Create a Vignette using the Paint Effect

Software: Xpress, Media Composer, Adrenaline, Symphony
Platform: Windows / Mac
Skill Level: Intermediate

Frame without vignette


Frame with vignette

A very common effect in film and television is the creation of a vignette to focus the viewers attention on a particular part of the frame. Although probably overused in some ways, this is still a very useful technique to add to your arsenal. I'll be using Avid's Paint Effect, although the same result can be achieved using plugins such as Boris Continuum (using the pixel chooser) or Adobe Photoshop (by creating semi-transparent layers and then importing the still file into Avid as a Matte Key).

1.) From the effect Palette, drag and drop the Paint Effect (under the Image category) onto the timeline segment you wish to apply the vignette to.

2.) Use the zoom-out button (you can get to this on the FX tab of the Command Palette.) and click a couple of times to zoom out to about 50%.

The Zoom Out button.

3.) Open the effect editor and choose the poly tool.

The Poly tool.

4.) On the Record monitor, draw a triangle with the poly tool to cover a small wedge of the bottom left-hand corner of your frame. This will initially be a hard-edged red triangle (the Paint Effect default.)

The Record monitor after drawing the first triangle.

5.) To make this triangle into a soft vignette, change the opacity in the effect editor to 65, change the Color to black and change the Hor and Vert Feathering to 35.

The effect editor settings for the first triangle.

The triangle after having set the effect editor options.

6.) You can complete the effect by selecting the Poly tool again, and drawing another triangle in the top-right corner. You may need to play with the Bias on the Feathering to get this second triangle to look correct.

7.) When you are satisfied, you can leave the effect editor and render the effect to complete your vignette.

Remember that this effect can be easily saved for repeated use by dragging the effect icon from the top-right of the effect editor to a bin. I would recommend that you vary things from shot to shot to get an organic feel to your vignettes.

Disclaimer