BCC+ Atmospheric Glow Dissolve

The BCC+ Atmospheric Glow Dissolve filter is an exciting new glow style auto-animating two input transition effect that brings instant atmospheric looks to an otherwise flat scene.

Based around a film glow, this effect includes 9 independently controlled groups, including volumetric light rays, a smoke/fog generator, light flickering, chromatic aberration, on-lens orbs, film grain and a vignette with color/blur options, each of which adds a new element to the scene. Many of the effect groups are auto-animating and the transition is capped with a full suite of color correction tools. This transition includes a number of professionally designed user modifiable presets to get you started with generating some exciting atmospheric looks.

Presets and the FX Editor

The FX Editor provides a convenient way to store and retrieve factory installed and/or user generated filter presets. To select a preset, open the FX Editor interface and pick one from the Presets panel. Click the apply button in the FX Editor to return to the host user interface.

To save a custom preset, click the “Create Custom Preset” icon in the top right corner of the parameter list, next to the filter name, set a name for the new custom preset in the dialog that appears and click done.

Filter Parameters

Animation: Menu controlling what drives the animation of the transition.

Auto – automatically generates a transition based on the transition length (when used as a transition) or the clip length (when used as a filter).
Manual – requires the user to set keyframes to control the transition progression. Can be useful in customizing the exact timing of the transition or when applying the filter as a stylized effect as opposed to a direct NLE-style transition.

Layer to Reveal: This layer selection popup is not relevant when you have applied the filter as a true NLE-style transition and it will be hidden or disabled in that context. When applied as a normal “effect” as opposed to a transition, however, this menu is used to select the “Incoming” or “Reveal” layer for the transition.

Percent Done: Disabled/Hidden by default. When the Animation menu is changed to Percent Done then this slider can be manually keyframed to control the transition progression.

Style: The size of the rendered rays, prism, vignette and orbs can be static or can animate up and down over the course of the transition

Blend: orbs remain the same size
Animate: orbs scale up and down

The Rays Source Group

Source Animation: The volumetric light rays can be set to animate between user defined start and end points in the frame

Source: light is static
Start -> End: light animates between the start and end points

Source Start: Used to set the start point for the ray light animation

Source End: Used to set the end point for the ray light animation

Source Ease: Used to smooth the ray light animation at the start and end points

The Atmospheric Glow Parameters

The Glow Group

The glow serves as a foundation of this filter and is the basis on which the entire look is generated. As you work with the filter, you’ll find that some groups in the filter can be applied either before or after the glow stage of the effect, which can be used to generate more photorealistic or more highly stylized looks. The glow section includes over 20 different apply modes which blend the glow result back into the filtered source.

View: allows for the selection of the view to aid in setting up the filter.

Intensity: Use to control the intensity of the glow result. Higher values yield a stronger glow with a total white image when this parameter is set to it’s highest value.

Color: Used to set the color of the glow. Default is white.

Radius: Used to set the radius over which the glow spreads to surrounding regions.

Threshold: Used to set the pixel values that are affected by the glow – a setting of 0 will apply a glow to all of the pixels in the input clip, while a setting of 100 will not apply any glow to the image.

Glow from Alpha: The Glow From Alpha option generates the image glow from the alpha channel instead of or in addition to the color channels. The selection in the Glow From Alpha Mode determines how the alpha glow and the color channel glows are combined.

Glow Under Source: Use this function to control how the glows are composited with alpha source clips – a setting of zero composites the glow on top of the source and disregards the source alpha channel, while a setting of 100 composites the glow behind opaque regions in the source but allowing them to extend out into the transparent regions.

Edge Mode: Determines how edges of the filtered frame are handled.

Transparent: allows the edge of the result to become transparent.
Repeat: repeats edge pixels to generate opaque pixels along the edge of the result.
Reflect: reflects pixels back into the result to generate opaque pixels along the edge of the result.
Wrap: wraps edge pixels to generate opaque pixels along the edge of the result.

RGB Independent Glows: This checkbox enables independent scaling of the glow dimensions for Red, Green, and Blue color channels.

Red Scale: Scales red glow uniformly.

Green Scale: Scales green glow uniformly.

Blue Scale: Scales blue glow uniformly.

Blend Mode: This pop-up is used to set the apply mode that the filter uses to composite the glow over the input image. The default apply mode is “Screen”.

The Volumetric Rays Group

The Rays option generates volumetric light rays that pull color either from the filtered source or from a user defined color. By default, the light beams will pull color from the filtered source but setting the color chip to anything other than white will override that and tint the light with the user selected color.

Enable: Used to enable/disable the rays effect.

Pre/Post: Allows the rays to be generated before the glow effect has been applied, or after it has been applied.

Pre Glow
Post Glow

Blend: This pop-up is used to set the apply mode that the filter uses to composite the rays over the input image. The default apply mode is “Screen”.

Add
Screen

Length: Used to set the ray length.

Brightness: Used to set the brightness of the rays.

Color: Used to set the color of the rays.

Blur: Used to blur the rays.

Threshold: Used to control the amount of rays based on a brightness threshold. Fewer rays with more definition are generated at higher threshold values.

Rays from Alpha: Used to generate the image glow from the alpha channel instead of or in addition to the color channels.

Rays Under Source: Use this function to control how the rays are composited with alpha source clips – a setting of zero composites the glow on top of the source and disregards the source alpha channel, while a setting of 100 composites the glow behind opaque regions in the source but allowing them to extend out into the transparent regions.

The Smoke/Fog Group

Enable: Use to enable the visibility to the smoke / fog group

Configuration: Used to configure how the fog is composited into the effect, as well as view the matte.

Pre Glow: Used to composite the smoke and fog onto the clip prior to applying the glow effect.
Post Glow: Used to composite the smoke and fog onto the clip after the glow effect has been applied.
Smoky Rays: Used to composite the smoke and fog texture into the volumetric rays.
View Smoke Matte: Used to view the smoke matte. Disable before rendering effect.
View Rays : Used to view the rays pixels. Disable before rendering the effect.
View Smoky Rays: Used to view the Smoky Rays. Disable before rendering the effect.
Smoky Rays Tuning: Used to adjust the black and white levels of the smoky rays.

Add Smoke/Fog: Used to when Smoky Rays is selected. Mixes smoke/fog effect back into the clip.

The Smoke Group

Smoke Sprite: Use to select the desired sprite from the list of available sprites

Speed: Used to set the overall speed of the smoke noise movement.

Opacity: Used to to set the brightness of the smoke sprites.

Contrast: Used to set the contrast between the light and dark areas of the smoke.

Color: Used to set the color of the smoke.

Coherence: Used to adjust the random movements of the smoke. Lower values will produce more random movement, whereas higher values will cause the smoke to move in a specific direction.

Scale: Used to set the scale of the smoke effect.

Density: Used to set the intensity of the overall smoke effect.

Sprite Softness: Use to soften the edges of the selected sprite

The Fog Group

Opacity: Sets the opacity of the fog effect.

Scale: Used to set the scale of the fog effect.

Contrast: Used to set the contrast between the light and dark areas of the fog.

Color: Used to set the color of the fog.

Level: Used to set the gamma of the fog effect.

Speed: Used to set the overall speed of the fog noise movement.

Use Source Alpha: Used to apply the fog to the alpha areas of the clip.

Blend Mode: Used to set the apply mode that the filter uses to composite the fog. The default apply mode is “Screen”.

None
Normal
Add
Screen

Random Seed: Used to adjust the randomness of the fog.

The Prism Group

The Prism group offers a way to generate chromatic aberration where the RGB light is split in a way that emulates poor quality glass or plastic lenses and is great when adding that extra level of spookiness to the result.

Enable: Used to enable/disable to the prism effect.

Amount: Used to adjust the overall amount of the prism effect.

Weight: Sets the smoothness of the prism with lower values generating a more visible stepped offset and higher values yielding a smooth continuous prism

Short Color: Sets the color of the short color waves. The default is blue.

Mid Color: Sets the color of the medium color waves. The default is green.

Long Color: Sets the color of the long color waves. The default is red.

The Grain Group

Use this group to add grain to the effect. The grain generator can produce auto-animating grain or static grain and there’s a checkbox option to set the grain to be RGB or B/W. Sometimes a little static B/W grain is a nice way to add a pleasing texture to the result. The Response Position, Range and Minimum parameters allow you to control where grain is added to the shot and can be thought of as a way to matte back the grain generator.

Enable: Used to enable/disable the grain effect.

Monochrome: When checked, the grain is monochrome. In this mode, only the Red Size, Red Amount and Red Softness sliders are active. Since the grain is monochrome, only one slider is needed.

Size: Controls the size of the grain. The larger the Size setting, the larger the grain will be.

Amount: Use to uniformly set the red, green and blue intensities of the grain.

Red Amount: Controls the intensity of the red grain.

Green Amount: Controls the intensity of the green grain.

Blue Amount: Controls the intensity of the blue grain.

Softness: The Softness parameter controls the softness of the grain. Normally, only minor softness adjustments are necessary, usually between a value of 0-1.

Response Position: Defines the portions of the image where grain will be added. A low Position value places grain in the darkest image values, while a high Position value places grain in the brightest areas.

Response Range: Increases or decreases the area where grain is added to the image based on the value of the Position slider. A low Range value indicates a narrow range of values, while a high Range value indicates a large range of values.

Response Minimum: Sets the minimum level of grain that is always added to the image. A Position value of 0 and a Range of 80 is typical of standard film, with grain applied to the entire range except the brightest whites with black being the most affected.

Animate: Used to enable/disable animation in the grain. When enabled the grain will randomly animate to create a noise effect.

Random Seed: Used to adjust the randomness of the animation.

The Orbs Group

The Orbs group emulates the look of moisture on the surface of a camera lens and includes a slew of controls.

Enable: Enable/Disable this feature and access the feature’s parameter controls.

Count: Used to set the number of orbs in the effect

Illumination Radius: Used to control the area that is covered with orbs. Higher values will result in orbs covering more of the image.

Invert Illumination: Inverts the illumination and alters the area in which the orbs will appear.

Falloff: Used to set the feathering of the orb edge. Higher values yield a softer edge.

Depth Blur: Used to set the apparent depth blur of the Orbs in z space. Higher values make the Orbs appear to be moved out of focus.

Depth Blur Randomness: Used to randomize the depth blur sorting of the Orbs in z space. Higher values create a more randomized blurring of the Orbs.

Intensity: Used to set the opacity of the orb. Higher values yield a more opaque result.

Intensity Randomness: Adds more variability to the intensity of the individual orbs. Higher values result in more random intensity between orbs. Lower values result in more uniform intensity between orbs.

Light Source: Used to set the XY position of the light source in relation to the orbs.

Scale: Used to control the scale of the orb.

Scale Randomness: Randomizes the scale of the orbs across the image.

Color: Used to set color that will be used for the orbs.

Color Randomness: Used to randomize the color of the orbs.

Speed: Used to adjust the speed of the orb movement.

Coherence: Used to adjust the random movements of the orbs. Lower values will produce more random movement, whereas higher values will cause the orbs to move in a similar direction.

Flicker Amount: Used to adjust the intensity of the flicker present in the orbs.

Flicker Speed: Used to adjust speed at which the orbs flicker.

Flicker Randomness: Used to change the randomized timing of orb flicker effects.

Flicker Smoothness: Used to change the curve animation of the flickering orbs. Higher values will result in smoother animations.

Blend Mode: Used to select how the orbs are composited into the scene.

Add
Screen

Random Seed: Used to set the random seed starting point of the orb position on the lens.

Vignette Group

Enable: Used to enable/disable to vignette effect.

Color: Used to set the color of the vignette through the use of a standard color picker. The default color is black.

Opacity: Sets the opacity of the colored vignette. For defocused vignettes, you may want to turn down the Opacity so you can see the defocused effect.

Blur: Sets the softness of the image in the area of the vignette.

Blur X: Used to independently set the softness of the image in the area along the X axis.

Blur Y: Used to independently set the softness of the image in the area along the X axis.

Roundness: Sets the roundness of the vignette. The vignette can either be circular or square or anywhere in between.

Size: Used to set the size of the vignette.

Aspect Ratio: Used to set the aspect ratio of the vignette. A value of -100 would be wider, and 100 would be taller.

Softness: The Softness parameters control the softness of the vignette edge.

Softness X: Used to set the edge softness along the X axis.

Softness Y: Used to set the edge softness along the Y axis.

Post Color Correct group

A suite of color correction tools are available in this group which allow for incredible control over the final color of the effect. Bear in mind that these controls will control the final result, including the filtered source. Every stage of the effect that is before this stage will be subject to color changes made in this section.

Enable: Used to enable/disable to Post Color Correct effect.

Hue: Rotates the hue of the image.

Saturation: Adjusts the saturation of the image. Positive values saturate, negative values desaturate.

Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the image. Positive values brighten, negative values darken.

Contrast: Adjusts the contrast of the image. Positive values increase contrast, negative values decrease contrast.

Gamma: Adjusts the gamma of the image. The gamma adjustment leaves the white and black points the same and only modifies the values in-between. Positive values lighten the midtones, negative values darken the midtones.

Temperature: Sets the color of the image to be either warmer or cooler. Dragging the slider to the right makes the image cooler (bluer) and dragging the slider to the left makes the image warmer (redder).

Cyan/Magenta: Adds either Cyan or Magenta to the image. Dragging the slider to the right makes the image more magenta and dragging the slider to the left makes the image more cyan.

Red: Adds or subtracts red from the image.

Green: Adds or subtracts green from the image.

Blue: Adds or subtracts blue from the image.

Animation Tuning group

These parameters control the overall timing of the transition. On hosts which permit on-screen heads up display widgets (such as AE, Premiere, and Avid) you should never need to modify these sliders directly since they can be configured in a more convenient and intuitive manner by manipulating the widgets directly in your comp/preview pane. On hosts without heads up display widgets you can use these sliders directly to fine tune your animation timing, taking advantage of the View Ease Curve option to help visualize the animation rates.

Ease In: Control how quickly or slowly the line advances at the beginning of the transition.

Ease Mid: Control how quickly or slowly the middle of the animation progresses.

Ease Out: Control how quickly or slowly the line advances at the end of the transition.

OSC Enable: Only visible in hosts that support heads up display widgets for manipulating these controls directly on screen. Enables/Disables on screen controls.

GPU Rendering: allows for the selection of GPU or CPU software rendering.