My xw8000 has passed on the the great recycler in the sky and while I wait for corporate purchasing wheels to turn I have time on my hands...and a question.  I would like to use a vignette, a dark soft edge mask effect, on a series of head shots.  Each shot is different and I would like to have each mask look slighly different.  I could probably use a simple wipe but was looking for something I could customize a bit more, perhaps an irregular shape.  I am brand new to MC having just upgraded from Xpress (very smoothly I might add).   Your thoughts welcome.

Kevin

use the Paint Effect from the image section of the effect palette.  Draw a solid black box that fills the screen.  then draw an oval (or any shape you like) and set that shape to "erase" (it's a drop down menu in the effect editor).  then adjust the feathering to create the softness you want.

play and experiment until you like it.

Hi Kevin,

The Paint effect is what you want.  Draw a black solid square over the entire frame, then put a circle on top of that, covering the center of the screen but not covering the corners, and set the mode to erase.  This will leave the corners black.  Then set the feathering on the circle to soften the edges of the erased area.

You could use the same technique to do however many different mask shapes you want, using other shapes in place of the circle.

good luck,
Carl 

{EDIT} Must.  Type.  Faster.

camoscato:

{EDIT} Must.  Type.  Faster.

You're just spending too much time correctly capitalizing and punctuating your sentences. Come, this is the internet! None of that is needed.  

Animatte also creates nice vignettes

mr_difficult:

camoscato:

{EDIT} Must.  Type.  Faster.

You're just spending too much time correctly capitalizing and punctuating your sentences. Come, this is the internet! None of that is needed.  

 hey you're right mr_difficult youre example is also right on the money too must type faster is every bit as funny as must type faster cool thats what ill do from now on too no more punctuation capitalisation or diacriticals in fact yor poynt abowt rite speling iz gud to

 Before anyone posts, yes I realise that mr_difficult was being funny.  End of hijack.