Best Free After Effects Resources & Tutorials

Adobe After Effects is one of the top motion graphics and special effects applications in the world today. An industry favorite, this program integrates well with all Adobe Creative Cloud and third-party applications such as Frame.io to maximize the tools' effectiveness and efficiency. Despite these benefits, many users find the cost of this program almost prohibitive and frequently search for free After Effects resources and tutorials to help them make the most out of this complex software. The following article provides an overview of the available resources to students to make the most out of their After Effects program without breaking their budget! 

What is After Effects?

Adobe After Effects is a motion graphics application that places special effects design and creation tools in your hands! Whether you are a small business looking to make eye-catching advertisements and commercials or an employee of one of the top animation studios, After Effect allows users to bring their imagination to life. This Academy Award-winning program has been a favorite of film, television, and internet creators since its creation in the early 1990s. Special, practical, mechanical, and theatrical effects artists used After Effects software to create blockbuster movies such as Star Trek: Into Darkness and Ender's Game. 

Combined with the graphics of Illustrator, the image-altering tools of Photoshop, and the video editing capabilities of Premiere Pro, After Effect’s comprehensive toolbar and layering features allow users to create dynamic special effects and title cards. Adobe Effects also has a 3D design function, adding new emphasis and movement to any project. You can even use After Effects to create fully or partially animated features! When combined with the other programs of the Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe After Effects will help your video project stand out from the crowd!

Read more about what After Effects is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with After Effects?

Think about the last time you watched a Hollywood blockbuster. What were the main things that you noticed throughout the movie? Maybe you noticed the quality of the animations and other motion graphics that added a unique texture to your viewing experience. Perhaps the dynamic opening credits that set the stage for the action caught your eye. Or maybe the incredible special effects drew you into the movie's action. Regardless of what visuals captured your attention, Adobe After Effects or a related motion graphics and special effects tool was likely responsible for these incredible visuals. 

After Effects is a motion graphics and special effects software that allows you to animate texts and objects, use greenscreens to add or subtract objects and elements, and develop unique transitions to your visual media creations. Users can create their original graphics using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator or redesign one of the many available templates to create their vision. When users combine the editing power of After Effects with the capacities of Cinema 4D Lite included with every subscription, these artists can add new textures and dimensions to their visual media. 

Beyond the incredible toolkit offered within the After Effects program, this application is also compatible with many other tools. Part of the larger Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe After Effects can work with programs such as Adobe Audition, InDesign, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro to create original and composite forms of visual media. After Effects also works with third-party plugins such as FXFactory, Red Giant by Maxon, and CycoreFX, further maximizing the capabilities and functionality of this application.

Why Learn After Effects Online?

Students that grew up attending traditional in-person classes may be skeptical about using internet resources to build a skill like creating motion graphics and special effects with Adobe After Effect. However, the spike in online learning after the coronavirus pandemic has set the stage for a rapid expansion and diversification of the resources available to online learners on a budget. 

Online tutorials and resources offer an exciting new way of tailoring education to different learning styles and needs. Online tutorials allow students to create and customize their ideal learning environment and style. The world becomes your classroom as online tutorials can be watched anywhere with a strong internet signal, such as a coffee cafe, library, or even your backyard. After Effects artists working full-time and with a busy home life will also love the flexibility of online learning. These pre-recorded videos can be watched anytime, day or night, and can be rewatched to ensure maximum retention.

How to Find Free Resources to Learn After Effects Online

The internet has opened many doors for different ways to learn Adobe After Effects. Students may even become overwhelmed by their many options, necessitating guidance when trying to identify which program will suit their needs and interests. 

Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, offers several essential free resources to help students learn to use Adobe After Effects. Those who enjoy learning through a mixture of reading and watching tutorials, for example, may want to check out Noble Desktop’s blog. Aspiring motion graphics and special effects artists can use this blog to discover introductory classes and tutorials that cover After Effects, motion graphics, and web animation techniques. 

Visual learners and Youtube enthusiasts should also check out Noble Desktop’s Youtube channel. Start learning how to use Adobe After Effects through the channel’s video tutorials on using After Effects for video composting and workflow tips. Because After Effect works with other Adobe products to produce composite and original content, Noble Desktop’s Youtube channel is also a great resource to start learning more about video editing and creating motion graphics and using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Backed by Noble Desktop's reputation for superior online education, this Youtube channel is a great way to begin your After Effects adventures. 

Students that would enjoy learning from a professor in real-time should keep their eyes out for one of Noble Desktop’s many free live online seminars. Noble Desktop instructors frequently teach these stream classes, allowing students to determine if they would like to follow the class with one of Noble Desktop’s bootcamps or certificate courses. These seminars are recorded and added to Noble Desktop’s archive, allowing students to review material they may have missed in the main seminar. 

What to Take After Learning After Effects Online?

After watching several hours of on-demand videos and reading several blog posts, many After Effects students begin to plan their next steps. Visual learners who can build their skills using online videos may want to enroll in an official on-demand video course, allowing them to expand their knowledge and skills at their own pace. Many of these courses require subscriptions or course fees but frequently offer a much more cumulative and cohesive experience than free resources alone. 

Many students discover that they need an alternative way to learn how to use After Effects beyond free tutorials. Those who desire project based-learning and opportunities for one-on-one mentorship may want to consider enrolling in an in-person or live online After Effects course. Noble Desktop offers a too to help you find After Effects classes in your area and makes identifying the best in-person or live online classes easier than ever! This tool allows students to compare class curriculums, cost, duration, and location to decide which course will work best for their schedule and learning needs. 

Beyond finding more educational opportunities, many students use this period to determine their ultimate After Effects goals. Hobbyists and more casual users may enroll in Noble Desktop’s live online bootcamp or After Effects in a Day course that will allow them to develop and fine-tune any skills they need to create independent projects. These comprehensive but concise classes share many of the benefits of on-demand video learning, such as allowing students to choose their own working space and being able to abandon their commute. Nevertheless, professional support from instructors, project-based learning, and the opportunity to meet other After Effects users also enrich these students’ experience. 

Those looking to pursue an animation or special effects career should enroll in a Noble Desktop Certificate program for Motion Graphics or Video Editing and Motion Graphics. These multi-month courses prepare students to navigate the production of original or composite videos using Adobe Creative Cloud programs such as After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. Students can even take the Adobe Certified Professional Exam in Visual Effects and Motion Graphics using Adobe After Effects. Students who pair Noble Desktop’s certificate program with the Adobe Certified Professional qualification frequently open new and exciting opportunities to launch their careers to new heights. 

Learn After Effects with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Are you looking for a training program to jump-start your After-Effects adventures? Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, is known for its high-rated full and part-time bootcamps and certificate programs. Expert instructors set students up for long-term success through project-based learning and many opportunities for hands-on learning. Students living in or near New York City can easily commute to regularly offered in-person After Effects classes offered at Noble Desktop’s Manhattan campus. Want to avoid a long commute? Consider enrolling in one of Noble Desktop’s live online After Effects classes, where you can receive dynamic and interactive After Effects training from the comfort of your home or office!

Wondering which class format will help you cultivate your After Effects knowledge and skills? Consider your timetable and ultimate objectives. Students looking to use After Effects more casually or as an additional skill for an existing career may want to enroll in Noble Desktop’s After Effects in a Day or three-day After Effects Bootcamp. These classes save you time and money by balancing lectures with hands-on experience, maximizing retention, and setting you up for success. “Definitely recommend Noble Desktop overtaking a semester-long continuing education class at an expensive art school,” raved one reviewer, “This class covers techniques in a practical manner, and you can get started on your own after three days of intensive learning.” Worried that you couldn’t possibly retain everything you learn? Noble Desktop offers a free retake for all of its classes! 

Students interested in a more dramatic career change or would like to develop their portfolio and CV may want to enroll in the Motion Graphics Certificate or Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate programs. These training programs use hands-on experience and project-based training to teach students how to create original content using After Effects, Premiere Pro, and other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Students also have several opportunities for one-on-one mentorship and receive a comprehensive step-by-step manual that ensures they have all the tools needed for long-term success. 

Key Insights

• Noble Desktop offers several free resources to help students learn After Effects, such as its blog, seminars, and video tutorials. 
• Online learning gives students a degree of learning flexibility and choice that is not available in other training opportunities.
• Students can choose from several learning formats after completing their independent study, including enrolling in an on-demand, live online, or in-person program.