Career using After Effects

[Paul Conigliaro]

It will depend ultimately on what you want to do with AE. It’s just a tool that can be used for many uses: compositing, motion graphics, animation, etc.

If you’re leaning more towards mograph, you’ll want something with a graphic design background. You might also consider a film school that offers compositing & graphics classes.

I attended Columbia College Chicago’s film program with an editing and motion graphics concentration. It worked out well for me (I’m one of the few in my graduating class actually working in the field I studied). But I wish I had a stronger design background. Editing, timing, and techniques are all there, but my design skills are lacking.

(Aside: One of the great things about Columbia, though, was that all the classes were taught by working professionals. So I had classes with actual directors, editors and designers. It was great for both their experience and the connections they offered.)

So again, it all comes down to what you ultimately want to do. If you have a better understanding of the underlying principles of animation, design, etc, you’ll be able to use any tool, not just After Effects.

Adobe CS3, Apple FCS2
[Disclaimer: Sometimes I am an idiot and misinterpret people’s posts. I’m sorry.]

[Scott Novasic]

Paul, thats good advice. I probably have seen you given that I would pretty much walk through the students at Columbia on my way to lunch or the bank 3-4 times a week. I was the Senior Animator Mograpgh Designer at FOX Chicago for 5 years. Im in LA now.

Anyway, I would second the notion that design skills are something to focus on. You will need those regardless of what aspect of video- content creation you choose. Good design will separate you from the pack. It comes naturally to some and takes hard work and experience for others. I personally feel that focusing on motion graphics is the ‘safest’ way to go. You will be taught design in all its forms which, like we said here is critical. As you learn mograpgh you have the ability and knowledge to branch off into editing or into more of a 3d centric field with a really good core knowledge of design. My personal
experience is that you will need to be open to working and living anywhere. There are jobs out there,
especially if you dont limit yourself to just the city you live in. imho.

(I chose LA to live in due in large part to the huge number of creative opportunities here for animators)

SuperNova
Animation & Visual Effects
Scott Novasic
Los Angeles Ca
web:https://web.mac.com/finaleffects

[Grinner Hester]

College is in no way a requirement in this field. I’m not tlaking you out of going because I thik all young people should if they can. Just saying you can get a leg up on others your age by honing your skills now and building the reel that will land you a job… that will lead to bigger better ones.
Sounds like you already have after effects. If so, start doing online tutorials right now. Push yourself and branch away from you anytime you feel comfy, inserting your own elements, not the tutorial’s elements. Create tasks for yourself and figure out ways to get there.
This is not a field that a degree will help or hurt you in. It’s not something looked at when hiring.. your reel is.

[Remington Mcelhaney]

I appreciate your guy’s advice. I’ve been trying to steer away from doing to much drawing and design because I wanted to be more focused on computors but what you guys said makes sense. I’ll look into columbia, I’ve also been looking at Expression but it’s a very expensive college.

[Scott Novasic]

No, college is not a pre requisite, but in my 17 yrs of working all around this country, the hi end,
art director and csd positions are rarely people without degrees. There are always exceptions, but I only feel comfortable recommending the best way to go first. That said, i mean no disrespect to the thousands of very talented animators our there without degrees.

Ive always wanted to own and run my own facility, thats my dream. A college degree can teach you business and management related skills that make it that much easier for the ‘guy with the really good reel’ to take the next step to opening up his own company. Think BIG. College, is no guarantee, but it definately sets you up for a lot more than just the graphic side of our business.

my 2 cents.

SuperNova
Animation & Visual Effects
Scott Novasic
Los Angeles Ca
web:https://web.mac.com/finaleffects

[Ivan Andrianko]

If you want to make some money, my company can offer you a position as an animator. the rate is $300 per minute to start.

We make animated sales videos for websites explaining their product.

Depending on the quality of your work, we can higher you to make detailed videos so we can show them as examples to tap into more expensive markets.

Email me @ ivandrianko@gmail.com if your interested.