Know-it-All
April 25th, 2011

I went to NAB this year in Las Vegas and attended the Media Motion Ball, it was great to talk with many people in the industry and eat a delicious meal. One of the highlights was a funny and meaningful speech by Brian Maffitt of Total Training, and it was about the issues that arise when artists starts thinking they know everything. You can imagine the issues that might come up but I won't go into the specifics of the speech because I'll probably screw it up

However, it did remind me of a interesting piece of advice I heard a few years ago...

"Don't let what you think you know, get in the way of learning things you don't."

In other words, if you start to think you know everything about one particular subject, it might be difficult to keep an open mind when it comes to learning new techniques and solutions. When I do VFX work, I always try to think about the objective as freely as possible so I don't get stuck working around a technique that causes problems in other areas of the shot. Not every comp will have the same requirements so it is important to identify all of the problems and objectives so you can design a more efficient solution.

Anyone have an experience or story that might relate?

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
14 years ago
103 Comments
11 years ago
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Themba
14 years ago
I'm just getting my feet wet with AE. This has given the zeal to keep at it!
Thank U Mr Kramer.
14 years ago
I've described this as being able to "see past your knows" - I often times encounter people who can't get to solution x because of what they know. (myself included at times) As G.I. Joe says, knowing is half the battle.
Washboard
14 years ago
Similarly, Coach John Wooden's quote puts it succinctly -

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts,"
14 years ago
Thanks again for all your hard work, greeting from Uruguay.
Anna
Yasin MelikoÄŸlu
14 years ago
Everything people create in the name of art need an open mind and cool spirit like Andrew has. To be bigheaded is a negative ability and it creates problems like this subject.
14 years ago
Carey posted a link to Brian's talk - it was a good night!

http://www.mediamotionball.com/
14 years ago
Every few months I'll go back and do a beginners course for a particular software whenever a new update is released. It pays to go back to basics because it refreshes my memory and enables me to pick up time saving tips that I missed the first time around or things I just simply forgot. Plus. as the community develops new techniques, training videos are improving everyday.

As Andrew said, every project is different and may require alternative techniques then you may be use to. Technology increases exponentially and because of this almost every project that I do will have some major element that I've never attempted before.

"Don't let your school get in the way of your education" - Mark Twain

Don't take anyones word as the be-all end-all of any subject. Just because it's shown one way by a particular instructor doesn't mean that's the only way to do it. I watch EVERYTHING out there when it comes to motion graphics and 3D tutorials. We get too many reels sent to the studio full of stuff straight from the example files folder. Try to add your touch on any tutorials you do so you can call them your own.
14 years ago
i like your videos very much ,and i learn so much knowledge from them.
thank you,and wish you happy everyday
14 years ago
Actually there is so much to learn, you can practically just keep learning and never work on a project, because there is always a better way of doing things, when I learn a technique I find that I still have to experiment to make sure as Andrew said that it won't interfere with the rest of a composition.
14 years ago
Thanks in advance for your help
mogbeni
14 years ago
Well, thanks a bunch Andrew, i will keep that in mind. just so you know, we cant wait to see whats you got up your sleeves in the next couple of months. haha, and thanks for your tutorials and products. i have only started motion graphics in barely three months and i must say im catching up pretty fast. thanks a milli.
Daddy C
14 years ago
I just want to say that i have followed Master Kramers tutorials for the last 4months. My background was graphics/mac ops. I have been producing motion graphics for a small budding digital signage company, and I am pleased to say they have just won a major contract based on the presentation material i had put together. (believe it or not!) So I just want to say a massive THANK YOU! to master kramer, the guy is a living legend and he is owed alot from all the other budding motion graphics padwans.
Steve
14 years ago
Hey Andrew, great work all the times, thanx for all the good but when will u switch you NUKE, as perhaps, may be, all world needs u r tuts rate at faster phase.
Let time win Andrew.
Matthew Shah
14 years ago
I can relate!
I'm an artist, and it took me years to be become a worker that clients/teachers could actually co-operate with completely. For a long time I truly believed that I was always right, no matter the circumstance. But after months without work, and a period of strict self-analysis, I've come to be an extremely reasonable co-operator, and for that I can now sit down next to people with little to no training (or even a lot) and keep rolling out the results. It's so true that the outcome relies strongly on the communication between client and worker. I sat down for 11 hours straight today (doing After Effects) with 3 different clients that I was trying to please simultaneously, and in all honesty, It was a lot of fun!

You can only really learn as much as you are willing to let go.

Keep the greatness coming Andrew, and the VCP crew.
I'd seriously be in the dust without you.
Bruce
14 years ago
My favorite quote (that I made up several years ago when I was in phone sales) is "Some people know nothing about everything, and everything about nothing."
J0hnnyH4ck3r
14 years ago
My favourite quote is from Portal: "If at first you don't succeed, you fail, and the test will be terminated."
14 years ago
One of my favorite Quotes is one that I made myself.
Knowledge is Power
Power is the sharing of Knowledge.

I am a member of the website Experts Exchange, and am one of their top ASP Classic programmers.
BUT, I have to deal with a LOT of people on that site who think that they KNOW everything, and that YOU should do what THEY tell you.
Needless to say, I DO NOT, I do what feels natural in my work, and I learn from others when I need that little bit of extra help.
About like what I do with my VFX work, If there is something that I do not know or might have forgotten, I will look up Andrew's Tutorials or others, and get back on track.
There for.
Knowledge is Power
Power is the sharing of Knowledge.
By: Wayne Barron
Dark Effects Productions
Carrz-Fox-Fire Promotions
Nicky H
14 years ago
Good advice Andrew. I'm a graphic designer and teacher in the biggest design university in my country, and I see a lot of people (advanced students and even teachers) who are SO afraid to live by this mentality...
I think that it's probably one of the best things I learnt in my career, because when you put it to practice it just "unclocks" your potential.
And what you do -sharing your chops and knowledge instead of holding on to them- is all about that.
Keep on with the good stuff
Best wishes from Argentina!
Nicky
Mark
14 years ago
make a jet/helicopter/tank on a live scene!!! (adobe after effects tutorial)
Ryan Smith
14 years ago
I have a story (sort of):

When I have free time, I like to peruse demo reels to see what other people in the field are up to, and it gives me ideas for new things to try. Usually, i end up finding a couple of things and trying them out as an "I could do that" thing. One effect I came across was a line that animated from a horizontal position to a vertical position and as it rotated up, a line drew from it's far vertex, and text animated to show its angle as it moved up. I thought "hey, dynamic text, that's sweet...I could do that"...

As I started, I quickly realized that there is no keyframing source text (duh...) so in my I know how to do this mode, I figured I'd just link the source text to the rotation value, and voila! It would work. Well, technically it did, but... it gave me the degree value out to like a hundred decimal places. Not what I was looking for. So I searched the web and googled rounding expressions and whatnot, and even asked our graphics guy at work who works with After Effects a lot (but oddly enough...I found out...NEVER uses expressions. Go figure...).

Long story short, it wasn't until I clicked on the expressions language menu button, and then looked under each category that I came across the "javascript math" heading, and found:
mathRound(value)

After a little experimenting and taking into consideration some tutorials I watched that included simplifying parameters as single variables that I came up with sticking an "x=" in front of the rotation value for the layer, and then adding another line afterwards that simply said mathRound(x);

And wouldn't you know, you picwhip your rotation value with that little number in there and your source text will round to whole number values, and calculate the angle at any given rotation value.

The answer seemed so simple at first, but after giving it a go, I not only gained the knowledge of how to do it myself, which was worth the pride of the work that went into learning it, but added respect to the compositor who made use of that effect (or a similar one) in her reel. But totally, you can't shut yourself off to the possibility that you just don't know how to do something. But equally as important is going digging/experimenting for the answer to go ahead and actually learn it!

Thought I'd share.
14 years ago
I think it's the old Socratic deal where it's the questioning that gives us knowledge. The top of the industry is always going to be the guys who question and experiment and aren't satisfied with their own work no matter how awesome it is. Myself, I get into loops where clients request the things I already did, and it's easy to repeat and it's not until I get stumped on a new project and humbled before what I don't know or can't do that the real joys of my job come in. Defeating those challenges or solving those design programs are what it's all about.
personman
14 years ago
One time I was walking down the street and I thought I knew there wasn't a pole in front of me but there was and I walked into it.
14 years ago
It's funny, the more I learn and become proficient at something, the more I realize how much I don't know.
BSon
14 years ago
Andrew, I've started doin VFX because of you, and now I'm glad to say I'm starting up my own business. Nothing comparing to yours, but...I'm learning...

Keep thinking and working like you do. You're gonna be the greatest!
14 years ago
There will always be someone better than you at everything you do. I don't mean this in a derogatory way, I mean it in a motivational way, that there is always more to strive for than what you've accomplished already.

Go into projects with that mentality, and don't sit on your past accomplishments and be satisfied with them, think about how you can improve and become better than you already are, reach for the unreachable goal so that you constantly improve.

Personally, the day an artist is "100% satisfied" with themselves or what they've done is the day they stop improving. You should always see ways to improve everything you are doing and have done, and always become better and learn more.
The Social Network
14 years ago
My story is, as everyone, "keep the open mind" my computer i prefer it to do everything. and where one thing wont solve a solution, the other one will. thinking outside the box to find another solve. if one computer programwont do what you need visually, the other one will. in my experience i run most of my projects and images through two to four other programs to get specific results. yes andrew, keeping an open mind for alternatives is very important! GOOD SUBJECT
dead
14 years ago
I think you should make a video with Joe Penna that would be epic
14 years ago
Good point, Andrew. Luckily, my wife reminds me regularly that I don't know anything, so I'm cool.

By the way, you've inspired a new generation of designers.

Thanks for helping me pay my mortgage in an enjoyable manner.

Russ
aeto.ca
14 years ago
Yeah, I remember way back when div tags came out in html and everyone said to stop using tables and to use divs. I hated the idea. Part with my precious tables that I knew all about? Only to elope with this foreign DIV that I knew nothing about?! It was blasphemy!

Then of course...I eventually made the transition and realized how foolish I was for being narrow-minded. I no longer use tables for creating layouts in web design. lol
RandomPerson
14 years ago
"issues that arise when artists starts thinking they know everything". I believe it should be *start* not 'starts'. Haha just saying; im not trying to be pedantic .
Martouf
14 years ago
???Don???t let what you think you know, get in the way of learning things you don???t.???

Anyone know whose quote that is?
Patrick
14 years ago
Hi Andrew...
I have seen the After effects tutorials that you have created. They are really wonderful. One of my friends told me about your work.
Of all the other tutorials I was fascinated by your Eclipse tutorial. Is it possible in AE to make the text rotate from behind the moon object and come to the foreground??? I've been trying to do this without any fruit.
Thanks again
Pat
Paul
14 years ago
Oh boy I wish you would make a total training on after Effects, it would be great stuff.

peace
Darbaz Dara
14 years ago
Hey that was awesome man i do the same
Gun
14 years ago
You have inspired me to do VFX. I started this only a few months ago because I want to do a great cinematography for my wedding. I have not much background but I have the passion. I think I have come to realize that human can learn new thing if you just think like a child. Great work Andrew
tarrizz
14 years ago
I know you've been quite busy lately, however, if you want to do an easy post, do A TOUR OF VIDEO COPILOT HQ
That would've been friggin awesome, Andrew

Comment on this comment, guys, to show your support!
alejandro
14 years ago
sounds like a good idea!
14 years ago
Yup, I am sure many people would like a virtual tour of VC home base - equipment, pizza, mountain dew ...
C'mon Andrew, grab that cam.
14 years ago
That would definitely be pretty cool.
14 years ago
if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail
Max
14 years ago
I think, by leaning new things my mind will be open and youth like, even when I´m older.
I heard many times that adults can´t learn like children or teenagers anymore.
I don´t want to lose this possibility so I keep up with confronting myself with new stuff.

I think it works!

Enjoy your day!
Max from Germany
14 years ago
I graduated from college 2 years ago, and when I finished I thought I knew enough to immediately start doing well in my job. But these past 2 years, I have learned more about video/audio production and design, more than just the book knowledge I gained from school, but also how to follow the "rules" of production and even when it is appropriate to "break" them. Even outside of work, the longer you live, the more life will teach you, the more God will teach you, and now that I'm married, the more my wife will teach me.
14 years ago
I'm heading for my 57th birthday this year and i''ve always kept in mind to learn something new everyday. And there is still enough interesting tutorial stuff going around to fill my daily need for new knowledge. Today there's a nice tut on vertexmaps and expresso on gsg to dive into. But actually i'm filiing my timesomewhat impatiently waiting to see wat will happen here...
14 years ago
Wise words.
Two more things to add.
Experimentation
&
Serendipity
Tony
14 years ago
"We're not what we think about ourselves, but what we think - this is us!"
14 years ago
You have inspired me, what ever i can focus on I can achieve. thanks andrew...I love your site.
14 years ago
I didn't need to know that Andrew, coz i know everything!
Grscfide
14 years ago
that really......what i did......i learning blender and i said that i will finish learning blender until i mastered it...then i will move to ae and 3ds max.....but i was wrong
14 years ago
90% of everything I know about AE is from you. There is a thing called the Law of Compensation. The concept is that the more you give the more you receive. If that is true, you will receive big time my friend! My road to success has always been to find someone that knows more than me and try to learn everything I can from them. Then be equally willing to share that knowledge with others.
Haggai
14 years ago
Andrew Kramer one thing I know is that God Has used you so much to teach me a lot of things as a Nigerian and anytime in this life I'll come to your country, I must struggle to see you... Thanks for every...
TMinus
14 years ago
Ever done work in the horse industry? I have been shooting events and doing promos centered around western horses and an open mind is critical. These guys are perhaps the most old school people on the planet, molding VFX with horse footage while satisfying the customer relies completely on an open mind to their simple way of thinking. "Make that doo-hickey flash and them lasers shoot out of ma logo with my horses name and put some nice country music with a little of that rock-n-roll stuff. Ill tell you what son, thems some nice vidya ya got of them horses". Thats all you get now go.
14 years ago
Hello,
Where I've been learning more and more with the tutorials videocopilot.net
It is very important to have people like you in this area, so of disseminating information and techniques learned. Congratulations to all my works are distinguished by virtue of what I learned today with his tutorials.
My site is still off the air due to technical problems, but will soon be normal.

Hugs.

Flavio Spina
14 years ago
Last year at cinegear I sat in on one of the cinematographers conferences. Aside from several words of wisdom shared there was one really good line that really stuck with me.

"Your first solution is the wrong solution"

That is because your first solution is going to be the safe one that you are comfortable with, in turn you don't grow and become stale. In order to expand and explore new territories you need to step out of that comfort zone. So throw out your first solution and look for another.
Farmfield
14 years ago
On the other hand I feel many full length movies are pushed so far that there's a bid differance in quality between what's done in post, just because they used 'unsafe' techniques and kinda get a hang of it the more shots they do... Another big issue (imo) is the 'fix it in post' thinking which makes for bad 'day to night' shots, bad digital prostethics a.s.o... Imo: Make a good movie and then make it better in post (and with fx) - not the other way around... ;D
Aarons Rogers
14 years ago
Nice Andrew I will take that advice and journey along VC to learn more VFX.. Have a good "learning" ahead..
matty
14 years ago
there is an epic video about judging how competent you are here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyOHJa5Vj5Y
Chris
14 years ago
I wasted many hours in preproduction once trying to determine how to realistically make a paper ticket flutter violently in a boys hand before it blew off into the sky.

So focused on how to fake it using After Effects & 3DS MAX, we neglected to see the ultimate solution (that we used) to simply use a blowdryer.

Your post reminded me of this and that we need to step back to the simple (like pouring water on concrete instead of trying to create a wet reflection in post
Andy McElfresh
14 years ago
I just have to watch one of your tutorials to realize I don't know anything.
14 years ago
Funny, but i had to admit that i'm also a "Mr.-You-know-it-all". But with this disability, I was able to learn a lot of things so fast so that i will not be left behind knowing very few things.
Vito Corleone
14 years ago
But I guess, it's better to leave the gun and take the canolli than to go down to the mattresses. And of course, it's nothing personal - just business.
HeavensSeeker
14 years ago
You know, Mr. Andrew. I will talk about myself here. I love the thing called movie-making, Visual effects designing, etc.

I started making movies on the Windows Movie Maker. Then, After Effects, then started to learn 3ds Max, then to Boujou, then Adobe Premiere. Day by day, I see a difference in myself.

Thanks to Video Copilot, I'm much more open-minded, and I have more choices. Thank You Video Copilot, specially Mr. Andrew Kramer. Man I feel that I know you from years from the tutorials
14 years ago
I remember when I was about six years old my parents sent me to summer camp and they told me, "remember to always have your glass empty, don't think you already know everything, learn, you can always learn something new" That has stuck with me ever since, now having my first motion graphics job at a local tv channel I can relate to how many people have been doing the same job for years who believe they know everything there is to know, I've been blessed with knowledge from always been open to new ideas!
Aegis Kleais
14 years ago
I want to learn and further my creative skills, but my current workplace requires logical programming from me. To that end, they have paid for subscription memberships to sites like The Gnomon Workshop where I can learn from creative individuals and teach myself what I can on my own time.

It's not the best solution to furthering my skillsets, but it's better than nothing.
14 years ago
In my full length film I have about 600 vfx shots. When I shot some of them I didn't know how i was going to make the fx in postproduction, I only tryed to shoot them well to make sure the shooting process was right (well lighted green screens, markers, BG plates,...) this way now in postproduction I can work freely with them and make things better learning new ways of making them. Maybe I use the techniques or tools I thought at first, but other times I learn new ways to make the shots much better.
And everyday I'm looking for more information about new programs plug-ins, or techniques to use known tools.
14 years ago
I once ate a doughnut that lied to me. It said it had cream inside, but there was custard instead.

I hate custard.
AJ_21
14 years ago
Well, my saying is "There is always something new to learn." And that way I know I dont know everything. When I`m with my parents, my girlfriend or any friend who need my advice on any type of design, I always show em my idea and they always have their own. I must say, my experience and their "objective" make a perfect match. And so... as a designer I feel that most people don´t know what their idea would look like, but they do know that there is a way.
Muchas gracias Andrew por todos los tutoriales y buenos consejos. Dios lo bendiga. ¡Saludes desde Honduras!(Thanks Andrew for all your tutorials and good advice. God bless. And as always, greetings from Honduras)
Farmfield
14 years ago
I've been working with Photoshop for 20 years and still I can't see any tutorial without learning at least something - or just get idéas about improving my workflow. Then there's the improvements in the applications and just keeping up to date with that is a continous learning curve in itself, hehe... ;D
Dave
14 years ago
Funny thing about this.... I like going into a project that I have NO IDEA how I'm going to accomplish. I think the journey and the experience you get learning different techniques or even stumbling upon different ways of doing things - while doing the job - is the most gratifying part of the work. There's nothing quite like pulling off something you never thought you could do.
Roy
14 years ago
I'm constantly amazed to learn about all of the things I don't know. Artistically, you will never be a know-it-all. Art is not a checklist of things. it's a constantly fluid change of inspiration, interpretation, and understanding. The learned part of skill and technique to master, only comes into play at the end, at the tip of the pen, and when you are finally ready to draw. After that your finished masterpiece- the accumulation of all of your skill and ability and your applied "know-it-all-ness" well,it simply becomes subjective to the next person's fluid sense of interpretation, inspiration and understanding.
14 years ago
The beginning of wisdom is to admit what you do not know
- paraphrased from Socrates

"Wisdom is to know thy self," your strengths and your weaknesses, your expertise and what you lack. Know-it-alls seem to be afraid to admit weakness, to admit that they do not know something (these people also tend to quote a lot of bogus statistics)(quote from Socrates). They also talk a lot. But "tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt," according to Abraham Lincoln and Confucius.

We cannot all be experts at everything. I do not do my own car repair nor prescribe my own medication. I have other experts to do that. Similarly, I turn to those who know more or different things that I when I do not have the answer.

Video Copilot has taught me After Effects, and I owe much of my resume to this site!! This is why I am here, to learn. I seek the wisdom of other professionals to guide me when I do not know, and I hope then to guide others with what I do.
14 years ago
Hi,

Having messed with video editing for a number of years, after effects had always baffled me somewhat. I decided one day to sit down and really dig up some tutorial sites to help me learn this fantastic program.
It was that day video copilot entered my life, and the basic training began... After losing maybe 4-5weeks of my life watching and practising each tutorial from the first basic one through to the latest tut (You had just covered the reflections preset) I decided that it wasa time to actually make some of my own material.

I made a text reveal for my logo which involved it shattering and falling off a wall much like your latest tut and because I thought I knew EVERYTHING I kept to the methods I had been taught by yourself. Needless to say, I just couldn't figure out a decent reveal and resorted to just having text that you COULD see already, which then fell off the wall leaving it blank. (now I know that technique as well, thank you)
I wasn't happy with the result, but due to my single minded approach, and my 'knowledge' that I knew everything I convinced myself there was no other way. And now, coupled with this blog post of yours and the crumbling tut, I have vowed never to fall into this trap again. Thanks Andrew, you are an inspiration.

Wayne
14 years ago
um.... only murder the client *after* the cheque clears.

kidding

i'll be 50 this year and switched careers two years ago. i have an endless and near vertical learning curve. never fear change or challenge and keep videocopilot at the top of your bookmarks.
KorruptKat
14 years ago
VC aint what it used to be, I'm very disappointed lately!
Chris
14 years ago
@KorruptKat, I'm sure Andrew and Crew would be interested in learning what they can do to improve things for you, perhaps being more specific will help them learn too?
MightyDWC
14 years ago
Sure there's been a lack of new stuff, but think of it like this. When Andrew isn't posting new stuff, he's working and making money to support this site and what it stands for. Then when he's done he post stuff he learned/came up with while working on said project. I'f you've been through ALL the tutorials and material on the site, you feel confindant that you know quite a bit about AE and motion graphics, and can do amazing things with it. I play with AE as a hobby, and do random things for various gaming sites for free. And I'm constantly refering back to certain tuts to refresh my knowledge of how things work and how to combine things to make what I want. I don't think I could ever be dissapointed with Andrew's FREE time or the site.
Lindco
14 years ago
Amen MightyDWC. We don't always know what other things people have going on in their day. Andrew is a great Guide but each individual is responsible for their own unique creativity. People shouldn't wait around for others to present the tools and creativity for them. C'mon , you can do it.
14 years ago
u just know it! keep it up
Nick
14 years ago
you wise wise man
Jonathan D
14 years ago
Andrew, you are and will always be my AE Guru!
14 years ago
I always remember some advice from Before & After Magazine.
When you're designing, always design with a paper and a pen, then your design won't be swayed by your computer limits or the limits of the software you're using.
Toby Ash
14 years ago
I think people come in two sizes,

those who primarily want to find out and discover truth for themselves

and those who's motivation lies in the glee of holding that knowledge over others

Im pretty sure most people know of the latter guy...
Darren
14 years ago
When you are 7 you are amazed at how much your Father knows.
When you are 17 you are amazed at how little your Father knows.
When you are 27 you are amazed at how much your Father has learned in the past 10 years.
Jay
14 years ago
Sensei - Your lesson reminds me of Sho Shin "Beginner's Mind" Osu.
Magic
14 years ago
And there is always VCP, where you can learn more...
pipecobovfx
14 years ago
time and experience teaches you a lot, but there is always someone you know rather than another and there is always a monster who knows too much but knows she can learn from another
14 years ago
I just watched a TED talk today from Kathryn Schulz about a very similar thing, being wrong. I feel like the two are very related.

http://www.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_on_being_wrong.html
Bryan
14 years ago
"The man who knows everything, knows nothing and the man who knows nothing, knows everything."
Avinash
14 years ago
I have been reading these posts and while i do agree with everyone one here, i cant say wat you guys are saying is 100 percent true.

So called " KNOW IT ALLS " may talk alot of trash and alot of them do it alot, but there are some who has the knowledge and confidence to back it up. So while there are people critizing them for being so confident abt wat they do know, they're studying wat they dont. i know people who are like this and yea at times i wanna kick their asses for being like that, but other times i just cant help but admire how confident some people are.
Steve
14 years ago
I'm a Know-It-All. It's hard to admit, but I think I've come to terms with it. Being an oldest sibling or whatever, I think it's a trait that I've always had.
Coming from one who knows (hehe), it is a disability.
Yes I study, and have learned A LOT. I have landed a pretty sweet job in post-production because of it. But I do recognize that it is a weakness, and something I work on daily.
I am grateful for those who know a whole lot more than I do to put me in my place.

"The more I learn, the more I realize I ho much I don't know."
Vito Corleone
14 years ago
But I guess, it's better to leave the gun and take the canolli than to go down to the mattresses. And of course, it's nothing personal - just business.
Russia
14 years ago
Learn, learn and learn.
Valadimer Ilich Lenin
14 years ago
it's alway hard for someone to learn if that person is stubborn.
Anyway thanks Andrew, every blog help me a lot ! THANKS ANDREW!!!!!!!
From Laos developing country, without any VFX or CG school .
14 years ago
Awesome advice! Here's another quote I love

"Never, ever, ever stop learning!"
14 years ago
I use Photoshop more than After Effects but I think both programs and their related arts are extremely rich and full bodied. I realized a long time ago that I will most likely never know everything that can be done or how every nook and cranny works in PS or AE. It's the journey that's the reward. Know-it-alls think the journey is over. Oh how wrong they are!
14 years ago
Ok, the picture made me laugh, I remember that episode
Anyway, this is true - no one EVER knows everything. it's just how life's going...
14 years ago
Unfortunately with know-it-alls, you learn that their egos exceed their actual ability. In the end, they become victims of their own close-mindedness.

Keeping your head down and doing the work, will take you that much farther in a job. More importantly, you have to decide who's definition of success you are living by. If you don't keep an eye on it and continually setting and redefining your goals, you may find you are living by someone else's.

Conventional wisdom says work your way up to management. Suprisingly, many people I know realized that they preferred staying where they were: learning and making creative. Management while it seems powerful is exactly the opposite creatively. But that is OK if that is what you want.

Learning is the key to everything, I myself quit my job to pursue my passion, directing. I still freelance to make ends meet, but the biggest reward is that it has left me more time to learn VFX, make short films and learn a new language. To live life.

While we definitely need to learn what buttons to push to create these things, just is important is to learn from life. Not just to look at things for reference, but to get out in the world and interact with others. Find out why they like what they like. Focus groups will never replace this real and valuable knowledge.

So, sit at your computer and make this beautiful stuff, but get out there and learn from the people you are making it for. Your work will be better for it.
calvinz
14 years ago
Keep it up, i love that. waiting for your reply~~
Alex
14 years ago
Im a young men, and in my country is common to find people that believe they know everything, its very funny... well we can´t do something by them. I continue learning and I think that we never stop to learning. Have a good day.
14 years ago
I spoke to Brian Maffitt at the Pinball Hall of Fame get together on Wednesday night and your name came up, Andrew. I told him that many years ago he was the inspirational teacher that got me excited about learning After Effects. I asked him how business was with the rise of other talented tutors. He said it has made things challenging " especially when people like Andrew Kramer give it away for free." He then ended the conversation with a slightly annoyed look on his face. Oh well...
Nick
14 years ago
That's just sour grapes on Maffitt's part.

See - Andrew's giving stuff away for "free," but when I go out and buy Andrew's products - and I have - I don't see it necessarily as free anymore. Not that I mind - he's earned it by doing so. He's taking a risk by doing the tutorials for free but I would think there's a decent return on investment for him.
14 years ago
Yes Nick, I understand why Brian acted the way he did. I was just sharing this so Andrew could appreciate the humor of the situation.
Tim
14 years ago
Agreed. I noticed that I am starting to have the issue of 'This is how it gets done. No matter what.' I found that having open-mindedness is more of an enjoyable experience both for you and your peers. Because you learn more and you don't sound so mean.

Keep it up Andrew!
Justin
14 years ago
I have the state of mind when it comes to playing the guitar. Im not a pro at AE yet but I can definately see how it applies. If you think you know everything you get stuck using the same techniques you're used to when perhaps you can figure out better ways to composite the particular project that you're working on
Lucas Cruz
14 years ago
Keep It Up dude!
14 years ago
Keep a "Evolutionary Thought Process" and always see how you can evolve your own styles and techniques. If your not growing your dying ... unless you do the time freeze thing. but it is great that you keep your mind open to new things with as talented as you are very humbling Andrew.


- Major FX
14 years ago
Experienced !

Last week I was shooting a documentary with a Sony EX3 and an Aja KiPro ProRes Recorder. Great pieces of gear. I used hypergammas on the camera and recorded the footage in ProRes 422HQ.
The two things I didn't know back then while I thought I did was :
1) EX3 has rolling shutter issues ! (CMOS...)
2) The camera LCD sucks.

It is basic stuff but I remember some shots outdoor where it was impossible to get the subject properly exposed and not to have a white sky. Even with the good hypergamma. The director said "ok let's do it anyway". When I watched the ProRes footage... Tadaaaaa the sky is blue I can see some clouds.

Anyway... Great post Andrew... ^^
14 years ago
Nice advice - oh, and the signal to my reader needs 20 minutes

I really know, what it means. Sometimes you need to experiment with new things - for example when you learn html and do the switch to modern xhtml/css. That was difficult for me too, but you have so much more freedom if you just get it.

Eat a burger at carls jr for me!
santibairon
14 years ago
the only thing that i know is that i dont know anything at all
14 years ago
Really good advice I find that always doing something completely new now and again keeps an open mind.
Eric
14 years ago
Yeah, you're right, sometimes going out there and trying something I've never done before can make a huge difference on the way I think. It kind of shows how much more is out there beyond what we're doing at the moment.
Dan"9
14 years ago
this is nice. keep it up bro
14 years ago
Well said.

I was a traditional graphic designer until I stumbled across VideoCopilot. Since then, the agency I work for has expanded what we offer our clients to TV spots we produce and edit in house. This was based on the notion that I could teach myself the software and expand my graphic and technical horizon - Andrew, you gave me that confidence, the confidence to tell my employers that I think I can produce spots that both our agency and our clients will be proud of.

Thanks for what you do.
14 years ago
I am in the same boat as Daniel here: traditional graphic designer/web developer guy, but since finding this website, our company has been able to offer all kinds of new products (TV spots, video e-cards, bumpers, etc.) and it's really taken us to the next level! But as cool as the end results are, I wouldn't be able to stand the tutorials if they were dry and slow moving - your sense of humor and quick pace have been a blessing in a world full of sucky tutorials!

Like Daniel said, thanks for what you do Andrew (and assorted friends). We all really appreciate it and benefit from it.
14 years ago
Reading Derek's response to my comments reminding me that I'd like to share other ways that I'm using AE that some people may not have thought of. Rather then living within the parameters of Flash I've begun creating my online animated banner ads in AE and then running them through an external converter to make them flv files. These banner ads by far exceed most of our competitors.

Another service that we're now offering, because of AE and Andrew, is LED VideoReaderboard animations.

Why do I feel like my agency should be cutting a check to Andrew as I type this?
bolt
14 years ago
In the same boat as the rest, but with a bit of a head start. Went to art school, and learned some basic video editing, masking, but chose Maya/3d graphics as a field, but 6 months ago got some calls to do some video editing and effects, so went looking online and found your site and.. Blew it out of the park! Your leassons are easy to understand and aren't Boring! (very important.. most online tuts are sooooo boring!) you helped me brush up and push my video editing skills up a notch,

Thanks!
Eric
14 years ago
Yes, I completely agree! I notice that the people who seem to know everything are the ones that know the least, and the people that quietly offer their opinion, but listen most of the time are the ones that might know what's going on. I hope that I am the latter, but it's something I know I can work on.

Thanks Andrew, it's great to take a step back and look at what we're doing as a whole sometimes.
william
14 years ago
yo siempre he estado motivado a aprender mas, por el trabajo que tengo ya no me alcanza el tiempo para practicar el programa que manejas es una muestra del porque debemos tener una mente abierta para aprender cada dia, me asombra mucho ver que tu haces que las cosas parezcan tan sencillas de hacer en el After Effect, solo es cuestion de imaginar y no encerrarse en una sola tecnica.
14 years ago
William said for those of you who dont spaek spanish...: " ive always been motivated to learn more but due to the job i have i dont have enough time to practice the program you use... and this is why we should have an open mind to learn every day...it`s amazing the way you make things so easy to do in after effects..it`s just a matter of imagining and not focusing in only one technique.." i hope this have been useful Andrew.. bye
Jonatas
14 years ago
Good translation Cristian.
Congratulation.
14 years ago
Thanks Christian for translation. And to William, I totally agree with you and it think that state of mind you spoke of was inspiring. Bye
simplekhent
14 years ago
keep it up andrew...
14 years ago
My favorite quote: "There are nice to know's and NEED to know's. Learn the Need to Know's and then if you have time, the nice to know's"
Benjamin Clements
14 years ago
My favourite quote is from my Architectural lecturer: "An expert knows what they don't know" Pretty cool
14 years ago
I am totally agree Andrew. Not matter how good you can be in a certain subject it is always someone else who can have a different approaching for the same technics that will be faster.

Thanks for the advice!

MCM
Homer Simpson
14 years ago
"If at first you don't succeed, give up."
Paul
14 years ago
Homer! You screwed up the first time... then you corrected it! Follow your advice.
14 years ago
Hey Andrew i saw you at NAB cool guy!!!!
I spoke with you right in fron of the Adobe Booth
Heyyy are you Andrew Kramer hahah
God Luck Bud, i've lerning with you since 2006
Thanks alot
John Knoll
14 years ago
Andy-
Good work. I would strongly recommend humbling oneself. Be patient and determined.