The first rule you must follow when copying and pasting a mask is that the layer must have no Layer/Transform/Anchor Point, Position, Rotation, or Scale properties modified. They must all be at the default settings or Reset. If they are not, the copied mask will not be in the same position or the same size as the original. If you select the layer with the mask and press the 'u' key twice, you should only see the Mask Path and any effects you have applied. If the effect has Transform Properties applied, the masked shape will move, but the mask will remain in the same place.
The safest way to copy a mask that is not animated is to set a keyframe for the mask, then cut it. If the mask is animated, and you want to retain the animation for another mask, select the Mask/Mask Path property in the Layer Name column in the timeline. You cannot successfully copy an animated mask path and paste it to a Position Property. You will end up with a very strange motion path that does not follow the animated path at all. If you need to use a mask or shape layer path as a motion path, open Window/Create Nulls From Paths.jsx, select the path, and choose Trace Path. You will get a null that follows the math as it moves along with a pair of keyframes to adjust the timing and a check box to make the motion loop.
If a Mask is converted to a shape layer, the only shape layer properties that you can modify and have the Shape Path's new position accurately followed by a motion path are the Shape/Transform Shape/Position and/or Anchor point.
To solve your problem, try this simple workflow:
- Double click the Mask Path to open up the Mask Transform Controls
- Transform the entire mask by grabbing the corners
- Press Enter to complete the transformation
- Copy the mask path (or set a single keyframe and cut it)
- Paste the transformed mask path to the new layer or the Position Property you want to follow the mask path
If that fails, try this more complex workflow:
- Reset all Transform properties on your original mask layer
- Open Window/Create Nulls From Paths.jsx
- Select the Path
- Select Points Follow Nulls
- Turn off the visibility of all nulls so don't get distracted by their shapes in the composition panel
- Add a new Null to the comp, name it Master Null, and move it to the approximate center of the path
- Parent all of the Source Layer Mask nulls to the Master Null
- Scale, move, and Rotate the Master Null to reposition the mask path.
- When the position of the transformed mask is perfect, select the path, then Keyframe Assistant/Convert Expression to Keyframes
- You'll get keyframes on the whole timeline, turn off the keyframes (stopwatch) then set one keyframe and cut it (Ctrl/Cmnd + x)
- Select the new source layer or motion path and paste
Those are the only workflows I know of that don't involve scripting that will allow you to resize and reposition a mask and successfully move it to a new layer or motion path.
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