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MEMBER & GUEST INTERACTION SECTION => THE COFFEE HOUSE ((( SOCIAL - ROOM ))) => WEB VIDEOS => Topic started by: beemaster on October 20, 2010, 10:58:43 am

Title: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: beemaster on October 20, 2010, 10:58:43 am
NOTE:

I tried doing this post last night, and think I forgot to hit the send button - ugh.

I had to start our massive diesel generator a few days ago and coworker Phil was with me. I sat the HD Cam down and recorded a few minutes of footage and got this.

Goal:

1) show the generator running and enhancing the color saturation
2)make Phil and me appear as ghosts operating the generator.
3)also, have us in the first half appear B&W against the saturated generator.
4) appear to come form different places
5 Then switch AND B&W the back ground ad show us in color.

How it is done:

After setting the camera on a firm surface that will not move. Look for a place where no one is in the video and capture and grab a STILL SHOT PHOTO of the generator. This still pic is the secret that does the magic. It is played on a track for the full length of the film - just a still photo.

Then overlay the video of me and Phil walking around and reducing the video picture down to about 30-40 percent. Making us appear translucent,

When the two videos are over laid over each other, the still photo stays solid and the translucent image is perfectly aligned allowing us to appear to walk through objects.

About thalf the way through the video, I switch to a B&W background and colorized me and Phil - just to see the difference, I noted right away that B&W ghosts in a color background are much more believable - a not for future videos.

So here is my 2.5 minute video. I thought about it as I went to bed last night and next time I will does different frames per-second and some total fade in and outs. Please leave some feed back. It was only three effect, but I'm doing effects FIRST to see how they work and the go to town, Magix Pro 16 is complicated but as I learn each feature, I open my eyes to the unlimited possibilities.

generator (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ZhWxEZvqk#ws)

PLEASE click on the video so Youtube opens up and watch it full screen in HD to really appreciate the remarkable quality of this camera the size of a deck of card.

Tell me, how was it :)





I am using Magix Movie Edit Pro 16 and have hardly scratched the surface.


Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: Irwin on October 20, 2010, 11:25:33 am
John that was great man you are getting good at the editting thing.
Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: hardwood on October 20, 2010, 11:34:48 am
I LOVE that! And to think, I can't even get a handle on simple editing. I've got 5-6 removals "in the can" but have been dreading the editing to post them.

Scott
Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: AllenF on October 20, 2010, 03:13:35 pm
That's great.   I love the ghosts there.  even the sound in that warehouse helps out.   

Just to change the sub a little, what horse power is that gen set?
Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: AliciaH on October 21, 2010, 12:08:35 pm
Wow!  What fun!

Magix Movie Edit Pro 16 -- is that an editing program that comes in a box?  Or is it available on the web?

My 13-yr old son likes to play with the video camera.  I've given up on getting him off his computer  :-x and am working on getting him to be more creative with his computer  :).  When I show him your video, I'm hoping it will spark a new hobby!  He could make ghost bees for me!  :-D
Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: beemaster on November 21, 2010, 01:44:52 am
Wow!  What fun!

Magix Movie Edit Pro 16 -- is that an editing program that comes in a box?  Or is it available on the web?

My 13-yr old son likes to play with the video camera.  I've given up on getting him off his computer  :-x and am working on getting him to be more creative with his computer  :).  When I show him your video, I'm hoping it will spark a new hobby!  He could make ghost bees for me!  :-D

Sorry about the slow response, somehow I lost track of this post. Yes, that is using Magix Movie Edit Pro 16, it is really powerful, but with that come complicated features that I haven't thought of tackling yet. But it edits up to 16 tracks of audio and video, has hundreds of fades and morphs and titles and complete sound editor studio.

I bot mine for $59 (I think) at BestBuy, it is one CD and a really detailed book. It literally can do ANYTHING except CGI graphics, so if you want to make Avatar, forget it, but if you want to make a regular movie, no matter how complex, it can do it.

I like one feature that is handy: you can split up any sections of a video into as many as you wish, where that comes in handy is: let's say the audio is poor in one section and needs boosting, or the video is a little too dark someplace, just use the razor to cut those sections, and any section can be individually equalized or brightened or whatever needs to be done to normalize it with the rest of the video.

You can change frame rate to give effects like war scenes in Saving Private Ryan, anything you can imagine.

I follow a kid in film school on Youtube who turned 5 kids in Modern Warfare clothing into an entire platoon, shooting multi-scenes and over laying them side by side seamlessly - and it is easy to do.

If you are creative and want to do something, it is awesome software to let your imagination go wild.

You can download a 34 day FREE TRIAL (full version) to see if you like it at www.magix.com (http://www.magix.com) I think that is a great way to see if you feel comfortable with it. I am amazed at what it can do, I read FIRST what it can do, then figure how I'm gonna use that effect or feature.

EXAMPLE: I have one version of the Generator video with the audio of a thunderstorm I captured with the same camera. It sounds creepy and adds a different feel to it. Then, you can take the windows in the room and put green boxes in the shape of the wndows and Chroma-key a real lightening storm (grab something from youtube) into the green area - the finished product, the lightening with night creatures, thunder and rain along with the ghosts is a master piece and it can all be done in minutes.

I know one thing about movie making which I have heard from many directors: it is the SOUND that sells the effect. Case in point, in war movies, Styrofoam walls explode and cascade down on soldiers, it is often just a trick where string is yanked and the walls blow apart. THEN real explosive sounds with tumbling rubble is added and the viewer TOTALLY BUYS that the foam bricks were real. The added real sound adds WEIGHT and force to what is really nothing but very inexpensive props.

There is a sight Sound Dogs (look up the addy) where thousands of sounds, random sounds of everything from car doors slamming to jets taking off, etc. are free for the taking. When putting a video together, it is these sounds that make it real.

Film a video in your back yard, add an exotic bird call and some tree frog noises, you could just as easily be in Viet Nam, sound is so important to film.

Enough blabbing, download that free software and no matter what you do with it, it will be better!!!
Title: Re: GHOST EFFECT using new Cam Software
Post by: beemaster on November 21, 2010, 01:50:34 am
That's great.   I love the ghosts there.  even the sound in that warehouse helps out.   

Just to change the sub a little, what horse power is that gen set?

I can't remember the HP or kilowatt out, I do know that our entire Naval Base could be operated on that generator - it has been 13 years since I ran it weekly, but we run it monthly to keep everything lubed and it is a monster, as big as any steam locomotive. It rattles your bones and it cranks over using about 240psi of air pressure, runs on diesel and has a 9 foot flywheel that runs upwards of 2000rpms. What a beast!!!