Translating PS effects into FCP

[Mark Thorpe]

Hi Guys,
Just wondering how one could locate the characteristics of a filter application if the auto function has been applied to an image in Photoshop CS.

For example if I have a video still for example, I take that into PS and apply an 'Auto Curve' or 'Auto Levels' adjustment to it how can I then find those parameters and simulate them to the footage in FCP?

Just starting to get a bit bonkers crazy with some editing and was thinking to jazz up some underwater stuff for some ideas I have been knocking around in this pressure damaged airspace I call my head.

Cheers,
Mark.

[Nick Shaw]

If instead of doing "auto levels" you use the ordinary "levels" dialogue box, and press the "auto" button, you can then read off the values. They are not on the main levels setting, but rather individually set for R,G & B (go through them in the dropdown at the top of the dialogue box.) Auto in the curves dialog just takes the same high and low values that auto levels does. It does not automatically apply any curvature, as that is a creative choce.

The trouble then is that you can't use those numbers directly with FCP's levels filter, as it works differently and is IMHO a bit crap. There are quite a few other levels filters for FCP availble, including Graeme Nattress' one [LINK]. I thoroughly recommend all Graeme's plugins.

[Paul Coleman]

Yep, I don't think it will translate from Photoshop. You'd be better off doing it inside After Effects in YCbCr. (Color Finesse) Or you could set up a look in Photoshop, then try to emulate it with FCP's 3-way Color Corrector.

[Ivan G]

Or you can use After Effects and then convert to FCP using automatic duck