Comments

ibliss wrote on 1/3/2003, 11:55 AM
1)Duplicate the video track (right click on the track name and choose 'duplicate track' from the pop-up menu)
2)de-select the temporary group by clicking once on the track name (not a crucial step, but a good habit to get into).
3) on the first tracks' Event add a cookie-cutter to the fx chain.
4) on the second tracks' Event add a pixelate plugin to the fx chain.
5) solo the second track and adjust the pixelation to the desired level.
6) mute the second track.

7) Open the first tracks Cookie Cutter again.
8) Change 'method' to 'cut away section'
9) reduce the size of the cutter until you end up with a 'head sized' (this will obviously depend on the footage) black spot shown in the preview window.
10) move the spot over the persons face.
11) Un-Mute the second track to check the result.

12) the time consuming bit - now you'll have to go through the video using keyframes to move the cookie-cutter on track one to follow the movement of the persons head. You will probably have to resize the cutter too, compensating for camera zooms etc in the footage. I find it easiest to mute the pixelated track while doing this part as it makes it far easier to see exactly where the cutter is.

Mike K
tserface wrote on 1/4/2003, 1:05 PM
Mike,

That is so cool. Thanks for the mini-tutorial.

Tom
BobMoyer wrote on 1/4/2003, 6:42 PM
Mike,
Thanks also. I have seen the method explained before, but your outline was simple and worked perfectly.
Bob
ibliss wrote on 1/5/2003, 8:59 AM
You're all welcome!

I've now made a web page with the tutorial, which basically says exactly the same thing as above but with pictures. There is also a 2 minute video version (about 3meg download).

Enjoy!

Hidden Identity Tutorial

I will hopefully get round to more tutorials at some point. My other existing page is here: Envelope Editing Tutorial It's basically for audio only, but you can use the same technique with the video 'compsite level' and 'fade to colour' envelopes.

And of course don't forget Marty Hedlers excellent tutorials found here.

Mike K
Grazie wrote on 1/5/2003, 11:23 AM
Excellent tutorial. What screen arrow movement display s/w did you use to capture your tutorial process?

Grazie
JonnyMac wrote on 1/5/2003, 11:26 AM
Very nice tutorial, Mike; both the HTML version (a picture is worth a thousand words) and the WMV file to go along with it. Happy New Year.

-- Jon McPhalen
-- Dallas, TX
ibliss wrote on 1/5/2003, 11:35 AM
Grazie - I used Camstudio, found HERE

It's a free screen capture utilitly, really easy to use.
Grazie wrote on 1/5/2003, 11:45 AM
Ibliss, I've Camstudio 1.1. What version do you have? I've just looked at the site and I see it is up to version 1.8 .

Grazie
ibliss wrote on 1/5/2003, 11:56 AM
The 'About' box tells me I'm using version 1.61 ... I'm just downloading 1.8 now....
installed it. Seems stable! Not really any different from 1.61 for the recording side of it, but the extra features may come in handy in the future.
Grazie wrote on 1/5/2003, 1:51 PM
Thanks for taking the trouble.

Grazie
nolonemo wrote on 1/6/2003, 1:19 PM
This may come in handy . . . . I'm transferring family home videos to DVD, and my son had the habit of running around without bottoms when he was 2 and 3, something that causes him extreme mortification when he sees the videos now that he's entering the teen years. I'm sure he'd appreciate a little strategically placed pixellation!
BillyBoy wrote on 1/6/2003, 4:34 PM
You may want to consider Gausian blur rather than the pixelation filter.

Its just a personal hang-up, but I HATE it when they do such a shi.. job of blocking out people's face, etc., on cop shows and the like without taking the time to do it better. It only takes a few extra minutes to resize/move the mask and keep it in PRECISELY over the area you wish to mask, and using the blur filter is less intrusive to the balance of the video you want to see.
ibliss wrote on 1/6/2003, 4:56 PM
Yeah, Gaussian does look less intrusive - but more CPU intensive?.

You can further refine the look by using feathering on the cookie cutter.
TorS wrote on 1/7/2003, 9:05 AM
nolonemo:
...causes him extreme mortification when he sees the videos now...
If he blushes you could use colour correction on him instead. It's a shame to have to cover up little children.

BillyBoy:
You may want to consider Gausian blur rather than the pixelation filter
I agree, but I fear the pixelation has become a significant code - standard cliche that communicates instantly and therefore is favoured among people who don't care much what they do as long as they do it the "right" way.

Tor