• Adobe After Effects

  animate layer – but fix mask

  Posted by Kevin Bath on December 23, 2005 at 9:46 pm

  Hi – must admit – AE is not my main tool – hence the newbie question.

  How can I ‘lock’ the position of a mask on a layer – so that when I move the layer – the mask stays where it is relative to the composition thus revealing a different part of the masked layer.?

  many thanks,

  Kevin.

  Jim Kanter replied 20 years, 8 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Graham Quince

  December 24, 2005 at 4:32 pm

  Hi Kevin

  I think the easiest way to achieve this is to draw your mask on a solid above the layer you want masked (I’ll call it ‘main layer’). Then set your main layer’s track matte to alpha.

  Now when you animate the main layer, the masking will stick to the original size and shape. Hope that helps.

  Graham

  http://www.qcit.com
• 

  Jim Kanter

  December 24, 2005 at 4:34 pm

  Pre-compose the layer and leave the mask in the current composition.

  Pre-composing moves the layer into a new composition and calls the new composition instead of the layer. You can still manipulate the original layer by opening the new composition that holds it.

  Jim Kanter,
  Digital Film Institute
  http://www.dfilminst.com

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