BCC+ Depth Map ML

Category: BCC Key and Blend

Effect Name: BCC+ Depth Map ML

The BCC+ Depth Map ML filter, part of the BCC Color and Blend category, automatically generates a greyscale depth map from the filtered source, which can be used for compositing elements into a scene.

Typical use of the effect may include sky replacement, compositing elements such as fog, smoke or text behind other still or moving objects in a scene, selective color correction, grading or blurring isolated objects in the filtered source. The result returned by the filter is a greyscale depth map image where white pixels are closest to the camera and black pixels are farthest away from the camera.

The filter includes a variety of different methods to post process the derived depth map so that it can be tuned to work best with the filtered source. The Refine Depth group includes controls for independent tuning of the highlight, midtown and shadow regions. The Matte Tools group includes controls for fine tuning the Depth Map for use as a traveling matte and offers threshold, levels, range, and slice controls along with softness, choke/spread and blur. This group also includes an Invert Matte checkbox option.

Working with the Filter

FX Editor and Presets

• Use the FX Editor to load or save presets for reuse.
• To load a preset: Open the FX Editor, select a preset from the Presets panel, and click Apply to return to the host application.
• To save a custom preset: While in the FX Editor, click the Create Custom Preset icon in the parameter list, enter a preset name, and click Done. Additionally, a custom preset can be saved from the main menu bar by selecting File->Save Preset.
• To import custom presets from another drive: While in the FX Editor, select File->Import Preset from the main menu bar.

Effect Controls

Mocha Mask and Track

Continuum effects include integrated masking and matte tools that allow you to restrict the effect to specific regions of the image.

• Mocha masks: used to create custom spline masks. Mocha also includes Matte Assist ML and Matte Refine ML, which use machine learning to generate and track masks.
• Pixel Chooser: used to generate geometric shapes, gradients, or mattes based on channel, luma, or color-based selections. Additionally, an AI depth map generator, and an AI-powered face detection model allow for precise control of masks and mattes.

For more information, see Mocha and Pixel Chooser.

Compare Mode

The Compare Mode is used to view the filtered result alongside the original source layer. Several split-screen and side-by-side display options are available.

For more information, see Compare Mode.

• View: Used to determine the view output from the filter.
• Depth Map: Displays a greyscale depth map derived from the filtered source.
• Source: Displays the unfiltered source for the depth map.
• Model: Selects the desired depth map model.
• Depth Map ML v1.0 (Faster): A faster but less precise depth map model.
• Depth Map ML v1.0 (Better): A slower but more precise depth map model.
• Depth Map ML v1.0 (Best): A slow but extremely precise depth map model
• Output Mode: Determines the output for the filter.
• B-W Matte: Outputs a greyscale depth matte.
• Heat Map: Outputs a colorized version of the depth map.
• Alpha Channel: Generates an alpha matte from the filtered source.
• Multiply Alpha: Multiplies the matte with the existing alpha channel.
• Screen Alpha: Screens the matte over the existing alpha channel.
• Stencil Alpha: Generates a stencil matte for the filtered source.
• Mapping Mode:
• Scaled: Provides the user with a single Scale control for tuning the returned depth map result. Low values in the corresponding Scale parameter will generate more transparency, while high values in the Scale parameter will introduce more opacity to the result.
• Min/Max: Automatically rescales the depth map to span the full range from black to white
• Guided: Generates a depth map based on user defined start and end points in the image. A pair of position points, Guide Near and Guide Far, are placed over regions that are nearest to and farthest from the camera, which provides a start and end point for the depth map generation.
• Scale: Available when Scaled mode is selected and used to tune the white scale of the depth map result. Low values in this parameter will introduce more transparency, high values introduce more opacity.
• Guide Far: Available when Guided mode is selected and used to set the far point for the depth map
• Guide Near: Available when Guided mode is selected and used to set the near point for the depth map
• Brightness: Used to increase or decrease the brightness in the generated depth map
• Contrast: Used to increase or decrease the contrast in the generated depth map
• Gamma: Used to increase or decrease the gamma in the generated depth map
• Level Far: Used to tune the Far (furthest from the camera) region of the generated depth map
• Level Near: Used to tune the Near (closest to the camera) region of the generated depth map
• Invert: Used to invert the depth map

Temporal Smooth Group

• Enable: Toggles the temporal smoothing controls.
• Smoothing: Determines the level of temporal smoothing applied to the effect.
• Limit Range: Limits the threshold of the temporal smoothing.

Refine Depth Group

The Refine Depth includes a set of brightness/contrast/gamma controls to separately refine the near/mid/far regions with user definable range and position settings for each region.

• Enable: Enables the Refine Depth Group parameters.

Far Sub Group

• Position: Used to set the mid-point in the Far range
• Range: Used to define the size of Far range
• Brightness: Used to control the brightness in the maps Far region
• Contrast: Used to control the contrast in the maps Far region
• Gamma: Used to control the brightness in the maps Far region

Mid Sub Group

• Position: Used to set the mid-point in the Midtone range.
• Range: Used to define the size of Midtone range.
• Brightness: Used to control the brightness in the maps Midtone region.
• Contrast: Used to control the contrast in the maps Midtone region.
• Gamma: Used to control the brightness in the maps Midtone region.

Near Sub Group

• Position: Used to set the midpoint in the Near range.
• Range: Used to define the size of Near range.
• Brightness: Used to control the brightness in the maps Near region.
• Contrast: Used to control the contrast in the maps Near region.
• Gamma: Used to control the brightness in the maps Near region.

Matte Tools Group

This group includes a set of parameters to fine tune the matte that is generated from the Depth Map result.

• Enable: Enables the refine matte controls.
• Matte Type: Determines what aspect of the depth map will be refined.
• Levels: Uses depth map levels directly as set by earlier phases.
• Threshold: Exposes Threshold and Softness control sliders for selecting all levels above or below a particular threshold.
• Range: Exposes Range From and Range To matte control sliders for selecting an arbitrary range of levels.
• Slice: Exposes Slice Center, Slice Width and Softness matte control sliders for isolating a range of pixels around a particular level.
• Threshold: Sets the center point for pixels that are either black or white
• Range From: Sets the starting range (brights) of pixels to be included in the matte
• Range To: Sets the end range (darks) of pixels to be included in the matte
• Slice Center: Isolates a range of pixels around a particular level to be included in the matte
• Slice Width: Defines the width (in terms of levels) of the Slice range
• Softness: Softens the transition of the threshold, range, and slice boundary regions
• Choke: Used to choke or spread the matte
• Blur: Used to blur the matte
• Invert Matte: Used to invert the depth map
• Mix with Original: Blends the source and filtered images. Use this parameter to animate the effect from the unfiltered to the filtered image without adjusting other settings, or to reduce the effect of the filter by mixing it with the source image.
• GPU Rendering:Specifies how the effect is rendered.
  • Default: Uses product-wide default of 16 bit half-float GPU rendering.
  • 16 Bit Float: Manually force 16 bit half-float GPU rendering.
  • 32 Bit Float: Manually force 32 bit full-float GPU rendering.
  • Disabled: Forces CPU rendering.