What It Does
Effect Matte applies a procedural matte directly to a selected layer with a single click. The matte automatically matches the layer bounds and eliminates the need for a separate track matte layer. It works on text layers, pre-comps, and video layers.
Key Features
Auto-sized mattes. The matte adjusts to the layer’s dimensions automatically. No manual setup required.
Expansion control. Grow or shrink the matte with positive or negative expansion values, all keyframable.
Roundness and feathering. Round off corners and soften edges with dedicated controls. Both parameters can be animated.
Manual bounds adjustment. If automatic sizing doesn’t fit your needs, you can manually tweak the matte bounds.
Transform controls. A dedicated transform tab uses percentage-based values for position, anchor point, and other properties. This makes creating transitions and animations faster, since you don’t need to calculate pixel values.
Invert matte option. Flip the matte to reverse the alpha behavior.
Who It’s For
Motion designers working with title animations, kinetic typography, or layered compositions will find this useful. If you’re tired of cluttering your timeline with dedicated matte layers, or if you frequently need to adjust matte bounds during animation, Effect Matte keeps the project organized.
Compatibility Notes
Effect Matte requires continuous rasterization to be enabled on the layer. Parenting is supported in CC 2018 and later. The “Auto Set Matte” feature does not work with shape layers. Requires After Effects CS6 or later, macOS 10.8+, supports 32bpc color.
Pricing
Effect Matte costs $29.95 for a single-user license. Upgrade pricing is available to existing customers at a reduced rate (check while logged in). A free trial is available to test before purchase.