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Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After Ef

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Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After Ef

Postby _Paz_ » Sun Nov 17, 2013 6:23 pm

I have a short video clip that has two layers. Original footage and a copy of the original that has been turned into a fairly white, embossed moving object.

The darkest part of the white embossed version doesn't show much at all. It's flat, it's like it's not there, like a hole in it.

I'd like to select a particular black object and somehow make it retain original color in the midst of the white embossed image.

Is it possible? How???

thanks,

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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby momoffduty » Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:14 pm

I need a little more info. Is this correct: there are 2 layers of the same video clip. What order are they placed in the layer panel? What effects did you apply and parameters? Any blend modes? A screen shot would be good and what you are trying to accomplish.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby _Paz_ » Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:51 am

This project has been on the back burner for a long time, but I've come back to my painting video(s) intro.


The bottom layer is the white embossed layer. Lots of experimental edits made to it, but I don't remember what, or in what order. I haven't closed the file though, so I guess as many as my history will hold should still be recorded.

Image

The top layer is the original, full color. I have the visibility turned off. Just wanted to save it in case I messed up with my experiments. I could delete the mess, duplicate the original, and play around some more. The full color layer could, of course, be moved to the bottom.

Image

I'd like to try having everything be white embossed look except the brush, which has a black handle, silver ferrule, and dark black-brown bristles. I think the movement of the black brush against the mostly white look with art deco text sliding in would make a balanced and clean look. The lack of definition where the brush should be looks like a hole in the design.

I notice now that the sizes are different. I'm 95% positive I reduced the size by exacly 50%. But I did drag the footage lower in the frame to give room for the text to be at the top. Perhaps there is a way to reduce opacity of a layer so they can be synched exactly in position.

In earlier experiments, I've added a lower layer and used the eyedropper tool to select the white embossed background color. Once done, the reduced footage is visually seamless with the added background. There is a small spot in the lower middle that needs to be cloned out. Since it doesn't move, it shouldn't be a problem.

No blend modes. I confess, I'm not sure what that means. No transitions. Nothing really done to the full color layer, except the beginning of the footage, on both has a few seconds hold frame. The whole thing lasts about 11 seconds or less.

Haven't quite gotten the hang of text in either PrePro or AE. Much easier in PreEl 11.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby Bob » Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:04 am

I don't recall, which version of After Effects do you have?

If you have CS5 or CS6, this can be done with the roto brush. The basic idea would be to place the embossed layer on the bottom and the original layer on top (both visible) and then use the roto brush tool to select and mask the brush in the top layer. The result will be the original brush showing on the embossed base image. The two layers will need to be aligned, you can copy the position and scale properties from the embossed layer and paste them into the original layer or you can link the original layer's position and scale to the embossed layer. That way it will track if you change the embossed layer.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby momoffduty » Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:32 am

Ditto what Bob posted.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby _Paz_ » Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:15 am

I have AE CS6. I'll do some Rotobrush reading after I figure out how to get the layers aligned.

Thank you both. I woke about dawn and saw Bob's reply. I've been reading/searching the web about 3 hours now trying to figure out how to do what he said... so sorry, I know these are dumb, basic questions... but. ](*,)

I set visibility for both layers and twirled down to see attributes. I changed scale of the original layer to 50%.

Anchor point and position say they are the same.

Image

But this visual suggests they are not aligned, and I know they must be perfectly for this to work.

Image

I'm not sure how to link attributes. The pickwhip?

There are no pickwhips for specific parameters. Should I simply select the Transform category, then drag the pickwhip beside the lower layer name to the upper layer?

Image



thanks again


Whoohoo! Just figured out how to change the layer names! I now have "original" and "embossed".
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby Bob » Mon Nov 18, 2013 1:28 pm

The problem is that you have two transforms on the embossed layer. One is the standard transform that automatically comes with each layer. The other is a separate transform effect that you added. This is only going to cause confusion.

To get the two layers in sync, I would recommend the following. First, remove the transform effect from the embossed layer. Second, click on "reset" next to the built-in transform property in each of the two layers. Third, drag the pickwhip from the original layer to the embossed layer. The two layers should now be aligned identically. The embossed layer will be the controlling layer and you can now control the position and scale of both layers by adjusting the built-in transform properties in the embossed layer.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby _Paz_ » Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:12 pm

Not sure what I've done wrong.

Step 1:
I used Control + X to delete transform on embossed layer.

Step 2:
"Second, click on "reset" next to the built-in transform property in each of the two layers."

Since I deleted it, the embossed layer no longer has "Transform" to reset, so after many failures to get anything to work right, I created a new Transform for the embossed layer right after the first history "delete transform" on embossed layer.

I then selected each layer's Transform>reset, in turn. Each layer became 100%.


Step 3:

Drag pickwhip from original to embossed.

Step 4:

On embossed I changed the scale value to 50%. That worked fine, but the original remains at 100%.

Beside the pickwhip symbol on the original layer, layer 1, the label indicates "2.embossed.mp4".

On layer 1, original, Transform has 5 categories. "Scale" has a chain link symbol and 100% twice.


On layer 2, embossed, Transform has 10 categories. Scale only says 50% once.

Why would they be different? Do I somehow still have multiple transforms applied to the embossed layer?

Image

:conf:
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby Bob » Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:18 am

Step 1:
I used Control + X to delete transform on embossed layer.

Step 2:
"Second, click on "reset" next to the built-in transform property in each of the two layers."

Since I deleted it, the embossed layer no longer has "Transform" to reset, so after many failures to get anything to work right, I created a new Transform for the embossed layer right after the first history "delete transform" on embossed layer.

Don't add the transform effect. There is a built-in Transform on the layer, but it may be hidden. Click on the arrow to the left of the layer name to collapse the list and then click again to display the list. Transform should now be visible.

I then selected each layer's Transform>reset, in turn. Each layer became 100%.


Step 3:

Drag pickwhip from original to embossed.

Step 4:

On embossed I changed the scale value to 50%. That worked fine, but the original remains at 100%.

That's because you added a Transform effect and changed its parameters. The link is based on the built-in Transform properties and you need to change those, not the ones in the added effect.

Beside the pickwhip symbol on the original layer, layer 1, the label indicates "2.embossed.mp4".

On layer 1, original, Transform has 5 categories. "Scale" has a chain link symbol and 100% twice.


On layer 2, embossed, Transform has 10 categories. Scale only says 50% once.


Why would they be different? The Transform effect actually has 11 properties, the built-in Transform has 5. You only have one scale property because "uniform scale" is "on", if it were off you would have two scale properties -- one for width and one for height. The built-in Transform scale property has a field for width and one for height. The Chain icon is used to link or unlink them just like "uniform Scale" does. Delete the Transform effect and use the built-in Transform
Do I somehow still have multiple transforms applied to the embossed layer? Yes, you do.


Here's what it should look like afterwards:

synclayers.JPG
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby _Paz_ » Tue Nov 19, 2013 7:17 am

but it may be hidden


Yep! That was it!

All done over and now I've changed scale parameter in embossed and both layers became 50%.

The embossed layer says it is 50%, the original layer says it is still 100%, but it is the same size as embossed now and they do appear to be aligned exactly.

Bob, you're a genius!

(ok, not news)

Many thanks! :yh:
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby Bob » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:24 pm

You're welcome, Paz!

By the way, linking the way we've just done is called Parenting layers. The embossed layer being the parent and the original layer the child. When layers are parented, the child follows the changes in position, rotation, and scale of the parent. But, the child layer retains its own transform values which will be applied in addition to those of the parent. In this case, we reset the child properties to default so they won't affect anything and the two layers will remain aligned. But, in some uses of parenting, it's very useful to be able to transform the child as well.
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Re: Can I select a single object to show on a layer in After

Postby _Paz_ » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:37 pm

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

I have so much to learn. I'm sure glad you're a part of this forum, Bob.
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