[Eric Steinberg]

It sounds like somehow the default opacity for shape layers is set to 67%, and that would be in your prefs file. You can trash your prefs and start AE, which will make AE appear as a “fresh” install with all your preferences set back to default values. OR you can open up your prefs file and correct just the default value for shape fill:
1. With AE closed, open the text document “Adobe After Effects 8.0 Prefs.txt” (I’m on CS3 / Windows, your file name may be slightly different depending on your version).
2. Scroll down to the heading “Shape Graphic preferences (Fill)”. This is almost towards the end of the document.. scrolled appx. 95% down.
3. A little ways under this heading you’ll probably find
“Opacity” = “0.670000” (or a number very close to that).
4. Change this number to “1.000000”.
5. Save the txt file, and start AE.

You should have a default fill opacity of 100% now…?

Kind regards,
Eric

PS. On my Windows machine, the prefs file is located at:

> Documents and Settings
>> Administrator
>>> Application data
>>>> Adobe
>>>>> After Effects
>>>>>> 8.0

[Eric Steinberg]

The first thing I would check is if your PP project, clips, AE project etc all have the same framerate, settings, drop-frame/non-drop-frame, clip interpretations, etc…

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

I have one suggestion, but not sure if it will work in your particular situation:

1. Duplicate the layer you want to move away from the light, and parent it to the original layer.
2. Make the duplicate black, either by using the “Fill” effect, or replacing it with a black solid with the same dimensions, or whatever other way you can come up with.
3. Make sure the duplicate layer is between the light and the original layer, so it covers it. You might have to move it one pixel closer to the light. Set the opacity to 0 (zero).
4. Make sure the anchor point of the original layer is set to 0 (zero) when you start, and animate the anchor point instead of the position. But before you start animating the anchor point:
5. Create an expression by using the pick whip: Drag the pick whip from the duplicate’s opacity to the original layers anchor point z-value. At the end of the text string type in: “/-50”. You’ll have to experiment with this number to get the desired result. -10 will turn your original layer black in a short distance, and -100 will make it go black in a longer distance.

Like I said, this may not work in your particular scenario. I’m sure there is a more advanced expression that can do what you want, but somebody smarter than me will have to help you with that. Anyway, I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

Thanks for your reply,

Because of deadline we had to rush the audio part of the job to someone else, and he used Pro Tools to edit the AC3 files (5.1 surround). It’s pretty hectic at work right now, but I will try your suggestion as soon as I get my head above water. Thanks again!

Kind regards,
Eeric

[Eric Steinberg]

Its the same version of the software (CS3) and fully licensed copies of the trapcode plugs on both machines.

Is it the same release version of 3D stroke also? If not, try updating the oldest 3D Stroke to match the newest one.

If the version of 3D Stroke is not an issue, this might be a possible workaround:
1. Copy the keyframes of the stroke color.
2. Create a new solid and make it a guide layer (or just turn off the visibilty). Add the “Fill” effect to this solid.
3. Paste the colordata keyframes into the fill-color property.
4. Delete the stroke color keyframes.
5. Create an expression link between the stroke color and the “Fill” color keyframes by using the pick-whip, so that you control the stroke colors by adjusting/keyframing the “Fill” colors.
4. Save and collect

Maybe it will work with this workaround? If not, you could try skipping the expression and just be prepared to cut and paste color keyframes between the stroke layer and the layer with the Fill effect each time you go back and forth between machines. If that doesn’t work either, I’m not sure what else to suggest..

Good luck,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

Thank you! 🙂

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

Thanks for your replies!

I’m guessing capture won’t be an issue, since we shoot on Panasonic P2 cards. And I would never use Avid and PP at the same time, it would be either or. Thanks again!

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

There’s a plugin-suite be Red Giant Software called “Image Lounge”, and in that suite there is a plugin called “Hall of mirrors”. That does exactly what you’re looking for.

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

Thanks for your reply,

It looks like I was able to get my m2v files to work in Encore after all (I had imported all my m2v’s as timelines, and got all kinds of end action and orphan timeline errors. By importing as assets and creating new timelines it looks like the DVD is error-free). So I won’t have to use the Premiere-timeline route to Encore. But thanks for the tip on the Main Concept plug-in! It may be a useful thing in the future.

Kind regards,
Eric

[Eric Steinberg]

Have you tried the “Card Wipe” effect? If I interpret correctly what you’re going for, it sounds like it would be perfect.

Kind regards,
Eric