Adobe After Effects

Software Overview

Adobe After Effects is a powerful special effects program for Windows and Mac used to create visual effects and motion graphics for video. It is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) subscription and often used with Adobe Premiere Pro to enhance video.

After Effects has many features that you can use to create visual effects in your video. You can combine multiple layers of footage and graphics, then animate the separate layers. After Effects has a great set of tools for creating and animating masks in your project and can even automatically adjust masks on moving objects. The application also comes with advanced puppet tools that enable you to bend, curve, twist, and scale animations.

After Effects also comes with a vast library of special effect presets to help bring your effects to life. Among the special effects features includes multiple color keying effects for moving your actor from a green screen to whatever location you can imagine. After Effects also comes Lumetri Color tools for accurately fine-tuning colors and maintaining color fidelity across your workflow in Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Adobe After Effects is a great choice for creating professional visual effects to enhance your video projects. The application features an array of advanced tools for professionals along with a Learn panel with built-in tutorials and templates for beginners. If you are simply trying to edit a video and are looking to use minimal effects like crossfades, there are simpler and cheaper options available. But if you want to enhance your video with motion graphics and other visual effects to give your video that "wow" factor, try Adobe After Effects.

Supported File Types

Primary file extension

Other file extensions used by Adobe After Effects 2020

Updated: January 3, 2020