Motion Graphics with Adobe Creative Suite 5 Studio Techniques

Book Preface

In the beginning, there was After Effects—and it was good (so good that a graphics company from California bought it). Once inside the Adobe fold, After Effects grew immensely with new features and capabilities. The most important in our opinion has been integration.

Sure, there are lots of sexy features in After Effects, and we love them. But what truly helps us get the job done is that After Effects enables us to import graphics files, photos, illustrations, and footage, and create compelling animation. These features have existed for a long time (layered Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator support has been around for ages).

But Adobe hit upon a true need when it started bundling applications together. Although the logic has taken a while to seep into the pores of designers, there indeed is power in numbers when it comes to software. Being able to see After Effects as the center point in the Creative Suite empowers a designer to be more productive.

A few years back, Rich asked an Adobe exec why he had to use Photoshop to bring 3D models into After Effects (instead of direct support to just import models). The answer was eye opening. It turns out that designers, medical-imaging professionals, and 3D animators all need to use Photoshop. By condensing the support for 3D models and formats into one tool, the development could be more feature rich. You see, it’s easier to put money toward new features to benefit a bigger group of users.

This is why killer features like Dynamic Link exist, for the seamless exchange of media between After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro. Photoshop features like Vanishing Point, 3D Layers, and Camera Raw can work effortlessly with After Effects. The Creative Suite has evolved into a true toolbox; one that has a coordinated approach to working seamlessly while getting the job done.