PROSTREAK LESSON – LIGHT STREAK EFFECTS FOR FINAL CUT PRO X – PIXEL FILM STUDIOS
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Learn how to create anamorphic streaks out of the light in your image with PROSTREAK™ from Pixel Film Studios™. PROSTREAK™ allows you to choose from up to 50 different anamorphic lens filters to make your film look like it was shot with a real streak lens filter.
WELCOME TO A PROSTREAK LESSON
Welcome to a ProStreak lesson from Pixel Film Studios. ProStreak allows Final Cut Pro X users to add anamorphic light effects to a scene.
An anamorphic lens filter can create streaking lens flares with oval shaped cores… This light effects has become popular in contemporary Science Fiction films and music videos.
ProStreak works off the existing light in the clip… eliminating the need for compositing. Users can simply apply one of the filters to their clip, adjust the look, and ProStreak will do the rest.
UPDATING FINAL CUT PRO X
Before starting the project, make sure that your Final Cut Pro X is up to date. ProStreak requires version 10.1.1 or newer.
You can check your version number by clicking on “About Final Cut Pro” in the Final Cut Pro drop down menu.
STEP 1 – PREPARING THE TIMELINE
Let’s begin by selecting a clip in the FCPX media library and dragging it to the timeline. ProStreak works best with footage that has a visible light source in the frame to look as realistic as possible..
Once you have your footage in the timeline, scan through the ProStreak presets and select a color that best matches the look you want. Then, drag and drop the filter on the clip in the Final Cut Pro X timeline.
STEP 2 – ISOLATING THE LIGHT SOURCE
ProStreak will need to know where to emit light from. Isolate the light source using the advanced masking tools.
Select the clip in the timeline, to activate on-screen controls in the FCPX Viewer window. These controls will allow you to surround and isolate the desired light source.
Starting with the center control, move the shape over the light source in the clip.
Now use the arrow controls to scale the overall height and width of your selection. Last…. use the 8-points on the outside to fine tune the selection of the active area.
STEP 3 – CUSTOMIZING THE LIGHT
Now, let’s adjust the quality of the light to best fit the scene.
Use the “Core Brightness” slider in the FCPX Inspector window to control the intensity of the light source. Then use the “Contrast” and “Shadow Darkness” sliders to adjust the fall off of the streaks.
Finally, adjust the “Light Diffusion” slider to control the softness of the rays.
FINAL TOUCHES
Now, if you want ProStreak to follow one moving light source in the scene, you can simply set two keyframes on the Center position parameter.
Start by Moving the playhead to the beginning of the clip in the timeline. Then, move the selected area over the light source and set a keyframe on the Center position parameter.
Next, move the playhead to the end of the clip in the timeline. And drag the Center Point so selected area is on top of the light source again.
Now, when we playback the clip the streaks will follow just the one light source in the scene.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Now, for some Additional Information.
If the light sources in your scene are not bright enough to create the desired light streaks, you can increase the exposure of the whites in the scene.
Go to the color board in the FCPX Inspector window. Then select the exposure tab.
Use the white puck to increase the brightness of the white pixels in your scene. This will give ProStreak more light to feed off of in the clip.
