Trying to Apply Etherial Effect to Shape only

[Adolfo Rozenfeld]

Bitmap effects are per layer not per shape or even shape group.
Path effects/operators (trim paths, wiggle paths, repeater, etc) are per group.

Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires – Argentina
ar(AT)adolforozenfeld.com

[Jbruso]

Thanks Adolfo. Sorry it’s not clear to me…

So, if you wanted to apply the etherial effect, to a shape or graphic only, and not to the whole layer, how would you do it? Is it possible?

[Adolfo Rozenfeld]

It’s important to understand that shape layers offer the *possibility* of multiple shapes or groups per layer. It’s not an obligation 🙂

So, you can nust move the specific shape you want to use to a separate layer, and then apply the effect to that layer.

Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires – Argentina
ar(AT)adolforozenfeld.com

[Jbruso]

Think there was a typo there…

So, would I need to create the shape as a graphic and then bring it in, or turn it into a mask, or do some other funky AE task? Sorry if I’m not following…

[Adolfo Rozenfeld]

Yes, there was a typo indeed.

It’s important to refine the terminology here.

In AE CS3 (and CS3 only) “shape” and “shape layer” are very specific things. A new kind of vector-based object model you create and animate directly in AE.

You can bring graphics as separate layers from Photoshop if you import as Composition.

AI is a different case. It also allows you to import as comp, but if you want each AI object to be isolated, you want to make sure each graphic object is in a separate AI layer before importing as comp.

As of AE CS3, given that shape layers are a completely new feature, there is no way to bring what PS and/or AI call shapes and have them as AE shapes. PS shapes come as masked bitmaps (which is what they are in PS) and PS shapes come as vector layers, provided you separated them as one object per layer in AI and imported as Comp.

Masks, brushes and shapes can all be copied and pasted into any other by copying (and then targeting) the Path property inside of them.

Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires – Argentina
ar(AT)adolforozenfeld.com

[Jbruso]

I think I understand what you’re saying.. that AE shapes are not necessarily PS or AI vectors… i follow you.

I’m open to suggestions… if I need to bring in a graphic from photoshop as a bitmap, or a vector drawing from AI, I will.. I still don’t understand how I can simply apply the etherial effect to an object (no matter what it is, AI, PS, vector, bitmap, etc.) versus the whole layer. Is it possible to create this effect?

Here is a snapshot of the video I’m working with. As you can see, the etherial effect is being applied to the whole slide, and I just want it applied to the blue box holding the text of her name…

https://dev.sheridan.edu/Home_page_int/Premiere/test.bmp

Can you tell me how I can achieve this?

[Darby Edelen]

[jbruso] “I still don’t understand how I can simply apply the etherial effect to an object (no matter what it is, AI, PS, vector, bitmap, etc.) versus the whole layer.”

The simple answer is that you need your ‘whole layer’ to be just the object you want to apply the effect to.

Often times a ‘whole layer’ in one of my projects will be a single falling leaf, for example, or a particle system.

So in your example you want the video as one layer, on top of that you want the blue box as one layer (which you apply your effect to), and on top of that you want your text layer.

Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA

[Jbruso]

Hi Darby,

The problem is that when I apply the effect to the box layer, it applys it to the whole layer and not just the box… So, how do I get around that?

[Jbruso]

I figured out that an adjustment layer would help me get the effect. Yay 🙂 Thanks for everyone’s help. The tips on using the render que vs export were really good.

[Shay Carriere]

You’re at the core of what AE is all about. You need to precompose, separating your lower third graphic+text from the underneath footage. Your box, text and effect (which looks like fractal noise) should be in one comp (or more) and when you bring that comp into a second comp with your footage, you won’t have the problem you’re talking about.
Pick up “Creating motion graphics with After Effects” by Trish and Chris Meyer.
It’s still the most brilliant series of instructional texts I’ve come across.
Worth it’s weight in gold.