After Effects and Photoshop

Book excerpt: "... 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! Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.