Copying and Pasting Effects

[Stephen Reber]

Hey Dave…

What kind of effects are you using?? I mean the process in which you are creating this effect?

Stephen

[David Yowell]

Hello Stephen,

I have two layers. One has the original pic on it and nothing else. The other is a duplicate of the original pic, inverted and placed below the original so that it looks like a reflection. I then made a mask of it and played with the transparency until I got it exactly like I want it. I have parented the two layers so that they stay together no matter where I place them.

My question is, I know that there’s a way to easily add the mask and transparency to other pics, I just don’t know how. Otherwise, I’m going to have to do each one by hand.

I hope that’s the information you’re looking for. Hopefully, you can help me.

Thanks again.

[Kevin Camp]

since your reflection was created by a procedure using multple layers and masks, it would be impossible to create a ‘copy/paste’ effect. you could create a java script, but unless you know java, thatwould be difficult.

to make it easier to replicate you might try using ‘effects’ on a single layer to create a similar effect.

i’m not in front of a machine with ae on it, but try adding the cc repetile effect to the image. set it to expand the bottom to a value that is around the same as the height of the image (in pixels) and set the method to ‘unfold’ which should invert the image.

i don’t think that repetile has opacity control, so to adjust the transparency of the reflection try adding the transform effect and set the transparency to suit. if you wanted to fade the bottom of the reflection, you could try adding the linear wipe effect, set the angle and adjust the softness and the completion % to get the fade you want.

to add the full opacity of the origianl image back in, add the cc composite effect with the operator set to normal, or composite (it’s one of the top few choices).

once you have it the way you like it, you can copy and paste all those effects onto a new layer and it will create the same reflection effect.

to make it easy to recall this ‘effect’ in other projects you can select all the effects and choose animation>save preset, then name the preset and save it. now it will be available from the effects & presets panel whenever you want it.

Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Stephen Reber]

Hey Dave,

I think I have something that will help. I don’t think there’s anyway to automate the procedure, but I have come up with something that may simplify the process.

OK, create a new comp (720 X 540 is standard). Place your first image in that comp. With the image selected, press “S” to open scale, and shift “A” to open the anchor point. Alt-click on both stop watches to open the expression editor for both.

In the anchor point, place this expression…

x = value[0];
y = value[1];

yy = y + height /2;

[x, yy]

This expression will place the anchor point of your image at the very bottom of that image. The reason I didn’t do it manually will be apparent in a minute.

In the expression editor for scale, place this script…

if (index > 1)
{
[value[0], value[1] * -1]
}
else
{
[value[0], value[1]]
};

This says that any layer that is not layer 1, it’s scale, in the Y direction, will be multiplied by -1.

Now duplicate your image (ctrl-D), you will notice that your second image is now a mirror of the original.

I’m not sure how you’re doing the transparency, or why you’re even making a mask, but here’s what I would suggest…

Create a new solid, any color is fine. Add an effect/generate/ramp. Place this solid between the first and second image, so what we have is…

layer 1 — main upright image
layer 2 — solid layer with ramp
layer 3 — second “mirrored” image

On layer 3, set the track matte to “luma inverse”, this will make the white of the ramp transparent, and the black opaque with the gradient in between, you can adjust the Y positions of the start and end of ramp for each color to adjust the strength of the transparency.

Now up in the “project” tab, rename this comp to “comp 1” and duplicate this comp (ctrl-D), 1 for each image you have (you will notice now that each comp has been renamed in sequence comp 1, comp 2, comp 3).

The last part is reinserting the images. Double click on comp 2. In that comp select the first image (layer 1) and ctrl-select the second image (layer 3). Leave them selected and go up to the project folder and alt-select-drag your next image and drop it ONTO one of the images in comp 2. Since both images are selected, the selected images should now be switched out with the new one.

And there you go, just switch out the images in each comp.

The reason for the script for the anchor point, is so that the anchor point is exactly at the bottom edge of each image, regardless of it’s size, so when the scale is reversed in the Y direction, the bottom edged of both images with be seemless.

This might sound like a long description, but it is actually pretty simple.

Hopefully I helped some.

Let me know who it turns out…

Stephen =]