Re: luminance channel in AE

If you only want the luminance values for the layer you can apply Color Correction > Tint with the default values (black & white) and that should do it.

Otherwise, if you want the luminance and color difference channels you can use Channel > Channel Combiner and set it to RGB > YUV. Then the R channel becomes the Y (luminance) channel and the G & B channels become the U & V (color difference) channels.

Also, if you like the Tint method, but want the RGB values to be weighted differently, you can use Color Correction > Channel Mixer, enable 'Monochrome' and play with those values.

Darby Edelen
Lead Designer
Left Coast Digital
Santa Cruz, CA