Spill Mask Effect (Video)

[Steve Roberts]

I’d bet that it’s shot footage used as a matte. Anything else wouldn’t look the same. Search the COW for “ink” and you’ll see similar opinions about similar effects.

You could try animating a mask and using the roughen edges effect, but shot footage is better. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could find it in stock footage …

[Tom Hepburn]

I’ve seen something cloes to that on some stock footage. It was black ink or somekind of fluid poured into water/or viscouse clear liquid. As the previous poster mentioned I would probably buy some cold pressed thick toothed paper and tape that while pouriing black colored water/oil over it. It would probably take a few times to get the right amount poured depending on the look you want. Then use it as a track matte. But, that’s me. I might even try it on a slow night.

Good luck.
T