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How to use luma mattes in After Effects

Luma mattes reveal content based on brightness values — light areas show more, dark areas show less. It creates smooth, natural-looking reveals.

Steps

Select the layer you want to reveal (like a video or image).

Selecting a layer in the After Effects

In the Timeline, go to the Track Matte column where the matte assignment buttons are. Next to your video layer, choose your matte source layer — something like a gradient or grayscale solid works great.

Selecting Luma matte layer in the Track Matte controls in After Effects

Choose Luma (based on brightness) to make bright areas reveal the video.

Composition viewer in After Effects showing a video revealed through a gradient matte

Choose Invert with the nearby button to flip the effect so dark areas reveal instead of light areas.

Inverting a Luma matte in After Effects to reverse bright and dark areas

One more thing

Luma mattes work great with gradients for smooth transitions. Try applying a Gradient Ramp effect on your matte layer, then animate it to create a soft reveal over time.

Related how-tos

How to use alpha mattes in After Effects
How to track matte in After Effects
How to use mask expansion in After Effects

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