Resize image masks

Question

Level 1

5 points

Resize image masks

It's obviously possible to move (offset) the image mask around, but such a trivial thing as resizing it seems to be unavailable in FCP 10.4, unless I'm missing something painfully obvious?

The only solution appears to be to resize the mask in an external editor, guesstimating a right size, try it on, then repeat until you're happy or sick of it. This seems like a bit of a head-scratcher.

Plus, I can only choose an image mask from among the clips in the browser, which means I need to import the mask every time, which for me doesn't work unless I restart FCP. Importing the same image again doesn't have any effect, either using Cmd-I or using drag and drop from Finder, unless I restart FCP.

Something as patently simple as masking a clip with an image literally takes a couple of hours.

Does anyone have a solution?

Final Cut Pro X, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Mar 5, 2018 6:13 AM

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Answer 1

alxx Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 5, 2018 6:31 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I'm simply masking a video with a transparent PNG using its alpha channel.

I'll try to add the mask on the Timeline and test some blend modes, thanks for the suggestion.

I still find it odd that the image mask (in the Masking effect) can be translated but not resized (not even mention cropped, rotated etc.)

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Answer 2

alxx Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 5, 2018 6:41 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I've tried that, and no blend mode worked.

Here's what I want: I have a background layer, and a foreground layer, which is a smaller video.

I want to mask the edges of the smaller (foreground) video so, instead of being rectangular, they appear to be jagged; the background layer thus "protrudes" into the foreground video.

This works great with the Masking effect, and I have my jagged PNG, but the scale isn't right.

I can't get it to work by adding the PNG into the Timeline and fiddling with blend modes, because I can't make it affect both of the other layers at the same time.

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