Glow

A single, powerful filter to add glows to videos, titles and standalone graphics. From physically accurate light to procedural light emitters, Glow opens a huge range of artistic possibilities. Perceptual compositing guarantees the most visually pleasing results. Built-in masking makes it easy to create vignettes, light leaks and gradients.

Glow incorporates AI-based subject and face detection to limit and/or tailor the strength of the effect to human subjects and features.

A few examples of Glow

A few examples of Glow

To help you explore all the possible ways in which Glow may be used, a large selection of built-in presets is included.

This plugin has been completely redesigned in FxFactory Pro 6 to support advanced source and mask selection, chromatic aberration and animatable parameters.

The user interface encourages progressive discovery of the large number of features. Built-in presets offer shortcuts to popular styles and techniques. Master advanced techniques once and apply them to other plugins that share the same design.

Compatibility

Glow is compatible with Final Cut Pro, Motion, Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Parameters

Presets

Presets contain a snapshot of your effect configuration. 133 built-in presets are available.

When you save parameter configuration to a file on disk, this file can later be loaded to recreate the same effect configuration. Presets generated in one video application can be used by the same plug-in running in a different video application.

Working with the Presets Browser

Preview

This parameter enables a canvas preview of the pixels selected through the Source and Mask parameter sections.

Previewing the Source and Mask

Glow

Filter

This parameter controls the algorithm used to diffuse light. Each technique produces a distinct style. Beware that Variable glow only works when Source and/or Mask have been customized.

Compare different glow techniques

Strength

Controls the overall strength of the effect.

This parameter accentuates the amount of light added to the scene, which can originate from the media itself or from one of the available Emitters.

Radius

Set to 5% by default.

Control how far light is diffused from its emitter. Light becomes softer as the area is covers becomes larger.

When Channels is set to a value other than All, you will see up to four separate Radius sliders, to specify a different glow amount for each channel.

Angle

Set to 0° by default.

Controls the direction of a Directional glow.

When Channels is set to a value other than All, you will see up to four separate Angle dials, to specify a different direction for each channel.

Zoom Center

Specifies the origin of a Zoom glow.

This parameter is not available when a different glow filter is selected.

Zoom Center: Rig

When Source is set to either to use object tracking or face detection, this parameter lets you rig the origin of the effect to the center of a specific object or face.

Rigging the Zoom center to a face detection

Rigging the Zoom center to a face detection

Once rigged, the origin of the Zoom follows the location of the selected object or face as it moves across the frame.

Contrast

Set to 50% by default.

When the glow is based on the Zoom filter, this parameter controls the visibility of each ray projected from the origin. When Bokeh is selected, this parameter controls the sharpness of ring artifacts. This parameter is not available with other techniques.

Composite Glow

This parameter allows you to control the drawing order of the glow with respect to the media you applied the effect to. The default value Glow over Source makes the most sense when the effect is applied to a video clip, since the entire frame is usually filled with content.

Changing the drawing order is generally useful only when the effect is applied to a title, graphic or video clip with an alpha channel.

The following options are available:

  • Over Source (default) — The glow is composited over the source media. In the following example, you can see how the original grayscale title is affected by the single-color glow applied to it:

  • Behind Source — The glow is composited behind the source media. The example below is set to use the Normal blend mode to show how the original title is unaffected by the glow.

    If you are currently using an additive blend mode (Perceptual Add or Add) you will not see a difference between drawing the glow above or behind the Source.

  • Minus Source — The glow is drawn on-screen after the opaque portions of the Source media have been subtracted. The original media is not drawn on-screen at all. This look allows the glow to be visible around the areas occupied by a title or graphic:

    When drawing using this option, the blend mode is ignored.

  • Glow only — Only the glow appears on-screen. The original media is not drawn at all:

    When drawing using this option, the blend mode is ignored.

Blend Mode

The compositing operation used to blend light back into the scene. Perceptual blend modes are provided to create the most natural-looking results. Traditional blend modes, such as Add, may be used to simulate previous-generation glows. While the large number of other blend modes have no connection to physical processes, they are included to unlock a wider range of artistic possibilities.

Repeat Edges

On by default.

This option decides whether the glow considers pixels at the edge of the frame to repeat infinitely. When this option is off, the edges of the frame become transparent, as there is no color information outside the frame.

This option has no discernible side effects when applying the glow to a title or graphic that sits in the middle of the frame, as these are commonly surrounded by mostly transparent space already.

Crop to Source/Mask

Determines whether the glow is cropped to the pixels defined by the Source and Mask. When this parameter is set to 0, the glow is allowed to bleed color information everywhere on the frame, including pixels that aren’t selected by Source or Mask.

Increase this parameter to reduce the area where the effect is allowed to produce its output.

Cropping to Person Contour from 0% (left) to 100% (right)

Cropping to Person Contour from 0% (left) to 100% (right)

This parameter has no effect when Source and Mask have not been customized.

Subtract Source/Mask

When enabled, the output of the effect is post-processed so as to subtract any pixels that belong to the original Source and Mask. Once the original selection has been subtracted, only pixels that were bled outside that area remain visible. This technique is helpful to create contours.

Comparing the original output, current mask, and output after subtracting it

Comparing the original output, current mask, and output after subtracting it

Light Emission

Light Emission

The following options are available:

  • Own colors (default) — Light emitted from each pixel has the same color as the pixel.
  • Solid color — All pixels emit a single color, subject to being mixed with the media’s own colors.
    To mix the gradient with the original colors in your video, use the Mix With Own Colors parameter.
  • Linear gradient — Light is emitted along a linear gradient, subject to being mixed with the media’s own colors.
    The gradient fades from Emitter Color to Emitter Color 2. The width of the gradient is defined by the Emitter Width parameter. To mix the gradient with the original colors in your video, use the Mix With Own Colors parameter.
  • Radial gradient — Light is emitted from a radial gradient centered on the frame, subject to being mixed with the media’s own colors.
    Light is emitted along a linear gradient, subject to being mixed with the media’s own colors.
    The gradient fades from Emitter Color at the center to Emitter Color 2 away from the center. The size of the gradient is defined by the Emitter Width parameter. To mix the gradient with the original colors in your video, use the Mix With Own Colors parameter.
  • Spectrum — Light is emitted from the full spectrum of colors, arranged with white at the center of the frame and all hues becoming more pronounced towards the edges of the frame.
    To mix colors in the spectrum with the original colors in your video, use the Mix With Own Colors parameter.

Emitter Color

Set to
50% green, 100% blue, 100% alpha in the SRGB color space by default.

Emitter Color 2

Set to
60% red, 100% blue, 100% alpha in the SRGB color space by default.

Emitter Angle

Controls the direction of a Gradient or Spectrum light emitter. This parameter is not available with other types of emitters.

Emitter Width

Controls the size of a Linear or Radial light emitter. This parameter is not available with other types of emitters.

Mix With Own Colors

Allows you to mix colors as defined by the current Light Emission parameter with colors in the original media.

For example, if you set Light Emission to a Solid Color, and set this parameter to 50%, light emitted from each pixels is a perfect mix of your custom color and the original media.

Source

Parameters in this section allow you to choose a set of pixels to apply the effect to, based on a number of techniques:

  • Luminance Range: select a range of pixels based on their brightness.
  • Color Key: select a range of pixels through a keying algorithm.
  • Edges: select pixels according to an edge detection algorithm.
  • Person Contour: select the main subject in the video frame through an AI-assisted algorithm. Works best with human subjects.
  • Object Tracker: select pixels by tracking one or more objects across the frame.
  • Face Detection: select pixels by detecting the location of human faces and tracking them across the frame for the duration of the clip.

Choosing Source Pixels

Original (left), selecting the darkest pixels (center) and lightest pixels (right)

Original (left), selecting the darkest pixels (center) and lightest pixels (right)

Mask

Parameters in this section define a shape used to crop the output of the effect with. When using an object tracker or face detection, the same mask shape is replicated for each object or face that appears in the frame.

  • Off: no cropping occurs.
  • Rectangle: crop the output to a rectangular shape.
  • Oval: crop the output to a circular shape.
  • Gradient: crop the output to a linear gradient.
  • Bar: crop the output to a two-sided gradient.
  • Custom: crop the output to a shape defined by a custom graphic.
  • Text: crop the outut to a shape defined by a title.

Choosing a Mask

Rectangular mask (left), gradient (center), gradient mixed with Person Contour (right)

Rectangular mask (left), gradient (center), gradient mixed with Person Contour (right)

Relative to Face/Object

Off by default.

Environment

Environment

This parameter lets you add an extra component to light emission, to unlock a wider range of looks. With each of the available options, a complete set of parameters becomes available to fine-tune the appearance.

The following options are available:

  • Off — default
  • Light Leaks — A procedural pattern that simulates light leaking into the frame.
  • Force Field — A procedural pattern based on twisting, morphing lines.
  • Caustics — A procedural pattern that simulates water-based refraction.
  • Clouds — Procedurally generated clouds.

Chromatic Aberration

Parameters in this section allow you to apply color distortions inspired by lens geometry, but with greater artistic range.

Using Chromatic Aberration

Original (left), distortion of the red and blue channels (center) and of chroma (right)

Original (left), distortion of the red and blue channels (center) and of chroma (right)

Animation

Build In/Out

Build In/Out lets you enable and control animation progress.

When the animation is Off, no transition into or out of the effect occurs.

When the effect is set to build in and out by Trimming, the following parameters are displayed:

The Trim slider defines a range where the effect has been fully built. Any time outside this range is spent building the animation in or out. For example, if the Trim range is set between 20% and 80%, the effect builds in from the start of the clip up to 20% of its duration. The effects builds out from 80% to the end of the clip. If the clip were 5 seconds long, the build in and out animations last 1 second each.

When the effect is set to build in and out through a Duration, the following parameters are displayed:

The Build In (secs) and Build Out (secs) give you an exact way to decide how long each animation should last. Should your selection not be applicable to the current clip, a warning will appear in the output. For example, if your clip lasts only 3 seconds, it would be impossible to have the build in and out animations both last 2 seconds each (as the total would be 4 seconds).

When the effect is set to build in and out through Keyframes, a single parameter is displayed:

The Build In (Easing) and Build Out (Easing) parameters let you choose the animation curve when animating by Trimming the clip or by specifying a Duration.

The Progress parameter gives complete control over the animation to you. You will need to keyframe the Progress parameter using features of the video app.

Strength

Turn on to animate the Strength parameter.

Strength Animation

Radius

Turn on to animate the Radius parameter.

Radius Animation

Radius 1

Turn on to animate the Radius 1 parameter.

Radius 1 Animation

Radius 2

Turn on to animate the Radius 2 parameter.

Radius 2 Animation

Radius 3

Turn on to animate the Radius 3 parameter.

Radius 3 Animation

Radius 4

Turn on to animate the Radius 4 parameter.

Radius 4 Animation

Zoom Center

Turn on to animate the Zoom Center parameter.

Zoom Center Animation

Emitter Color

Turn on to animate the Emitter Color parameter.

Emitter Color Animation

Emitter Color 2

Turn on to animate the Emitter Color 2 parameter.

Emitter Color 2 Animation

Emitter Angle

Turn on to animate the Emitter Angle parameter.

Emitter Angle Animation

Emitter Width

Turn on to animate the Emitter Width parameter.

Emitter Width Animation

Light Leaks Length

Turn on to animate the Light Leaks Length parameter.

Light Leaks Length Animation

Light Leaks Width

Turn on to animate the Light Leaks Width parameter.

Light Leaks Width Animation

Light Leaks Angle

Turn on to animate the Light Leaks Angle parameter.

Light Leaks Angle Animation

Light Leaks Density

Turn on to animate the Light Leaks Density parameter.

Light Leaks Density Animation

Light Leaks Speed

Turn on to animate the Light Leaks Speed parameter.

Light Leaks Speed Animation

Force Field Scale

Turn on to animate the Force Field Scale parameter.

Force Field Scale Animation

Force Field Angle

Turn on to animate the Force Field Angle parameter.

Force Field Angle Animation

Force Field Speed

Turn on to animate the Force Field Speed parameter.

Force Field Speed Animation

Force Field Density

Turn on to animate the Force Field Density parameter.

Force Field Density Animation

Force Field Diffuse

Turn on to animate the Force Field Diffuse parameter.

Force Field Diffuse Animation

Force Field Distortion

Turn on to animate the Force Field Distortion parameter.

Force Field Distortion Animation

Force Field Evolution

Turn on to animate the Force Field Evolution parameter.

Force Field Evolution Animation

Force Field Twisting

Turn on to animate the Force Field Twisting parameter.

Force Field Twisting Animation

Caustics Scale

Turn on to animate the Caustics Scale parameter.

Caustics Scale Animation

Caustics Angle

Turn on to animate the Caustics Angle parameter.

Caustics Angle Animation

Caustics Aspect Ratio

Turn on to animate the Caustics Aspect Ratio parameter.

Caustics Aspect Ratio Animation

Caustics Intensity

Turn on to animate the Caustics Intensity parameter.

Caustics Intensity Animation

Caustics Speed

Turn on to animate the Caustics Speed parameter.

Caustics Speed Animation

Caustics Diffuse

Turn on to animate the Caustics Diffuse parameter.

Caustics Diffuse Animation

Aberration Amount

Turn this parameter on to animate the Amount value specified under the Chromatic Aberration section. A number of standard controls allow you to control the animation:

Aberration Amount Animation


Animating the Aberration Amount with Directional (left) and Radial (right) Fringing

Clouds Scale

Turn on to animate the Clouds Scale parameter.

Clouds Scale Animation

Clouds Angle

Turn on to animate the Clouds Angle parameter.

Clouds Angle Animation

Clouds Speed

Turn on to animate the Clouds Speed parameter.

Clouds Speed Animation

Clouds Coverage

Turn on to animate the Clouds Coverage parameter.

Clouds Coverage Animation

Seed

A number that controls random aspects of the effect.

Click the New button to assign a new seed value. When the seed value is changed, the effect uses a different random sequence to produce a different output.

Channel Selection

This section allows you to limit the effect to specific channels, leaving others unmodified.

Limiting Output to Specific Channels