exclude an layer from the adjustment layer

[mouad]

Hi ,

i don't know why adobe still didn't add this option to after effects !!!!!!!!

we have alot of problems with this

i can't just keep pre-comping stuff !!!!!

adding a simple column between the 'track mat' and the 'parent' to exclude the selected layer from an adjustment layer in top of it will simple thing's Up .

please consider this option

My bests

[Todd_Kopriva]

An adjustment layer applies to the composited result of all of the layers beneath it. To implement what you are suggesting would require a complete rearchitecture of how After Effects works.

[mouad]

if it require a complete rearchitecture than do it ! i don't know how many years it takes but it deserve !

i mean seriously we are dying here , or at least adobe should find a solution to this Huge Problem .

[Dave_LaRonde]

...so in other words, get used to making precomps or start moving to a different compositing application.  There are several.

[Rick Gerard]

To exclude a layer from an adjustment layer you have to re-order the rendering pipeline. In a node editor you add a node, In AE you Pre-compose. Pre-composing is a tool you should use not avoid. There's nothing wrong with it. It does not effect quality. It's all about layers and render order. In 20 years using AE I've never 'been dying here' because of a pre-comp. It's all about planning your work and understanding the render pipeline.

There are changes planned in the visual display of pre-comps in the timeline but the same thing will still hold true, if you want to change the rendering order you have to change the position of the layer in the render stack. Nodes or pre-comps are a way to get that done.

[mouad]

well in my latest project , where there is more than 4000 files ,

u can't just keep precomping stuff more than what it is

i guess the solution is moving to a software use Nodegraph .

[Sterphy]

This is why After Effects is massively amateurish compared with literally ANY node-based software. Absolute rubbish.

[mouad]

thank you very much everybody , but moving to another software isn't one of my properties

[Rick Gerard]

Collected files is no indication of project size, a single image sequence could have 4,000 files. AE is a very poor movie editor but it's great for creating shots. If you are building whole sequences with many shots in a single AE comp then you are not using the software in the way it was designed. I have many projects where there are 200 or more layers in a 10 second shot. I render the shot and then edit the sequence in a NLE... That's how it was designed.

If you jump to another program with the same or greater compositing and motion graphics capabilities you're going to run into the same problem if you try and put an entire movie in a compositing program.

Just a friendly workflow suggestion.

[Mylenium]

Agree with the others. this "exclude layer from adjustment layer" request usually means that peopel are using AE in the wrong way and not structuring their projects accordingly...

Mylenium

[mouad]

you'll see , after few years adobe will solve this problem

i'm totally Sure !

[basg95488575]

almost 6 years later is not a few years I'm afraid...

[semo0610]

Can confirm, greeting from 2021

[camelo003]

Hey guys.

I was stuck with the same problem, so I found a way to solve it with minimal changes.

I have a silly 2d animation representing days and nights passing by. To improve the sensation, I put an adjustment layer to tint all layers below every time the moon rises. But the adjustment layers also tints the sun and moon and with my current structure, full of overlaps, it will be a pain to reorder and mask all layers. So I simply duplicate the layer that I was working on and rename it to "MEGA LUMA MASK" and put them just above the adjustment layer. Inside this new duplicated layer, I tint all layers to total black, except for the moons and suns, which I tint to total white. What I got was a perfect luma mask that respects all overlaps without needing to touch the structure. Finally I just set the track matte of the adjustment layers to Luma Inverted!

No pre composes (kinda), no crazy masks. Of course an adjustment layer exception system would be better, but it's a clean, fast and versatile solution.

[dariosaquetti]

Some people defend their position,in this case Adobe, as if it was politics or their football club. The truth is, the adjustment layer needs to be re designed. If you have 50 layers and you want to apply a stack of effects on layers 40-47 let's say. and keep the rest unaffected,  the only workaround is pre-compose. Sometimes you can't precompose or you don't want to precompose. Basic feature. Much missed.

[Todd_Kopriva · Accepted solution]

If for some reason you don't want to precompose, you can use property links to quickly apply the same set of effects or other properties  to a group of layers.

[dariosaquetti]

True. I mean there's always a way.People have  been working with AE for ages.But I guess, since we are in 2014 and this software has been around for 20 years such a simple update wouldn't kill. Is something basic.Even photoshop has it.

[Rick Gerard]

If you have a layer that you don't want to include an adjustment layer and for some reason you absolutely cannot put that layer above the adjustment layer then simply duplicate that layer, move the duplicate above the adjustment layer and make it a track matte.

[murmer]

"you can use property links to quickly apply the same set of effects or other properties  to a group of layers"

This sounds helpful.  Can you add some detail or a link explaining how this works with effects?

[Fred_Sprinkle]

Totally agree with dariosaquetti. I love After Effects, it's been helping me put food on the table for over 10 years, but this needs to be changed.

Even with the current architecture, I'm sure an adjustment layer "breaker" layer would be possible. It would basically create a virtual precomp for everything below it.

A similar thing can already be done with 3D layers, you can "break" the layer order with, funny enough, an adjustment layer.

There are so many times pre-comping is just not efficient, also property links are too slow and hard to manage.

I've wanted this since day 1, still do, and I am not anti-precomp or something. Please!

[Roei Tzoref]

If you haven't already, please submit this as a feature request in the wishform page.

[trashcaneron]

In Photoshop, you can create a clipping mask. This can be (sort of) achieved in AE by duplicating your target layer and using it to track matte alpha your adjustment layer. Granted, this only works if your layer is worthy of track matte (alpha or luma to key it).

Further, you can pre-compose - obviously. That's not the request though. The request is for some workflow optimization. Hard to argue with that...

And Property Links are great (and can serve many of the requirements), but what about masks? And - if you could somehow use property links with masks (and animated masks), wouldn't that be effectively the same thing as clipping masks + adjustment layers?

Point being, I don't think it's a complete restructuring of architecture. Every other Adobe program has the ability to group / folder layers, and effect only those layers via clipping masks or throwing adjustment layers in those folders.

Sometimes, a comp is too complicated to precompose things, you end up having to write expressions to keep things moving properly - and don't get me wrong, it's good to know how to do those kinds of things. It could be easier though! Think about saving time!!

Imagine the workflow in After Effects if you could group layers as well as precompose them. In photoshop, you have that ability (smart layers = pre-compositions). I use both constantly. Sometimes it makes sense to make smart layers and sometimes it makes more sense to group. They both have their purposes!

This is a feature that would help AE novices (or those transitioning from Photoshop), sure, but ultimately for advanced users it would greatly improve their workflow and cut down on a lot of time.

I will submit a feature request.

[dfralan]

Just put the layer that you want to exclude over the adjustment layer

[trashcaneron]

uh... yes... not sure that's what the request is for

[mpbMKE]

It's 2021 and we still need a better system for precomps.