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394 Chapter 19: Video Post-Production
Gradient Options
Rendering menu > Vid eo Post > Video Post toolbar > Add
ImageFilterEvent>ChooseaLensEffectsFilterfromthe
Filter Plug-In list. > Setup > Gradient tab
Each gradient in Lens Effects has a set of common
options. Right-clicking the gradient bar displays a
shortcut menu with the following options.
Inter face
Reset—Resets the gradient back to its default
parameters. This action cannot be undone.
Load Gradient—Displays a file open dialog in which
you c an load a par ticular gradient. Gradients are
saved with a
.dgr
extension.
Save Gradient—Displaysafilesaveasdialogwhere
you specify the path and filename for the gradient.
Load UV Map—Lets you load a bitmap image
and use each row of pixels of the bitmap as an
animated gradient. When a bitmap is loaded into
a grad ient control, Lens Effects reads the first 100
pixels across the top row of the image (for the
100 divisions of its gradient controls) and makes
them the gradient. With each successive frame,
Lens Effec ts reads in the next row of pixels as the
gradient. When you scrub the animation slider,
you can see the gr adient change over time.
Note: If the animation is longer than the chosen
bitmap is tall, then the bitmap pattern is repeated.
Load B itmap—Displays a 3ds Max file browser so
you can selec t a bitmap to use as your gradient.
Unlike UV Map, the Load Bitmap option
only reads the first row of pixels for the entire
animation. This is a good option when you need
to have a complex but static gradient.
Fla g M o de—Indicates you are using flags to set the
colors of your gradient instead of using a bitmap
as the source. Flag Mode is selec ted by default.
Compositing Methods
Thelastfiveoptionsontheshortcutmenuare
different types of compositing methods. When
you work with Color and Transparency gradient
controls in any of the Lens Effects filters, you
must be aware of
both
the Radial and Circular
gradients. Both Lens Effects color gradients and
both Transparency gradients are "locked together"
and will work together based on the compositing
methodyouchoosetocreateaneffect.
Each compositing method works on a
pixel-by-pixel basis on the positional value in both
gradients. The compo sit ing methods define how
the colors and brightness values are combined to
form a single color. When combining the colors,
thealgorithmsevaluateeachcolorchannelofthe
colortofindtheendresult. Thisletsyoucreate
five very different l ooking effects with the same
two gradients.
High Valu e—When this option is selected, the
higher color or brightness value between the two
gradientsisselected.Forexample,ifyouhada
color with RGB values of 255,210,255 and another
w ith 225,240,225, the resulting color would be
255,240,255. This option generally results in a
slightly brighter lens flare than the default settings.
This is the most common way of using only
one gradient. Set one gradient to the color or
brightness you desire, then set the other gradient
to pure black. This assures that all of the values