How do I work with effects in Harmony Essentials?

This article outlines how to apply and adjust an effect in Harmony Essentials. If you’d like to know more about what effects are available and what they do, see What effects are available in Harmony Essentials?

Step 1: Add an effect

1. In the Timeline view, select the layer you want to apply the effect to.
2. To access the effects list, do one of the following:
   • In the Layers section of the Timeline view, select the + dropdown and hover over Effects.
   • In the top menu, go to Insert > Effects.
3. Select the effect you want to apply.
4. In the Timeline view, the new effect layer will have a star and will be attached below the layer that it’s affecting.

Step 2: Add a matte layer if required

If the effect you are using is a Cutter, you will have to apply a matter layer to designate the area that it needs to affect.

If you choose another effect, you can add an optional matte or move onto Step 3.

1. Create a layer to use as a matte by doing one of the following:
   • Add a new, empty layer and create the shape that you need using the drawing tools.
   • Duplicate or clone an existing layer or layers. 
2. In the Timeline view, expand the effect layer’s parameters by clicking on the + icon.

3. In the effect parameters, locate the matte field.

4. Find the matte layer that you created, and click, drag, and drop it onto the <Drop layer here> field on the Matte parameter of the effect layer.

5. The effect will apply itself in the shape of the artwork on the matte layer.
6. If you want to invert the matte, you can adjust it in the effect layer’s settings. Go to Step 3 to see how.

Step 3: Adjust the effect’s settings

1. In the Timeline view, double click somewhere in the empty space of the effect layer.

2. The effect’s Layer Properties window will appear:

3. The settings will vary based on the effect you choose. In this window you will be able to adjust the specific properties that affect how your effect appears. For specific properties, see What effects are available in Harmony Essentials?
4. If your effect has a matte parameter, you can invert in this window.

5. You can also adjust certain settings in the expanded parameters of the effect layer in the timeline. Hover over the blue values and click and drag to change the amount.

Q&A 

Question: 

Can I apply more than one effect to a layer?

Answers: 

Yes, simply add it like you did the first effect. Keep in mind that this new effect will become a child to the first, so you may have to move the effect layers around to get the desired result as effect layers filter differently based on their position in the layer hierarchy.