Flare transition

[Oakmozart]

Boris Continuum Complete AVX has filters to help you do this. Or you can do it using your standard Avid Color Effect that’s built into your Avid NLE, along with a blur (Blur Effect or Deep Defocus parameter in the 3D Warp of Media Composer and Symphony).

Here’s how you do it…and I learned it from one of the former moderators (“Cow Leaders”) from this very forum, Mr. Bob Donlon. It will take some time and effort to figure out, but you will get some decent results once you master it.

“Camera Flash”

I got this technique from “Avid Xpress Pro and DV on the Spot,” by Steve Hullfish, Chris Phrommayon, and Bob Donlon, published by CMP Books. This technique, called “”Camera Flash” is on Page 121.

To paraphrase the book:

1) Add edits equidistantly on either side of the cut (default for Add-Edit is the H key). For example, add edits 10 frames before and 10 frames after the cut you wish to effect. This will create 2 new mini-segments (3 edits, the original, plus the 2 you just made will create 2 mini-pieces of footage).

2) Enter segment mode and select the 2 mini-segments (hold Shift to select more than one).

3) Press and hold Alt (Option on Mac) and double-click the Color Effect from the Effect Palette (under “Image).

4) Ensure you’re in Effect Mode. Select both keyframes from the Color Effect and make sure the Luma Range White Point is at 235. (This, coincidentally, is the brightest white accepted for broadcast.)

5) Go to the middle of the effect, create a new keyframe, and set the Luma Range White Point of this new keyframe to 16. (This, coincidentally, is the darkest black accepted for broadcast.)

6) Apply a blur effect to add softness to the effect, and often add some “pop” (glow, often times) to the effect. If on an Adrenaline or up, use the defocus effect (in 3D Warp) to create this. You’re set!

It may not be the greatest way to achieve an effect, but any time you can create an effect inside the Avid application without having to rely on 3rd-party plugins, I say you should know! With that in mind, you may find that creating this technique in Boris FX/Red (or Avid FX), or using a 3rd-party plugin may be easiest and look the best. If that’s the case, I strongly encourage you to do what works best for you! One AVX plugin I know of is from DFT’s “Composite Suite,” called “Camera Flash.” If you have the demo for “Composite Suite,” play with “Camera Flash,” it’s great. Another plugin like this is from Buena Software, called “Camera Flash.” Bundled as part of their “Effect Essentials” suite, it’s also excellent. Problem: it’s an After Effects plugin, in the .aex format. Happily, if you have Elastic Gasket (from Profound Effects, which was included with XPro 4.0), you’re set. Download the “Effect Essentials” demo, enjoy your free “Camera Flash” plugin, and delete the rest. Move “Camera Flash” to your AVX Plugins folder inside your Avid directory (most commonly found at c:\program files\avid\AVX Plugins) and you’re set.

Have fun.