Creating a Spooky Atmosphere

combustion web tutorial

TM

Use combustion to create a fairly simple

composite. Make the scene look more real

by adding some operators, such as a Paint

operator, to hide the flaws.

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 Creating a Spooky Atmosphere

Overview
This lesson shows how you can composite numerous elements together to create scenes that look real.
Sometimes, however, to make the scene more convincing, you must find ways to cover up irregularities.
Various effects are applied to the layers in the composite to make the entire scene very spooky.
In this lesson:
• Composite source material to create a lighthouse perched precariously atop a rocky crag overlooking
the ocean
• Keyframe the motion of the lighthouse beacon
• Use effects, such as roll blur and box blur, to make the beacon’s ray of light look realistic
• Color correct the layers to make the composite more convincing
• Nest the composite and add a Paint operator to the nested composite
• Fix rough edges using the Freehand Draw tool with the Smear draw mode
• Use a rectangle object and a Gaussian blur to create fog
• Animate the brightness of the fog as the light beacon sweeps through the scene
• Add a lens flare to the lighthouse beacon

Time to complete the lesson: 40 minutes.

Note: The screenshots in this lesson are from combustion on a PC running the Windows NT operating
system. On a Macintosh, the combustion user interface is the same as on Windows. Also, the monitors
were set to 1280 x 1024. Monitor resolution affects the size of the clips in the viewports, so some
screenshots may not match your screen.

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Preview the Result

If you need help completing this lesson or if you want to preview the result of this lesson prior to
starting the lesson, open the Spooky.cws workspace file in the Spooky Atmosphere folder.

1. Choose File | Open Workspace, or press CTRL+SHIFT+O (Windows) or +SHIFT+O (Macintosh),

and select the Spooky Atmosphere folder in the folder list and then click Spooky.cws to open the
workspace file.

2. Play the clip (SPACEBAR) to view the result.

Note: If you do not have enough RAM to view the entire clip in real time, minimize combustion and
play Spooky.mov using Media Player (Windows) or QuickTime (Macintosh).

The clip features a lighthouse shining its light across a foggy ocean from the top of some rocky cliffs.

3. Choose File | Close Workspace (CTRL+W / +W) to close the workspace.

Set Up the Workspace

To ensure the software behavior matches the steps in this lesson, you need to set the combustion
preferences. Once the combustion preferences are set, create a branch to begin building the composite
and then import the footage.

1. Choose File | Preferences (CTRL+P / +P) to open the Preferences dialog and set the following
combustion preferences:
• Reverse Load Order: Off
• Display Time As: Frames (From 1)
• Default Keyframe Interpolation: Bezier
• Default Still Image Duration: 30

2. Choose File | New (CTRL+N / +N) to open the New dialog and create a branch with the following
properties:
• Type: composite
• Name: Spooky
• Format: NTSC D-1
• Duration: 60 frames

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3. Import the footage for the composite:

a) Choose File | Import Footage (CTRL+I / +I) and open the Spooky Atmosphere folder.

The Spooky Atmosphere folder is open and the footage for the lesson is displayed.

b) CTRL-click Ocean[####].jpg, Lighthouse.tga, Light_beam.tga and Rocky_cliffs.tga (in this order)

and then click OK.

Position the Ocean Layer

The first element of the composite is a 30-frame image sequence of waves washing up on a beach. You
need to stretch the duration of the ocean layer to 60 frames to match the length of the composite and
then, position the Ocean layer in 3D space so that it resembles the ocean vanishing towards the horizon.
To view the Ocean layer in the viewport, you need to turn off the other layers.

1. Select single-viewport layout.

2. Turn off the layers:

a) In the Workspace panel (F3), click the Rocky_cliffs layer icon.

b) Click the Lighthouse layer icon.

c) Click the Light_beam layer icon.

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3. In the Workspace panel, change the name of the Ocean0000 layer to “Ocean”.

4. Stretch the duration of the Ocean footage:

a) In the Workspace panel, click the triangle next to the Ocean layer to display its operator.

b) In the Workspace panel, select the Ocean Footage operator.

c) In the Footage Controls panel (F7), click Output and set Duration to 60 frames.

Since you doubled the duration, Speed is set to 50% and Frame Rate (in the Source controls) is set
to 15 FPS. The Footage operator is extended but notice that the clip is not visible in the last frame.
This is because the frame rate of the composite is set to 29.97 FPS.

5. Set the frame rate of the composite to 30 FPS:

a) In the Workspace panel, select the Spooky composite operator.

b) In the Composite Controls panel (F7), click Settings and select 30 FPS from the Frame Rate list.

The Ocean clip is now visible throughout the composite.

6. Position the Ocean layer in 3D space:

a) Go to the first frame (HOME).

b) In the Workspace panel, select the Ocean layer.

c) In the Composite Controls panel, click Transform and set X Rotation to 70, Z Position to -150
and Y Position to -168.

The Ocean layer appears to vanish towards the horizon.

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Position the Rocks

Move the Rocky_cliffs layer towards the horizon at the back of the scene.

1. In the Workspace panel, select the Rocky_cliffs layer and click on its icon to turn the layer on.

Notice that there is quite a bit of unnecessary material (scrub brush and a dirt road) at the foot of
the rocks. You need to move this layer relative to the Ocean layer so the grassy part at the bottom is
cut off.

2. In the Composite Controls panel, set Y Position to -78, X Position to 17, and Z Position to 38.

By setting the Y Position to -78, the grass is cut off from the scene. By setting the X Position to 17,
the water appears behind the left side of the rocks. By setting the Z Position to 38, the Rocky_cliffs
layer is moved towards the horizon and the image’s right edge lines up with the viewport.

Note: You will use a similar Z Position for the Lighthouse layer and the Light_beam layer so that they
are all together in Z space.

Scale and Position the Lighthouse and Light Beam

Scale the Lighthouse layer to match the proportions of the composite and move it on top of the rocks.
Then, scale, position and rotate the Light_beam layer to make the lighthouse’s beacon shine out into
the darkness, alerting mariners to the presence of rocks.

1. In the Workspace panel, select the Lighthouse layer and click on its icon to turn the layer on.

2. In the Composite Controls panel, enable Proportional and set the X Scale to 14%.

Because Proportional is enabled, you only need to change the value in one field to scale all values at
once.

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3. Position the Lighthouse layer by setting X Position to -181, Y Position to -22 and Z Position to 38.

The Lighthouse layer’s Z Position is the same as the Rocky_cliffs layer’s Z Position. Setting the X
Position to -181 and the Y Position to -22 moves the lighthouse to the peak on the left side.

4. Select the Light_beam layer and click on its icon to turn the layer on.

5. Move the pivot point of the light beam layer:

a) In the Toolbar panel (F2), click the Pivot Point tool.

b) Drag the light beam’s pivot point to the tip of the beam.

In the Composite Controls panel, the X and Y Pivot values should be close to the following: X=-318
and Y-4.

6. In the Composite Controls panel, disable Proportional and set X Scale to 250 and Y Scale to 50.

7. Position the light beam by setting X Position to 138 and Z Position to 38.

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8. Rotate the light beam by setting Y Rotation to 180.

The light beam is now positioned to rotate around the lighthouse from left to right.

Create a Background Layer

The sky appears black because the composite’s background is black. You need to add a background
layer to the composite because the lens flare you add later in this lesson only appears when an opaque
layer is behind it.

1. Choose Object | New | Composite/Paint/Solid Layer to create a solid layer for the background.

2. Create a solid layer with the following properties:

• Type: solid
• Format: NTSC- D1
• Duration: 60 frames
• Color: dark purple (R=27%, G=19%, B=33%)

3. In the Workspace panel (F3), rename the new Layer “Sky”.

4. In the Composite Controls panel, click Layer and then click Background under Depth Order.

The Sky layer is now the background for the composite and all the other layers appear in front of the
new layer, regardless of their position in the Workspace panel.

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Animate and Blur the Light Beam

Now that the light is “turned on”, you have to make it sweep across the ocean. Next, you need to apply
blur effects to make the light beam more convincing.

1. Keyframe the light beam’s rotation:

a) Enable Animate and go to the last frame (END).

b) Select the Light_beam layer.

c) In the Composite Controls panel, click Transform and set Y Rotation to 0.

d) Go to the first frame (HOME) and then play the clip (SPACEBAR) to view the animation.

The light beam makes a 180-degree sweep across the ocean.

2. Add a roll blur effect to the light beam:

a) Disable Animate and go to the first frame (HOME).

b) Choose Operators | Blur/Sharpen | Roll Blur.

c) In the Roll Blur Controls panel, click the Center picker and then pick (in the viewport) the top of
the lighthouse as the center for the roll blur effect.

Crosshairs appear in the viewport to indicate the position of the roll blur’s center of origin.

Note: If necessary, you can position the center of the roll blur effect by dragging the crosshairs in
the viewport.

d) Click the Center picker again to disable it.

e) In the Roll Blur controls panel, set Amount to 16% and Quality to 19%.

f) Play the clip (SPACEBAR) to view the animation.

The light beam looks more realistic. It is partially transparent and softer on the edges. In some
places, however, especially when the light beam is aiming directly out towards you at frame 35, the
roll blur is blocky. You can fix this with a simple box blur.

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3. Add a Box Blur to smoothen the light beam:

a) Choose Operators | Blur/Sharpen | Box Blur.

b) In the Box Blur Controls panel, set Radius to 6.00.

c) Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

The light beam now convincingly sweeps across the ocean.

Adjust the Brightness of the Ocean and Rocks

The scene is obviously meant to take place at night, yet the rocks and the ocean look like they are
illuminated by sunlight. Use the Color Correction tools to adjust each layer accordingly.

1. Give the Ocean layer a more striking look by adding a Color Corrector to adjust the ocean’s
brightness and contrast:

a) Select the Ocean layer.

b) Choose Operators | Color Correction | Brightness/Contrast.

c) In the Brightness/Contrast Controls panel, set Brightness to -25% and Contrast to 60%.

This effect creates a stark, ominous ocean—perfect for the mood you want to create.

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2. Add a Color Corrector the Rocky_cliffs layer:

a) Select the Rocky_cliffs layer.

b) Choose Operators | Color Correction | Discreet Color Corrector.

c) In the Color Correction Controls panel, click Histogram and then RGB.

d) Drag the Minimum and Gamma input sliders to remap the colors (approx. 160 and 1.46).

The Rocky_cliffs layer is darker, as though it is night now.

Soften the Coastline

In order to paint on the entire composite and not just on single layers, apply a Paint operator to the
composite itself. To do this, you must first nest the entire composite as a single layer.

1. Nest the composite:

a) Select the Spooky composite operator.

b) Choose Object | Nesting.

Because the composite operator was selected, the Composite option is automatically enabled in the
Nesting Options dialog.

c) In the Nesting Options dialog, enter “Spooky Nest” in the Composite Name field and then click
OK.

The entire composite is nested into a new composite as a single layer within a higher level
composite. In the Workspace panel, the Spooky composite operator now contains a single layer
named “Spooky Nest”.

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2. Add a Paint operator to the Spooky Nest layer:

a) Go to the first frame (HOME).

b) Select the Spooky Nest layer.

c) Choose Operators | Paint.

d) In the Toolbar (F2), click the Magnify tool and then zoom in on the coastline.

Note: Notice the hard edge where the Ocean layer meets the Rocky_cliffs layer.

3. Paint the coastline to soften the edge where the water meets the rocks:

a) In the Paint Controls panel, select a small brush.

b) In the Toolbar, click the upper left corner of the Freehand tool to select the Stroked Freehand tool.

c) In the Paint Controls panel, click Modes and select Smear from the Mode list.

Note: If Smear does not appear in the Mode list, you may have clicked the Filled Freehand tool. Click
the icon again to toggle between the Stroked Freehand tool and the Filled Freehand tool.

d) Paint the coast.

Hint: While painting, scrub the Pan button to pan the viewport.

The colors from the Ocean and Rocky_cliffs layers are smeared, creating a more realistic coastline.

e) When you are satisfied with the effect, click Home to view the entire composite.

4. Group the paint objects:

a) In the Workspace panel (F3), select all the brush stroke objects.

b) Choose Object | Group (CTRL+G / +G).

c) Rename the group “Shore Blur”.

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5. Extend the Shore Blur object to the last frame.

a) Go to the last frame (END) and press . (the period key).

a) Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

Hint: The clip may play slowly here, depending on how much memory your computer has. If the clip
plays too slow, you can lower the amount of RAM required to render the clip by selecting Draft from
the Display Quality list.

The blur effects of the shore are extended to the last frame.

Add Some Fog to the Water

Simulate fog to add to the foreboding atmosphere of the animation. One way to do this is to add an
animated filled rectangle to the scene (to coincide with the sweep of the beam of light) and then, blur
it to complete the effect.

1. Go to the first frame (HOME) and enable Animate.

2. In the Toolbar, select the Filled Rectangle tool.

3. Select a color for the rectangle:

a) In the Paint Controls panel, click Modes and click the foreground color box.

b) In the Pick Color dialog, create a dark gray color.

4. In the viewport, draw a rectangle over the water.

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5. Click the Arrow tool (TAB) to select the rectangle.

6. Go to the last frame (END) and press . (the period key).

The gray rectangle is extended to the last frame.

Animate the Luminance of the Rectangle

Set keyframes to the rectangle to animate the rectangle and the simulate the effect of the light beam by
changing the animation of the rectangle.

1. In the Timeline (F4), expand Filled Rectangle and click ForeColor to select it.

2. Click Overview and Frame All.

3. Go to the last frame (END) and click Add Key to add a keyframe for the dark gray color.

4. Go to frame 35.

5. Select a white color for the rectangle:

a) In the Paint Controls panel (F7), click Modes and click the foreground color box.

b) In the Pick Color dialog, pick a white color.

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6. Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

The color of the rectangle changes gradually from dark gray to white and back to dark gray. At
frame 1, the rectangle is dark gray, at frame 35, it is white and at frame 60, it is dark gray again.

7. Change the animation of the rectangle so the white flashes only when the beam passes through it:

a) Go to frame 30.

b) In the Paint Controls panel, click the foreground color box and select a 50% gray color.

c) Go to frame 40 and repeat step b) to create a keyframe.

d) (Optional) Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

The rectangle gradually changes from a dark gray to 50% gray, suddenly flashes white, quickly goes
back to 50% gray, then gradually fades to dark gray. The color of the rectangle flashes bright white
at the same point as when the beam passes through it.

8. In the Timeline, expand ForeColor to view its channels and click Graph.

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9. Complete the fog effect by blurring the filled rectangle:

a) Go to the first frame (HOME).

b) Select the filled rectangle and choose Effects | Blur/Sharpen | Gaussian Blur.

c) Set Radius to about 100.

d) Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

The rectangle is no longer visible and the effect of the Gaussian blur has made the ocean look blurry.

Note: If the clip plays too slow, you can lower the amount of RAM required to render the clip by
selecting Draft from the Display Quality list. You can also check the RAM Cache to see if it is full. If
the RAM Cache is full, right-click (Windows) or CTRL-click (Macintosh) over the cache meter on the
Info palette and choose Flush Cache from the context menu.

Hint: To save processing time, you may want to turn off the Filled Rectangle before you proceed to
the next part of the lesson.

Create a Lens Flare for the Lighthouse Beacon

Add a Lens Flare effect that coincides with the sweep of the light beam.

1. Choose Edit | Select None (CTRL+D / +D) so no objects are selected.

2. Go to the first frame (HOME).

3. Choose Effects | Stylize | Lens Flare.

a) In the Lens Flare Controls panel, select Central Flare Only from the Elements list.

b) Click the Flare Center picker and pick the top of the lighthouse.

c) Click the Flare Center picker again to disable it.

d) Set Strength to 6.

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4. To create a more convincing effect, animate the strength of the Lens Flare where the light is
brightest:

a) Go to the last frame (END).

b) In the Timeline (F4), expand Lens Flare, select the Strength channel and then click Add Key.

c) Go to frame 36.

d) In the Lens Flare Controls panel (F8), set Strength to 15.

e) Play the clip (SPACEBAR).

5. (Optional) Add reflections to the Lens Flare:

a) In the Lens Flare Controls panel, select Both from the Elements list.

b) Go to the first frame (HOME) and in the Lens Flare Controls panel, set Axis to 530 (for X) and 320
(for Y).

c) Go to frame 36 and set Axis to 360 and 110 (for X and Y respectively).

d) Go to frame 60 (END) and set Axis to 90 and 80 (for X and Y respectively).

The axis for the reflections are animated.

Note: You can also keyframe the timing of the lens flare so that it flares up in a more natural looking
synchronization with the sweep of the lighthouse beacon. Experiment until you find a look that you
like.

6. (Optional) Render the composite as a QuickTime movie.

7. Save (CTRL+S / +S) and close (CTRL+W / +W) the workspace.

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Things to Remember
• If operators that require a lot of processing time are turned off when not required, real-time playback
is faster.
• Changing the duration of a Footage operator also changes the frame rate and speed of the footage.
• Selecting Background, under Depth Order, in the Composite Controls panel makes the selected layer
appear as the background for a composite, regardless of its position in the Workspace panel.
• Use the Nesting options to nest an entire composite as a single layer in a higher level composite.
Adding a Paint operator to this layer allows you to paint on the entire composite.
• To make the scene look more realistic, effects such as lens flares can be animated to coincide with
movements or events occurring in the clip.

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Title: combustion Web Tutorials

Version 1.
Date: September 2000