That's how firefox supports wmv files... If you open your wmp and enter the link directly (File:Open URL...) it should play.

Couldn't play it in WMP, IE or Opera.

Anyway, if it's an excess brightness problem, you could try limiting/reducing the highs with colour curves.

If it's an auto-exposure problem - i.e. that the aperture closes down when the bright flashes occur - that can only really be fixed by setting manual aperture when shooting.

the answer in this case would be a lense hood - or some sort of light blocking apparatus - however in post production (editing) there's very little you can do - there is no way to make it so that you don't lose the image - only thing you could do would be to key frame drops in brightness around those flashes (that's a LOT of time spent doing that) so that they weren't so distracting - but to get rid of em and still have a video feed in there - not likely.

Well, let me ammend my statement by saying that if, on each side of the flashes you did a best quality frame grab and then used a predictive algorithim application that makes video from between the frames of video that already exist. You could create video that would go in those frames where it's flashing out your video feed. But that's the only way I can think of doing it in post.

Dave

Thanks Dave - I tried splitting the AVI clip at the flash, deleting the couple 'worst' frames, then overlapping the the two clips by one frame to provide a crossfade transition over the 'missing media', but there's a pretty clear jump in the video where the repair is - I guess there's just too much movement frame-to-frame to remove 3 frames and expect good results.

was hoping there would was some magic fx filter out there that could lessen the flash.

Not sure why so many people had trouble playing this video - it's encoded in windows media 9. It does play at 1MB/s so you would either have to right click and save (it's a 2.7MB file), or you'll need broadband. Because of the amount of action, encoding/playing below 1MB/s results in really poor quality.

thanks for your help!

I couldn't get your link to work. I am using firefox...

If you don't have FlashGot for Firefox, I highly resommend getting it.
Then just highlight the link, right-click and select "FlashGot Selection".
Done :-)

Mike

Buck! - Well I've seen it, and what isn't there - due to the flash - you aint gonna get back . .. whatever you do. What did you think would be possible? - G

I don't know what's possible - that's why I asked. I'm new to this whole field and trying to learn.

Sounds like I need to solve the problem at the source, not after the fact.

-d

Sorry if I sounded harsh.

Once you have exposed detailed - I've done it, we've ALL done it - I/we/you tend to keep a lot of interest in the exposure. You chose some tricky enviro, well you did it! Well done .. Y'konw what? I kinda like the flashes thru .. use it . .. and be dammed . .yeah? There IS a lot of useful footage there. You have any "B" roll, cutaways, you could use to slip into the flashing? Maybe some slomo of decent footage motioned blurred to hide or even ENHANCE what you've got? . .. There is lots to do . .. but to bring back that which is blown? Nada!

Grazie

Persoally I think the flashes fit in great with the subject matter and can be used to advantage - rough up the feeling of the clip with dirty colors and more intensity and you could have a great expression of the action on your hands!

//Garo

Garo! I completely agree with you! Who said video was about reality anyway? - However, our colleague here wanted to know if there was a solution . . . G

Garo gets my vote. Not only should you keep it but you could lay down a bed of music that contained random jabs of sound to turn the flashing into an expression of art.

Have you ever noticed how any huge films shoot right into the sun around a character shot?

Thanks or all the comments - I really appreciate the suggestions! I put the clip together with the flashes and used the brightness fx to reduce the flash slightly, but it remains prominent, I think I'll revisit it and incorporate your comments..

This clip is from a motocycle race where I'm wearing a secrity/bullet camera mounted to the side of my helmet, feeding my Sony miniDV camcorder. It was edited in Vegas6. The terrain is very rocky, hence the background music.

Any comments, critical or otherwise are greatly appreciated. As I mentioned above, I'm new to this field and trying to learn as much as I can!

oh btw, this type of racing is not rider vs. rider - it's rider vs. time, hence you'll see riders letting others pass as each rider is on their own schedule...there's a couple of segments showing the race workers logging my time for a section on a card taped to my front fender.

www.familyriders.org/michaux.wmv

-dave

Considering the subject matter my impression is that it is rather boring seqence ... :-)
You don't have any shots from the side of the road for example to interpolate to?

A bike zipping by that throws mud up onto the lens is a classic one ....

//Garo

Thanks garo - that's an important perspective that I've really not addressed playing roles of both cameraman and participant...

-dave

I like Bob's suggestion.
Turn it into art,---commercial art.
Rough raunchy guitar, contrasty B&W,---slow down velocity.
Work to make the sharp, eye-cutting flashes of light intensify the pain I feel in my old arthritic back just watching this.
Insert subliminal message "aspirin for pain"
Pitch Beyer!
It's a commercial, Buckeroo!

The suggestions are great! albeit beyond my artistic ability and knowledge of Vegas - but I'll certainly try it!

Thanks everyone!
-dave

Oldbuck - they do make those algorithims I was talking about too - so it's not like that's counted out as a solution - just takes a little extra $$ - not too bad.

Dave