How to add a shine/flare on text

[Chris Brett]

Hi John

There are a number of ways of doing this.

My favourite ‘all purpose’ method for 2D type at the moment is as below.

1 ) add ajustment layer to text layer

2 ) apply cc hue and saturation effect to adj layer

3 ) wind up the ‘lightness’ and ‘saturation’ so that the lettering lo0ks overbright and shiny / metallic ( this will affect all the lettering at the moment )

4 ) add an oval mask to the adj layer so the the shiny section now modifies only an area which is convincing as a light

5 ) Adjust the ‘softness’ of the mask and ‘shape’ of the mask to suit

6 ) go to point on the time-line just before the light hits the type and animate the position of the mask so that it is not applying effect to type ( just to the left say )

7 ) go to point on time-line where the shine is to end and animate mask position so that it is off the type again ( to the far right say )

8 ) ram preview to see result and adjust mask animation to suit required speed / effect

I prefer this method rather than simply adding white to simulate a light as the extra chroma is more convincing I think — just adding white can look a bit flat.

Sometimes I experiment using number of masks — this can give very good and interesting results — say one much bigger and softer to give a general movement and another for the highlight ( say ) / or sometimes e few lights going in different directions etc etc.

Depending on the colour of the type coloured lights can work well also

—- good luck with it all — if you need a bit of info on animating masks etc it worth checking out Andrew Devis’s tutorials on this site ( at least I’m pretty sure he has done this one )

—–chris brett // uk

[Stephen Smith]

For the Shine, motion has pre-built behaviors that will do it just for you.

-Add Text

-Go To the “Library” tab, Behaviors, Text Sequence, Text-Highlighter.

-Apply any of them. I think you would like “Glow Through” the best.

As for a Flare. I feel the flare the comes with FCP, Motion and AE stink. Check out Optical Flares which only works with AE: https://www.videocopilot.net/products/opticalflares/

If you don’t have AE and have Motion 5 check out mFlare: https://www.motionvfx.com/mplugs-1.html

Hope this helps and best of luck.

Stephen Smith
Utah Video Productions

Check out my Motion Training DVD

Check out my Vimeo page

[Stephen Smith]

John and Chris,
Sorry, I thought I was in the Final Cut Pro forum. For a Flare. I feel the flare the comes with FCP, Motion and AE stink. Check out Optical Flares which only works with AE: https://www.videocopilot.net/products/opticalflares/

Here is a great example of what can be done with Optical Flares: https://videohive.net/item/broadcast-design-news-lower-third-package/547899?WT.ac=search_thumb&WT.seg_1=search_thumb&WT.z_author=IronykDesign

Stephen Smith
Utah Video Productions

Check out my Motion Training DVD

Check out my Vimeo page

[John Mark]

Thanks all for you help 🙂

A News Graphic Lover