-
Sourcing a single roto shape across multiple layers?
I was wondering if anyone has come across a clever way to reuse a single roto shape across many layers. Applications like Nuke, and even Motion allow you to draw a bezier spline, and then access that same spline with animation and all on other layers. That way, you can have a “master” spline that is acting as a matte across multiple layers, and then any changes made to that “master” spline would be updated across all the layers.
Obviously one method would be to create the roto matte, perhaps with a solid, Precomp it, and then apply a “Set Matte” to any layers that require that matte. Although this is an OK workaround, it’s obviously a bit clunky as well.
Perhaps this could be solved with a scripting function, similar to the Effect Instance script here https://aescripts.com/ft-effect-instance/
If anyone’s got a way they’ve figured out to work like this, please let me know!
-
4 Replies
-
Have you tried creating a matte on a layer then using the stencil or silhouette alpha layer styles? That would set a mask for everything in the composition below it.
You could do something with expressions but it would be similar to the set mask way you stated.
Just some thoughts
Greg
https://mogra.g2bproductions.com/ – Blog
https://g2bproductions.com/ – Portfolio -
Yeah, not bad thought, but then it just punches a hole all the way through all layers to the bottom of your Comp, which makes it tough when you’re trying to bring together a bunch of different elements.
-
As Greg suggested, you can link mask paths together with expressions, so that—for example—one mask takes its path from that of a master mask.
———————————————————————————————————
Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
——————————————————————————————————— -
Ah yes, linking the path parameter with an expression is a really good start. That takes care of only needing to tweak one mask path. Now just wish there was any easy way to instance it without having to do a bunch of copy/pasting and then pickwhipping.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up