FREE COURSE

INCLUDED IN ALL-ACCESS

Expression Session

Master Expressions in After Effects

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Also included in our Team training for 3 or more people.

Learn On Your Own Schedule

Level up your skills on your own timeline. All course materials are available to you 24/7.

12 Projects/19+ Hours

Master expression in After Effects with 12 projects and over 19 hours of video training.

Certificate on completion

Receive a SOM verified credential when you complete this course to help you with your career.

Intermediate

This is an intermediate course, ideal for those with a few years of motion design or animation experience under their belts.

Course Overview

Expression Session will teach you how to approach, write and implement expressions in After Effects. Over the course of 12 weeks, you'll go from rookie to seasoned coder. By the end of this course, you will have all of the foundational knowledge you need to be able to write, understand, and use Expressions in After Effects to improve your daily workflow.

You Get:

19+ hours of video training

12 real-world projects

Supplemental podcasts and PDF Guides

Unlimited personalized critique on your work

Access to our 24/7 online community

Verified credential upon completion of the coursework

Pricing

How to Buy

All-Access

Get Expression Session and every course we make for one low price.

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Team Training

Looking to purchase for a team of 3 or more people? Get flexible licenses, consolidated billing and much more with our Team Training Program.

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Course syllabus.

What Expressions can (and can't) do.

Explore Expression Session's unique dual-instructor format. Start with basic expressions, coding best practices, and end the week with an exercise to practice!

Different looping methods

Learn coding foundations this week. Master slider controls and basic math, then delve into functions like Wiggle and loopOut.

How variables work

Dive into coding essentials: variables, properties, and If/Else statements. Learn to control complex rigs and effects with expressions, enhancing your code flexibility.

How to not fear math

Embrace Math in this Catchup Week. Understand basic mathematics essential for MoGraph, and gain insights from a Mographer who mastered coding to improve their workflow.

How to randomize things

Meet linear(), a tool that converts values, like position to scale. Master this and Random functions to elevate your expression skills.

Manipulating strings

Focus on dynamic text creation, learning to make changeable lower thirds and Mogrt templates. Explore using Master Properties and turning spreadsheet data into stylish graphics.

How far can you take automation?

This week is another Focus Week, giving you time to catch up if you need it. You'll also learn about automation options for Motion Designers who can code.

Converting to / from comp, world, layer space

Delve into coordinate space transformations and code loops. Learn about different coordinate systems in After Effects, preparing for advanced projects.

How to plan out a big project

For your final project, apply everything learned to create a Fake UI. Benefit from instructors' tips and tricks to ensure success in this culmination assignment.

Meet your instructor.

Nol Honig

Director, Animator, Educator

Nol is an award-winning director and teacher who lives in New York City. In 2012 he was a lead animator for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Since founding The Drawing Room in 2013, he has directed work for Netflix, Coca Cola, The History Channel, and The Philadelphia Museum of Art, among others, and served as design/animation lead for various clients including The New York Times, NBC Universal, and The Sundance Film Festival.

As a freelancer, he has worked at some of the best studios in the world including Elastic, Golden Wolf, Pentagram, Buck, and Block&Tackle. In 2017 he received a Distinguished Teaching Award for his work as an associate professor of motion graphics at Parsons School of Design, where he taught from 2001 until 2019. In 2022 he won a Silver Cube at the ADC Awards for his role as a director of the opening title sequence for the documentary series The Andy Warhol Diaries on Netflix.

Zack Lovatt

Technical Director & Educator

As a freelance technical director for some of the biggest studios in the world and the creator of After Effects tools like Explode Shape Layers and Flow, Zack brings the technical expertise necessary for the subject of expressions.