Lightning in post
 

Any idea what is the best way to add lightning in post? I'm not just referring to flashes of light during filming...but like the lightning scene in "Shawshank Redemption" just after the escape. It's got a lot of texture. You see the X-Ray type cloud flashes in the distant sky behind him, and then also have the light flashes obviously made during filming.

It's the X-Ray cloud flashes that I'm wanting to add.

You might be able to paint this into the sky manually with
something like Photoshop (if you have enough patience).
Otherwise an effects application or (3D) CGI application might
do the trick.

I'm not sure if there is an easy solution to this...

After Effect has a pretty good lightning effect, effect --> render -- lightning

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm looking for something in a whole different ballpark than just flashes of light. I guess masking actual footage is the best way.

John if i understand correctly what you want,

In after effects, you will have to make masks of the sections u want... then invert them, and use blend to get the effect you want... that will give say the sky an x-ray style look.

Zac

Thanks, Zack. Yeah, you've got the right idea...just imagine when you see distant scattered lightning, and instead of seeing the bolts themselves so much, you see the clouds flickering from within. That's what I'm looking for.

I was just hoping there was a plug-in out there for FCP to do it, instead of having to shoot some footage, then mask it.

john if you have footage of clouds in your footage then it can be done... masking is easy once you get the hang of it.

Just mask, keyframe the effect to flash on cue with the clouds going slightly x-ray... then feather it to make it blend well.

And you will be done...

edit:

Ohh you want something to creat the clouds themselves and then add the effects... now that could be more trouble than it is worth. You would be best off compositing from a photo or from other footage of clouds...

Zac