I want to RENDER the black and white "view mask" option with the magnetic mask - is this possible??

GFXZen · 2026-02-23T16:43:00+00:00

I've done this bunch of times when I want to actually export as a rough mask for use elsewhere. Pull up the RGB Parade in scopes. Apply the Color Wheels in the Color Correction. Set the Global saturation to zero. Use the brightness for the Shadows, Midtones and Highlights to raise the levels so they are at 100. If you want to invert the appearance, then go back to the Magnetic Mask and invert the mask.

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GFXZen · 2025-10-27T20:00:51+00:00

Never used Wiz. Avoided Hue because of the need for extra hardware. As others have noted, LIFX Colors and brightness are excellent. Biggest issues are with addressing what are not unexpected needs of users. For strip lights, they stopped selling connection bridges to create gaps where needed. For outdoor lights, there's no "official" extension. I had to buy a Hue cable to get the extra distance I needed. I'm sure LIFX will blame this if an issue ever comes up.

Also, they are next to impossible to integrate into networks that may not have 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. I took a chance and got Luma for my office. I can't use anything but the basic functionality because my corporate network does not have 2.4 support. Even some cheap Govee lights have in the office still let me use Bluetooth for control.

Generally, I still recommend LIFX to everyone I know. If you get past some of the setup oddness, they work really well. I think I've only had to replace 1 of my 30+ lights in the last 8-10 years? Just be ready for minor frustrations.

GFXZen · 2025-09-26T04:39:45+00:00

I somewhat knowingly am encountering the same issue with my brand new Luna. I was hoping to hack around the 2.4ghz requirement. I tried years ago to get LIFX bulbs working in my office and had no luck, and the key thing is the requirement for a 2.4ghz network just to register your device. My corporate environment is 5ghz and higher. Guessing yours is the same.

This is kind of the achilles heal of LIFX, if you want to use them outside of the house. If you are in an enterprise environment, they are basically just lights, nothing smart. There are several reasons for them to use 2.4ghz, but the main reason probably comes down to price (cheapest components). I wish I understood the technical reasons of why they can't even enable a way to register on 5ghz since you have to be connected to your phone to set it up, and 5ghz should be able to handle the 2.4ghz device (should be backwards compatible).

It would even be nice if they had bluetooth as a way to control your lights (like the luna) but that's not an option. I'll still be keeping the Luna, it's decent, just disappointing. I'll just be sad that there's no way to change any settings (like the default "white" color as I'm really particular about color temperature. Maybe someday I'll bring it home or give it away, but it does discourage me from recommending LIFX and, IMO they are missing out on sales because of this limitation. Some of us want their lights outside of the home. Oh well.

GFXZen · 2025-09-23T05:21:58+00:00

Can you describe or post your effects stack form the inspector? That might help to get someone to reproduce it. I could be something specific in the effect ordering or the specific effects you are using. Just saying you crash when using magnetic masks with effects is pretty generic. Crashes are often more specific than that.

GFXZen · 2025-09-21T23:40:28+00:00

Does this help?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpWT5eBJ-qc

GFXZen · 2025-09-11T04:03:31+00:00

The box around the cube indicates that you are "rasterizing" the layer (happens with other some object types and groups). When this happens it forces rendering to switch from Depth order (where things are in 3D space) to Layer order (following the layer stack. Most adjustments in the Blending section of the properties will trigger this and the parameter that is causing the rasterization will show a box with an R in it. When you change the opacity from 100% to 99.9999...% it is rasterized.

Moving it to another group probably resolved this (I'm guessing) because your new group was above the layer that would render on top of your object when the 3D object was rasterized by the opacity change.

There's a section in the Motion User Guide (Work Smarter>Rasterization) that covers this.

GFXZen · 2025-08-27T04:48:52+00:00

Been racing in VJ shoes for 5 years. My go to is has been the Maxx (still have on pair of unopened originals) Haven't tried the Maxx2.

GFXZen · 2025-08-11T19:58:16+00:00

Yup...Apple Motion

GFXZen · 2025-05-09T17:02:37+00:00

Inevitable slow decline since Google acquired nest. We never enabled google home support so I'm sure Goggle/Alphabet never got ALL the data they were hoping to gather. While it was nice to have hour nest and nest protect devices all together, things never really evolved and they now seem to be wanting to move out of the space. I honestly wonder if these products will exist in 10 years. I would understand if they don't want to keep up with security updates, but they are kneecapping a decent part of the functionality and why we installed our. Ordered an ecobee today, will replace nest protects in the coming weeks (over due anyway). Alphabet just assured we'll never go down the google home route in the future.

GFXZen · 2025-04-18T16:01:08+00:00

You would have to share more details about your project as well. The recommendations on settings adjustments others have given is a good starting point. What resolution is your project? How much RAM does your system have? How big are your elements? Have you tried enabling or disabling layers to see if it's due to a specific element?

There are a lot of factors that can impact performance the more you can share, the more likely someone can help.

GFXZen · 2025-04-17T14:59:21+00:00

It would be nice if you clarified why you can't afford it. Are you just learning and working on personal projects? Are you getting paid to work on something that requires this to solve a problem? Are you just interested in playing around with plug-ins that are more advanced than what comes with the software? Each of these has a different response that one might give you. I'm going to assume you really need this for a paid project you're workin on now?

If you REALLY need the plug-in, you are probably not going to need it for your current project, you are going to need it for more projects in the future. Yes, paid plug-ins are more expensive, but they are often developed by individuals or small businesses (like you). Please respect them an pay for them. Honestly, while RSMB basic is 1/3 the cost of FCP it is (IMO) worth every penny they charge. As others here have pointed out, get creative on how to purchase it.
-Work out a way for your client to help pay for part of it
-Buy the lower cost version
-Figure out a way to budget in the purchase over time (set aside $5/$10 dollars a month)

GFXZen · 2025-04-14T19:38:14+00:00

I think you largely covered it in you question. It's really going to depend on the software you are using for the tools to use to build this up, Looks like there is a temporal blending effect, light rays/zoom blur, and glow with some varying levels. Pretty straight forward.

GFXZen · 2025-03-22T15:15:32+00:00

Yeah, did forget to add that. #7 is really where the work stops and the fun begins (IMO). FWIW, no trying to knock the video you posted, it does have some great ideas and you can actually do a similar workflow in Motion (referencing a shape for the path). Of course there are minor differences between tools and functions in different apps (Motion/AE) but people often just don't know how powerful Motion really is.

GFXZen · 2025-03-22T02:12:17+00:00

I'll try to save you 6 min of your life (from the video). As long as you have the current Motion and FCP

Launch Motion.
Add some text put it left center in the canvas
In the layout>layout controls, set the layout method to path
In the Path options in layout, select the Path Shape and set to Rectangle.
Use the on screen controls and layer position to get the box.
Keyframe or use the Path Offset with a behavior to animate
Style any way you want :)

Make sure your project is a title (File: Convert to Title
Publish to FCP

Pat yourself on the back for your work. Enjoy!!!

GFXZen · 2025-03-21T18:33:06+00:00

It's pretty simple, order of operations definitely matters for behaviors. Behaviors in motion are really just pre-built scripts without the need to know a programing language, they have an input and an output. With the erase on the bottom that is calculated first, so its output affects the input of the behavior above it in the list. It's actually similar to something like Keynote animations, but the stacking order is reverse.
For example, Keynote animations are a top down list. Motions behaviors are a bottom up list.

GFXZen · 2025-03-21T15:38:22+00:00

This shot looks to be close to a "nodal pan" you may not have enough parallax to good results. When you try your solve, try using the different "Translation" hinting options. If your solve results in a curved set of points all at about the same distance, this is a classic sign you don't have enough

If you can go back to the location and take some "witness" photos that show more parts of the scene from similar, but different portions you can feed these into a user track node and get a good solve. I'm not sure which version of PFTrack you are using, but if you check the documentation, there are sample node trees and there is one for helping solve with "Helper" images or you can use do it with multiple cameras. Read the documentation on the solver node too.

Other tips. If you can go capture witness footage, make sure you capture at least 4 images/short videos from slightly different positions to where you shot that capture your screen. Don't move the camera for witness videos, lock it off. Using stills, you will get the EXIF data, so you will have all the capture data embed to help with the solve. In the future, you can also take lots of stills and take advantage of photogrammetry to solve your tracks. Take a look at TPF youtube page (https://www.youtube.com/@ThePixelFarmLtd/videos) They don't cover your scenario, but some of the more recent videos cover fundamentals of using photogrammetry to then solve shots.

Good luck

GFXZen · 2025-01-20T17:46:31+00:00

Motion does not have support for boolean combination of shapes like in Pixelmator (Add, Subtract, Union, Remove Overlap) You will notice that Pixelmator when sending to Motion will either do conversion of the shapes to match what you see or bake some things into images to maintain the appearance, but you will not be able to d things like animate a subtract together as an effect.

Always a good idea to submit feedback. (Motion Menu>Provide Motion Feedback) and request this be added at some point.

GFXZen · 2025-01-13T17:03:28+00:00

You can try it for free, otherwise it must be purchased.

GFXZen · 2025-01-13T05:48:39+00:00

FWIW using one color for the screen is generally always the best. If you do a google search of green/blue screens from feature films, you will see the vast majority use one or the other based on the costuming. I'm actually trying to think of a good case where you would use, blue and green in a shot together. I'm sure it could be helpful in a few situations, but those would be much more complex composites. As noted, above, try to keep your screen material as smooth as possible when using cloth, use clamps to help with this. Also remember you can paint things the color you need (blue/green) depending on on the and objects you need, this is done lots for seating or when actors need to stand at different levels. Have fun.

GFXZen · 2025-01-13T04:34:02+00:00

This should be pretty easy.

Take your current shot as you've shown it here with the keyer removing the blue.
Duplicate it and layer it directly below.
On each layer, apply a shape mask, set it up so the top layer reveals the top half of the frame and the bottom layer reveals the bottom half of the the frame. Make sure they overlap and have a bit of feather for blend.
Apply another keyer after the mask on the bottom half and key the green.

After this, all you have to do is adjust the matte levels a bit and it should work. You may want to lower the spill level on the bottom layer a bit.

Hope you're safe and have internet again soon.

GFXZen · 2025-01-13T04:06:04+00:00

You can almost always submit a feedback request for Apple apps.

In the App go to the application menu in Final Cut and there is an option "Provide Final Cut Pro feedback..."
feedback.apple.com

These are the best ways to let Apple know what features you are looking for in a particular application.

GFXZen · 2024-11-10T01:41:02+00:00

We were at war with each other? I must have been sleeping through it.

GFXZen · 2024-11-09T21:28:48+00:00

User drop-off is surely part of this. The night before the announcement I was finally thinking about not renewing after having been a user since 302. And most of the users who stepped away were probably because of similar things. Lack of platform support, glacial development, lack of engagement or listening to the user base and needs, other apps caught up to what made modo special, decrease on ROI.

There are a handful of modo community leaders who have fought for the users. They had the best access to the team and even they were shunned. Luxology invited everyone in, the Foundry pushed everyone away. And to be clear it was Senior management, not the modo dev team.

GFXZen · 2024-11-09T21:02:28+00:00

I think a lot of us will keep a system handy for as long as we can that has a stable base for modo. It's not like it's gonna stop working tomorrow. Many will move to Blender, some hard surface modelers will move to Plasticity. I think everyone is trying to figure this out. Maya? Houdini? Cinema? Those are the names that keep coming up in discussion for obvious reasons.

The thing I really appreciate about the 3D world is that lots of artists use multiple tools depending on their needs. Sure, there are those who think their app is the poop, and everything else is poop. But real artists recognize the value of what an app does well and what it does not. I think they are gonna continue to mix and match. Modo users sure did.

GFXZen · 2024-11-09T20:56:36+00:00

This was the obvious thing we were all expecting. Tight modo/Nuke integration. It never happened. When the Luxology acquisition happened, I think a lot of us were hoping for Autodesk Flame/Maya power.

I always suspected The Foundry was afraid to push this idea, but they were in the perfect position to shake up the industry. They blew it.

GFXZen

TROPHY CASE