Editing Masks - How is this even possible...

[wcn_dave]

This has to be one of the most frustrating things I have tried to do in any application ever....

I have a scene where someone is in the background, and I have an earlier show where they are not, and the main subject moves through the foreground.

I just need to add the original still and mask it properly as they move through.

When I create a mask with a pen tool, and move to the next frame, there are no options to move a point.  Clicking on it creates a new point right next to it.  Control clicking creates a point right next to it.  clicking and dragging draws out the curve controls that I don't want.... so there isn't a way to move or delete points.... so I have to draw a brand new mask for every single frame?!!?  That's just crazy and will take hours and hours for just a few frames...

I have the masked clip selected, I have the mask effect selected, I have the mask path selected, I have the pen tool selected, I don't see what else I can do!?

[MyerPj]

I drew an opacity mask on a clip with no bezier points as you mentioned and then I could keep going back to it (by selecting mask(1) and the effects control panel, and change the nodes,  both with the pen or selection tool selected. Is there any other clues you can give, screenshots, etc...

[wcn_dave]

Hi there, thanks for trying... I don't get this.  When I hover over the point, I get (randomly it seems), mouse cursor, crosshairs, black arrow with circle, pen + point tool.

In each case I have the clip selected, and the mask path effect selected.  I need to do some real work this week, however when I go back to it, I will screen record what I am doing.  Thanks!

[Ann Bens]

But I agree, manipulating those vertexes can be a real challenge.

[Ann Bens · Accepted solution]

To avoid getting bezier vertex I start out with a rectangular shape.

[wcn_dave]

Me too!

[Mo Alani · Accepted solution]

I will recommand using after effect for this purpose of Job, more professional for compositions in film and TV.

[wcn_dave]

That doesn't really help with the fact that dragging a point on a screen is almost impossible... it shouldn't be so hard.  Can you imagine if "I want to move some text in word" had the answer "open the document in Indesign..." 

[wcn_dave]

And who's marking these as correct answers, they don't address the original point...

[MyerPj]

In the end I'm with @Mo Alani , I don't let PP frustrate me on these kinda things, and I just switch to After Effects.

[Ann Bens]

no i dont want to get into after effects for a simple mask

[Mo Alani]

I agree, but according to his statement   "I have a scene where someone is in the background, and I have an earlier show where they are not, and the main subject moves through the foreground. I just need to add the original still and mask it properly as they move through."

It looks to me not a simple mask, but i undertsand your point.