Just select Paint on Transparent as the Stroke Effects Control Panel option. There is also no need to reset the Masks to none. You can easily see right through the layer and accurately see how the mask is working. I usually use a 50% gray or complementary colored solid when I want to create a track and set the blend mode to Screen. To see through a solid layer to quickly draw the Masks, you can change the blend mode or turn off the layer. The tutorial is a perfect example of a tutorial by an enthusiast that demonstrates a poor workflow. When you get the stroke to animate, reset the Track Matte switch to Alpha track matte on the text layer (layer 2). It should get turned off when you select Track Matte. Using an Adjustment layer as a track matte is not a good idea. Track matte is where it use to be in After Effects, but the options for alpha and luma are gone. Hi The alpha and luma options do not show up in the track matte drop down in After Effects. Turn on the mask layer, turn off the Adjustment Layer, set the stroke to about 20 pixels, make the color red so you can see it on top of the white letters, then set keyframes for Start and zero and one-hundred percent, and make sure the stroke is animating. The alpha and luma options do not show up in the track matte drop down in After Effects.
