Learn After Effects the right way with this structured roadmap. Tips, tricks, and insights from my 15 years of experience.
I was in 11th grade when I first watched a video by Freddie Wong titled The Road Trip Begins where Freddie drives a caravan over another guy. As I watched, I couldn’t stop wondering how such a scene was created.
Luckily, the end screen of that video led me to another video titled “How To Fall Under An RV.” In it, Freddie demonstrated how he used a software called After Effects to create the effect.
This was my first introduction to After Effects. At that time, as a school student, I didn’t have the financial means to afford the software. Thankfully, a friend helped me by downloading a cracked version for me. While not ideal, it gave me a chance to explore the world of visual effects.
From my experience, there are two types of After Effects users:
- Those interested in Visual Effects: They primarily use After Effects for compositing.
- Those focused on Motion Graphics: They use After Effects to create dynamic animations.
Since my interest was solely in visual effects, I didn’t pay much attention to the motion graphics side of the software. But, after 15 years of using After Effects, I realized that while I was creating effects, my approach was flawed. My learning journey lacked structure and systematic methods.
In this blog post, I’ll share a roadmap I wish I had when I started learning After Effects. It’s designed to simplify your learning journey and help you master the software quickly and effectively.
1. Get To Know The After Effects Interface
Freddie’s tutorial, “How To Fall Under An RV,” introduced me to the After Effects Roto Brush tool. When I started using After Effects, I even used the Roto Brush tool for tasks like masking, not realizing that the software had a dedicated Pen Tool for that purpose.
This mistake stemmed from my lack of understanding of After Effects tools and options.
With over 500 tools and options in After Effects (a number that keeps growing with every update), familiarizing yourself with the interface is crucial. At the very least, you should understand the basic use cases of the icons in the default workspace.
These small icons play a big role in completing large projects efficiently.
Start by watching the beginner tutorial “Get to Know the After Effects Interface” available in After Effects’ online resources. This 15-minute video will help you understand the software’s tools, options, panels, and switches.
2. Learn To Organize Your Projects
When I began using After Effects, my primary goal was to complete projects as quickly as possible, often neglecting proper project organization. This mistake became evident when I started creating templates.
Poorly organized assets led to negative reviews.
As a professional After Effects user, maintaining good organizational practices is essential. Here are some basic steps to create a clean and organized project:
- Use Folders: When importing assets into the project panel, categorize them into folders. For example, place video files in a folder named “Video,” images in “Image,” and compositions in “Comp.”
- Set Up a Template: Create a new project with folders and save it. Then enable “New Project Loads Template” under Edit > Preferences > New Project to ensure every new project automatically includes these folders.
- Use Scripts: You can use a simple folder setup script to create organized folders automatically.
Additionally, learn to organize your timeline using features like the “Shy” button to hide layers, color labels to group layers, and pre-composing layers into a single composition.
The video “After Effects: The Ultimate Organization Guide” by Sonduck Film is an excellent resource for mastering project organization.
3. Use After Effects Expressions
In my interactions with other After Effects users, I’ve noticed that 8 out of 10 don’t use expressions. Initially, I was one of them.
I assumed expressions were only for those who knew coding. While expert-level automation requires coding, many basic expressions can be learned easily.
Expressions automate repetitive tasks in After Effects. For instance:
- Wiggle Expression: Adds random motion to objects.
- Loop Out Expression: Creates looping animations.
You don’t need to memorize expressions. Instead, save useful expressions in a text file to create a cheat sheet. Websites like PlainlyVideos offer a library of expressions to automate basic tasks.
You can also use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to create expressions, though you might need some knowledge to fix errors.
4. Learn Every Little Trick, Tip, and Hidden Feature
After Effects is a complex software, and even after 15 years of using it, I’m still discovering new features, like adjusting motion blur intensity or moving shape layers within the composition. Dedicate time to learning these tricks and hidden features.
Spend at least 30 minutes daily searching for and watching tutorial videos on YouTube to expand your knowledge. I’ve also created videos detailing some of After Effects’ most useful and hidden features.
5. Reverse Engineer Templates
To become a professional, you need to understand the work of professionals. The best way to do this is by reverse engineering templates created by experienced After Effects users.
For example, if you want to learn animated logo creation, download a high-quality logo reveal template from Envato or similar platforms and study how it was made.
Dissect the template to understand the assets, effects, and animations used. This will give you insights into a professional After Effects workflow.
Additionally, you can learn to create your own templates and sell them on marketplaces like Envato to earn money.
6. Experiment
Learning After Effects is a never-ending journey because Adobe continuously updates the software with new features. Experiment with every feature and effect in the Effects panel to discover your style, whether your focus is on visual effects compositing or motion graphics.
If you limit yourself to video tutorials and avoid hands-on experiments, you’ll never uncover your unique style.
Final Thoughts
After Effects is more than just software; it’s a skill that can open doors to creative and professional opportunities. Follow this roadmap to structure your learning, avoid common mistakes, and accelerate your journey to mastery.