Introducing Hollywood FX Filters

Hollywood Effects (HFX) is a popular plug-in integrated into Liquid Edition for both transitions (see Chapter 8) and filters. This plug-in offers a specific range of filters that are never going to be described as subtle. Using these filters is like holding a flashing neon sign that says, "yep, this is an impressive filter and I'm proud of it." If that's what you want, then with HFX filters, that's exactly what you're going to get.

Most HFX filters are real-time, meaning they display a preview version under a yellow slice, which must be rendered before you can export to DVD or tape. But some filters are slightly more complex and require rendering first. In these cases, they are marked with a small red ball in the bottom-left corner of the effects thumbnail.

There is also a range of filters that render with the word Pro displayed across them. To unlock these filters, you need to buy a Pro serial number from Pinnacle. You can do this online via their Web site www.pinnaclesys.com.

Adding a Hollywood FX Filter

You add a Hollywood FX filter the same way you add a normal filter; you just need to drag it from a different folder. HFX filters obey the same rules as normal filters and you can add them to any video clip on any Track, including titles and graphics.

Tip

• You can also stack HFX filters with normal filters, although their visual complexity may mean this isn't exceptionally practical or visually digestible.

To add a Hollywood FX filter

1.	Click the Lib tab in the Project Browser and open the Realtime Clip FX folder. Inside the Editor Rack, right at the bottom, is the HFX Filter Editor (Figure 9.86). Figure 9.86. The HFX filter is located at the bottom of the RT Clip FX Editors Rack.
2.	To apply this filer, drag and drop it to the required clip. Once it's applied, a yellow slice appears above the clip indicating the effect is real-time. By default, HFX displays the Fly-Away filter when it is first applied to a clip.

Editing a Hollywood FX Filter

Unlike the HFX transitions, no preset Hollywood FX filters are stored in the Project Browser Racks; however, a large number are inside the HFX interface. Once you've applied the HFX Filter, you can access any of these presets by opening the HFX Editor.

To open the Hollywood FX editor

Do one of the following:

• Double-click the purple line running along the top of the clip or click the filter symbol if it's visible.
  
  
• Right-click the clip and select FX Properties from the menu, then double-click the HFX Filter from the Clip FX Properties box.
  
  Once it's loaded, the HFX Editor loads, taking over the desktop (Figure 9.87).
  
  

  Figure 9.87. The HFX Editor.

  
  
  

Tip

• HFX has many fan sites; of particular interest is Mike Shaw's site (www.mikeshaw.co.uk). Mike has been running his popular HFX Web site for many years. On this site, he offers CD tutorials and a range of downloadable HFX presets, assuming, of course, you've already worked your way through all those that came with version 6 of Liquid Edition. One such tutorial expands greatly on the wedding book example shown briefly at the end of this chapter and another shows you how to create a "Beam me up, Scotty" effect. All good stuff.