compositing movie layers to get a different background

[Donna Kuhn]

hello,

i found other ways to achieve what i wanted to do but is there a way to composite movie layers together? i can do it with a still image but not movies. i also did it with a context step but had trouble with that as well. 

thanks--

[Synthetik]

If you explain a little bit more about what you are trying to do, i can try and better answer.

If you have pre-existing movie files and you want to do it, you can use content context action steps in a PASeq to associate the specific movies with different canvas layers.

As far as compositing between layers, if you have alpha view enabled, then you could use the main canvas layer compositing. You an setup different composite algorithms for the canvas view individual layers in the layer windows.

You could also use the Fixed Image image operation effect to do your compositing. You can use the Ip Source control for the effect to use different layers as it's source. Compositing into the current layer. 

You can record the Fixed image ip op action steps in a PASeq. Then use animate to process the appropriate number of frames into an output movie file.

You will want to make sure your Layer Playback control for the PASeq is turned on, so that the PASeq remembers and plays back the appropriate layers for the individual Fixed Image ip op steps.

[Donna Kuhn]

i was trying to recreate the video tutorial re. adding in a background movie with a context content step. in order to do that does it have to use a paint or vector sketch preset only?

i've never used an alpha channel. i'll try that.

i ended up using fixed image because i already created paseq's with an msg background and fixed image. that was easy. i'm trying to get a better background behind me digitally but it would also help if there was a good background behind me in "real life" so i wouldn't have to do so much work to make it look better.