custom masks

[markbutts]

how do I create and use custom masks?

Mark Butts
http://www.markbutts.com

[samsc]

how do I create and use custom masks?

Mark Butts
http://www.markbutts.com

what kind of custom masks?


what do you want to do?

[samsc]

In version 3- you can turn any movie or image into a mask.
see the visual fx doc.
http://chaldee1.gotadsl.co.uk/~richa...read.php?t=123


But tell me also what kindof thing you want to do please.

[markbutts]

I have a projection surface that is built as a 3:4 aspect ratio with a curved top. All the content is created as 4:3 in a 3:4 safe area. This was done becase Catalyst isn't the only thing using this content. My sides are OK but I need to create a mask to handle the curved portion at the top of the screen.
Is this as simple as creating a black mask in photoshop, making the rest of the area white and using the white to transparent color effect?

The screen surfaces were modeled for presentation in 3-D studio max.
Is it possible to somehow extract these measurments from Max to create
essentially scaled mask? If so how?

I would imagine this would use one of my video channels, and since i want to mask everything being output, the mask wants to reside on the topmost video layer.

Mark Butts
http://www.markbutts.com

[samsc]

visual fx 32 does it for me.

Is this what you mean -- see the attached pdf.

there are several other ways of doing this.
This is not an exhaustive answer.

[RGMdddd]

Mark -

1) Create a camera in 3DS Max and place it at the precise location of the projector that you will be using onsite
2) Make the camera angle the same as your raster image from the projector
3) Render the scene with the appropriate scenic items in place. Lighting should be very flat with no shadows.
4) Open the image in Photoshop and turn the areas within your raster that you wish to mask to black and erase all the areas you wish to have Catalyst images appear. Once onsite, you may need to [Transform] your image in Photoshop due to irregularities of the hang, projection location, etc.
5) Save the image with alpha channels and load into Catalyst

As you already know, it will need to be on Layer 4 in order to mask out other images. You may find that if you are running out of layers for your show, you might want merge your new mask onto your content so that it always is within the content itself.
Give us a call when you start getting into scenery that requires masking but is automated

[markbutts]

Thanks guys. This was the answer I was looking for.

MB