# Using a flv as a mask...?

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-flv-as-a-mask/257280>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 12, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-flv-as-a-mask/257280 "2008-04-12T02:23:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dtrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@dtrace](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/dtrace)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-flv-as-a-mask/257280/1 "2008-04-12T02:23:08Z")

</div>

I’m trying to replicate this effect on …

[http://www.tedperez.com/archive/sweeneytodd/](http://www.tedperez.com/archive/sweeneytodd/)

The way the image on the home page is revealed…as if a gradient is bleeding into a piece of paper. It was done using an animated smokey gradient type effect made in after effects, and then exported as a swf.

I actually have the swf file. The issue is, how do I use it to mask out an image.

So basically, i have a swf file with an flv in it, that is using it’s alpha…and I want it to mask another image in flash.

how would i do this?

How did they do it?

Thanks,