Gaussian Blur Problem

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Level 1

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Gaussian Blur Problem

Hi there

I am having trouble getting the gaussian blur to work properly.
I have an image that is split up into layers using photoshop and I am trying to blur one of the layers. The only problem is that I am getting a white halo round the image as it blurs. My image is a colour image with black lines round it. It is as if the colour is seeping out underneath the black lines as it blurs, even though it's all on the same layer.
The blur does exactly what I want in photoshop, but in Final Cut I have this annoying problem. I can't do the blur ahead of time as I need to animate the blur.
I can't even begin to tell you how amazingly urgent this problem is.
Cheers

Morph

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 25, 2009 9:16 AM

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Answer 1

BritMorph Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 25, 2009 9:25 AM in response to BritMorph

It's as if the alpha part is blurring outwards as normal, but the RGB part of the layer is blurring but staying within it's original boundries if that makes sense.
The image also doesn't blur as much as it should. Pushing the blur amount up to 15 hardly does anything.

Morph

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Answer 2

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

Oct 25, 2009 9:35 AM in response to BritMorph

You will probably get better results in Motion by combining a Blur filter with the Overdrive filter.

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Answer 3

BritMorph Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 25, 2009 9:50 AM in response to Nick Holmes

But how come it is doing this in Final Cut? I am editing all of this as I am going along and I really don't have time to start learning a new program as all this has to be delivered tomorrow.
It's really just a case of being able to use gaussian blur on a photoshop layer within Final cut. There must be a setting somewhere that is causing it, I just don't know where or what it is.
Try this...

1) create a new photoshop file
2) make the background blue
3) add a new layer and draw a black circle and then fill it with a colour.
4) save as a psd file.
5) open final cut and import the file
6) open the photoshop file where you get a timeline with the two layer
7) Apply gaussian blur to the top layer
8) turn up the blur and you get a white halo round the layer instead of it being blurred properly.

This is the problem I have. I don't see why it's doing it at all.
Cheers

Morph

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Answer 4

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

Oct 25, 2009 10:27 AM in response to BritMorph

OK. I see the problem you have with white bleeding in.

Here's a different approach:

Click the film frame icon with the A on it at the bottom right of your Viewer.
Choose Matte > Color. Go to the Controls tab and set the color you want.
Press F9 to insert edit or drag to the Canvas.

Open the Effects tab in the Viewer. Video Generators > Shapes > Circle. Press F12 to superimpose on V2 in your Timeline.

Go to the film frame icon again and choose Slug. Switch the source/destination patch button to V2
Press F12 to superimpose on V3. Right click the Slug clip on your Timeline. Go to Composite mode > Travel Matte Luma.

Click the Shape clip to send it to the Viewer. Use the Softness contols to keyframe your blur effect .

My result using the above method:

This took about 30 seconds to set up.

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Answer 5

BritMorph Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 25, 2009 11:10 AM in response to Nick Holmes

Thanks for the answer.
My timeline is full of photographs that have been converted in photoshop into different layers. Like for example I had a photo of someone standing in front of a wall. I have taken the figure and made that into a layer with an alpha channel and then I have painted in the wall layer so it doesn't have a figure in it. This now means that I can move the figure independently over the wall and blur between the two layers to make a fake sort of Depth of Field.
Your method would work for making a circle.
My basic problem is that the gaussian blur is not working on these photoshop layers in the way that it should. I just need to know if this is something that I can fix or whether I am going to have to give up on the idea and tell my director that the video is kinda ruined as the idea we had doesn't work.
I hope that makes sense.
Cheers

Morph

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Answer 6

Andy Mees

Level 6

12,610 points

Oct 26, 2009 12:33 AM in response to BritMorph

Brit Morph

You might want to consider using Peter Wiggin's free Rack Focus plugin (for FxFactory) .. might be just right for the job you're describing.

If thats not the sort of thing you;re looking for, or if you prefer to use something built in, then try using the Compound Blur instead of the Gaussian Blur ... or perhaps take a look at the Channel Blur. Sorry, don't have any files to test with for you right now.

Best
Andy

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