I'm not really doing video production as living, just for fun. So my knowledge is very limited.
In the Trapcode Particular I'm creating a particles with simple 3D emitter:
Now, I only want particles to come from the top of the icon, so what I did is using Linear Wipe to cut off the emitter source to hide those bottom particles:
Now, my question is does After Effects actually render and process those hidden particles ? Or he is smart enough to know it will never be visible and he skips them ?
Edit: Forgot to mention that the Linear Wipe is actually on the Particles Effect. I also have it on the Emitter source, but for some reason it generates particles ignoring the Linear Wipe on the Emitter Source. (The Linear Wipe of the Emiiter Source is on a pre-composed of the icon)
Edit 2: I actually went inside the Pre-composed emitter source, did a Mask Subtract and the I think that it should of solve my rendering issue ? So, to sum up my questions, does the issue I described actually happens ? and does my solution with the mask solved it ?