Working with the BCC Cube Filter The Cube Þlter models the source image onto one or more faces of a cube. You can use a separate media source for each of the six faces. The Cube Þlter includes extensive parameters for you to customize. You may need to scroll to see them all. The illustration at right does not show all the parameters. The BCC Cube Þlter can also be used as a transition. To apply it as a transition, use the BCC TR Cube in the BCC Transitions category or apply the Þlter to two layers. General Controls Parameter Group At times, you may want to view your clip without the effect that you ve applied. The Bypass Effect checkbox lets you view the source footage without the effect. When the Bypass Effect checkbox is selected, it turns pink. When you applied a BCC effect to an Avid title or matte, enabling the Bypass Effect checkbox does not display the original title unþltered, but rather displays the nested Graphic Fill of the matte key. Bypass Effect is a parameter change; selecting the Bypass Effect checkbox will unrender a rendered effect. To bypass a rendered effect without unrendering, step into the effect in the Avid timeline to see the unaffected video. Selecting the Safe Colors checkbox enables an NTSC/PAL color-safe Þlter that allows only colors that are safe for broadcast. BCC allows RGB values across the full 0-255 range. When this checkbox is selected, the RGB values are limited to the NTSC/PAL safe range of 16-235.
The Draft Mode checkbox allows you to preview your effect in a Draft Mode to speed previews. This is especially useful for effects with multiple track inputs. Deselect this option before rendering your effect. The Apply to Title-Matte checkbox allows you to apply BCC Þlters to titles created in Avid s Title tool. To apply an effect to a title, drag the effect onto the title (you do not have to Option-drag) and select the Apply to Title-Matte checkbox. The Invert Matte checkbox allows you to invert any matte created by your effect. This is useful when you work with imported images. The Layer Opacity slider sets the opacity of the Þlter layer, which allows you to fade effects. When Apply to Title-Matte checkbox is selected, Layer Opacity affects the graphic Þll layer, which allows you to fade titles. The Field Render menu sets the rendering optimization for BCC. For most Þlters, you can use the default of Speed Optimized. For effects that include edging or DVE moves, you may want to use Quality Optimized. Quality Optimized takes more time to render, but will generally correct any problems with jitter or rough edges on effects. Geometrics Parameter Group The controls in the Geometrics parameter group allow you to add basic DVE moves to any Þlter. The Geometrics parameter group includes the following controls. Selecting the Enable Geometrics checkbox allows you to use the parameters to reposition a track. When this checkbox is deselected, the other parameters have no affect. Position X and Position Y adjust the horizontal and vertical location of the track. Scale X and Scale Y change the size of the image along the X and Y axis, respectively. These parameters scale as percentages of the image s original width and height. Thus, a Scale X value of 200 produces an image twice as wide as the original. Select the Lock Scale checkbox to keep the Scale X and Y values in proportion.
Tumble, Spin, and Rotate change the image s perspective along the X, Y, and Z axes respectively. Tumble, Spin, and Rotate can animate over values greater than 360 in order to make the shape complete more than one full revolution. Tumble Spin Rotate The Crop controls crop the edges of the image. Left Crop, Top Crop, Right Crop, and Bottom Crop determine the width, in pixels, of the cropped area on each edge of the image. For the Crop controls refer to the sides of the original image before it is transformed in 3D space. For example, if you tumble an image 180 so that it appears upside-down, cropping the Top affects the top of the original image, which is actually the bottom of the tumbled image. The Blend control soften the edges of the image by reducing their opacity. The Blend parameter determines the width, in pixels, of the transparent band on each edge of the image. These values are unaffected by the Crop values, allowing you to soften the edges of an uncropped image. Position XY Parameter Group Position X and Position Y set the X and Y coordinates of the center point of the layer. Cube 1 Parameter Group Position Z adjusts the apparent depth. Decreasing negative values move the layer closer to the viewer, while increasing positive values move the layer farther away from the viewer. Very low Position Z values move the plane behind the viewer, making it invisible. Scale X and Scale Y change the size of the layer along the X and Y axis, respectively. These parameters are scaled as percentages of the layer s original width and height. Thus, a Scale X value of 200 produces a image twice as wide as the original image. Select Lock to Scale X checkbox to keep the X and Y Scale values in proportion.
Tumble, Spin, and Rotate move the image around the X, Y, and Z axis respectively. Tumble, Spin, and Rotate can animate over values greater than 360 to make the image complete more than one full revolution. Tumble Spin Rotate When the Lock Pivot checkbox is selected, the image tumbles, spins, and rotates around its own center. If this option is deselected, you can set an external pivot point around which to tumble, spin, or rotate. Pivot XY Parameter Group Pivot X and Pivot Y set the X and Y coordinates of the pivot point. If Lock Pivot is selected, moving the pivot point has no affect. Cube 2 Parameter Group Pivot Z sets the Z coordinate of the pivot point. If Lock Pivot is selected, moving the Pivot Z point has no affect. Cube Displacement detaches the faces of the cube from each other. You can animate this setting to create an effect in which all six faces move toward each other to form the cube. A setting of 0 keeps the faces in contact. A setting of 1.0 moves each face apart by the dimension of the attached faces. In other words, a Cube Displacement of 1.0 moves the top and bottom by the height of the source image, and the other faces by the width. Cube Displacement=0.1 Cube Displacement=0.3
Opacity sets the opacity of the image, and is scaled as a percentage. A setting of 0% makes the image completely transparent; a setting of 100% makes the image completely opaque. You can easily fade objects in or out by animating this parameter. Front Opacity sets the opacity of the portion of the cube closest to the viewer. Use this parameter to make the front of the cube partially or fully transparent to reveal an image on the back side. A setting of 100 makes the cube completely opaque; a setting of 0 makes the front of the cube completely transparent. Shadows Parameter Group The Shadow parameters allow you to add a drop shadow to the cube effect. The Shadows On checkbox turns on the shadows. Shadow Distance sets the distance (in pixels) between the shadow and the image. Shadow Intensity sets the opacity of the drop shadow, scaled as a percentage. At a value of 100, the shadow is completely opaque. Lower Shadow Intensity values make the background image visible through the shadow. At a value of 0, the shadow is invisible. Shadow Softness controls the softness of the edges of the shadows. A setting of 0 produces a sharply deþned shadow with hard edges. Increasing Shadow Softness produces shadows with softer edges. Shadow Angle sets the direction of the drop shadow. A setting of 0 places the shadow to the right of the image; a setting of 90 places it directly below the image. Shadow Color sets the color of the shadow. Select the Lights On checkbox to turn on the applied light. Camera & Lights Parameter Group Camera XY sets the horizontal and vertical position of the focal point of the camera (the point on the image plane at which the camera is pointed). Camera XY=10,10 Camera XY=630,470
Camera Z sets the model camera s distance from the layer. Decreasing this setting places the camera closer to the layer, exaggerating the perspective on portions of the layer that are closest to the camera. Camera Z=0.5 Camera Z=5 Light XY positions the light source in space by moving the light parallel to the image plane along the X and Y axes. Light Z positions the depth of the light source relative to the image plane. A Light Z value of 100 places the light one source width above the image plane. Light Z can be negative, which places the light behind the image plane. If Light Z is negative, the light is seen only if the object is rotated or displaced so that all or part of it is behind the light source (that is, the light source always points in toward the object, never out at the viewer). Ambient Light adjusts the total amount of diffuse light on the image. The default setting of 100 does not add or subtract ambient light from the source image. Decreasing this setting makes the image darker before the other lights are applied. Ambient Light illuminates or darkens the image evenly, and is unaffected by any other lighting parameters. Diffuse Light determines the amount of non-directional diffuse light applied to the object. Increasing Diffuse Light brightens the object uniformly. Specular Light simulates lighting a glossy surface from a point source, creating a small spot of intense light whose falloff can vary. Increasing this value adds reßected light to the surface. Light Falloff controls the rate at which the Specular Light falls off from the center of the lit region. A higher Light Falloff value creates a more concentrated highlight, simulating a shiny, highly reßective surface. A lower Light Falloff value spreads light more evenly throughout the lit region, simulating a rougher, less reßective surface. Only Specular Light is affected by Light Falloff. Light Color controls the color of the applied light (which includes the Specular and Diffuse Lights, but not Ambient Light).
Faces Parameter Group The Select Faces menu and the Front, Back, Left, Top, Right, and Bottom Face menus allow you to map different media on all six faces of the cube. Current Track uses the Þltered layer, including any other effects applied to the layer above the Cube Þlter, on all six sides of the cube. Use Front applies the chosen Front layer to all six faces of the cube. This setting allows you to quickly change the layer mapped to the cube without individually specifying a layer for each face. Selected Layer allows you to chose any layer in the timeline for each face of the cube using the corresponding Front, Back, Left, Top, Right, and Bottom menus. You can create a transparent face by choosing None in the corresponding face menu. If one or more faces of the cube are never visible in your effect, you can save rendering time by making those faces transparent. Set Select Faces to Selected Layer, and then set the appropriate Face menus to None.