Pasting a second instance of an effect without replacing the existing effect

[gabrielaronson]

In After Effects, the default when pasting an effect from one layer to another is to replace the existing instance of the effect with the settings of the new one.

However I'm trying to paste an additional instance without replacing the existing instance of the effect.

In my case, I'm trying to copy an Instance of Video Copilot's Element effect ("Element A") onto a layer that already has an instance ("Element B"). The result is to replace Element B with Element A, but I'd like to have both Element A AND Element B on the layer.

Anyone know how to get around this?

Thank you!

[Andrew Yoole · Accepted solution]

Firstly, a warning:  you shouldn't have two instances of Element on one layer.  The second copy of the effect will completely overwrite the first, so you'll only ever see the results of the second instance.  I can't think of a logical reason to have two instances on one layer, unless it's some kind of template structure in which you have on or the other instance turned on depending on some other factor.  You should generally have each instance of Element on discreet layers.

But to directly answer the question, you can save Element B as an Animation Preset in order to apply it without replacing Element A.

Or, you can add a null effect (like an expression slider) to the effect stack in front of Element B before you copy it.  When you paste, it will no longer replace Element A, ands you can simply delete the extraneous null effect.

[gabrielaronson]

Thanks for the workaround!

Fun fact: you CAN run two or more instances of element if, say, you need more than the five alotted groups in one instance, or for whatever reason you want to keep certain elements separated. In this case you stack the effects, set all but the last one to “unified” in the render settings. Then they all take on the render settings of your last instance and respect the 3D space. In my case I built a cityscape in one instance, and animated some drone models in the other instance weaving through the buildings. Discovering this changed my life

[Andrew Yoole]

Great tip - I did not know that!  We both learned something today, thanks!  🙂

[Byron Cortez]

And why do not you simply duplicate the same layer, apply a Split Layer will eliminate previous instance and that duplicate Layer you will add the instance B. Select the 2 Layers and do a Pre-compose, so you will have a Layer if it is what you want to have.

[Scrambler87]

What I usually do in these cases, I select the desired effect to be replaced, press ctrl/cmnd-D followed by crtl/cmnd-V. This creates a second instance of the effect, and pastes whatever you copied on top of the lowest one in the window. All this in the Effect Controls window, of course.

And an extra comment: when you paste an effect with two instances already applied on the same layer, it respects the effects hierarchy, which is - the lower the effect in the Effects Control screen, the highest in the hierarchy.

So, if you need to paste on top of the oldest effect (top instance), drag it to the bottom, ctrl/cmnd-V, and then move it back up.

[jeromfischer]

This is the fastest workaround, thanks!