to the next. I would not recommend this book to any one who does not have a very good grasp of AE. If you know AE very well then this may be the book for you. As for me I guess I'll just have to go back to my Total Training DVD's but I was hoping to get up and running a little quicker.
In search of the Holy Grail?
In the immortal words of the irreverent yet insightful Monty Python:
"...and now for something completely different"...words that not only bring meaning to life, but a more than accurate description of this book.
As someone who directs and produces a wide variety of video and film projects, I found this guide to be an invaluable resource. A simple glance through the chapter titles affords the reader a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of professional animation and production effects. I must admit, I'm one of those people who would rather learn by doing instead of reading, but I've found an exception, as this book effectively balances the best of both worlds. Instead of stumbling through pages of technical, yawn-inspiring rhetoric, Mr. Foster imaginatively presents Hollywood-type tips and tricks, extensively supported with tutorials and videos found within the enclosed DVD. Imagine, for example, if the creative applications outlined in Chapter 5 had been available when the distinguished Monty Python animations, (thank you, Terry Gilliam) were being created...
Brilliant!
If showcasing some of your client's vintage photographs, (as I needed for an upcoming documentary) is required, then Chapter 11, "Making Movies From Stills" will prove to be indispensable. It's amazing how easily you can bring a 2D photo to life simply by separating or "peeling-away" the layers in Photoshop and importing the files into After Effects. Other techniques, such as creating zoom effects and 3D animated camera pans, are also clearly demonstrated...the resulting animations are impressive.
Please keep in mind, this book won't teach you either After Effects or Photoshop, so if you're looking for an instructional manual for such, look elsewhere. However, if you want to learn everything from basic animation to sophisticated matte painting, motion graphics and compositing techniques then buy this book!
...wink, wink...nudge, nudge.