[Steve Roberts]

Funny, I didn’t think AE could read timecode.

I was also under the impression that AE starts every rendered file at 0:00:00.

It sounds as if you’re importing one large clip into AE, then rendering the one big clip. Does that large rendered clip start at 0:00:00?

I think you’re SOL, unless … if the timecode of the clips is continuous, you can try starting the comp timecode (comp settings) at the same value as the start of the large clip. However … I’ve never tried it, and it might just start the rendered file at zero anyway.

Give it a go,
Steve

[Steve Roberts]

It was a rite of passage when I realized I knew more than the guy in the computer store.

Now, with the InformationSuperhighway, there’s no reason to take the word of a salesperson on such matters. Google is your friend. As is the Cow.

SR

[Steve Roberts]

It was a rite of passage when I realized I knew more than the guy in the computer store.

Now, with the InformationSuperhighway, there’s no reason to take the word of a salesperson on such matters. Google is your friend. As is the Cow.

SR

[Steve Roberts]

(Steve barging in)

Daniel, dupe the comp and delete all layers in the dupe except your masked solid (above) and your footage (below).
You should be working in this stripped-down dupe, just to eliminate distractions.

Enable the checkerboard switch at the bottom of the comp window.
Make the TrkMat button for the footage (lower layer) “none”.

Make sure that your masks create a silhouette of the masked solid layer. I assume it should look like a red diver on its own?
Make sure that the masked solid is above the footage in the timeline.
Make sure the masked solid is set to normal mode.
Make sure the Trkmat button for the footage layer is set to “alpha matte”.
Make sure the masked solid is not visible. Eyeball off. This should happen normally.
Make sure that the footage layer is visible. Eyeball on.

Go back to the manual and re-read just to make sure. The process is very simple:
1. draw a mask on the upper layer.
2. Set the TrkMat for the lower layer to alpha matte (appropriate for your case, I believe).

It’s quite simple, really. If you still have trouble, start from scratch.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

A spiffy way to get the hand is to hold down the spacebar. Release it to go back to your last tool.

You can also temporarily switch tools by holding down the relevant shortcut key, then releasing when done.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

When alpha matting, the shape of the layer above “cuts out” the layer below. You will then see the lower layer only, but it will shaped like the upper layer.

The upper layer is the matte layer.

The upper layer should have its visibility (eyeball) switched off. Normally, this is done automatically.

There should be no other layers between the pair in the layer stack in the timeline.

Basically, compositing is the assembling of image layers into a whole, or “composite” image. Search Amazon for “compositing” and “Ron Brinkmann”.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

Well, you can colour them by using the little colour button in the project window. Make the project window wider to see it. However, you can only see the coloured tab when the comp is selected in the timeline.

Time for a feature request. 🙂

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

Thanks, everyone!

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

If you’re on Windows, try copying the files to disk then renaming them with an MPG extension. Import those into AE (or quicktime) and re-render (or export) as MOV or AVI before you start editing them.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

So did you find any stock in the er, genre?

Steve