Import clips, similar to Photoshop with layers etc. The layer at the top of the list is the one that plays on top
Here's a really good set of tutorials: http://www.lynda.com/home/DisplayCourse.aspx?lpk2=59957
This one in particular is good
- Scaling - click and drag outline but hold down shift key if you want the proportions kept
- Transparency - right click on the layer you want to make more transparent then 'Transform' then 'Opacity' See also: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/learn-after-effects-cs5/gs07-animating-with-keyframes/
- Publishing - when finished, click 'add to render queue' (use frame rate of 30 frames/sec), 'output module', 'lossless', format = quicktime movie (or MPEG), then choose the folder to save the file to. Note, rendering can take a bit of time.
- Animation presets - behaviour - 'Fade In+Out Frames' to fade in/out
- Rotobrush will pick out certain objects like the Magic Brush in photoshop - NOTE -ONLY IN CS5
- Painting screens - click on the rectangle button (without having any layers selected, or this will not work), some additional buttons should appear - fill (select no fill, red diagonal line) and set stroke at some dark colour, then draw the rectangle. Position a video mask within this frame. Yay!
- Layer effects, glass is quite cool....
- Preset NTSC DV Widescreen settings if using video at uni - and resize to fit width. Otherwise may get a picture that is too skinny...
