Track Matte

[Jayell]

I'm playing with the Track Matte Key .. trying to make a still and/or video show only through a round shape (white circle) created in Photoshop Elements. I've tried this about 20 times!! in each of 4 files. It works perfectly in three files, but will not work in the 4th file (which unfortunately is a 'play' file I use to try different techniques, etc). I'm using the EXACT same still, video, and white circle graphic in each of the 4 files. I remove the track matte and start over each time, knowing track mattes act weird sometimes if you make any changes.
Video is on Track 1
White circle is on Track 2
When I set the track matte properties in File #4 to show the matte is located on video 2, it completely blocks out video 1 and just shows the white dot/black background. I go to File 1, 2, & 3 .. do the exact same thing, and everythings works correctly .. every time. File #4 will never work! Are there any settings within file #4 that would make it not work only in that file. This is making me crazy!!

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm assuming you're using exactly the same settings for every matte. Like, for instance, you're ensuring that the 4th time you're not switching from Luma to Alpha or vice versa?

[Jayell]

Yes, I just double checked .. and that's correct, Steve.

[Bob]

That makes absolutely no sense. Since video #4 is the one that doesn't work, what type of clip is it? Is it DV-AVI? Or, something else? Does it have the same problem if you create a brand new project and only use #4 in that?

Premiere Elements seems to have a history of glitches with Track Matte Key. I've read that version 2 was especially buggy. Which version are you using?

Some of the information used by track matte key is contained withing the project file (which is why I asked about a new project) and some is cached by Premiere Elements when you originally execute Premiere Elements. If it were the cached information, I would expect it to fail for all four clips. You can force Premiere Elements to rebuild the cache by holding down the shift key while starting the program. You can try that, but I really don't expect that to make a difference.

[Jayell]

That makes absolutely no sense. Since video #4 is the one that doesn't work, what type of clip is it? Is it DV-AVI? Or, something else? Does it have the same problem if you create a brand new project and only use #4 in that?

It's the 4th individual PE file that it won't work in. The track number in each file makes no difference. Three other files that I opened up and tried it .. it worked fine.

Premiere Elements seems to have a history of glitches with Track Matte Key. I've read that version 2 was especially buggy. Which version are you using?

Version 2

Some of the information used by track matte key is contained withing the project file (which is why I asked about a new project) and some is cached by Premiere Elements when you originally execute Premiere Elements. If it were the cached information, I would expect it to fail for all four clips. You can force Premiere Elements to rebuild the cache by holding down the shift key while starting the program. You can try that, but I really don't expect that to make a difference.

I'll try this out in the file that won't seem to allow it, because I did try several thing before I understood how to do this correctly. But each time I removed everything from the timeline and started over.

Edit: Tried it .. no change.

[Steve Grisetti]

Maybe (and frustratingly) the program has a maximum number of track mattes per project!

[Chuck Engels]

I almost always do my track matte work in sub projects, then export the video to the main as AVI.
Just tried using the track matte, only one in the project, last week and could not get the darn thing to work.
Don't know what the problem was but I came up with a nice workaround, overlay and feather the edges.
That was the Father Daughter Ball promo.

[Jayell]

Maybe (and frustratingly) the program has a maximum number of track mattes per project!

.. and ONE would exceed that?

[Jayell]

I almost always do my track matte work in sub projects, then export the video to the main as AVI.
Just tried using the track matte, only one in the project, last week and could not get the darn thing to work.
Don't know what the problem was but I came up with a nice workaround, overlay and feather the edges.

Yes, there are other ways of getting the same result .. which was part of what I was experimenting with. But since I can get it to work in any file but one .. importing as an AVI would work fine, if I really wanted it achieved using that method. Thanks!

[momoffduty]

In Pro had a similar problem that the track matte quit working. Opened up a new sequence and recreated it no problem. Think maybe it quit in the first sequence was because I was experimenting and changing it too many times. Days later I checked the bad sequence and it was working again. Maybe restarting the computer cleared things? When unexplained things happen I now do a restart and things then work.

[Jayell]

When unexplained things happen I now do a restart and things then work.

Yeah, that's probably not a bad idea .. sorta like washing all the little gremlins out . Will try that tonite when I put my 'puter to bed, since I don't reboot often (other than when lightening is nearby). Will report back if it resolves anything.

[videovillageidiot]

I almost always do my track matte work in sub projects, then export the video to the main as AVI.
Just tried using the track matte, only one in the project, last week and could not get the darn thing to work.
Don't know what the problem was but I came up with a nice workaround, overlay and feather the edges.
That was the Father Daughter Ball promo.

Chuck!! i just found this thread as i was looking into my own track matte problem (glad to see i'm not the only one this effect confounds )

what do you mean "overlay and feather the edges" - 'cuz i'm actually trying to figure out how to do that, too so i can have a p-i-p but one that is subtle...the pre4 help text actually shows the look i wanted under "About superimposing and transparency" but i don't know how they feathered the matte.

please explain. thanks!!
ps - how do you ever get any real work done with us asking all these questions?
pps - i hope you're not driving back to GA and responding at the same time!!!!!

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Village

I am not usually driving and posting at the same time, not usually

I will have to check my project to be sure but I think that I applied the Edge Feather to the Matte, it was either that or to the video that shows through the matte.
Anyway, that is what I did in the contest video to get the dreaming dog effect. It is a track matte with a edge feather on one of the clips but I can't remember which one right now.
There might be another thread where I mention how that was done. There was one project where I was having trouble with the track matte so I used a overlay, can't remember what project that was now.

I will have to take a look at my stuff when we return home