Is using only After Effects shamed upon?

[Market146 2]

I wanted to buy and mess around in AE for a while so I can experiment with amateur multimedia and videography design and homemade newscasts. Is using AE alone as the only motion graphics resource (other than Premiere for video) frowned upon in the professional motion graphics industry, specifically for TV stations or self-newscasters? Additional question is: Is Photoshop really needed even if you still have AE?

[LoadStar 366]

I wanted to buy and mess around in AE for a while so I can experiment with amateur multimedia and videography design and homemade newscasts. Is using AE alone as the only motion graphics resource (other than Premiere for video) frowned upon in the professional motion graphics industry, specifically for TV stations or self-newscasters? Additional question is: Is Photoshop really needed even if you still have AE?

I can't speak to the industry, as I'm not in it, but I would suggest focusing less on a specific tool and more on the concepts. The tools can change over time, and AE is not the only tool in use in the industry.

 

As for your latter question, the two programs (as well as the remainder of the Adobe suite) can be used in conjunction with each other. For example, the individual graphic elements can be worked on in Photoshop, then brought over to After Effects for rendering motion and compositing.

[Weeters 1981]

For the most part After Effects alone will not produce "broadcast quality" graphics. You'd need to use programs like Cinema 4D (which is becoming a huge player in the industry) and After Effects Plugins like Optical Flares.

 

In my experience it's much easier to build the graphics in Photoshop, then import them into AE to animate.

[WCAUTVNBC10 416]

You'll also want to learn Adobe Illustrator esp if you're gonna work with 3D elements. Modeling software like C4D as Weeters mentioned and others like Maya import only vector based art to model in 3D

[Market146 2]

I decided that I am not looking for work in the industry and I want to get into a hobby. Will After Effects motion graphics alone be enough to cut it? Is 3D like C4D just as complicated to learn once you get the hang of After Effects?

[FirstNews8 13]

After Effects is your key player so to speak, its going to be what you use to finalize everything animate and give it the look your looking for. It is also were you add most of your effects, however your going to need to purchase some plug-ins. For broadcast design, I highly suggest the Knoll Light Factory, Video Copilot lens flares, Red Giant plug-ins. Now, you CAN do many things with After Effects, it is very possible to make a very good looking package without using Cinema 4D or Maya, however your not going to get stunning 3D that those programs can create, yes, there are many plug-ins you can use that created 3D, but C4D and Maya are designated 3D programs that have almost endless possibilities that no 3D plug-in can do.

 

Cinema 4D is a VERY complicating, and sophisticated program. I have been using it for almost 5 years and learn new things every day I use it, but if you put your mind to it, and watch as many tutorials as you can and read books, you can get a grasp on it pretty quickly.

 

Now once again, it is very possible to create a good broadcast graphics package in After Effects alone (with some of the plug-ins I mentioned), you just need to utilize everything you have at your disposal.