DVD Training Review: Advanced Adobe After Effects 7 from Total Training

Total Training's Broadcast Design Secrets with host Dean Velez

By Peter Plantec

March 9, 2006    Source: Studio Daily

Emmy winner Dean Velez presents three substantial projects designed to share some his excellent expert techniques to speed and improve your creation of such things as News Bumpers, Opening Title Sequences, and he even includes a very slick Corporate Identity piece.

The Host

Dean Velez is a broadcast design veteran with two Emmy’s and 7 Emmy nominations. He has worked for two Network Stations, two local news stations, three different colleges and produced numerous animations for clients all over the U.S. Though serious about his work, he has charm, a pleasant voice and a flare for fun.

Content

Velez presents a workflow that I found compellingly efficient and easy to adopt. He includes a number of approaches unique to AE 7, but much of what he’s done can be done in 6.5 or earlier. He’s included all source materials and project files so you can follow along with him.

The projects are not simple ones and Dean goes so far as to have you using new tools to create and animate such things as:

• A violent thunders storm with amazing lightning
• A very credible spider that walks through your scene
• 3D spider webs with cool 3d camera moves
• Several clever and sophisticated animated logos
• Futuristic backgrounds and cool high tech visual effects
• Several very cool light effects.

But it’s the way that Dean works that you may learn most from. He’s efficient, knows his engine and uses tricks you will not have though of to achieve high production values in a very short time.

General Comment

It’s probably a good idea for you to have a working knowledge of After Effects, when you watch this one, but it’s not essential. Dean meticulously explains exactly what he’s doing every step of the way. In fact, he’s one of the best I’ve seen. This attention to detail is one of Total Training’s points of pride. Another important thing when you’re spending hours listening to this guy...Dean has a nice voice and delivery that didn’t put me to sleep. He seems to really enjoy what he’s doing while sharing his secrets.

Although Dean appears to make a few mistakes along the way, they’re not because he didn’t prepare well, it’s because he wants to share some efficient ways to deal with similar common mistakes. Overall I’d have to say that for most intermediate and advanced users of After Effects this DVD is definitely worth the price. You’ll learn to use tools and techniques you probably never even thought of before, in ways you probably never considered. For example Dean creates an awesome particle effect using the text tool and vector blur. It may not sound exciting, but the results are electrifying. I followed through all the exercises and had a genuinely good time because they’re fun projects that involve plenty of great ideas.

Conclusion

If you use After Effects in any broadcast context or want to, I highly recommend investing in this DVD. You’re bound to learn some new techniques and even some tools you didn’t know existed and have some fun along the way.

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Watch Video Tutorials from Advanced Adobe After Effects 7: Broadcast Design Secrets with host Dean Velez at the Studio Daily After Effects Mini-Site.

- VIDEO TUTORIAL: Travel through a Tunnel In After Effects

- VIDEO TUTORIAL: After Effects Design Secrets

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