Scaling mask of object for light

Question

Hey everyone,

I am really new to After Effects, so there is a chance that this question has been answered already, but I have been trying for 3 days and looked up tons of videos and blogs but I could not find a solution.

I have a logo that I import into the project and I scale and position it. After I crate a mask with auto trace. It creates a few masks so I delete all the masks that I do not need.

Then I insert a light and copy the mask path to the light position. The light position always goes to the "original" position and size of the object... I even tried drawing the mask myself by "Adding New Mask" to the object and drawing it myself, but the light still does not use the "new" position. I have no idea to fix this...

Here is a video link to Google Drive, where I show in 2 minutes what I do. It easier to show it that way than with text.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12SrESzX0c85_ulESk3JdzzzF3jtl-m-E/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for the help!

Lars

Mylenium · Accepted Answer

It works as it is supposed to. Masks are tied to the layer, not the comp, hence they obey the original footage size. therefore the answer is to pre-compose the scaled logo and only then do a trace in the parent composition to get matching mask contours. That or you actualyl transform and scale the masks, which is of course entirely possible. It may not align 100%, but be sufficient for adding a light to an edge. Refer to the online help on how to work with masks.

Mylenium

Rick Gerard · Answer

I can't see your MKV file because MKV is incompatible with a Mac without conversion. Save the file as an MP4.

I suspect that you have moved or scaled the layer that contains the path that you are trying to copy and paste. My technique for selecting a mask or shape layer path to use as a motion path is to set a keyframe for the path, cut the keyframe using Ctrl/Cmnd + x, then select the position property I want, set a keyframe and then paste using Ctrl/Cmnd + v. Just trying to copy and paste does not always work, but setting a path keyframe, cutting the keyframe and then setting a position keyframe and then using paste always works. The motion path will line up perfectly with the mask or shape path if the layer containing the path has not been moved or scaled in the comp. After you get the motion path and the shape path lined up you can parent everything to a temporary null and move the layers to the new position in the comp.

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