// Third-party AE Plug-In Developers

Digital Anarchy / Creators/distributors/conspirators behind Text Anarchy, Psunami, and a boatload of time-saving motion graphics tools. For pizza and practical info, make sure you hit the monthly BAMG meetings hosted by Digital Anarchy and RevisionFX.

Trapcode / No motion graphics toolkit is complete without Shine. Also check out Particular, Lux, Starglow, and 3D Stroke. Truly amazing plug-ins with no peers in look or performance.

Walker Effects / Steven Walker is a one-man effects machine. Dig into his toolkit, built to withstand his own stress testing in the trenches of 3D production.

Profound Effects / Useful Assistants and Useful Things have a dedicated userbase and development team taking animation scripting and macros to the next level. For a related resource illustrating how you can incorporate simple geometric expressions into your AE projects, take a look at Motion Script and http://www.jjgifford.com/expressions/.

// Tutorials, list servs, training materials, and books

AE-List / Email discussions on post-production and all things After Effects. The gurus on this list will perform tricks and take questions for praise and a pat on the back.

Mograph.net / THE bulletin board for motion graphics artists who want to battle or find inspiration. See also DesignInMotion for the latest buzz in the motion graphics industry.

Ayatoweb.com / Bilingual (kind of) tutorial site that illustrates plenty of killer techniques with step-by-step instructions and progress movies. For advanced users.

Cybmotion.com / Website for Chris and Trish Meyers. Find out what they're working on and how they pull it off. You'll also find addendums to their Creating Motion Graphics tomes (must reads for any digital artists).

Total Training / Former Atomic Effects developers teach you how to monster mod your projects with After Effects. Better than an episode of MacGyver.

// 3D art, visual fx, inspiration

Good Brush / Matte artist, Craig Mullins, can kick it with brushes as well as pixels.

Teknoel / Amazing interplanetary interfaces for everything from Star Trek to Star Wars by Noel Rubin.

Paul Debevec / Learn about HDRI, photogrammetry, and global illumination from a pro.

DVGarage / Putting it all together — the DVGarage crew have the tutorials and the tools to get you up to speed with photoreal, production-ready techniques such as digital compositing, high dynamic range imaging, and global illumination rendering. See what's in the shop at http://www.dvgarage.com/garage/break/forums/index.php.

MK12 / Eyecandy galore from KC's cutting edge motion graphics shop.

TDB / Home of Sophia Coppola, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, and a clutch of other directors with skills and style to boot.