I just had almost the same issue. However, if you’re just wanting to stretch the overall speed of your layer, you can use this quick trick to easily stretch footage in After Effects. In the project pane that's in the lower-left corner of After Effects, click and drag the spiral icon that's right of your file's name onto the Null 1 title and then release your mouse.. Active 3 years, 5 months ago. Ask Question Asked 3 years, 5 months ago. All layers have an anchor point, also known as a transformation point or the transformation center.This is an apt name because all of the transformations you perform on a layer are affected in relation to the anchor point’s center.You can move an anchor point with the Pan Behind tool, or by adjusting the properties of the anchor point in the transform section. Moving things at angles that aren't multiples of 90° is a pain. To bring the selected shape into a new layer, click on that square and drag it into one of the new layers. The Anchor point in After Effects is a very important feature, I will demonstrate below what is a anchor point and different ways to re-position the anchor point in after effects, by the end of the blog hopefully you'll a lot more understanding on how the anchor point works. Once it’s been moved, rename it so you’ll be able to tell which shape is in that layer. With CopyMask2Layer you can copy masks while keeping them perfectly in place – even if the layers are moving … when I animate text I select the text layer and set the position transform after placing the track cursor. This installment of After Effects Guru reveals time-saving features for navigating to specific timecodes, adjusting keyframes, changing layer behavior, working with layer modes, and using composition markers. Using this technique you can just use a quick keyboard shortcut to send it to the bottom or top of the hierarchy. Here is more information and help when having more footage layers. Each object you want to animate needs its own layer. Within the context of a composition, Text Layers behave just like a Solid or Shape Layer might. Move shape to separate layer animation. But what if I have more footage layers? Last time I talked about Masking in After Effects.This week I will be showing you why you should all know how to use Adjustment Layers:). Benefits of Adjustment Layers. Above it has been explained how we can group layers in Adobe After Effects software. If you have more than one layer selected you will only be able to select the "Move all attributes" setting in the pre-comp window. With Automatic Duck, you had the option of specifying how it stacks layers. Then, label layers appropriately. After Effects is a great program for doing time-remapping, especially if you want to do complex speed ramping. The final image should look almost the same as before except that now there’s distance between the layers. In After Effect CC, how can I use a layer, for example with a black shape, to use that shape as a mask for another layer? https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/how-to/position-2d-layers-in-3d-space.html After Effects Tutorial: CopyMask2Layer (english) from Mathias Möhl on Vimeo. Instead you will want to use the Pan-Behind Tool. Hi. After Effects also includes a plethora of unique animation options that are accessible in the Animation Tab of any given Text Layer. If you prefer your After Effects layers to step up instead of down when brought in from Premiere, here’s a few quick and easy ways to swap them!. you can delete the null afterwards and your keyframes will modify to the new offset. When using Dynamic Link to send a timeline from Premiere Pro to After Effects, some people (like me) prefer clips to stagger/stair-step up instead of the default of down. How to Move an Anchor Point in After Effects There are a lot of powerful tools you can use to transform your video projects in Adobe’s After Effects software studio. Your layer is still the active selection after you add it to the timeline. Create your graphic elements in Illustrator. We can also create full animation using audio and video clips by controlling frames speed and the time at which the audio and video clips should be synchronized to produce the desired clips. Once editing is complete, move objects to their own layers. 2. pre-compose all the layers and then move it as just one layer. Thanks in advance. Remember though, that a PSD file overwhelmed with properties will slow down the work in After Effects. Adobe After Effects has been one of my most used programs for many years. I need the layers to fit into a short composition but when I paste it, its automatically pasted outside of the timeline. Understand Anchor Points. So here's an example. I know I can draw a transparency map on the layer I want to mask itself, but wheneven I move / resize that layer (it's a simple image, in my case) the mask gets moved / resized as well and I want the mask to stay put. Do you know how I can copy layers from one composition to another in After Effects without it pasting it on the exact same timecode? Position the background layer farther away in z space (z > 0) and then scale it up. 1. add a null and parent all the layers to the null (if the layers have parents, then just parent the parents of course). Conclusion – Group Layers in After Effects. Working with After Effects 3D Layers. I had 3D layers, parented layers and a camera parented to a null using “Create Orbit Null”. Easy peasy. When you start to create more complicated visual effects, you will often find yourself with compositions that contain a fairly large number of layers. The animation on a layer slides into view, and bounces back slightly. You can also hit Command+Shift+C. I hope that helps you answer your question how to “lock” the position of a mask in AE. After a shape is moved to its own layer… When you copy a mask from one layer to another it often changes its position. Not only can you add assets and animations in layers like you do in graphic programs like Photoshop, you can also make transformations in real time as the video runs. Front was my case.-Unshy layers if you have them. If your goal is to move/animate 2 pictures or any type of layers together, you can also do the following: 1- Create a new Null Object layer (Layer > New > Null Object). Nice! This layer does not render and the box you see is only for referencing the anchor point and animation paths. Viewed 6k times 1. But in After Effects they work in a different way: there's no Layers panel, so layers are dealt with on the timeline. You could collapse the folder to organize your timeline. Here’s how it’s done. This will move all of your animation keyframes and effects to … https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/how-to/animate-group-layers.html You know what's really not fun to do inside of After Effects? Objects that move together may reside on the same layer. There aren't really any guides. losing my marbles, why is my text moving with my mask. I was wondering if you could move a layer through the timeline yet make it so its keyframes stand still relative to time. ... You could select the folder, which would select all the layers under it and allows you to move them. Hide folders, lock folders, all … Introduction to Adobe After Effects. Any middle layers can stay where they are or move slightly forward or backward, depending on the scene. The way I could move all the layers was: (CONDITION: All layers must be either 3D or 2D in order for this to work)-Change to an ortogonal view. Do this for each shape. Layer 1’s shy switch is inactive, so when the shy icon is activated for the comp indicated by the turning blue (top-right of the following image) then Layer 1 is visible and Layer 2 is hidden. Adobe After effects is an extraordinary program built with loads of tools and functions used for video editing and adding effects on the videos after they are shot or produced, in simple words Adobe After Effects is mostly used for post-production editing and modifying. After Effects: Move a layer after Position keyframes have been added. If I move the mask I first select the mask Path, position the cursor, then move the mask shape in the view window to set the keyframe. The keyboard shortcut to move your layer to the top of the layer panel is CMD + shift + left bracket. Connect your file to the null object. After Effects supports the import of files from Photoshop including layers with their properties such as opacity, location, blending mode, visibility, groups, masks, adjustment layers, etc. A 3D layer has color-coded arrows that allow you to manipulate the layer on its various axes—red for X, green for Y, and blue for Z. (However, grouping them is unnecessary for After Effects, so that’s up to your preference.) On most After Effects project it is not ideal to move your anchor point using the transform menu because doing so will physically move your layers position. Layer 2’s Shy switch is active, and is now hidden. A common feature across Photoshop and After Effects are layers. So I'll select all three layers then right-click and select “precompose. This process is called "Parenting", and it will ensure that your file is motion-tracked along with the null object. Hello everyone. I'm not sure how to word this question. After importing anything, I cannot drag any layer in my project to the Timeline, or to the Composition panel (to show in the Composition panel, double clicking is still fine). As you hover your cursor over the layer’s arrows, a tooltip will show you which axis you’re over. This allows moving your footage layer around without the mask moving in your After Effects project.