Anchor point not updating when replacing images on MOGRTs

[Cameron W]

I've created a variety of MOGRT templates inside AE for GFX overlays for different formats that include images (title treatments) that are to be changed inside Premiere.

I've set the images (title treatments) to scale from specific corners to keep within safe zones for different formats, so I've used expressions on the anchor points in AE to adapt to whatever the image is. I then scale them to fit (as needed) and can move a bit using position attributes on a null layer.

Everything works in AE and I've no issues, but once it's a MOGRT inside Premiere it's no longer working as expected.

The 'default' image on the MOGRT is fine and scales from the corners as in AE, but as soon as I replace the image (png files), the anchor point information is messed up.

Default image works as is or when making changes:

.    Default scale

 

.  Default attributes (base attributes greyed out)

.  Default image scales okay from corner as expected.

.  Default image with scaling changed (base attributes greyed out)

 

The issue is that replacement images are no longer positioned correctly, nor scale from their edges, but seem to inherit properties from the default image. It seems to be taking attributes from the default image (which is a different size/aspect), so it's jut not placing it correctly so scaling is out of place too.

In Premiere you also see greyed out values on the default image, but once it's replaced you see some base values become active, so something feels like it's breaking.

. Replacement image out of position.

 Default attributes (base attributes no longer greyed out)

 

 

. When scaled the incorrect positioning becomes compounded.

. Replacement image with scaling changed (base attributes no longer greyed out)

 

I'm assuming this is bug that could be fixed, but if not I'm hoping there might be some sort of workaround to solve this, as the templates work exaclty as we want them too in AE.

[R Neil Haugen]

This is something that @Jarle Leirpoll or @David Arbor might be able to help with.

[Jarle Leirpoll]

When you say it works in AE with no issues – do you mean it works when you put the comp into another comp and change the Essential Properties? Or do you mean it works if you Alt-drag a new image to change it?

Premiere Pro should behave like the nested comp in AE does, when you change Essential Properties there.

What kind of expression do you use to move the Anchor Point? Something like this?

[0, 0]

A workaround could be to have a guide layer that can be used to move the image into place. Then have a check-box to turn it off. Not ideal, but it would work.

[Cameron W]

Hi Jarle

By 'works in AE' I do mean Alt-drag to replace the placeholder image.  I know this isn't exactly how replacing an image in a MOGRT works in Premiere, but I can't replicate that in AE, as you can't drag elements into the essential GFX panel options the way you can in Premiere (that I'm aware of).

The expressions for changing the anchor points are a variation (depending on whch corner is required) of the below, whis is applied to the TT image anchor point:


a = thisComp.layer("TT IMAGE").sourceRectAtTime();

height = a.height;

width = a.width;

top = a.top;

left = a.left;

x = left;

y = top + height;

[x,y];

The overall comp has no nested comps, so everything is done inside a single main comp, and they cover several setups, eg, 9x16 setup has 3 setups - Reels, Stories and TikTok.

Inside AE in essential GFX panel, you don't actually see some base properties that are visible in the MOGRT one inside Premiere too, the ones that are greyed out on the default but visible once image is replaced.

AE view of essential GFX options. (Scale and Pos are added by me).

Premiere view of MOGRT properties:

 

 

I'm sure some of my workings could be done better, but I'm not an AE person, so I've cobbled this together as best I can from what I've found online.

A guide layer could possibly be added as you suggest to help placement, but as there are multiple setups It's already getting a bit unwieldy to use so prefer not to add more options if possible. Also, ideally i'd ust like it to work the way it does in AE 🙂

I'm happy to send through a MOGRT or project if it helps to show what i'd like to happen, and what's actually happening.

[Jarle Leirpoll · Accepted solution]

Feel free to send the MOGRT, but I think this workflow will only work when the image you drop in has exactly the same aspect ratio as the one used when building the MOGRT. 

If your expression could move the layer up and down based on the aspect ratio of the new image, it would work the way you want it to.

[Cameron W]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of, as there's simply no way the images will ever have the same dimensions.

I may look at your expression suggestion, but that will likley need to be passed onto a motion designer to ponder...