store.pixelfilmstudios.com/plugin/final-cut-pro-x-tutorial-prosmoke-volume-2
Welcome to a Pro Smoke Volume 2 lesson from Pixel Film Studios.
ProSmoke Volume 2 allows Final Cut Pro X users to add smoke, steam or fog to a scene.
Let’s begin by selecting a clip or image in the FCPX media library and dragging it to the timeline.
In this example, we are going to use a still-image of old pipes that has a duration of 5 seconds long.
First, let’s add a little steam escaping from one of the pipes.
Scan through the presets of Prosmoke Volume 2 and select a generator that best matches the look we want.
Drag the generator above your clip on the Final Cut Pro X timeline .
Then, use the blade tool to cut the generator to the length of the clip .
STEP 1
Select the smoke generator in the timeline and go to the “Generator” tab of the Inspector window.
Adjust the smoke position parameters to move the smoke to the correct location by adjusting the X and Y Smoke Position parameter.
Then choose which direction you want the steam to blow by adjusting the 2d and 3d smoke rotation parameters.
It’s very important to double click the refresh button in the Inspector window Once you have finished making your changes.
This will tell Final Cut Pro X to re-render your smoke in it’s new location.
STEP 2
Next we will need the smoke to behave in a realistic way for this clip.
Users will achieve this by Adjusting the size, blur, and speed of the smoke in the inspector window.
For this example, our steam is spouting from a small hole in a pipe.
So let’s turn down the size and increase the speed of the steam.
STEP 3
Now that the smoke is set in its desired location, it’s time to customize the look of it
Adjust the colors to match them to the environment the best you can.
Since we want our smoke to look light and steamy, we will change the colors to white and light grey.
Go to the “Video” tab of the FCPX Inspector window.
Scroll down until you come across the blend mode drop down menu.
With light-colored smoke, users will need to change the blend mode to “Screen” or “Add.”
However, If we chose black and dark grey we would choose“”Multiply” or “Subtract” as the blend mode.
Repeat these steps to add more smoke to your scene if needed.
FINAL TOUCHES
To help composite the smoke seamlessly into the scene…..
Compound your clip with all of the smoke generators used in the scene.
Select everything you stacked in the timeline, then hold control and click on one of the clips.
Now select New Compound Clip in the pop-up.
Next, Apply a color grade to the compound clip, it will make the smoke and pipes feel like apart of the same environment.
For this example. we will use a Pixel Film Studios “ProHue” filter.
Lastly, since we decided to use a image instead of a movie clip, we will want to add some movement.
Increase the scale of your image and then adjust the x-position so the left side of the image is at the edge of the viewer window.
Place the playhead on the first frame of the compound clip.
Then set a keyframe on the x-position parameter in the FCPX Inspector.
Move the playhead to the end of the clip and change the x-position so the image’s right side lines up with the right side of the viewer.
and voilà! With the power of Final Cut Pro X and Pixel Film Studios effects, users can bring their films to a new level.
