For single processors, none of the new features seem to weigh down the application. I didn’t notice any major difference between preview and render times in the old version versus this new version, although that might have been a result of the slightly upgraded hardware I had to install to get the program running. The only time I saw a big performance hit was when I imported an AE project into Premiere Pro via the Dynamic Link. I’m assuming AE just runs in the background when you do this, so you’re basically running two resource hogs at once. As a result, previews of the AE project in Premiere Pro were noticeably slower than they would be if I looked at them natively in AE.
Value
As a serious digital filmmaker or video producer, there’s really no way you can do without After Effects. In that respect, it’s difficult to put a price tag on its value. Is it worth the $1000 it costs to buy it new? If you’re just a person who shoots short films on the weekends and shows them to your friends for a laugh (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), then no, it’s not going to be worth it for you, and you can definitely get by with one of the offerings from FXHome. But for anyone doing serious post production, this program is like food and your non-linear editor is water; you’ll need both to stay alive.
I guess the bigger question is whether this version is worth the $300 upgrade fee. Since time is money, $300 is a drop in the bucket if even one of the features is going to save hours of rendering or general frustration. The The new animated 3D text feature will definitely save a lot of time, and the Brainstorm function might help to improve design ideas, giving your compositions that extra boost you need to edge out the competition. Teamed with Photoshop CS3 Extended, the vanishing point exchange feature could also allow you to come up with some tremendously creative 3D designs without having to master Lightwave or 3D Studio Max.
In all, it’s hard to judge the value of a program that is a necessity in your workflow. As this version of AE has at least one invaluable upgrade for nearly any user, I’ll give it high marks for value. For folks who choose to get it as part of the extremely economical CS3: Production Premium, it’s an even better value. (To read the full CS3: Production Premium review that I and writer Justin Pugh assisted editor Jeremy Hanke with, check it out here.)
Final Comments
If you’re a filmmaker who has never used After Effects, you’re seriously missing out on some incredibly powerful ways to improve your movies. I’d highly recommend downloading the new CS3 demo from Adobe’s website immediately and try it out. However, if you do any post-production work on a professional or semi-professional level, you probably already own After Effects. Whether or not you will use the new features in CS3 is a personal decision, but in this case it seems as if Adobe has released an upgrade that might vastly improve your workflow, especially if you’re coming from a pre-CS version . It’s also comforting to know that despite installation issues, Adobe has done a good job of ironing out any major bugs or interface issues that could keep users from getting work done in a timely manner. As a result, this release is definitely a solid upgrade, and one which I would highly recommend.
