Using Continous Rasterize on a Pre-Comp -> Layer with CC Bend It FX disappears

[elisabethd37765350]

Hi,

I created a Comp consisting of various pre-comps. In one of these pre-comps I'm using on one layer the CC Bend It Effect. When I activate Continous Rasterize for this pre-comp the layer disappears (the head of the boy). When I move the pre comp around, the head becomes visible (with some weird transformations) in some kind of a mask. When I deactivate the Effect, the head doesn't disappear when turning on CR and appears as sharp as it is supposed to.

Screenshots: Pre-Comp "mann mit zirkel" is the one with the CC Bend It FX Layer in it, I use it to animate the head. I added "ToComp(value)" to Start and End (same problem without using this expression).

I also attached a simple version of the project file. I hope that helps to find out what's wrong here and what can be done to make CR work on that CC Bend It Layer.

Thank you!
Elisabeth

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

This is to be expected. You have to make up your mind what you want. Especially distortion effects are sensitive to changes since they require consistent spatial coordiantes and those change when you enable CR and change the rendering order. Really nothing more to say than this. You have to invest the time to reorganize your project. No magic fixes. Clearly you are using soem sort of template that was never designed with this use case in mind.

Mylenium

[elisabethd37765350]

Hello Mylenium,

thank you for your answer. With your explanation, the problem sounds understandable. I'm a beginner in AE, coming from vector illustration and traditional animation and just learning how AE works and what to look for when animating with it. Could you please be a little more specific about what you mean by "you need to reorganize your project": Using this slimmed down project file as an example, how should the project be organized to work the way I want it to? I really want to understand what happens, when I activate CR and what it makes with my head - and of cause what I need to do to avoid this. My goal is to have a sharp look of my imported vector files without losing the head animation. Is this possible or should I re-animate the head movement without this effect?

Thanks
Elisabeth

[elisabethd37765350 · Accepted solution]

Hi Mylenium,

I tried one thing, and just would like to know if this re-ordering is what you meant:

I cut the head layer from my pre-composition and placed it into the main composition. I scaled it up to the size I need, re-placed the Start/End point of the  CC Bend It effect and ended up with a not pixelated head. I also could have pre-comp this layer after scaling it up and animate that pre-comp, right?

Please correct me, if I'm wrong:

- Pre-composing, scaling it up AND Continous Rasterization is a pretty bad combination if (distortion) effects are in use

- to avoid: scale first to the size you need before you pre-compose

This article really helped me to understand what happens when I tick CR:
https://www.schoolofmotion.com/blog/collapse-transformations-continuously-rasterize-after-effects

Thanks
Elisabeth