Setting Up the Nodes and Media to Pull a Key

To pull a key, you must first set up your composite in the Modular Keyer.

There three ways to set up the composite in the Modular Keyer:

• From the Timeline, through the Action Timeline FX.
• From the Timeline through Batch FX.
• From the Tools menu.

To set up the composite in the Modular Keyer from the Timeline through the Action Timeline FX:

1. Select the track you want to key, and add an Action Timeline FX.

   The track below the selected track is taken as the Background.

2. Double-click the Action entry in the FX ribbon, or click the Editor button to enter Action.
3. In Action, click the Media button to display the Media menu.
4. Double-click the K field in the front/matte row to enter the Modular Keyer.

   The 3D Keyer processing pipeline appears. The 3D Keyer is the default keyer.

   Note: Once inside the Modular Keyer, the Modular Keyer node bin is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Though very similar to the Batch FX Node bin, the Modular Keyer node bin contains only nodes that are relevant for keying. To return to Batch FX view, click Return.
5. Use the desired Start Mode, and create your key.

To set up the composite in the Modular Keyer from the Timeline through Batch FX :

1. From the timeline, select the segment you want to use as your front.
2. Click FX and select Create Batch FX

   You are taken to the Batch FX view. The schematic is displayed and your front clip is connected to the output node.

3. From the Batch FX node bin, drag the Modular Keyer node between the front clip and the output node and release it when the connection goes from red to yellow.

   The front clip is connected to the front (red) input of the Modular Keyer node, which is connected to the output node.

4. Double-click the back (green) input of the Modular Keyer node.

   You are taken to the Viewing panel and the cursor becomes green and prompts you to select a back clip.

5. In the Viewing panel or the Media panel, click on the clip you want as your back.

   The cursor becomes blue and prompts you to select a matte clip.

6. In the Viewing panel or the Media panel, click on the clip you want as your matte.

   You are taken back to the Batch FX schematic and your front, back and matte clips are connected to the front, back and matte inputs of the Modular Keyer node. You are ready to start creating your key.

7. Double-click the Modular Keyer node.
8. Click the Edit button that appears at the bottom of the screen.

   The 3D Keyer processing pipeline appears with your front, back and matte clips connected to the front, back and matte inputs of the 3D Keyer.. The 3D Keyer is the default keyer.

   Note: Once inside the Modular Keyer, the Modular Keyer node bin is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Though very similar to the Batch FX Node bin, the Modular Keyer node bin contains only nodes that are relevant for keying. To return to Batch FX view, click Return.
9. Double-click the 3D Keyer node to display the 3D Keyer menu at the bottom of the screen.
10. Select the desired Start Mode, and create your key.

To set up the composite in the Modular Keyer from the Tools menu:

1. Select the Tools tab, on the bottom of the window.

   The Tools menu is displayed.

2. Under the Composite tab, click Modular Keyer.

   The cursor becomes red and prompts you to select a front clip.

3. From the Media panel or the Viewing panel, click the clip you want as your front.

   The cursor becomes green and prompts you to select a back clip.

4. From the Media panel or the Viewing panel, click the clip you want as your back.

   The cursor becomes blue and prompts you to select a matte clip.

5. From the Media panel or the Viewing panel, click the clip you want as your back.

   The cursor becomes white and prompts you to select a render location in your workspace for your resulting key.

6. Click on a grey area of the Viewing panel or in a folder in the Media panel to select the render location.
   You are taken inside the Modular Keyer and the 3D Keyer processing pipeline is displayed, with your front, back and matte clips connected to the front, back and matte inputs of the 3D Keyer. The 3D Keyer is the default keyer.

   Note: Once inside the Modular Keyer, the Modular Keyer node bin is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Though very similar to the Batch FX Node bin, the Modular Keyer node bin contains only nodes that are relevant for keying. To return to Batch FX view, click Return.
7. Double-click the 3D Keyer node to display the 3D Keyer menu at the bottom of the screen.
8. Select the desired Start Mode, and create your key.
   Note: You can also access the Modular Keyer, as well as all the other Keyers in the application through Batch, where each Keyer is represented as an effects node. See Using Batch and ConnectFX.

After you have set up the nodes and media, set up the viewports for keying.