Adobe After Effects is video editing software developed and published by Adobe Systems. After Effects is primarily used for post-production in film and video. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Adobe_After_Effects The software specializes in motion graphics, special effects, and compositing still images in a 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional space. It uses a layer system similar to the one found in Photoshop, which allows for keyframing. http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects/ This keyframing enables animators to define beginning and end points in each frame for a smooth transition in their work. In addition to the layer system, After Effects also uses a timeline, where layer orders can be manipulated and timing adjusted. Adobe After Effects is often used in conjunction with Abode Premier, a video editing software that is based around timelines, with Premiere covering the bulk of the video editing and After Effects being used for post-production and finishing touches. http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects/

After Effects was originally released in January of 1993, by the Company of Science and Art (CoSA). The Company of Science and Art, headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, incorporated in June of 1990. http://www.cosa.com/ After their 1993 release of After Effects, the company was purchased by the Aldus corporation in July of that year. Aldus was founded in 1984, but went defunct a year after acquiring CoSA. Aldus merged with Adobe in 1994. After Effects continued to be produced under the Aldus brand, until the January 2002 release of version 5.5. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Adobe_After_Effects

• CS5 requires a 64-bit Operating System: Intel Pentium 4 or AMD 64 processor (Windows), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 of Windows 7; Multicore Intel processor (Mac), Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6
• RAM: 2GB
• Hard-Disk Space: 3GB of available hard-disk space, plus 2GB of space for optional content
• Display: 1280x1024 display with OpenGL 2.0 compatible graphics card (Windows); 1280x900 display with OpenGL 2.0 compatible graphics card (Mac)
• Quicktime: 7.6.2
• Broadband Internet connection required for online services
• DVD-ROM drive http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects/

• January 1993: version 1.0 (CoSA)
• May 1993: version 1.1 (CoSA) http://www.cosa.com/
• January 1994: version 2.0 (Aldus)
• August 1995: version 3.0 (Aldus)
• January 1996: version 3.1 (Aldus)
• May 1997: version 3.1 (for Windows 95/NT) (Aldus)
• January 1999: version 4.0 (Aldus)
• March 1999: version 4.1 (Aldus)
• April 2001: version 5.0 (Aldus) http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-11925369.html
• January 2002: version 5.5 (Adobe)
• August 2003: version 6.0 (Adobe)
• June 2004: version 6.5 (Adobe)
• January 2006: version 7.0 (Adobe)
• July 2007: version CS3 (8.0) (Adobe)
• February 2008: version CS3 (8.0.2) (Adobe)
• September 2008: version CS4 (9.0) (Adobe)
• December 2008: version CS4 (9.0.1) (Adobe)
• May 2009: version CS4 (9.0.2) (Adobe)
• April 2010: version CS5 (Adobe) http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects/

• Adobe Store: Buy Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional