How to darken one area of a mask layer in After Effects ?

[Letty2019]

I've got this man's face in a masked out layer, and I'd like to darken one side of his face...

I was thinking, make a 2nd copy of the layer, darken that 2nd layer, and maybe make a another mask subtraction on the first layer so the bottom layer shows thru? 

But the face is moving, so that sounds messy.

What's the best way to do this ?  I think I'm making it complicated.  Maybe there is an effect?

Thanks so much!
Letty

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

Your approach sounds pretty much correct. The rest depends on what the footage looks like. It may be possible to pull a procedural matte using channel operations to combine it with the basic masking to eliminate some of the masking, but then again it may not. Likewise, simply animating e.g. a linear wipe with feathered edges could already get you a great distance without ever having to animate a detailed mask. Show us a screenshot/ sample frame and we can advise more specifically.

Mylenium

[Letty2019]

My brain must be working, can't believe I was on the right trail.

Thanks for your thoughts!    2nd layer, dark, and caz the first layer is already masked out, the bottom lay does what it's supposed to, then I use a heavy feather on the top layer's new mask,   but I still kind of have to adjust the top layer's feather line...   still peckin at it.  Looks ok, the feather moves a bit, but if I keep workin on it, might look pretty decent.

[Szalam]

For future reference, you don't need to make a second, darkened layer. You can just apply your darkening effects and then use effect masks to limit where it shows up. That is, if you twirl down your effects in the timeline, you can hit the + sign in compositing options and pick a mask to mask your effect. I just recorded a tutorial on this and plan to post it tonight or tomorrow.

[Letty2019]

Yes, please post it!  Thanks so much.  Your way sounds easier.   So I make a mask over the existing mask... and apply the effect to the new empty mask creating an effects mask?  

[Szalam]

Tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfWhpwPXh1A 

[Letty2019]

Very nice tutorial! Thanks very much. 

So I place the mask on half of his face, apply a darkening affect to the mask, and feather one side of it for a gradient kind of shadow going from light to dark....

sound about right?

[Szalam]

Basically!