Changing video level within clip

D. Collins wrote on 11/14/2008, 3:18 PM

I'm working on an hour long video and would like to change the video levels in a few places. How can I do this without changing the level of the whole clip?

Some places I would like to darken it and other places I would like to lighten it, but keep the rest of the video as is.

Oh boy, while writing this, I just thought of one way. I could break it in to clips, but maybe you know a better way.

Thanks for any ideas.

Dave

Comments

xstr8guy@sbcglobal.net wrote on 11/14/2008, 3:32 PM

Simply insert an "event FX" in any place that you desire... "Sony Levels" would probably be best.

farss wrote on 11/14/2008, 3:38 PM

Maybe the clue you're missing is to use keyframes to adjust the FX over time.

Bob.

xstr8guy@sbcglobal.net wrote on 11/14/2008, 4:09 PM

You could also insert a "track composite level" envelope on your timeline although you can't go higher than 100%.

D. Collins wrote on 11/15/2008, 8:34 AM

Thank you for your replys. Placing the 'event FX (Levels)' works of course, but for the entire time line. Now if I break the video into sections, I could gain control that way, but...

I don't see how to assign 'Levels' to the keyframes. Maybe I should study more about keyframes.

The 'track composite level' is great, and I hadn't known about that. I will use that alot, but as stated it won't go over 100% and I need to lighten certain places.

xstr8guy@sbcglobal.net wrote on 11/15/2008, 8:49 AM

Just use the "Sony Levels" effect and apply changes to the timeline of the selected clip.

rs170a wrote on 11/15/2008, 9:22 AM

Now if I break the video into sections, I could gain control that way, but...

But what?
Lots of us do this all the time when we want to apply an FX to a small portion of a long timeline and don't want to be bothered with keyframes.
Use the 'S' key to split the timeline at the desired points and apply the FX to that clip.
If you're concerned about using Ripple Edit or otherwise moving clips around, use the 'G' key to Group this new clip to the rest of the timeline.

I don't see how to assign 'Levels' to the keyframes.

At the bottom of this FX is a timeline and this is where you create keyframes.
If you don't want to use the split method I suggested, you'll have to learn how to do this and it's really not very difficult at all.

Mike

D. Collins wrote on 11/15/2008, 12:39 PM

Thanks so much. I just figured out how to use the level effect with keyframes. Great - Thanks for Mike comments as well. You have all helped my with my problem. I appreicate it.

Dave

Fredv wrote on 11/15/2008, 2:45 PM

> Just use the "Sony Levels" effect and apply changes to the timeline
> of the selected clip.

Begs to ask the question; I wonder if Sony ever thought of a tool that would act like a Grass Valley 3240 video proc, where the output could have the chrominance and luminance kept within a window ... or at least without hitting the wall.

Actually I'll wait till after they put in 708 closed captioning before requesting this. :)