CREATING FOCAL POINT ON IMAGE?

[STORYTELLER32]

Hi all,
I'm looking to create a focal point on an image. Basically, I have a clip containing a freeze frame closeup of a page of storyboards.

I'm looking to animate a mask over the entire board page highlighting each frame as the narrator outlines what's happening in the frame being highlighted. I don't, however, want to black out the surrounding page. I just want to tone it down, darken or blur it so the viewers focus is in the animated mask shape which will simply look brighter or more focused than the rest of the page.

Suggestions are greatly appreciated...

 

[glassblowerscat]

Re: CREATING FOCAL POINT ON IMAGE?

Use Photoshop (or other decent image creator) to make a black image twice the size of the frame (so you can move it around in FCP without trouble). Cut a hole in it. Use it as your matte; just change the center point position. You can fade it in and out by changing the opacity to suit your requirements.

 

[STORYTELLER32]

Re: CREATING FOCAL POINT ON IMAGE?

Thanks Glass, I'll try that.

I was hoping there was something I could do with a keyframing a filter or something. I have Boris Continuum amongst a few others and thought the solution might be in combination of those and the matting effects. Please keep the suggestions coming guys, much appreciated.

 

[Alexa]

Re: CREATING FOCAL POINT ON IMAGE?

the lazyman's way:

http://www.kafwang.com/eureka/eurekamain.html

keyframe "the spot"

using what you have..

create a matte with BCC and then keyframe the size/shape of the matte.

keyframe the BCC blur.