How to make a matte

[Chris Smith]

Why are you doing the blending mode? Are you using ADD to put it over some other footage?

If so, first try using Screen instead and add a levels to the fire and bring the blacks to pure black.

Also download the ‘unmult’ plug-in. Do a search for it. It will create a matte from footage over black.

Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com

[Basilisk]

Another option is to use the layer on “normal” blend mode, duplicate the layer, use the upper layer as a track matte – play with levels to adjust transparency. You can duplicate again and use add or screen mode to boost the brightness up further.

[Martin]

Done all that but not perfect I still have transparicy….Any other ideas? ‘unmult’ plug-in. not really sure what this plug-ins doing, Tried every thing you both said but to no avail…..

Thanks Martin

[Rob Kahn]

I tried the above technique. Then I precomposed the flame layer with its matte. The flame became opaque, but my edges were heavily premulitplied (black was the background). Change the precomp mode to screen and duplicate the layer until you get the desired opacity of the flame. At some point you start You can change the bottom of the duplicated layers to normal and play with the opacity to harden up the flame a bit