Create complex shapes from simple transforms and use expressions in DaVinci Resolve / Fusion for customizable effects.
Creating masks and transforms is easy, getting the shapes and animation patterns you desire for motion graphics can be tricky.
In this tutorial, I am creating a Kaleidoscope effect. A Kaleidoscope is an optical device that creates interesting symmetrical patterns via an assembly of mirrors. With Fusion, you can build your own mirrors with a smart combination of masks and transforms.
This tutorial will help you gain experience in creating custom shapes and transformations and you will see how you can tie tools together through simple expressions. I also touch-base on the concept of ”Domain of Definition” which helps understand how and why certain tools can work beyond the boundary of the visible frame and how you can use this to your advantage.
Last but not least, you get a funny, playful effect and hopefully some new creative ideas for your next projects.
Great Tutorial.
There should be a tool (Mirror PFX), but I did not find it. The OpenFX Mirrortool has 6 mirrors, but I find this solution far better.
At first I had problems getting the second caleidoscope to work. When connecting to the MediaOut or even when displaying on a viewer, the viewers froze, all thumbernails were gray and playback was no longer possible.
I finally found out that the blocking problem could be solved by connecting a medium to the MediaOut.
The kaleidoscope only worked for me (16.1.2) when I put all the transform nodes on flatten.
Unfortunately the behavior is not stable. After a crash, the blockade is active again and every Fusion Composition with the Caleidoscope is put into operation again.
Now that I read my comment again, I have to admit that it sounds very cryptic.
Explanation: I loaded the package of the tutorial and saved a setting file for a small kaleidoscope film. Davinci was blocked while generating some kaleidoscopes (all media grayed out, no play) After a few helpless clicks around the program crashed. Then I recreated the Kaleidsokop on foot, but had the same problem. After I switched the kaleidoscope transform node to flatten, I thought I had found the cause, but then Davinci sporadically blocked it again (no viewer output, the Thumbernails are gray and no more play possible). Then I found out that I can remove the blockage by attaching a MediaIn to the MediaOut instead of the kaleidoscope. If I switch the kaleidoscope back to the MediaOut (sometimes I had to repeat the process) everything was fine again. I was even able to continue editing my film for a very long time. But after a crash the problem was there again and I had to touch every kaleidoscope node. So I rendered the kaleidoscope nodes and used the result.
Now I have replaced the transform node that forms the two rectangles into a triangle with a merge node and so far there was no blockage – touch wood.