<p>If the two black blocks in your example are Shape objects (ie vector shapes drawn in After Effects), you can put them both in a single Shape layer, then add a &quot;Merge Paths&quot; to them, and choose &quot;Exclude Intersections&quot; for the mode:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/18aNHR3L.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/18aNHR3L.png" alt="grab" /></a></p>
<p>If they are video or other types of bitmapped objects, you could do it with track mattes.</p>
<p>Put the two images/videos on two different layers, and enable Track Mattes on both. Set one matte to target the other layer and vice versa. You will need to click on the eyeball icon <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/X63qjacg.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X63qjacg.png" alt="eyeball" /></a>to re-enable visibility of the mattes after you create them, as the matted layer gets made invisible by default:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8RjH8wTK.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8RjH8wTK.png" alt="grab2" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-07T16:45:51.657Z
Thanks so much! That's exactly what I was looking for!
ambaamba
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-04T10:03:40.990Z
2024-12-04T10:03:40.990Z
tomh
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lGhp14R9.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lGhp14R9.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a>So, in After Effects, I have two animated objects, and when they intersect, I want the image below to be see-through. I can't seem to find a solution, but there is surely a way to make their intersections transparent no?</p>

<after-effects>
How do I animate two intersecting shapes and make the intersection be transparent or see through in After Effects, is there an easy way?
ambaamba
# How do I animate two intersecting shapes and make the intersection be transparent or see through in After Effects, is there an easy way?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-12-03)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/lGhp14R9.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/lGhp14R9.png)So, in After Effects, I have two animated objects, and when they intersect, I want the image below to be see-through. I can't seem to find a solution, but there is surely a way to make their intersections transparent no?

**Tags:** after-effects


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-12-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

If the two black blocks in your example are Shape objects (ie vector shapes drawn in After Effects), you can put them both in a single Shape layer, then add a "Merge Paths" to them, and choose "Exclude Intersections" for the mode:

[![grab](https://i.sstatic.net/18aNHR3L.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/18aNHR3L.png)

If they are video or other types of bitmapped objects, you could do it with track mattes.

Put the two images/videos on two different layers, and enable Track Mattes on both. Set one matte to target the other layer and vice versa. You will need to click on the eyeball icon [![eyeball](https://i.sstatic.net/X63qjacg.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/X63qjacg.png)to re-enable visibility of the mattes after you create them, as the matted layer gets made invisible by default:

[![grab2](https://i.sstatic.net/8RjH8wTK.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8RjH8wTK.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks so much! That's exactly what I was looking for!  

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