Adobe After Effects Cs6 Visual Effects and Compositing Studio Techniques 1st Edition

This book contains numerous tips and techniques on a variety of topics. It can be a bit hard to follow at times, and at a few points to I needed to do future research online to understand what the author was talking about. Also, some of the project files he refers to seem to be missing from or differently named on the disc, but I didn't find it to be to problematic, I just followed along to my own comps. This is a must have for any AE users looking to refine their skills.

Good info, clearly explained by an expert in VFX and compositing. Most of the information will be of value to After Effects CC users, but obviously won't include all the latest features in After Effects CC. Regardless, there is a lot to be learned in this book, and I will probably buy Mark's future editions.

I think the author is an expert at After Effects, and he knows the program in and out. I trust him in his knowledge. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to impart it. The book is confusing, although it tries to come across in a conversational manner. Even if you have some familiarity with After Effects, the author does a horrible job of passing on his technical knowledge. I've read the first few chapters multiple times, and have not gotten better at my understanding of what he's trying to teach. What makes things worse is that I don't trust the diagrams/figures; they seem to not match the text. In other words, if you try to rely on the pictures to help understand the text, you will be confused because they don't always coincide. Sometimes they match up, I think, but you never know when they do or not.If you want to learn After Effects, go to VideoCopilot.net. Like I said, AE is very complex, but you can begin learning it from Andrew Cramer. That's where I picked up my beginner's knowledge.

Starting out learning and as you go with the chapter and DVD it makes sense. plus it in paperback so I can highlight away in it an read wherever!

This is the third edition if this book that I own, and as all of the previous editions, it provides the reader with the valuable information and useful techniques. The book is very well written from the POV of making even a non technical reader understand what is going on. I have recommended this book to many a student.The only complaint I have is that this edition was obviously rushed by publishers as the book contains multiple errors and omissions as far as image description and some basic logic of the English are concerned. None of those, however, take away from the talent of Mark Christiansen to plainly and comprehensively explain complex topics in compositing and how they are applied in After Effects.

A well written explanation of the techniques of visual effects with AE. I will be using this as reference for a while

Uno de los libros más completos que he comprado de After Effects.No es un libro de tutoriales, es un libro explicativo sobre la aplicación.Lo recomiendo al 100%.

So, I bought this book hoping to learn more about After Effects 6. I read the one review, and thought great. Boy, was I wrong!In the two chapters I've read so far, I've encountered crippling errors. Let me give you an example. In Chapter two, the author refers to a project file. Doesn't really tell you where to find it (his arrogance is that you must find it on your own, or you don't belong reading his tome, apparently). Once you waste your time finding it (I'm sorry, why did I have to waste my time finding it????), and open it, he refers to a portion of that project that he wants you to open. AGAIN, he doesn't specify what file to open. You're supposed to find it, or guess, I suppose. This is on Page 43, Chapter two. So, you look and you look on the DVD and there is a file called bouncing ball (actually there are several), but magicially on Page 44, if you look at Figure 2.4, "bouncing ball" is actually "basketball". The only problem is that the the videos of "bouncing ball" shows what is obviously a "soccer ball". So, you think you have the wrong file, see? But after searching over and over, you realize this is just very sloppy writing and editing, and that you might have the right file after all. Of course, it appears to be beneath this grand author to actually tell you what file to open in the first place, but you've already spent the money, so what does he care?Another example: on Page 47, he discussed a fairly advanced feature of the Graph Editor, Separate Dimensions. He explains that this feature has options that even advanced editors miss. So, what does he do? On Page 47, he instructs you to disable the Graph Editor Set for the Y Position, but again does not tell you how to do that. Again, you're supposed to figure it out. Or guess. Or throw his poorly written book in the toilet. If you're not advanced enough to find this option, well, you're just stupid, I guess.Many of the graphics in this book are completely unreadable. Especially those that show After Effects workspaces. They're extremely tiny, blurry (even with a magnifying glass!) and unreadable, making them useless.And on and on and on it goes....God, if I could only get my money back!!!