Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
- Thread starter cgrosso74
- Start date
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
You're not getting acceptable results with Ultimatte? Ultimatte is a seriously powerful keyer.
I've used Ultra, and while it can do a lot, frankly I've not been overly impressed with its keying abilities. There are times I've pulled a better key straight out of Vegas. But Ultra is quite powerful, and it was successful in using the Chromatte system and pulling decent keys from that.
But if you can't get satisfactory results in Ultimatte, I'd have to guess that your source footage would be the issue; Ultimatte can do just about anything.
You're not getting acceptable results with Ultimatte? Ultimatte is a seriously powerful keyer.
I've used Ultra, and while it can do a lot, frankly I've not been overly impressed with its keying abilities. There are times I've pulled a better key straight out of Vegas. But Ultra is quite powerful, and it was successful in using the Chromatte system and pulling decent keys from that.
But if you can't get satisfactory results in Ultimatte, I'd have to guess that your source footage would be the issue; Ultimatte can do just about anything.
pookie_old
Veteran
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
It depends, you understand, on using the correct, and best lighting.
The results will suffer with poor lighting.
Otherwise, Ultra is probably the best keyer around.
It depends, you understand, on using the correct, and best lighting.
The results will suffer with poor lighting.
Otherwise, Ultra is probably the best keyer around.
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
100% what Barry wrote!
Ultimatte is at the top level. Another good keyer at the same level is Combustion but if you not satisfied with Ultimatte, you never get a better key with another top level program.
Maybe this little tutorial can help you a little:
http://www.fxguide.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=9
100% what Barry wrote!
Ultimatte is at the top level. Another good keyer at the same level is Combustion but if you not satisfied with Ultimatte, you never get a better key with another top level program.
Maybe this little tutorial can help you a little:
http://www.fxguide.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=9
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
With Ultimatte/Primatte we get amazing results when we shoot on Beta or 16mm transfered to Beta, the problem, I am told, is that DV footage is a lot harder to key. I should've been more specific in my original post in saying that I am asking about Ultra in respect to DVX100a specifically. How dare you suggest that my lighting is uneven
With Ultimatte/Primatte we get amazing results when we shoot on Beta or 16mm transfered to Beta, the problem, I am told, is that DV footage is a lot harder to key. I should've been more specific in my original post in saying that I am asking about Ultra in respect to DVX100a specifically. How dare you suggest that my lighting is uneven
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
Man, I just downloaded the ultimatte demo andused it on some DVX footage. It keyed great!! I had been struggling with the footage in AE and C* but ultimatte only took a few clicks and it was nice a clean looking. The footage wan't even lit properly as I only had one side of my screen lit. Anyway, I'm going to be buying this app. BTW, Cgrosso, did you use the "DV" setting in ultimatte? It helps with getting a better key on the 4:1:1 footage.
Man, I just downloaded the ultimatte demo andused it on some DVX footage. It keyed great!! I had been struggling with the footage in AE and C* but ultimatte only took a few clicks and it was nice a clean looking. The footage wan't even lit properly as I only had one side of my screen lit. Anyway, I'm going to be buying this app. BTW, Cgrosso, did you use the "DV" setting in ultimatte? It helps with getting a better key on the 4:1:1 footage.
scharky
Veteran
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
maybe I'm behind the times, but on my last project I used photoshop to key. I wrote an action script that made a couple of maskes to take out the green, then I had it make a separate layer for the hair, so that it was a softer mask. I then grabbed any green spill off of the subject and had photoshop adjust the color to match the subject. I then had it save it as a PSD with Alpha channel and imported it back into my NLE. It is seriously the best key that I have ever been able to make. It gave me complete control as to the exactness of the key. The only downside, it's really dang slow, but hey, it doesn't work half bad. Of corse I have never tried Ultimatte, don't have the cash for that right now, but it sure keyes better than any other software that I have available to me. Just throwing that out there.
maybe I'm behind the times, but on my last project I used photoshop to key. I wrote an action script that made a couple of maskes to take out the green, then I had it make a separate layer for the hair, so that it was a softer mask. I then grabbed any green spill off of the subject and had photoshop adjust the color to match the subject. I then had it save it as a PSD with Alpha channel and imported it back into my NLE. It is seriously the best key that I have ever been able to make. It gave me complete control as to the exactness of the key. The only downside, it's really dang slow, but hey, it doesn't work half bad. Of corse I have never tried Ultimatte, don't have the cash for that right now, but it sure keyes better than any other software that I have available to me. Just throwing that out there.
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
[quote author=seantree link=board=Events;num=1107266783;start=0#5 date=02/01/05 at 10:48:22]Man, I just downloaded the ultimatte demo andused it on some DVX footage. It keyed great!! I had been struggling with the footage in AE and C* but ultimatte only took a few clicks and it was nice a clean looking. The footage wan't even lit properly as I only had one side of my screen lit. Anyway, I'm going to be buying this app. BTW, Cgrosso, did you use the "DV" setting in ultimatte? It helps with getting a better key on the 4:1:1 footage.[/quote]
Thanks seantree, I wasn't the one actually doing the composite, I'll double check with one of our post guys and see if they are using the "DV" setting. Someone asked about how much Ultimatte cost, we indeed paid $1500, but it paid for itself real fast.
[quote author=seantree link=board=Events;num=1107266783;start=0#5 date=02/01/05 at 10:48:22]Man, I just downloaded the ultimatte demo andused it on some DVX footage. It keyed great!! I had been struggling with the footage in AE and C* but ultimatte only took a few clicks and it was nice a clean looking. The footage wan't even lit properly as I only had one side of my screen lit. Anyway, I'm going to be buying this app. BTW, Cgrosso, did you use the "DV" setting in ultimatte? It helps with getting a better key on the 4:1:1 footage.[/quote]
Thanks seantree, I wasn't the one actually doing the composite, I'll double check with one of our post guys and see if they are using the "DV" setting. Someone asked about how much Ultimatte cost, we indeed paid $1500, but it paid for itself real fast.
scharky
Veteran
Re: Serious Magic Ultra..anyone?
shaw
The action is pretty specific for the scene that I was doing. SInce the actor had black hair it was fairly simple to isolate it, but it could be isolated with any color hair, if the hair is a different color than everything else. If you want to take a look at the action I would be glad to email it to you, just send me an email.
shaw
The action is pretty specific for the scene that I was doing. SInce the actor had black hair it was fairly simple to isolate it, but it could be isolated with any color hair, if the hair is a different color than everything else. If you want to take a look at the action I would be glad to email it to you, just send me an email.