if the mask is a separate file, use a parent-child setup. Main footage on track one, track two a child with a multiply (mask) used. use the built in help & search for "Compositing and Masks
". That'll give detailed instructions on how the compositing & masking system works. Very handy!

Thanks - I suspect I'll be tinkering around for a little while yet. The masks I'm referring to are those in the Media Generator>Color Gradient section (I'm assuming I can use these as masks). If so, it's just the actual application of them which I need help with.

You could take a look at the issue of my newseltters that talks about using and creating masks. That might help.

Friar-

Your method didn't work for me. What did is:

- put the mask event on track 1 & subject event on track 2
- make track 2 a child of track 1
- change the compositing mode of track 1 to "multiply (mask)" (note: leave the "Parent Compositing Mode" as source alpha)
- then click on the track 1 Track FX button & add the "Sony Mask Generator" effect

Having to add the "mask generator" seems a little more complicated than needed, but it does add a lot of control to exactly how the mask functions. I couldn't get it to work any other way, but it seems there's always more than one way to do things in Vegas. Is there an easier solution?

Thanks to JetDV (Edward) for his Vol 3, issue 1 newsletter which cleared this up for me!

Brian

Your method didn't work for me

It should of... i said double check the help file. :D I reversed the tracks the image/mask should be on. then it works fine (if you have the colors correct: blank = transparent). If you use a greyscale image/video that's already set the way the mask should work you don't need the mask generator plugin.

Help file? There's a help file? Next thing you're going to tell me is there's a manual for this program, too!

Huh, I follow your/the help file directions, but that's only a partial solution for me in VP8. The white pixels in the mask (parent track) allows the image (child track) to show through, but the black pixels in the mask just show up as black. When I add the Mask Generator to the mask or mask track the black pixels result in a transparent pixel, which allows any tracks below the child to show through. This is the mask behavior I expect, as I don't expect anything of the mask image itself to end up in the final product. I expect the mask to merely be a "template" for what to allow through (or not allow through). It's the same whether I use a pure black & white event or a grayscale event as a mask. Guess the Sony directions don't account for any tracks below showing through.

Brian