LAFCPUG: Effects FAQs

From FAQwiki

Revision as of 20:13, 10 June 2008 (view source) Mikeh (Talk | contribs) (→How do I create gunshot muzzle flashes?) ← Older edit		Revision as of 20:45, 10 June 2008 (view source) Mikeh (Talk | contribs) Newer edit →
Line 111:		Line 111:
	Motion?		Motion?
		+
		+	==How do I make my video look like film?==
		+
		+	Most common, and probably most useful answer:
		+
		+	'''From Jude Cotter'''<br>
		+	Buy Nattress' 'Film Effects' filter set. The price is excellent, and the package works extrememly well. You can find it here :
		+	[http://www.nattress.com/Products/filmeffects/filmeffects.htm Nattress Film Effects]
		+
		+	Other packages you can buy
		+
		+	• [http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/magic-bullet-suite/ The 'Magic Bullet' suite by Red Giant Software]
		+
		+	'''Other things that might help :'''
		+	There is a simple method for producing a 'filmish' look in FCP. While it obviously is not as convincing as any of the products already mentioned, it does come in at the great price of free, for the no-budget filmmaker.
		+
		+	1. Duplicate your clip on V2 by holding option and shift while you drag the clip upwards. This will produce a copy of the clip in perfect sync with the footage below it. <br>
		+
		+	2. Apply a gaussian blur filter to the clip on V2. Push this effect up quite high, so that everything looks very blurry. <br>
		+
		+	3. Right click or control click the V2 clip and from the small popup menu, choose composite mode > Soft light, or Overlay. <br>
		+
		+	4. Reduce the opacity of the V2 clip until it is barely visible, and only the soft 'wash' effect remains. <br>
		+
		+	If you want to add dust and scratches, select your clips using In and Out on the timeline, and then go File > Export > Using Quicktime Conversion > Format - Quicktime Movie > Options > Filter > Special Effects > Film Noise. Pull all the options down low so they aren't too cheesy.
		+
		+	There is also the option to change the colour in this menu as well - Faded Film or Faded 1930s, etc.
		+
		+	You can also add grain in the generator menu - Render > Particle Noise with a good blur on it often works well.
		+
		+	Another similar but more basic technique will also produce good film like results.
		+
		+	'''From Joel Peregrine:'''<br>
		+	Highlight a clip, duplicate it and place it directly above itself in the same way your technique is set up. Set the V2 opacity at 50%. Now place the "de-interlace" filter (with the "LOWER" setting selected) on the V1 clip. Next, place "de-interlace" (with the "UPPER" setting selected) on the V2 clip. Thats it!!! No interlaced-induced flicker. Full resolution, No strobing, No jaggies, just a subtle, classy, non-video look.
		+
		+	==My effects/titles look awful==
		+
		+	'''Q. My effects/titles look terrible once they are on the timeline in Final Cut. They look OK before this. Why?'''
		+
		+	'''From Jude Cotter'''
		+
		+	Most likely answer :<br>
		+	A. There are some fundamental differences between a computer monitor and a television monitor which mean that you cannot accurately judge the quality of things like titles, effects and colour on your computer once they have been prepared for television. For accuracy, you must use a properly calibrated external broadcast monitor. For a rough (non-professional) guide, you can use a TV set.
		+
		+	To connect an external monitor, you can use the output of your deck or camera (computer > firewire > deck / camera > external monitor), or a third party card.
		+
		+	Other things that could help:<br>
		+	• You can also export a QuickTime movie, enable High Quality playback in the QuickTime Player and see it there. <br>
		+	• Or export to tape and play this on a television to check that everything is OK.
		+
		+	Other things that it could be:<br>
		+	• Make sure that your graphics are placed on whole numbers in the motion tab. <br>
		+	• Don’t build your graphics too large. Massively reducing the size of graphics in FCP reduces the quality. Try to stay within two times the size of your format unless you have a special requirement for a big zoom in. <br>
		+	• Make sure you are fully rendered in SAFE RT
		+
		+	Also read [http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/perfect_titles_phil.html "Great Titles with the DV Codec"] by Philip Hodgetts

---

Revision as of 20:45, 10 June 2008

Contents 1 How do I get good slow motion? 2 How to fake a camera flash 3 Can I do black and white, while one thing stays in colour? 4 How do I create gunshot muzzle flashes? 5 How do I make my video look like film? 6 My effects/titles look awful

How do I get good slow motion?

Probable answers:

A. From Kevin Monahan:
The only way to get good quality slow motion is to use the Twixtor Plug-in from Re:Vision in FCP or After Effects. You can do both variable and constant speed effects and the quality is much higher than you see in the stock speed tools in FCP.

B. From Nick Meyers:
I've got a "poor-man's" smooth slo-mo that i do in FCP. It really only works with 50% speed, but here it is:

Slow clip to 50% Double clip up on itself. Add de-interlace to both Set one to upper, The other to lower Add the blink filter to the V2 clip, Set to 1 frame on, 1 frame off.

You do need to render a small section and see if you have the right field order, and that can change if you trim the clip.

C. From Graeme Nattress:
You can use Compressor or Shake for their optical flow to get great slomo, similar to Shake. Or if you just need a nice 50% slowmo from interlaced video, my G Map Frames plugin does that well and fast..

How to fake a camera flash

Q. Is there an easy way of simulating a camera flash?

From Jude Cotter
A. Yes. Several ways. The quick, simple and free way is to use a 'dip to colour' dissolve. Once you have applied the default transition to your cut, double click the transition in the timeline to load it into the viewer.

Now change the parameters to 6 frames, and the colour to almost white. It's best not to use absolute white with video. Also, think about adding a sound effect such as a camera click, as this will help 'sell' the effect.

Other things that might help
• You can also download a free 'flash frame' plug-in as part of the Too Much Too Soon donationware pack here:

http://www.mattias.nu/plugins/

• For a more controllable effect, you can buy the Nattress Film Effects set which includes 'G Film Flash' here:

http://www.nattress.com/Products/filmeffects/G_Film_Flash.htm

From Loren Miller:
Determine what *kind* of camera flash.

Older bulb-type flashes take longer and 6 frames is about right. Think RAGING BULL.

Newer strobe-type digital flashes are shorter. Think CSI.

Each flash starts very bright and ramps down in a millisecond as bulb energy fades.

A method using simply FCP:

- Blade out frames for flash effect so your filter won't affect surrounding action. You could even peel this section up above by dragging with Option held. Then remove the blading from the clip below. - Apply Brightness/Contrast filter effect (to the dupe if you've done this). - Open the section in Viewer. - Step in and ramp one or both settngs from full to half strength.

Experiment against the particular action background for best effect-- include a fade UP frame if it adds authenticity.

Sound effect is always critical to a good flash.

Can I do black and white, while one thing stays in colour?

Q. How do I do that effect where everything is in black and white, but one thing stays in colour?

Most likely answer:

From Jude Cotter
This is known as the 'Pleasantville' effect, after the movie 'Pleasantville' which gradually introduced colour over the course of the film.

There is an excellent tutorial for reproducing this effect in FCP here:

How to create the 'Pleasantville' effect in Final Cut Pro

How do I create gunshot muzzle flashes?

Q. How do I create gunshot muzzle flashes?

WARNING: These are easily overblown and badly implemented.

Two general methods: 1) native filter effects, 2) Canned effects free or commercial.

1) Simple flashes in FCP using native effects.

Comments: - Determine the length of the muzzle flash. - For a handgun in daylight, it'll be short, 3-5 frames. Longer at night, 5-7 frames. - For an automatic weapon in daylight, try short bursts, 3 frames, repeated as a series for the length of the discharge. - Lay down the audio spot effect as a good effect guide.

a) Choose the frame as finger pulls trigger for the effect start and Blade it.
b) Choose the final frame of the flash to end, and Blade it.
c) Duplicate the bladed section to just above the original track.
d) Create the flash mask: apply a 4-point Garbage Mask.
e) Cluster all 4 points in around front of the muzzle. Pay attention to pointing vector.
f) Create an "ice cream cone" diamond shape with the thick part at the muzzle.
g) Apply Brightness/Contrast filter to the bladed flash section. Crank up settings to taste.
h) Crank up the edge feather.
i) Adjust to taste, render, review.

Optional- Orange color balance adjustment to flash, especially for nighttime/dim scenes.

2) Canned weapon effects.

Some solutions:

Detonation Films: Excellent FCP-specific tutorial and free flashes.

Motion?

How do I make my video look like film?

Most common, and probably most useful answer:

From Jude Cotter
Buy Nattress' 'Film Effects' filter set. The price is excellent, and the package works extrememly well. You can find it here : Nattress Film Effects

Other packages you can buy

• The 'Magic Bullet' suite by Red Giant Software

Other things that might help : There is a simple method for producing a 'filmish' look in FCP. While it obviously is not as convincing as any of the products already mentioned, it does come in at the great price of free, for the no-budget filmmaker.

1. Duplicate your clip on V2 by holding option and shift while you drag the clip upwards. This will produce a copy of the clip in perfect sync with the footage below it.

2. Apply a gaussian blur filter to the clip on V2. Push this effect up quite high, so that everything looks very blurry.

3. Right click or control click the V2 clip and from the small popup menu, choose composite mode > Soft light, or Overlay.

4. Reduce the opacity of the V2 clip until it is barely visible, and only the soft 'wash' effect remains.

If you want to add dust and scratches, select your clips using In and Out on the timeline, and then go File > Export > Using Quicktime Conversion > Format - Quicktime Movie > Options > Filter > Special Effects > Film Noise. Pull all the options down low so they aren't too cheesy.

There is also the option to change the colour in this menu as well - Faded Film or Faded 1930s, etc.

You can also add grain in the generator menu - Render > Particle Noise with a good blur on it often works well.

Another similar but more basic technique will also produce good film like results.

From Joel Peregrine:
Highlight a clip, duplicate it and place it directly above itself in the same way your technique is set up. Set the V2 opacity at 50%. Now place the "de-interlace" filter (with the "LOWER" setting selected) on the V1 clip. Next, place "de-interlace" (with the "UPPER" setting selected) on the V2 clip. Thats it!!! No interlaced-induced flicker. Full resolution, No strobing, No jaggies, just a subtle, classy, non-video look.

My effects/titles look awful

Q. My effects/titles look terrible once they are on the timeline in Final Cut. They look OK before this. Why?

From Jude Cotter

Most likely answer :
A. There are some fundamental differences between a computer monitor and a television monitor which mean that you cannot accurately judge the quality of things like titles, effects and colour on your computer once they have been prepared for television. For accuracy, you must use a properly calibrated external broadcast monitor. For a rough (non-professional) guide, you can use a TV set.

To connect an external monitor, you can use the output of your deck or camera (computer > firewire > deck / camera > external monitor), or a third party card.

Other things that could help:
• You can also export a QuickTime movie, enable High Quality playback in the QuickTime Player and see it there.
• Or export to tape and play this on a television to check that everything is OK.

Other things that it could be:
• Make sure that your graphics are placed on whole numbers in the motion tab.
• Don’t build your graphics too large. Massively reducing the size of graphics in FCP reduces the quality. Try to stay within two times the size of your format unless you have a special requirement for a big zoom in.
• Make sure you are fully rendered in SAFE RT

Also read "Great Titles with the DV Codec" by Philip Hodgetts