Shading (Adding a shadow to an object in a track while there's another track as a background)

Suggestion
1

**Is there shading (adding shadow) to a clip? In case there are 2 tracks in the timeline and I need to add shadow to an object in the second track while the background is transparent, not shading text. If not please add it. I haven’t seen a feature like that in any of the tutorial videos out there, thanks! **

2

You can create a shadow for an object.

image

V4 has a png with a transparent background. Size and position filter set to fit, center, middle.

V3 has the same png. Size and position offset by 15 x and 15 y. Brightness filter set to 0. And a blur at 5 px by 5 px.

V2 has a blue color clip for the background.

image

3 Likes
3

@sauron, good idea! Simple and effective. :smiley:

4

Thanks for this! I figured out the duplication part on my own though I couldn’t find a way to soften the darkened duplicate, which is important for shadows.

1 Like
5

I think blur could help a bit, don’t know if there is lens blur, but if it is available, then it might be the best choice to soften the shadow.

6

Instead of using ‘Brightness’ you can also use ‘Color Grading’ with your each of your settings (Shadows, Midtones and Highlights) in the black.

As far as I can tell the effect is the same.

7

As far as ‘lens blur’ goes, I don’t think so.

1 Like
8

I don’t know if it will be that good for shadows in shotcut, but hitfilm makes the shadow softer, So I thought that it will help.

And lens blur gives a camera blur, that means it is giving a type of blur that you see in cameras, which looks more realistic.

9

To give a smooth blur to a shadow, I use the Alpha Channel: Adjust filter instead of the Blur filters. I also add an Opacity filter to adjust the darkness of the shadow.

4 Likes
10

That’s interesting.

11

Try it when you can and let me know if this works well for you.

1 Like
12

I like this shadow effect! It’s more defined, while still being soft, than what I was doing prior, which I like.

1 Like