how do i do this....

dirtynbl wrote on 2/12/2007, 12:13 PM


Here's what I'm thinking:

1) Somehow take a giant myspace screenshot (not sure how) and then cut out/make a transparent the areas where myspace has picture content that I want to replace with video.

2) Layer the videos behind the transparent PSD file of the myspace page in Vegas.

3) Render.

My concerns also include zooming.

Is there a way to zoom in on the entire timeline and not just a single video layer? ie I want the relative sizes of everything to stay the same.

Any better ideas? I'm trying this now and its not going so well. Is there a way to take giant whole page screen captures?

Comments

Cheno wrote on 2/12/2007, 12:37 PM
You have to have a monitor / video card that allow for resolutions in where you can display the whole myspace page.

Camtasia or Hypercam both screencap live, so either one would allow you to capture the webpage. Remember that to zoom and such, you'll want a fairly good size capture (resolution).

Place your video and use parent track motion to move around. I've done this in a similar way and zoomed in and out of video. I'd also suggest using an HD project template as well THEN render down to SD .avi or .wmv for youtube.

biggest trick is the screencap software. Not sure what the demos allow at this point without watermark.

cheno

also, just thought, if you don't need animated pages or cursor moving around, you can print screen, take into photoshop and then bring your myspace page back into Vegas. Stick with the largest resolution you can though.

Former user wrote on 2/12/2007, 2:03 PM
To get the large myspace image, just zoom-in to a section of the page. Easy with IE7, just use the magnify glass in the lower right corner of the browser, or on older versions, hold ctrl and scroll your mouse wheel to zoom the page. Then use "print screen" to grab a snap shot of different quadrants of the screen and paste and splice 'em back together in your favorite graphics program (i.e. PhotoShop)

Jim
Jonathan Neal wrote on 2/12/2007, 2:07 PM
I might also recommend that you leave the areas you want to impose video on transparent (eg, cut transparent rectangles inside what-would-be image borders. That will make laying video easier, because you can just set it behind the myspace graphic of choice.
Former user wrote on 2/12/2007, 3:05 PM
Just as a quick follow-up. I just created a hi-res version of the myspace home page that is 1600x2400 and it looks great. Of course, the images are a little fuzzy because they are what they are, but the fonts / gradients / backgrounds are perfect.

If it weren't for copyright issues, I'd upload it for you to see ;-)

Jim
Jonathan Neal wrote on 2/12/2007, 3:34 PM
I think you can change the rastering method in Vegas so that they don't appear fuzzy, because I know you will want the graphics pixelated, not fuzzy.
mikkie wrote on 2/12/2007, 4:45 PM
Know this is too late, but may be useful for the next person / next time?...

Preserving/capturing web pages works well with pdf software -- free or otherwise. Print to pdf using browser's available settings to include/disgard background, just print selection etc., & pdf program's settings for resolution & format of graphic. Once in the pdf, just copy/paste.
dirtynbl wrote on 2/13/2007, 3:54 PM
BRILLIANT.

Then move it into photoshop. Stellar.

I think I may end up doing this in AfterEffects.

Tons of great tips, thanks guys.

This is actually a marketing video for MySpace.com so we'll see how it goes. My big hurdle was getting the page screenshot.
Soniclight wrote on 2/14/2007, 9:07 AM
This may or may not be necessary for your current project, but if you're looking for a quality yet affordable (under USD $40) application that does both "screenshot" and "video capture" -- try Fraps.

Game developers use this to record hi-res sequences. It does HD res now and you can set the fps up to 60. I'm not a game developer, but here is a Fraps application...

Example:

--- I use it to vid-capture sequences of the freeware NASA WorldWind and Celestia programs -- 3-D type applications that are based on satellite images of Earth, etc (like Google Earth).. I choose a "tile" (particular image) and do a "fly-over of the chosen part -- much like a webpage scroll, if you will.

--- When ready to go, I bump my monitor resolution up as high as I can go, adjust the application window to maximum and then let Fraps record the fly-over as an .avi, -- which I then pop into Vegas. I get some nice high res stuff.

Support on Fraps is also great. Small company with personal attention.

And,last but not least, I was told about it at this forum months ago. A simple yet very efficient program and one of my best affordable purchases I've ever made IMO.

http://www.fraps.com/

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