Blog by Eran Stern

After Effects Training on Lynda.com

Eran Stern — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:13:46 +0000

You may have noticed that recently I’ve been a bit slow on releasing new video tutorials. There are a few reasons for that:

During the last six months I have been working on an extensive Photoshop Course in Hebrew.
Produced a variety of interesting content for my upcoming NAB sessions.
Finished recording and editing a new After Effects course for Lynda.com

I’m thrilled to inform you that the course has been finally released! Check it out here

From the title of the course “Personal Transporter”, you can guess that it will include effects which will defy the laws of physics. This time I’ll teach you how to create a teleport device entirely with After Effects. In this one-of-a-kind workshop, I’ll share techniques for using Adobe After Effects to create an eye-grabbing sci-fi visual effect. I’ll take a homemade video shot, prepare it for high-end postproduction, and use a combination of tools in After Effects to achieve a complex, realistic visual effect. The course covers tracking; masking; and effects, as well as how to animate strokes; repeat elements and fix problems in your footage. Here is an excerpt from this course:

Creating the transporter effect

After Effects Artist in Action: Eran Stern’s Personal Transporter | by Eran Stern

At the risk of sounding a little bit like an Oscar winner, I want to sincerely thank my good friends at Video2Brain: Angie Taylor, Dan Brodnitz, Joel Fugazzotto and Chris Meredith who helped make things happen, and of course to the dedicated staff at Lynda.com, especially Rob Garrett, for their support and wishful thinking. I am proud to be standing in one line with some of the best authors in the world such as Trish & Chris Meyer, Mark Christiansen, Deke McClelland, Richard Harrington and many more. In the upcoming year there is going to be an impressive amount of After Effects news, so stay tuned!

Lynda.com is an online learning company that helps anyone learn software, design, and business skills to achieve their personal and professional goals. They have a variety of excellent training content for everyone, not just for motion graphics artists. For example, they have great courses on how to be a freelancer, how to conduct business meetings, photography, setting up video shoots, and the list goes on and on. Not only that, but they’ve joined up with Video2Brain.com to add even more great content (including multilingual content) to the Lynda.com sphere.

I am honored to be a part of the Lynda community and share creative process ideas through my courses.

My NAB 2013 Agenda

Eran Stern — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:03:22 +0000

We are getting closer to the 2013 National Association of Broadcasters convention. I am sure that there will be new announcements, technologies and fascinating inventions. As in the past, I am proud to contribute my part. This year I will teach six sessions (one double-length) at the Post|Production World, as well as participate and moderate in three Hot Panels.

Below are list of sessions with few video previews. Click the name for full description.

Mastering Trapcode Particular

Sunday, April 7 - 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Design AE Templates – How to Create Appealing Templates with After Effects

Sunday, April 7 - 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm

In Depth: How After Effects is Used in Commercials and Promos

Monday, April 8 - 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Time Warp: Master time and time related effects in After Effects

Tuesday, April 9 - 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm

The Cycore FX Deep Dive

Tuesday, April 9 - 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm

Displace This – Amazing Compound Effects in After Effects

Wednesday, April 10 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm

Hot Panels

This year includes sitting on end of day Hot Panels where we’ll discuss all aspects of Motion Graphics. Join us for unfiltered end-of-day discussions about the current issues, debates, technology and topics currently absorbing your industry. Post|Production World speakers will interact with one another and attendees for lively discussions offering opinions, advice and unbiased information on the challenges of working in the field of content creation and delivery. Look out for special guests and prizes!

The Business of Motion Graphics

The Art of Motion Graphics
The Future of Motion Graphics

I’m planning to hang out at several events and parties such as MediaMotion Ball, SuperMeet and Pinball Party Looking forward to see you there!

The Colorizer – FREE After Effects Template

Eran Stern — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 07:04:22 +0000

Together with BlueFx we are offering a FREE After Effects template which you can customized for your own needs. “The Colorizer” project include 8 Color Effects preset to make your video look like a blockbuster movie. The project consists 8 different looks: Glowing Elements, Old Paper, Memories, Security Camera, Old Film, Summer Dream, Indie Film and Warm Nostalgia. There’s also a video tutorial with details and instructions how to make the most of this template.

The project is based on built in tools (no need for 3rd party plug-ins) and requires After Effects version CS3 or higher. Works on MAC and PC, Resolution: 1920X1080 Full HD

Download the Template

Channel ID design by Shenkar Students

Eran Stern — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:37:14 +0000

As always, I would like to share some of the submissions from the courses I teach at Shenkar. The first clips task was to design a complete Channel ID that includes a logo, Interludes, Schedule, Ending loop transmissions and pop up the next program. Students may choose any topic they like and they do research on the narrative of the channel, target audience, and programs to be broadcast in it.
Tools used: Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Cinema 4D.

Here is a collection of the most successful submissions of students majoring in Motion Graphics, Fourth Year, Visual Communication Shankar.

If you didn’t get tired yet, there’s another clip to get inspired with. This one is from After Effects Design course. The brief here was to create a typographic hands clip, 30-45 seconds long, with interaction between text and gestures to convey a story such as film credits, social message, cooking recipe, etc.

Ae and Me

Eran Stern — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:24:02 +0000

As you probably know, After Effects is celebrating the 20-year anniversary. This is a chance to tell my personal story which started 18 years ago as published on Adobe blog:

My love affair with After Effects began in 1996. I worked as a designer for a large newspaper, and after four years in the print business, I sensed there was nowhere to advance to. I was looking for something that would create movement in my designs. It was an election year in Israel and got a chance to create propaganda broadcasts for one of the parties. After Effects was selected as the main tool, and within a week from the moment we were introduced, I felt quite confident to start working with it.

My career has developed parallel to the software development and I looked for more ways to become better in it. At an early stage I discovered the Total Training VHS package and I watched the whole thing in less than a week. I felt I had found a software that can express the way I think, and I decided to pass on the word to as many as can be.

In recent years, I started feeling like an ambassador of AE in Israel (and worldwide). So far, I’ve created hundreds of video tutorials in English and Hebrew. I teach After Effects in the university and have several online courses.

My “Movement” Closure happened six years ago, when Adobe asked me and my friend Steve Holmes, to write the certification exam questions. It was one of the most challenging work I took, and, thanks to it, I learned the software even more closely.

There is hardly a day when I do not work with After Effects. I use it to create motion graphics, commercials and promos, and continue to publish courses and products based on After Effects.

Celebrate 20 Years of AE with a Free Project and Tutorial

Eran Stern — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:14:41 +0000

Together with Boris FX we’ll be joining Adobe in celebrating the 20-year anniversary of After Effects. To kick off the celebration, I’m providing a free After Effects project file, “Popping Out”, from my “Broadcast Graphics Templates” collection.

Get the Project here: Limited Time offer: Download the “Popping Out” Broadcast Graphics Template*

But wait, there is more, A free tutorial from the same product which explore methods to change the length of the composition keeping the animation intact as well as scale and modify the final comp using a built-in script.

Watch Tutorial

“21 Broadcast Graphics Templates” from SternFX includes 21 After Effects projects which you can easily customize to suit your needs. The templates are based on Boris Continuum Complete v8 AE, integrating BCC’s 3D Objects, Lights, Particles, Film Style effects, audio-driven effects, and more. The templates give you the ability to create powerful and impactful animations. Spend less time on design and more time on your actual content. You can use these projects as a starting point and change the camera move, lights, and materials, or simply customize the text or vector art logo, hit Render, and you are ready to go.

Get all 21 Broadcast Graphics Templates for just $49.95

*Minimun requirements: After Effects CS5 or Higher, Boris Continuum Complete 8 or Higher

New Download – Wormhole Jumper

Eran Stern — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 10:59:16 +0000

Here’s a new/old After Effects project which is part of an early training series I’ve created. Using this method you can open a portal for time travel with a few simple After Effects effects plus your own jumping footage. The full tutorial is part of A New Solid product which you can still get here

Download Project [CS5]

New Tutorial – Beat Assistant Auto Edit

Eran Stern — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:15:19 +0000

In this new tutorial, I’ll show you how to auto assemble a quick edit using serval clips which cut to the audio beat. This can be achieved using the new Beat Assistant script from Mamoworld. I’ll start in After Effects where you can apply the script to analyze any audio file and generate markers which correspond to the beat of the sound. Then copy the information to Premiere Pro and using the ‘Automate to Sequence’ command edit the clips to the timeline keeping each cut on the beat.

In order to work it, make sure to install version 1.1 which added support for AE composition markers, those are necessary in order to translate to sequence markers inside Premiere Pro.

Watch Tutorial

Buy the Script

After Effects Artist in Action Training

Eran Stern — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 06:13:42 +0000

Together with video2brain I’m proud to offer an advanced After Effects training for creating a TV broadcast promo from concept to design. This After Effects Artist in Action is a new training product which you can immediately download or stream and it contains all the footage and project files for working along.

In this course you’ll work with motion graphics artist Eran Stern, using After Affects and Illustrator to create a TV broadcast promo. You’ll learn key techniques to build compelling broadcast graphics and tell a short story with huge impact. Learn how to create a graphic package for a special sports event by mastering Simulation effects, 3D spheres, and live footage. You’ll also get tips on building a matching color scheme, creating 3D titles, and much more.

Discount Coupon:
As a follower of this blog you are entitled to 20% off the price of this course using the diccount coupon code: AEART20 This offer is valid up till and including October 15th 2012.

• Learn more

• Read Allisa Carter review

• Add to Cart

NEW PRODUCT – Broadcast Graphics Templates

Eran Stern — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:31:53 +0000

I’m thrilled to introduce a new product for Graphic Designers and After Effects users – Broadcast Graphics Templates - ready to use openers and interludes for broadcast television. This product is based on Adobe After Effects and Boris Continuum Complete plugins.

This collection includes 21 open After Effects projects which you can easily customize to suit your needs. The templates are based upon Boris Continuum Complete, one of the world’s most comprehensive VFX plug-in collections for Macintosh and Windows, integrating BCC’s 3D Objects, Lights, Particles, Film Style effects, audio-driven effects and more.

The price is $49.95 and you’ll also get 6 full tutorials with suggestions, tips and tricks regarding how to get the most out of this package. The product is available for immediate download after checkout.

Make sure to Visit the product page to view the Video Gallery and read all the details.

There’s also a getting started tutorial to…get you started.