[Andy George]

Hi Ryan,

Well sort of. More like taking advantage of AEs ability to
launch instances of itself in the background to be assigned
to multiple processors when rendering.

Here is a script that will allow you to assign a project
to render in the BG while you continue working in AE.

https://aescripts.com/bg-renderer/

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Rob,

The computer itself is not restricted to NTSC or PAL
standards and as such is capable of working with
whatever format you want.

As well as After Effects and pretty much any other professional
software in your pipeline that you might want to use.
They are all capable of working in PAL or NTSC.

Instead of setting your project up as NTSC simply set it up as PAL.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Rikard,

It sounds like the layers inside of your precomp do not have 3D enabled.
When collapse transformations is performed AE gathers the 3D properties of
a layer from the layer itself.

From Adobe site:

If transformations are not collapsed, a nested composition that contains 3D layers is rendered as a 2D image of the 3D arrangement, using the default composition camera. This prevents the nested composition from intersecting with 3D layers, casting shadows on 3D layers, and receiving shadows from 3D layers in the containing composition. The nested composition is also not controlled by the containing composition’s cameras and lights.

If transformations are collapsed, the 3D properties of the layers in the nested composition are exposed to the containing composition. Thus, the nested composition can intersect with 3D layers, cast shadows on 3D layers, and receive shadows from 3D layers in the containing composition. The containing composition’s camera and lights can also control the nested composition.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Rikard,

In addition to “continually rasterize” being selected on your illustrator layer,
you also need to check “collapse transformations” on your precomps.

Its the same button, little sunshine looking guy.

Here is some more info from adobe on Collapsing transformations.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Markus,

If you apply your mask to a solid above the circular image you can use
that as a track matte to your circular image.

Allowing independent control of both mask and object rotation.

Fome adobe on track mattes-
https://help.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/9.0/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7cf9a.html

-Andy

[Andy George]

Dan,

I think the easiest way would be to open the EPS in illustrator, then save as an AI file. After effects will import all of the top level layers in your AI file as separate layers in AE.

Here is a link that explains how to prepare AI files for after effects.
https://illustrator.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=30923

The other benefit to this method is that your artwork remains vector.

Another method would be to just duplicate your layer as many times as you need and
mask out the individual letters.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Brad,

Your mask is extending beyond the edge of your adjustment layer. The adjustment layer
is basically a comp sized solid.

With the adjustment layer selected go to Layer>solid settings. you can
increase the size of the solid here.

Rather than animating the adjustment layer you might have better luck animating the mask.
If you twirl open the mask properties you can see the mask path property. This is where
you can animate the shape and position of the mask.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Amy,
You need to export your footage with an Alpha Channel.
This is the information that tells your editing software
whats “not there”

Not all codecs can carry an alpha channel.
A lot of image sequences can, as well as the lossless
codec.

Click on your output modual under the video output/Channels
if you change this to RGB+Alpha that will enable it
on supported codecs.

One of your render Q presets should be “lossless with Alpha”
and is a good one to go with.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Hi Mathew,

Copy your layer.
Mask the part of your new layer you want to apply the effect to.

-Andy

[Andy George]

Nicolae,

Here is a post for some suggestions on dealing with disappearing particles.
https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/63/856418#856419

As to linking focus to a null check out Dan Ebberts website here
https://www.motionscript.com/design-guide/auto-focus.html

-Andy