Adobe After Effects CS4 Classroom in a Book

I have Classroom in a Book for 6.0, 7.0 and now CS4.
It's usefull if you are new to After Effects by taking you by the hand to show you how to use this powerful program which is both difficult and complex.

It is very much just an updated version of the 7.0 book with a few new lessons on the new CS4 content (ie..Cartoon Effect).

Honestly, the best Classroom in a Book of the three is the one for 6.0. If you want to really learn After Effects in a way that deals with more complex motion graphics and compositing in a project that is far more impressive, I recommend it, even though it's written for an older version. The later books just come up short in comparison.

Nonetheless, if you just bought CS4 and have no clue where to start, this book will prove useful to you.

I'm a Flash developer/animator and AE newcomer. After Effects is a very deep program, and this book covers a lot of it's capabilities. As someone just starting After Effects work, it's a great intro. I don't have any other books to compare it to, however (like I said, just starting out).
One thing that does concern me a bit: while following lesson instructions you are asked to do some routine things that will make sense to someone used to working in Flash or a 3D animation program, and only a cursory explanation is given as to why you would do this. Mostly workflow and best practices kinds of stuff. While I did not have a problem with it due to related experience, I think someone just starting out cold might. That said, it is rare for me to be able to work through the entirety of a book of this type. It's nice to have different projects for each lesson; many books of this sort seem to create a movie project replete with every feature the program has to offer that you... Read more

I found this book to be very useful. The lessons were clear and not too difficult to follow. I particuarly enjoyed the distorting objects with the puppet pin tool lesson and also the building 3D objects/enviroments which opened up a whole area of After Effects that I have now explored in more depth. I used this book in conjunction with a beginners class in After Effects and found it a very good foundation.