How To Create A Cinematic Map Animation

with Google Earth Studio & Adobe After Effects

What you'll learn

Create professional-quality map animations from scratch using Google Earth Studio and Adobe After Effects

Master keyframe animation and camera controls in Google Earth Studio to produce smooth, cinematic movements

Import, edit, and enhance map footage in Adobe After Effects, including text animations, trim paths, and 3D tracking

Develop a complete workflow for designing, animating, and exporting maps for documentaries, travel vlogs, real estate, or commercial projects

Gain the confidence to use After Effects even as a beginner, applying its core tools to bring your ideas to life

Requirements

No prior experience with animation, Google Earth Studio, or After Effects is required — this course starts from the basics.

A computer (Windows or Mac) capable of running Adobe After Effects and Google Earth Studio smoothly.

Access to Adobe After Effects (a free trial is available from Adobe if you don’t already have it).

A Google account to access Google Earth Studio (free to use once approved).

A willingness to learn and experiment, that’s all you really need!

Description

Have you ever watched a documentary or travel video where the story seamlessly zooms across a map, and thought, “Wow, that looks amazing—I wish I could do that”? Good news: you can. And this course will show you how.Whether you’re a filmmaker, vlogger, educator, real estate professional, or simply a storyteller looking to add depth to your videos, map animations are one of the most powerful ways to guide your audience, give context, and make your projects look cinematic. The best part? You don’t need prior animation experience to get started.In this step-by-step course, you’ll learn how to create stunning map animations using Google Earth Studio and Adobe After Effects—two industry-standard tools that, when combined, give you incredible creative control. We’ll start completely from scratch and work all the way to exporting your polished video, ready to share with the world.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll master inside the course:How to research and design your base map for storytelling impactA complete Google Earth Studio overview, plus quick start projects so you can begin right awayKeyframe animation techniques to bring your map movements to lifeMastering camera controls in Google Earth Studio for cinematic zooms and pansExporting and integrating Earth Studio footage into After EffectsThe essentials of Adobe After Effects (even if you’ve never opened it before)Animation techniques like trim paths, text animation, and 3D trackingExporting your final project for YouTube, social media, or professional useAnd plenty of insider tips, shortcuts, and creative ideas along the way!By the end of this course, you’ll not only understand the software, but you’ll also have a repeatable workflow to design map animations for any project. That means you’ll be able to confidently create visuals that elevate your documentaries, impress clients in real estate or commercial projects, and captivate audiences in your travel vlogs.This class is designed for absolute beginners—no prior knowledge of Google Earth Studio, After Effects, or animation is required. Each lesson builds on the previous one, giving you both the technical know-how and the creative confidence to apply what you learn right away.So if you’re ready to transform your videos with engaging, professional map animations, let’s dive in. By the time you finish, you’ll have the skills to turn a flat location into a cinematic journey—and the best part? You’ll be able to do it anytime, for any project.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Welcome

Lecture 2 Class Orientation

Section 2: Google Earth Studio

Lecture 3 Quick Starts in Google Earth Studio

Lecture 4 Interface of Google Earth Studio

Lecture 5 Controlling the Camera

Lecture 6 Track Points in Google Earth Studio

Section 3: Adobe After Effects

Lecture 7 Text Animation in After Effects

Lecture 8 Creating Path Animation

Section 4: Conclusion

Lecture 9 That’s a Wrap!

Filmmakers, vloggers, and storytellers who want to bring their projects to life with cinematic map animations.,Professionals and educators who need engaging, easy-to-follow map visuals for presentations, real estate videos, or online content.,Beginners in animation or video editing who want a step-by-step, beginner-friendly introduction to Google Earth Studio and After Effects.