If I have a mask applied to footage, and then I alter the Scale properties of the footage, it seems that the mask also gets re-sized. This can be handy...until you want the mask to stay the SAME size throughout the scaling. I want the picture to grow in size, but I want the mask to stay the same size. Any way to keyframe Scale without having it affect the mask? I tried applying a mask to an adjustment layer but it doesn't have any effect.
re-sizing picture without re-sizing mask
- Thread starter sean90291
- Start date
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
this has absolutely nothing to do with your question....
...i just wanted to thank you for the very kind and intelligent thoughts you posted about IFHY on the Film Threat web site.
...i just wanted to thank you for the very kind and intelligent thoughts you posted about IFHY on the Film Threat web site.
oneinfiniteloop
Veteran
You have to use the adjustment layer with the mask as a track matte, or change it's blending mode to silhouette or stencil alpha.
Hm. I'm trying to do that, but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Can you identify the steps?
oneinfiniteloop
Veteran
I wouldn't suggest pre-composing, as I stated in the other thread, you then have to open up a pre-comp to adjust any properties of your animation, which can be a major hassle sometimes. Track mattes are very powerful and almost every project I've done uses them. Learn 'em, otherwise you're seriously missing out.
Yeah, I figure it's time to conquer the track matte. They're really quite baffling though. It took me a while to figure out the basic After Effects principles, and I'm finally pretty competent at compositing and effects. But track mattes are like a foreign language still. What are they really for? Maybe they're for many things, which is why I've never quite figured them out. (BTW, I have like 5 After Effects books, and I've learned a lot from them, but they haven't helped me nail track mattes yet. One day I'll write the Idiots Guide to After Effects, because sometimes you need to know WHY you're even doing something before you can learn HOW to do it--most of the books launch into track mattes like I'm supposed to know what it even is!).
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oneinfiniteloop
Veteran
It's pretty simple. There are two types of track mattes, alpha and luma, which can be set as normal or inverted.
Basically, a track matte is used by the layer below as a mask based on either the alpha channel of the top layer or the luma values of the top layer.
For example, say you have a layer with an alpha channel. Either an adjustment layer with a mask applied, a 3D render, or something from Photoshop or Illustrator. Whatever layer is below that and set as a track matte will take the shape of the top layer's alpha or luma values.
Basically, a track matte is used by the layer below as a mask based on either the alpha channel of the top layer or the luma values of the top layer.
For example, say you have a layer with an alpha channel. Either an adjustment layer with a mask applied, a 3D render, or something from Photoshop or Illustrator. Whatever layer is below that and set as a track matte will take the shape of the top layer's alpha or luma values.
Thanks oneinfiniteloop. I'll have to do some research before your response makes more sense to me. But I appreciate your time responding. I'm gonna crack these track matte things! (Following what I learned fromt his thread, I'm now using them right now in my comps to keep the masks from re-sizing...but that's all I know about them so far. At least they work!).