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Step 5: Defining the Shape of the Muzzle Flash

With the color matte in place, you can define the shape of the muzzle flash using an Eight-Point Garbage Matte. Don't worry if this means nothing to you yetβ€”all will become clear.

Task: Create a muzzle flash shape by following these steps:

  1. If it is not already displayed, press the Edit tab to display the Edit Workspace, and then click the Effects button to display the Effects view (see Figure 22).
  2. Type Matte in the text field to reveal all the available matte effects (see Figure 23).
  3. Locate the Eight-Point Garbage Matte, and then drag-and-drop this effect onto the Color Matte clip on the Timeline (see Figure 24).
  4. Click the Color Matte clip to select it, and then click the Properties button to open the Properties view (see Figure 25).
  5. In the Properties view, click the Eight-Point Garbage Matte text to show all eight handles in the Monitor panel (see Figure 26).

    If some of the handles of the Eight-Point Garbage Matte lie outside the Monitor panel's viewing area, right-click inside the Monitor panel and select Magnification > 100% or lower (see Figure 27).

  6. Move the handles of the Eight-Point Garbage Matte until they show the muzzle flash shape you want (see Figure 28).
  7. Right-click the Color Matte and select Time Stretch from the contextual menu (see Figure 29).
  8. When the Time Stretch box appears, change the duration to 00:00:00:02. Click OK to accept the changes and return to the Timeline (see Figure 30).

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