Skip to main content
N
Naima-Naima
Known Participant
October 4, 2022
Question

Shape Path animation

  • October 4, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 2256 views

Hi Adobe Community,

I am wanting to make this kind of animation is PP. I am following the instructions of using rectangle and track matte key.

The issue I am encountering is when keyframing the shape. I first keyframe where I want my rectangle to be. The I go to the beginning and select where I want it to start from. In ths case, I want the rectangle to appear from the upper left corener. Then I want it to exit to the lower right corner and set a keyframe there. But the shape will only go in one direction. It will only allow me to exit the same way it entered. Do I make sense? It is really strange!

Here is a screenrecording https://youtu.be/R6rkB7WwwHw

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

Ann Bens
Ann Bens
Braniac
October 5, 2022

Have you scaled the clip with the track matte on the timeline?

Scaling clips with track matte does not work. Clip needs to be the same dimension as the sequence.

Matt Young14394008
Matt Young14394008
Braniac
October 5, 2022

There does not have to be any other clip in the timeline to replicate this glitch.

 

  1. create a new sequence (any settings will do)
  2. select the rectangle tool
  3. draw a rectangle in the program window.  A new 'Graphic' clip appears in the timeline.
  4. move playhead to the center of that 'Graphic' clip in the timeline
  5. in Effect Controls window, navigate to 'Shape (Shape 01)' and enable keyframes on the 'path' parameter
  6. move the playhead to the beginning of the clip, then with selection tool drag the bottom right vertex to the same position as the top left vertex.  Now you have a new 'path' keyframe at the start of the clip in addition to the first one you created in the middle of the clip, and if you drag the playhead through the clip you see the animation of a rectangle expanding to the bottom right
  7. move the playhead towards the end of the 'Graphic' clip in the timeline
  8. with the selection tool, try to pull the upper left vertex down to meet the bottom right vertex.  This is the part that myself and the OP cannot do.  The vertex does not pull down.  If I hover over it I see the diagonal double-arrow symbol as expected, but if I pull down and to the right nothing happens.  I can, however pull up and to the left, causing the rectangle to regenerate upwards and to the left from that top left point.

 

N
Naima-NaimaAuthor
Known Participant
October 5, 2022

Matt,

Thanks for your time and clarity. I tried the pen tool trick you recommended. It works but it would be very time consuming for me to do.

 

Ann,

The track matte and the presence of other clips doesn't have anything to do with the issue. The issue is in the animation of the shape itself. I think that at this point, it is a PP glitch.

 

Matt,

My questions to you is how would you go about it in AE.I know how to use the basics of AE. But my job as an editor has me work on PP mostly. And anytime I want to use AE, I am intimidated by the dynamic links and the workflow around them. Do you have any tips? Basically, I am trying to accomplish this effect on certain clips of my PP sequence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElOvpV_vxzs&t=73s

Matt Young14394008
Matt Young14394008
Braniac
October 5, 2022

I'm seeing the same behavior when I try to replicate your workflow.  Ann's suggestion didn't work for me.  Did it work for you? 

 

The only way I was able to accomplish what you're trying to do (without resorting to After Effects) is to have the path selected in the effect control window, then click the pen tool from the Tools window.  Now you can keyframe the shape to build from top left and then shrink to bottom right, but unfortunately you can only do it by moving all four vertices.  

 

Ann Bens
Ann Bens
Braniac
October 5, 2022

Cannot replicate (on a side note the anchor point does not affect the path, I thought it did)

which version is this? and OS?

I am still on 22.5 windows.

 

You dont need to use the track matte effect. You can put the clip in the EGP and mask with shape.

Matt Young14394008
Matt Young14394008
Braniac
October 5, 2022

I'm on 22.6.2 with Windows 10.

 

Neither the original poster or I are using the track matte effect.  To replicate what Naima did, I created a simple solid rectangle on the screen with the rectangle tool and then tried to replicate her animation by keyframing the path parameter of the shape in the Effect Controls window.

Ann Bens
Ann Bens
Braniac
October 4, 2022

Before animating anything, you have to put the anchor point in the middle first.

N
Naima-NaimaAuthor
Known Participant
October 5, 2022

Hi Ann, Thanks for your reply.

Before posting my request, I thought it would be the reason, but it doesn't. I've tried it again. Made another screenrecording for it so you can see and tell me if there is something I am not doing right.

When I create the rectangle, the anchor point is at the center by default. But when I change the size of it, it doesn't stay in the center. So not sure why this simple animation is complicated.

https://youtu.be/ZS-kOyGdbVQ

Ann Bens
Ann Bens
Braniac
October 5, 2022

After resizing put the anchor point in the middel.

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices