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Q: I keep getting out-of-memory messages when rendering with AE 4.x with DigiEffects plug-ins. What's going on?

A: More information can be found on Adobe's site. Search for Document #322727 at www.adobe.com

Q: How can I make CineLook render faster?

A: Reduce "Grain Smoothness" - not the amount of grain, but the smoothness (or size) of the grain. The larger the value of grain smoothness, the slower CineLook will render - EXPONENTIALLY! So, a small change in this value will make CineLook render much quicker. The less you use and the smaller the numbers, the faster CineLook will render.
Reduce "Time Slur" - The more of these parameters that are non-zero, the slower it will go. It does not matter what the value is, it just matters that it is non-zero. A non-zero value will cause CineLook to ask After Effects to load the frame from disk, which can be time consuming.
Turn off "HSB Color Correction" - If you are not using the "HSB Color Correction" parameters, turning off this option will avoid that bottleneck.

Q: I am having problems installing CineLook into After Effects 4.x under Windows?

A: This is a problem because the installer was specifically designed for use with After Effects 3.1. Here are the steps to solve this problem:

Open the "..Installer (CineLook 95/98/NT/2000)" directory on the CD.
Double Click the "CineLookSetup.exe" program. This will run the installation program.
Click "OK" through the installer and have it install in the default location (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PLUG-INS INSTALLED IN THE AFTER EFFECTS 4.0 PLUG-INS DIRECTORY, IT WILL NOT WORK)
After the installer ends, you will need to move the plug-ins from the default location to the Adobe After Effects 4.0 plug-ins directory.
Open the "C:\Adobe\After Effects 3.1\Plug-ins\" Directory.
Then open the "C:Adobe\After Effects 4.0\Plug-ins\" Directory. It can also be another drive (D, E, F,etc)
Copy the "DigiEffects CineLook" directory from the 3.1 plug-ins folder to the 4.0 plug-ins directory. This will install the plug-ins into your After Effects 4.0 plug-ins folder.
You can now delete the "After Effects 3.1" directory, if you wish.
Now open the After Effects 4.0 application, the plug-ins will now appear.
Please note that the CineLook presets must reside in this directory: C:\Program Files\CineLook

Q: I have installed CineLook in Windows and I dont have any presets. Whats wrong?

A: This is because the "presets" folder is not in the correct directory. For presets to be available they must reside in one location - and ONE location only. Here is the location:

C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook

In this directory there should be two folders:

C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook\CineLook Presets
C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook\FilmDamage Presets

If they are spelled incorrectly, or do not reside in the exact location, the presets will no show up.

If you have installed CineLook to another drive, perform a "find file" for "CineLook Presets" and move the directories to this location.

If the program files directory (c:\Program Files\) does not exist, create it and install CineLook again.

Q: I get "Divide by Zero" errors or "General Fault" erros when using AgedFilm 2 or LightZoom 2 within Aurorix 2 Windows?

A: This is a known bug with AgedFilm 2 Windows. This happens when you turn down some of the sliders to 0. As a workaround, keep the sliders at 1 or higher, or you can install the latest update.

Q: I keep getting freezes and/or crashes (type 11 or other) when rendering certain effects like StarField and Perspectron?

A: This is a problem because the installer was specifically designed for use with After Effects 3.1. Here are the steps to solve this problem:

Open the "..Installer (Berserk 95/98/NT/2000)" directory on the CD.
Double Click the "BerserkSetup.exe" program. This will run the installation program.
Click "OK" through the installer and have it install in the default location (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PLUG-INS INSTALLED IN THE AFTER EFFECTS 4.0 PLUG-INS DIRECTORY, IT WILL NOT WORK)
After the installer ends, you will need to move the plug-ins from the default location to the Adobe After Effects 4.0 plug-ins directory.
Open the "C:\Adobe\After Effects 3.1\Plug-ins\" Directory.
Then open the "C:Adobe\After Effects 4.0\Plug-ins\" Directory. It can also be another drive (D, E, F,etc)
Copy the "DigiEffects Berserk" directory from the 3.1 plug-ins folder to the 4.0 plug-ins directory. This will install the plug-ins into your After Effects 4.0 plug-ins folder.
You can now delete the "After Effects 3.1" directory, if you wish.
Now open the After Effects 4.0 application, the plug-ins will now appear.

Q: I get "Divide by Zero" errors or "General Fault" errors when using AgedFilm 2 or LightZoom 2 within Aurorix 2 Windows?

A: This is a known bug with AgedFilm 2 Windows. This happens when you turn down some of the sliders to 0. As a workaround, keep the sliders at 1 or higher, or you can install the latest update.

Q: How can I get a good "film look" with the AgedFilm plug-in?

A: Aurorix 2's AgedFilm filter was designed to give an old-movie look, and was not intended or sophisticated enough to give a true film look. Therefore, we do not give information about achieving the "film look" effect using this plug-in, as all attempts will be unsatisfactory. Please check out CineLook if you want to make your video look like film. That said, you can still get a decent "film look" by messing with the controls a bit, turning down some of the artifacts (hair, scratches, etc), and Aurorix 2 is less expensive than CineLook, and with Aurorix 2 you get 25 more filters to play with!

Q: I'd like to make a light shine through a logo using LightZoom. How can I do that?

A: LightZoom uses streaks out the bright pixels of an image. It also clips to the alpha of an image. When you use the built-in text generator, it creates an alpha channel surrounding the type. Be sure you turn off this feature, or pre-compose your layer before applying the LightZoom filter. You can install the latest update and study the "LightZoom Logo" sample project. (MacOS only, sorry!)

Q: I am having problems installing Berserk into After Effects 4.0 under Windows?

A: This is a problem because the installer was specifically designed for use with After Effects 3.1. Here are the steps to solve this problem:
1) Open the "..Installer (Aurorix 2 Windows)" directory on the CD.
2) Double Click the "Aurorix2Setup.exe" program. This will run the installation program.
3) Click "OK" through the installer and have it install in the default location (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PLUG-INS INSTALLED IN THE AFTER EFFECTS 4.0 PLUG-INS DIRECTORY, IT WILL NOT WORK)
4) After the installer ends, you will need to move the plug-ins from the default location to the Adobe After Effects 4.0 plug-ins directory.
5) Open the "C:\Adobe\After Effects 3.1\Plug-ins\" Directory.
6) Then open the "C:Adobe\After Effects 4.0\Plug-ins\" Directory. It can also be another drive (D, E, F,etc)
7) Copy the "DigiEffects Aurorix 2" directory from the 3.1 plug-ins folder to the 4.0 plug-ins directory. This will install the plug-ins into your After Effects 4.0 plug-ins folder.
8) You can now delete the "After Effects 3.1" directory, if you wish.
9) Now open the After Effects 4.0 application, the plug-ins will now appear.

Q: I keep getting freezes and/or crashes (type 11 or other) when rendering certain effects like StarField and Perspectron?

A: You are probably running version 1.0 of Berserk. Please register your software by running the "Berserk Registration" application on the Berserk 1.0 CD. When you register (via e-mail, mail or fax), we will send you Berserk 1.3.1 via e-mail. Berserk 1.3.1 fixes all known problems with Berserk. You can also install the latest update.

Q: I am having problems installing Berserk into After Effects 4.0 under Windows?

A: This is a problem because the installer was specifically designed for use with After Effects 3.1. Here are the steps to solve this problem:
1) Open the "..Installer (Berserk Windows)" directory on the CD.
2) Double Click the "BerserkSetup.exe" program. This will run the installation program.
3) Click "OK" through the installer and have it install in the default location (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PLUG-INS INSTALLED IN THE AFTER EFFECTS 4.0 PLUG-INS DIRECTORY, IT WILL NOT WORK)
4) After the installer ends, you will need to move the plug-ins from the default location to the Adobe After Effects 4.0 plug-ins directory.
5) Open the "C:\Adobe\After Effects 3.1\Plug-ins\" Directory.
6) Then open the "C:Adobe\After Effects 4.0\Plug-ins\" Directory. It can also be another drive (D, E, F,etc)
7) Copy the "DigiEffects Berserk" directory from the 3.1 plug-ins folder to the 4.0 plug-ins directory. This will install the plug-ins into your After Effects 4.0 plug-ins folder.
8) You can now delete the "After Effects 3.1" directory, if you wish.
9) Now open the After Effects 4.0 application, the plug-ins will now appear.

Q: What is CineLook?

A: CineLook is an After Effects mega-plug-in that allows you to make your video look like film that is compatible with Macintosh and Windows. It can work under Windows 95 OS, but we do not offer technical support for Windows 95 users. We highly recommend that you use CineLook with Windows 98 or higher. CineLook adds grain, corrects color and changes the frame-rate of video to look more like film. CineLook consists of 2 plug-ins: "CineLook" and "Film Damage". CineLook does the film-look process, and "Film Damage" adds artifacts like dust, hair, jitter, shake, scratches, stains and much more. There are two versions of CineLook: BroadCast and FilmRes. Look at the CineLook Product Infomation area for a more detailed explanation.

Q: How can I make CineLook render faster?

A: There are several things that can make CineLook render faster:
1) Reduce "Grain Smoothness" - not the amount of grain, but the smoothness (or size) of the grain. The larger the value of grain smoothness, the slower CineLook will render - EXPONENTIALLY! So, a small change in this value will make CineLook render much quicker. The less you use and the smaller the numbers, the faster CineLook will render.
2) Reduce "Time Slur" - The more of these parameters that are non-zero, the slower it will go. It does not matter what the value is, it just matters that it is non-zero. A non-zero value will cause CineLook to ask After Effects to load the frame from disk, which can be time consuming.
3) Turn off "HSB Color Correction" - If you are not using the "HSB Color Correction" parameters, turning off this option will avoid that bottleneck.

Q:I am having problems installing CineLook into After Effects 4.0 under Windows?

A: This is a problem because the installer was specifically designed for use with After Effects 3.1. Here are the steps to solve this problem:
1) Open the "..Installer (CineLook Windows)" directory on the CD.
2) Double Click the "CineLookSetup.exe" program. This will run the installation program.
3) Click "OK" through the installer and have it install in the default location (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PLUG-INS INSTALLED IN THE AFTER EFFECTS 4.0 PLUG-INS DIRECTORY, IT WILL NOT WORK)
4) After the installer ends, you will need to move the plug-ins from the default location to the Adobe After Effects 4.0 plug-ins directory.
5) Open the "C:\Adobe\After Effects 3.1\Plug-ins\" Directory.
6) Then open the "C:Adobe\After Effects 4.0\Plug-ins\" Directory. It can also be another drive (D, E, F,etc)
7) Copy the "DigiEffects CineLook" directory from the 3.1 plug-ins folder to the 4.0 plug-ins directory. This will install the plug-ins into your After Effects 4.0 plug-ins folder.
8) You can now delete the "After Effects 3.1" directory, if you wish.
9) Now open the After Effects 4.0 application, the plug-ins will now appear.

Q: I have installed CineLook in Windows and I dont have any presets. Whats wrong?

A: This is because the "presets" folder is not in the correct directory. For presets to be available they must reside in one location - and ONE location only. Here is the location:
C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook

In this directory there should be two folders:
C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook\CineLook Presets
C:\Program Files\Digieffects CineLook\FilmDamage Presets

If they are spelled incorrectly, or do not reside in the exact location, the presets will no show up.
If you have installed CineLook to another drive, perform a "find file" for "CineLook Presets" and move the directories to this location.
If the program files directory (c:\Program Files\) does not exist, create it and install CineLook again.

Q: What is the best way to transfer video footage to and from Avid from After Effects?

A: The Rendering Specifics for Avid:

* ASPECT RATIO: When rendering movies intended for the Avid, render at 720 x 486 D1 (NTSC) . Create your comp at 720 x 540. Drag elements into a 720 x 486 comp in AE conforms them automatically to this standard D-1 aspect ratio (ie: a circle made in illustrator becomes a wide oval). As a rule (there can be exceptions), do NOT render at 720 x 540 and then stretch to 720 x 486 in your output module. You will most likely experience artifacting or weird lines (zippering).

* FRAME RATE: 29.97 . Make sure your comp frame rate is set up at 29.97 and not 30. I know this is obvious, but I was making the same claims of dropped frames until I realized I was using 30 instead of 29.97. The default start frame in AE is frame 0. So if 00:29:29 is your endframe, the clip is exactly 30 seconds long.

* FIELDS: Render your After Effects project Upper Field First .
Also: If you are working with footage that was exported from the Avid and are wondering why it looks all striped (fields), you need to make a change in the Interpret Footage dialog box (Command F in AE 4). In the Fields and Pulldown area of the box, you need to set fields to Upper Field First.

* ALPHA: Since Avid's codec doesn't support an alpha, you must render it RGB channels only , plus a straight alpha matte which you set in the output module. Premultiply the alpha, which builds transparency into the edges, creates a problem in most editors.
Embeded Alpha channels are interpreted by the Avid but if you make them in AE, tell the Avid to invert Alpha in it's the import settings dialog.

* AUDIO: There is a possibility of problems with the Avid choking while playing back complex sequences containing QuickTime movies. At playback, audio sync is lost and the message appears: "...Display Missed Frame Advance." This problem has been successfully dealt with by adding "pad" to the heads and tails of movies. An extra 10 or more frames added to the front and back of your render can really be helpful. You may consider giving these frames a look other than black, so the editor knows exactly a which frame your movie begins.

* WHICH CODEC?: Always import and export with the AVID codec at the highest possible quality (AVR) setting, upper field first, 720 x 486 D1 for NTSC. You will need to know what AVR the Avid you are rendering for uses.

The best quality can be achieved by rendering with the Animation compressor, but this takes forever to import to Avid. Use the Avid Codec for speedy imports (100x as fast, maybe). You can get the codec from the AVID that you are going to import it on. It will be in the extensions folder. It is called AVID Codec. Just make a copy and put it in the extensions folder on the machine you are using AE on. In AE save it as a quicktimne, and it will be one of the compressor options.

Your file will render at the specific AVID resolution so that the importing is VERY fast and it doesn't have to recompress it. When you import, it just copies the file in the Mediafiles folder on one of the AVID drives.

When exporting from an Avid using the Codec, it doesn't recompress or convert anything, it only adds a QT header to the native OMF media. The codec has previously (pre v3.8) been known to cause different de-/compression errors related to converting color spaces (CCIR>RGB), these are now gone. (The current codec is v4.0, you should avoid using older versions.) The only known issue with the Avid Codec is that it might cause freezes while rendering because it needs/grabs a lot of memory when decompressing, so you should purge your RAM more often (the "memory leak" problem.)

(Information compiled from Trish Meyer, Knut A. Helgeland, Wes Plate, Chris Rush, Edward B. Kemper and Scott Carmichael from the AE Mail List and from Michele Konyndyk, AE FreeMart)

Q: Does CineLook really look like film?

A: Good question! CineLook's output depends on its input. The higher the quality of the source footage, the closer you will get to the look of film. CineLook is not a "magic bullet," it wont turn just any old piece of VHS tape into a beautiful segment of film. If you are looking for an 8mm look from VHS footage, it will work well. For a 35mm look, you will need to start with beta or better footage. You can achieve an excellent 35mm look using the new DV-cameras. You must still light and create camera moves that occur in normal film production. The idea for CineLook is to get rid of the film, not the film production values!

Q: How does CineLook compare to other proprietary service-bureau processes?

A: CineLook performs the same tasks that those proprietary service bureaus provide, except CineLook combined with a Mac or Windows computer and After Effects is a total software & desktop solution. The service bureaus use a proprietary real-time process, and you must send these production houses a good quality (they all prefer Beta-SP or better) tape and wait at least 2 days to see the results. CineLook is a plug-in for After Effects that you use on your desktop computer.

Both CineLook and the service bureaus add grain, correct color and change the temporal (time) of video to make it look more like film. Neither process is a magic bullet. Both require well lit, high quality source footage to give a realistic impression of film. The biggest advantage of CineLook is that you pay for it once, use it as much as you want, and you can adjust it to your tastes.

With the service bureaus, you must send them a BetaSP quality (or better) tape, wait a few days, and hope that what you get back is what you like. Oh, did we mention that it's $85 per minute and a minimum of 10 minutes? Did we also mention that if you don't like it, and want it run again, it's going to cost $85/min and a minimum of 10 minutes!?! The only negative side of CineLook is that it's a rendered effect. Depending on your machine and the parameter settings, the render times are between 2 and 20 seconds a frame for average settings. So, it takes some time to simulate the look of film. But would you rather spend the time, or spend the time AND the money?!? You pay for CineLook once, but you pay the service bureaus EVERY time!

Q: How difficult is CineLook to use?

A: CineLook is very easy to use. Simply import your footage into After Effects, apply the CineLook filter, pick a preset, and render out a movie. That's it! You can also adjust and save your own presets using a very friendly photoshop-variations style user interface. You can download a demo and see for yourself! The demo assumes basic knowledge of After Effects and Digital Video concepts. You will need After Effects to use the demo version of CineLook. The manual is also available on-line, and requires the Adobe Acrobat reader.

Q: What is the difference between the FilmRes and Broadcast versions?

A: The FilmRes and Broadcast versions are identical except for four differences:

1. Broadcast is limited to 768 x 576 pixels (D1 NTSC & PAL). FilmRes is limited to 4000 x 4000 pixels.
2. FilmRes is packaged in a custom-designed box with CD, dongle and manual. Broadcast comes on a CD in a "jewel" case with a manual. The Broadcast version needs no dongle.
3. FilmRes adds a "remove grain" plug-in with 8 different grain removal methods.
4. FilmRes requires a DigiEffects security hardware dongle.

FilmRes is intended for use in "Hollywood" film production studios. It is useful for adding film grain and film treatments to computer generated footage, like 3D models. CineLook FilmRes can seamlessly integrate filmed live action with computer generated footage.

Q: Can I be a Beta tester?

A: Our beta testing programs are currently filled. If you'd like to become a future tester you should send us your demo reel (on VHS or BetaSP) to:

DigiEffects Beta Program
1806 Congressional Circle
Austin, Texas 78746

Please include information on previous beta testing experience, including sample bug reports.

Q: What kind of system should I buy to use CineLook MacOS?

A: CineLook Broadcast MacOS requires a PowerPC based Macintosh Compatible computer and we recommend at least 48mb of RAM, 604e 132Mhz or higher CPU, a video digitizer and playback card/system like Media 100, Avid or Targa. CineLook also requires After Effects 3.0 or 3.1, production or standard bundle. A future release of CineLook may support MP (multi-processor), so you may want to invest in one of these machines.

Q: Which PowerPC chipsets does CineLook work with?

A: CineLook Broadcast MacOS will work with any PowerPC chipset, including 601, 603, 603e, 604, G3, and the upcoming G4. This is all PowerPC computers ever made. CineLook does NOT support the 68k based machines, ie: 68000, 68020, 68030, 68040, etc. CineLook will not work on a Quadra 840AV.

Q: What kind of system should I buy to use CineLook Windows?

A: CineLook Broadcast requires an Intel or compatible computer running Windows 4.0 with at least 48mb of RAM, 132Mhz or faster CPU, a video digitizer and playback card/system like Fast VM, Avid or Targa. CineLook also requires After Effects 3.0 or 3.1, production or standard bundle. CineLook will run under Windows 95, but unfortunately we cannot offer technical support for that system due to the myriad of configurations and general stability problems with the Windows 95 Operating System.

Q: Which Intel chipsets does CineLook work with?

A: CineLook Broadcast Windows will work with any modern Intel chipset, including 486, Pentium, Pentium II, Pentium Pro. Most Windows computers less than two years old use these Chips. CineLook does NOT support the older chips, ie: 8086, 8088, 80286, 80386. CineLook will NOT work with Windows 3.1. It DOES work with Windows 95, but we can offer no technical support if you use that Operating System.

Q: What are the render times for CineLook?

A: The performance of CineLook depends on the speed of your processor. Render times depend on the settings of the parameters. There are no "average" settings, as they are really up to the taste of the producer, the quality of the footage, speed of the compression, quality settings, and the type of effect you are trying to achieve. With light settings (low grain, minimal color correction), render times can be as fast as 1.5 seconds per frame (640 x 480) on a 225mhz PowerPC G3. If you turn up all the settings, and apply FilmDamage, render times can be as much as 1 minute per frame on similar hardware.

You can also network together multiple computers (even mac and windows machines) to render movies in parallel over a network. Check out the After Effects manual for details. Performing network rendering also requires multiple licenses of CineLook. Please contact CineLook for a site license.

Q: Does CineLook Broadcast work at PAL resolution?

A: YES! CineLook Broadcast works at resoultions up to 768 x 576 pixels (D1 NTSC & PAL). For higher resolutions, you must use the FilmRes version of CineLook. The timing characterstics of the 3:2 pulldown are a little different for PAL. We are currently researching this issue, and we do not have a 100% solution at this time.

Q: I've heard on-line and other places that I can do the same thing CineLook does with the built-in tools that come with After Effects. Is that true?

A: This is only partially true. CineLook is a sophisticated tool. The process of making video look like film is also sophisticated. You need to know alot about video, film and the production process. It is true that CineLook uses the "3:2 Pulldown" from within After Effects, but CineLook also enhances this functionality using the "TimeMatch" features only available with CineLook. We chose to use the built-in "3:2 pulldown" function because, honestly, we found the built-in After Effects 3:2 pulldown very acceptable, and there is little reason to improve it. So, that much is true...

But CineLook goes much further than any After Effects built-in functionality. View the CineLook Product Information area for a more detailed explanation.

Q: Which preset should I use for situation "X"?

A: It's a "try-it-and-see" kind of thing. The presets are just the different settings for the effect, all combined and named. They represent real-world film stocks.

Producers usually start with a film-stock preset that they may have already used in the past, and then tweak the knobs to get exactly what they want.

People who are not familiar with the stocks must experiment, as everyone is looking for something different. Even Kodak does not give out this kind of specific information for their own stocks! They are very vague about it, mainly because all producers use the stocks in different ways. No one uses a specific film-stock for a given situation. They all have their favorites! It's all very subjective!!

As far as "which preset does what" is a very controversial issue, as everyone has a different opinion! I've talked to many film producers, and they are constantly contradicting each other about what's the best for a given situation! It's can be frustrating! As such, we only provide the settings, YOU must decide which one is right for your particular purpose!

Sorry we couldn't be more specific on this, but it's the best "right" answer we can give!

CineLook, as with any sophisticated tool, requires some experimentation and artistic thought. You efforts will be well rewarded with the results that are right for your particular purpose!

Q: How does CineLook handle the fields for footage running at 24 frame-per-second?

A: CineLook need the fields to interlace the data in a proper fashion. CineLook's output still runs at 60 *fields* per second (or 50fps for PAL), it's the footage that's running at 24 *frames* per second. CineLook footage needs to run at this speed in order to be a valid NTSC or PAL video signal.

The fields are interpolated. In the tutorial section of the manual will show you how to set the render settings The example is for NTSC only right now, but you should be able to enter PAL values instead.

The 3:2 pulldown built-in to After Effects will interpolate the fields smoothly. We also recommend using the "Frame Blending" be turned on. The Quality of the layer will determine the quality of the frame blending. High quality has a very smeared look, but the low quality is a little more pleasing. We recommend the quality for the layer to be "low" or slanting-left. CineLook always renders at high quality, no matter the layer setting. The "low" setting will dramatically reduce rendering time, and probably look the best for your footage. Test render 5 sec of both to see which is the best for you.

We also recommend using the "Reduce Interlace Flicker" with a value of 1.2 to 2.0 to improve the sometimes "flickeriness" of thin horizontal lines. You can also perform a channel blur to simulate the slightly-out-of-focus layers on real-film. This will increase rendering time.

CineLook also add something we call "Time Slurring", otherwise known as "force motion blur". This blends in the previous four frames to simulate the rotating shutter of a film-camera, and to for a larger motion blur that would be apparent on film running at 24 frames-per-second. These are controlled by the "Time Blend" sliders. The suggested values for Time Blending are -1f=12, -2f=6, -3f=3, -4f=1.

Q: Will CineLook affect the my audio track? Specifically the speed?

A: No, CineLook only recreates the speed of the film, not the audio. This is because CineLook's output still runs at video speed (60 field-per-second for NTSC, 50 fields-per-second for PAL). The audio track gets copied as-is, there is no need to speed changes. CineLook merely re-interpolates the 60 field-per-second video into 25 frame-per-second "film".

Q: Will CineLook work with Media 100, Targa, Avid, MCXPress, VideoVision, MicroSphere, FAST VM or Other Digital Video System?

A: YES! If your system uses QuickTime or AVI for it's media storage, After Effects will work with that media. Most digital video editing systems use QuickTime or AVI as the media layer. Since After Effects is a QuickTime and AVI compatible tool, and CineLook works within After Effects, you can use any quicktime or AVI compatible system.

Q: Will Cinelook be compatible with the Fast DV Master System with Ulead Media Studio software?

A: CineLook is an After Effects plug-in, so you will need After Effects (standard or pro bundle). After Effects is compatible with any system that uses quicktime or Avi as the media layer, and most video systems use these kinds of files. Check with your specific manufacturer first. If you can bring the files into After Effects, you can use CIneLook to process your footage.

Q: What is the difference between CineLook's FilmDamage and Aurorix 2's AgedFilm or AgedFilm Windows?

A: Aurorix 2 has 26 filters, including an old movie effects filter called "AgedFilm." CineLook is 2 mega-filters that include a real-film simulator (CineLook) and a film artifact generator called "Film Damage".

Both Film Damage and AgedFilm can create old-movie looks, but Film Damage is much more advanced, faster (in some cases) and more realistic. FilmDamage has over 50 parameters, AgedFilm has 18. Aurorix 2 is $289, and CineLook is $695.

Q: Do I need the production version of After Effects, or will the standard version work?

A: You can use either the Standard or the Production version of After Effects. They both work equally well.

Q: What is CineMotion?

A: CineMotion is a set of After Effects plug-ins designed to simulate film motion, control noise and more!

CineMotion is a set of 10 plug-ins for After Effects MacOS that allows you to take any video footage (SVHS, Hi-8, Beta, DV-Cam) and make it move like film, reduce or enhance grain, diminish interlace flicker, create film-aspect ratios, perform posterization effects and lessen color banding artifacts.

Film Motion? is one of the most useful plug-ins from the the set. Film Motion is an enhanced version of the 3:2 Pulldown that is included with After Effects. The Film Motion plug-in was designed for producers who need more control of the 3:2 pulldown that what After Effects offers. Film Motion is a great addition to CineLook.

Q: If I have CineLook, do I need CineMotion?

A: This is a very subjective question. If you are concerned about costs, we recommend trying CineLook first without CineMotion, to see if everything looks acceptable to you. Many producers find the built-in After Effects 3:2 pulldown more than adequate for their purposes. CineLook has won several awards in conjunction with the After Effects 3:2 Pulldown solution.

Some producers have found that the 3:2 Pulldown was inadeqaute, so DigiEffects is now offering an alternative solution at a very reasonable price.

Q: What is the difference between CineLook and CineMotion?

A: CineMotion addresses several specific problems about motion characteristics when simulating a film-to-video transfer. On the other hand, CineLook was intended to give the grain and color curves, along with some motion-blur by blending previous frames, and was designed to use the After Effects built-in 3:2 pulldown.

DigiEffects has had plans on improving the After Effects 3:2 pulldown but it was scheduled for sometime in the future. ISFX approached us with a high-quality, film-motion simulation plug-in that was already tested and proven in a production environment. We went ahead and acquired the technology, and are now making it available to you. We feel this is good for our customers, as we have delivered the solution to you at least 6 months ahead of schedule!

The After Effects 3:2 pulldown works well on most footage, but some producers need a little more flexibility and quality. CineMotion was designed with this in mind. Many people have problems with the After Effects 3:2 pulldown, and the CineLook FAQ on our site goes into some detail on how to use it optimally. But there is little control allowed with the built-in 3:2 pulldown. CineMotion has advanced controls, several different interpolation methods and presets for the different digital video media systems.

If the built-in After Effects 3:2 pulldown is acceptable to you, by all means use CineLook without CineMotion. CineMotion is not necessary to achieve a film-motion look. If you really need to improve on the 3:2 pulldown built-into After Effects and would like a bundle of 9 more valuable tools as well, then CineMotion is a great companion package for CineLook.

Check out our storefront for special DigiEffects Customer Deals.

Q: What is Delirium?

A: Delirium gives you the power to create fire-engulfed logos, snow falling on any image, rain, smoke and much more! You can simulate electrical arcs, blurs, video malfunctions, photographic effects and a whole lot more! Create amazing three- dimensional effects with the unique TILT 3D plug-in tools that allow you to insert 3D models directly into your compositions without using a full-blown 3D application.

Visit the Delirium Product Information area for more details.

Q: What will TILT ship with?

A: TILT will be shipping in conjunction with DigiEffects new plug-in set, Delirium.

Visit the Delirium Product Information area for more details.

Q: Can I get Cognicons' TILT from DigiEffects?

A: Yes! Visit the Delirium Product Information area for more details.

Q: What is TILT?

A: TILT is a Quickdraw 3D modeling and rendering plug-in for After Effects Mac/Windows and After Effects plug-in compatible programs. It allows you to import, light, render and animate any 3DMF model. Most modern 3D animation and modeling systems support the 3DMF format, and there are many pre-created models available.

Visit the Delirium Product Information area for more details.

Q:I keep getting out of memory messages with Web Euphoria Photoshop plug-ins even though I have over 32 mb applied to Photoshop. What can I do?

A: You should use the Piggy plug-in for images over 5mb in size. Web Euphoria requires all images fit in RAM, and sometimes multiple copies must be in RAM.

We recommend the use of the "Piggy Plug-in" which is available on your Photoshop CD - do a search on your CD for "piggy" and you'll find it. Adobe keeps moving the folders and renaming them, so you'll need to find it yourself.

About the Piggy Plug-Ins Patch Plug-In:

The Macintosh? memory manager is relatively inefficient about dealing with large amounts of memory. Hence, when there is more than about 24 megabytes allocated to Adobe? Photoshop?, Photoshop will do its own management for all but about 12 megabytes or so of RAM. This improves the system performance when doing things like pulling down menus. It places limits, however, on the amount of memory available for plug-ins. For most plug-in modules this is not a problem.

Installing "Piggy Plug-Ins Patch" in your plug-ins folder disables Photoshop's built-in memory management. This means that the Macintosh memory manager has to wade through more memory and some operations may become slower. On the other hand, it also may be the only way certain plug-ins will run.

To install the Piggy Plug-Ins Patch:

1) Make sure the Adobe Photoshop application is not currently running.
2) Copy the Piggy Plug-Ins Patch into the Adobe Photoshop Plug-Ins folder.
3) Launch Photoshop. The Piggy Plug-Ins Patch will be loaded.

Q: Why are there no questions for Fantazm?

A: Fantazm is NEW!