BAO Mask Avenger
  • This script seems to be exactly what I am looking for. I have one question though: When I create my points using the 'Vertices & Tangents' option enabled, the resulting In and Out tangents do not move with the point they are connected to. Is there any way to parent those to the source point so that when I move it, they also move? I would like to still be able to move them independently as well. I can manually set it up using some scripts but it's time consuming to do it for ever tangent. Is this possible to do in the script?
  • Hi Michael,

    you should have a look at the "scripts & expressions" popup. You'll find "create null controller".
    This script creates a null for each point parameter (vertex, tangent) and link mask avenger to them via expression.
    Tangents nulls are by default attached to their corresponding vertex null. If you wish to detach them, just unparent the nulls...
    Seems to be what you're describing.

    Cheers,
    François
  • I just purchased Mask Avenger and overall I'm very happy with the plugin. I do want to ask if there is an easy way to rename the null controllers. At the moment if I try to rename a null it breaks the expressions. Any way around this?

    Thanks,
    Dustin
  • Hi Dustin,

    I'm glad you're happy with the plugin.
    Thanx for reporting. I'll try to fix it as soon as possible.

    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi Dustin,

    I found where the issue comes from. Unfortunately, I won't be able to fix the plugin before a while.
    However, here's a small script which will help for the moment (attached to this post):

    _just unzip it in After Effects/Support Files/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/
    _after that, go to window, and select "Mask Avenger bug fix.jsxbin".

    The script is a dockable panel, with only one button. When you select a property with an expression apllied and press the button, it will replace simple quotes ' with double quotes ", and then fix the issue.
    Just select the Mask Avenger point parameters (all at once) abd press the "Fix expression" button.

    Sorry not to be able to fix the plugin itself now...
    If you have any issue with the script, please let me know.

    Cheers,
    François
    zip
    zip
    Mask_Avenger_bug_fix.zip
    949B
  • Hello, I bought your plugin and I have a problem. First thanks for creating this cool plugin! I was dreaming for years for this feature. sad that only today I found it:) I don`t know if it has to be like that, but when I create a keyframe between two other keyframes it doesn`t update until I go to another frame and back. It`s a real pain in workflow. It also doesn`t update when I modify curves in graph editor or the the spatial curves. I did a small screen capture to show these problems : 
  • Hi agris čaur,

     I've reproduced your project on my side and don't have the problem. Did you enable the "live update" in the Timeline panel?

    If you already did, can you send me your project? Mask Avenger is a "work around" plugin (AE doesn't give direct control on mask points...), so this kind of issues can happen, specially with shape layers, depending on layer's order, for example.

    Hope the "live update" will fix it,
    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi,

    I've been wanting to key vertices individually for awhile now and I've come across this plugin. It seems like it accomplishes what I need! I bought it and am having a problem though... the nulls/points are popping to other coordinates at seemingly random intervals.

    Here is an example


    Do you know what could be causing this? It is very frustrating.

    Thanks!
    - Hamish
  • Hi Hamish,

    is it happening on a shape layer? Cos' unfortunately, shape layer render doesn't happen at the same time than other layers, and that's what causes this kind of troubles...

    In fact, Mask Avenger wasn't designed for shape layers. The shape layer compatibility 's been added on user's request, but it 's not (and can't be) perfect.

    However, there are workarounds:
    _the easiest one is to use the "bake" mode, at least for rendering.
    _another way is to use Mask Avenger on a solid layer and link the shape layer to solid's mask via expression
    _the last one is to try to change layer's orders.

    Sorry I can't be more precise. Please try one of these workarounds, and if you still have the issue, just send me your project and I'll check how we can do...

    Cheer,
    François
  • Hi Francois,

    Thanks for the quick response!

    Yes indeed it is happening on a shape layer. Dang that is a shame it can't be perfect... I was really hoping.

    I did try setting the render mode to bake and it did preserve the motion I keyed. I'm a bit worried because I am not sure what actions cause the popping to happen. I know saving + closing + opening after effects is one such action that causes popping. I would not want to bake until I am done my animation but... I don't want to lose my animation to popping frames in the middle of the process.. I guess I just need to play around with it more to figure out the specifics of what makes the popping happen.

    Also, I do not know how to link a shape to a solid's mask via expression. Is this one of the functions of Mask Avenger?

    Thanks,
    - Hamish
  • Hi Hamish,

    you can swicth between "bake" and "dynamic" mode as you wish...

    What I usually do when I need to use shape layers is:
    _create a solid of comp size where I put all my masks and Mask Avenger
    _create my shape layers (make sure to reinit the shape layer position or your shape will be offseted)
    _link "shape" to solid's "mask" with the expression pickwhip.

    You can have a look at the video. 


    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi François,

    Ah! I had not noticed I could switch between bake and dynamic. This is good.

    I tried the method you described and followed the video. I linked my shape to my mask but it still produces the popping. It does not work for me.

    However, simply applying a stroke effect to a mask path on a solid accomplishes what I need. Using Mask Avenger on a mask produces no popping.

    So far so good!

    Thanks,
    - Hamish
  • I downloaded and tested it, this is really nice. Any chance I can use this with a gradient filled stroke?

    The only way now I see is applying a gradient overlay layer style, which obviously doesn't follow the path.
  • Hi Konrad,

    Mask Avenger only controls the path. The rest is AE's own rendering functions.
    You can apply Mask Avenger on a shape layer, and then get gradient fill control. But as mentionned above, using Mask Avenger with shape layers isn't perfect...

    For path gradient control, there is also a really nice plugin called BAO Mask Brush that you could use https://aescripts.com/bao-mask-brush/

    This is shameless self promotion ;-)

    Cheers,
    François
  • Hello,
    is it gonna be supported on AE CC 2015? :)
  • Hi,

    I'm actively working on it... I'll let you know as soon as it's ready.

    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi, enjoying the plug-in, but I've noticed it fills up my undo history ridiculously. I've got 4 shape avenger layers in a few separate pre-comps, and just moving the playhead adds 4 undos to the history, let alone if I actually changing anything. This makes undo effectively non-functional. Fortunately this project is super simple, but I was intending to use this on some more complicated projects where this will really limit my ability to experiment. Am I doing something wrong?
  • Hi,

    you're not doing anything wrong. But unfortunately, this 'Undo' issue can't be solved (believe me, I've tried)... 

    Cheers,
    François
  • Dear François
    I've installed the trail .
    functionality is what I've expected and it's great but responsiveness wise it looks like something that will give me less flexibility 
    I read the above comments and it seems that a lot of people have the same issue where you need to bake the expression before watching the ram preview' and for character animation iI need something responsive, does that make sense?
    thank you
    Gerry

  • Hi Gerry,

    it does make sense. In my opinion, the Ram preview is the biggest issue.
    However, to get the Ram preview back, you don't need to bake the expressions, just turn Mask Avenger to "Bake" mode.

    It is different in the way that only your mask will be baked (so only one property, you can have as many expressions as you have vertices) and that the plugin will take care of it, and last but not least, you can switch back to dynamic mode whenever you want.

    Though not perfect, it's better than having to bake manually (specially when you have a lot of vertices).

    Now the good news! Mask Avenger 2.0 is coming soon, and should give much better responsiveness, and most of all, keep the Ram preview.

    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi Leroy.

    Thanks for the awesome plugin! would lovet to know if you have any idea when CC 2015 will be supported. Your plugin is amazing, and it would be great to use it with the performance boosted new version of AE.
  • Hi,

    CC 2015 version is coming very soon... In fact it's been totally re-written to fit CC 2015 new architecture. Still testing a bit to make sure there's no bug.

    Cheers,
    François
  • Hi,

    CC 2015 version is coming very soon... In fact it's been totally re-written to fit CC 2015 new architecture. Still testing a bit to make sure there's no bug.

    Cheers,
    François
    That sounds awesome, hit me up if you need it tested in a production environment :) [email protected]
  • Any update on the new version? I just went to use shape avenger and realised it's not compatible with CC2015 :(

    Could really do with it if it's ready?

    Thanks.
  • Hi Paul,

    Mask Avenger 2.0 is coming soon, and it's CC 2015 compatible.

    Cheers,
    François
  • Can't wait - had to re-install CC 2014 to use the old version of MA :(
  • When will it works on CC2015???????
  • Should be ready for next week...
  • Great - bet it's a lot of work!
  • Are there any changes in the way it'll work - or have you managed to get it working any smoother than with the limitations of CC2104 and below?
  • It's been totally re-written...

    And yes, it's smoother. There is now a 'mix' between dynamic and bake mode, so you don't loose ram previews anymore, and don't get shape layers to go crazy...

    Cheers,
    François
  • Sounds great :)
  • Don't know if this forum is stil active but.. Just tried Mask Avenger 2 and I can't find a way to control the bezier handles as linked together . Or is that impossible?


  • Hi josef,

    not much happening in this forum, as Mask Avenger 2 was released quite a while ago...
    Do you want to control the bezier handles the same way you do with 'normal' masks?
    Then the easiest is to create Nulls to control your mask (you'll find it in the 'Scripts & expressions' parameter). It will create one Null per vertex + 2 Nulls for each bezier handle. These bezier handles are parented to the vertex Null. So if you move, scale or rotate this vertex Null, the tangents will follow.

    Hope it helps,
    François