Volumetrix
Light Plug-ins
Created by idustrial revolution & Noise Industries
$49.00 - 15 day free trial.
http://www.volumetrix.tv/index.html
Review by Steve
Douglas
I
just spent a good part of my weekend putting off writing this
review so I could have a ton of fun just playing with the Volumetrix
plug-ins for Apple's Motion and Final Cut Pro Studio. It wasn't
time wasted as there really is so much you can do with these
two plug ins as well as the many plug-ins found in Noise Industries'
FX Factory. The FX Factory plug-ins I will save for another review
and focus strictly on Volumetrix, but as a small advance, they
really have some wonderful and unique transitions, filters, and
editing applications that are definitely check out worthy.
Capable of producing some truly
eye-catching lighting effects, Volumetrix utilizes everything
your graphics card and FxPlug technology has to offer. This results
in quick application and very fast renders. Even though I have
an older Radeon 9800 graphics card in my DP 2Ghz G5, 2gigs ram,
renders were quick and painless.
Volumetrix comes with two individual
filters that work in both Motion and Final Cut. Used in either
FCP or Motion, Volumetrix Zoom and Volumetrix Glow have very
much the same parameter settings both in the dashboard and the
inspector and under the FCP filters tab. Both are exceedingly
easy to apply and manipulate.
Parameter settings
for both the Volumetrix Glow and Zoom controls are the same,
as you will find in the Motion dashboard and Final Cut Pro.
The only real difference is in the way you will be key framing
in one application versus the other. Volumetrix was stable in
both applications with no crashes.
At first glance I didn't see much of a difference between the
two but once I started experimenting; suffice it to say, there
are very significant differences and all of them good. Volumetrix
Zoom is generally applied to text, logos, or most anything with
an alpha channel. You have a great deal of room and ability to
adjust the light rays and their color, brightness and location
in relation to the object they have been applied to. In Motion,
one just needs to click on the record button with the progress
bar over to the left, bring the timeline to the end and move
the progress bar back over to the right. Now your light rays
are key framed and other adjustments to their width and brightness
can be adjusted on the fly as well as the Zoom Blur position,
which affects the direction and therefore spread of the light
rays. Of course, anyone using them will be able to utilize the
progress bar and other controls in a multitude of different ways.
Using the Source
Image it was easy to change the direction of my text and rays
reveal.
Volumetrix Glow works the same way and
the glow colors, using the same method as with Zoom, can also
be key framed to change their color, and strength. It is a more
subtle plug in which can tastefully provide both text and images
some sophisticated pizzazz. Used in Final Cut Pro either the
Volumetrix Glow or Zoom was just as easy to work with. Both the
Zoom and Glow plug ins offer four ways to direct your lighting
effects, left to right, right to left, top to bottom and bottom
to top. In addition, you have three choices as to how you want
your lights to sweep across the screen. This is found in the
Source Image box and allows you to switch between 'Always Display'
which allows the text of object to always be visible while the
lighting effect is taking place, 'Reveal via light sweep' which
reveals the text or object at the same time as the lighting shows
itself and 'Never display' which allows just the lighting effect
to be visible and can be integrated in a myriad of possibilities.
Using Volumetrix
Zoom for my own shameless advertising.
One does need to keep in mind that the
text or images used need to have an alpha channel. Once you have
that, the use of either of these plug ins is a snap. The light
glows or rays can either be added to your text or placed on top
of it. You can be very subtle or just blow'em away with the strength
of these effects. The Volumetrix Zoom can be especially strong
so keep your adjustments incremental and you can't go wrong.
Made in Final Cut
Pro, I brought down the text opacity a tad and applied a sparing
dose of Volumetrix Zoom
to create a coming of Ken down from the mount for his just desserts.
(gggg)
Text is not the only
thing where Volumetrix can be useful.
This animated dove with an alpha channel has both glow and zoom
applied.
Not a problem using
both Volumetrix Zoom and Glow in Motion to create this affect.
I have kept the Always Reveal on from the Source Image to show
the end product.
The bottom line is that Volumetrix is
the perfect gift to buy for that spouse or friend who doesn't
edit at all. This way you will be able to use it as much as you
like. Don't just take my word for it; there is a free downloadable
version on their website that you can enjoy for 15 days. It's
a free trial you will be happy you tried. Not only is it inexpensive,
but it works, is stable, is much quicker when rendering, has
easy to manipulate parameters and is heads and shoulders above
the typical and simple glow rays filter found elsewhere. It was
a breeze to use and fun to boot. Forget the friend, you will
find it a valuable tool in your own editing arsenal.
