Beauty Box is a choose-your-own-adventure when it comes to performance, mainly because of its range of usability. For quick results, a simple one-frame analysis creates a usable mask yielding pretty great results on your normal interview subject (not much movement). For an editor looking for ultra-specific results, Beauty Box offers the option to analyze the full comp while adding keyframes to each frame for precise masking. The results are pretty incredible.
As with anything, the more in-depth you go with analyzing and keyframing, the more time it's going to take to render this effect. But for the most part Beauty Box runs smoothly and efficiently.
At $199, Beauty Box packs a lot of value. The diffusion achieved with this filter simply looks great. Adding the auto-keyframing features sends this plugin over the edge by yielding great results in a very automated and user-friendly way. That being said, $199 is a good amount of money for any filter. Analyzing your filmmaking goals will quickly tell you if you are in the market for a diffusion filter of this caliber.
Be warned: Beauty Box is addictive. Once you start using it, you find yourself using it on all of your footage, all of the time. It really makes you wonder how you got along without it.
Digital Anarchy's Beauty Box is proof that not all diffusion filters are created equal. It perfectly balances good looking results with outstanding usability. While it's a great tool for any editor, I would highly recommend it to documentary filmmakers who shoot a lot of interviews.
