User Guide

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ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 5.0
User Guide
To change an existing layer into an adjustment layer:
1 In the Timeline window, select the name of the layer you want to make into an
adjustment layer. (Typically, this layer already has effects applied to it, but you can add
effects after making it an adjustment layer.)
2 Choose Layers > Switch > Adjustment Layer.
For more information about switches, see “About After Effects Audio/Video switches” on
page 146.
Duplicating a layer
When you duplicate a layer, After Effects copies all property keyframes, masks, and effects
to the duplicate. The duplicate is added above the original layer and automatically
selected. If you want to duplicate a layer without duplicating its keyframes, masks, or
effects, add the original source footage file to the composition again.
To duplicate a layer:
In a Composition or Timeline window, select the layer and choose Edit > Duplicate.
Creating new layers by splitting
You can split a layer at any point along its timeline, creating two independent layers. This
is a time-saving alternative to duplicating and trimming the layer—something you might
do when you want to change the stacking-order position of the layer in the middle of the
composition, such as an object revolving in front of and then behind another object.
When you split a layer, both resulting layers contain all the keyframes that were in the
original layer in their original positions; see “Understanding keyframes” on page 160.
To split a layer:
1 In the Timeline or Composition window, select a layer.
2 In the Timeline window, move the current-time marker to the time where you want to
split the layer.
3 Choose Edit > Split Layer.
UG.book Page 129 Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:05 PM