Mattes Overview
Gray-scale based mattes are a fundamental part of many advanced compositing techniques. The basic concept is that the black and white parts of the mattes are used to generate transparency between two clips, with the black areas being transparent to one clip and the white areas being transparent to the other. The following tutorials explain, in detail, how to use the Freedom FX static mattes and AniMattes animated mattes.

Getting started.
You must have a web browser installed on your computer to use the AniMattes graphical interface.

The AniMattes QuikTime files to use for video editing are located in the "animattes" folder on the DVD. The Freedom FX static mattes are located in the "mattes" folder located in the "ffx" folder on the DVD. Copy the mattes you wish to use onto your computers hard drive before using. Do not use the mattes in your NLE directly from the DVD.


1: Avid
2: Final Cut Pro
3: Adobe Premiere
4: Traveling Mattes in Premiere
5: Sony Vegas Video
6: Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platnium
7: Canopus DV Storm & Premiere in Realtime
8: Ulead MediaStudio Pro
9: Tips - Drop Shadows and Glow effects
10: Other NLE systems and software



1: Avid
The Freedom FX static mattes and the AniMattes animated mattes are unique black and white animations that are used to define transparency in composited video. These animations do not have built-in alpha channel transparency.

Using mattes in Avid:
1. Arrange your clips on the timeline.
V3: matte
V2: background animation
V1: video clip

2. Add a Matte Key to the clip on V3: Tools menu > Effects Palette > Key > Matte Key.

3. From the Tools menu, select Effect Editor and select the Swap Sources item (Figure 3). Different applications default to whether black is transparent or white; Avid happens to uses a film-style analogy, where black areas are transparent.



2: Final Cut Pro
The Freedom FX static mattes and the AniMattes animated mattes are unique black and white animations that are used to define transparency in composited video. These animations do not have built-in alpha channel transparency.

Using mattes in FCP:
1. Arrange your clips on the timeline
Video 3: background animation
Video 2: matte
Video 1: video clip

2. Select the clip in V3 (the new background texture).

3. From the Modify menu, select Composite Mode > Travel Matte - Luma

4. In most cases, you will need to render the effect to see the final results.



3: Adobe Premiere
The Freedom FX static mattes and the AniMattes animated mattes are unique black and white animations that are used to define transparency in composited video. These animations do not have built-in alpha channel transparency.

Using mattes in Premeire:
1. Arrange your clips on the timeline.
Video 3: matte
Video 2: background animation
Video 1: video clip

2. Add a Track Matte Key to the clip on Video 2: Effects > Video Effects > Keying > Track Matte Key.

3. In the Effects Control window (for the clip on Video 2), select the Track Matte Key and set the Matte to Video 3.

In the Track Matte Key Effect Control for the clip in Video 2. Set the Matte to "Video 3" and the Composite Using mode to "Matte Luma."

4. Set Composite Using to Matte Luma

5. Click the Toggle Track Output off for the Video 3 track



4: Traveling Mattes in Adobe Premiere

Adobe Premiere allows you the capability to resize and move around the screen your Freedom FX Mattes with the video following in sync, aka...Traveling Mattes.

1) Complete steps 1-8

2) Click on the clip on the Video 2 Track and select the "Motion Setup" from the "Effect Controls" in the upper right hand of Premiere.

3) Re-size the clip and keyframe your movements to your liking and SAVE to the Motions folder within the Premiere folder on your C: Drive.

4) Click on the Freedom FX Matte and now LOAD the previous motion from the motions folder in Premiere.

5) Repeat steps 9,10, & 11.



5: Sony Vegas Video
The Freedom FX static mattes and the AniMattes animated mattes are unique black and white animations that are used to define transparency in composited video. These animations do not have built-in alpha channel transparency.

Using mattes in Vegas:
1. Arrange your clips on the timeline.
Track 1: matte
Track 2: your video clip
Track 3: background animation

2. Click the Track FX button on Track 1 and select the Mask Generator tool.

3. In the Mask Generator dialog, select a Luminance key from the Type dropdown. You may also need to click the Invert checkbox to get the effect you want.

4. Click the Compositing Mode button in Track 1 and select "Multiply (Mask)" from the menu.

5. Click the Make Compositing Child button in Track 2.



6: Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platnium
The Freedom FX static mattes and the AniMattes animated mattes are unique black and white animations that are used to define transparency in composited video. These animations do not have built-in alpha channel transparency.

Using mattes in Vegas Movie Studio Platnium:
1. Arrange your clips on the timeline.
Track 1: matte
Track 2: your video clip
Track 3: background animation (or different background video clip)

2. Click the Track FX button on Track 1 and select the Mask Generator tool.

3. In the Mask Generator dialog, select a Luminance key from the Type dropdown. (depending on the matte, You may also need to click the Invert checkbox to get the effect you want.)

4. Click the Compositing Mode button in Track 1 and select "Multiply (Mask)" from the menu.

5. Click the Make Compositing Child button in Track 2. (arrow points up) (leave the compositing mode in track 2 to "Source Alpha")

6. Click the Make Compositing Parent button in Track 3. (arrow points down) (leave the compositing mode in track 3 to "Source Alpha")



7: Canopus DV Storm & Premiere in REALTIME
You can also use Freedom FX mattes in REALTIME if you have the Canopus DV Storm and are familar with Virtual Clips.

1) Place background video in V1B track on the Premiere timeline.

2) Place desired AniMatte on the V1A track.

3) Place the Canopus Luminance Key transition in the Transition track on the timeline.

4) Double click the Luma Key and Key out the Black background from the AniMatte revealing the video clip on V1B. Save and exit.

5) Make a virtual clip of the V1A, transition, and V1B tracks.

6) Place the virtual clip on the V1A track.

7) Place your foreground video clip on the V1B track under the virtual track.

8) Place a Canopus Luma Key on the transition track.

9) Edit the Luma Key and now key out the white portion of the AniMatte revealing the new video clip. Save and exit.

10) Play in realtime and enjoy!
*note* For cleaner results with some AniMattes, use the Track Matte method above.



8: Ulead MediaStudio Pro
1)Place your background footage on the "Video A" track.

2)Place your video clip that you wish to composite within the matte shape on an "overlay track".

3)Right click the overlay video clip to access the "overlay options".

4)Select either an "Image Matte" for a static matte, or a "Video Matte" for an AniMatte.

5)Then select "Grey Key".
6)"Preview Arrange" or "Render" to complete the process.



9: TIPS
Add some extra contrast to the matte from the background by adding a drop shadow or adding a glow.

To add an animated Drop Shadow:
- Within your editing software, place a blur effect on the selected matte.

- Off-set the matte by using the NLE's motion control.

- Make one rendered pass with the matte containing a black graphic instead of video for the foreground source.

- Adjust transparency of the "drop shadow" by adjusting the opacity of the matte on the timeline.

- Then do the same composit but now using your video source instead of the black graphic source. Now you have a shadow that is animated along with the matte video.

To add an animated Glow:
- Use the same technique as above, but with colored graphics instead of black.

- Increase the blur of the 1st matte pass to increase the glow.



10: OTHER NLE SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
Please consult your user manuals for the proper way to use
AniMattes (mattes) with other NLE systems and/or softwares.



***To use the Freedom FX Static Mattes in RealTime, read the following instructions***
Different NLE's treat gradient effects in different ways. For most of todays NLE's, use the Freedom FX Static Mattes like you would a gradient wipe transition. The only difference is that you set the keyframes between 40% and 60% to keep the Matte locked. The Freedom FX Mattes can be easily sized and positioned with most graphic programs and are also compatible with Boris FX for even more creative possibilities.


Example

1) Create a new folder on your NLE's video drive and call it Freedom FX.

2 )Load the Freedom FX Static Mattes into this newly created Freedom FX folder.

3) Open your NLE.

4) Load your new FX into an effect bin within your NLE.(optional)

5) Place a regular transition or Alpha Wipe effect on the timeline in the effects channel between your 2 video clips.

6) Double click on the transition.

7) Set the transitions values to around 50%.(You may have to play with the % values and softness values to get the desired result.)

8) Save and exit.

9) Stretch the effect for the desired duration and play.