Updated Guiding Principles of Track Matte and Tracking in Adobe After Effects

Updated Guiding Principles of Track Matte and Tracking in Adobe After Effects

Chloe Lv12

Guiding Principles of Track Matte and Tracking in Adobe After Effects

The realm of video editing has seen significant progress in recent years. With premium tools such as Adobe After Effects, you can take your videos to the next level. However, not every tool is easy to navigate. Some features in popular video editing software can be hard to get around.

The following guide provides valuable insight on how to use Track Matte in After Effects. Explore the endless possibilities of Track Mattes After Effects and Mask Tracking in After Effects. Also, discover a simple alternative to make After Effects mask tracking easy.

AI Smart Masking Spice up your video content with the endless possibilities of AI masking functions!

Free Download Free Download Learn More

Wondershare Filmora

Part 1: How to Utilize Track Mattes in Adobe After Effects?

After Effects by Adobe is a software application dedicated to visual effects and motion graphics for videos. The tool is commonly used in the post-production process of videos. The wide toolset of After Effects can be useful in filmmaking, video gaming, and TV. After Effects offers everything you need to take your creative inspirations to the next level.

  • Motion Graphics: After Effects lets users animate characters and backgrounds in videos. You can generate 3-dimensional models from 2D animations. After Effects also supports the animation of logos to bring your elements to life.
  • Rotoscoping: You can remove elements or drop new ones in your video using After Effects. The Roto Brush Tool can easily separate the background and foreground. You can then replace unwanted objects and replace them with new elements.
  • Motion Tracking: Tracking the movement of an object is quite simple in After Effects. You can pin any element to a moving object. The smooth dynamics can enhance the overall result of the footage.
  • VFX and Special Effects: After Effects is the perfect tool to add special effects to your videos. Its VFX tool lets users add magic to the footage. You can make objects disappear, control the weather, stabilize your video, and more.

Using Track Mattes in After Effects

In Adobe After Effects, a track matte is a layer that defines the transparency of another layer. It acts as a stencil, determining which parts of the underlying layer are visible and which are transparent. Track mattes are used for creating various effects such as text animations, transitions, and seamlessly composing multiple layers. After Effects offers four Track Matte options:

alpha track matte

  • Alpha Matte: Alpha matte in After Effects allows white areas in the matte layer to become visible while black areas become transparent. Effectively, this helps the underlying layer to show through.
  • Alpha Inverted Matte: In an alpha inverted matte, black areas in the matte layer are visible, and white areas are transparent. It reverses the transparency values to create unique effects.
  • Luma Matte: A luma matte uses the brightness values of the matte layer to determine visibility. Bright areas in the matte layer are visible, while dark areas are transparent.
  • Luma Inverted Matte: The luma inverted matte works opposite to the luma matte. The top layer’s dark areas are visible, while bright areas are transparent.

luma track matte

You can use any of the track mattes in After Effects according to your requirements. Following is a step-by-step guide on how to use track mattes:

Step 1

To apply a track matte to your video, you must work with two layers. The top layer acts as the alpha or the luminance layer. The bottom layer acts as the fill. Once you have identified the layers, you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2

Go to the “Modes” column and open the dropdown menu next to “Layer List.” Here, select the layer you wish to use as the track matte.

select track matte layer

Step 3

You will see two toggle switches once you select your layer. You can use these switches and the available options to set the transparency for the Track Matte. You can add alpha matte in After Effects or other types from here.

use switches to add track matte

Part 2: Performing Mask Tracking With Adobe After Effects: Reviewing the Steps

Another remarkable feature that After Effects offers is mask tracking. Using After Effects mask tracking, you can automatically animate a mask’s position, shape, or path. This is done to match the movement of an object in a video clip. You can now easily deal with complex or fast-moving footage with this feature. To use Track Mask in After Effects, you can follow these steps:

Step 1

Import the footage you wish to edit in After Effects. Select the clip you wish to track from the timeline. Then, select the “Pen” tool from the top toolbar or press G on your keyboard. Select the area around the object you wish to mask in the footage.

use pen tool to mark boundary

Step 2

Now, open the layer and right-click on the mask name to select “Track Mask.” This will open the mask tracker in the tracker panel at the right. Open the dropdown menu next to the “Method” option. Here, you can find a range of options for tracking methods. Choose the one according to your requirements. If the object isn’t moving much, you can choose a simple option such as “Position.”

set method for tracking

Step 3

Tap the “Analyze Forward” icon and let the tracker analyze the frames in the clip. Once the process has finished, you can restart your clip and set “Mask Mode” from the timeline to “Subtract.” This will remove the selected object from the clip.

analyze and change mode

Step 4

To fill in the details, go to the “Window” menu from the top and select “Content Aware Fill.” Once you see the panel on the screen, set the “Alpha Extension” slider to a number of your choice and click on “Generate Fill Layer.”

use content fill properties

Part 3: How to Make Masking Easy? Try Wondershare Filmora

Although After Effects is a great tool for professional-quality video editing, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Features such as motion track masks in After Effects are challenging to navigate. Novice users can face trouble getting around the complex masking process in After Effects. For a simpler alternative, you can try Wondershare Filmora .

Filmora is the complete solution when it comes to video editing. The multi-platform tool offers a range of useful features for video and audio manipulation. With thousands of built-in templates and presets, Filmora can help users kick-start their creative journey. You can use this easy-to-use tool as the perfect alternative to After Effects mask tracking.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Main Highlights of Wondershare Filmora

Filmora offers a comprehensive toolset to help users make the most of their media files. Some useful resources provided by Wondershare Filmora include:

  • AI Text-Based Editing: Filmora allows users to convert audio from videos into editable text. This can help you easily modify your video content. The feature can be used for quick transcriptions, subtitles, and translations.

ai text based editing filmora

  • Speed Ramping: Using Filmora, users can apply professional speed effects in footage. You can adjust your video speed and create unique cinematic effects in no time. Filmora also helps maintain the audio pitch to avoid abrupt changes.

speed ramping filmora

  • Compound Clip: Filmora can help users merge multiple clips into a single footage. You can obtain complete control over the integrated clip for editing. This can help users manage and adjust multiple clips easily.

compound clip filmora

  • AI Vocal Remover: The Vocal Remover tool of Filmora offers AI power to separate vocals and music from any audio. You can get separate acapella and vocals for various purposes. From karaoke to creative dubs, everything is now possible with Filmora.

ai vocal remover filmora

Using AI Smart Masking in Filmora – A Step-by-Step Guide

Filmora offers an AI-powered masking feature for users. This allows automatic recognition and selection of objects in videos. You can create seamless transitions, color-correct elements, remove background, and more. The tool can easily detect and separate objects, so you don’t have to put in manual effort. Here is the step-by-step guide for AI smart masking using Filmora:

Step 1: Import Footage in Filmora

Install and launch Wondershare Filmora on your device. From the homepage, tap “New Project” and go to the “File” tab from the top. Tap “Import Media” in the dropdown menu and insert your video clips into the timeline.

add video to timeline

Step 2: Enable AI Mask

Select your clip in the timeline and go to the “Video” tab from the right panel. Select the “Mask” option and tap the “AI Mask” icon. Under the section, you can choose from options such as “Select Character” or “Smart Brush.” Select one according to your requirements and hit “Add Mask.”

apply ai masking

Step 3: Adjust Mask Settings and Export File

After you apply the masking option, you can adjust other mask settings. Filmora allows users to set the expansion range, blur strength, opacity, and other aspects. Once satisfied with the results, tap the “Export” button from the top-right corner and choose a pathway to save your video.

set masking and export

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Conclusion

Adobe After Effects is an industry-standard tool for video editing and manipulation. Track Mattes and Track Masks in After Effects are valuable tools that can help elevate your video’s potential. For a simple and effective alternative, you can try Wondershare Filmora. The tool uses smart masking using AI to make the process easier.

Free Download Free Download Learn More

Wondershare Filmora

Part 1: How to Utilize Track Mattes in Adobe After Effects?

After Effects by Adobe is a software application dedicated to visual effects and motion graphics for videos. The tool is commonly used in the post-production process of videos. The wide toolset of After Effects can be useful in filmmaking, video gaming, and TV. After Effects offers everything you need to take your creative inspirations to the next level.

  • Motion Graphics: After Effects lets users animate characters and backgrounds in videos. You can generate 3-dimensional models from 2D animations. After Effects also supports the animation of logos to bring your elements to life.
  • Rotoscoping: You can remove elements or drop new ones in your video using After Effects. The Roto Brush Tool can easily separate the background and foreground. You can then replace unwanted objects and replace them with new elements.
  • Motion Tracking: Tracking the movement of an object is quite simple in After Effects. You can pin any element to a moving object. The smooth dynamics can enhance the overall result of the footage.
  • VFX and Special Effects: After Effects is the perfect tool to add special effects to your videos. Its VFX tool lets users add magic to the footage. You can make objects disappear, control the weather, stabilize your video, and more.

Using Track Mattes in After Effects

In Adobe After Effects, a track matte is a layer that defines the transparency of another layer. It acts as a stencil, determining which parts of the underlying layer are visible and which are transparent. Track mattes are used for creating various effects such as text animations, transitions, and seamlessly composing multiple layers. After Effects offers four Track Matte options:

alpha track matte

  • Alpha Matte: Alpha matte in After Effects allows white areas in the matte layer to become visible while black areas become transparent. Effectively, this helps the underlying layer to show through.
  • Alpha Inverted Matte: In an alpha inverted matte, black areas in the matte layer are visible, and white areas are transparent. It reverses the transparency values to create unique effects.
  • Luma Matte: A luma matte uses the brightness values of the matte layer to determine visibility. Bright areas in the matte layer are visible, while dark areas are transparent.
  • Luma Inverted Matte: The luma inverted matte works opposite to the luma matte. The top layer’s dark areas are visible, while bright areas are transparent.

luma track matte

You can use any of the track mattes in After Effects according to your requirements. Following is a step-by-step guide on how to use track mattes:

Step 1

To apply a track matte to your video, you must work with two layers. The top layer acts as the alpha or the luminance layer. The bottom layer acts as the fill. Once you have identified the layers, you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2

Go to the “Modes” column and open the dropdown menu next to “Layer List.” Here, select the layer you wish to use as the track matte.

select track matte layer

Step 3

You will see two toggle switches once you select your layer. You can use these switches and the available options to set the transparency for the Track Matte. You can add alpha matte in After Effects or other types from here.

use switches to add track matte

Part 2: Performing Mask Tracking With Adobe After Effects: Reviewing the Steps

Another remarkable feature that After Effects offers is mask tracking. Using After Effects mask tracking, you can automatically animate a mask’s position, shape, or path. This is done to match the movement of an object in a video clip. You can now easily deal with complex or fast-moving footage with this feature. To use Track Mask in After Effects, you can follow these steps:

Step 1

Import the footage you wish to edit in After Effects. Select the clip you wish to track from the timeline. Then, select the “Pen” tool from the top toolbar or press G on your keyboard. Select the area around the object you wish to mask in the footage.

use pen tool to mark boundary

Step 2

Now, open the layer and right-click on the mask name to select “Track Mask.” This will open the mask tracker in the tracker panel at the right. Open the dropdown menu next to the “Method” option. Here, you can find a range of options for tracking methods. Choose the one according to your requirements. If the object isn’t moving much, you can choose a simple option such as “Position.”

set method for tracking

Step 3

Tap the “Analyze Forward” icon and let the tracker analyze the frames in the clip. Once the process has finished, you can restart your clip and set “Mask Mode” from the timeline to “Subtract.” This will remove the selected object from the clip.

analyze and change mode

Step 4

To fill in the details, go to the “Window” menu from the top and select “Content Aware Fill.” Once you see the panel on the screen, set the “Alpha Extension” slider to a number of your choice and click on “Generate Fill Layer.”

use content fill properties

Part 3: How to Make Masking Easy? Try Wondershare Filmora

Although After Effects is a great tool for professional-quality video editing, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Features such as motion track masks in After Effects are challenging to navigate. Novice users can face trouble getting around the complex masking process in After Effects. For a simpler alternative, you can try Wondershare Filmora .

Filmora is the complete solution when it comes to video editing. The multi-platform tool offers a range of useful features for video and audio manipulation. With thousands of built-in templates and presets, Filmora can help users kick-start their creative journey. You can use this easy-to-use tool as the perfect alternative to After Effects mask tracking.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Main Highlights of Wondershare Filmora

Filmora offers a comprehensive toolset to help users make the most of their media files. Some useful resources provided by Wondershare Filmora include:

  • AI Text-Based Editing: Filmora allows users to convert audio from videos into editable text. This can help you easily modify your video content. The feature can be used for quick transcriptions, subtitles, and translations.

ai text based editing filmora

  • Speed Ramping: Using Filmora, users can apply professional speed effects in footage. You can adjust your video speed and create unique cinematic effects in no time. Filmora also helps maintain the audio pitch to avoid abrupt changes.

speed ramping filmora

  • Compound Clip: Filmora can help users merge multiple clips into a single footage. You can obtain complete control over the integrated clip for editing. This can help users manage and adjust multiple clips easily.

compound clip filmora

  • AI Vocal Remover: The Vocal Remover tool of Filmora offers AI power to separate vocals and music from any audio. You can get separate acapella and vocals for various purposes. From karaoke to creative dubs, everything is now possible with Filmora.

ai vocal remover filmora

Using AI Smart Masking in Filmora – A Step-by-Step Guide

Filmora offers an AI-powered masking feature for users. This allows automatic recognition and selection of objects in videos. You can create seamless transitions, color-correct elements, remove background, and more. The tool can easily detect and separate objects, so you don’t have to put in manual effort. Here is the step-by-step guide for AI smart masking using Filmora:

Step 1: Import Footage in Filmora

Install and launch Wondershare Filmora on your device. From the homepage, tap “New Project” and go to the “File” tab from the top. Tap “Import Media” in the dropdown menu and insert your video clips into the timeline.

add video to timeline

Step 2: Enable AI Mask

Select your clip in the timeline and go to the “Video” tab from the right panel. Select the “Mask” option and tap the “AI Mask” icon. Under the section, you can choose from options such as “Select Character” or “Smart Brush.” Select one according to your requirements and hit “Add Mask.”

apply ai masking

Step 3: Adjust Mask Settings and Export File

After you apply the masking option, you can adjust other mask settings. Filmora allows users to set the expansion range, blur strength, opacity, and other aspects. Once satisfied with the results, tap the “Export” button from the top-right corner and choose a pathway to save your video.

set masking and export

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Conclusion

Adobe After Effects is an industry-standard tool for video editing and manipulation. Track Mattes and Track Masks in After Effects are valuable tools that can help elevate your video’s potential. For a simple and effective alternative, you can try Wondershare Filmora. The tool uses smart masking using AI to make the process easier.

Discover the Art of Masking in After Effects: A Comprehensive Guide

Masking is a powerful feature in After Effects that allows you to hide, reveal, or manipulate specific parts of a layer. Whether creating animations, visual effects, or enhancing your video content, masking can be a valuable tool in your arsenal. However, it can be intimidating for beginners, as it requires a good understanding of key concepts and techniques.

This article aims to demystify masking in After Effects and provide a comprehensive guide on getting started. Whether a beginner or an experienced user, you’ll find useful tips, tricks, and a creative alternative to masking that will take your skills to the next level. So let’s dive in and discover the art of masking in After Effects!

masking in after effects

Overview of Masking in After Effects

Masking in After Effects hides or reveals certain layer parts, such as an image or video. This is achieved through masks, paths that determine the visibility of specific layer parts. Masks are an incredibly versatile tool in Adobe After Effects, allowing users to cut out and combine elements, create professional transitions, isolate objects in photos or videos, and build shapes, among other things.

Masks in After Effects are made up of two parts: the mask and the fill. The mask controls what is visible, while the fill determines the color or image used to fill the masked area.

By default, when a mask is created, it is set to “inverted,” meaning the masked area is visible, and the rest is hidden. However, this can easily be changed by pressing “M” to access the mask settings in the timeline and selecting the invert checkmark. Alternatively, the mode can be changed to subtract.

Overall, masks are an essential tool in After Effects, and it’s worth taking the time to learn as much as possible about them. The possibilities are endless, and mastering masks can greatly enhance your projects.

How To Do Masking in AE Using Shape Tools

Shape tools provide a quick and easy way to create masks in AE and are a great starting point for beginners. With these tools, you can easily create masks in various shapes and sizes to hide, reveal, or manipulate parts of a layer. We’ll guide you through creating masks using different shape tools, including the rectangle, ellipse, and polygon tools. So let’s get started!

Step1 Choose the layer to which you want to apply the mask.

after effect select layer

Step2 Choose one of the shape tools from the toolbar.

after effect choose shape

Step3 Drag the mouse and select the area you want to apply the shape tool mask.

after effect apply shape mask

Note:

  • Holding down the “CTRL“ key for Windows or the “CMD“ key for Mac will draw the shape from the center.
  • Holding down the “Shift“ key will maintain equal sides and create symmetrical shapes such as squares or circles.

How To Use Pen Tool for Masking in After Effects

The Pen Tool in After Effects is a powerful, flexible option for creating masks. This section will explore using the Pen Tool to create masks in After Effects.

Whether you need to create a complex or a simple mask, the Pen Tool provides precise control over the mask shape and can create any shape you desire. From freehand masks to geometric shapes, the Pen Tool is the tool of choice for many After Effects users. Let’s take a closer look at how to use the Pen Tool for masking in After Effects.

Step1 Import image to project and add to timeline.

after effect pen tool import media

Step2 Click on the “Pen“ icon to activate Pen Tool, and use it to mask out the background.

after effect pen tool

Step3 Place a new image behind a masked image for a new background.

after effect pen tool add background

Step4 Add a masked image feather if needed.

after effect pen tool add mask feather

Step5 Add text, and create a “shape layer“ to place on the text.

after effect pen tool add shape layer

Step6 UseAlpha Inverted Matte“ to mask the text.

after effect alpha inverted matte

Wondershare Filmora - A Great Alternative to After Effects Masking

Wondershare Filmora is a popular video editing software that offers a range of features and tools for video editing. One of the most useful features is its masking capability, which provides a great alternative to the masking feature in Adobe After Effects.

Filmora’s masking feature is designed to be user-friendly, making it ideal for both beginner and advanced users. With its intuitive interface, users can easily create masks to hide, reveal, or manipulate parts of a video. The software offers a range of masking tools, including shape, freehand, and gradient masks, providing a wide range of options.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

In addition to its masking feature, Filmora offers various tools and features that make it a great choice for video editing. Its keyframe animation allows users to create smooth and professional transitions, and its audio editing features allow users to add music, sound effects, and voiceovers easily. The software also supports various file formats, making it easy to import and export videos for sharing and distribution.

Overall, Wondershare Filmora is a great alternative to After Effects, particularly for users looking for a more user-friendly and affordable video editing and masking option. With its comprehensive features, Filmora provides an excellent option for users who want to create professional-looking videos without needing advanced technical skills.

How To Use Shape Tool In Masking Using Filmora

The Shape Tool in Filmora is a feature in the video editing software Wondershare Filmora, which allows users to create masks with various shapes such as rectangles, circles, double lines, single lines, love, and star, as well as custom shapes using the draw mask feature. Masks in Filmora can hide or reveal specific parts of a video clip, add animations, and create composite images and videos.

Discover how to use the Shape Tool in Wondershare Filmora for masking, a great alternative to After Effects masking. Easy to use for beginners and advanced users alike, Filmora’s Shape Tool provides options for creating masks to manipulate video content.

Step1 Enter the Video panel, and switch to the Mask tab in Wondershare Filmora. Choose from basic mask shapes or create your own.

filmora basic mask shapes

Step2 Select a shape; see only the masked area in the Preview window.

filmora basic mask shapes preview

Step3 Add keyframes to animate the mask and adjust position, rotation, size, and blur strength.

filmora basic mask shapes add keyframe

How To Use Pen Tool In Masking Using Filmora

Pen Tool in Masking Using Filmora is a feature that enables users to create complex masks by dragging control points and modifying B-Splines. The tool allows users to draw the mask shape precisely by zooming in and out on the player screen and to create smooth curves by holding the Alt/Option key to adjust the Bessel curve for drawn masks.

The mask created using the Pen Tool can be edited, resized, repositioned, and adjusted using sliders and handles in the Preview window. The tool also enables users to invert the mask, making the original visible part invisible and the hidden part visible.

Learn how to use the Pen Tool in Wondershare Filmora for masking, a versatile alternative to After Effects masking. With the Pen Tool, you can easily outline and manipulate specific areas in your video to create unique and professional effects.

filmora draw mask

Step1 Create a project and add the media to the timeline**. Enter** the Mask tab.

Step2 Edit the mask by adjusting the sliders in the Mask tab to resize, reposition, and change orientation. Also, adjust the blur strength, width, height, and radius, or invert the mask.

filmora draw mask adjust settings

Conclusion

Masking is an important aspect of video editing and opens up a new world of creative possibilities. After Effects provides a comprehensive set of tools for masking, and Filmora is a great alternative for those looking for a more user-friendly option.

Whether you’re using After Effects or Filmora, you can use masks to control the visibility of parts of your image, make shapes, build transitions, and much more. Following this article’s simple steps, you can start masking and bringing your creative vision to life.

  • Holding down the “CTRL“ key for Windows or the “CMD“ key for Mac will draw the shape from the center.
  • Holding down the “Shift“ key will maintain equal sides and create symmetrical shapes such as squares or circles.

How To Use Pen Tool for Masking in After Effects

The Pen Tool in After Effects is a powerful, flexible option for creating masks. This section will explore using the Pen Tool to create masks in After Effects.

Whether you need to create a complex or a simple mask, the Pen Tool provides precise control over the mask shape and can create any shape you desire. From freehand masks to geometric shapes, the Pen Tool is the tool of choice for many After Effects users. Let’s take a closer look at how to use the Pen Tool for masking in After Effects.

Step1 Import image to project and add to timeline.

after effect pen tool import media

Step2 Click on the “Pen“ icon to activate Pen Tool, and use it to mask out the background.

after effect pen tool

Step3 Place a new image behind a masked image for a new background.

after effect pen tool add background

Step4 Add a masked image feather if needed.

after effect pen tool add mask feather

Step5 Add text, and create a “shape layer“ to place on the text.

after effect pen tool add shape layer

Step6 UseAlpha Inverted Matte“ to mask the text.

after effect alpha inverted matte

Wondershare Filmora - A Great Alternative to After Effects Masking

Wondershare Filmora is a popular video editing software that offers a range of features and tools for video editing. One of the most useful features is its masking capability, which provides a great alternative to the masking feature in Adobe After Effects.

Filmora’s masking feature is designed to be user-friendly, making it ideal for both beginner and advanced users. With its intuitive interface, users can easily create masks to hide, reveal, or manipulate parts of a video. The software offers a range of masking tools, including shape, freehand, and gradient masks, providing a wide range of options.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

In addition to its masking feature, Filmora offers various tools and features that make it a great choice for video editing. Its keyframe animation allows users to create smooth and professional transitions, and its audio editing features allow users to add music, sound effects, and voiceovers easily. The software also supports various file formats, making it easy to import and export videos for sharing and distribution.

Overall, Wondershare Filmora is a great alternative to After Effects, particularly for users looking for a more user-friendly and affordable video editing and masking option. With its comprehensive features, Filmora provides an excellent option for users who want to create professional-looking videos without needing advanced technical skills.

How To Use Shape Tool In Masking Using Filmora

The Shape Tool in Filmora is a feature in the video editing software Wondershare Filmora, which allows users to create masks with various shapes such as rectangles, circles, double lines, single lines, love, and star, as well as custom shapes using the draw mask feature. Masks in Filmora can hide or reveal specific parts of a video clip, add animations, and create composite images and videos.

Discover how to use the Shape Tool in Wondershare Filmora for masking, a great alternative to After Effects masking. Easy to use for beginners and advanced users alike, Filmora’s Shape Tool provides options for creating masks to manipulate video content.

Step1 Enter the Video panel, and switch to the Mask tab in Wondershare Filmora. Choose from basic mask shapes or create your own.

filmora basic mask shapes

Step2 Select a shape; see only the masked area in the Preview window.

filmora basic mask shapes preview

Step3 Add keyframes to animate the mask and adjust position, rotation, size, and blur strength.

filmora basic mask shapes add keyframe

How To Use Pen Tool In Masking Using Filmora

Pen Tool in Masking Using Filmora is a feature that enables users to create complex masks by dragging control points and modifying B-Splines. The tool allows users to draw the mask shape precisely by zooming in and out on the player screen and to create smooth curves by holding the Alt/Option key to adjust the Bessel curve for drawn masks.

The mask created using the Pen Tool can be edited, resized, repositioned, and adjusted using sliders and handles in the Preview window. The tool also enables users to invert the mask, making the original visible part invisible and the hidden part visible.

Learn how to use the Pen Tool in Wondershare Filmora for masking, a versatile alternative to After Effects masking. With the Pen Tool, you can easily outline and manipulate specific areas in your video to create unique and professional effects.

filmora draw mask

Step1 Create a project and add the media to the timeline**. Enter** the Mask tab.

Step2 Edit the mask by adjusting the sliders in the Mask tab to resize, reposition, and change orientation. Also, adjust the blur strength, width, height, and radius, or invert the mask.

filmora draw mask adjust settings

Conclusion

Masking is an important aspect of video editing and opens up a new world of creative possibilities. After Effects provides a comprehensive set of tools for masking, and Filmora is a great alternative for those looking for a more user-friendly option.

Whether you’re using After Effects or Filmora, you can use masks to control the visibility of parts of your image, make shapes, build transitions, and much more. Following this article’s simple steps, you can start masking and bringing your creative vision to life.

The Ultimate Guide to Countdown Animation in Videos

Many online marketers find that the animated countdown timer is the perfect way to bring a visual element to their videos while maintaining the quality and effectiveness of the video itself.

There are many ways to show a countdown timer on videos using animated GIFs. But they can be hard to implement or could cost a lot of money. You can use some free services, but they are limited in terms of features.

But not to worry, this post will go through a detailed process of creating an animated timer with 3 different methods. Before that, let’s discuss the benefits of using a timer for videos.

  1. Method 1: Make a Countdown Animation with a Professional Video Editing Software
  2. Method 2: Generate the timer with Free Online Countdown Timer Video Generators
  3. Method 3: Make a Countdown Timer with a Graphic Design Platform

What are the benefits of using a countdown timer for videos/live streams?

Countdowns are a great way to get your message across and get your viewers excited about your product or service. A countdown timer provides a very simple visual cue to help motivate yourself and your audience to start watching the video.

It also works well with vlogs and YouTube, seamlessly transitioning from one part of your video to the next. This works best when your video isn’t about the product itself (but rather a review, a demo, or something else that lends itself well to a countdown).

As you can see, the Vlogger uses a countdown timer at the beginning of his video. Vlogger uses a countdown timer to make it appear as if the time is running out because it adds urgency and suspense. As a viewer, you’ll want to hurry up and watch this video, so you don’t miss out on anything.

Let’s now dive deep into methods of creating countdown animation for videos.

Method 1: Make a Countdown Animation with a Professional Video Editing Software

The most common trend today is video content creation, and it’s everywhere. Videos are not only entertaining, but they have a significant impact on audience retention.

With a video editor, you can create compelling content that will entice your viewers to watch the whole thing. Moreover, it can also help you get started by adding captions, transitions, effects, etc.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

If you’re ready to make your next project more engaging and interactive, you can try the best video editing software, Wondershare Filmora !

wondershare filmora interface

Wondershare Filmora is the industry standard when it comes to editing video. The video editing software industry is filled with features that promise to be faster, smarter, and easier to use than others.

Moreover, Wondershare has Filmstock effects that have revolutionized the world of video creators.

Filmstock is a collection of videos ready to be used with Filmora that contains more than 1,000 free stock footage clips of various scenes and locations, plus video effects, transitions, and titles, to make creating professional-quality videos faster and easier.

Let’s see some of its features that help us make animation countdown timers easily.

  • Rich effects for you to choose customizing countdown animation at ease.
  • You’re not stuck with traditional slow motion in your videos; you can add dynamism and energy to your videos with smooth animations.
  • It has various countdown animation templates simplify the whole process, just drag-and-drop, everything gets done.

How to make a countdown animation with Filmora

You’re looking for an animated countdown timer for your website or your very first YouTube video, but you want one that stands out. You don’t want your visitors to think it’s generic or boring, so you’re thinking about how to make your countdown timer more interesting.

That’s where Filmora comes in. It’s an amazing tool that makes it easy to create countdown animations on websites or videos for almost any purpose. Let’s look at how to create your own cool, creative countdown timers using Filmora.

Step1Open Filmora and import the background video file from the media section.

import the file

Step2After importing the video, go to elements options from the top tab.

select elements tab

Step3After choosing elements, you’ll see the countdown tab on your left. Click on the countdown and choose any animation. You can adjust the animation duration, size, and audio.

choose animation

Step4Adjust the animation duration according to the background video, and finally, export your animated countdown timer.

hit export

Pros and Cons of using Video Editing Software to make a countdown animation

Pros

  • You can save any countdown effects project as a project to be used in future videos.
  • You can create a vision of your brand concept in your way.
  • Free templates are available according to your brand and target audience.
  • More stable.

Cons

  • Standard out-of-the-box video editing software isn’t enough to create a professional-quality video.

Method 2: Generate the timer with Free Online Countdown Timer Video Generators

If you’re trying to catch your audience’s attention by giving them a reason to ‘countdown’ to something, then you’ll want to use a countdown timer with some great free online countdown videos.

There are many countdown timer websites like;Biteable ,Kapwing ,Movavi ,and MakeWebVideo . But we’ve rounded up the best countdown video generator site you’ll ever see:

FlexClip

flexClip web interface

FlexClip is a powerful yet easy-to-use online video editor. Its music library is versatile and high-quality. It lets you pick and add favorite tracks without infringing worries. Apply interesting editing to make your videos look better by adding transitions, filters, text, and more.

FlexClip’s biggest advantage is its extensive amount of free media assets. Whether you’re a master or rookie with FlexClip, you’re capable of producing excellent videos with music. You can be a video guru or a video beginner. You’re capable of producing awesome videos with great sound using FlexClip.

Key Features:

  • Provides a complete set of video-making processes.
  • A diverse range of royalty-free music selection
  • Loads of handy editing tools
  • Thousands of ready-made templates
  • Multiple advanced features like adding text, emoji, effects, and more

How to make a countdown animation with FlexClip

The FlexClip countdown creator is a leading video editor with many powerful features. To make your countdown video, click the Create a Video button below.

Step1Set Your Countdown Video Background

Set your timer to how long you want your message to start your countdown. Usually, it’s 10 seconds.

Then add scenes and adjust the duration of scenes to make them all length. You can use the background color to make it more appealing to your audience.

set background of the countdown timer

Step2Highlight Your Countdown with Animated Elements

Using the amazing elements, you can make your countdown interactive and much more fun. Just go to the sidebar and switch to the Elements options. Apply the elements you want, then customize them on size, position, and color.

highlight your countdown with animated elements

Step3Add the Number to Your Countdown

Now, add the numbers for the countdown, e.g., if you want a 10-second countdown, type in the number “10”. You can pick a basic text effect and manually enter the number.

After you’ve created the number, go to the timeline and control how long the number will appear and when it will disappear.

add number to the countdown video

Step4Add Music or Sound Effects to Your Countdown Video

FlexClip lets you upload your audio files from a local folder, or you can select one from FlexClip’s library. Once you’re done adding the countdown music, you can trim the duration, set it to start and end at any time, and use the fade-in/out effect to make the music match your countdown. Plus, you can also adjust the volume to make the music softer.

add music to the countdown video

Step5Preview and Export Your Countdown Video

You can preview it to see how the countdown video will look in the end, finally, hit export, and you’re done!

Method 3: Make a Countdown Timer with a Graphic Design Platform

Today’s graphic design platforms give designers more options than ever before, but many designers struggle to make the most of these resources. Let us share some tips and tricks on designing a countdown timer using the tools available through Canva, a graphic design platform.

Canva

canva web interface

Many types of graphic design software are available, and Canva is one of the best. While its critics may disagree, Canva is an undeniable tool to help millions of business owners and marketers improve their social media graphics and redesign their brand image without needing to learn graphic design.

Key Features:

  • Drag and drop feature
  • Free templates
  • Background Removal Tool
  • Canva Brand Kit
  • Magic Resizing

How to make a countdown animation with Canva

Canva offers a range of great-looking countdown templates that’ll help you create one in just a few minutes. And if you need a simple countdown animation, you can download one of their free templates. Let’s make it from scratch:

Step1Select The Background

With Canva, you get a wide range of free backgrounds. Click on the button labeled “Search.” Now choose the “light old film” background element and click Add.

select background

Step2Enter Your Text (Number)

Then select the text tab and choose any font style, color, and size.

enter your number

Step3Animate Text

Next, select the font again, and then, at the top, there’s an option for Text Animation.

Adding text animation to your countdown timer will make it more realistic and match your background better than a straight-up countdown timer.

animate text

Step4Edit The Page Timing

Next, click on the “Edit Timing” option. You can set the timer for each page as per your choice

edit page timing

Step5Duplicate The Page

Now, select the duplicate page option and change the number of duplicate pages from 3 to 2,1, with the same design and formatting.

duplicate the page

Step6Export / Download Video

You’re finally done! Click the Download button to export your design.

The background of this photo is not a static image, so you cannot select the JPG, PNG, or SVG. You must choose an MP4 video or a GIF when creating an animation.

export video

Top 10 animated countdown effects to make your video like a Pro

Animated countdown effects are a great way to add some “pizzazz” to a simple video. They look awesome and are extremely effective in creating a memorable video. When used well, they can add some excitement to a boring video. We’ll go over the top 10 animated countdown effects from Filmstock

  1. Cool Countdown

cool countdown pack

  1. Fitness Countdown

fitness countdown pack

  1. Cinematic Countdown

cinematic countdown pack

  1. Neon Countdown

neon countdown pack

  1. Cyber Countdown

cyber countdown pack

  1. Digital Countdown Pack

digital countdown pack

  1. Big Metal Countdown

big metal countdown pack

  1. Glitch Countdown Transition

glitch countdown transition pack

  1. Countdown To New Year

countdown to new year pack

  1. Flashing Light Countdown

flashing light countdown pack

How to use these effects in Wondershare Filmora

You can access Filmstock directly from the Filmora application or by visiting the website:

  • Create a new project by clicking Filmora Video Editor in the menu.
  • Select the audio effects tab, or go to the Audio tab, title tab. You will see the film stock option.
  • Click the Visit Filmstock button, and you will be taken to the Filmstock website.

filmstock button

  • Log in to Filmstock using your Wondershare account.

login via wondershare

  • After the download, the new effects will be added to your project in the appropriate section (Audio, Title, Transitions, and Elements). You’ll also be able to preview each effect from this window.

downloaded packs

Note: It is highly recommended to log in to Filmstock and Filmora with the same Wondershare ID.

Final Words

A countdown is a powerful tool to add suspense to your videos. It gives your audience more incentive to watch your video all the way through. Get this article, as it is the ultimate guide to making your countdown animations, plus the best video editing software, Wondershare Filmora.

Wondershare Filmora is an excellent place to be creative and make some terrific countdown timers that can improve your viewers’ overall experience. Use their templates to create a strong and engaging online presence. Your audience won’t be able to resist the mesmerizing, hypnotizing, and enthralling effects of Wondershare Filmora.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

What are the benefits of using a countdown timer for videos/live streams?

Countdowns are a great way to get your message across and get your viewers excited about your product or service. A countdown timer provides a very simple visual cue to help motivate yourself and your audience to start watching the video.

It also works well with vlogs and YouTube, seamlessly transitioning from one part of your video to the next. This works best when your video isn’t about the product itself (but rather a review, a demo, or something else that lends itself well to a countdown).

As you can see, the Vlogger uses a countdown timer at the beginning of his video. Vlogger uses a countdown timer to make it appear as if the time is running out because it adds urgency and suspense. As a viewer, you’ll want to hurry up and watch this video, so you don’t miss out on anything.

Let’s now dive deep into methods of creating countdown animation for videos.

Method 1: Make a Countdown Animation with a Professional Video Editing Software

The most common trend today is video content creation, and it’s everywhere. Videos are not only entertaining, but they have a significant impact on audience retention.

With a video editor, you can create compelling content that will entice your viewers to watch the whole thing. Moreover, it can also help you get started by adding captions, transitions, effects, etc.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

If you’re ready to make your next project more engaging and interactive, you can try the best video editing software, Wondershare Filmora !

wondershare filmora interface

Wondershare Filmora is the industry standard when it comes to editing video. The video editing software industry is filled with features that promise to be faster, smarter, and easier to use than others.

Moreover, Wondershare has Filmstock effects that have revolutionized the world of video creators.

Filmstock is a collection of videos ready to be used with Filmora that contains more than 1,000 free stock footage clips of various scenes and locations, plus video effects, transitions, and titles, to make creating professional-quality videos faster and easier.

Let’s see some of its features that help us make animation countdown timers easily.

  • Rich effects for you to choose customizing countdown animation at ease.
  • You’re not stuck with traditional slow motion in your videos; you can add dynamism and energy to your videos with smooth animations.
  • It has various countdown animation templates simplify the whole process, just drag-and-drop, everything gets done.

How to make a countdown animation with Filmora

You’re looking for an animated countdown timer for your website or your very first YouTube video, but you want one that stands out. You don’t want your visitors to think it’s generic or boring, so you’re thinking about how to make your countdown timer more interesting.

That’s where Filmora comes in. It’s an amazing tool that makes it easy to create countdown animations on websites or videos for almost any purpose. Let’s look at how to create your own cool, creative countdown timers using Filmora.

Step1Open Filmora and import the background video file from the media section.

import the file

Step2After importing the video, go to elements options from the top tab.

select elements tab

Step3After choosing elements, you’ll see the countdown tab on your left. Click on the countdown and choose any animation. You can adjust the animation duration, size, and audio.

choose animation

Step4Adjust the animation duration according to the background video, and finally, export your animated countdown timer.

hit export

Pros and Cons of using Video Editing Software to make a countdown animation

Pros

  • You can save any countdown effects project as a project to be used in future videos.
  • You can create a vision of your brand concept in your way.
  • Free templates are available according to your brand and target audience.
  • More stable.

Cons

  • Standard out-of-the-box video editing software isn’t enough to create a professional-quality video.

Method 2: Generate the timer with Free Online Countdown Timer Video Generators

If you’re trying to catch your audience’s attention by giving them a reason to ‘countdown’ to something, then you’ll want to use a countdown timer with some great free online countdown videos.

There are many countdown timer websites like;Biteable ,Kapwing ,Movavi ,and MakeWebVideo . But we’ve rounded up the best countdown video generator site you’ll ever see:

FlexClip

flexClip web interface

FlexClip is a powerful yet easy-to-use online video editor. Its music library is versatile and high-quality. It lets you pick and add favorite tracks without infringing worries. Apply interesting editing to make your videos look better by adding transitions, filters, text, and more.

FlexClip’s biggest advantage is its extensive amount of free media assets. Whether you’re a master or rookie with FlexClip, you’re capable of producing excellent videos with music. You can be a video guru or a video beginner. You’re capable of producing awesome videos with great sound using FlexClip.

Key Features:

  • Provides a complete set of video-making processes.
  • A diverse range of royalty-free music selection
  • Loads of handy editing tools
  • Thousands of ready-made templates
  • Multiple advanced features like adding text, emoji, effects, and more

How to make a countdown animation with FlexClip

The FlexClip countdown creator is a leading video editor with many powerful features. To make your countdown video, click the Create a Video button below.

Step1Set Your Countdown Video Background

Set your timer to how long you want your message to start your countdown. Usually, it’s 10 seconds.

Then add scenes and adjust the duration of scenes to make them all length. You can use the background color to make it more appealing to your audience.

set background of the countdown timer

Step2Highlight Your Countdown with Animated Elements

Using the amazing elements, you can make your countdown interactive and much more fun. Just go to the sidebar and switch to the Elements options. Apply the elements you want, then customize them on size, position, and color.

highlight your countdown with animated elements

Step3Add the Number to Your Countdown

Now, add the numbers for the countdown, e.g., if you want a 10-second countdown, type in the number “10”. You can pick a basic text effect and manually enter the number.

After you’ve created the number, go to the timeline and control how long the number will appear and when it will disappear.

add number to the countdown video

Step4Add Music or Sound Effects to Your Countdown Video

FlexClip lets you upload your audio files from a local folder, or you can select one from FlexClip’s library. Once you’re done adding the countdown music, you can trim the duration, set it to start and end at any time, and use the fade-in/out effect to make the music match your countdown. Plus, you can also adjust the volume to make the music softer.

add music to the countdown video

Step5Preview and Export Your Countdown Video

You can preview it to see how the countdown video will look in the end, finally, hit export, and you’re done!

Method 3: Make a Countdown Timer with a Graphic Design Platform

Today’s graphic design platforms give designers more options than ever before, but many designers struggle to make the most of these resources. Let us share some tips and tricks on designing a countdown timer using the tools available through Canva, a graphic design platform.

Canva

canva web interface

Many types of graphic design software are available, and Canva is one of the best. While its critics may disagree, Canva is an undeniable tool to help millions of business owners and marketers improve their social media graphics and redesign their brand image without needing to learn graphic design.

Key Features:

  • Drag and drop feature
  • Free templates
  • Background Removal Tool
  • Canva Brand Kit
  • Magic Resizing

How to make a countdown animation with Canva

Canva offers a range of great-looking countdown templates that’ll help you create one in just a few minutes. And if you need a simple countdown animation, you can download one of their free templates. Let’s make it from scratch:

Step1Select The Background

With Canva, you get a wide range of free backgrounds. Click on the button labeled “Search.” Now choose the “light old film” background element and click Add.

select background

Step2Enter Your Text (Number)

Then select the text tab and choose any font style, color, and size.

enter your number

Step3Animate Text

Next, select the font again, and then, at the top, there’s an option for Text Animation.

Adding text animation to your countdown timer will make it more realistic and match your background better than a straight-up countdown timer.

animate text

Step4Edit The Page Timing

Next, click on the “Edit Timing” option. You can set the timer for each page as per your choice

edit page timing

Step5Duplicate The Page

Now, select the duplicate page option and change the number of duplicate pages from 3 to 2,1, with the same design and formatting.

duplicate the page

Step6Export / Download Video

You’re finally done! Click the Download button to export your design.

The background of this photo is not a static image, so you cannot select the JPG, PNG, or SVG. You must choose an MP4 video or a GIF when creating an animation.

export video

Top 10 animated countdown effects to make your video like a Pro

Animated countdown effects are a great way to add some “pizzazz” to a simple video. They look awesome and are extremely effective in creating a memorable video. When used well, they can add some excitement to a boring video. We’ll go over the top 10 animated countdown effects from Filmstock

  1. Cool Countdown

cool countdown pack

  1. Fitness Countdown

fitness countdown pack

  1. Cinematic Countdown

cinematic countdown pack

  1. Neon Countdown

neon countdown pack

  1. Cyber Countdown

cyber countdown pack

  1. Digital Countdown Pack

digital countdown pack

  1. Big Metal Countdown

big metal countdown pack

  1. Glitch Countdown Transition

glitch countdown transition pack

  1. Countdown To New Year

countdown to new year pack

  1. Flashing Light Countdown

flashing light countdown pack

How to use these effects in Wondershare Filmora

You can access Filmstock directly from the Filmora application or by visiting the website:

  • Create a new project by clicking Filmora Video Editor in the menu.
  • Select the audio effects tab, or go to the Audio tab, title tab. You will see the film stock option.
  • Click the Visit Filmstock button, and you will be taken to the Filmstock website.

filmstock button

  • Log in to Filmstock using your Wondershare account.

login via wondershare

  • After the download, the new effects will be added to your project in the appropriate section (Audio, Title, Transitions, and Elements). You’ll also be able to preview each effect from this window.

downloaded packs

Note: It is highly recommended to log in to Filmstock and Filmora with the same Wondershare ID.

Final Words

A countdown is a powerful tool to add suspense to your videos. It gives your audience more incentive to watch your video all the way through. Get this article, as it is the ultimate guide to making your countdown animations, plus the best video editing software, Wondershare Filmora.

Wondershare Filmora is an excellent place to be creative and make some terrific countdown timers that can improve your viewers’ overall experience. Use their templates to create a strong and engaging online presence. Your audience won’t be able to resist the mesmerizing, hypnotizing, and enthralling effects of Wondershare Filmora.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

5 Tried-And-True Methods to GIF Making

5 Tried-And-True Methods to GIF Making

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

GIFs are a way for teens to add a bit of fun to their private or group conversations while expressing themselves in a fun and expressive way. GIFs are trendy on sites like Twitter and Tumblr, but more and more people have started using them for their blogs and other content because it helps them connect with their readers. Making gifs is one of those skills that make you look incredible in your friend’s group nowadays.

So, the question is how to make a GIF? Is it hard? We will walk you through the process in this article.

In this article

01 [How to Make a GIF With Photoshop](#Part 1)

02 [How to Make a GIF With Canva](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video](#Part 3)

04 [How to Make a GIF on Mobile](#Part 4)

05 [How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs](#Part 5)

Part 1 How to Make a GIF With Photoshop

Photoshop is probably the best tool for gif-making available in the market right now. They provide you with the essential tools to make the best GIFs out of any video you want.

So here is a step-by-step method to help you make your GIFs in Photoshop and impress your friends.

Step 1: One of the most important steps is to choose the video you want to use in your GIF. GIFs are supposed to be short and express what you want to in that concise sequence, and that’s why choosing a correct sequence of the right length is very important.

Step 2: Now you will have to download the video file to your computer and continue to trim it down to as few frames as possible, and choose the frames that convey the message as accurately as possible.

Step 3: Import the video to Photoshop by going to “File” > “Import” > “Video frames to layers.” Choose the video file you need, and it will appear in the form of separate frames. Now you can select whether you want the entire video or small bits of it; you can also limit the import to any frame to manage the size and time of the video. You can choose different color gradients and many other things according to your preference. And then go to “file” and select “save for web.”

import video to make gif photoshop

Step 4: As the next step, move ahead with selecting color gradients as per your needs and choice. And then go to “file” and select “save for web,” and select the settings for the saved file until you find the one that suits you.

set according to the needs photoshop

Step 5: Save the file, and now you can share it with your friends or upload it to different free image hosting sites.

Part 2 How to Make a GIF With Canva

Making GIFs on Canva is super easy; if you are someone who is not familiar with tools like Photoshop, Canva is a GIF generator that can help you out in that situation and help you make GIFs. So, how do you use a gif maker in Canva? See the steps below to get a comprehensive idea of that.

Step 1: To create your GIF design in Canva, go to Canva and open “new doc.”

open doc in canva

Step 2: Choose the download feature and then continue to the drop-down list and now click on “Animated gif/movie” and “preview animation.”

click preview animation canva

Step 3: Now you will have to select the animation style for your Gif; currently, Canva has around 6 animation styles that you can choose from.

Step 4: Now you will have to download the GIF. After that, simply share and flaunt your skills to your near ones!

Part 3 How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video

So, how can you make Gif from any YouTube video? It’s not so hard when there are online Gif makersonline that will help you make excellent and funky Gifs easily and in a short time.

You can use Giphy, an online Gif maker, and one can make gif easily over there; you just have to follow a few simple steps mentioned below.

Step 1: First of all, you will have to choose a video that fits your need and is perfect for a gif like short, expressive, and high quality.

giphy interface

Step 2: The next step in the process is to upload the gif to Giphy, which can be done by choosing “choose file” under the gif section to make a gif online. You can also use video links if you haven’t downloaded the video in your system.

choose file giphy

Step 3: Gif has an online gif generator that will generate a perfect gif for you from the video you selected by trimming and other required operations.

trim video giphy

Step 4: Now you will have to click on “upload to giphy,” and the GIF you created will start uploading, and you are ready to use the online gif with your friends.

upload to giphy

Part 4 How to Make a GIF on Mobile

What if you don’t have a pc or laptop and want tomake a gif on your phone? That’s very easy; here, we will share the steps you need to follow to easily make gifs on your iOS or Android device.

01How to create gif on your iOS device?

There are enough third-party apps that one can use to make GIFs on their iOS device. But on iPhones and iPad, some already installed programs can help you make GIFs easily.

You can use a live photos program and add effects to the shots you want to turn into gifs. You will have to go to the Photos app, select the image and click on the gray corner and add different effects as you desire. You can get a gif maker from the app store and turn your life photos into a gif quickly with all the effects you have added previously.

02How to create a gif with android?

Different Android phones offer different options to turn photos and other animations into gifs. For example, in Samsung Galaxy phones, one can use gif-making features already available in the pre-installed gallery app. In addition, Google photos have a ‘motion photos’ feature that can be converted and used to make GIFs easily using third-party apps you can easily find on Play Store.

03You can use a gif making app

Making GIFs from native tools is fantastic, but you can’t get all the features when using a native tool on your phone. However, you can download a gif generator online to help you make GIFs easily with your phone itself.

Part 5 How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs

What if you need to create screen recording gifs? That’s not hard, too. Actually, it’s super easy. So, to begin with, all you need is to get a screen recording application downloaded. It should be compatible to the device you want to record screen of. Also, keep the part of the video you want to turn into GIF.

Now, once you have the video file, things will become easy. All you have to do is upload the video file to Wondershare Filmora Video Editor and trim the video to the desired length and make the perfect gif to share with your friends and family!

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Now, you must be wondering about Filmora; you must be aware of Photoshop already, but filmora is an equally appealing tool that one can use to edit videos, make gifs online, and much more. The best part is that it’s super easy to use and doesn’t need you to have any skills at all.

With Filmora, you can do professional editing and use all sorts of tools quickly, and you can also use it to make awesome gifs. Gif making is straightforward, and it’s for you to try tools that make the process fun too.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

So, here are the points we can summarize through this article.

The first and best thing is that you don’t need to have any technical knowledge to make gifs to share with all your friends and have fun. You can easily make a gif online and add all sorts of animations and filters that you like.

You don’t need to have a PC either, you can easily use Gif generators that are available online, and they will be able to make a perfect gif for yourself on your phone itself.

Using and making perfect gifs is an art, and you need to take care of the video you choose, time, lengths, the expression, and other filters while you make a gif online.

Try It Free Try It Free

GIFs are a way for teens to add a bit of fun to their private or group conversations while expressing themselves in a fun and expressive way. GIFs are trendy on sites like Twitter and Tumblr, but more and more people have started using them for their blogs and other content because it helps them connect with their readers. Making gifs is one of those skills that make you look incredible in your friend’s group nowadays.

So, the question is how to make a GIF? Is it hard? We will walk you through the process in this article.

In this article

01 [How to Make a GIF With Photoshop](#Part 1)

02 [How to Make a GIF With Canva](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video](#Part 3)

04 [How to Make a GIF on Mobile](#Part 4)

05 [How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs](#Part 5)

Part 1 How to Make a GIF With Photoshop

Photoshop is probably the best tool for gif-making available in the market right now. They provide you with the essential tools to make the best GIFs out of any video you want.

So here is a step-by-step method to help you make your GIFs in Photoshop and impress your friends.

Step 1: One of the most important steps is to choose the video you want to use in your GIF. GIFs are supposed to be short and express what you want to in that concise sequence, and that’s why choosing a correct sequence of the right length is very important.

Step 2: Now you will have to download the video file to your computer and continue to trim it down to as few frames as possible, and choose the frames that convey the message as accurately as possible.

Step 3: Import the video to Photoshop by going to “File” > “Import” > “Video frames to layers.” Choose the video file you need, and it will appear in the form of separate frames. Now you can select whether you want the entire video or small bits of it; you can also limit the import to any frame to manage the size and time of the video. You can choose different color gradients and many other things according to your preference. And then go to “file” and select “save for web.”

import video to make gif photoshop

Step 4: As the next step, move ahead with selecting color gradients as per your needs and choice. And then go to “file” and select “save for web,” and select the settings for the saved file until you find the one that suits you.

set according to the needs photoshop

Step 5: Save the file, and now you can share it with your friends or upload it to different free image hosting sites.

Part 2 How to Make a GIF With Canva

Making GIFs on Canva is super easy; if you are someone who is not familiar with tools like Photoshop, Canva is a GIF generator that can help you out in that situation and help you make GIFs. So, how do you use a gif maker in Canva? See the steps below to get a comprehensive idea of that.

Step 1: To create your GIF design in Canva, go to Canva and open “new doc.”

open doc in canva

Step 2: Choose the download feature and then continue to the drop-down list and now click on “Animated gif/movie” and “preview animation.”

click preview animation canva

Step 3: Now you will have to select the animation style for your Gif; currently, Canva has around 6 animation styles that you can choose from.

Step 4: Now you will have to download the GIF. After that, simply share and flaunt your skills to your near ones!

Part 3 How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video

So, how can you make Gif from any YouTube video? It’s not so hard when there are online Gif makersonline that will help you make excellent and funky Gifs easily and in a short time.

You can use Giphy, an online Gif maker, and one can make gif easily over there; you just have to follow a few simple steps mentioned below.

Step 1: First of all, you will have to choose a video that fits your need and is perfect for a gif like short, expressive, and high quality.

giphy interface

Step 2: The next step in the process is to upload the gif to Giphy, which can be done by choosing “choose file” under the gif section to make a gif online. You can also use video links if you haven’t downloaded the video in your system.

choose file giphy

Step 3: Gif has an online gif generator that will generate a perfect gif for you from the video you selected by trimming and other required operations.

trim video giphy

Step 4: Now you will have to click on “upload to giphy,” and the GIF you created will start uploading, and you are ready to use the online gif with your friends.

upload to giphy

Part 4 How to Make a GIF on Mobile

What if you don’t have a pc or laptop and want tomake a gif on your phone? That’s very easy; here, we will share the steps you need to follow to easily make gifs on your iOS or Android device.

01How to create gif on your iOS device?

There are enough third-party apps that one can use to make GIFs on their iOS device. But on iPhones and iPad, some already installed programs can help you make GIFs easily.

You can use a live photos program and add effects to the shots you want to turn into gifs. You will have to go to the Photos app, select the image and click on the gray corner and add different effects as you desire. You can get a gif maker from the app store and turn your life photos into a gif quickly with all the effects you have added previously.

02How to create a gif with android?

Different Android phones offer different options to turn photos and other animations into gifs. For example, in Samsung Galaxy phones, one can use gif-making features already available in the pre-installed gallery app. In addition, Google photos have a ‘motion photos’ feature that can be converted and used to make GIFs easily using third-party apps you can easily find on Play Store.

03You can use a gif making app

Making GIFs from native tools is fantastic, but you can’t get all the features when using a native tool on your phone. However, you can download a gif generator online to help you make GIFs easily with your phone itself.

Part 5 How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs

What if you need to create screen recording gifs? That’s not hard, too. Actually, it’s super easy. So, to begin with, all you need is to get a screen recording application downloaded. It should be compatible to the device you want to record screen of. Also, keep the part of the video you want to turn into GIF.

Now, once you have the video file, things will become easy. All you have to do is upload the video file to Wondershare Filmora Video Editor and trim the video to the desired length and make the perfect gif to share with your friends and family!

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Now, you must be wondering about Filmora; you must be aware of Photoshop already, but filmora is an equally appealing tool that one can use to edit videos, make gifs online, and much more. The best part is that it’s super easy to use and doesn’t need you to have any skills at all.

With Filmora, you can do professional editing and use all sorts of tools quickly, and you can also use it to make awesome gifs. Gif making is straightforward, and it’s for you to try tools that make the process fun too.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

So, here are the points we can summarize through this article.

The first and best thing is that you don’t need to have any technical knowledge to make gifs to share with all your friends and have fun. You can easily make a gif online and add all sorts of animations and filters that you like.

You don’t need to have a PC either, you can easily use Gif generators that are available online, and they will be able to make a perfect gif for yourself on your phone itself.

Using and making perfect gifs is an art, and you need to take care of the video you choose, time, lengths, the expression, and other filters while you make a gif online.

Try It Free Try It Free

GIFs are a way for teens to add a bit of fun to their private or group conversations while expressing themselves in a fun and expressive way. GIFs are trendy on sites like Twitter and Tumblr, but more and more people have started using them for their blogs and other content because it helps them connect with their readers. Making gifs is one of those skills that make you look incredible in your friend’s group nowadays.

So, the question is how to make a GIF? Is it hard? We will walk you through the process in this article.

In this article

01 [How to Make a GIF With Photoshop](#Part 1)

02 [How to Make a GIF With Canva](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video](#Part 3)

04 [How to Make a GIF on Mobile](#Part 4)

05 [How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs](#Part 5)

Part 1 How to Make a GIF With Photoshop

Photoshop is probably the best tool for gif-making available in the market right now. They provide you with the essential tools to make the best GIFs out of any video you want.

So here is a step-by-step method to help you make your GIFs in Photoshop and impress your friends.

Step 1: One of the most important steps is to choose the video you want to use in your GIF. GIFs are supposed to be short and express what you want to in that concise sequence, and that’s why choosing a correct sequence of the right length is very important.

Step 2: Now you will have to download the video file to your computer and continue to trim it down to as few frames as possible, and choose the frames that convey the message as accurately as possible.

Step 3: Import the video to Photoshop by going to “File” > “Import” > “Video frames to layers.” Choose the video file you need, and it will appear in the form of separate frames. Now you can select whether you want the entire video or small bits of it; you can also limit the import to any frame to manage the size and time of the video. You can choose different color gradients and many other things according to your preference. And then go to “file” and select “save for web.”

import video to make gif photoshop

Step 4: As the next step, move ahead with selecting color gradients as per your needs and choice. And then go to “file” and select “save for web,” and select the settings for the saved file until you find the one that suits you.

set according to the needs photoshop

Step 5: Save the file, and now you can share it with your friends or upload it to different free image hosting sites.

Part 2 How to Make a GIF With Canva

Making GIFs on Canva is super easy; if you are someone who is not familiar with tools like Photoshop, Canva is a GIF generator that can help you out in that situation and help you make GIFs. So, how do you use a gif maker in Canva? See the steps below to get a comprehensive idea of that.

Step 1: To create your GIF design in Canva, go to Canva and open “new doc.”

open doc in canva

Step 2: Choose the download feature and then continue to the drop-down list and now click on “Animated gif/movie” and “preview animation.”

click preview animation canva

Step 3: Now you will have to select the animation style for your Gif; currently, Canva has around 6 animation styles that you can choose from.

Step 4: Now you will have to download the GIF. After that, simply share and flaunt your skills to your near ones!

Part 3 How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video

So, how can you make Gif from any YouTube video? It’s not so hard when there are online Gif makersonline that will help you make excellent and funky Gifs easily and in a short time.

You can use Giphy, an online Gif maker, and one can make gif easily over there; you just have to follow a few simple steps mentioned below.

Step 1: First of all, you will have to choose a video that fits your need and is perfect for a gif like short, expressive, and high quality.

giphy interface

Step 2: The next step in the process is to upload the gif to Giphy, which can be done by choosing “choose file” under the gif section to make a gif online. You can also use video links if you haven’t downloaded the video in your system.

choose file giphy

Step 3: Gif has an online gif generator that will generate a perfect gif for you from the video you selected by trimming and other required operations.

trim video giphy

Step 4: Now you will have to click on “upload to giphy,” and the GIF you created will start uploading, and you are ready to use the online gif with your friends.

upload to giphy

Part 4 How to Make a GIF on Mobile

What if you don’t have a pc or laptop and want tomake a gif on your phone? That’s very easy; here, we will share the steps you need to follow to easily make gifs on your iOS or Android device.

01How to create gif on your iOS device?

There are enough third-party apps that one can use to make GIFs on their iOS device. But on iPhones and iPad, some already installed programs can help you make GIFs easily.

You can use a live photos program and add effects to the shots you want to turn into gifs. You will have to go to the Photos app, select the image and click on the gray corner and add different effects as you desire. You can get a gif maker from the app store and turn your life photos into a gif quickly with all the effects you have added previously.

02How to create a gif with android?

Different Android phones offer different options to turn photos and other animations into gifs. For example, in Samsung Galaxy phones, one can use gif-making features already available in the pre-installed gallery app. In addition, Google photos have a ‘motion photos’ feature that can be converted and used to make GIFs easily using third-party apps you can easily find on Play Store.

03You can use a gif making app

Making GIFs from native tools is fantastic, but you can’t get all the features when using a native tool on your phone. However, you can download a gif generator online to help you make GIFs easily with your phone itself.

Part 5 How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs

What if you need to create screen recording gifs? That’s not hard, too. Actually, it’s super easy. So, to begin with, all you need is to get a screen recording application downloaded. It should be compatible to the device you want to record screen of. Also, keep the part of the video you want to turn into GIF.

Now, once you have the video file, things will become easy. All you have to do is upload the video file to Wondershare Filmora Video Editor and trim the video to the desired length and make the perfect gif to share with your friends and family!

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Now, you must be wondering about Filmora; you must be aware of Photoshop already, but filmora is an equally appealing tool that one can use to edit videos, make gifs online, and much more. The best part is that it’s super easy to use and doesn’t need you to have any skills at all.

With Filmora, you can do professional editing and use all sorts of tools quickly, and you can also use it to make awesome gifs. Gif making is straightforward, and it’s for you to try tools that make the process fun too.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

So, here are the points we can summarize through this article.

The first and best thing is that you don’t need to have any technical knowledge to make gifs to share with all your friends and have fun. You can easily make a gif online and add all sorts of animations and filters that you like.

You don’t need to have a PC either, you can easily use Gif generators that are available online, and they will be able to make a perfect gif for yourself on your phone itself.

Using and making perfect gifs is an art, and you need to take care of the video you choose, time, lengths, the expression, and other filters while you make a gif online.

Try It Free Try It Free

GIFs are a way for teens to add a bit of fun to their private or group conversations while expressing themselves in a fun and expressive way. GIFs are trendy on sites like Twitter and Tumblr, but more and more people have started using them for their blogs and other content because it helps them connect with their readers. Making gifs is one of those skills that make you look incredible in your friend’s group nowadays.

So, the question is how to make a GIF? Is it hard? We will walk you through the process in this article.

In this article

01 [How to Make a GIF With Photoshop](#Part 1)

02 [How to Make a GIF With Canva](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video](#Part 3)

04 [How to Make a GIF on Mobile](#Part 4)

05 [How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs](#Part 5)

Part 1 How to Make a GIF With Photoshop

Photoshop is probably the best tool for gif-making available in the market right now. They provide you with the essential tools to make the best GIFs out of any video you want.

So here is a step-by-step method to help you make your GIFs in Photoshop and impress your friends.

Step 1: One of the most important steps is to choose the video you want to use in your GIF. GIFs are supposed to be short and express what you want to in that concise sequence, and that’s why choosing a correct sequence of the right length is very important.

Step 2: Now you will have to download the video file to your computer and continue to trim it down to as few frames as possible, and choose the frames that convey the message as accurately as possible.

Step 3: Import the video to Photoshop by going to “File” > “Import” > “Video frames to layers.” Choose the video file you need, and it will appear in the form of separate frames. Now you can select whether you want the entire video or small bits of it; you can also limit the import to any frame to manage the size and time of the video. You can choose different color gradients and many other things according to your preference. And then go to “file” and select “save for web.”

import video to make gif photoshop

Step 4: As the next step, move ahead with selecting color gradients as per your needs and choice. And then go to “file” and select “save for web,” and select the settings for the saved file until you find the one that suits you.

set according to the needs photoshop

Step 5: Save the file, and now you can share it with your friends or upload it to different free image hosting sites.

Part 2 How to Make a GIF With Canva

Making GIFs on Canva is super easy; if you are someone who is not familiar with tools like Photoshop, Canva is a GIF generator that can help you out in that situation and help you make GIFs. So, how do you use a gif maker in Canva? See the steps below to get a comprehensive idea of that.

Step 1: To create your GIF design in Canva, go to Canva and open “new doc.”

open doc in canva

Step 2: Choose the download feature and then continue to the drop-down list and now click on “Animated gif/movie” and “preview animation.”

click preview animation canva

Step 3: Now you will have to select the animation style for your Gif; currently, Canva has around 6 animation styles that you can choose from.

Step 4: Now you will have to download the GIF. After that, simply share and flaunt your skills to your near ones!

Part 3 How to Make a GIF From a YouTube Video

So, how can you make Gif from any YouTube video? It’s not so hard when there are online Gif makersonline that will help you make excellent and funky Gifs easily and in a short time.

You can use Giphy, an online Gif maker, and one can make gif easily over there; you just have to follow a few simple steps mentioned below.

Step 1: First of all, you will have to choose a video that fits your need and is perfect for a gif like short, expressive, and high quality.

giphy interface

Step 2: The next step in the process is to upload the gif to Giphy, which can be done by choosing “choose file” under the gif section to make a gif online. You can also use video links if you haven’t downloaded the video in your system.

choose file giphy

Step 3: Gif has an online gif generator that will generate a perfect gif for you from the video you selected by trimming and other required operations.

trim video giphy

Step 4: Now you will have to click on “upload to giphy,” and the GIF you created will start uploading, and you are ready to use the online gif with your friends.

upload to giphy

Part 4 How to Make a GIF on Mobile

What if you don’t have a pc or laptop and want tomake a gif on your phone? That’s very easy; here, we will share the steps you need to follow to easily make gifs on your iOS or Android device.

01How to create gif on your iOS device?

There are enough third-party apps that one can use to make GIFs on their iOS device. But on iPhones and iPad, some already installed programs can help you make GIFs easily.

You can use a live photos program and add effects to the shots you want to turn into gifs. You will have to go to the Photos app, select the image and click on the gray corner and add different effects as you desire. You can get a gif maker from the app store and turn your life photos into a gif quickly with all the effects you have added previously.

02How to create a gif with android?

Different Android phones offer different options to turn photos and other animations into gifs. For example, in Samsung Galaxy phones, one can use gif-making features already available in the pre-installed gallery app. In addition, Google photos have a ‘motion photos’ feature that can be converted and used to make GIFs easily using third-party apps you can easily find on Play Store.

03You can use a gif making app

Making GIFs from native tools is fantastic, but you can’t get all the features when using a native tool on your phone. However, you can download a gif generator online to help you make GIFs easily with your phone itself.

Part 5 How to Create Screen-Recording Gifs

What if you need to create screen recording gifs? That’s not hard, too. Actually, it’s super easy. So, to begin with, all you need is to get a screen recording application downloaded. It should be compatible to the device you want to record screen of. Also, keep the part of the video you want to turn into GIF.

Now, once you have the video file, things will become easy. All you have to do is upload the video file to Wondershare Filmora Video Editor and trim the video to the desired length and make the perfect gif to share with your friends and family!

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Now, you must be wondering about Filmora; you must be aware of Photoshop already, but filmora is an equally appealing tool that one can use to edit videos, make gifs online, and much more. The best part is that it’s super easy to use and doesn’t need you to have any skills at all.

With Filmora, you can do professional editing and use all sorts of tools quickly, and you can also use it to make awesome gifs. Gif making is straightforward, and it’s for you to try tools that make the process fun too.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

So, here are the points we can summarize through this article.

The first and best thing is that you don’t need to have any technical knowledge to make gifs to share with all your friends and have fun. You can easily make a gif online and add all sorts of animations and filters that you like.

You don’t need to have a PC either, you can easily use Gif generators that are available online, and they will be able to make a perfect gif for yourself on your phone itself.

Using and making perfect gifs is an art, and you need to take care of the video you choose, time, lengths, the expression, and other filters while you make a gif online.

Also read:

  • Title: Updated Guiding Principles of Track Matte and Tracking in Adobe After Effects
  • Author: Chloe
  • Created at : 2024-06-09 16:15:28
  • Updated at : 2024-06-10 16:15:28
  • Link: https://ai-editing-video.techidaily.com/updated-guiding-principles-of-track-matte-and-tracking-in-adobe-after-effects/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated Guiding Principles of Track Matte and Tracking in Adobe After Effects