As we mentioned earlier, we're creating a video training series based on our popular beginner's book After Effects Apprentice, which progresses from “I haven't used it before” through core skills including keyframing, masking, text animation, and 3D space to advanced techniques such as motion tracking, green screen, and expressions. The second course is based on the Basic Animation section of the book, where we guide you through creating a simple project from importing sources to arranging and animating layers through rendering.

The movie above demonstrates how to add and arrange layers in a composition, including replacing a layer's source. This will be useful for new users, as well as those who feel they're doing the same thing over and over in the same composition. The complete course also includes movies on other ways to arrange layers, including taking advantage of Action and Title Safe areas, Grids and Guides, and the Align & Distribute panel.

The content contained in After Effects Apprentice – as well as the CMG Blogs and CMG Keyframes posts on ProVideoCoalition – are copyright Crish Design, except where otherwise attributed.