Modifying the anchor point in the Layer panel with the arrow tool changes the anchor value without changing the position value. Modifying the anchor point in the Comp panel with the Pan Behind tool (Y) modifies both the anchor point and position values such that the content of the layer doesn’t move relative to the composition. Also, there’s another little-known method: If you hold down Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) while using the Pan Behind tool on the anchor point in the Comp panel, you’ll be modifying just the anchor point value, not position. This effectively gives you option 1 without having to open the layer window.
Historical note: the “Pan Behind” tool is named after the apparent result when you use it on a masked layer (not anchor point), it lets you move the content of the layer while leaving the mask “stuck” to the comp space, apparently panning the image behind the mask. Later it was augmented to edit the anchor point/position value as above, and track mattes came along as a better way to independently transform mattes/fills. Nowadays some people just call it the “Anchor Point tool”.
17 Responses to this post
January 21, 2007 at 3:33 pm |
Thats a gr88 piece of information. I didnt know about the mask tip. Even I have always thought whether its possible. Thanx a lot
January 4, 2009 at 3:57 am |
working in after effect cs3
i create a mask and i wanted to animate scene only. mask will be the same place but behind object will animate. howz it possible i stuck here.
January 4, 2009 at 4:07 am |
You can animate the mask shape property but the best way to do this is animate the object in one composition and add the mask in a different composition, that way the mask is independent of the keyframes you create to animate the object.
February 3, 2009 at 2:32 am |
I didn’t understand any of that. I am relatively new to AE and I am trying to scroll a neon text strip behind a mask. I don’t have a layer above the text – just a long line of text. I define a mask, which blocks all of the line that I dont want to see, but now i want to fix the mask in place and scroll the text behind it.
/stephen
February 3, 2009 at 2:37 am |
Stephen there are a couple of ways to do this:
1. animate the mask shape in the opposite direction to the text so it appears the mask is stationary.
2. Precompose the animated text (into a new comp) and do the masking in a separate comp.
3. Use a matte. Create a shape to use as the matte, place it above the animated text, set the track matte for the text to be the shape matte.
August 29, 2009 at 9:44 pm |
this is crazy – to be able to fit my footage in the window without the whole thing scaling so totally like in any other graphics program, i have to find this site to tell me to press “Y”? this is madness – and now how do i get back?
Adobe – are you nuts? this doesn’t make any sense! i don’t want to study after effects – i really want to just use it easily and obviously on my level of expertise! i have known illustrator inside out since version 88 and every other adobe creation that keeps getting changed by teams of apparently mad people – sheesh! how many shortcuts can a human being learn?
August 30, 2009 at 2:39 am |
Hi zigazagzig,
You’ll find the Pan Behind Tool in the Tools panel. You can press the V key to return to the Selection tool. Another nice feature is the ability to invoke tools, for example, with the Selection tool selected press and hold the Y key to temporarily invoke the Pan Behind Tool, then let go of the Y key to return to the Selection tool. Regards, John.
August 29, 2009 at 9:46 pm |
i mean so totally UNLIKE any sane program where you can drag a corner without the whole thing insisting on scaling around the center point – instead of dragging a corner handle – and i tried with shifts and controls and options!!!! – I actually have to press Y on the keyboard and then how can i SNAP the ******** anchor point to just a corner or some obvious (!) central point?!?!?!?!?
August 30, 2009 at 2:46 am |
Hi zigazagazig, The Pan Behind Tool is the correct technique. Drag the anchor point to a corner and then use the Selection tool and drag to scale the object around the Anchor Point. There used to be a Snap to Centre shortcut in an earlier version of After Effects but annoyingly it was removed (unless it was changed and no one told me
) Regards, John.
August 29, 2009 at 9:47 pm |
and someone tell me how do i get out of this tool? what is the shortcut for that????
August 30, 2009 at 2:41 am |
Hi Zigazagazig, Press the V key or simply use the mouse and click the Selection tool in the Tools panel. Regards, John.
August 29, 2009 at 10:04 pm |
is there a way of simply renaming an imported jpeg sequence????
should be an easier way to do these things http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP4ONRPV8ek
i’m not trying to make jelly bounce on the screen or some star wars saber – just a simple image sequence scaled and timeline marked and trimmed for all the footage – these are camera JPEG files. Now would anyone be smart enough to tell me if i can adjust exposure using RAW? Smoothly over the course of the time-lapse?
and thank you, by the way, letting me find such a simple answer to my problem!
August 30, 2009 at 2:52 am |
To rename a file, select it and hit the Return key. After Effects has no Camera Raw feature. Perhaps try the Exposure effect (a 32bit effect). If you have Photoshop Extended you could also try doing the adjustments directly inside Photoshop. Check out this tutorial for the basics of working with video in Photoshop: http://www.motionworks.com.au/2009/07/photoshop-cs4-video/ Regards, John.
September 13, 2009 at 1:46 pm |
Hi John,
I’ve tried to follow the steps you described above but am not getting anywhere. I’m new to After Effects and, similar to others above, am simply trying to pan or animate an image behind a mask so that the mask does not move. I’ve tried using the “pan behind” tool and I took a stab at using the mattes but am getting nowhere. Could you, perhaps, explain either/or in greater detail for those of us who aren’t as familiar with the programs? (e.g. – what is a track matte and how does it work?) Would prefer to not have to add more compositions if possible…
Thanks so much – would greatly appreciate your help!
-Maggie
September 13, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
Hi Maggie, The Pan Behind Tool can be used to position a layer behind a mask but not to animate it. The best way to animate a layer behind a mask is to put the animated layer in a precomp and add the mask to the precomp layer in the main comp. Does that help? Best, John.
September 14, 2009 at 8:17 am |
That does – thanks John!
September 14, 2009 at 4:27 pm |
Great Maggie, glad it worked out. Best, John.
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