[Steve Roberts]

Link please.

[Steve Roberts]

Masks can only be drawn in 2D space, because they reside on layers, and layers can only be flat in AE’s space.

Yes, it is a limitation of After Effects.

If you want a path to bend in a controlled fashion in 3D space, you need a 3D app such as Lightwave, MAX, Maya, Cinema4D and so on.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

You could place the colour footage layer over the BW footage layer, then apply masks to the colour footage layer. The footage inside each mask will be revealed.
Animate the masks’ shape parameter using keyframes as outlined in the manual.

If you must have the BW layer over the colour layer, you could apply masks to the BW layer, then click the “invert” button for each mask.

Note that when masks intersect, if you want fancy stuff happening, you can use different mask modes for different effects.

Steve

[Steve Roberts]

PS filters don’t work in AE any more. Sorry.

SR