BCC Multi Shadow

Category: BCC Stylize

Effect Name: BCC Multi Shadow

The BCC Multi Shadow filter, part of the BCC Stylize category, composites three or more independent drop shadows over a source image.

Working with the Filter

Presets and Common Controls

• BCC filters come with a library of factory installed presets plus the ability to create your own custom presets and preview them with the BCC FX Browser™.
• BCC filters also include common controls that configure global effect preferences and other host-specific effect settings.

For more information about working with presets and other common controls, Click Here.

• Avoid Clipping: Render shadows outside the source image.

• Shadows From Channel: Determines which source color channel is used to create the shadows and to calculate the intensities of the source pixels. Pixels with higher values in the chosen channel are considered to have higher intensities.
• Luma, Red, Green, and Blue: Use the corresponding color channel and multiply it by the source alpha channel.
• Luma Inverse: Uses the inverted luma channel.
• Unmultiplied Luma and Alpha: Uses the unmodified corresponding source channels.
• Luma Cartoon Edges and Alpha Cartoon Edges: Find edges in the corresponding source channel, apply outlines to the edges, and use the resulting image. When Luma Cartoon Edges or Alpha Cartoon Edges is chosen, the Source Edges parameter group is available.
• Luma Edges and Alpha Edges: Find edges in the corresponding source channel and use the resulting image. When Luma Cartoon Edges or Alpha Cartoon Edges is chosen, the Source Edges parameter group is available.

Source Edges Group

When the Shadows From Channel menu is set to Alpha Edges, Luma Edges, Alpha Cartoon Edge or Luma Cartoon Edges the Source Edges Parameter Group (below) becomes active.

• Cartoon Thickness: Sets the thickness and intensity of the edges.
• Edge Pre Blur: Blurs the source image before the filter searches for edges. This blur does not appear in the output; it is used only in edge detection.
• Edge Post Blur: Blurs the edges before they are used to create the applied shadow.
• Cartoon Threshold: Sets the value in the threshold above which pixels are considered fully on. This parameter is only available when the Shadows From Channel is set to Alpha Cartoon Edge or Luma Cartoon Edges.
• Edge Intensity: Determines the intensity of the edges. This parameter is only available when the Shadows From Channel is set to Alpha Edge or Luma Edges.

Master Controls

Each Shadow has six parameters: Distance, Intensity, Angle, Color, Softness, and Gamma, which can be combined with the master parameters to control the shadows.

The Master Parameters allow you to change the corresponding parameter for each of the three shadows with one control.

• Master Distance: Sets the distance (in pixels) between the shadow and the image.
• Master 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 allow the background image to be seen through the shadow. At a value of 0, the shadow is completely transparent.
• Master 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. The angle you set for Master Angle is added to the angle for each shadow.
• Master Softness: Sets the softness of the edges of the shadows. A setting of 0 produces a sharply defined shadow with hard edges. Increasing Master Softness produces shadows with softer edges.
• Blur Quality: Sets the quality of the Blur used to soften the shadow. Pyramid is the fastest option and is generally adequate. It produces a blur similar in quality to the BCC Blur filter. Pyramid Smoother produces a blur slightly smoother than Pyramid. The remaining choices, Gaussian Low, Gaussian Medium, Gaussian High, Gaussian Higher and Gaussian Highest produce soft shadows of increasing quality. These options increase rendering times proportionately.
• Master Gamma: Sets the gamma for each shadow with an offset of 1.0. For example, if Master Gamma and the Gamma value for an individual shadow are both 1.0, the gamma that is applied to the shadow is 1.0.
• Shadow Noise On: Enables Shadow Noise on all three shadows and activates the Shadow Noise parameter group.

Shadow Noise Group

The Shadow Noise Parameters are master parameters that control all three shadows.

• Noise Master Intensity: Scales the noise for all three shadows.
• Noise Density: Sets the percentage of pixels the noise is applied to for all shadows.
• Noise Blur: Determines the amount of blur applied to the noise. The fast (Pyramid Blur) algorithm is used, so its best to keep this value fairly small.
• Seed: Sets the random seed used at the first frame of the effect.
• Auto Animate: Creates a new noise seed for the rendered frame.
• Source Opacity: Sets the opacity of the source when composited with the shadow.
• Source Apply Mode: Determines how the source image is composited with the shadow.
• Source Apply Mix: Determines the mix of the specified Apply Mode with the Normal apply mode.

Note: If Source Apply Mode is set to Front an opaque source will cover its shadow (except for the parts outside the source region).

The Shadow Groups

There are a total of three seperate shadow groups, with each shadow having identical parameters. These parameters can be combined with the master parameters to control the shadows.

• Shadow On: Enables each of the shadow groups.
• 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 completely transparent.
• 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.
• Shadow Softness: Determines the softness of the edges of the shadows. A setting of 0 produces a sharply defined shadow with hard edges. Increasing Shadow Softness produces shadows with softer edges.
• Shadow Gamma: Increasing Shadow Gamma from the default of 100 lightens the shadows and reduces contrast. Decreasing Gamma darkens the shadows and increases contrast.
• Shadow Noise: Determines the amount of noise applied to each shadow.
• Shadow Apply Mode and Shadow Apply Mix: Shadow 1 and Shadow 2 include additional Apply Mode controls which determine how they are composited with the shadow(s) below. Apply Mix controls the mix of the specified Apply Mode with the Normal apply mode. If the Apply Mode is Normal, Apply Mix has no affect and the parameter does not appear. If Apply Mix is 0, Apply Mode has no affect. Increase Apply Mix to blend the Apply Mode setting with the Normal apply mode.