Apply filter to alpha channel: is it working?

[Virtual DarKness]

Hello,
I'm trying videostudio pro x5 and it looks very nice, but I have a problem that I think will lead to be a big limitation in the potential this software has, so I guess this is a bug or maybe I am not using it in the right way. I just hope is not that way by design

Anyway, the problem is that when I apply a filter to an animation or to an image (like PNG) that has alpha channel, I can see the filter coverin the whole frame if the clip is in the main video track, while if I move it to the overlay track the filter will only stay inside the picture, for example I've tried this with the lens flare.. please see this image (situation 1 on top and then situation 2 bellow the orange line):



I'd expect the lens flare to go over the transparent area of the clip so that it will be overlaid with the "background" main video track, but it is not. This is just an example but for example the same happens if I apply the lightning filter to a text filter or to a png..

Please let me know if I'm not using it in the correct way and / or if this can be achieved in another way.

Thanks.

bye


p.s.
I also have a similar concern with the free TitlerEx plugin that I've downloaded after registering: if I put it on an overlay track I can't just have the text with transparent background overlaid to the main video track.

[Kingston]

You will have to work in the overlay tracks if you want transparency.

For NewBlue Titler or Boris Graffiti, you can put a transparent png or tif on the overlay track, then apply the Titler or Graffiti effect to the png or tif.

[Virtual DarKness]

Hi Kingston,
thanks for your reply!

I'll make a couple of more tries with NewBlue Titler!

..but, what about the "Apply filter to alpha channel" feature? (see screenshot)
I mean, what if I want to apply a lightning or similar effect to a clip that it is on the overlay track with some alpha/transparency?

Thanks.

bye

[Kingston]

That option works for me. When it is checked, then lightning bolts cover the transparent areas as well as the non-transparent areas. When the check is cleared, then lightning bolts only cover the non-transparent areas.

Do you know that clips on the overlay track are about one-quarter size by default. If you want your png clip to cover the whole frame, you need to right-click in the preview window and select "fit to screen." Then the lightning bolt will go through the whole video frame.

[Virtual DarKness]

When it is checked, then lightning bolts cover the transparent areas as well as the non-transparent areas.

For me nothing change when I check / uncheck it.. see screenshot. Could you kindly try to reproduce this?



Thanks.

bye

[Kingston]

Do you see the outline with the yellow handles around the clapboard? That is the extent of your lightning effect whether or not you "apply filter to alpha channel." That option applies only to the transparent areas within the png file. What you need to do is edit the png file of the clapboard in a photo editor so there is transparent area around the clapboard. The dimensions of the png image should be the dimensions of your project. When you place the png on the overlay track, you then need to right-click on the preview window and select "fit to screen."

[Virtual DarKness]

Hello,
thanks again for you reply

Do you see the outline with the yellow handles around the clapboard? That is the extent of your lightning effect whether or not you "apply filter to alpha channel." That option applies only to the transparent areas within the png file.

yes, I saw this but anyway the lightning is not drawn even inside the clip, on the transparent area of the clapboard:



I've also found that a couple of effects like the bubble one and the zoom motion work as I'd expect, so toggling "Apply filter to alpha channel" has the corresponding effect on them, but are just a couple and I think it should work on all.



thanks

bye

[Virtual DarKness]

Hello,
attached to this post you can also find the test project I've used for screenshots..

Thanks.

bye

[Kingston]

Well, Virtual DarKness, it seems that the Lightning effect that I got from NewBlueFX is the only effect where that option actually works as expected. The Lightning effect that is native to VirtualStudio does not work as expected, nor do any of the other effects that I've tried when "apply filter to alpha channel" is on. That's a shame. There may be a workaround, but I haven't found it.

The NewBlueFX Lightning effect is free to download if you go on NewBlueFX website and click on the Facebook link and vote. Their effect is more cartoonish than Corel's effect.

[Virtual DarKness]

native to VirtualStudio does not work as expected, nor do any of the other effects that I've tried when "apply filter to alpha channel" is on. That's a shame. There may be a workaround, but I haven't found it.

..so you're having this problem too.. are you using version X5? Cause then I'd like to hear from someone using X4 (if this is present in X4 too it is not a good sign)

if someone has X5 ultimate could tell me if this problem happens also with filters like boris graffiti and VitaScene?

I was really near to buy this software but now I'm a bit disappointed for this. It is still a good product anyway, but I'd like to hear from someone at Corel if there is any plan to change this behavior in the near future (like in the next service pack) without having to then buy upgrade to X6 to have this fixed.. Thanks.

The NewBlueFX Lightning effect is free to download if you go on NewBlueFX website and click on the Facebook link and vote. Their effect is more cartoonish than Corel's effect.

Thanks a lot for the info! I'll try it

bye

[Virtual DarKness]

Hi,
yesterday evening I've purchased my copy of X5 ultimate!

Plugins in ultimate are very nice; i like boris graffit (but will have to play with it a little) and vitascene. I've also updated to the new version but I still can get filters on alpha channel and for example with vitascene if I select the "Intense light ray sweep dissolve" (animated) filter, light rays are only inside my image / text :p

Hope I'll get an answer from someone at corel with more details on this But anyway I like videostudio and even if I see this thing as a limitation there is a lot of other things that I'll can play with

bye

[Kingston]

A workaround is to apply the same effect, such as the Lightning or LensFlare effect, to clips on both the main video track and on the overlay track. As long as the clips start at the same point, the effect should appear seamless during playback. You can copy the attributes from one clip and paste to the other.

Here I have both lightning and lens flare effects on both clips.

Same effects on both clips

[Virtual DarKness]

Hi,
thanks for the tip.. I've found another (imho, powerful) workaround when using vitascene.

From vitascene you can export the animation as rgb + alpha and obtain something like this:


(this open up a lot of possibilities but also requires a bit more disk space hehe)

let me know what you think; if you like it / need more info just ask

bye