Chroma Key / Boris RED 3

[r]Evolution wrote on 1/14/2004, 2:46 PM

I'm using Boris RED 3 to Chroma Key in VEGAS 4. Does anyone know if there is a way to BLUR the edges the way Sony ChromaKey allows you to?

It appears that the Lightness & Balance are the same as the High & Low Threshholds in Sony ChromaKey. Boris RED 3 has an awesome Key but it leaves my edges 'Blocky'. Also, it leaves a White Border Glow around the subject. The glow would be no problem if I could Smooth it a bit. Basicaly I would like to Blend my edges a bit more. Please help!

So is there a way/plug-in that will only affect edges?

Thanks in Advance
Lamont

Comments

PAW wrote on 1/14/2004, 2:55 PM

Have you tried adding a blur to the mask track, that may do it.

Regards, Paul

RafalK wrote on 1/14/2004, 2:57 PM

Sorry, this is a bit off topic but it relates to the chroma topic. Chromanator from fxhome.com is out and makes a perfect low priced addition to the Vegas system.
here is a sample of what my green screen looked like: http://www.rafalkrolik.com/badscreen.jpg

and here is a result: http://www.rafalkrolik.com/chromanatortest.wmv

In case Boris does not workout, this might be a viable option.

Jsnkc wrote on 1/14/2004, 3:06 PM

Just curious if you tried the same key video in Vegas and how good or bad it looked compared to Chrominator?

Sorry Lamont, didn't mean to hijack your thread :)

[r]Evolution wrote on 1/14/2004, 7:45 PM

I doubt that I will purchase Chromanator. I would much rather familiarize myself with Boris RED 3 and its interface. I feel that it will be much more beneficial... not only for ChromaKeying. Your video shows good results, no doubt. I just can't bring myself to believe that Chromanator can key better than Boris RED 3. I'm sure it's user error on my part. I've seen clips that were keyed in RED. I just have to find the RED users around here and hopefully they will point me in the right direction.

Sony ChromaKey is decent but we are really going for a Clean Key. (As if any of us aren't, eh?) Feel free to check out what I am trying to do http://intranet.ellipsisinc.com/extra/lamont/

If you can do a ChromaKey with Chromanator that has CleanEdges using this short sample clip then you will win Chromanator a new customer. Till then, I'm gonna continue trying to find some RED ChromaKey Users & Tutorials.

If anyone runs across any Boris RED 3 ChromaKey tutorials PLEASE POST the URL. I've seen a lot of tutorials but haven't found a ChromKey one yet. Also, if you know of any Sony ChromaKey tutorials PLEASE POST the URL's. Thank You Very Much!

Lamont

PAW wrote on 1/15/2004, 1:33 AM

Hello Dennis,

Perhaps this thread from anohter forum may help sounds along the same lines.

I have downloaded your clips and will have a go

Regards, Paul

I was reading a good post a few weeks ago with Mark and Tim talking about how good the Chroma Key is in RED...I agree, but I'm having some problems that I need help with.

I am keying well lit subjects at a density of 130 and lightness of 60. I'm getting some pretty prodominant edges so I am using the Matte Choker which works well on several of the folks I'm keying but not those who are bald or balding. Why does Iterations start at 1.00? it seem to be clipping to much off the edges giving the balding folks and alien like look. It seems that if I had the possibility to have the Iterations at .25 0r .50, I could achieve the look I'm going for. Any other Ideas? Folks in my company want to bring this clip of the balding fellow I'm working on to a post house, but I've told them that RED has all the tools we need...am I right?

I'm running RED 2.1 in OS 9.2.2 with Media 100.

Thanks for the advice!

Paul

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Post 2 of 6

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Name: Tim Wilson
Date: Jan 2, 2003 at 19:26 gmt
Subject: Re: RED chroma Question

You raise an excellent point, and one we may have to address.

Before going to Matte Choker, though, have you adjusted the density in the chroma key filter? I find that this frequently all I need.

If that doesn't do it for you, send me a frame, let me see what I can do. The challenge with keying is that there aren't any magic recipes. Sometimes you have to just click around...but I may be able to make some slightly more educated guesses about where to click.

Although I think that lowering the density of the chroma key filter may be all you need....

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Post 3 of 6

Name: mark harvey
Date: Jan 3, 2003 at 12:01 gmt
Subject: Re: RED Chroma Question

The iterations is how many times the blur is added....you have to start at 1, as you can't add it let's say one half times. To adjust you need to be adjusting the blur amount, the choke amount and then finally the gray soften to get the nice soft edges.

Regards
Mark

PS sorry haven't been around lately....xmas holidays :-)

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Post 4 of 6

Name: Joe Womble
Date: Jan 8, 2003 at 21:09 gmt
Subject: Re: RED Chroma Question

Paul,
I know this doesn't help you this time, but next time you have a balding subject to shoot, try giving him a strong rim light on his shoulders and (hopefully not too shiny) head. This presumes that this look would look appropriate with your background footage--keyed footage is supposed to look like it was shot at the same time as the background, right? ;-) But on many occasions I have had to shoot nuclear utility industry employees who are bald or balding (the radiation??) and this technique has helped me.

Regards,
Joe Womble
Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
Atlanta, GA

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Post 5 of 6

Name: Tim Wilson
Date: Jan 8, 2003 at 23:04 gmt
Subject: Re: RED Chroma Question

[Joe Womble] " I have had to shoot nuclear utility industry employees who are bald or balding (the radiation??)"

I'm so glad *you* made that joke. :-)

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Post 6 of 6

Name: Joe Womble
Date: Jan 21, 2003 at 17:40 gmt
Subject: Re: RED Chroma Question

Just staving off the Tim Wilsons of the world who would have made it for me. ;-)

Hope to see you in Lost Wages again this year.

Best,

Joe

PAW wrote on 1/15/2004, 1:41 AM

Hello Dennis,

Some of the other filters that apply to keying in RED

http://www.borisfx.com/products/FX/tour/keying.php

Regards, Paul

Udi wrote on 1/15/2004, 2:23 AM

Use the cleanup alpha or the matte chocker to clean the generated alpha.

RafalK wrote on 1/15/2004, 10:20 AM

No problem Lemont. I would also stand to believe that a much more expensive software should be able to do a better job but who knows. I will give your files a try tonight and will post the result so you can see if they would meet the requirements. Just wanted to make you aware that there was another option

Jsnkc, to answer your question, I was not able to get as good of a chromakey with Vegas as I did with Chromanator. Although I would prefer to use Vegas for everything especially that it does so many things so much better than any other software out there, chromakeying feature could use a bit more of a muscle.