Optimal direct route from Philadelphia to Phoenix

[Thehardmenpath]

You seem to try to become a guru without becoming a guru, or at least, try to approach the matter in a very strange way.

How to master the programs? From my point of view, you have to think of something you don’t know how to do, that could even be impossible, and then see if you can or not. After a series of successes and failures you’ll probably have a good knowledge of what you can achieve with them.

[Steve Roberts]

Perhaps it would be better if you knew what your goal is, rather than articulating what it is not.

Specifically, what do you want to know how to do? You say you want to achieve your vision. What is your vision?

1. Read the manual. It will give you an idea of AE’s vocabulary. For example, you’ll know that to make a sliding square, you can mask a solid then set keyframes for its x-position. Knowing the terms helps you search the help.

2. Write down the events in your DVD. For example, “a bunch of boxes flies across the screen, get really dense, thin out, and when the last one has passed, we see that they have revealed the Main title”.

3. Make thumbnail sketches of the events to keep them straight in your mind and avoid wasting time on the wrong approach.

4. Based on your study of the manual, you might have learned a few search terms. Search the help to see if there is a way to achieve what you want.

5. Buy Trish and Chris Meyer’s Creating Motion Graphics books.

6. If you’re stuck, write to the COW, or go to https://www.xtreme-is-back.com/ or https://www.ayatoweb.com/ae_tips_e.html or https://www.tutorialfind.com/tutorials/ . If you need help on Ayato, search the COW. Much ink has been split here on his tuts.

Basically, I’m advising you to clarify your vision, learn the program’s vocabulary and look for the tutorials that serve your needs. That should help you, but keep in mind that AE isn’t a program that rewards the impatient. it’s rather complex.

Steve

[Michael Rothenberg]

Thanks for such a gentle and constructive response. You’ve given lurkers like me some terrific ways to clarify our thinking as we start our trips to “Phoenix.”

I’m about 3/4 of the way through the 1st Meyers’ book, working slowly and carefully through it, and have just finished my first genuine project (a new animation for my company logo). I think the final result would have been better if I had forced myself to write down my goals as you suggest. I would have been less likely to bail out and just do what I found easy.

Thanks again – great post.

Mike

Michael Rothenberg
Peak Productions

[Ron Lindeboom]

Damn, all this talk about Phoenix and stuff has me hearing that old Glen Campbell song, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”

But hey, it beats the heck out of that (purple dinosaur) Barney song…

Ron Lindeboom

[Joeythedog]

Thanks all for helping. Thanks for your insight and links Steve.