Video & 3D · Reviewed
Adobe After Effects
A layer-based application for motion graphics, animation and visual-effects compositing, used to combine images, footage, text and generated elements into finished moving sequences.
Overview
After Effects organizes visual material into compositions containing layers. Keyframes and expressions control properties over time, while masks, effects and tracking help combine or modify elements. Designers use it for animated titles, broadcast graphics, interface demonstrations and visual-effects shots.
Its composition model differs from a conventional long-form editing timeline: the focus is on building and manipulating shots or graphics, which can then be used in a larger edited production. Plugins and connections with other creative tools broaden the environment. The range of effects and 3D-related functions changed considerably across product generations.
Key features
- Layer-based compositions
- Keyframes and expressions
- Masks and visual effects
- Tracking and compositing tools
- Plugin and creative-application integration
Historical significance
After Effects helped make motion graphics and compositing available beyond dedicated high-cost production systems. Its layer and keyframe approach was accessible to artists already familiar with graphic design, connecting static layouts with time-based work. Its broad use also created an ecosystem of techniques, templates and extensions around desktop animation.
History and development
The Company of Science and Art, commonly called CoSA, released After Effects for Macintosh in January 1993. Aldus acquired CoSA, and Adobe subsequently acquired Aldus in 1994, bringing the application into its graphics and video portfolio.
Later versions expanded platform support, effects, expressions, tracking and integration with editing and 3D applications. Its distribution followed Adobe's move from individual products into Creative Suite and Creative Cloud. These changes turned a relatively small early compositing application into a broader environment for designers and visual-effects artists working on desktop computers.