Clone Tool Frame Offset

[BernardDigital]

Maybe its just me but the only way I can see to get a frame offset using the clone tool is to sample from a different frame...

Does anyone know or is there a way to set a default frame offset? I want to clone tool to always sample from 2 frames back so I am trying to put a Source Time Shift value of -2 and have that hold or be the default. That way when I am cloning it is taking the pixels from 2 frames behind the current frame...

Thanks!!!

[BernardDigital]

Is it just me or has the clone tool missed a lot of updates...

Seems like the clone tool in photoshop is so good and in AE its just blah...

Anyone know of any plugins or anything that help the clone tool?

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Drop two copies of the footage into the Timeline. Offset one copy by negative two frames, in the TImeline; setting it's start time to +2 frames should do the trick - this layer will be used as your Clone Source.

Double-click on the other copy - this is the copy which you'll apply the Clone Tool onto. In the Layer Panel; click on the Layer Name label to invoke its menu - enable the New Layer Viewer option. Select this new viewer. Double-click on the Clone Source layer to open it in the new viewer panel.

Begin Cloning as you normally do.

[BernardDigital]

Sounds cool... So I tried it but the source layer in the paint options keep resetting when I sample from a new source to the paint layer.

I don't understand why these options keep changing? If I set a source layer or a time offset why do they reset when I sample from the image.. 

Thanks... If anyone knows how to lock these settings that would be amazing!!

[Roland Kahlenberg]

If you've set up as I've advised, you don't need to mess about with Source Time Shift - just leave it at zero and do not enable Lock Source Time. The Source menu where you select your source layer doesn't change on my end once I've set it to the duplicated copy and offset its in-point by +two frames.

[BernardDigital]

hmmmmm.... yea i feel like once you set the source menu it should not change... what version of AE are you running?

just to be clear... we have two layers in the timeline... One is offset by two frames... That is our source... We double click the target layer (paint layer) to launch it into the layers comp window... Select the clone tool to enable the paint options.. in paint options on source layer... We select the source layer that we offset by two frames... Then move on to the layers comp with the paint tool and option (alt) click to select the source area... This is where my source layer resets to the layer we just clicked on... But if I option select first then chose the source layer and then paint it works... But its very cumbersome to have to do that many clicks for each frame

In your workflow I see how you don't need to mess with the time shift... But honestly and this is me just bitching... The time shift should be able to lock and that is essentially doing your work flow in the BG...

Thank you so much for your insights!!