Vignette

The Vignette operator creates a classic vignette effect that darkens (or lightens) the edges and corners of the video frame, naturally drawing the viewer's attention toward the center. This effect is widely used in film, photography, and video production to create a cinematic look, add depth, or subtly frame the subject.

Overview

A vignette effect works by gradually reducing brightness (or applying a color) from the center of the frame toward the edges. The Vignette operator in Composer provides extensive control over the effect, including adjustable intensity, size, softness, multiple shapes, blend modes, and custom colors.

Common use cases:

• Creating a cinematic or film-like look
• Drawing attention to the center subject
• Adding depth and atmosphere to flat images
• Masking edge distortion or unwanted elements at frame edges
• Creating vintage or retro visual styles
• Enhancing mood in dramatic scenes
• Framing lower thirds or overlays

Settings

Vignette Settings

Show advanced options - Toggle to show/hide advanced options. The default value is off.

Intensity (%) - Controls the strength of the vignette effect. At 0%, no vignette is applied. At 100%, the full effect is visible. Values above 100% create an extreme, more pronounced vignette. The range is 0-200%, and the default value is 50%.

Size (%) - Determines how large the clear center area is. At 0%, the vignette starts from the center. At 100%, only the very corners are affected. The range is 0-100%, and the default value is 50%.

Softness (%) - Controls the gradualness of the transition from the clear center to the darkened edges. At 0%, the edge is hard and abrupt. At 100%, the transition is very gradual and smooth. The range is 0-100%, and the default value is 50%.

Shape - Selects the shape of the vignette. The options are:

• Elliptical - Standard oval or circular vignette (default). This is the most common and natural-looking option.
• Rectangular - Rounded rectangle vignette. Useful for matching rectangular overlays or creating a frame effect.
• Diamond - Diamond-shaped vignette. Creates a unique, stylized look.

Blend mode - Determines how the vignette is blended with the original image. The options are:

• Multiply - Standard darkening vignette (default). Darkens the edges naturally.
• Screen - Lightening vignette. Creates a "glow from edges" effect.
• Overlay - Contrast-enhancing vignette. Increases contrast at the edges.
• Soft Light - Subtle, soft effect. Less aggressive than Multiply.

Reset to defaults (button) - Resets all vignette settings to their default values.

Advanced Settings

The advanced settings provide additional control over the vignette shape, position, and color. Enable "Show advanced options" to access these settings.

Shape Settings

Roundness (%) - Controls the aspect ratio of the vignette shape. At 0%, the vignette follows the aspect ratio of the video (oval for 16:9 content). At 100%, the vignette is a perfect circle regardless of aspect ratio. The range is 0-100%, and the default value is 0%.

Center X offset - Moves the center of the vignette horizontally. Negative values shift left, positive values shift right. The range is -100 to 100, and the default value is 0 (centered).

Center Y offset - Moves the center of the vignette vertically. Negative values shift up, positive values shift down. The range is -100 to 100, and the default value is 0 (centered).

Tip: Use the center offset to draw attention to off-center subjects or to compensate for asymmetric compositions.

Vignette Color

By default, the vignette color is black (RGB 0, 0, 0), which creates the classic darkening effect. Changing the color allows for creative effects such as sepia tones, color washes, or stylized looks.

Red - Red component of the vignette color. The range is 0-255, and the default value is 0.

Green - Green component of the vignette color. The range is 0-255, and the default value is 0.

Blue - Blue component of the vignette color. The range is 0-255, and the default value is 0.

Reset to black (button) - Resets the vignette color to black.

Additional Options

Inner brightness (%) - Adjusts the brightness of the center area. At 100%, the center is unchanged. Values above 100% brighten the center, creating a spotlight effect that enhances the focus on the subject. The range is 50-150%, and the default value is 100%.

Affect alpha channel - When enabled, the vignette also affects the alpha (transparency) channel. This creates transparent edges, which can be useful for compositing. The default value is off.

Debug

Show mask (debug) - Displays the vignette mask as a grayscale image. White areas are unaffected, black areas receive full vignette. Useful for understanding and fine-tuning the vignette shape. The default value is off.

Show original (debug) - Bypasses the vignette effect and shows the original input image. Useful for A/B comparison. The default value is off.

Keyboard Shortcuts

When the Vignette operator is selected, the following function keys can be used:

Practical Examples

Example 1: Subtle Cinematic Vignette

For a natural, film-like look that doesn't distract from the content:

1. Set Intensity to 30-40%
2. Set Size to 60-70%
3. Set Softness to 60-80%
4. Leave Shape as Elliptical
5. Leave Blend mode as Multiply

Example 2: Dramatic Dark Vignette

For a more pronounced, dramatic effect:

1. Set Intensity to 80-100%
2. Set Size to 40-50%
3. Set Softness to 40-50%
4. Set Blend mode to Multiply
5. Optionally increase Inner brightness to 110-120%

Example 3: Vintage Sepia Vignette

For a warm, vintage look:

1. Set Intensity to 50-60%
2. Set Size to 50%
3. Set Softness to 60%
4. Set Blend mode to Soft Light
5. Set Color to a warm brown (e.g., R: 80, G: 40, B: 20)

Example 4: Off-Center Focus

To draw attention to an off-center subject:

1. Adjust Center X offset toward the subject
2. Adjust Center Y offset if needed
3. Set Size to 40-50% for tighter focus
4. Set Intensity to 50-70%

Example 5: Lightening Edge Glow

For a dreamy, glowing edge effect:

1. Set Blend mode to Screen
2. Set Color to white (R: 255, G: 255, B: 255)
3. Set Intensity to 30-50%
4. Set Softness to 70-90%

Performance Considerations

The Vignette operator is GPU-accelerated and very efficient. It has minimal impact on performance as it processes each pixel independently without requiring neighbor sampling or complex calculations.

Performance characteristics:

• Constant processing time regardless of vignette settings
• No difference in performance between shapes or blend modes
• Suitable for real-time 4K and 8K processing
• Negligible memory overhead