Adobe After Effects is an incredible post-production software that creatives use to create unique animations, special effects, and video edits. The only limit is your imagination when creating amazing videos in Adobe After Effects. It can be used to render 2D and 3D animations, special effects, titles, and more. The application integrates seamlessly with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Media Encoder. For those looking to master this tool, we've gathered the best After Effects tutorials in one place.

The best way to learn After Effects is by practicing with these top tutorials made by video editing experts! In this guide to After Effects tutorials, we’ve included resources to help you learn the basics, animate in After Effects, and create special effects. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced editor, these tutorials will help you improve your skills.

Intermediate and professional video editors can expand their AE skills with these tutorials as well. If you’re an intermediate or a professional user, you can check out our last 5 suggestions directly for AE tutorials that will take your skills to the next level.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Adobe After Effects.

Here is our list of the best After Effects tutorials recommended by video production experts:

1. Ben Marriot

Learn After Effects in 10 Minutes! Beginner Tutorial by Ben Marriot is one of the top-watched After Effects tutorials on YouTube. Ben Marriot is a master of motion graphics and animation in After Effects. In this quick tutorial, he explains the After Effects interface and shows you how to make a basic animation.

If you do not want to sit through hours-long tutorials that drag on forever, this quick tutorial is perfect for you. This 10-minute Adobe After Effects tutorial for beginners gives you an introduction to using After Effects that is easy to understand, fast-paced, and surprisingly thorough for being only 10 minutes long.

Starting out with After Effects can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if the software crashes. Learn how to stop After Effects from crashing and keep your projects on track.

2. Creative Tap

No video edit is complete without sound design. After Effects allows editors to incorporate dialogue, sound effects, and music into a composition.

How to Add and Edit Audio in After Effects CC by Creative Tap is a great guide to audio editing in After Effects for beginners. This 3-minute tutorial shows you how to add, edit, and fade audio in and out using keyframes.

3. School of Motion

Keyboard shortcuts are a key or a combination of keys that are pressed to quickly access a particular function in computer software.

Using keyboard shortcuts makes it significantly easier and faster to create amazing videos in post-production software. Once you practice the essential keyboard shortcuts often enough, using them becomes automatic.

30+ Essential Keyboard Shortcuts in After Effects by School of Motion is a quick guide to the best After Effects tutorials focused on speeding up your workflow using shortcuts. For a more in-depth guide, check out our full list of essential keyboard shortcuts in After Effects.

4. Envato Tuts+

After Effects for Beginners FREE Mega Course by Envato Tuts+ gives a very thorough and in-depth explanation of the main functions of After Effects, starting at the basics and moving on to more advanced professional video production tools. The video production expert Dave Bode guides you through this free After Effects course.

Learn how to use the interface, create compositions and layers, keyframe, add masks, motion tracking, apply effects, and more with this complete guide to After Effects. This tutorial is over 4 hours long, but it contains everything beginner and intermediate video editors need to know. If you’re looking for free After Effects tutorials, Envato Tuts+ offers this course for free, which covers all the core features and professional tools needed to succeed.

Looking for a comprehensive walkthrough? Our complete guide to After Effects covers everything from basic animations to advanced effects and workflows.

As you progress, you'll likely encounter common issues in After Effects. Don't worry, we've got solutions to help you troubleshoot and keep creating.

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5. Sonduck Film

How to Create Cartoon Animation After Effects & Illustrator Workflow Tutorial by Sonduck Film is an easy-to-follow tutorial for creating your first cartoon animation in After Effects. This tutorial teaches you how to import graphics from Adobe Illustrator into After Effects and animate them.

Sonduck Film is one of the best YouTube channels to learn After Effects and walks you through importing graphics from Adobe Illustrator into After Effects and animating them.

6. FLIMLION VisualFX

Trendy Logo Animation in After Effects by FLIMLION VisualFX is an excellent beginner tutorial for creating logo animations. This 11-minute tutorial guides you through the process of animating a logo in After Effects.

FLIMLION VisualFX is one of the best After Effects YouTube channels, and this tutorial shows you how to create a trendy logo animation in After Effects. Creating stunning animations is just the beginning; rendering them efficiently is key. Check out our tips for faster rendering in After Effects to optimize your workflow.

7. Black Mixture

AFTER EFFECTS BASICS VFX TUTORIAL by Black Mixture is a great starting tutorial for learning how to apply visual effects in After Effects.

This tutorial helps you develop the foundation of knowledge that you need to use After Effects as an intermediate or professional video editor. The compositing techniques taught in this tutorial are useful for any After Effects video project.

8. Kriscoart

Top 10 Hollywood VFX You Can Do Yourself With Adobe After Effects by Kriscoart guides you through creating 10 different Hollywood-level effects in After Effects.

This tutorial is perfect for intermediate to professional video editors who want to take their VFX skills up a notch. Kriscoart is a Youtube channel dedicated to making professional video production tutorials and resources accessible to video editors.

9. Peter Kae

Dynamic Camera to FACE MOTION TRACKING Technique In 5 Minutes Explained! by Peter Kae is a quick and easy-to-understand After Effects motion tracking tutorial from an industry expert.

The motion tracking and facial tracking functions of After Effects are part of why AE is the go-to special effects software for video post-production. This 5-minute video tutorial is a great starting point for learning how to create incredible visual effects with motion tracking in After Effects.

10. ActionVFX

Realistic Rain At Night Using VFX Adobe After Effects Tutorial by ActionVFX teaches you how to add rain to any night scene. Adding rain is easy in After Effects, but making it appear realistic takes some skill. This tutorial uses a combination of composited video footage and motion tracking to create a realistic rainy night scene.

11. Olufemii

Specializing in a variety of video production topics, Olufemii is a group of educators teaching video production. Viewers here can find a variety of great video production content, including equipment specs, Premiere Pro tutorials, music video production, and motion design, to name just a few.

Their playlist Dope After Effects Tutorials covers everything in After Effects, from clone freeze effects to removing objects from videos, and everything in between. The best part about these videos is the cross collaboration of the different educators, taking expertise from each of the teachers involved in the tutorials.

12. Gareth David Studio

Hosted by Gareth David, the Gareth David Studio is a channel for creators in a variety of different industries, learning skills in softwares such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and After Effects. David has worked as a creative freelancer in design for both print and digital, branding, and logo identity. With tutorials in a wide range of topics, this channel is one hub for creators looking to learn more and expand their knowledge.

In relation to content for After Effects, the playlist Learn Adobe After Effects 48 Episode Free Course is an incredible resource for learning everything from the basics in After Effects to finally putting together a video production piece from scratch. No need to pay for a course, you can find top quality classes for free here!

13. tutvid

Tutvid is a channel hosted by Nathaniel Dodson covering tutorials on a variety of softwares such as Premiere Pro, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Lightroom, to name just a few. Working as a photographer and designer, Dodson has had experience in the design and creative field since he first gained exposure to Photoshop at the age of 12. Since then, he has made quite a lot of content on his personal website getting people up to speed with all of the latest creation topics.

Specific to After Effects, viewers here can find his playlist After Effects Tutorials which includes topics such as simple animations, smooth split screens, and fireball effects. If you have made your way down to this part of the list, tutvid is one channel highly recommended for any creator in the industry.

14. Black Mixture

Last but certainly not least is Black Mixture, topping out at over 179K Subscribers. This channel is hosted by the couple Nate and Chriselle, who love working in digital mediums such as filmmaking, photography, graphic design, and motion design to name just a few.

In their playlist section, viewers here can find After Effects Tutorials which walks you through everything from which effects are the best in the software to various plugins that can be used with the software. In another playlist, Top 10 Crazy After Effects Techniques covers their favorite techniques to implement in their workflow.

Thanks for checking out our list of the best After Effects tutorials on YouTube! We hope that these new skills will be useful to you in all your future video editing projects. You can find additional After Effects practice projects and tutorials directly from the team at Adobe by clicking here. Keep coming back to our blog for more tips and tricks from video production experts.

FAQs:

1. What is the best way to learn Adobe After Effects?

   • The best way to learn Adobe After Effects is by practicing with tutorials that cover a range of skills, from basic to advanced techniques. Start with beginner-friendly tutorials and gradually move on to more complex projects. Check out our list of the best After Effects tutorials to get started.

2. Which are the best YouTube channels to learn After Effects?

   • Some of the best YouTube channels to learn After Effects include Ben Marriot, School of Motion, and Envato Tuts+. These channels offer high-quality tutorials that cover everything from basic animations to advanced visual effects.

3. What are some good After Effects practice projects for beginners?

   • For beginners, good practice projects include logo animations, basic motion graphics, and applying simple visual effects. Tutorials like those from Ben Marriot and FLIMLION VisualFX are great starting points for these projects.

4. Are there free After Effects tutorials available?

   • Yes, there are many free After Effects tutorials available. Channels like Envato Tuts+ and Creative Tap offer free tutorials that cover both beginner and intermediate skills in After Effects.

5. How do I speed up rendering in Adobe After Effects?

   • To speed up rendering in Adobe After Effects, you can optimize your project settings, reduce unnecessary effects, or use external solutions like Vagon’s cloud PCs. For more tips, check out our guide on faster rendering in After Effects.

6. Why does Adobe After Effects keep crashing, and how can I fix it?

   • After Effects may crash due to hardware limitations, corrupted files, or outdated software. To prevent crashes, ensure your system meets the required specs, keep software up to date, and troubleshoot common issues with our guide on how to stop After Effects from crashing.