[Michael Szalapski]

You need a path to paste into. So you can create a new path from the operators menu and then paste into that.

[Michael Szalapski]

You can use any of a number of ways to reveal the text. That’s super easy. You can use text animators, a mask, or even the Linear Wipe effect.

To get the burst of light, there’s CC Light Burst and another CC Light effect whose name I can’t recall that can get you a burst of light like that. You would just make the source point animate while you both wipe on and wipe off duplicate of your text layer. You could use a Circle effect with Stencil alpha as one way to just reveal a small portion of the text.

[Michael Szalapski]

You can copy a path to a path.

And you can use the merge paths function.

I think reading through the info on this page and checking out the links it points to would be very helpful.

[Michael Szalapski]

There is no need for an adjustment layer when you’re just trying to mask layers.

[Michael Szalapski]

You can use an effect like Set Matte or Set Channels if the layer sizes are the same.

You can use Track Mattes no matter what size the layers are.

[Michael Szalapski]

The quickest way would be to select one of them, hit the select connected command, and then delete them.

But I’m not sure that would actually solve your problem. Which models are these (what version of C4D and where to find them in the browser)?

[Michael Szalapski]

There’s the industry-standard third-party plugin, ReelSmart Motion Blur that’s out there too. Often gets surprisingly great results.

[Michael Szalapski]

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing color work on it to make it vibrant, key it, then use that matte on the original, pre-color footage.

[Michael Szalapski]

I second what Brendon said. You can install several versions of AE without them interfering with each other at all.

[Michael Szalapski]

I think you should pay for software you use.