Frames

PieroF_Frames_Generator_v1.2R.fxscript.zip: (click the link to Download)

What does it do ?

Frames is a freeware Generator plugin for Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro that draws a Frame: rectangle, square, oval, or circle to superimpose to video clips.

It may also be used to highlight or to hide an area of the frame, as you can see from the examples below.

As an example in the figure below a rectangular frame (default Shape: Rectangle) with border Thickness: 14 and Border Color: Red is displayed; the inner and outer areas of the frame are left transparent (default Fill Area: None).

In the next example below an oval frame (Shape: Oval) has border and thickness as in the example above but its outer area is filled with a dark green color (default Fill Area: Outer). Since Opacity=100 this color completely hides the underlying clip in the area outside the oval frame.

The next figure shows how to highlight an oval region of the underlying frame: remove the border (Thickness: 0), set the Blur Radius to a high value (e.g. Blur Radius: 30), make the Fill Color: Black and set Opacity: 50. Make sure Fill Area is still Outer. Now the black area outside the oval is half transparent while the area inside the oval is fully transparent: altogether you get the highlight effect.

The next figure shows how to hide an oval region of the underlying frame: set border Thickness, Blur Radius and Fill Color as in the highlight example above, but change Fill Area: Inner and set Opacity back to 100. Now the black area outside the oval is half transparent while that inside the oval is fully transparent.

The examples above are focusing on the possible uses of Frames; in all cases the correct frame size and shape must be defined using the Shape, Method, and the other controls as defined in the Filter Usage section below.

Compatibility, Disclaimer

This Frames filter has been tested in Final Cut Express HD v3.5 and Final Cut Pro v5.1, but it will likely work also in other versions of FCE and FCP as long as they provide support for the fxscript language (see also the Disclaimer).

Version History

v1.2 - Fixed border size and color handling

v1.1 - New features/fixes:

1. •added Method: Center & Aspect, to allow moving the frame around by simply changing its center (1st) point.
   

2. •enhanced: controls naming for better consistency
   

3. •added Opacity control
   

4. •fixed: alpha channel handling and frame sizing
   

v0.8 - first release.

Filter Usage

After its Installation use the small Generator button in the Viewer and select pf > Frames v1.2. Drag the Viewer window over an existing clip in the timeline, open it (double click) and then set the controls to fit your needs.

The specific Frames Controls are:

1. •Shape (default: Rectangle): it is one of: Rectangle, Square, Oval, Circle
   

2. •Method - Points: (default: Center & Aspect): three radio buttons allow to select the preferred method used to draw the frame, and determine which of the following 1st Point, 2nd Point and Aspect controls may be used to further define its shape:
   

3. ‣Center - Corner: the 1st Point control (see below) sets the center of the shape and the 2nd Point and sets an arbitrary point over its perimeter or circumference. The Aspect control is ignored with this method.
   

4. ‣Corner - Corner: the 1st Point and the 2nd Point controls define two points over the perimeter or circumference of the shape: the center of the shape is always between the 2 points. The Aspect control is ignored with this method.
   

5. ‣Center & Aspect: the 1st Point control below sets the center of the shape; only for rectangles and ovals the Aspect control define the ratio between their height and width; the Aspect Control is ignored for squares and circles. The 2nd Point control is ignored.
   

6. •1st Point (default: 0,0): it defines the position of the first point: the point 0,0 is the center of the frame, positive values define points on the right or below, while negative values define points on the left or above. Depending on Method it defines the center of the frame or one corner of the frame.
   

7. •2nd Point (default: PAL=180,144, NTSC=180,120): it defines the position of the second point, which is  a “corner” (only for Method: center-corner or corner-corner).
   

8. Depending on the chosen Shape a “corner” may be:
   

9. ‣Rectangle: one of the actual corners of the rectangle.
   

10. ‣Square: one point on the square frame (not necessarily a corner).
    

11. ‣Oval: one of the corners of the rectangle including the oval.
    

12. ‣Circle: one point on its circumference
    

Keep in mind that rectangles, squares are always drawn with their edges horizontal and vertical; the same is true for the edges of the surrounding rectangle for oval. If needed, rotation may be applied using FCE Basic Motion.

For any frame, its center is either the First Point (if Method: Center - Corner or Method: Center & Aspect) or the center of the segment connecting the First Point and the Second Point (if Method: Corner - Corner).

1. •Aspect (default: 0): it defines the aspect of the frame only with the Method: Center & Aspect and Shape = rectangle or oval.
   

2. •Scale (default: 100): it scales the frame. This is specially useful for Method: Center & Aspect, since in this case Scale is the only way to set the frame size (the other 2 Methods may also use the 2nd Point to control its size).
   

3. •Blur Radius (0 = no blur) (default: 1): it sets the amount of blur for the frame edges (0 = no  blur).
   

Border Parameters:

1. •Thickness (0 = no border) (default: 2): it sets the thickness of the border (0 = no border).
   

2. •Scale Thickness (default: OFF): if checked the border thickness is scaled together with the Scale factor. Otherwise it is fixed as defined by Thickness.
   

3. •Border Color (default: white): it sets the color of the border.
   

Fill Parameters:

1. •Fill Area (default: None): It defines how the areas around the frame are filled; the frame itself is always filled with Border Color. It may be one of:
   

2. ‣None: all areas around the frame are transparent;
   

3. ‣Inner: the area inside the frame is filled with Fill Color; the area outside is transparent;
   

4. ‣Outer: the area outside the frame is filled with Fill Color; the area inside is transparent;
   

5. ‣Both: all areas around the frame are filled with Fill Color.
   

6. •Fill Color (default: grey): it set the color of the areas around the frame as defined by Fill Area.
   

7. •Opacity (default: 100): it set the opacity of the filled areas. By default the border and the filled areas are opaque; lower values of Opacity allow to show the lower tracks.