-
Blur out an object
Hi,
Sorry to be soooo dumb!
I need to blur out a cartoon character from a screen capture ive done. Then i plan to place some other person over the top.
But how do i get rid of the cartoon character? I imagine this is done with a blurred mask? But how do i do this? Ive tried a few things, even using null layers but nothing works.
Also, is it possible to have the blur mask track the character? I know it can be done by selecting a key frame every so often. Is there a simpler / quicker way?
Anyway my primary concern is removing this character enough to be able to place another over it.
Thanks for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
-
9 Replies
-
1. Duplicate the layer, make sure it is above the original layer.
2. Draw a mask around what you want blur on the duplicate layer.
3. Apply the blur.You can use AE’s motion tracker to help follow the motion. Apply the tracking information to the position of the duplicate layer.
There’s also the “binary search” method of setting keyframes manually, which may be more accurate.
1. Create keyframes at the beginning and end of the comp, and adjust the values as desired..
2. In the middle of the comp (halfway between the keyframes) create another keyframe, and adjust the values.
3. Halfway between each keyframe, make another keyframe adjustment.
4. Halfway between each of those keyframes, make more keyframe adjustments.
5. Repeat setting keyframes in between others until your animation looks smooth. The point is not to have to put a keyframe at every frame, but to add keyframes until you have enough for your animation to look good. Since AE handles interpolation in between keyframes, if the motion you’re trying to match is consistent, it will take care of the rest.As far as to whether or not there’s a better way to remove the character from the animation, I can’t say. If you’re going to be placing another character over the top anyway, I wonder if blurring the old one out is worth the effort.
-
Timothy is spot-on, but I will just add this: you may be better off adding your new character first, then tring to remove the old one. Your new character my go a long way to hiding your old one, leaving you with less work to do with blurs / tracking / keyframing.
Enzo Tedeschi
____________________________
Editor
Sydney, Australia -
Thanks for the help guys!
-
Hi,
I have a problem in that the character moves around on the screen. How do i get the mask to follow it? I cant get motion tracking to work, as im a newb.
But i can even move the mask around. The mask doesnt have any position properties. So if i select it and then try moving it to follow the character it just moves the whole layer. This means i end up getting a ghosting effect with the two layers being out of synch / position.
-
There is no mask position property. You have to animate the Mask Shape property.
Jim Kanter,
Digital Film Institute
http://www.dfilminst.com -
Thanks,
But….. as a newb how the heck do i go about animating a mask?
So far ive been able to create a mask on an adjustment layer, and moved this layer around so the mask fits the right locations.
-
I think you’ll find this is the wrong way to do it. Mask Shape is the right way to do it. On the timeline, open up the mask’s info by clicking the little arrow to the left of it.
Also, for an animated character, if the background is still, you might be able to export a couple of frames as the character runs around, and then copy and paste the bits of the background together into a picture of the background.
-
Select the layer you want to put the mask on.
Draw a mask using the pen tool or rectangular/elliptical shape tool.
Twirl open the layer.
Twirl open Masks.
Twirl open the mask (Mask 1 is the first).
Click on the Mask Shape stopwatch icon to activate keyframing.
Jim Kanter,
Digital Film Institute
http://www.dfilminst.com -
And “twirl down” means “click on the little arrow.”
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up