Masks to Cropped Layers

Masks to Cropped Layers II is a utility for helping to animate vector graphics, and improve the performance of vfx compositing, specifically for layers that have multiple masks.  It works on layers that have multiple masks, ie: when artwork is pasted from Illustrator, or when areas are tracked in Mocha.  Each mask is copied to a new solid (for animation) or used to create a pre-comp. Each new layer is cropped to the size of the mask, providing flexibility for animation while dramatically improving performance.

Masks to Cropped Layers II is a utility for layers that have multiple masks.

Each mask on the layer is used to create a new layer with only 1 mask on it. The new layers can be either solids or pre-comps.

When creating the new solid / pre-comp, the size of the mask is calculated and the new layer is cropped to that size.

Masks to cropped layers has two main purposes: as a tool for animating vector artwork, especially artwork pasted from Illustrator, but also as a tool to improve performance for VFX work. In both cases, the goal is to improve performance in After Effects by creating layers / precomps that are only as big as they need to be. By cropping layers down in size to remove unused areas, After Effects isn’t wasting time processing pixels that aren’t used.

If you are animating vector artwork, then the script separates multiple masks on a single layers to individual solids. Each new layer can then have the stroke / fill effect applied, and animated like any other conventional After Effects layer.

If you are doing VFX work such as rotoscoping, clean-ups, tracking, or anything that’s confined to a small area of the plate, then you can mask the area you’re working on and the script will make new pre-comps, cropped to the mask size. Using these pre-comps as the source for your effects work will be faster, and give you longer RAM previews.

• Masks to Cropped Layers II now allows you to calculate mask sizes using either basic rectangles (fast) or bezier paths (slower but pixel-accurate).
• You can calculate the mask size from a single frame, the composition work area, or the layer’s duration.
• If no masks are selected, then all masks on the layer are used. If you manually select some masks, then only they are used to create new layers.
• The script panel includes two buttons to quickly select all open, or all closed masks.
• New layers can have their size padded out, and position values can be rounded to integers for sharper results.