• Adobe After Effects

  echo effect, force motion blur and mask combo issue

  Posted by Adrian Krol on June 15, 2009 at 10:10 am

  Gentlemen,

  I am trying to get the following effect:

  In AE7, I take a still image, rotating into the comp 90 degrees, with an echo effect so it looks a bit like a fanned out stack of cards. When I use Force Motion Blur, I lose my echo, so I precompose and add the Force Motion Blur to the precomp to get the desired look. So far so good.

  Since the edge of the original image is harsh on top of the blurred deck underneath after the still has completed the rotation, I add a blur around the edge of the original still (using adjustment layer and mask). But if I look at the final result of the nested comp, instead of the blurry edge around the still, i see the mask contour/outline in the still.

  Any insight on this would be appreciated… is this a bug ?
  ( BTW, When I collapse transformation, I loose the echo again…)

  Thanks in advance

  Adrian

  Adrian Krol replied 17 years, 2 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Roland R. kahlenberg

  June 15, 2009 at 2:10 pm

  Oh boy! To cut a long story short. Do not use an Adjustment Layer but rather apply the effect and mask directly in the precomp.

  I’m in a bit of a rush but you should find out more on the basic of Collapsing Transformations. In the meantime, don’t use it.

  Cheers
  RoRK

  broadcastGEMs – AEPro Volume 02 (Professional Adobe After Effects Project Files – Now Available).

  Adobe After Effects Training in South East Asia.
• 

  David Bogie

  June 15, 2009 at 4:51 pm

  You want more control and the resultant increase in confusion? Try using Time FX and Time Blend FX. Requires two copies of the effect, first set to paste, second to cut. Very confusing but worth the effort, tons of fun and deliciously liquid results.
  Be sure to study the additional effects documentation for the CC effects or possibly stop by the Cycore Website for assistance.

  bogiesan
• 

  Adrian Krol

  June 16, 2009 at 11:42 am

  Roland, David,

  Thank you very much for your responses. I did read up on the collapse transformations and removed the adjustment layer as Roland suggested. Unfortunately this did not solve the artifacts that I saw and continued experimentation. Turns out it is not the mask showing through: instead of using mask and feather to apply the fast blur, I used a B/W ramp and matte to blur the edge of the image. It seems that there is some kind of interference of the echo effect with the blur, showing a distinct line unexpectedly on the top image. When I find the time I can post some examples – I am still confused on what is happening there.

  For now, I will try the Time Blend FX option as suggested by David to see if I can get better results.

  Again, thanks for your time – I learned something new once more.

  A.
• 

  Adrian Krol

  June 16, 2009 at 12:00 pm

  Or even simpler…. i will dupplicate the still and animate it on top of the echo-ed layer, that should do it. Simplest solution is easily overlooked. Still doesn’t solve the mystery for me but hey, if it works – it works.

  Again thanks for your time and attention.

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