After Effects or Flash MX for title graphics?

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Which of the two is better for playing around with titling, animating and manipulating text?

Are both programs essentially the same in terms of learning curve?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    Well... the purpose for both of these programs are a bit different. Flash is more of a web prog but does extend into the realms of video and certain applicable effects because of it's vector applications and publishing abilities. After Effects is used for video and offers nice features when you want to say, take a static layered Photoshop file and manipulate it to produce motion, etc.



    I have converted and integrated both of them to make quicktime movies with embedded controls, but if you want a titling package, it seems After Effects would be a better solution. Both have a slight learning curve and it helps to know other graphics programs in order to do meaningful things with them. They also get pretty deep as you go along.



    If you do want to splice in video that you've taken, also look at Final Cut as a worthwhile venture.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    Yeah, you really first need to consider what medium it is you are working in. If it is video, After Effects. If it is interactive, Flash. I will say that Flash has the absolute worst interface I could have ever possibly dreamt up. I dare say that an infinite number of monkeys would never have come up with such an interface. My animation experience comes from having worked as a broadcast animator at Turner, with After Effects as the primary tool, extending into using Chyron's for on-air titling and effects and Discreet kit as well.



    Flash's interface was a steep learning curve for me because it totally redefines how you animate, and they come up with a bunch of terms that I've never used before, to boot.



    Both pieces of software are expensive. There are cheaper titling applications out there, a few that will output a QuickTime file for you. But getting back to the beginning, what medium are we talking about here? If you just want to learn "titling" and "animation", you need to have a medium in mind... because while it sounds like a generalized skill, and it is, you still need to pick a medium to start in.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Hey thanks netbanshee, LoCash.

    I hadn't really picked a medium but was more interested in learning a new skill set. My background is print with a great interest in typography. Always been interested in perhaps pursuing titling for films so that would probably be AfterEffects then. Just seems like Flash is all the rage these days and an often desired skill when looking for gameful employment.

    I've dabbled with Director in it's early days so I get a sense of the Flash interface (yeah it's not so intuitive). Perhaps I'll see if Adobe has a demo version on their site.
  • Reply 4 of 4
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    Hey thanks netbanshee, LoCash.

    I hadn't really picked a medium but was more interested in learning a new skill set. My background is print with a great interest in typography. Always been interested in perhaps pursuing titling for films so that would probably be AfterEffects then. Just seems like Flash is all the rage these days and an often desired skill when looking for gameful employment.

    I've dabbled with Director in it's early days so I get a sense of the Flash interface (yeah it's not so intuitive). Perhaps I'll see if Adobe has a demo version on their site.




    If you're looking at the Film/Video arena, definitely learn After Effects. Flash won't do you a lot of good there. Based on your background, though, you may want to pick up some Flash. It's easier to deploy Flash animation than an After Effects animation, as most people don't have a method of printing out to video. So there may be some more gratification from working in Flash...
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