Giving Color to the Sky in FCP at DVinfo.net

Sam Rider · February 23rd, 2009, 01:57 PM

I'm trying to put a filter on the top 1/3 of a clip to darken the sky.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Giroud Francois · February 23rd, 2009, 04:38 PM

you better will create a mask out of the sky.
convert video to B&W using histogram, you will isolate the brightest part and using some rectangular cache you will cut the bottom part of the picture.
with this mask you can apply all effects you need to the sky only.

Steve Oakley · February 23rd, 2009, 10:30 PM

why not just drop a TGA with graduated alpha on . make in PS

for a filter you can dupe the clip to the track above,
filter it as needed
generate a matte in PS - black to white gradient, hard edged shape, whatever. save as TGA
put Make Alpha filter onto clip in FCP that you CC'd
place matte TGA into video well of filter and then select the appropriate option like LUMA to generate the matte

or

you could use Pixel Chooser in any of the BorisFX BCC filters which has built in shapes, channel mattes ( luma, alpha, invert luma, R,G B ) or still use an external matte image and do the same thing directly to the clip you need to work on. BCC pixel chooser rules for this kind of work.

or

you can use the secondaries in the 3 way color corrector to make the matte and CC

or

you can send the clip to Color

or

you can send the clip to motion to mask & CC

or

you can export the clip to AE to mask & CC, import rendered clip

or

you can dupe the clip twice above the original.
in the top most clip do whatever to turn it black and white so that you get white where you want to key, contextual menu "disable clip"
on the clip below, CC is as you need, then right click it and use composite mode ->track matte so that the middle clip uses the top as the matte

I'm sure there is at least another way to two to do this

Andy Mees · February 24th, 2009, 07:33 AM

you're welcome to grab my gradient filter and give that a go if you like:
http://web.mac.com/andymees/Free_and...nt_Filter.html

Robert Lane · February 24th, 2009, 09:43 AM

Andy,

Super plug-in; very simple but *extremely* useful. I've been recommending it to my clients ever since you first posted this in a different thread.

Andy Mees · February 26th, 2009, 07:24 AM

Thanks Robert

Chad Hucal · February 27th, 2009, 03:42 PM

Hi Andy, this looks like a handy filter. Quick, stupid question, do I just drop this filter into my FCP plug-ins folder or is there another place for it?

Thanks.

Peter Kraft · March 1st, 2009, 09:58 PM

Try Dominik Seibold's Contrast Filter.
It might be of big help for you.

P.

http://www.dominik.ws/DominiksContrast.fxplug.zip

February 23rd, 2009, 01:57 PM	#1
Sam Rider New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5	Giving Color to the Sky in FCP I'm trying to put a filter on the top 1/3 of a clip to darken the sky. Any guidance would be appreciated.

March 1st, 2009, 09:58 PM	#8
Peter Kraft Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Europe Posts: 245	Contrast Filter Try Dominik Seibold's Contrast Filter. It might be of big help for you. P. http://www.dominik.ws/DominiksContrast.fxplug.zip

February 23rd, 2009, 04:38 PM	#2
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	you better will create a mask out of the sky. convert video to B&W using histogram, you will isolate the brightest part and using some rectangular cache you will cut the bottom part of the picture. with this mask you can apply all effects you need to the sky only.

February 23rd, 2009, 10:30 PM	#3
Steve Oakley Trustee Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: United States Posts: 1,158	why not just drop a TGA with graduated alpha on . make in PS for a filter you can dupe the clip to the track above, filter it as needed generate a matte in PS - black to white gradient, hard edged shape, whatever. save as TGA put Make Alpha filter onto clip in FCP that you CC'd place matte TGA into video well of filter and then select the appropriate option like LUMA to generate the matte or you could use Pixel Chooser in any of the BorisFX BCC filters which has built in shapes, channel mattes ( luma, alpha, invert luma, R,G B ) or still use an external matte image and do the same thing directly to the clip you need to work on. BCC pixel chooser rules for this kind of work. or you can use the secondaries in the 3 way color corrector to make the matte and CC or you can send the clip to Color or you can send the clip to motion to mask & CC or you can export the clip to AE to mask & CC, import rendered clip or you can dupe the clip twice above the original. in the top most clip do whatever to turn it black and white so that you get white where you want to key, contextual menu "disable clip" on the clip below, CC is as you need, then right click it and use composite mode ->track matte so that the middle clip uses the top as the matte I'm sure there is at least another way to two to do this

February 24th, 2009, 07:33 AM	#4
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	you're welcome to grab my gradient filter and give that a go if you like: http://web.mac.com/andymees/Free_and...nt_Filter.html

February 24th, 2009, 09:43 AM	#5
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,788 Images: 15	Andy, Super plug-in; very simple but extremely useful. I've been recommending it to my clients ever since you first posted this in a different thread.

February 26th, 2009, 07:24 AM	#6
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Thanks Robert

February 27th, 2009, 03:42 PM	#7
Chad Hucal Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 77	Hi Andy, this looks like a handy filter. Quick, stupid question, do I just drop this filter into my FCP plug-ins folder or is there another place for it? Thanks.