My Top 5 Best Memories From 2011

My Top 5 Best Memories From 2011

on Dec 30th 2011 with 14 comments

As we optimistically welcome in a New Year, I can’t help but look back at all the experiences from this past year. I’d love to highlight a handful of my personal best memories that I know I’m going to take away from 2011.

Working with Rich Young

We started the year super strong as I had been chatting with Rich Young from AePortal. We had discussed the option of bringing him on to create regular posts about different hot topics in the industry. I’ve learned so much over the years due to Rich’s quality archival and organizational work that it was an absolute treat to have him come and keep Aetuts+ in the loop with the latest. Please take some time to look through all of the Book Reviews, Industry News, and Tutorial Roundups he’s posted here on Aetuts+.

Rich Young News

Hollywood Movie Title Series

I first met Antonio Cerri back the middle of 2010 as he created this tutorial for Aetuts+. I loved how he so naturally worked between Cinema 4d and After Effects, using both programs for their strengths. After a few more tutorials, the idea came to let the viewers choose a Movie Title from their favorite Hollywood flicks, and then we’d produce a tutorial recreating that text style. Throughout 2011, as new movies have were released, we’ve had a total of 3 Movie Title Polls, and over 20 Tutorials teaching how anybody can make these amazing openers themselves! We have an incredible line up for 2012 so grab some popcorn, it’s gonna be good! :)

Hollywood Movie Titles

Integration of Social Media

Right at the end of 2010 we first announced that we had a Facebook Page and over the course of 2011, we’ve grown to over 18,000 fans. Every morning I log in with updates on the latest activity on Aetuts+ along with inspirational videos and fun topics of discussion. Even though we do have an area for you to leave comments after each tutorial on Aetuts+, I’ve found the Facebook Page to be an excellent platform to talk to the readers about the content we post on the site and get feedback about what you want to see more of.

Facebook Bonus Tutorial

If you’re not already a fan, take a second to do it… Simply “Like” our Facebook Page and you’ll see “Fan Bonus” on the left where you can download a free exclusive tutorial that can’t be found anywhere on the main Aetuts+ site! You can also follow us on Twitter or if you’re more of a Google+ user, be sure to check out Aetuts+ Google+ Page!

Chris Bobotis and the Character Animation Series

Chris Bobotis started Mettle back in 1992 and has developed a number of powerful plug-ins including Freeform Pro and ShapeShifter AE. I was introduced to Chris when we posted a Sneak Peek to ShapeShifter AE, previewing some of the plug-in’s functionality. After conversing back and forth, we decided to put together the Freeform Third Party…. Party! contest in September.

Third Party... Party

This contest was a really fun opportunity for our readers to collaborate and show what they were made of. :) Chris provided the opportunity to host what I believe to be the longest and most in-depth tutorial series on Character Rigging and Animation within After Effects that exists. This 17 part series by Daniel Gies uses Freeform Pro to give depth and add realism to the animation. I thoroughly enjoyed working through this series and it was definitely a highlight of the content we’ve posted this past year.

Added Value to Tuts+ Premium

As most of you know, we have a Premium membership. Becoming a member allows you access to the a massive archive of Project Files, ebooks, Courses, and in-depth Bonus Tutorials. We give you all this additional content as our way of saying Thank You! for your support of our goal to help people learn and earn online. I’ve been extremely impressed with the new site redesign and layout. Toward the end of this past year, we’ve really made it a goal to put out a new Premium Tutorial each week, a goal that you will continue to see into 2012. We have over 45 Premium After Effects tutorials already with plenty more in the works. I’m stoked to see the Premium program continue to grow and I believe 2011 has really helped refine our method through consistency and little additions like having short tutorial overview videos instead of just a preview of the end result.

Tuts+ Premium

If Aetuts+ has helped you grow and learn this past year, consider 2 things as you enter this new year:

  1. We are always looking for more talented individuals to contribute to the site by becoming authors. I don’t think one month has gone by where we haven’t posted a tutorial from a first time author. If you have any tutorial concepts, quick tips, or content ideas that you haven’t seen online anywhere else, we’d love for you to pitch your content! Don’t worry if you’ve never created a tutorial before, we’ll help you along the way AND pay you for your work.
  2. Help support Aetuts+ by becoming a Tuts+ Premium Member. We rely on readers like you to help make this site possible, and Premium membership comes with a host of fantastic benefits — from regular bonus tutorials and resources, to a huge collection of eBooks and educational courses. There’s never been a better time to join with full Unrestricted Access to Tuts+ Premium!

Here’s to 2012!

Merry Christmas

My wife Katie, myself, and Colden

Adam Everett Miller is everettoptions on Videohive
 
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I am the editor of Aetuts+. I also run Hello Studios as my 9-5 job. I'd love any feedback about Aetuts+ so don't hesitate to drop me a line. ae@tutsplus.com  

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  • http://www.viditude.com Pat

    The highlight of 2011 for me was purchasing AE! What a fantastic product. I’m having so much fun with it. Can’t wait to spread my wings on some challenges using AE in 2012!

    Oh, and finding AE tuts+ was also another highlight.

  • http://www.rockhoppervfx.luxipics.com/ Rich

    Been bottling this up for a while, so just to get this off my chest, you have a great site

    BUT!

    The biggest turn off on this site is the premium tutorials, you lost my interest as soon as you monetized the site. I used to log in all the time just to see the tutorials but you created a caste system those with money can view, those that cant wont.

    Also you have started to show tutorials which require investment in certain plugins, do I pay for my overheads or do I pass on the cost to clients? either way I lose out.

    This is a good site but you should have a 6 month lock on pay for tutorials, then make them available to everyone.

    The embedded advertising with tutorials is starting to annoy me. If you want to do this provide a tutorial on the longhand version or similar to replicate the effect.

    I will not be leaving the site, just that I am being honest the recession has hit us freelancers massively and when the money is not coming in its hard to follow new developments within the industry when asked to pay for it.

    Have a good New Year,

    Rich

  • Dave

    @rich…dude, noone cares that you’re poor. that’s your problem. you want something? PAY FOR IT! get over this idea that people should give you stuff for free. so, freelancing not paying enough? obviously you’re not cut out for this business. be a man, go get a job, stop crying like a girl. think you can do a better job than the crew at ae-tuts? do it! oh and you better not charge for your services so other losers like you can benefit from your hard work. i’ve heard whiners like you cry about “premium” since day one and i’m sick of it! noone owes you anything! people like you are leaches. you think you’re entitled to what you want regardless of the cost. if it was up to me…i’d charge double for premium and stop the freebies. that would ensure only serious, real motion designers/artists come to the sight, and your plug-inless ass loses out! that is, of coarse, unless you pay the monthly fee! to the guys at ae-tuts…great site! i’d raise your price in 2012 and enclude more tuts that need 3rd party plug-ins (but that’s just me!) ha!

    • redinou

      @Dave
      dude.. Rich was only give his opinion. Why you putting him down like that?
      IF you have a lot of money good for you, but dont talk like that unless be constructive and explain why some stuff are not free…

      happy new year to everybody (expect Dave)

    • http://www.rockhoppervfx.luxipics.com/ Rich

      @Dave

      1 Not poor

      2 Working my ass off

      3 Clients are not paying on time,

      4 Corporate work ie, presentations, in house videos, training, web work are seen as luxury items by firms that are cutting back as budget restrictions become tighter.

      5 You mention the word whiners, plural so I am not the only one thinking the same.

      6 stick your head out of the bedroom window and have a look round, its called the real world and a lot of people living in it are suffering from recession. Which means high unemployment and higher cost of living.

      7 Just received a payment from a client from 4 months ago, that is the state of the industry.

      8 Spell check its your friend.

      9 Going to stop feeding this troll.

      Nuff said

  • http://www.mettle.com/Products/ShapeShifter-AE.php Chris

    Thanks for the mention Adam. Very cool of you. We hope to contribute more in the future.

    BTW, Dan Gies took first place in the “Made With After Effects” contest. What a nice way to end the year :-)

    All the best.

    Chris
    mettle.com

  • togali juma

    about the all tutorial that we saw it , it was awesmoe and helpful and good to back up beginner to move for ward . good new year with lot of tutorial see you nex your pro.

  • togali juma

    about the all tutorial that we saw it , it was awesmoe and helpful and good to back up beginner to move for ward . good new year with lot of tutorial see you nex pro.

  • Dave

    back@rich….cry me a river you ass! you’re not getting paid because you suck! you losers are all the same. excuses-excuses! YOU are your problem dude! you’re pathetic plee for free stuff from ae-tuts is a great example of why this country is going down. personally, my bedroom, along with the rest of my house is paid for with money i earned. it wasn’t given to me. that’s the real world. i’m betting you still live with mommy and daddy! like i said earlier you need to stop crying like a little girl. one thing you are right about though, there are many who think like you! it’s embarrassing! grow up little man, get a job, get 2 if you have to. stop whinning about the economy being so tough! you’re little list of excuses is weak. and by the way, you think it’s bad here? move to another country and see what happens with your pathetic graphic business. but no, you’ll just keep crying about how hard it is here. ha ha…what-a-loser!

    • http://www.rockhoppervfx.luxipics.com/ Rich

      Troll.

    • http://qzyxya.deviantart.com Elliot

      It hasn’t anything to do with ritch. He was just suggesting that aetuts go more into advertising on the side of the page, not the video. As you know, more ads = more money = more free videos.

      Just stop trolling and enjoy the new year. I shouldn’t say trolling. Stop arguing with ritch. Does it make you feel better about yourself, does it make him feel better about himself? No. It just pisses both of you off, and annoys people like me who are just trying to enjoy themselves and remember the past year.

      PS
      Why do you even need aetuts if you own a business or whatever?

  • Dave

    @elliot, i have about 2 dozen sites that i visit on a regular basis (including ae/cg-tuts) just to stay up on different techniques, software and plug-ins. in the motion graphics business, you can’t stop learning if you want to be succussful. as for the rich “the whiner”, notice how all he can do is call me a “troll”? that’s because he knows what wrote about him is true! i think you’re cutting him too much slack. he’s part of a growing problem that i’ve seen over the last few years of people thinking they’re entitled to everything for free if they can’t afford it! i’m in business to make money…period! ae-tuts is in business to make money! making money IS NOT evil. it’s how we take care of ourselves and families. charging for a service is good! let’s ask rich why he doesn’t work for nothing! if he did, he wouldn’t be crying about not getting paid, blah-blah-blah. it’s noones fault that he can’t afford things he wants, but his. and i for one am sick of hearing these twits moan and cry about how tough things are, it’s not fair, gemme-gemme-gemme! and by the way, it does make me feel good to call out losers like rich. maybe, just maybe one day he’ll dry his eyes, roll up his sleeves, stop blaming everyone and everything else, act like man and realize that we live in a country that let’s eveyone work towards being as successful as we want to be! the service ae-tuts provides (as well as other sites) by way of tutorials has really helped me, and if they want to charge for that service…great! they should reap the benefits of providing a great service! don’t like? can’t afford it? sorry bout your luck! well i’ve gotta go…i’ve got more clients and work than i can handle! 2012 is going to be a great year!

    • MG

      Is this serious, or it’s supose to be a joke? Does this guy, even now what planet is he in? The fish usually dies from the mouth… I’ve seen “smart” guys like this eat is own words. At the pace that these twats fire, normaly they hit themselves on the foot. It’s a matter of time. What a great human being (not).

  • http://rentthepartybus.com/ Joe Smith

    it is really a happy moment in 2011. it makes one to spent an evening in a lovely manner!!!!!!!!!