How to Mask in Alight Motion: Complete Beginner Masking Tutorial

TL;DR:

Alight Motion handles masking entirely through layer grouping, requiring the mask layer to sit directly above the base footage for standard transparency effects, or directly below the content layer for clipping masks.
    ● To apply a standard mask, you must highlight both layers simultaneously before tapping the Masking Group icon, whereas clipping masks only require selecting the top content layer and choosing the Create Clipping Mask option.
    ● You can animate mask positions and properties over time using keyframes, or utilize text layers as clipping boundaries to create typography filled with moving video footage.
    ● Alight Motion is best for quick mobile edits requiring simple geometric boundaries, while Wondershare Filmora is recommended for desktop users who need precise anchor point control and AI auto-tracing for irregular subjects.

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Masking in Alight Motion is built entirely into its layers, but the interface isn't always intuitive the first time around. Small missteps, like masking the wrong layer or forgetting to group it, can leave you stuck with a shape that just won't move.

If you're just learning about Alight Motion, this tutorial will walk through exactly how masking in Alight Motion works, the different mask types available, and a step-by-step process you can follow on your first try.

Part 1. What Is Masking in Alight Motion?

Masking is a video editing technique used in many video editors, and Alight Motion is no exception. Editors have used it for years to control which part of a layer shows on screen.

What Masking Does

At its core, masking means using one layer to control what part of another layer is visible. You draw a shape or boundary around the part you want seen, and everything outside it gets hidden.

Alight Motion actually gives you two ways to do this: a standard mask and a clipping mask. They look similar on the surface since both hide and reveal parts of a layer, but they work differently and are built for different jobs.

Mask vs Clipping Mask in Alight Motion

The biggest difference between a standard mask and a clipping mask is how they control visibility. A standard Alight Motion mask uses a dedicated mask layer and supports different masking modes. A clipping mask, on the other hand, uses one regular layer to define the visible area of another.

Part 2. How to Use Standard Mask in Alight Motion

Alight Motion is a mobile app that works the same core way whether you're on Android or iOS. So, for the Alight Motion masking tutorial we are about to walk through, the steps across versions shouldn't differ much. Menu labels might shift slightly between updates, but the overall process stays the same.

Follow the steps below on how to mask in Alight Motion in your own project.

Step-by-Step: How to Use Standard Mask in Alight Motion

Step 1Create a new project and import your base layer. It can be a video, image, or graphic you want to reveal only part of.

Step 2Add a mask layer above it and bring in a shape, drawing, or another media layer to act as the mask.

Step 3Select both layers. Tap and hold, or use multi-select, to highlight the mask layer along with the base layer beneath it.

Step 4Open the three-dot menu and choose the Masking Group icon below to group the two layers.

Step 5Drag the anchor points to resize, rotate, or reposition the mask until it sits where you want it.

If you want to create a smoother transition around the masked area, apply a Feather effect to the mask and adjust the feather amount. A higher feather value softens the edges, while a lower value keeps the edges well-defined.

Best Uses for Standard Mask in Alight Motion

• Spotlight or vignette effects that draw focus to one part of the frame
• Soft transitions between two clips
• Gradual reveals of text or graphics
• Object tracking, where the mask follows a moving subject through the shot
• Blending two pieces of footage together at the edges instead of a hard cut

Part 3. How to Use Clipping Mask in Alight Motion

The next Alight Motion masking tutorial we are going to cover is the clipping mask. Since it uses the shape of one layer as a hard boundary for another, you will need to get the layer order right before switching it on. This is how you do it.

Step-by-Step: How to Use Clipping Mask in Alight Motion

Step 1Import the layer you want to be visible inside another object. This is the content layer that will be clipped.

Step 2Add the shape, text, or other layer that will act as the mask, and place it directly below the content layer.

The layer order is important, so make sure it's correct. You can reorder it by dragging the (☰) icon. The easiest way to remember it is:

• Top layer = the content that gets clipped.
• Bottom layer = the shape or text that defines the visible area.

Step 3Select the content layer (the top layer), open the three dots (⋮) menu, and choose Create Clipping Mask.

The content will now be visible only inside the shape or text below.

Best Uses for Clipping Mask in Alight Motion

• Text filled with video or moving footage
• Photo or video collages where each clip needs to stay inside its own shape
• Logo or title reveals with a clean, defined edge
• Layering effects only within specific shapes, like applying a color grade inside a logo outline
• Any effect where a sharp, geometric boundary looks better than a soft blend

Part 4. Looking for Easier Masking? Try Filmora Instead

Masking is not always simple, especially if you're editing on a small phone screen and need precise control over every anchor point. If how Alight Motion handles masking feels limiting, or you're still struggling to get good results after some practice, try a desktop editor like Wondershare Filmora instead.

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Why Many Editors Prefer Filmora for Masking

Filmora has a masking tool built on a larger canvas, which makes fine adjustments easier than dragging anchor points with a finger. Getting started is just as simple, thanks to a set of built-in tools that help you level up your masking without spending hours figuring out the tool first:

• Built-in masking presets that apply common shapes without building them from scratch
• Draw a custom shape with a pen tool when a preset doesn't fit what you need
• For subjects with a difficult or irregular shape, Filmora can auto-shape the mask to fit the subject, and still gives you adjustable anchor points to fine-tune it manually
• Combine and manage multiple masks within the same project
• Live preview of the mask as you adjust it, so you can see the result before exporting

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Step-by-Step: How to Add and Customize Masks in Filmora

Step 1Open Filmora and import your clip or image for editing.

Step 2Select Mask on the right panel to open the masking options. You can select one of the preset shape masks or draw a custom shape with a pen tool.

If you want Filmora to auto-shape a mask around a subject, select a mask under the "Custom Mask" setting. It will trace the subject's outline automatically, with adjustable anchor points to fine-tune the shape if it doesn't line up perfectly.

Step 3Manage your masks from the same panel and adjust the mask settings, including:

• Extend: grows or shrinks the mask area slightly beyond its original outline
• Blur Strength: softens the edge of the mask so it blends into the background
• Opacity: controls how transparent or solid the masked area appears
• Path: sets a keyframe and lets the mask move or change shape over time
• Invert Mask: flips the effect, so the area that was hidden becomes visible and vice versa

You can also edit the mask's stroke and choose from the available effect presets.

Part 5. Alight Motion vs Filmora: Which One Is Better for Masking?

Presented with two options, which one you should go for comes down to your device, your patience for fine detail work, and how complex the effect needs to be. Alight Motion and Filmora handle masking a bit differently:

To sum up:

• Choose Alight Motion if you're editing on your phone and just need quick masking for simple shapes.
• Choose Filmora if you're working with detailed or irregular subjects, want more precise editing, or prefer masking on the same timeline as the rest of your edit.

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Conclusion

Masking in Alight Motion can be done either with a regular mask or a clipping mask. They both control what part of a layer shows in their own way. You can refer to our Alight Motion masking tutorial above on how to do it.

While Alight Motion handles most everyday masking needs right from your phone, it does have its limits. If you're working with a subject that has an irregular shape, or you'd rather have a better setup for better precision, Filmora is worth trying alongside it.