Multiple Masks within the same clip (picture in picture)

[michaelt77204655]

This is more of a question about “can this be done” more than a “how”; at least at this point.

What I would like to do within Premier Pro 2017 is to have to masks and to place clips in those masks.  I am able to successfully create the two masks as I want them to be defined.  And, I can overlay the still image that I want into Mask 1.  But not successfully into Mask 2.  Is this even possible to accomplish?  If it is, a little guidance will go a long way.  If it is not, then I will press on and rethink my vision for this particular video.

Thank you for your help.

MT.

[Ann Bens]

Show us an example of what you are trying to achieve, as I think you are going about this the wrong way.

[R Neil Haugen]

It takes multiple track layers of track mattes & the clips to go with them. Not that difficult, but does need some knowledge of how things work, and precision. Jarle Leirpoll​ is a heck of an editor, plus ... he wrote a book (and I don't get squat for this!) that gives a great way to do this and make a template so you can reuse the work in other projects as you wish. It's an ebook, around 40-something-ish USD so not cheap ... but over 500 pages, well illustrated, with a TON of excellent setup, keyboard shorts creation/use, templating of things to re-use, one of the best resources for PrPro and integration of it with AE and Illustrator and Photoshop files I've yet seen.

Chapter 7 gives a great example of how to do this, how to make all sorts of mixes of number of images and how placed in the screen, and how to use the track-matte to handle it all. Even animate it. It's shown on his website:

https://premierepro.net/

Also, there are lynda.com tutorials on PrPro that cover this sort of thing.

Neil

[Ann Bens]

Jarle's book is not for beginners.

[R Neil Haugen]

If that was built as a beginners guide, well ... I wouldn't think it worth the money for a beginner. If one wants to get past being a beginner however, it's an incredible resource to grow with. Much of the book is actually quite usable for even someone with lesser knowledge/experience with any particular tool/effect, as he does a good job of explaining and shows enough detail.

The first couple chapters on organization and basic editing functions are very clear, detailed, and VASTLY above the drivel in most YouTube channels. By the time one has worked through those, I think one can take on the rest of the book, delving into the sections one needs at the moment, and spending a bit of time practicing them.

There are parts of that which go over things I've never dealt with, and so in those areas I'm a total noob. And found that info quite directly usable on projects. I've also showed it to a couple others who are pretty beginner status themselves, and they were immediately diving into things they could never have done otherwise. Successfully.

I think between that, a lynda subscription, and a couple other books on color or audio, one can build a library both to grow with (and that a lot quicker than otherwise!) and that would still be worth the money a few years down the road.

Neil

[Ann Bens]

This book goes beyond PIP's.

[R Neil Haugen]

WAY. Yup.

Neil

[michaelt77204655]

Neil,

Thank you for the book recommendation.  While I have only been in Premier Pro for less than a year, I am getting around pretty good (not my first editor). Also, I am an IT professional so I know how books of this nature tend to be written.  I like to push myself so, even though this is not a beginner book, I think this will meet my needs.  I was out on Jarl’s site and actually saw an example (short video about the chapter — previous version— and it is exactly what I want to accomplish; realizing there are no videos in the book.  Now I just need to decide between the ebook or the print book.

If I still come up with issues due to my relative noobe status, I will come back here and ask.  And I will include screen print examples.

Thank you all again for the advice.

MT

[R Neil Haugen · Accepted solution]

For an adult with a serious wish to improve, Jarle's book is excellent. It shows so many parts of the app, and most importantly, how to work smarter and quicker.

Neil