Summer is over, and we’re back! You asked, we listened.
In this edition, we’re introducing two major additions to expand your creative toolkit and streamline set planning: a brand-new Fog Machine for atmospheric lighting and a major upgrade to the Dimensioning Tool, featuring custom zero-points and live stand indicators.
Fog Machine: Shaping Light in Atmospheric Space
Atmospheric fog isn't just a visual effect – it’s a powerful lighting tool. “Fog”, simply floating particles, captures light rays, making hard beams, gobos, and rim lights visible in physical space while naturally separating your subject from the background.
How it Works on Set
- The Fog Machine is available via the equipment list.
- Direct Handlers: Position the unit anywhere in the set – on the floor or mounted overhead. Simply drag the directional vector line across your set to set the stream's trajectory and maximum throw distance.
- Physically Grounded Controls: Fine-tune Fog Density, Spread, and Cloudiness to craft everything from subtle haze to heavy smoke plumes.
- Highlight: Adjust Gravity (“True Gravity Simulation”) to simulate heavy low-lying dry ice or rising smoke. High Gravity: Forces heavy fog down toward the floor (ideal for low-lying fog/dry-ice effects). Low/Zero/Negative Gravity: Lets fog rise or maintain a straight directional beam.
- Time-Frozen Snapshots (Animation): The particle simulation runs in real time. Pause at the exact frame you want (e.g., 53.45s), and that precise particle arrangement is permanently saved in your timeline snapshot – restoring identically every time you open the scene.
Practical Lighting Workflows
- Smoke Plume: High cloudiness + narrow spread + high density = textured smoke jet across or behind the subject.
- Ground Fog (Dry Ice): High gravity + high density + floor placement = dense fog pinned to the floor.
- Volumetric Sunbeams: Low density + low room fill + hard directional light = clean rays cutting through space.
- Colored Mood Haze: Custom RGB tint + high room fill = soft colored background wash catching subtle rim lights.
Improved “Dimensioning” Tool
The updated Dimensioning Tool removes cumbersome manual metering, giving you dynamic spatial measurements and custom origin references.
Key Upgrades
- Custom Point Reference: Instead of relying solely on fixed room origins, you can anchor your measurement origin anywhere on set – on your subject, the main camera, or any light stand.
- Explore Light Falloff & Ratios: Anchor zero directly to your subject’s position to visually explore and compare how distance shifts impact your light. Instead of guessing what happens when you move a key modifier, you get immediate measurement data points to compare relative exposure, shadow hardness, and light coverage across your set. The same goes for the camera’s focal length, composition, DOF, etc.
- Camera & Track Alignment: Anchor to the camera to map focal distances, depth of field, and camera dolly paths relative to talent movement.
- Live Height Badges & Pitch Indicators: As you adjust light stands vertically, a prominent Live Height Badge displays exact measurements. Light heads also display Pitch Angles in real time.
Room Corner Origins
Fixed structural zero-points built for real-world studio logistics, commercial film sets, and location builds:
- Real-World Floor Layouts: Stages rely on physical walls, not floating origins. Corner zero-points let crew measure directly off two solid walls to position gear with millimeter precision during set prep.
- Location & Architectural Constraints: In tight locations or fixed stage builds, measuring from rear corners instantly reveals spatial limits for backdrops, wall outlets, and overhead obstructions.
- Repeatable Grid Builds: Essential for studios using pre-drawn floor grids or overhead rail systems. Corner origins stay consistent across multi-day shoots and recurring commercial productions.
Ready to Try It Out?
Whether you’re crafting cinematic atmospheric moods or mapping out precise studio layouts for your team, these upgrades give you complete visual and logistical control before you ever step foot on set.
Update to the latest version and bring your next setup to life!
→ Simply launch set.a.light 3D V3: the update shows up right away and you can install it immediately.
Have fun trying it out,
Dan from elixxier
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