The UI & Compositions
Project panel, comp window, timeline, effect controls. You'll know what every panel does and how to build and organize compositions and layers with confidence.
60 Minutes From Now, You'll Know How After Effects Works.
Most people spend weeks on random tutorials and still can't build a clean composition from scratch. In 60 minutes, C.M. de la Vega, motion designer for ESPN, Amazon Prime Sports and the NFL, shows you how After Effects actually works, with the real workflow pros use from day one.
Trusted by the best
What You'll Learn.
This isn't an "intro" video. C.M. builds a real social post for a brand, from blank canvas to finished piece, so you learn the creative process and pro workflow, not just the tools.
Parenting, Keyframing & Transforms
Animate Position, Scale, Rotation and Opacity, parent layers together, and refine your motion in the Graph Editor so nothing looks stiff.
Alpha Mattes & Text Animation
Use alpha mattes to reveal and mask, then animate text per character with the text animator, one of the most powerful tools beginners never touch.
Expressions & Pro Effects
A first look at expressions, plus the effects pros lean on every day: Tint, CC RepeTile, Transform, Unmult and Vegas (Outline).
Built Step By Step.
From blank comp to finished animation. You won't just watch, you'll build it. Here's the project coming together, one step at a time.
The actual After Effects project, yours to download and follow along, layer for layer.
This Is For You If…
You've tried AE before
And kept closing it because nothing made sense. This will change that in one sitting.
You're a video editor
You know video editing. You just need someone to show you how AE fits into your workflow.
You're starting from zero
No experience needed. C.M. assumes nothing and skips nothing.
“I never used AE, but I was able to follow and I'm already confident that I can use it for my projects.”
Works alongside the editor you already use
What Our Students Are Saying.
Editors, filmmakers and directors share their take.
I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking for either an introduction to After Effects or a refresher course for established professionals.
Video Editor, Paramount PicturesGlen Michel
Actor & DirectorRobert Arevalo
I loved it!! Very thorough, well articulated and detailed instruction.
FilmmakerSerge Rocco
I didn't know anything about After Effects and followed this course. I found it extremely well structured and perfectly paced as it takes you step by step through the process.
What's Included.
Everything you need to get started. One real project, one hour, and every file to follow along.
- 60-minute structured video crash courseA real project, the real workflow, no filler.
- Project file & all assets to downloadFollow along with the exact files from the course.
- After Effects Beginner Shortcuts BonusDigital download: the 15 keyboard shortcuts every beginner needs to know to work faster from day one.
- Social Export Settings Cheat Sheet BonusDigital download: the exact render and size settings for Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
- Expression Starter Pack BonusDigital download: 10 copy-paste expressions (wiggle, loop, bounce and more) to add pro motion in seconds.
- Instant, lifetime accessWatch at your own pace and revisit anytime.
Meet Your Coach.
17 years building graphics for the NFL, ESPN, Prime Sports, Fox Sports, now taught step by step.
- 17
- Years on broadcast
- 10+
- Years on YouTube
- 7
- Networks & leagues
C.M. de la Vega is a motion designer and editor whose work has appeared in two ESPN 30 for 30 documentaries, six Super Bowls and six seasons of NFL Network's Thursday Night Football.
He started his YouTube channel, now home to nearly 150 After Effects tutorials, to share what a career at the highest level of the industry actually taught him.
This crash course is how he'd teach a friend to start.
Watch tutorials on YouTubeBefore You Buy.
Do I need any After Effects experience?
No. The course is built for people starting from zero, and for anyone who's opened AE before and closed it again. C.M. assumes nothing and skips nothing.
How long is the course?
60 minutes of structured video, all built around one real project.
Is this a subscription?
No. It's a one-time purchase of $19, with no subscription.
How long do I have access?
Instant, lifetime access. Watch at your own pace and revisit anytime.
Do I get the project files?
Yes. You get the project file and all assets, plus three bonus downloads: the Beginner Shortcuts, the Social Export Settings Cheat Sheet and the Expression Starter Pack.
I already edit videos. Is this for me?
Yes. You already know video editing; this shows you how After Effects fits into your workflow.
The Foundation You've Been Missing.
60 minutes. $19. Stop starting over every time you open After Effects. Get the workflow, get the foundation, and actually move forward.