[Thorsten Miess]

check this out: https://library.creativecow.net/articles/swanson_grant/sin_city1.php

[Thorsten Miess]

Put the layer with the alpha channel above the other layer and choose on the layer beneath the alpha-channel-layer Track Matte>Alpha Trackmatte (or inverted if you want to)(its all in the timeline)

This Method effects only a single layer.

For effecting all layers underneath your alpha-channel-layer change its blending mode to>Stencil Alpha (or one of the other 3)

And if you want a mask for a layer:

Select your aplha-channel-layer (i love this words 🙂 ) and choose layer>Auto Trac. After changing a few settings in the upcoming menu(dont worry you even dont need to change) click apply and a mask will appear on a new solid.
Now you can copy the mask to your layer that should have the transparency from the…one more time: alpha-channel-layer.

Hope this helped

[Thorsten Miess]

Check this out: https://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/CCQT_1_Grow_Bounds.php

[Thorsten Miess]

Just drag your project file into your layer window. or simply import the file (recommend creating a new folder first; in your project and then drag the project file in it) There you should see the comps from the project in your second project

[Thorsten Miess]

Didnt he mentioned it in one part of the tut?

You have to draw a mask around the head:

Take the pen tool, make sure your saber layer (if multiple select only one)

draw a mask around the head or the object.

set the mask to subtract by hitting “M” twice and choos Add and make it to subtract.

Now without changing a frame it those first steps set a keyframe for the mask shape and move then to the next frame and “reshape”
the mask so it will stay on the head! (tip:sometimes you can skip 1 or 2 frames, depends on your shot)

additionally you can feather the mask a bit!

(BTW: of course you can cover the whole saber with the mask)
(multiple layers: copy the mask and paste it to the other layers!)

[Thorsten Miess]

Right here on Creative Cow are very good podcasts for After Effects!

But the best AE Site is http://www.videocopilot.net This is Andrew Kramers Website on wich he has a lot tutorials.

In case you´re new to AE like you check out his After Effects Basic Tutorials also on his Site.

[Thorsten Miess]

Oh, thank you! Well then i need to read it on pc oder try to print it (wich is expensive, because of the ink)

[Thorsten Miess]

Visit:

https://www.adobe.com/special/regincentives/aftereffects/ae5plugin_dwnld.html

dont be confused that there is a ae5 in the link! It works for 6.0 as well. I tried it

[Thorsten Miess]

You have to select the Mask shape property, not the entire mask

[Thorsten Miess]

select the keyframes (could be more than 2) hold Alt (or Option) and drag the last keyframe