Author: Krista Namniece
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Date of Publication: 19/10/2022
Motion design, also known as motion graphics, is an essential part of marketing and advertising.
Nowadays designers have a wide variety of digital tools available to create motion graphics. Technologies are developing without ceasing. In addition, there are more and more options for Windows users as well as mac supporters. So, it's easy to get confused about the best tool for motion graphics.
One of the primal programs used by motion graphic designers is Adobe After Effects. Adobe After Effects is an industry-standard used for 2.5D animation software, visual effects, and motion picture compositing for already 30 years. Therefore Adobe Flash is ingrained in creating motion design for the web.
So let's dig in!
Who uses After Effects and for what?
Looking at statistics of Adobe After Effects, the top industries that use this program are marketing and advertising (9 %), higher education (8 %), information technology, services, and media production (6 %).
In fact, 59 % of program consumers are based in the United States. Then comes the United Kingdom (9 %), Canada (7 %), and India (6.5 %).
After Effects is used in countless Hollywood films, video games, television shows, and web video creation. This software is also common in the post-production phase and has hundreds of effects that can be used to manipulate imagery.
History of After Effects on motion design
The program was developed in 1993 by the Company of Science and Art (CoSA). The first two versions of After Effects created bt CoSA included very few features, such as composite layers and modified various layer properties.
Only a year later acquired by Aldus, the program gained amazing new features like multi-machine rendering and motion blur. But, before the year 1994 came to a close, Adobe came in and acquired the technology. Actually, it is still the owner of After Effects today. Since the conception of After Effects, Adobe has released 50 different kinds of its industry-leading software, each time acquiring new functionality.
Advantages of After Effects
After Effects works as a variety of video editor and Photoshop. It perfectly merges with other editing programs, such as Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro X. Besides, it’s flexible with 3D applications like 3ds Max, Maya, and Cinema 4D.
The extension helps:
Transfer animated graphics
Produce qualitative visual effects
Create and run animated graphic works
Create effects for 2D animation, layout, and compositing
Track movements
Delete objects, model and particle effects
Create templates
Accomplish color correction and editing
When you end up animating the After Effects project, you can export the final video to video editing software.
Other Alternatives
This motion graphics software is a capacious tool that can take years to learn decently. However, with the right help, you can reach good results in much less. With persistent learning, you could confidently learn the program in about 8 weeks.
If you want to achieve the result quicker as with many programs also Adobe After Effects comes with a lot of alternatives. What’s more, a significant price tag can leave many searching for an Adobe After Effects alternative.
The most popular alternatives are Cinema 4D, which is a popular choice of designers and local studios. For professional video and sound co-editing, Adobe Premiere Pro can be an option. As well as intermediate 3D motion graphics software Maya or free open-source 2D/3D creation suite Blender.
Overall After Effects is one of the greatest video editing tools in the current market. It easily integrates with other Adobe software, making it effortless to use. You can do any kind of visual effects using this program, and it will high up the post-production quality of the video.
In fact, in 2019, the program won an Academy Award for scientific and technical achievement, proof of how well-integrated and powerful After Effects is.