ABSTRACT

After Effects CS5 comes with literally hundreds of effects plug-ins – and just for good measure, it also installs third party plug-ins from Cycore, Digieffects, The Foundry, and Synthetic Aperture. Just slapping an effect on a layer is not always the best way to use it. This chapter includes tips on using adjustment layers as well as applying effects to their own solid layers and then using blending modes to finish the composite. The idea of having to buy even more effects is not exactly at the top of the list. There are reasons other companies make effects: because users have asked them to create a particular plug-in, or because a company feels it can do a particular job significantly better than Adobe does. An example would be the wonderful plug-ins from Trapcode – such as Shine, Starglow, Particular, Form, and Lux – which excel at creating cool lighting and particle effects.