Help With What Effects to Use.

[Guest]

Greetings, I have  CS5 PP on a 64 bit computer (intel i7 with lots of ram).  What I want to do is put a 5 sec video over black screen, apply a garbage matte to all be the center portion of the 5 sec. video, then put a circle or ellispe over the center of the video.  The problem that I am having is that I can't get the 16 point garbage matte to be circular enough; so that, when I put the circle on the outside of the center of the video, I see some of the uneven matte points.   Is there a better way to get this effect? Or is there a better effect to use?  Thanks for any suggestions   Jean

[Colin Brougham · Accepted solution]

So, you want a vignette/keyhole effect, like this?

Simple: apply the Circle effect (under Generate) to the foreground video, and set the Blending Mode to Stencil Alpha. Adjust the other parameters (Radius, Feather, etc.) to taste.

[Guest]

Thank You Colin,  

      It's easy when you know what to do and which effect to apply!  Yes, that is the exact effect I wanted.  I was making a mountain out of a mole hill!  Thank you for your advice and it's something I will not forget!  Jean

[Colin Brougham]

Ha! Yes, that's usually the case. If you tried every effect and parameter, you might have found it, but sometimes it's just easier to ask

I'm well-reknowned for advocating for the Circle effect around here; I make it do all sorts of Stupid Effect Tricks

[the_wine_snob]

Here I was going to mention Track Matte Keying Effect, but you dragged out Circle Effect (good going, BTW), and that was just what the OP needed.

Hunt - long live Track Matte Keying...

Hunt