Motion Design in After Effects: Make Compelling Cinemagraphs
A course by James DaherMotion Designer
A course by James Daher, Motion Designer
Design an immersive experience for viewers by learning to animate posters using the digital tools of Adobe After Effects
Through motion design, you can make living artwork that creates an immersive experience for viewers. James Daher is a motion designer at Warner Media who specializes in creating moving works of art that connect with their audience. He has worked for HBO titles such as The Deuce, Room 104, and Fahrenheit 451, and he teaches animation at various institutions.
In this course, James guides you through the fundamentals of using After Effects to create simple cinemagraphs with footage, built-in effects, and presets. Discover the step-by-step process for making a captivating animated poster using digital tools. Put yourself in the viewer’s position and create engaging artwork in motion.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 14 downloads
Introduction to After Effects 1
14 minutes, 25 seconds
Introduction to After Effects 2
13 minutes, 10 seconds
Bumpers and Title Cards
18 minutes, 35 seconds
Puppet Tool and Anchor Points 1
17 minutes, 18 seconds
Puppet Tool and Anchor Points 2
7 minutes, 35 seconds
Parallax and Multiplane Technique
12 minutes, 15 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know motion designer James Daher. He talks through the creative career that has seen him work at HBO for over 10 years, along with the influences that inspire the work he creates.
Get an introduction to Adobe After Effects. Then learn how to animate fonts and graphics to create an animated title card. James guides you through the Puppet Tool along with other built-in effects, before demonstrating how to use the parallax and multiplane techniques to add depth to your animations.
Research concepts for your cinemagraph and sketch a storyboard that acts as a guide for your final piece. Next, start developing your poster, beginning with the most complex animations. Refine your work as James guides you through the principles of animation then make any final adjustments and render your finished poster.
James shows you how to resize your work ready to share on different platforms, along with additional plugins you can use in After Effects to elevate your artwork. To finish the course, create a situational mockup of your animated poster that showcases your work in the real world.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create an animated poster for a concert or theater show using Adobe After Effects.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in using digital tools to create animated artwork that captivates an audience.
Requirements and materials
Previous experience with Photoshop is recommended.
In terms of equipment, you will need access to a device with Photoshop and After Effects.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
Quite informative course. I like the way the author shows the tools while making a really stylish video. The only negative part is that sometimes it is confusing when in the video he works with a file, but it is not in the resource files. Overall I recommend this course. Thank you so much
- 2 months ago
Not gonna lie, his voice is very calming, maybe TOO calming. I had to take a coffee before each lesson so I pay a lot of attention.
- 3 months ago
muy detallado, muy bueno
- 4 months ago
Nice course!
- 5 months ago
excelente
Since then, he’s worked for companies including BAM and IFC, and on a variety of projects from set design to video systems engineering. He is currently a motion designer at Warner Media, and has worked on HBO titles including The Deuce, Room 104, and Fahrenheit 451. Alongside designing, James shares his expertise with others, working as an adjunct professor of 2D animation at CUNY and a design Professor at SVA.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Moving Images and Kinetic Typography
- Introduction to After Effects 1
- Introduction to After Effects 2
- Bumpers and Title Cards
- Puppet Tool and Anchor Points 1
- Puppet Tool and Anchor Points 2
- Parallax and Multiplane Technique
- U3
Animating a Poster
- Research and Brainstorming
- Developing Your Poster 1
- Developing Your Poster 2
- Refining 1
- Refining 2
- Finalizing and Rendering Your Poster
- To Learn More: Creating a Multilayered PSD File from a Flat Image 1
- To Learn More: Creating a Multilayered PSD File from a Flat Image 2
- U4
Presentation and Sharing
- Resizing and Sharing Your Project
- In Situ
- FP
Final project
- Motion Design in After Effects: Make Compelling Cinemagraphs
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for learners with intermediate After Effects experience who want to advance their motion design and animation techniques for posters, digital displays, and layered compositions.
You'll need access to Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, basic familiarity with both, and experience with digital imaging. An interest in motion graphics or animation for creative projects is recommended.
You’ll learn to create cinemagraphs, kinetic typography, parallax and multiplane animations, animated posters, and advanced masking. The course covers workflows from asset preparation to rendering for various digital environments.
Yes, you’ll learn step-by-step techniques for designing and animating posters specifically for digital displays, including mockup creation and adapting animations to different screen formats.
Yes, the course covers using the Puppet Tool to create organic and lifelike animations from static images, including pin placement and keyframing for realistic movement.
You’ll explore parallax principles and multiplane animation by separating artwork into layers and animating them at different speeds to create depth and dimensionality in After Effects.
Yes, you’ll learn practical workflows for designing, animating, and rendering motion graphics suitable for marketing materials, digital out-of-home screens, and exhibition signage.