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Knoll Light Factory for After Effect CS6 19: A Complete Guide
If you are looking for a way to add realistic and stunning lens flares to your videos, you might want to check out Knoll Light Factory. This plugin is designed by John Knoll, the chief creative officer of Industrial Light & Magic, and it allows you to create camera-inspired, photo-realistic lens flares for your visual effects and motion graphics projects.
Knoll Light Factory For After Effect Cs6 19
In this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about Knoll Light Factory for After Effect CS6 19, including what it is, how to install it, how to use it, and some tips and tricks to make the most out of it. By the end of this guide, you will be able to create amazing lens flares that will enhance your videos and impress your viewers.
What is Knoll Light Factory?
Knoll Light Factory is a 3D lens flare plugin that works with Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro. It was created by John Knoll, who is also the co-creator of Photoshop and the visual effects supervisor of Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar, and many other blockbuster movies.
Knoll Light Factory simulates the way light behaves when it passes through a camera lens. It allows you to create realistic lens flares that match the lighting and perspective of your scene. You can choose from over 200 presets that are inspired by real-world lenses and movies, or you can customize your own flares from scratch using a variety of tools and elements.
Knoll Light Factory is not only a visual effect, but also a storytelling tool. You can use it to create mood, atmosphere, emotion, tension, drama, or excitement in your videos. You can also use it to draw attention to a specific part of your scene, or to hide or reveal something in your footage.
A brief history of Knoll Light Factory
Knoll Light Factory was first released in 1995 as a Photoshop plugin. John Knoll developed it as a personal project to recreate the lens flares he saw in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He later used it in his own work as a visual effects artist at Industrial Light & Magic.
In 1999, Knoll partnered with Pinnacle Systems to release Knoll Light Factory as a standalone application for Windows. In 2001, he teamed up with Red Giant Software to release Knoll Light Factory as a plugin for After Effects. Since then, Knoll Light Factory has been updated several times with new features and improvements.
The latest version of Knoll Light Factory is 3.1.1, which was released in 2020. It supports After Effects CS6 19 and Premiere Pro CS6 19. It also runs on the GPU and is up to 42 times faster than the previous version.
The features and benefits of Knoll Light FactoryThe features and benefits of Knoll Light Factory
Knoll Light Factory is a powerful and versatile plugin that offers many features and benefits for After Effects users. Here are some of them:
It lets you create realistic and customizable lens flares that match the lighting and perspective of your scene.
It offers over 200 presets that are inspired by real-world lenses and movies, such as Star Wars, Blade Runner, Star Trek, and more.
It allows you to customize your own flares from scratch using a variety of tools and elements, such as glow, streak, spike, hoop, ring, polygon, iris, and more.
It supports 3D camera and light integration, which means you can move and rotate your flares in 3D space and sync them with your camera and light movements.
It runs on the GPU and is up to 42 times faster than the previous version, which means you can preview and render your flares in real time.
It works with After Effects CS6 19 and Premiere Pro CS6 19, which means you can use it in both your compositing and editing workflows.
It is compatible with other plugins and effects, such as Trapcode Particular, Optical Flares, Element 3D, Video Copilot Saber, and more.
With Knoll Light Factory, you can create stunning lens flares that will add realism, beauty, and drama to your videos.
How to install and activate Knoll Light Factory
To install and activate Knoll Light Factory, you need to follow these steps:
Download the installer from the Red Giant website. You can choose between the Mac or Windows version depending on your operating system.
Run the installer and follow the instructions on the screen. You will need to enter your email address and serial number to complete the installation. You can find your serial number in your Red Giant account or in your order confirmation email.
Launch After Effects or Premiere Pro and open a project. You will find Knoll Light Factory under the Effects menu. Drag and drop it onto a layer in your composition or timeline.
A dialog box will pop up asking you to activate Knoll Light Factory. Click on Activate and enter your serial number again. You will need an internet connection to activate the plugin.
Once activated, you can start using Knoll Light Factory in your project. You can also deactivate it if you need to use it on another computer. To do so, go to the Help menu in After Effects or Premiere Pro and select Deactivate Knoll Light Factory.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and activated Knoll Light Factory for After Effect CS6 19.
How to use Knoll Light Factory in After Effects
Now that you have installed and activated Knoll Light Factory, you are ready to use it in your After Effects project. In this section, you will learn how to use the interface and tools of Knoll Light Factory, how to create and customize lens flares with Knoll Light Factory, how to animate and control lens flares with Knoll Light Factory, and how to use presets and templates with Knoll Light Factory.
The interface and tools of Knoll Light Factory
When you apply Knoll Light Factory to a layer in After Effects, you will see a new panel called Knoll Flare Designer. This is where you can edit and customize your lens flares. The panel has three main sections: Presets Browser, Flare Editor, and Flare Elements.
Preset BrowserFlare EditorFlare Elements
This is where you can browse through over 200 presets that are organized into categories such as Anamorphic Flares, Cinematic Flares, Real Camera Flares, Sci-Fi Flares, etc. You can also search for presets by name or keyword. To apply a preset to your layer, simply double-click on it or drag and drop it onto the Flare Editor.This is where you can see a preview of your lens flare on your layer. You can also adjust the global parameters of your flare such as Position, Scale, Rotation, Brightness, Color, Blend Mode, etc. You can also use the on-screen controls to move and rotate your flare directly on the layer.This is where you can see the individual elements that make up your lens flare. Each element has its own parameters that you can tweak such as Shape, Size, Color, Intensity, Falloff, etc. You can also add or remove elements by clicking on the + and - buttons at the bottom of the panel. You can also reorder the elements by dragging and dropping them in the list.
The Knoll Flare Designer panel is dockable and resizable, so you can adjust it to your preference. You can also access it by clicking on the Edit button in the Effect Controls panel of After Effects.
How to create and customize lens flares with Knoll Light Factory
Creating and customizing lens flares with Knoll Light Factory is easy and fun. You can start from scratch or use a preset as a base. Here are the basic steps to follow:
Select a layer in your composition and apply Knoll Light Factory to it. You can do this by going to Effects > Red Giant > Knoll Light Factory, or by searching for Knoll Light Factory in the Effects & Presets panel.
Open the Knoll Flare Designer panel and choose a preset that suits your scene. You can browse through the categories or use the search function to find a preset. Double-click on the preset or drag and drop it onto the Flare Editor to apply it to your layer.
Adjust the global parameters of your flare such as Position, Scale, Rotation, Brightness, Color, Blend Mode, etc. You can do this by using the sliders and buttons in the Flare Editor, or by using the on-screen controls on your layer.
Customize the individual elements of your flare such as Shape, Size, Color, Intensity, Falloff, etc. You can do this by selecting an element in the Flare Elements list and tweaking its parameters. You can also add or remove elements by clicking on the + and - buttons at the bottom of the panel. You can also reorder the elements by dragging and dropping them in the list.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you are happy with your flare. You can also save your flare as a custom preset by clicking on the Save button at the top of the panel. You can name your preset and add a description and keywords for future reference.
Congratulations! You have created and customized your own lens flare with Knoll Light Factory.
How to animate and control lens flares with Knoll Light Factory
Animating and controlling lens flares with Knoll Light Factory is also easy and fun. You can use keyframes, expressions, or behaviors to make your flares move and react to your scene. Here are some ways to do it:
To animate the global parameters of your flare such as Position, Scale, Rotation, Brightness, Color, Blend Mode, etc., you can use keyframes or expressions in After Effects. Simply enable the stopwatch icon next to the parameter you want to animate and set keyframes at different points in time. You can also use expressions to link your parameters to other layers or properties in your composition.
To animate the individual elements of your flare such as Shape, Size, Color, Intensity, Falloff, etc., you can use keyframes or expressions in After Effects as well. Simply enable the stopwatch icon next to the parameter you want to animate and set keyframes at different points in time. You can also use expressions to link your parameters to other layers or properties in your composition.
To control your flare with a 3D camera or light in After Effects, you can use behaviors in Knoll Light Factory. Behaviors are presets that make your flare follow or react to a 3D camera or light movement automatically. To use behaviors, go to the Behaviors tab in the Flare Editor and choose a behavior from the list. You can also adjust some settings such as Offset, Falloff Distance, Falloff Power, etc.
With these methods, you can animate and control your lens flares with Knoll Light Factory and make them look more dynamic and realistic.
How to use presets and templates with Knoll Light Factory
Using presets and templates with Knoll Light Factory is another way to save time and get inspired. Presets are pre-made flares that you can apply to your layer with one click. Templates are pre-made compositions that include flares and other effects that you can customize and use in your project.
To use presets with Knoll Light Factory, you can go to the Presets Browser in the Flare Designer panel and choose a preset that suits your scene. You can browse through the categories or use the search function to find a preset. Double-click on the preset or drag and drop it onto the Flare Editor to apply it to your layer.
To use templates with Knoll Light Factory, you can go to File > Red Giant > Browse Presets in After Effects. This will open a new window where you can see a collection of templates that are organized into categories such as Cinematic Flares, Sci-Fi Flares, Text Flares, etc. You can also search for templates by name or keyword. To use a template, simply double-click on it or drag and drop it onto your project panel. You can then open the template composition and customize it to your liking.
With presets and templates, you can quickly and easily create stunning lens flares with Knoll Light Factory.
Tips and tricks for using Knoll Light Factory effectively
Knoll Light Factory is a powerful and versatile plugin that can help you create amazing lens flares for your videos. However, to use it effectively, you need to know some tips and tricks that can improve your workflow and results. Here are some of them:
How to optimize performance and speed with Knoll Light Factory
Knoll Light Factory runs on the GPU and is much faster than the previous version. However, if you want to optimize your performance and speed even more, you can do the following:
Use the Render Quality setting in the Flare Editor to adjust the quality and speed of your flare. You can choose between Draft, Normal, High, and Best. Draft is the fastest but lowest quality option, while Best is the slowest but highest quality option. You can use Draft for previewing and Best for final rendering.
Use the Resolution setting in the Flare Editor to adjust the resolution of your flare. You can choose between Full, Half, Quarter, or Custom. Full is the highest resolution option, while Quarter is the lowest resolution option. You can use a lower resolution for previewing and a higher resolution for final rendering.
Use the GPU Acceleration setting in the Flare Editor to enable or disable GPU acceleration for your flare. GPU acceleration is enabled by default and uses your graphics card to render your flare faster. However, if you have an older or weaker graphics card, you might want to disable GPU acceleration and use your CPU instead.
Use pre-rendering or pre-composing techniques in After Effects to render your flare as a separate layer or composition. This way, you can save time and resources by not having to render your flare every time you make changes to your main composition.
With these settings and techniques, you can optimize your performance and speed with Knoll Light Factory.
How to use edge reaction and lens textures with Knoll Light Factory
Edge reaction and lens textures are two features that can make your lens flares look more realistic and organic. Edge reaction makes your flare react to the edges of your layer, while lens textures add imperfections and details to your flare.
To use edge reaction with Knoll Light Factory, you need to do the following:
Select a layer in your composition that has some edges or contrast in it. For example, a layer with text, a logo, a silhouette, etc.
Apply Knoll Light Factory to the layer and choose a preset or create your own flare.
Go to the Behaviors tab in the Flare Editor and enable Edge Reaction. You will see a new parameter called Edge Reaction Threshold.
Adjust the Edge Reaction Threshold value to control how sensitive your flare is to the edges of your layer. A lower value means more sensitivity, while a higher value means less sensitivity.
You will see that your flare will dim or disappear when it crosses an edge in your layer. This creates a more natural and realistic effect.
To use lens textures with Knoll Light Factory, you need to do the following:
Select a layer in your composition and apply Knoll Light Factory to it. Choose a preset or create your own flare.
Go to the Lens Textures tab in the Flare Editor. You will see a list of textures that you can apply to your flare.
Select a texture from the list and enable it by clicking on the checkbox next to it. You will see a new parameter called Texture Amount.
Adjust the Texture Amount value to control how much of the texture is applied to your flare. A higher value means more texture, while a lower value means less texture.
You will see that your flare will have some imperfections and details that make it look more like a real lens flare.
With edge reaction and lens textures, you can make your lens flares look more realistic and organic with Knoll Light Factory.
How to use cinematic flares and photo-real effects with Knoll Light Factory
Cinematic flares and photo-real effects are two features that can make Cinematic flares and photo-real effects are two features that can make your lens flares look more professional and artistic. Cinematic flares are flares that are inspired by movies and TV shows, such as Star Wars, Blade Runner, Star Trek, and more. Photo-real effects are effects that mimic the behavior of real cameras and lenses, such as chromatic aberration, lens distortion, lens dirt, and more.
To use cinematic flares with Knoll Light Factory, you can do the following:
Select a layer in your composition and apply Knoll Light Factory to it.
Go to the Presets Browser in the Flare Designer panel and choose a category that matches the style of your scene. For example, if you want a sci-fi flare, you can choose Sci-Fi Flares.
Choose a preset from the category that suits your scene. You can preview the preset by hovering over it or clicking on it. You can also search for presets by name or keyword.
Double-click on the preset or drag and drop it onto the Flare Editor to apply it to your layer.
Adjust the global parameters and individual elements of your flare as needed.
To use photo-real effects with Knoll Light Factory, you can do the following:
Select a layer in your composition and apply Knoll Light Factory to it.
Go to the Photo-Real tab in the Flare Editor. You will see a list of effects that you can apply to your flare.
Select an effect from the list and enable it by clicking on the checkbox next to it. You will see some parameters that you can tweak for the effect.
Adjust the parameters as needed to achieve the desired effect. For example, if you want to add chromatic aberration to your flare, you can adjust the Aberration Amount and Aberration Angle values.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for any other effects that you want to apply to your flare.
With cinematic flares and photo-real effects, you can create professional and artistic lens flares with Knoll Light Factory.
How to integrate Knoll Light Factory with other plugins and effects
Knoll Light Factory is compatible with other plugins and effects that you can use in After Effects. You can combine them to create more complex and creative results. Here are some examples of plugins and effects that you can use with Knoll Light Factory:
Trapcode Particular: This is a plugin that lets you create organic 3D particle effects such as fire, smoke, water, snow, etc. You can use Knoll Light Factory to add lens flares to your particles and make them look more realistic and dynamic.
Optical Flares: This is another plugin that lets you create realistic lens flares. You can use Knoll Light Factory to enhance or modify your Optical Flares or vice versa. You can also use both plugins together to create more diverse and unique flares.
Element 3D: This is a plugin that lets you import and render 3D objects in After Effects. You can use Knoll Light Factory to add lens flares to your 3D objects and make them look more integrated and realistic.
Video Copilot Saber: This is a plugin that lets you create energy-based effects such as light sabers, lasers, neon lights, etc. You can use Knoll Light Factory to add lens flares to your Saber effects and make them look more powerful and dramatic.
To integrate Knoll Light Factory with other plugins and effects, you need to do the foll