Introduction to the video effects
A lot of notions here need a good understanding of the multiple FX and FX stack concepts. So it is advised to read the last chapters before beginning with this one.
Please note that we will only mention here the function of the effects and their place in the FX stack. The parameters and options of the effects will be described deeply from lesson 11 to lesson 18.
In this section, we will create a small opening sequence for a weather report. Do to so, we have several video sequences at our disposal :
The first one with a forest, another one with a sunset and the last one with some clouds
* Begin by importing those sequences in your project. Resize them if it is necessary. (note that the sequences can be directly imported from your camera into the software by using the Video Input panel).
Don’t forget to use a project with fields if your video sequences are fielded.
* Move them inside your timeline as shown below and import the music. A color has been added to the layers to make them more recognizable.
You should have three overlapped layers (look at red areas in the timeline above). This will help us to use the transition effects. Above, a transition effect has been applied on the first animation layer of the timeline. The zoom factor of the timeline has been increased to make it more visible.
* To add a personal touch to our weather report, it is possible to use several effects :
Below, the Blur > Radial Blur effect was used. Therefore, the animated sequence appear progressively on screen.
* You can easily make butterflies fly in front of the trees and make them follow the paths of your choice, as explained in the lesson 14 :
We used the butterfly animated brush (supplied on the TVPaint Animation CD-Rom) with the Motion > Keyframer effect and a pre-recorded path for each butterfly.
Of course, our two butterflies can be added on a new layer : it will allow you to keep the «trees» animated layer unchanged. By using a new layer, you will also be able to change the moment when the butterflies have to appear : you only have to move the whole layer through the time axis of the timeline.
* We will now work on the “Sunset” animation layer : It is possible to distort the pictures to stay close to the weather report theme. This can be done by using the Rendered > Waves studied in lesson 16. Below we imitated two water waves, as if two rocks were thrown into water.
* We then have to manage the transition between the «Sunset» and the «Clouds» animation layers. Below, the Transition > Classic effect with the circle option has been used. Here is the timeline and the rendering :
It is possible to modify the timeline scale thanks to the magnifying glass button of the timeline. (see lesson 4)
You can also use bookmarks to navigate easily through the timeline. (see lesson 4)
* We are now going to add a rainbow effect to the clouds.
To do so :
* Create a new layer (the clouds animation layer will remain intact)
* Draw a rectangle filled with the spectrum gradient, as shown opposite.
After this, you have to use a multiple FX-stack with these effects : (in order, from the first to the last)
* Color > Color Adjust : the red area should be on the outside of the arc and the violet area on the inside.
* Blur > Radial Blur : this effect will allow you to create the arc itself. The center of the radial blur must be located far from the colored rectangle (out of the viewable area, to be exact).
* Blur > Gaussian Blur will merge the colors a little.
* Transition > Fade will make the rainbow fade in as time progresses.
Here is the result :
* Now, you only have to add a title to this sequence, thanks to the Rendered > Simple-text effect.
We used here the effect Rendered > Simple-Text.
This effect is very convenient because it allows to keep all the colors, border, font and shadow settings and to re-use them with another text line ... (for example if you need to do a translation )