Cineversity

Is there a way to group lights for a separate pass? For example, I’m animating a marquee that has about 50 lights, but I don’t want to comp 50 layers (I’ve got things to do). I’m fine with them being on one rendered layer, separate from the scene lights.

If not, that might be a nice feature. Similar to how an Object Buffer works, but for light passes.

Cheers!

Hi Mike Heighway,

In the RenderSettings you can chose Multi Pass(side menu)>Multi-Pass(Setting)>Lights>Separate Lights> None/All/Selected. (See Image)

(If you like to have the three “qualities” of the light in one two or three passes is then the next options, but not your question here.)

If you have only the 50 then use “None” EDIT: all 50 needs then the passes selected in the Multi-Pass section, where you normally have the RGBA pass as well)/edit

If you have the 50 but some extra lights, then use “Selected” EDIT, only the selected ones are created in extra passes./edit

(The option “All” is excluded with your question already.)

So, if you have used the Selected, then all lights become grouped EXCEPT you switch the check box on the lights you like to have separated. See image. EDIT the 50 are NOT selected, the extra ones should be. As the is no Group option, the only way Group is in the three standard passes, that you have to add to the Multi-pass list. The checked ones “separate pass” will create with the Separate pulldown option create individual passes/edit

All the best

Sassi

Hi Dr. Sassi,
Thanks for your response, but perhaps I’m misunderstanding you. But I think I do in fact understand what is happening, in part from what you said.

If I have “Selected” selected in the dialogue box, I get 50 (multiplied by 3, which is fine) images per frame. My marque has 50 lights, so each light when “selected” gets its own Photoshop file (with diffuse, specular and shadow). I would like all 50 light passes, to render as one file.

So, I think I need to do the exact opposite of what I thought I should do (I should be used to that feeling by now). My scene lights are “Selected,” my marquee lights are not selected. This means my default diffuse image is my “grouped” marquee lights, and the Selected lights pass would be my additional scene lighting. So I’ve had to reverse what I need to get what I want.

Hi Mike Heighway,

I have placed two edits clearly in the post above.

I did not had in mind that you select the 50 in the Attribute Manager, I did not wrote that, but I see that it could have been understood in that way. Again, the 50 should be not selected. The selection was for the “but some extra lights”

The three passes that you need for the 50 lights are the passes you set up normally with Render-Settings>Multipass Button>Add all… // or you select these three passes, Specular, Shadow, Diffuse.

What you call reverse is what I tried to communicate above—but what was obviously not received—above.

Anyway, it works for you. That is all what counts.

All the best

Sassi