A powerful video post-production tool
Adobe After Effects is a powerful software, which comes in handy for video post-production work. If you often work with motion graphics and visual effects, this program is an excellent choice to add effects, make edits, and perform several other functions. If you’ve already been using Adobe Premiere, After Effects can perfectly complement the tool. It’s worth mentioning that Adobe After Effects is available as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, and therefore, you need to pay a monthly subscription to use the program.
A wide range of features to complement editing
Adobe After Effects comes with an intuitive interface and a wide range of features. As such, for a long time, it has been the standard choice of professional multimedia editors. Since the tool is part of Adobe CC, it integrates well with other Adobe products. Compared to VideoProc and other similar apps, Adobe After Effects has a steeper learning curve, but offers unparalleled features for designing cinematic visual effects and motion graphics.
What is Adobe After Effects?
Like most Adobe products, After Effects is considered to be a standard in the video editing industry. Whether you’re considering the program for individual usage, or need to edit film and professional videos, the program’s ‘special effect suite’ delivers excellent results. Since it has become a part of Adobe Creative Cloud, you can use the software to add touches to files in other Adobe products, especially Photoshop and Illustrator.
What can you do with Adobe After Effects?
Whether you consider SmoothVideo Project or Color Efex Pro, these programs don’t offer comprehensive features designed for professional video editing. On the other hand, After Effects allows you to add animation to text, including rolling credits, twirling titles, and spinning words.
Additionally, you can merge videos and image files to create stunning visual effects. Adobe After Effects also offers advanced video-specific functionalities, such as Mesh Warp Effect in 3D and Auto Keyframe. While the former lets you warp and distort videos in the form of plain images, the latter can automatically create keyframes whenever you apply a video effect.
The latest version of the program comes with several new features. For instance, you can now speed up animations with ‘expressions’, which are codes and lines to control a wide range of animations in a faster and more efficient manner. Expressions can also be used to access shape points.
With Adobe After Effects, you can use a dedicated keyboard shortcut editor to create customized hotkeys. The application also integrates well with Adobe Stock, the recently introduced image service from the IT giant. After Effects also focuses on using real 3D objects with Cinema 4D, and offers several improvements in ‘Scenes Preview’.
The most recent version of the program comes with the functionality to create motion graphics and interactive animations with data files. With this new offering, you can conveniently import JSON data files into the application to use animation in the composition. This feature comes in handy for collaboration with team members since files can be easily transferred from one device or OS to another.
With Adobe After Effects, you also get access to various useful plugins, such as DEEP Plugin, which lets you convert stereo video formats. Additionally, the application features auto-save functionality, which is ideal for ‘Team Projects’. You can easily collaborate with other users to share different versions of compositions.
Does Adobe After Effects support VR?
The program allows you to build VR or virtual reality environments with ease. The new feature – ‘Create a VR Environment’ – automatically sets up the camera composition and relationships to create and author customized 360/VR videos. In case you want to apply some effects, there’s a wide range of tools to help you out. For instance, with a couple of clicks, you can add effects, titles, transitions, and improve the video without blur or distortion.
Is Adobe After Effects easy to use?
For beginners, Adobe After Effects can be hard to use. The tool comes with a steep learning curve, and the interface can seem overwhelming. This is in line with other Adobe products, which are often designed for professional usage. However, once you’ve mastered the interface, the program’s range of templates and special effects can lead to endless creations. If you’re already familiar with Adobe Premiere, you’ll find After Effects easy to use and navigate. With clearly labeled icons, everything looks organized.
Like other products in the Creative Cloud, After Effects needs an on-going subscription. Compared to free programs available online, this can be a deterrent. However, once you purchase the subscription, you can use the program on various devices, which sync and backup creations automatically. The only disadvantage is that you’ll be locked into a subscription model.
Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool, which can be used to create stunning motion graphics, visual effects, and animations. The application features a comprehensive package of tools, providing you with creative freedom. While you’d need some time to learn the app’s functionalities, it’s definitely worth it in the long run. If you’re looking for a feature-packed, reliable platform to edit videos, this one will be a great choice.
The perfect choice for professional video editors
Although Adobe After Effects is an excellent tool, it can be quite heavy on system resources. But while using the program on Windows 10 and 11, you won’t experience any issues. With a steep learning curve, it can take some time to get used to the interface. The tool has been primarily designed for professional video editors but comes in handy for individuals looking to edit or improve videos for social media and other projects. Overall, Adobe After Effects is a reliable, efficient, and stable software, which deserves all the recognition and credit it often gets. Since it integrates well with Adobe CC products, it’s a must-download for video editors.
