Adobe After Effects CS3 is a massive program that deals with a complex yet fun subject. Adobe After Effects is basically a video special effects package that allows you to beam people up, have them explode in a maelstrom of rainbow light or something as simple as making the background in the video black and white while keeping the person in color and more.

Because Adobe After Effects CS3 is so powerful and so complex one needs good educational resources if one hopes to get everything from it they can. And, while someone that has used previous versions may have a head start, Adobe After Effects CS3 encompasses a lot of major changes as well as a lot of minor changes.

Like some other Adobe products After Effects doesn't seem to have the same wide range of educational materials available. There are fewer books and video training packages available. So I was thrilled to find the Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional Classroom in a Book. This book is designed for anyone that wants to get to know After Effects. This is a lessons based book that you work through from cover to cover. When your done you will be well on your way to mastering Adobe After Effects.

This full color book includes lots of screen and sample shots it comes with a DVD with the lesson files on it so you can follow right along as well as a nice selection of tutorial videos. It is well designed, easy to read, easy to understand and surprisingly in-depth.

Chapter 1: Getting Started
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Workflow
Chapter 3: Animating Layers
Chapter 4: Working with Masks
Chapter 5: Distorting Objects with the Puppet Tool
Chapter 6: Keying
Chapter 7: Performing Color Correction
Chapter 8: Building and Animating a 3D Object
Chapter 9: Using 3D Features
Chapter 10: Advanced Editing Techniques
Chapter 11: Rendering and Outputting

As you can see from the list of chapters all of the major features are covered and once you have a grasp of them taking those features and combining them in creative ways is not only easier to do, but lots of fun as well.