[Mark Bowen]

As a matter of fact if I try adding a very simple shape to the project on a new layer, say just a rectangle and I use that as the shape source for ‘Geometry’ for the particle system then again there is literally no difference at all! 🙁

From looking at the documentation on the Apple site the particles are meant to emit from that shape but they don’t, they literally just emit from the exact same place on the stage where I initially made my particle system 🙁

Really not sure what I’m doing wrong now though?

Best wishes,

Mark

P.S. Have now attached a very simple Apple Motion project to this post to show what’s happening with a really simple shape as the emitter Shape Source when set to Geometry.

I think perhaps I’m completely misunderstanding what that’s for though possibly?

Even if that did work though I’m not sure how it would help me out with making the particles track the ‘shapes’ that are in the video file attached a few posts above though?

Particle-Effect.zip 6 KB Zip - Click to view

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[Mark Bowen]

Basically I’d like to initially have say particles that look like an upward flowing waterfall coming out of each of those shapes as they fall if that’s possible.

Next I’d like to be able to have the upward flowing waterfall only start when the notes have fallen past a certain vertical position but not sure if the first part is even possible yet 🙁

Thanks again for any help with this.

Best wishes,

Mark

[Mark Bowen]

Hiya,

I tried selecting Geometry however I can’t drag the movie clip that has the ‘shapes’ on to it so that’s not working unfortunately.

I then tried ‘Image’ from that same setting as I had read that if you have an image with an alpha channel then they will emit from that and it did allow me to drag the movie in (I’ve made it an alpha channel movie so the shapes are falling down the movie on their own with a transparent background) but that doesn’t do anything. The particles aren’t even getting emitted unfortunately 🙁

I’m pretty stumped at this point. I’m going to try attaching part of the transparent video that I’m using in the hopes that maybe someone can see what I’m trying to achieve and can perhaps instruct me of how to get what I need here. Hoping this is possible as I don’t really want to have to fork out buying something like After Effects and Particular Trapcode.

Many thanks to everyone for all their help with this as it’s really very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Mark

Transparent-Shapes.mov_.zip 7 MB Zip - Click to view

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[Mark Bowen]

Hiya,

Thanks. Yes it’s the hands I need not the keys moving on their own. I’ve actually been a pianist since I was 3 (about 43 years now) and was very lucky to get to play on one of the very first grand pianos that could play back by itself. They’re pretty fun to watch those are!

Thanks for all the help everyone. I will give all of that a go and see what I come up with.

Best wishes,

Mark

[Mark Bowen]

When you say shape though these are shapes that are in a video so not each one is separate they’re literally ‘baked’ into the video as it were. Basically a bit like if you were to imagine very large rain drops coming down in a video except it’s video and not separate shapes.

Will that work then? Will have to give that a go and see.

Thanks,

Mark

[Mark Bowen]

Actually I want to do the exact opposite 😉

I need to keep the hands and get rid of the keys. Was just hoping there might be some way to mask out the keys (keeping the hands) by using some colour controls or something but seems like you can only use those types of things on effects applied to video.

Will have to check out Track X and if that (or something like it) doesn’t work then I’ll have to rethink.

Thanks for the post though, very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Mark

[Mark Bowen]

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for that. Will take a look now.

Best wishes,

Mark