What it does: Spinning Light offers a soft spun illumination.
How to use it: First prepare the light source. This is the part of the video image from which the light should shine. To make it easier, enable the Setup control, and then adjust the Light Source parameters to isolate the portion of the picture that will source the glow. Once the Light Source is ready, disable Setup and design the light behavior with the Light control group. Then, set the Shimmer controls to add random motion to the light. Finally, set the Mix levels.
- The Light Source group sets up the initial intensity and shape of the light source.
- Color sets the color of the light source. Typically, this is white, for a bright light. However, it can be any color, light or dark. Colors close in brightness and hue to the chosen color radiate light rays, even if that color is dark. Examples are a white light, blue sky, or a bright red flower.
- Sensitivity sets the strength of the light source. As the sensitivity is dialed up, more and more of the image becomes part of the light source.
- Position and Radius define a circle within the image for the light source. This allows you to isolate the area of the image that can generate a light.
- Feather sets the smoothness of the light as well as the smoothness of the circle boundary. Increase Feather to reduce the harshness of the edge of the circle.
- The Light group sets up the color and shape of the circular light emanating from the bright spots.
- Bright Shade and Dark Shade set the two colors for the light parts of the light rays and dark parts. However, note that these color are only used if Mix Shades is set correctly.
- Mix Shades sets the blend between light rays that use the original image colors and light rays painted with the Bright and Dark shade colors.
- Spin determines how much the light spins around the center area.
- Direction sets the direction the light spins around the center area.
- The Shimmer group sets random noise to make the light flicker and move.
- Size sets the size of the random noise.
- Intensity sets the strength of the shimmer effect.
- Rate sets the speed at which the changing light moves and mutates.
- The Mix group has three controls.
- Liquify distorts the image underneath the spinning light, using the light itself to set the shape of the mutation.
- Picture sets the level of the original image displayed under the light. Note that turning down Picture creates transparency, which can be used to display the spinning light as an overlay over another track.
- Light sets the mix of just the spinning light.
- Set Up makes it much easier to design the light source. Turn on Set Up, then work on the parameters in the Light Source and Shimmer groups. Once these are ready, disable Set Up.