Blackmagicdesign Smart Remote 4, Ultimatte 12 Operation Manual
Operations Manual
Ultimatte 12
November 2017
English,
Español, 中文, Русский
日本語, Français, Deutsch,
Português.
and
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English 3
日本語 67
Français 132
Deutsch 197
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English
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing your Blackmagic Ultimatte 12.
Ultimatte has been the premiere keyer used in the film and television industries for decades and
no other keyer comes close to the performance that Ultimatte can achieve. It’s powerful enough to
handle fine detail on key edges as well as retaining stronger colors, even when those foreground
colors are close to the key color. Even uneven green and blue screen backdrops can be handled.
However, what makes Ultimatte so powerful is its ability to map shadows onto the new background
layer combined with its color spill management that lets you create extremely realistic environments.
In many ways, Ultimatte is much more than a keyer as it’s really a real time advanced compositor for
creating photorealistic virtual environments. Ultimatte lets you move your talent to any location at
the click of a button and the results look real.
Ultimatte 12 is the latest model of Ultimatte and this new model includes entirely new algorithms and
color science, incredible edge handling, greater color separation, amazing color fidelity and better
spill suppression than previous models.
The new Ultimatte 12 is also Ultra HD as it includes advanced 12G-SDI design, however the 12G-SDI
connections also switch between all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p60. This means
Ultimatte 12 has the flexibility to work in HD today but then switch to Ultra HD whenever you need.
This instruction manual contains information you need to get started with Ultimatte 12 as well as
alsocontaining detailed instructions on how to operate Ultimatte 12 from the Smart Remote 4
control panel.
Also, please check the support page on our website at www.blackmagicdesign.com for the latest
version of this manual and for updates to your Blackmagic Ultimatte 12’s software. Keeping your
software up to date will ensure you get all the latest features! We are continually working on new
features and improvements, so we would love to hear from you!
Grant Petty
CEO Blackmagic Design
3
Contents
Contents
Ultimatte 12
Getting Started 6
Plugging in Power 6
To power Ultimatte 12 6
To power Smart Remote 4 6
Connecting the Smart Remote
4 to your Ultimatte 7
Turning On the Smart Remote 4 8
The Smart Remote 4 Status Bar 9
Selecting the Ultimatte Main Unit 9
Connecting Video Sources and Outputs 10
Monitor Cascade Feature 11
Setting an Auto Composite
using the File Clear Button 11
Connecting Sources and Outputs 12
SDI Inputs 12
SDI Outputs 12
What is a Matte? 13
Types of Mattes 13
Controlling Ultimatte with
SmartRemote 4 15
The Control Panel Layout 15
Main Menu Buttons 15
Information and File Control 15
Groups 16
Functions 16
Status Bar 17
Monitor Out 17
Connecting to a network 18
Setting the IP Address for Ultimatte 12 18
Setting the IP Address for your
Smart Remote 4 18
Setting the Main Unit’s IP
Address on Smart Remote 4 19
Ultimatte Compositing Workflow 19
Quick Guide to Building a Composite 20
Setting the Foreground Backing Color 20
Setting Screen Correction 20
Setting the Matte Density 21
Changing Settings 22
Adjusting Matte Controls 22
Matte Density 22
Black Gloss 22
Red, Green and Blue Density 22
Matte Reset 22
Clean Up Settings 23
Veil Settings 24
Shadow Level and Shadow Threshold 24
Matte Process/Screen Correction 24
Matte Correct Horizontal Size 25
Matte Correct Vertical Size 25
Screen Sample 25
Filter 26
Matte Reset 27
Cursor Position Last 27
Auto Screen Sample 27
Adjusting Foreground Flare Controls 27
Flare 1 Settings 28
Flare 2 Settings 28
Flare Reset 28
Advanced Flare 28
Adjusting Foreground Ambiance Controls 29
Making Foreground
Ambiance Changes 29
Ambiance 1 Settings 29
Adjusting Brightness, Color,
Contrast and Saturation 30
White Level Master 30
Black Level Master 30
Contrast Master 30
Saturation Master 30
Advanced Contrast Crossover Master 31
Fade Control 31
Color Correcting Black and
White Levels 31
Adjusting Color Contrast
and Saturation 31
Color Reset 31
Source Freeze Button 31
Additional Background Settings 32
Background Filter 32
Background Gradient 32
Test Signal 32
Additional Layer Settings 32
Test Signal 32
Layer Input 32
Layer Input Realistic/Linear/Additive 32
Matte Input Settings 33
Background Matte 33
Garbage Matte 33
Holdout Matte 33
Layer Matte 33
Window 33
Transition Rate 34
Setting the Layer Order 34
Configure Settings 35
Inputs 35
Outputs 35
On Air Settings 37
Setting Up a GPI Event List 39
GPIO Pinout 40
Monitor Out Settings 40
Monitor Setting Buttons 40
Saving and Loading Preset Files 43
Customizing the Menus 45
Updating the Internal Software 46
Updating your Smart Remote 4 46
Uninstalling Ultimatte SR4 v1.0.5 47
Developer Information 52
Controlling Ultimatte using Telnet 52
Blackmagic Ultimatte 12 Ethernet Protocol 53
Help 64
Regulatory Notices and
SafetyInformation 65
Warranty 66
Contents
Getting Started
LOOP
IN
LOOPINLOOP
IN
LOOPINLOOP
IN
GPIO BG FGBG MATTE
LOOPINLOOP
IN
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
USB
ETHERNET
OUT
IN
REF FILL MATTE
121
2
1
2
PGM
1
2
TALENT
OUT
IN
MONITOR
LOOP
IN
AC IN G MATTE
INPUTS
OUTPUTS
Getting started with your Blackmagic Ultimatte 12 is as simple as plugging in power, connecting
your foreground, background and layer SDI video sources, and plugging the SDI outputs into
video equipment such as a switcher, monitor or recording deck.
This section of the manual will show you everything you need to know to get started using your
Blackmagic Ultimatte 12.
Plugging in Power
To power Ultimatte 12
Plug a standard IEC power cable into any of the two power inputs on the rear panel.
NOTE Blackmagic Ultimatte 12 is equipped with two power supplies. This means you
can connect an alternative power supply for redundancy. Ultimatte 12 will automatically
switch to the second power source if your main power source fails.
Plug power into any of the two power inputs on the main unit’s rear panel.
To control your Ultimatte 12 main unit, you will need to connect to a Smart Remote 4 control
panel. Up to 8 Ultimatte 11 or Ultimatte 12 main units can be can be controlled by a single
SmartRemote 4 control panel.
To power Smart Remote 4
Plug the included power adapter into the DC power input on the rear panel. The screw ring is
used to secure the connector to the port.
Plug the power adapter into Smart Remote 4’s power input
66Getting Started
TIP The power adapter’s outside screw ring also serves as the negative contact,
with the positive contact being the center pin of the connector. If you want to secure a
ground connection to the chassis of your Smart Remote 4, you can attach it to the
terminal lug located next to the power input.
Connecting the Smart Remote 4 to your Ultimatte
Connect the Smart Remote 4 to your Ultimatte 12 via Ethernet using a standard CAT 5e or CAT
6 Ethernet cable. We recommend using a CAT 6 shielded cable as it will prevent any potential
interference from nearby equipment.
USB
AC IN G MATTE
REF FILL MATTE
ETHERNET
OUT
IN
GPIO BG FGBG MATTE
LOOPINLOOP
LOOP
IN
IN
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
LOOPINLOOP
LOOP
IN
IN
PGM
INPUTS
LOOPINLOOP
1
IN
2
121
TALENT
MONITOR
OUTPUTS
1
OUT
2
2
IN
Plug your Ultimatte main unit into the Smart Remote 4’s left side Ethernet port using a CAT6 Ethernet cable
The Ultimatte 12 main unit has a default IP address of 192.168.10.220. If you are using a new
smart remote with your Ultimatte 12, then the smart remote will automatically detect the main
unit so you won’t need to change any IP settings.
If you are connecting an Ultimatte 12 to a network that uses a different IP address, subnet mask
and router, you can change the IP settings for your Ultimatte to suit your network. Refer to the
‘connecting to a network’ section for more information.
77Getting Started
TIP If you are adding an Ultimatte 12 to an existing system that includes Ultimatte 11,
SMART REMOTE 4
SMART REMOTE 4
MATTE
CLEAN UP
LEVEL
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
0% 100%
0%
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
PGM
OUT
FG
IN
BG
IN
COMBINED
MATTE
INTERNAL
MATTE
FILL
OUT
FUNCTIONS
MONITOR OUT
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
RED DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
you will need to update your Smart Remote 4 to the latest SR4 internal software.
Refer to the ‘updating your Smart Remote 4’ section for more information.
Turning On the Smart Remote 4
To turn the smart remote on, press the power button located at the top left corner of the
control panel.
ONLINE / ON AIR
1 2 3 4
UNITS
5 6 7 8
ALT
1 2 3 4 5
QUICK LOAD
QUICK SAVE
FILE
CLEAR
When power is activated, the power button will illuminate blue and the smart
remote will initiate the software start up sequence
At its heart, Smart Remote 4 is a small portable computer running the Windows® operating
system. When the start up sequence is complete, the Ultimatte control software will launch
andthe control panel will appear on the touchscreen.
The status bar near the bottom of the touchscreen will prompt you to select an Ultimatte
main unit.
SMART REMOTE 4
When the Smart Remote 4 start up sequence is complete, the Ultimatte control
software will launch and the status bar will prompt you to select an Ultimatte main unit
88Getting Started
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FUNCTIONS
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
FUNCTIONS
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
SMART REMOTE 4
ONLINE / ON AIR
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
UNITS
SMART REMOTE 4
MATTE
MATTE MENU
CLEAN UP
LEVEL
SHADOW
LEVEL
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
CURSOR POS
AUTO SCREEN
FUNCTIONS
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
0% 100%
0%
BLUE DENSITY
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
The Smart Remote 4 Status Bar
You can see all the Ultimatte units being controlled by your smart remote by glancing at the
status bar on the touchscreen. Up to 8 units can be controlled, and each unit icon will illuminate
green when identified on your network. When a unit is selected for control, the icon will
illuminate blue. For more information on how to set up and control multiple units over a network,
refer to the ‘connecting to a network’ section.
Refer to the ‘connecting to a network’ section for information about how to set
up and control multiple Ultimatte units on your network
TIP If your Ultimatte 12 is connected to the Smart Remote 4 but its unit indicator is not
illuminated in the status bar, check your IP settings are configured correctly for the main
unit and Smart Remote 4. Refer to ‘connecting to a network’ for more information.
Selecting the Ultimatte Main Unit
With the Ultimatte unit icon illuminated green in the status bar, you can now select that unit to
control. Simply press the corresponding unit button on the left side of the control panel.
When selected, the unit button will illuminate blue and the touchscreen will now reveal all the
controls for that unit.
CLEAN UP
MATTE
ONLINE / ON AIR
1 2 3 4
UNITS
5 6 7 8
ALT
1 2 3 4 5
QUICK LOAD
QUICK SAVE
FILE
CLEAR
Press a unit button to select the desired Ultimatte main unit you want to control
LEVEL
0%
0% 100%
SHADOW
LEVEL
100%
100% 200%
SHADOW
THRESHOLD
100%
0% 100%
SMART REMOTE 4
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MAIN MENUS
MATTE MENU
GROUPS
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
1
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
PGM
OUTFGINBGIN
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
CUSTOM
MENUS
FUNCTIONS
MONITOR OUT
COMBINED
CURSOR POS
LAST
INTERNAL
MATTE
MATTE
MATTE
MONITOR
OUT
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FILL
OUT
MATTE DENSITY
0%
-100% 300%
BLACK GLOSS
0%
0% 100%
BLUE DENSITY
100%
0% 100%
RED DENSITY
100%
0% 100%
99Getting Started
Connecting Video Sources and Outputs
LOOP
IN
LOOPINLOOP
IN
LOOPINLOOP
IN
LOOP
IN
LOOP
IN
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
1
2
1
2
1
2
PGM
1
2
TALENT
OUT
IN
MONITOR
LOOP
IN
INPUTS
OUTPUTS
With power connected and both units running, you can now plug your SDI video sources into
the BNC inputs, and plug your switcher, monitor and recording equipment into the BNC outputs.
The SDI input sources will generally be made up of your background, foreground, mattes and
any additional layers required to create your composite. Each input has its own loop output so
you can connect each source to a monitor or recording equipment.
Ultimatte 12 has resynchronizers on each input, so you don’t need to genlock all your sources.
The foreground source provides the reference, and all other inputs will automatically lock to that
input. However, an analog reference input is provided if you want to sync all sources to an
external reference source.
NOTE The foreground input determines the video format for all other inputs.
For example, if you have 2160p59.94 video connected to the foreground input, ensure
that all of your sources have 2160p59.94 video connected to their respective inputs.
Ultimatte will detect a level A or level B 3G-SDI input automatically. The output is set to
level B by default, but you can change it to level A if needed.
To change the 3G-SDI output to level A or B:
1 Go to the ‘configure’ menu on your Smart Remote 4.
2 Tap on the ‘system’ button.
A window will appear with checkboxes for level A and Level B 3G-SDI.
3 Tap the desired level checkbox, then tap ‘apply’ to confirm the setting.
Tap ‘close’ to exit the window.
USB
AC IN G MATTE
REF FILL MATTE
ETHERNET
OUT
IN
GPIO BG FGBG MATTE
LOOPINLOOP
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
LOOP
LOOPINLOOP
LOOP
IN
IN
IN
IN
PGM
INPUTS
LOOPINLOOP
1
IN
2
121
TALENT
MONITOR
OUTPUTS
1
OUT
2
2
IN
The SDI outputs on the right side of the rear panel let you connect the final composite output to
a switcher. You can also monitor each fill and matte output, plus connect the talent output to a
monitor so the talent can see the composited output in your studio or on location.
TIP The loop outputs are helpful when making a fast assessment of all your sources
and associated mattes. For example, connecting each loop output to a multiview via an
ATEM switcher, or a Blackmagic MultiView 16 is a powerful way to monitor all your
sources simultaneously.
For more information about all the inputs and outputs on your Ultimatte, refer to the ‘connecting
sources and outputs’ section of this manual.
1010Getting Started
Monitor Cascade Feature
SMART REMOTE 4
The powerful monitor cascade feature lets you view the monitor output from up to 8 Ultimatte 12
units via one single unit.
8 Ultimatte 12 units can be daisy chained via their monitor inputs and outputs, with the last unit
plugged into a monitor. Then when you select any of the 8 units on your smart remote to control,
the monitor output for that particular unit can be viewed from the monitor output on the last unit.
TIP To enable the monitor cascade feature on the touchscreen control panel, tap on
the ‘info’ icon in the files and information section, and check the ‘monitor cascade’
checkbox in the ‘options’ tab.
Below is an example showing how 2 Ultimatte 12 units are daisy chained for cascade monitoring.
USB
AC IN G MATTE
ETHERNET
GPIO BG FGBG MATTE
REF FILL MATTE
OUT
IN
LOOPINLOOP
LOOPINLOOPINLOOP
LOOP
IN
IN
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
PGM
INPUTS
LOOPINLOOP
IN
IN
2
TALENT
MONITOR
OUTPUTS
12121
1
OUT
2
IN
USB
AC IN G MATTE
ETHERNET
ONLINE/ ON AIR
1 2 3 4
UNITS
5 6 7 8
QUICK LOAD
QUICK SAVE
FILE
CLEAR
ALT
1 2 3 4 5
GPIO BG FGBG MATTE
REF FILL MATTE
OUT
IN
LOOPINLOOP
CLEAN UP
MATTE
LEVEL
0%
0% 100%
SCREEN
SAMPLE
SHADOW
LEVEL
MATTE
RESET
100%
100% 200%
1
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
SHADOW
THRESHOLD
PGM
100%
0% 100%
OUTFGINBGIN
SMART REMOTE 4
LAYER LAYER MATTEH MATTE
LOOPINLOOPINLOOP
IN
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
PROCESS
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
LOOPINLOOP
LOOP
IN
IN
IN
MAIN MENUS
MATTE MENU
GROUPS
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
CUSTOM
MONITOR
MENUS
OUT
FUNCTIONS
CURSOR POS
LAST
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
MONITOR OUT
COMBINED
INTERNAL
MATTE
MATTE
PGM
INPUTS
2
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FILL
OUT
12121
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
RED DENSITY
0% 100%
TALENT
MONITOR
OUTPUTS
1
OUT
2
IN
0%
0%
100%
100%
INPUT DISP
H/V
BLUE
ZOOM PEAK
DELAY3DLUT 1
ONLY
3D
LUT 2HMARKVMARK
With cascade monitoring, you can monitor the output of the currently
active unit being controlled by your Smart Remote 4
For more information on cascade monitoring, refer to the ‘configure settings/monitor
cascade’ section.
Setting an Auto Composite using the File Clear Button
With all your inputs and outputs connected, Ultimatte 12 will perform an automatic composite.
This is a starting composite that is set by default based on all your connected sources.
Thisstarting composite can be reset at any time by pressing the ‘file clear’ button.
NOTE The file clear button will set an automatic composite with green selected as the
backing color by default. If you are using a different backing color, for example red or
blue, then you will need to set your Ultimatte to use that color. Refer to the ‘quick guide
to building a composite’ section for more information.
If your lighting is optimized and your green screen environment has been carefully set up, the
automatic composite generated by Ultimatte can be all you need to achieve the desired effects.
You can now refine the background, foreground, and layer settings if you need to, and
generally finesse your composite to make the illusion of combining the virtual and live action
even more convincing!
Please keep reading this manual for more information on how to use all the settings and
features on your Ultimatte 12.
1111Getting Started
Connecting Sources and Outputs
Each source input used in a composite should be carefully planned, so the elements that build
your shot can be arranged into specific layers. Each source should be connected to its
determined source input so you always know where everything is, and you can manage your
composite more effectively.
SDI Inputs
Background Input
Plug the background image into the BG IN connector. This is the image you want to use as the
background for your composite.
Background Matte Input
If you want to extract a section of the background to use as a foreground element, plug the
background matte source into the BG MATTE IN connector.
TIP Refer to the next section of the manual to find more information on the different
mattes you can use, including how to extract an element from the background to
composite over the foreground using a background matte.
Garbage Matte Input
Plug a source containing an externally generated garbage matte into the G MATTE IN
connector.
Foreground Input
Plug the foreground image you want to composite over the top of the background into the
FG IN connector. The foreground image is typically the talent in front of a green screen.
Holdout Matte Input
Plug a source containing an externally generated holdout matte into the H MATTE IN connector.
Layer Input
The layer input is for any additional video or graphics you want to add to your composite.
Layer Matte Input
Similar to other matte inputs, this input lets you connect an externally generated matte so you
can precisely add the layer input source into your composite.
SDI Outputs
Below is a description of each output on your Ultimatte 12 main unit.
Source Loop Outputs
Each source input has its own dedicated loop SDI output.
Program Outputs 1 and 2
Plug a program output, marked PGM into an SDI switcher or recording deck, for example an
ATEM switcher or HyperDeck Disk Recorder.
Fill Outputs 1 and 2
Plug the fill outputs into a recording deck, and into a switcher for final compositing.
Matte Outputs 1 and 2
Plug the matte outputs into a recording deck, and into a switcher for final compositing.
The matte output includes the internal matte, plus the garbage matte and holdout matte
if enabled.
12Connecting Sources and Outputs
Talent Out 1 and 2
The talent output lets your talent monitor the final composite so he or she can position
themselves in the frame and coordinate their actions to the composited image.
TIP The talent output has a ‘mirror’ setting that lets you flip the talent output
horizontally. Using this feature, the talent can see his or her positioning without needing
to compensate for reversed camera left and right staging. Refer to the ‘configure
settings/talent mirror’ section for more information.
Monitor Output
Plug the monitor output marked MONITOR OUT into a monitor or recording deck. This
connector isalso used for daisy chaining to other Ultimatte 12 units when using the powerful
monitor cascade feature. Refer to the ‘configure settings’ section for more information.
Monitor Input
The monitor input is important for daisy chaining to other Ultimatte 12 units when using the
powerful monitor cascade feature. Refer to the ‘configure settings’ section for more information.
What is a Matte?
Before looking at how to use all the features and settings on your Ultimatte, it’s worth
taking a moment to look at the types of mattes you can use, and how they are arranged in
your composite.
When a section of an image is intended to be composited over another image, it requires an
accompanying matte, either generated internally by Ultimatte, or supplied via an external
source. A matte is also known as an ‘alpha’, or ‘key’, and is displayed as a grayscale image.
The matte determines what will be visible in the accompanying source image that is being
composited. The source image to be composited is called the ‘fill’.
Black regions in the matte will allow those regions in the corresponding ‘fill’ image to be visible
in the composited output, and any areas that are white will be cut out, or removed, showing the
image behind it. Variations of gray means those areas of the corresponding fill image will be
partially transparent.
Types of Mattes
Different matte types are used for specific purposes, to separate areas of the corresponding
image into foreground and background elements, or to include or exclude sections of the matte
you want to keep or discard.
Below is a description of the types of mattes used.
Background Matte
The background matte is a powerful way to extract a section from the background and place it
over the foreground.
For example, you may have a virtual set as your background image. Inside the virtual set is a
row of tall marble pillars. Using a background matte that precisely matches the pillars in your
virtual set, you can extract the pillars from the background and the talent can walk behind them.
This is an excellent way to create a foreground element using the background image and keeps
the layer input free for additional foreground items. It’s important to note that elements to be
extracted from the background must be completely opaque.
13Connecting Sources and Outputs
Matte
This is the primary matte you will be working with in your composite. This matte is derived using
the source connected to the foreground input. Typically a presenter in front of a green screen.
The matte is generated internally by analyzing the backing color in the source video and will
determine what is visible in the foreground image.
TIP Objects that obscure the backing color, either partly or completely, will be visible in
the composited image. In the matte, fully opaque black means the corresponding areas
in the fill image will be completely visible. Shades of grey means partially transparent.
Garbage Matte
A garbage matte excludes areas of a source you don’t want to include in your composite.
For example, there may be lights and gripping equipment visible around the edges of your
foreground image. If you want to mask out these unwanted areas, a garbage matte lets you do
that. Garbage mattes can be generated externally so they precisely match shapes in your
source video, and connected to the garbage matte input.
TIP A rectangular mask can be created internally using the ‘window’ controls. This can
be a great tool for creating a fast, rough garbage matte. For more information on how to
setup window masks, refer to the ’matte input settings/window’ section.
Holdout Matte
This matte is similar to a garbage matte, however, it lets you mask out areas from within the
visible foreground so they are ignored by the matte.
For example, imagine a portion of a virtual set needs to appear green in the foreground.
This will present a challenge because anything green will key out and reveal the background
underneath. A holdout matte can be created to exclude that particular area within the set, which
will prevent it from being keyed.
Layer Matte
The layer matte lets you add more foreground elements to the scene. For example, if you want
to add graphics over the top of the composite.
You can swap the layer positioning in the final composite. For example, you may want to change
the layer order during your production so the layer input appears in front of, then behind, the
talent. You can even set a transition rate so the order change is a smooth mix transition.
For more information, refer to the ‘Matte input settings/setting the layer order’ section.
1414What is a Matte?
Controlling Ultimatte
SMART REMOTE 4
MATTE
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MAIN MENUS
MATTE DENSITY
0%
MATTE
MATTE MENU
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MAIN MENUS
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
with SmartRemote 4
CLEAN UP
MATTE
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MAIN MENUS
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
1
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
PGM
OUTFGINBGIN
GROUPS
CLEAN UP
CUSTOM
MENUS
FUNCTIONS
MATTE
MONITOR OUT
COMBINED
FILTERFILTER
MONITOR
OUT
CURSOR POS
LAST
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
INTERNAL
MATTE
MATTE
ONLINE / ON AIR
1 2 3 4
UNITS
5 6 7 8
ALT
1 2 3 4 5
QUICK LOAD
QUICK SAVE
CLEAR
LEVEL
0%
0% 100%
SHADOW
FILE
LEVEL
100%
100% 200%
SHADOW
THRESHOLD
100%
0% 100%
SMART REMOTE 4
All the matte generation and compositing features of your Ultimatte 12 are controlled using
theSmart Remote 4.
The controls and settings are accessed via the smart remote touchscreen, control buttons and
knobs. The settings for each soft control knob changes depending on which menu you have
selected on the touchscreen.
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FILL
OUT
MATTE DENSITY
0%
-100% 300%
BLACK GLOSS
0%
0% 100%
BLUE DENSITY
100%
0% 100%
RED DENSITY
100%
0% 100%
The Control Panel Layout
Touchscreen menus are displayed in sections, and although the interface can look intimidating
at first glance with all the different buttons and settings, it won’t take long before you will be
moving between settings instinctively as you build your composite.
Main Menu Buttons
Tap the menu buttons along the top of the touchscreen to select the different input sources you
want to adjust, plus select the matte for making adjustments to the primary matte, and generally
configure your Ultimatte 12.
Information and File Control
This section of the interface lets you save preset files and configure certain settings for
yourUltimatte.
To save a preset file, tap on the folder icon and use the dialog box edit functions to name and
save a file. Refer to the ‘saving and loading preset files’ section for more information.
To view status information and various configuration settings for your Ultimatte and Smart
Remote 4, tap on the information icon.
1515Controlling Ultimatte with Smart remote 4
The available information and configuration settings are described below:
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERVEIL
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERVEIL
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FUNCTIONS
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
About
Displays detailed status information about your Ultimatte, including:
Model name
Software version
Video format
IP address
Subnet mask
Default gateway.
Smart Remote 4 Information is also included, such as:
Remote version
Flash version
Temperature
Fan speed
Blackmagic Design contact information should you need support.
Configuration
Provides an overview of connected SDI sources and will tell you whether they are locked or not.
Control Board Settings
Lets you customize the brightness of the Smart Remote 4’s LEDs and set the the internal
fan speed.
Options
Turns the mouse pointer on or off if you have a mouse connected to your smart remote.
Enables the monitor out cascade feature.
Groups
This section of the interface contains the majority of the setting menus. For example, if you
wanted to adjust the foreground ‘flare’ controls:
1 Tap on the ‘foreground’ main menu button to open the foreground settings.
2 Tap on the ‘Flare 1’ button in the groups section to select the flare controls.
The flare controls will now be visible on each side of the panel and you can adjust them using
the control knobs.
Functions
The functions section provides specific settings that can be selected, enabled or disabled.
For example, the reset button is located in this section if you need to restore particular settings
to their default state.
1616Controlling Ultimatte with Smart remote 4
Status Bar
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERVEIL
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
FUNCTIONS
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
1
MATTE
MATTE MENU
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERVEIL
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
PGM
OUT
FG
IN
BG
IN
COMBINED
MATTE
INTERNAL
MATTE
FILL
OUT
FUNCTIONS
MONITOR OUT
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
RED DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
1
You can see all the Ultimatte units being controlled by your smart remote by glancing at the
status bar on the touchscreen. Up to 8 units can be controlled, and each unit icon will illuminate
green when identified on your network. When a unit is selected for control, the icon will
illuminate blue.
The indicator for the Ultimatte unit being controlled will illuminate blue
to let you know it is the active unit
Ultimatte Main Unit Indicators
The 8 small box indicators on the left side show you which main units are connected on the
network, and which unit is currently being controlled. If tally is connected via the GPIO input,
the boxes will illuminate red when a unit is on air.
Reference Source - Foreground In
This indicator will illuminate red when a reference source is absent, and green when a reference
source is present. The reference signal can be connected via the foreground source connected
to the foreground input, or via the reference input.
Backing Color
The default backing color is green and will be reflected by this indicator. When the backing
color is changed, the indicator will also change to show the backing color being used.
Active File
When you have loaded a preset file using the information and file control section, the preset
name will be displayed in the active file area. If no preset is loaded, the active file displays the
Ultimatte default preset.
In addition, the status bar also notifies you with messages. For example, if a specific control is
currently locked and you need to enable another setting to access it, the status bar will
notify you.
Monitor Out
The soft buttons in this section of the interface will select 1 of 6 images to be displayed on a
video monitor connected to your Ultimatte’s monitor output.
The default selections are listed below.
Program Out – Final composited image.
Foreground In – Source image connected to the foreground input.
Background In – Source image connected to the background input.
Combined Matte View – Internal Matte + Garbage Matte + Holdout Matte.
Internal Matte View – Screen matte only.
Fill Out - Foreground image with spill removed, colorizers added, and the screen color
suppressed to black.
1717Controlling Ultimatte with Smart remote 4
Connecting to a network
Setting the IP Address for Ultimatte 12
Your Ultimatte 12 main unit is shipped with a default IP address of 192.168.10.220 but you can
change this address if you want to connect to a network. This is also important when sharing
multiple Ultimatte units on your network and controlling them using a single Smart Remote 4.
To change the IP address for an Ultimatte main unit, you will first need to download and install
the latest Blackmagic Ultimatte Setup software from the Blackmagic Design support center at
www.blackmagicdesign.com/support. For installation information refer to the ‘updating the
internal software’ section in this manual.
After installation:
1 Connect the desired Ultimatte 12 main unit to your computer via USB.
2 Launch Blackmagic Ultimatte Setup.
3 Click on the unit icon for your Ultimatte to open the setup settings.
4 In the ‘configure’ tab, enter the IP address, subnet mask and gateway settings.
5 Click ‘save’ to confirm the settings.
Repeat the same process for each main unit you want to control. The subnet mask and gateway
should match your network settings and stay the same between all units, but make sure each
unit has its own unique IP address.
Setting the IP Address for your Smart Remote 4
Now that each Ultimatte main unit has a new IP address, you will need to configure the IP
address of your Smart Remote 4 so you can control the main units on your network.
To set the IP address on your Smart Remote 4:
1 Reveal the Windows desktop by tapping on the info icon in the Smart Remote
touchscreen information and file control section. Now tap on the ‘options’ settings and
tap exit to desktop.
2 Navigate to the Windows network settings.
3 In the Ethernet related settings, select ‘change adapter options’.
4 Double tap on the ‘Ultimatte’ network to open the Ultimatte status window.
5 Tap on ‘properties’.
6 In the properties window, double tap on ‘internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) to open
its setting properties.
7 Select the ‘obtain an IP address automatically’ setting to let your Smart Remote find its
own IP address to join the network you are connected to. Or if you want to enter the
IP address, subnet mask and default gateway settings, select ‘use the following
IP address’ and set it manually.
8 Tap ‘OK’ to confirm the settings.
Double tap on the SR4 smart remote software icon to return to the touchscreen control panel.
18Connecting to a network
Setting the Main Unit’s IP Address on Smart Remote 4
ONLINE / ON AIR
QUICK LOAD
QUICK SAVE
ALT
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
UNITS
FILE
CLEAR
SMART REMOTE 4
1 2 3 4 5
MATTE
MATTE MENU
CLEAN UP
LEVEL
SHADOW
LEVEL
SHADOW
THRESHOLD
MATTE
PROCESS
SCREEN
SAMPLE
CLEAN UP
FILTERFILTER
FOREGROUND BACKGROUND LAYER MATTE IN CONFIGURE
MATTE
CUSTOM
MENUS
MONITOR
OUT
CUSTOM
MON OUT
MATTE
RESET
CURSOR POS
LAST
AUTO SCREEN
SAMPLE
PGM
OUT
FG
IN
BG
IN
COMBINED
MATTE
INTERNAL
MATTE
FILL
OUT
FUNCTIONS
MONITOR OUT
MAIN MENUS
GROUPS
ACTIVE FILE: Ultimatte
0% 100%
100%
100% 200%
100%
0% 100%
0%
RED DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLUE DENSITY
0% 100%
100%
BLACK GLOSS
0% 100%
0%
MATTE DENSITY
-100% 300%
0%
REF SOURCE - FG IN
BACKING COLOR
1
2
3 4
5 6 7 8
1
With your Smart Remote 4 now ready to control your Ultimatte main units, you will need to tell
the smart remote where they are by setting their unit IP addresses in the Smart Remote 4
control panel.
To do this:
1 In the status bar, tap on a unit ID number to open the unit IP configuration window.
2 In the ‘model’ column, tap on the desired unit number’s drop down menu and select
Ultimatte 12.
3 Now set the IP address for the desired main unit using the software keyboard.
4 Tap ‘apply’ to confirm the settings.
If you look at the status bar, you will now see that unit number illuminated green. This means
theunit is online and ready to be controlled.
Repeat the same steps to set the IP address for each unit on your network.
Ultimatte Compositing Workflow
Now that you’re familiar with using the Smart Remote 4 to control your Ultimatte 12, and have
pressed the file clear button to set an automatic starting composite, you can start finessing
and refining your composite using Ultimatte’s features and settings.
As you refine your composite, it is helpful to move back and forth between monitoring the
combined matte view and the program output so you can optimize the matte, plus see how it
is working in the final composite.
When adjusting controls, it’s worth mentioning that you can restore any control back to its
default state by double tapping the respective control.
You can also save your workflow to quick save points. As you change settings and make
improvements, it’s helpful to switch between save points to compare and assess what has
changed in order to achieve the best possible settings.
To save a quick save, hold down the ‘alt’ button and press a quick save button. To load a quick
save, simply press the desired quick save button.
TIP The quick save and quick load points are stored in volatile memory so they are
available only until you power down your Ultimatte. To store settings permanently,
you can save a file that can be loaded again after power cycling. Refer to the ‘saving
and loading preset files’ section for more information.
Use the quick load and quick save buttons to make fast
comparisons between composites throughout your workflow
191919Ultimatte Compositing Workflow
Quick Guide to Building a Composite
This is a basic introduction to performing a fast composite with Ultimatte 12 and
Smart Remote 4.
With all sources connected to the main unit, the first step is to make sure the backing color is
correctly set. The default backing is color is green, but you can set it to red or blue, depending
on which color you are using on set.
If you are using a green screen, you don’t need to change the backing color as green is already
set by default. Pressing the ‘file clear’ button will perform an automatic composite and generate
a matte from your green screen.
TIP An automatic composite will also take place when power cycling your Ultimatte 12.
Setting the Foreground Backing Color
The backing color defines the color Ultimatte will use to generate the matte. Typically, the color
used for most screens for compositing is green, and this is why green is the default backing
color. However, there are occasions on set where red or blue may be a better choice based on
the color of the foreground objects. In this event, you will need to tell Ultimatte to use a different
backing color.
To set the backing color:
1 Tap the ‘configure’ menu button to open the configure settings.
2 In the functions area, tap one of the red, green or blue backing buttons to select your
desired backing color. You will now see the backing color indicator in the status bar
change to the corresponding backing color.
When the backing color is set, Ultimatte will perform an automatic composite and you will see
the results on the program output. In the monitor out buttons, tap the button marked ‘PGM OUT’
to select the program output and the image will appear on the monitor connected to the
monitor output.
Setting Screen Correction
Screen correction can be helpful if there are strong variations in your backing screen, or the
lighting on the backing screen is uneven.
If your camera is static and you can remove all the foreground objects from the scene, you can
perform a screen correction. This shows Ultimatte what the screen looks like by itself, and then
once all elements are replaced, Ultimatte can then analyze what has changed in the foreground
and will generate an optimized matte. This can help tidy up any areas that are not behaving in
your matte.
2020Quick Guide to Building a Composite
To perform a screen correction:
1 Remove all the foreground elements in your scene so only the backing screen is visible.
2 Select the ‘matte’ settings from the main menu buttons.
3 In the ‘groups’ section, select ‘matte process’.
4 Press the ‘screen capture’ button. This stores a snapshot of the green screen which
Ultimatte uses to generate the screen correction.
5 Now replace all the foreground elements into your scene.
6 Press the ‘screen correct’ button.
Your Ultimatte will now analyse the foreground elements against the captured image and
determine the optimized matte.
NOTE When using the screen correction feature, it’s best to perform this function once
the camera is set and in place, because once the camera moves, screen correction will
no longer be effective and you will need to reapply the screen correction.
Setting the Matte Density
If the matte needs some refinement, the first step is to adjust the matte density. This improves
the black areas of the matte so it is opaque. Any gray areas inside the black matte will cause
the background to show through the foreground in those areas.
To adjust the matte density:
1 Tap the ‘matte’ menu button to open the matte settings.
2 Rotate the matte density control knob counterclockwise to decrease the matte density
until you start seeing the gray areas inside the black silhouette.
3 Now increase the matte density setting until the gray areas are no longer visible.
Be sure to stop adjusting as soon as the gray areas disappear. This is because the least
amount of adjustment will result in a more convincing composite. This is true for most
controls when refining your composite.
You should now see a near perfect composite on the program output. Now you can use the
additional matte settings, foreground, background, and layer settings to refine your composite.
2121Quick Guide to Building a Composite
Changing Settings
Adjusting Matte Controls
Matte Density
When refining your composite, the matte density setting should always be adjusted first.
This setting strengthens the general opacity of the black areas of the matte, preventing areas
of the background to show through the foreground.
To adjust the matte density:
1 Select ‘matte’ in the main menu buttons.
2 In the ‘monitor out’ section, press ‘combined matte’. You will see the foreground subject
appear as a black silhouette on a white field.
3 Using the control knob, decrease the matte density until you see details within
the black start to become gray. Now increase the setting until the gray areas
change to black.
4 Select the program output in the monitor out settings.
Any show through that was present prior to adjusting matte density should now be almost,
or completely, gone.
Black Gloss
Sometimes there may be dark areas of your foreground that have bright highlights which are
reflecting the backing color. These highlights can appear gray in your matte, which will cause
those areas in your foreground image to become transparent in your composite. The black
gloss setting helps to remove these areas from the matte.
Increase the black gloss setting while observing the combined matte output until these
reflective areas are no longer visible in the matte.
TIP If the matte is already opaque and there are no highlights showing, it’s worth
decreasing the black gloss level until you see the highlights, then increasing and
stopping as soon as they are no longer visible. This is because the lowest setting that
can be achieved will result in the cleanest, most convincing composite. This is true for
many of the matte controls.
Red, Green and Blue Density
As matte density and black gloss settings are increased, dark edges can form around
foreground objects. To compensate, the density of the color channels surrounding the edge
ofthe foreground objects can be adjusted.
For example, if your backing color is green, the colors available to adjust are red and blue.
If your backing color is red, the adjustable colors are green and blue. Adjusting these fine color
density controls can help clean up dark edges.
222222Changing Settings
Matte Reset
Tap this button to restore all the matte controls that affect the foreground elements to their
default settings. The matte settings that affect the green screen area, for example clean up
andveil settings, will not be changed.
Clean Up Settings
Imperfections in your blue or green screen such as scuff marks, seams, unwanted shadows,
electronic noise, and screen residue are visually the same as fine details in the foreground.
As a result, these imperfections will also be visible in your final composited picture.
Adjusting the following controls will electronically clean your screen, but at the expense of the
finest detail on the edges of the foreground elements. We recommend using these controls
sparingly as they can produce a hard edged, cutout look to the final composited image.
TIP Switch your monitor view between combined matte and program out to determine
the best settings.
To adjust the clean up settings:
1 While viewing combined matte, the screen area is represented as white. Adjust the
clean up controls so that the screen area is as close to white as possible without
eliminating important detail.
2 View program out to make sure that you haven’t eliminated too much of the fine detail.
The goal is to set these controls to the lowest possible value while ensuring the final picture is
not missing subtle details such as fine wisps of hair, shadows, or reflections.
TIP Don’t get too focused on getting a perfect clean matte. Some imperfections like
slight scuff marks or electronic noise might actually look appropriate in the final
composited image, particularly if the background scene is a computer generated,
pristine image.
The clean up settings are interactive. Therefore, increasing one might allow you to decrease
one or more of the others. You’ll notice the greatest effect in the green screen area, but you
might also see a slight effect on the foreground elements.
Clean Up Level
Increase or decrease to reduce or eliminate imperfections in the blue or green screen.
Clean Up Dark Recover
Use this control to recover shadows or edge detail on darker colored elements that
were reduced or eliminated by clean up level.
Clean Up Light Recover
Increase this setting to recover edge detail on lighter colored elements that were
reduced or eliminated by clean up level.
Clean Up Strength
Use this control to add more strength to clean up light recover.
Clean Up Reset
Press the clean up reset soft button to restore all clean up controls to their
default settings.
232323Changing Settings
Veil Settings
At this point while you are optimizing your matte, you may notice a fine white haze over your
final composited image. The haze can sometimes appear as a general haze, or localized in
patches corresponding to the screen area of the foreground source.
The white haze is known as ‘veil’ and you can minimize it by adjusting the veil settings.
Master Veil
Increase or decrease to remove neutral colored veil over your program or fill output.
Red, Green, and Blue Veil
Adjust these controls respectively when you see a colored haze over the
program output.
TIP Switch your monitor view between the fill output and program out to determine
thebest veil settings.
NOTE Veiling can become more pronounced over the course of the day as your blue
or green floor gets dirtier or dustier. We recommend wearing slippers when not
shooting if crew and talent are walking on the blue or green screen. Repainting of the
screen may become necessary to remove permanent dirt and marks.
Shadow Level and Shadow Threshold
If you want your shadows in the foreground source to be more or less pronounced in your final
composite, increase or decrease the shadow level. The shadow threshold setting is used to
help separate unwanted dark screen areas from shadows.
Matte Process/Screen Correction
Depending on the conditions of your green screen, the backing color may not be consistent
which can reduce the effectiveness of the matte. If you are seeing noise or artifacts in your
matte that you can’t solve using the general matte settings, and you have access to an image
ofjust the green screen without foreground objects, then you can use screen correction to
improve the matte.
To set screen correction:
1 Remove all the foreground objects in your scene so only the green screen is visible.
2 Tap the ‘screen capture’ button so Ultimatte can store a snapshot of the green screen.
3 Now replace all the foreground objects in your scene.
4 Tap the ‘screen correct’ button.
You should now see a general improvement in your matte and final composite.
NOTE Screen correction only works with static camera shots. This feature is the best
choice for improving areas in the backing screen, and clean up controls can be used as
a last resort if areas still need improvement.
242424Changing Settings
Matte Correct Horizontal Size
‘Matte correct H size’ analyzes all horizontal matte transitions, based on the size selected in
number of pixels, and applies the appropriate amount of correction to the horizontal transitions
which may need modification.
Unlike regular matte sizing, which slightly reduces the overall size of the matte, the ‘matte
correct’ control selectively corrects only transitions which are not optimally corrected.
The ‘matte correct H size’ setting indicates the number of pixels within which the system will
analyze every transition. When the size is set to 0, no correction is applied.
Matte Correct Vertical Size
‘Matte correct V size’ analyzes all vertical matte transitions, based on the size selected in
number of lines, and applies the appropriate amount of correction to the vertical transitions
which need modification.
The ‘matte correct V size’ display indicates the number of lines within which the system will
analyze every transition. When the size is set to 0, no correction is applied.
Screen Sample
When Ultimatte creates the matte for the foreground, it automatically samples the backing color
in the foreground image to achieve the best matte. If varying shades remain visible in the matte,
you can set your Ultimatte to use single or dual sampling which can help achieve better results.
Single Sampling
Single sampling lets you manually select a single area of the foreground green screen with a
small box cursor. Ultimatte then assesses the color in that region and optimizes the sampling
ofthe backing color using that region.
To use single sampling:
1 Go to the screen sample settings in the ‘matte’ menu.
2 Tap on the wall cursor position button. Your view will change to the foreground input
and a small box cursor will appear on the screen.
3 Adjust the cursor horizontal and vertical position using the control knobs to move the
cursor to a spot on the wall near important detail. This can often be hair. Be sure to
avoid areas that contain detail that you want to retain.
4 Tap on the ‘sample wall’ button to save these screen values as your new reference.
Your view will switch back to the monitor out setting you were last using.
Dual Sampling
Depending on the lighting conditions and your green screen, the floor area may appear at a
different luminance or shade of green compared to the walls which may affect the quality of
your matte when using the default auto sampling or manual single sampling.
To help Ultimatte achieve the best matte, you can select dual sampling and position two
separate cursors.
To use dual sampling:
1 Go to the screen sample settings in the ‘matte’ menu and tap on ‘dual sampling’
toenable dual sampling mode.
2 Tap on the wall cursor position button. Your view will change to the foreground input
and a small box cursor will appear on the screen.
3 Adjust the cursor horizontal and vertical position using the control knobs to move the
cursor to a spot on the wall near important detail. This can often be hair. Be sure to
avoid areas that contain detail that you want to retain.
252525Changing Settings
4 Tap ‘sample wall’. Notice that ‘floor cursor position’ is now enabled and the floor cursor
position is automatically available for you to adjust. Make your desired changes to the
cursor position.
TIP For the best results, select an area on the floor where you see lighting
glare or veiling, and avoid shadow areas that you want to retain in the matte.
5 Tap ‘sample floor’. Your selection will save these screen values as your new reference
and the view will switch back to the monitor out setting you were last using.
Filter
The filter settings let you remove ringing artifacts that may appear in the transition edges,
plus provides noise reduction and noise generation settings to help blend foreground and
background elements together.
4:2:2 Correction level
In a Y,Cb,Cr 4:2:2 video image, objects with high contrast and sharp transitions can exhibit
a small edge artifact when used for green screen compositing. This is due to the reduced
bandwidth of the Cb and Cr color difference channels.
For example, a dark colored foreground object with sharp transitions shot against a bright
green screen will show an overshoot and an undershoot at the transitions. This is known as
ringing. These ringing artifacts are shades of black and white and will be treated as foreground
objects when processed, similar to gray strands of hair. When the green screen color is
removed and replaced by a dark background, a dark foreground object will show bright gray
edges at the transitions.
The 4:2:2 correction feature eliminates or reduces the ringing artifacts. No foreground object
detail is lost in this process.
4:2:2 correction is set to 100% by default. To make an adjustment, decrease the setting while
monitoring the program output until you notice the ringing artifact appear in the composite,
then gradually increase until it is no longer visible.
Noise Reduction/Generation
All video recorded using a video camera will contain a minor level of noise in the image.
When composited with pristine, noise free graphics generated by a computer, the difference
between sources can be noticeable.
To help blend elements, Ultimatte has noise reduction and noise generation settings that let
you clean noise from the foreground, and add noise to the clean areas of your composite.
For example, noise can be generated in the background or layer source, or areas of the
foreground that have been masked by a garbage matte.
There are two types of noise reduction. Median, and average.
To reduce noise:
1 Toggle between the average and median noise reduction types by tapping the
selection button on the left side of the functions section.
2 Now tap the corresponding setting next to the selection button to set a noise reduction
level. Tap multiple times to gradually increase the level. There are 4 levels of noise
reduction to choose from.
262626Changing Settings
To generate noise:
1 Tap the ‘noise cursor’ button in the functions section to enable the cursor on the
foreground source.
2 Using the cursor position controls, place the cursor on an area of the foreground that
displays the most prominent noise.
3 Tap the ‘noise select’ button.
4 Tap the ‘noise gen’ button to enable noise generation.
5 Increase or decrease the amount of noise generation using the ‘noise gen level’ control.
Matte Reset
Tapping the matte reset button restores all matte controls, including matte density, black gloss,
color density, and shadow settings to their default settings. These default settings could be
factory set or user set values. For more information on customizing your Ultimatte, refer to the
‘saving and loading preset files’ section.
NOTE Matte reset does not sample the backing for new reference color values.
The current values are used to recalculate spill suppression with any adjusted
background settings.
Matte Button
Tap this button to disable or enable the matte generation and flare settings. The default setting
of this button is ‘enabled’.
Cursor Position Last
When this button is enabled, the cursor will return to the horizontal and vertical positions where
it was last used. This mode is helpful when studio cameras are mounted on robotics systems
and could be programmed to go to the same starting position, thus allowing the same exact
sampling locations to be used again. When you save a preset file, cursor location is also saved.
When disabled, the location of the cursor will always return to a default horizontal and vertical
position toward the top left hand corner of the image, regardless of the previously used
sampling location.
Auto Screen Sample
Auto screen sample is the default method of scanning, analyzing, and determining reference
backing color levels. Using this method, the matte signal is analyzed to detect the most
predominant highest level, which will correspond to the brightest and purest area of the
backing. Auto screen sample will also be performed during all of the functions listed below:
Main unit power up, system reset, backing color select, file clear, and ALT file clear.
Adjusting Foreground Flare Controls
Your Ultimatte 12 automatically analyzes the backing color reflecting onto foreground objects
and removes the effect of the bounce color in the final composite. This is called spill
suppression. The process of spill suppression can affect certain colors in the foreground.
Thecolors affected will vary depending on the backing color you are using. If you need to
makecolor adjustments to restore the original color of foreground elements, the results of
spillsuppression can be adjusted using the flare controls.
272727Changing Settings
Flare 1 Settings
Cool
Restores cooler colors, such as blue, green and cyan.
Skin Tone
Restores the color of natural skin tones that may have been changed by spill
suppression.
Light Warm
When advanced flare is enabled, this setting recovers lighter, warmer colors,
such as red, yellow and orange. This setting interacts with the skin tones setting.
Black, Gray and White Balance
Use this setting to color correct the spill suppression in the tonal regions of the
foreground, such as the shadows, mid tones and highlights.
Flare Level
When advanced flare controls are enabled, this setting adjusts the overall amount
of spill suppression for certain foreground colors.
Holdout Matte Flare Button
When a holdout matte is used to stop the compositing process in portions of the
foreground scene, spill suppression on the foreground becomes slightly more
complicated. In some situations, removing spill suppression from the entire scene
would result in a more convincing look. In other situations, no spill suppression in the
holdout matte area would be the best choice.
When holdout matte flare is disabled, spill suppression is not performed in
the holdout matte region. When enabled, spill suppression is removed from the entire
foreground scene.
Flare 2 Settings
Flare Correct Horizontal or Vertical Size
Flare correction analyzes the spill suppression in the transition areas and lets you make
subtle corrections. For example, neutralizing small color discrepancies, or luminance
variations that may be affecting fine edges in the transition area.
You can adjust the size of the area around the pixels of interest that Ultimatte will use to
analyze the spill suppression. This area is defined via pixel width and line height. When
the size is set to 0, no flare correction is applied.
Dark Warm
When advanced flare is enabled, this control can help to restore brown colors,
forgreen screen, and purple colors, for blue screen. This control interacts with skin
tones settings.
Flare Reset
Tap this button to reset all flare controls to their default settings, depending on the backing
color selected.
Advanced Flare
If you are adding Ultimatte 12 to an existing system using Ultimatte 11 units and you want to
maintain a consistent look between them, you can disable the advanced flare features in
Ultimatte 12 and use standard flare processing. This sets the flare controls and spill suppression
in Ultimatte 12 to match the standard features in Ultimatte 11 units which will maintain
consistency in the image when switching between multiple units.
282828Changing Settings
Adjusting Foreground Ambiance Controls
To make a composite more convincing, it is important that the foreground subject fits seamlessly
into its new background environment. The ‘ambiance’ feature in Ultimatte 12 analyzes the colors
of the background and foreground layers, and automatically adds subtle color influences from
the background into the foreground layer. This feature is enabled by default.
The ambiance controls also allow you to set the amount of influence that the background has
on the foreground layer, and finesse the color balance.
Making Foreground Ambiance Changes
1 Select ‘foreground’ in the main menu buttons.
2 In the ‘groups’ section, press ‘ambiance 1’ or ‘ambiance 2’ to access these menus.
Ambiance reset
Tap the ‘ambiance reset’ button to reset all ambiance controls to their default settings.
Ambiance
Tap this button to disable or enable the ambiance feature. The default setting of this
button is ‘enabled’.
Ambiance 1 Settings
The ambiance controls will add very subtle amounts of color from the background, simulating
reflected ambient light from the background source.
Ambiance Level Red, Green, Blue
Adjust these settings to increase or decrease effects of the red, green and blue
components of the background ambiance that will influence the foreground
color levels.
Ambiance Level Master
This setting adjusts the overall level of the ambiance that will influence the foreground
color levels. When adjusting this control, the relative difference between the ambiance
red, green, and blue components will be maintained.
Ambiance Strength
This setting adjusts the strength of the ambiance that will influence the main area of the
foreground subject, compared to the transition areas from the foreground subject to the
background scene. At its maximum setting, the ambiance will have full influence on the
main area as well as the transition region, while at the minimum setting, the ambiance
will have no influence in the main area while having a stronger influence in the
transition regions.
Direct Light Mix
This setting controls the proportion by which the foreground subject will be influenced
by the ambiance colors and user adjustable direct lighting. At the maximum setting,
the foreground subject is influenced entirely by the direct light controls, and at its
minimum setting, the foreground subject is influenced entirely by the ambiance colors.
Vertical Blur
This setting determines the number of averaged lines in the background used in
ambiance calculations. Depending on the background scene, reducing this control
could introduce streaking on the foreground layer.
Ambiance 2 Settings
The direct light controls will make more aggressive changes to the foreground image,
simulating light that is directly from a position in the front of the foreground subject.
Direct Light Red, Green, Blue
Adjust these settings to increase or decrease the impact of red, green and blue
components of the direct light that will influence the foreground color levels.
292929Changing Settings
Adjusting Brightness, Color, Contrast and Saturation
As you build your composite, you will likely want to make adjustments to the luminance,
color, contrast, and saturation levels for your sources which can help improve your composite.
For example, if the foreground, background and layer elements seem to differ in levels
compared to accompanying composited layers, you can perform an independent color
adjustment using the master controls for each source. All the same luminance, color balance,
contrast, and saturation settings are available for each source.
White Level Master
If a source seems too bright or too dark for the adjoining scene in the composite, adjust the
white level control to alter the brightness of the source rather than adjusting the original input
source level. Altering the level at the input source, for example the camera exposure, can
adversely affect the generation of the matte signal.
The default setting of the white level control is neutral at 100%. The range of the control is from
0% to 200%. The main unit will clip the output so the signal cannot exceed standard limits.
When adjusting the white level master, the relative difference between the white level red,
green, and blue components will be maintained.
Black Level Master
The master black control adjusts the level of black in the source image without altering the
white level. Adjusting the black level can often produce a more convincing composite image,
if the black levels in the background scene differ from those in the foreground.
When adjusting the black level master, the relative difference between the black level red, green,
and blue components will be maintained. Ultimatte 12 will clip black levels at zero so they do not
exceed standard broadcast limits.
Contrast Master
The contrast master control adjusts the overall contrast level of the source in the composite
without affecting the quality of the composite. For example, if the lighting contrast in the
foreground scene does not match that of the background scene, adjusting this control may
produce a more convincing composite image.
The contrast setting does not affect the strength of black and white levels, but only changes
thecontrast of the gamma, or mid level gain, in the source image.
When adjusting the contrast master, the relative difference between the contrast red, green,
and blue components will be maintained.
Saturation Master
The saturation master control adjusts the saturation level of the selected source colors without
affecting the generation of the matte signal. For example, if the saturation of the colors in the
background scene does not appear to match the saturation of the foreground colors, adjusting
this control may produce a more convincing composite.
The saturation master control can completely remove all color from the source image and
produce a monochrome, or black and white, foreground composited with a color
background image.
When adjusting the saturation master, the relative difference between the saturation red,
green, and blue components will be maintained.
303030Changing Settings
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