custom masks

[RGMdddd]

The only drawback to using the FX is that you need to be very careful as to the projected content you use. Using true transparency - lack of pixel data - you needn't be concerned for greyscale content.

[samsc]

The only drawback to using the FX is that you need to be very careful as to the projected content you use. Using true transparency - lack of pixel data - you needn't be concerned for greyscale content.

you have to make sure your masks are white?
is this what you mean?

Did you see transparency issues?

[samsc]

you have to make sure your masks are white?
is this what you mean?

Did you see transparency issues?

in colour fx 32 - the red channel acts as a softness parameter which crunches the mask and makes it higher contrast -- up to a point.

[RGMdddd]

Pardon me if I am unaware of a feature that i should be using instead, but let's assume for the sake of argument that I have an image with a black background and contains 256 shades of grey to create the part of the image I want projected. Now I lay this image over a very colorful image and apply the [Transparent Blacks] FX. I believe that I will have varying levels of transparency from this effect. Is this correct?
By creating an image with true transparency (TIFF or PSD, for instance) I can always be assured that my images will look the way I intend them to.

[samsc]

Pardon me if I am unaware of a feature that i should be using instead, but let's assume for the sake of argument that I have an image with a black background and contains 256 shades of grey to create the part of the image I want projected. Now I lay this image over a very colorful image and apply the [Transparent Blacks] FX. I believe that I will have varying levels of transparency from this effect. Is this correct?
By creating an image with true transparency (TIFF or PSD, for instance) I can always be assured that my images will look the way I intend them to.

can you draw me an image of what you want?

and how you want this to work?

And the options you are thinking off?

Can you mock me up an image in photoshop and post it here?

Transparent black will turn the grey image into a transparent region - based on the luminosity of the grey.

[RGMdddd]

can you draw me an image of what you want?

and how you want this to work?

And the options you are thinking off?

Can you mock me up an image in photoshop and post it here?

Transparent black will turn the grey image into a transparent region - based on the luminosity of the grey.

Yep, this is exactly what I mean.
I recently created an animation of blowing leaves. The leaves are full color and so run the gamut in terms of being able to "key" one color or another. Generally speaking, I am a firm believer in using the right tool for the job. In another thread regarding color, the poster asked for greater color control and the reply was that it would take a great deal of processing power to do this on the fly. After Effects does it quite well but rarely previews in real time. I would much rather the processing power of the Mac be used at playing back all videos at full speed rather than trying to apply effects best done elsewhere.

[samsc]

Yep, this is exactly what I mean.
After Effects does it quite well but rarely previews in real time. I would much rather the processing power of the Mac be used at playing back all videos at full speed rather than trying to apply effects best done elsewhere.

Its not processing power thats the problem with greater colour control - its dmx control channels - and useability.
It is actually possible to do these things - its just a colour lookup table or a colour matrix.

If I were to start counting the number of dmx channels required to do what after effects can do - then it would very quickly exceed anything useable or controllable with ease from a current lighting desk.
And the interfaces on lighting desks are not appropriate for doing complex colour correction.
Once you start looking at the complexity of every function like this - I could add 10 parameters or more to almost every single fx - as you would in after effects - it becomes unusable.