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Randune23
Randune23
Inspiring
April 19, 2021
Answered

Trying to trace a route using masks in premiere pro

  • April 19, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 5211 views

Okay, I have searched for this topic in the PP Community and extensively on YouTube and I couldn't find exactly what I am looking for.  What I am trying to do is trace a map route in PP using masks but I keep running into weird things.  I have included the two files I am using.  I am creating a huge family trip to Kauai, Hawaii and I need to perfect this trick because in 10 days on the island we did many, many activities.  The first clip shows the map without the route and the second clip has the path we drove by car.  On my timeline, I have the route clip stacked on top of the clip with no path.  I've tried using all three masks under opacity in the effects panel (eclipse, polygon, and the pen tool) and all of them give me ghost images and I cannot get it to follow the path.  It starts off doing really well but then the mask jumps and we are way off-road.  What I have been doing is starting at the Start pin, moving forward a few frames, dragging the mask, so on and so forth throughout the whole map.  None of my attempts have provided me the clips that I am wanting.  I have also used the map without the route in PS and drew the line on a new layer.  Then imported the PSD file into PP and tried using a mask reveal as well under opacity.  It still hasn't produced anything looking very professional.  I do not want to do this technique in AE because my knowledge of using AE is limited to a medium user at best.  I would like to do this all in PP.  I have even entertained the idea of dropping the $29 in Envato Elements to purchase the Map Route Generator for Premiere Pro.  But I KNOW there has to be an easier way to do this in PP.  I mean someone created this for Envato so I know it can be done.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Randy

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Ann Bens

if it were a straight line that was easily done in Pr. with a wipe transition, but this one is far more complicated.
The easiest way is Ae.

draw the path with the pentool, drop a stroke onto it.

keyframes for beginning and end.

done

 

3 replies

Warren Heaton
Community Expert
Warren HeatonCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 20, 2021

If you don't want to venture into use of an After Effects Shape Layer, the Write-On Effect  in AE can do this very quickly.  Maybe this is a good time to learn about using Replace with After Effects Comp?

 

 

 

    Randune23
    Randune23Author
    Inspiring
    April 20, 2021

    Teach me, Master Kenobi, b/c I'm all out of hope right now!!!  I haven't used AE in YEARS and the slow render, expressions, and keyframes scare the crap out of me.  I love PP but for the advanced things I want to do make the decision to re-learn AE a must from what it sounds like.

     

    Randy

    Warren Heaton
    Community Expert
    Warren HeatonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 20, 2021

    Taking a look at the two images you posted at first, are you looking for something like this?

      Kevin-Monahan
      Community Manager
      Kevin-MonahanCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      April 19, 2021

      Hi Randy,

      I tried out your issue and was able to make a rough animated map in just a few minutes in After Effects that anyone at the advanced beginner level could handle using a Shape Layer (no fill, stroke to taste) and the trim paths command. 

       

      See a wonderful set of tutorials by Boone describing the how to here.

       

      Here's the main one I'd suggest you check out:

      Hope it helps.

       

      This is the rough animation using 2 shape layers w/ 2 keyframes on one of the shapes.


       

      Thanks,
      Kevin

       

      Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
        Randune23
        Randune23Author
        Inspiring
        April 20, 2021

        Awesome, thanks, Kevin.  It sounds like I need to figure this out since I have about 25 maps to build for this Kauai trip.  This is why I knew if I posted my dilemma SOMEONE here in our community would have the exact answer I am looking for.  Off to watch your linked videos...

         

        Randy

        Ann Bens
        Community Expert
        Ann BensCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
        Community Expert
        April 19, 2021

        if it were a straight line that was easily done in Pr. with a wipe transition, but this one is far more complicated.
        The easiest way is Ae.

        draw the path with the pentool, drop a stroke onto it.

        keyframes for beginning and end.

        done

         

          Randune23
          Randune23Author
          Inspiring
          April 19, 2021

          Ann,

           

          Yeah, that is why I wanted to include the files so a person with much more expertise would know what I am looking for.  Most of the tutorial videos I have seen on YouTube are dealing with planes.  More people are looking for the whole Indian Jones map transitions which show the plane flying from one city to the next city.  Well that is easy because it is a curved line from one point to the next and the mask technique I have used in the past works well for that.  But with all the close roads switching back and forth my mask would bleed onto the road we've already traveled and traced.  No matter how far I zoomed in (and I was at 400%) I could not get the mask small enough to still be able to grab the mask to move it.  When I would get the mask small enough to just include the road, I would lose the hand grabber tool after I have already clicked on MASK in the Effect Controls panel.

          I have seen numerous tutorial videos on YouTube but a high majority of them involve using After Effects.  I have a hard time with the preview engine in AE b/c it is harder to see your progress than it is in PP.  If I don't find someone who has done exactly what I need to do, then I will either look into some of the AE tutorial videos or spend the $30 with Envato to test out their add-on.

           

          Even when I create a layer in Photoshop and import as a sequence into PP, I still have been trying to reveal the line using an inverted mask (since a wipe transition/effect will not work since the line is not a straight line) and I still run into minor hiccups with bleed over and a halo effect around the mask even though I've reduced the mask size.

           

          I've reached out to the individual who created this video and he said he creates his in either PS (and imports it as a sequence into PP) or he more than likely creates these in AE.

           

          Thanks for your time,

           

          Randy

          Ann Bens
          Community Expert
          Ann BensCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          April 19, 2021

          I would not even consider doing such a map in Premiere.

          You have Ae: use it!

          It will save you a lot of headache.

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