Adobe 25510629 - After Effects CS3 Professional User Manual
Adobe 25510629 - After Effects CS3 Professional User Manual

Adobe 25510629 - After Effects CS3 Professional User Manual

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Summary of Contents for Adobe 25510629 - After Effects CS3 Professional

  • Page 1 CS 3 ADOBE ULTRA ® ® USER GUIDE...
  • Page 2 Any references to company names in sample templates are for demonstration purposes only and are not intended to refer to any actual organization. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Creative Suite, and Ultra are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Adobe Developer Center ........
  • Page 4 Controls under the Input Preview Monitor ....30 Tool buttons..........30 Output Preview Monitor and previewing the output .
  • Page 5 Controlling the lighting ........58 Framing the subject .
  • Page 6 Changing the position and scale of a layer plane ... . . 92 Changing the orientation of a layer plane ....93 Positioning insets in custom virtual sets .
  • Page 7 Technical support web pages ....... .124 Run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool ......124 StatusLog.txt file .
  • Page 9: Chapter 1: Getting Started

    Insert the installation disc into your DVD drive, and follow the on-screen instructions. Be sure to first install and activate at least one component of Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium or Master Collection. Adobe Ultra CS3 will only start on a computer on which Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium or Master Collection has been activated.
  • Page 10: Readme

    In-product and LiveDocs Help In-product Help provides access to all documentation and instructional content available at the time that the software ships. You can access in-product Help by choosing Help > Adobe Ultra Help, or by pressing F1. LiveDocs Help includes all the content from in-product Help, plus updates and links to additional instructional content available on the web.
  • Page 11: Printed Documentation

    The Adobe Creative Suite 3 Video Workshop offers over 200 training videos covering a wide range of subjects for print, web, and video professionals. You can use the Adobe Video Workshop to learn about any Creative Suite 3 product. Many videos show you how to use Adobe applications together.
  • Page 12: Using Adobe Video Workshop

    Video Workshop, so check in to see what’s new. Extras You have access to a wide variety of resources that will help you make the most of your Adobe software. Some of these resources are installed on your computer during the setup process;...
  • Page 13: Customer Support

    Visit the Adobe Support website, at www.adobe.com/support, to find troubleshooting information for your product and to learn about free and paid technical support options. Follow the Training link for access to Adobe Press books, a variety of training resources, Adobe software certification programs, and more.
  • Page 14: User Communities

    User-to-user forums are available in English, French, German, and Japanese; blogs are posted in a wide range of languages. To participate in forums or blogs, visit www.adobe.com/communities. Essential features Get superior keying results even from marginal sources.
  • Page 15 High-speed GPU keying Ultra allows users with newer graphics cards (GeForce 5700 and Radeon 9600 or better for standard-definition video; GeForce 6600 and Radeon 9800 or better for high-definition video) to dramatically increase rendering speeds by shifting processing to the graphics processing unit (GPU).
  • Page 16 QuickTime. AVI and QuickTime files can be output using 24 bits per pixel or 32 bits per pixel (with an 8-bit alpha channel). Output files with alpha channels can be used directly by other programs, such as Adobe After Effects, for further compositing. Getting started...
  • Page 17: Chapter 2: Quick-Start Session

    Step-by-step workflow The following is an overview of the general workflow for creating a session, compositing, and exporting a movie with Adobe® Ultra® CS3. Steps 1, 4, and 10 are required. Step 3 is required for the source input layer; other layers are optional.
  • Page 18: Tutorial

    Add virtual shadows or reflections. (See “Adding shadows and reflections” ■ on page 111.) Correct color. (See “Correcting colors” on page 108.) ■ Defocus the sources. (See “Defocusing a source” on page 119.) ■ Adjust the audio volume of the clips. (See “Adjusting the volume of a video clip”...
  • Page 19 In the Output tab, choose DirectShow (.avi) from the Format menu, and choose MJPEG Compressor. Make sure that the Folder that you are exporting to is set to \My Documents\Adobe Ultra CS3\My Output Clips. (Optional) Change the name of the file in the File Name field.
  • Page 20 Quick-start session...
  • Page 21: Chapter 3: Product Overview

    You then calibrate the keyer, change any settings as needed, and record the output to a video file for use in an editing application, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe After Effects. Ultra is compatible with many standard video formats and has been fine-tuned to provide high-quality output and smooth performance, even with DV clips.
  • Page 22: Layers, Inputs, And Virtual Sets

    “Virtual sets” on page Ultra comes with a few included virtual sets, including one of the Master Sets Libraries, MSL1. Adobe sells additional collections of virtual sets as Master Sets Libraries. You can also create your own custom virtual sets.
  • Page 23 In this case, you typically use an inset (Source B) to fill the frame. For an example of this type of a session, see Ultra Tutorial #7 on the Ultra support web page, www.adobe.com/support/ultra. Input Clip or...
  • Page 24: Active Layer

    Active layer To manipulate a layer by using any of the tabs, the layer must be the active layer. To make a layer the active layer, either click its thumbnail or select it from the list below the Input Preview Monitor. The active layer is displayed in the Input Preview Monitor, and the light next to the layer’s thumbnail image is bright (lit) green A) Active layer B) Source for active layer C) Assign new source to active layer D) List for choosing active layer...
  • Page 25 For instructions on converting this aspect ratio for a widescreen session, see Tutorial #15 “Using 4:3 sets in a 16:9 project” on the Ultra support website, www.adobe.com/support/ultra. The name of a virtual set provided as a part of the Master Sets conveys the following information: The first word or two indicates the master set to which the virtual set belongs.
  • Page 26 This is followed by the type of framing enclosed with parentheses: Tight, Medium, Wide, or Sitting. VirtualTrak effects are designated as “Trak”. For these, you should preview the tracking shot to determine its final framing. Virtual set names that have nothing in parentheses display the input clip (Source A) in an inset.
  • Page 27: User Interface

    User interface This section provides an orientation to the controls and displays that you use in Adobe® Ultra®. A) Input area B) Output area C) Controls area The Ultra interface consists of the following main regions: The input area in the upper left consists of the Input Preview Monitor and several controls that you can use to assign sources, select the active layer, preview the source content, and select tools for setting the key and panning and zooming.
  • Page 28: Input Area And Input Preview Monitor

    The set of tabs along the bottom of the window serve many purposes. The six tabs on the left are for setting the key and making all of the necessary adjustments to the layers and sources. Near the center, the Output tab is for setting session properties and rendering the final composited movie.
  • Page 29: Layer Thumbnails

    You can view the Input Monitor with its original, unkeyed background or with the checkerboard alpha background. To switch between these display modes, choose View > Input Clip Preview Background, and then choose either Original Source or Alpha Grid. A white rectangle in the Input Preview Monitor and Output Preview Monitor identifies the action-safe area.
  • Page 30: Controls Under The Input Preview Monitor

    The Background and Input Clip thumbnails have right-click menus with which you can switch from a given source to a white, black, or checkerboard image and back again. For the Background thumbnail, these images can help you analyze the quality of the key for the input clip.
  • Page 31: Output Preview Monitor And Previewing The Output

    Clicking with this tool in the Input Preview Monitor sets a Key point (input clip only): key point for either the One Color Pickup or Color Spread keying method. For more information, see “Single Key Point Method (One Color Pickup)” on page 79 “Multiple Key Points Method (Color Spread)”...
  • Page 32 A white rectangle in the Input Preview Monitor and Output Preview Monitor identifies the action-safe area. Content outside this area may not be visible if the output movie is viewed on a television. To show or hide the action-safe overlay, choose View > Safe Area Overlay or press Alt+S.
  • Page 33: Magnifying And Repositioning The View In The Monitors

    Control Description Position In Scene Scene Controls the size and position of the layer plane. “Changing the position and scale of a layer plane” on page Orientation In Scene Scene Controls the perspective of the layer plane in all three axes. See “Changing the orientation of a layer plane”...
  • Page 34: Sliders

    Sliders Ultra provides many sliders. Dragging is the main method for adjusting a slider, but it isn’t the only method. After you click a slider, you can also make fine adjustments by using the Right Arrow and Left Arrow keys. You can also enter values in the text boxes associated with some sliders.
  • Page 35: Tabs

    Timecode in Ultra is relative to the beginning of the clip or the overall session. The timecode of the first frame of an untrimmed clip or scene is always 00:00:00.00. Tabs This section describes the tabs that appear below the Input Preview Monitor and Output Preview Monitor.
  • Page 36 Loads saved settings, letting you transfer keyer settings from one session to another Load: with clips using similar lighting. Saves the current settings, but not the key points. This lets you save your work so that Save: you can further experiment, or transfer keyer settings from one session to another with clips using similar lighting.
  • Page 37 A) Key B) Opaque/transparent axis (opaque at the top) C) Subject D) Similar colors/distant colors axis (similar colors at left) E) Transparency: Sets range of transparency of reference key color F) Alpha Curve: Controls the softness of edges of keyed subject G) Start Threshold: Sets range of color made transparent H) All colors in this range are fully keyed out (transparent).
  • Page 38: Colors Tab

    Decreases the level of spill color on the subject by adding the color Spill Suppression: opposite the key color to certain color ranges. This setting is used with the Desaturation setting. Changes the dynamic of desaturation. You can use this control with spill Color Curve: suppression.
  • Page 39 Processing mode options: Pre-Processing: For the input clip, adjusts colors before the input clip is keyed. You should limit Pre-processing adjustments to the input clip to changes that enhance the color of the background and allow better keying. You should perform all other color correction for this layer by using the Post-Processing controls.
  • Page 40: Scene Tab

    Scene tab Use the controls on the Scene tab to change the size, position, and orientation of some layers in the session. You may want to do this if, for example, you need to move the input clip so that it fits correctly in the scene. These controls are also used when you build your own set using the Basic sets.
  • Page 41: Pan & Zoom Tab

    Orientation In Scene area This is an interactive control for setting the orientation of the layer plane. For Grid control: more information, see “Changing the orientation of a layer plane” on page You can click in a field and type the desired value. Numeric readouts: Rotates the layer plane around the x axis.
  • Page 42: Input Tab

    Input tab Timing & Settings For Input Clip area These controls are used to trim the beginning and ending of the In Point and Out Point: current video clip. Trimming a clip does not change the source clip in any way. For more information, see “Trimming the In and Out Points in a video clip”...
  • Page 43 Makes the current video clip or still image a little blurry, as if it were out of focus. Defocus: You may want to do this to simulate depth in the composited scene, as if you had shot the video clip with a camera lens that had a narrow depth of field. Some older video cards do not support this function.
  • Page 44: Shadows Tab

    When enabled, scales down the source so that the entire source image is Scale To Fit: visible in the layer plane. This assumes that all of the Input Offset values are zero. For more information, see “Scaling an input source to fit the virtual set” on page Rotates the source 90°...
  • Page 45: Output Tab

    Select or deselect entries to enable or disable a shadow or Shadows & Reflections list: reflection. To select a shadow or reflection so that the controls on the right are active, click anywhere on that row. The active shadow or reflection is highlighted in blue. You should not load the reflection settings for a shadow, or vice versa.
  • Page 46 Output Settings area Specifies the exporter, which broadly determines the type of output. Format: AVI container DirectShow: MOV container QuickTime: A series of individual still image files, one per frame, rather than a Frame Sequence: single video clip. Specifies the encoder used to encode and compress the output file. The options that Codec: are available in this list depend on the format that’s selected.
  • Page 47: Libraries

    Opens a dialog box where you can specify the path where the clip is saved. Browse: This is an interactive field for entering and displaying the name by which the clip File Name: is saved. This display-only field shows the length of the output video. Total Duration: This display-only field indicates approximately how large the video output Estimated Size:...
  • Page 48: Application Menus

    Whereas the other library tabs let you navigate to any folder on the system, this tab is specifically intended for this purpose. If you store raw input clips and background stills in one location, Adobe recommends that you set that folder as the home for the Browse tab. Assigning a folder as a library’s home Click the desired library tab.
  • Page 49: View Menu

    Opens a previously saved Ultra session. For more information, see Open Session (Ctrl+O): “Opening a session” on page Saves the current session. For more information, see “Saving a Save Session (Ctrl+S): session” on page Saves the current session under a different name. For more information, Save Session As: “Saving a copy of a session”...
  • Page 50: Tools Menu

    Tools menu Applies either the Set Key or Apply Points method to One-Click Key/Apply Points (Ctrl+K): the input clip in the Input Preview Monitor. For more information, see “Setting the key” on page Clears all of the points from the input clip in the Input Clear All Key Points (Ctrl+E): Preview Monitor.
  • Page 51: Help Menu

    Loop Mode (F9): Help menu Accesses the built-in Help document. Help (F1): Starts a web browser and opens the Ultra support page on the Adobe Online Support: website. Starts a web browser and opens the Ultra FAQ web page. FAQ:...
  • Page 52: Overlay Thumbnail

    Overlay thumbnail For more information, see “Adding overlay layers” on page Adds a new entry so that you can load a new overlay graphic to the Add New Overlay: current session. Deletes the overlay from the current session. Remove Current Overlay: Output Preview Monitor Resets all of the zoom and positioning in the Output Preview Monitor to the Reset All:...
  • Page 53: Blank Spot On One Of The Library Tabs

    Deletes the file from storage (e.g., hard disk). Delete: Opens the name field for editing. Rename: Blank spot on one of the library tabs If an option is dimmed or not present, it is not available for the current item. Pastes the file from the clipboard.
  • Page 54 Product overview...
  • Page 55: Chapter 4: How To

    In Ultra, a session is the basic framework within which you work to create a composited movie. An Ultra session is very similar to a composition in Adobe After Effects. Each session contains multiple layers that are composited together, and each of these layers has a video, image, or virtual set file that it refers to for source content.
  • Page 56: Saving A Session

    119. Changing the default session’s path The default folder for saving sessions is \My Documents\Adobe Ultra CS3\My Sessions, which is also the default path for the Sessions tab. Each time you save a session, the path to which you save the session becomes the default path for new sessions.
  • Page 57: Creating And Assigning Sources And Virtual Sets

    Creating and assigning sources and virtual sets This section describes how to prepare graphics and video clips for use in Ultra, customize the sets that come in the Master Sets Libraries, and assign graphics and virtual sets within a session. Shooting video for Ultra With the sophisticated keying technology built into Ultra, you can make use of even poorly shot source footage.
  • Page 58: Setting Up The Camera

    Because decoding DV in real time requires a lot of processing power, Adobe recommends that you use a fast computer. On slower computers, you may need to lower the Resolution value, which controls the preview resolution. Some video cameras output thin black bars in the overscan areas on the right and left edges.
  • Page 59: Framing The Subject

    After you adjust the lighting and camera settings so that the input clip matches the virtual background as closely as possible, you can bring them closer still by performing color corrections in Ultra. You can color-correct each layer independently. Sometimes adjusting the color of the background to match the input clip can yield better results than correcting the keyed input clip itself.
  • Page 60: Optimizing The Color Screen Backdrop

    A high-quality color backdrop that is properly lit yields superior results. There are several aspects to a good backdrop. Adobe recommends green as the best backdrop color for typical Ultra usage. Color and finish: In some cases, however, green isn’t the best backdrop color, and other colors will work. For example, if your subject must wear green clothing, you may get better results with a blue screen.
  • Page 61: Reducing Spill

    Whenever possible, light the backdrop separately from the foreground subject. This Lighting: requires moving the subject as far from the backdrop as possible to create space for two separate lighting zones that don’t interfere with each other. If this brings areas beyond the edges of the backdrop into view, you can delete them with Mask Painter tool or by cropping the edges.
  • Page 62: Choosing The Background Or Virtual Set

    Improving the quality of the source footage and facilitating recording Adobe® OnLocation CS3 can take a lot of the guesswork out of recording video that will key well. OnLocation provides tools that will help you improve the quality of the video that you shoot.
  • Page 63: Assigning Content To Layers

    To learn more about OnLocation, go to the Adobe website (www.adobe.com), and download a free trial version.
  • Page 64 Changing sources for a layer The methods outlined previously work regardless of whether a source is already assigned to the layer. When you change the source assignment, the new source inherits most of the adjustments to the layer that were made on any of the tabs. The only exceptions are the In and Out points for trimming a video clip.
  • Page 65: Matching The Aspect Ratio Of A Basic Set's Background With A Ses

    Inputting sources that use film alpha, such as Avid (Invert Alpha option) Video systems conventionally interpret an alpha channel value of 0 to indicate complete transparency. Film systems conventionally interpret an alpha channel value of 0 to indicate complete opacity. When importing a video source from a system that uses film alpha (such as Avid), use the Invert Alpha option on the Input tab.
  • Page 66: Adding Overlay Layers

    A) Tight: Close-up shot, approximately from the chest up B) Medium: Medium-distance shot, approximately from the waist up C) Wide: Wide-angle, full-body shot, with space above and below the subject. Adding overlay layers You can add up to four overlays to any session, regardless of whether the virtual set has one or more foreground elements.
  • Page 67: Supported Input Formats

    DV AVI Type 1 (audio and video on separate streams) DV AVI Type 2 (audio and video on the same stream) MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (.mpg, .mpeg, .m2v, .m2t) QuickTime (.mov) Windows Media (.wmv) Adobe virtual set (.mfx) Creating and assigning sources and virtual sets...
  • Page 68: Creating Elements For A Set Or Individual Layers

    Format Resolution (frame Frame rate dimensions) Still images up to 4096x4096 (graphics .bmp card permitting) .jpg .png .ppm .tga .tiff When you ran Ultra for the first time, you chose either NTSC or PAL. Regardless of which video format you chose to work with, you can use video clips of either format as sources. You can use still images with dimensions of up to 4096x4096 pixels as sources if the graphics card supports that resolution.
  • Page 69: Backgrounds

    Transparency: Save any layer that has transparent regions in a format that supports an alpha channel, such as .png and .psd files. To learn more about alpha channels and how to save layers in a format that preserves transparency, see the image-editing application’s documentation.
  • Page 70: Overlays

    When you create the alpha region, it is often best to draw a frame around it, as well, such as the pink border drawn around the alpha region in this example. Overlays The foreground element can be any object or structure that you want to appear in front of the subject for at least part of a scene.
  • Page 71: Finished, Composited Scene

    32 bit AVI with Alpha The clip is in the Output Clips folder, or the path that you set for it. Assign the clip to the overlay as you would any source. Proceed with any resizing, repositioning, and so on. If you’re working with a photographic image, a quick way to isolate the image with alpha all around is to shoot it against a greenscreen and then delete that background in Photoshop.
  • Page 72: Advanced Compositing Tasks

    If the overlay covers part of the subject that should be in front and repositioning is not an option, then you may need to split the scene in two, and delete or adapt the overlay in the second part. For example, assume that there’s a doorway behind the subject and the area from the door frame to the left is part of the overlay to create the illusion that the subject is entering the scene through that door.
  • Page 73: Customizing A Virtual Set

    Trim times Overlay Composited shot In Point: 0:10.01 Out Point: 0:20.00 In Point: 0:20.01 Out Point: 0:40.00 Because saving clips in Ultra is fast, particularly if you use the GPU Boost feature, you may find it quicker to render the complete scene multiple times—once with each overlay—and then use an NLE to cut from one scene to the next.
  • Page 74: Editing Virtual Set Images

    Windows Explorer, click the View tab, and then select Show Hidden Files And Folders. If you did not copy the entire Master Set folder, then Adobe recommends that you either make a copy of the Elements folder before starting to edit any images, or save the changes by a new name.
  • Page 75: Moving Virtual Sets To An Alternate Location

    When you install a Master Sets Library, it is automatically stored in the same place that you installed Ultra. By default, the path is C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Ultra CS3\Content\Virtual Sets\. After the installation, you can move some or all of the virtual sets to an alternate drive.
  • Page 76: Setting The Key

    Open another Windows Explorer window, browse to the location where you want to save a copy of this virtual set, and create a folder with a name of your choice. Paste the .mfx files into the new folder. Create a subfolder within the new folder called Elements. Return to the first Explorer window, and look for an Elements folder.
  • Page 77: Improving A Background In The Input Clip

    Ultra can use the graphics processing unit (GPU), which greatly reduces the load on the CPU. To take advantage of this advanced capability, enable GPU Boost on the Keyer tab. Adobe recommends the following models of graphics cards or better: Make SD video...
  • Page 78: Set Key

    Set Key Set Key is the recommended means for keying, not only because it produces the best results, but also because it’s easiest. At the click of a button, Ultra analyzes the entire frame and generates a mathematical model that it uses to key out the background for the session. To use this method, the clip must have at least one reference frame, which is a frame that shows only the color screen background with nothing in the foreground.
  • Page 79: Setting Key Points (Apply Points Method)

    Setting Key Points (Apply Points Method) Ultra provides two methods for setting the key using key points that you select. In general, you should only need to use one of these methods if you do not have a reference frame that shows only the color screen background with nothing in the foreground.
  • Page 80: Multiple Key Points Method (Color Spread)

    Although the background should be consistent, it doesn’t need to be exactly the same. Despite the slight vertical imperfections in the upper-left corner and a bit of variation in color, the frame in the following example is good enough to use for the One Color Pickup method. Using multiple points in this case would not significantly improve the quality of the key.
  • Page 81 Look for pools of darker and brighter screen color (blue or green) in the background, and click once in each of these regions to set the key points. In a dark pool, the key point should be where it’s darkest. If there’s a hotspot, the point should be where it’s brightest. In the following example, the point in the lower-left corner and the two points on the far right side are for the three dark areas.
  • Page 82: Keeping The Shadow In An Input Clip

    In these cases, you’ll achieve the best results if the key points are very close to the problem area, but not on top of it. To get a better look at what you’re doing and have greater precision in positioning points, try magnifying the view of the Input Preview Monitor. For more information, see “Input area and Input Preview Monitor”...
  • Page 83: Cropping And Spot Masking The Source Clip

    If you’re not satisfied with the real shadow, try a digital shadow. For more information, “Adding shadows and reflections” on page 111. Digital shadows have the following advantages over real shadows: • There’s no special keying involved. • You can position digital shadows wherever you want. •...
  • Page 84: Cropping The Edge Of A Frame

    Cropping the edge of a frame The Input Cropping controls on the Input tab provide a quick method for masking off an entire edge of the frame, making the affected area of the input clip fully transparent. To crop an edge, drag the appropriate side of the blue-gray box with the corner and midpoint nodes in the Input Cropping control group.
  • Page 85: Viewing The Key

    When viewed against a real-world background, minor flaws in the key are usually not visible. Therefore, Adobe recommends that you use the white and black test backgrounds only for broad changes, and then use the actual background over which the clip will be composited to fine-tune the settings.
  • Page 86 Keep in mind that each step in the process moves you closer to the goal of a convincing key, so don’t try to accomplish too much with any given adjustment. After performing these steps a few times, you’ll learn how the later steps build on the earlier ones. This sense of the whole process will serve you well in developing a feel for how much to change each setting during the process.
  • Page 87 Increase Desaturation so that all of the remaining green turns magenta, but not so far that the magenta bleeds onto the subject. If you’re working with a bluescreen, the blue remnants turn yellow. A) Halo turned magenta. B) Desaturation went too far; magenta bleeding onto subject. Decrease Spill Suppression until the magenta or yellow highlights are gone, but not so far that any of the green spill returns.
  • Page 88: Saving And Applying Keyer Settings

    Set Key or Apply Points. To create a profile, click the Save button in the lower-left corner of the Keyer tab. A standard Windows Save As dialog box appears. The default path is My Documents\Adobe Ultra CS3\My Settings. The profile’s extension is .cks.
  • Page 89: Differences Between Sets Of Position Controls

    Differences between sets of Position controls The Position controls on the Scene tab are for moving the active layer within the 3D environment. The Position controls on the Input tab are for moving the input source within its two-dimensional layer. A) The Position In Scene controls in the Scene tab move the layer within the full frame.
  • Page 90: Adjusting The Framing

    Adjusting the framing The Position In Scene and Input Offset controls are only two methods for controlling the scale of images or the framing of what’s displayed in the Output Preview Monitor. If what you see in the monitor is not what you expect, check the settings described in the following table. Control Description Position In Scene...
  • Page 91: Setting The Size, Position, And Orientation Of A Layer Plane

    Setting the size, position, and orientation of a layer plane The Scene tab contains the controls for changing the size, position, or orientation of a layer. Changing the scale and position of the input clip and other layers is a basic step in the typical workflow for setting up a session.
  • Page 92: Changing The Position And Scale Of A Layer Plane

    Changing the position and scale of a layer plane A) Y axis - Vertical position: Drag vertically. B) Z axis - Scale: Shift-drag vertically. C) X axis - Horizontal position: Drag horizontally. The Position In Scene control sets the position and the size of the layer. Before repositioning the input clip, find the spot where the current position is most problematic, determine the direction and distance that you need to move the layer, and then drag the preview slider through the segment, looking for places that may be adversely affected by the new location.
  • Page 93: Changing The Orientation Of A Layer Plane

    In fact, when working with the virtual sets that you create, you may find this slider preferable to the grid control because it works from the ground up. Adobe recommends that you position the bottom of the layer plane as desired with the grid control,...
  • Page 94: Positioning Insets In Custom Virtual Sets

    Sets library and are initially scaled to full frame. Although in special circumstances you may want to display an inset in full frame, you typically scale and position each inset to its correct location as defined by the transparent regions in the custom background. Adobe recommends the following workflow: Assign the desired basic set and background.
  • Page 95: Trols

    If the basic set has another inset layer, then select it through the list above the inset’s thumbnail and repeat steps 3 through 7 for that layer. Moving and scaling an input within the layer plane: Input Offset controls If you’re not familiar with how moving a layer with the Input Offset controls on the Input tab differs from repositioning a layer by using the Input Position In Scene controls on the Scene tab, see “Positioning layers and performing virtual camera moves”...
  • Page 96 The black box in the Input Offset grid control represents the layer plane. It does not change to reflect the size or orientation that is set by using the controls on the Scene tab. If you change the Input Offset so that any part of the image lies beyond the black box (see the pink areas in the previous graphic), that part is cropped from the image.
  • Page 97: Moving And Flipping The Input Vertically And Horizontally

    If you’re working with a keyed input clip and want to see the size, position, and orientation of the input clip within the frame, try either disabling the keyer or switching to a solid image. The easiest way to do this is to right-click the Input Clip thumbnail, and then choose Assign White, Assign Black, or Assign Checkerboard.
  • Page 98: Changing The Scale Of The Input

    By turning a standard-definition clip sideways, you can use footage from a standard- definition camera in a high-definition scene. What distinguishes HD from SD is the number of horizontal lines (scan lines, or rows of pixels) in the image. Since SD NTSC video is 720x480 in its regular landscape orientation, rotating the video to portrait mode produces 720 lines of resolution.
  • Page 99: Returning All Grid Settings To The Defaults

    To make the moves smoother and more natural, the rate accelerates at the beginning and decelerates at the end. Adobe uses a Hermite spline to calculate the rate curve. Ultra’s support for high-resolution graphics and HD video and its pan and zoom capacity lets you create some truly stunning results.
  • Page 100 If there’s no content there, then all you see is solid black. To avoid breaking the context of the Pan & Zoom grid control, Adobe recommends that you do not increase the scale of a layer plane by using the Scene tab beyond the size of the visible frame unless there’s a good reason to do so.
  • Page 101: Adding And Setting A Pan And Zoom Point

    A) Black box represents the borders of the publishing frame. Content beyond the box is cropped; area inside the box but beyond the grid may be blank. B) Y axis - Vertical position: Drag up and down. C) Z axis - Scale: Shift-drag vertically. D) X axis - Horizontal position: Drag sideways. To pan right and left along the X axis, drag the grid sideways, or enter a value in the X field.
  • Page 102: Changing A Pan And Zoom Point

    The time setting for intermediate pan and zoom points, however, do not change if, for example, you trim the In point of the input clip after programming virtual camera moves. Therefore, Adobe recommends that you get the session’s timing settled before designing pan and zoom maneuvers.
  • Page 103: Programming A Continuous Virtual Move With Multiple Points

    Programming a continuous virtual move with multiple points To produce a continuous move that zigs and zags, follows an arc, or changes zoom direction rather than going straight from point A to point B, add a sequence of pan and zoom points, one at each position where you want the pan or zoom direction to change.
  • Page 104: Achieving The Correct Timing For Video Clips

    Achieving the correct timing for video clips This section describes the tasks involved in achieving the correct timing of video clips. Trimming the In and Out Points in a video clip If a video clip contains any content at the beginning or end that you don’t want to include in the current session, you can trim the unwanted frames using the In Point or Out Point control on the Input tab.
  • Page 105: Looping The Clip

    To return the In Point setting to zero or the Out Point setting to the end of the clip, click the Reset button for the appropriate control. If you know the desired timecode, you can also type it directly into the field. In this case, do not click the Set button because it applies the current time.
  • Page 106 “Museum Intro (Trak)” set in the Virtual Sets\Museum library (from MSL1). If you don’t have your own input clip handy, use “Suzy – Wide – Walk in Left”, which is in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Ultra CS3\Content\Sample Clips\NTSC Sample Clips.
  • Page 107: Setting A Pause Point For A Virtualtrak Effect

    Setting a pause point for a VirtualTrak effect Some VirtualTrak sets let you pause the effect so that the virtual camera move allows time for a video clip to play, subject to talk, or credits to roll. For example, in the “Library Book to Talent with Pause”...
  • Page 108: Correcting Colors

    You may also want to mix in subtle appropriate ambient sound effects, such as street noise or wind in the trees. You cannot change the audio in Ultra. You can use an application such as Adobe Audition or Soundbooth.
  • Page 109: Making Color Corrections

    For the other layers, Ultra does not perform processing like keying, so the pre-processing and post-processing distinction is irrelevant. You can change the colors of layers in a virtual set like any other source. For example, if you don’t like the Digital Studio sets in blue, you can use the Hue control to change the color.
  • Page 110: Saving And Applying Color Settings

    Post-Processing modes on the Colors tab. To create a profile, click the Save button at the lower left of the Colors tab. A standard Windows Save As dialog box appears. The default path is My Documents\Adobe Ultra CS3\My Settings. The profile’s extension is .ccs.
  • Page 111: Adding Shadows And Reflections

    Adding shadows and reflections When done correctly, shadows and reflections provide a key finishing touch that helps sell the illusion, melding the subject into the scene. When absent or done poorly, they can destroy the compositing result. Ultra lets you generate up to three virtual shadows and a single reflection on the floor and two shadows on the wall.
  • Page 112: Changing The Position Of A Floor Shadow

    Changing the position of a floor shadow There are four controls involved in setting the position of a shadow. The following diagram shows the result of all of the controls. Although the process looks complex, when you take it step by step, the process is simple enough that you can probably learn how to position a shadow by loading one of the sample sessions and experimenting with the sliders.
  • Page 113 To position shadows and reflections Use the Baseline slider to align the bottom of the shadow or reflection with the bottom of the subject. Adjusting this slider moves the horizontal plane on which the shadow lies (the red arrow in the following diagram). A) Baseline slider bar - Top setting B) Baseline slider bar - Bottom setting C) Red arrow indicates the baseline If you're having difficulty aligning the bottom as precisely as you’d like, try changing...
  • Page 114 Adjust the Angle slider to set the direction that the shadow extends from the subject. This corresponds to the angle between the line from the camera to the subject (the black line in the following diagram) and the angle from the light stand to the subject (the green line in the following diagram).
  • Page 115 Adjust the Spread slider to change the width of the shadow relative to the size of the source. This has the same result as moving the light closer or farther away along its current line (the yellow line in the following diagram), which in the real world involves moving the light stand closer or farther and adjusting its height (the orange line in the following diagram).
  • Page 116: Changing The Position Of A Wall Shadow

    Although you can move the shadows to exactly the same positions, Adobe recommends that you keep them in their native sectors if for no other reason than to know which shadow is which when you return to these controls later.
  • Page 117 Opacity controls how transparent the shadow or reflection is across its entire extent. As opacity increases, the color of the shadow shifts toward black. A) Opacity slider bar - Transparent setting B) Opacity slider bar - Opaque setting Falloff applies a gradient of transparency. The shadow or reflection becomes more transparent with distance from the subject.
  • Page 118: Saving And Applying Settings For A Shadow Or Reflection

    Click the Save button in the lower-left corner of the Shadows tab. A standard Windows Save As dialog box appears. Change the path by using the Save In field, if desired. The default path is My Documents/ Adobe Ultra CS3/My Settings. How to...
  • Page 119: Defocusing A Source

    In addition, you have several frame rates to choose from, with both progressive and interlaced options. Ultra is compatible with applications such as After Effects® and Adobe® Premiere® Pro, as well as other popular video editing software. Saving the finished video...
  • Page 120 If you are working with a movie output from Ultra in an NLE or another application, Adobe recommends that you save the output movies uncompressed. This yields the highest quality video, but also the largest files.
  • Page 121 Uncompressed options: 24-bit (standard) or 32-bit Keyed Source (preserves alpha channel). For more information, see “Outputting clips or stills with an alpha channel” on page 122. If you select 32-bit, then you also have the option to invert the alpha channel for compatibility with applications that interpret alpha channels as film alpha (0 means opacity) instead of video alpha (0 means transparency).
  • Page 122: Outputting Still Images (Frame Sequence)

    This file format also makes the composited content available for use in standard image- editing applications, such as Adobe Photoshop and Fireworks. To export a series of stills, select Frame Sequence in the Format field, and then select the image type in the Codec field.
  • Page 123: Chapter 5: Troubleshooting And Getting Help

    To check for updates, choose Help > Updates. Follow the on-screen instructions to check for an update and to download it if one exists. Even if the update does not fix the problem immediately, it can improve the ability of Adobe technicians to isolate the problem and identify a solution.
  • Page 124: Updating The Windows® Operating System

    Follow the on-screen instructions. Technical Support Adobe is happy to help you identify and solve any problems that you may have using Ultra software. You can save time and help us to isolate the cause of the problem by providing complete and accurate information about your computer system.
  • Page 125: Statuslog.txt File

    The problem can sometimes be resolved by updating that component’s driver. The StatusLog.txt file is located here: Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe Ultra CS3 Windows Vista: C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\Adobe Ultra CS3 Symptoms and solutions Symptom Solution When I click the Set Key button,...
  • Page 126 Troubleshooting and getting help...
  • Page 127: Index

    32 DirectX Diagnostic Tool 124 active layer downloads about 24 updates, plug-ins, and tryouts 13 Adobe Design Center 12 drivers 123 Adobe OnLocation 62 duration 104 Adobe Video Workshop 11 DV, Type 1 and Type 2 46 alpha channel interpretation 65...
  • Page 128 28 layers sessions 31 assigning sources 63 plug-ins 13 changing sources 64 in Adobe Store 13 moving and scaling input in 95 Plus-90 mode 98 orientation in scene 91 Position In Scene controls 40 position in scene 91...
  • Page 129 thumbnails, layer 28, 29 timecode fields 34 quick-start 18 timing 104 Timing & Settings For Input Clip 42 tools 30 trimming clips 104 ReadMe file 10 troubleshooting 125 reflections 44, 111 tryouts 13 requirements, system 9 tutorial 18 rotating input 97 Type 1 and Type 2 DV 46 safe area overlay 32 underscan 58...

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