out of focus range effect?

wwjd wrote on 8/3/2012, 8:04 PM

wasn't sure what to search for so thought I'd just ask.

I poked through ALL the effects and settings in Vegas Pro 11, haven't read any manuals yet... but is there an effect where I can focus the center and out of focus around the outside of it? Some kind of focus mask or something? Sorry, I don't know the terminology.... I messed with Cookie Cutter and Blur and sharp, unsharp etc but can't find a focus thing where I can fake depth of field kind of.

Advice?

Comments

Laurence wrote on 8/3/2012, 8:26 PM

NewBlueFX makes one in their Video Essentials II package. I've used it but be aware that fake depth of field looks nothing at all like real depth of field.

JasonATL wrote on 8/3/2012, 8:31 PM

You might try the Soft Contrast fx. It has a Vignette effect with blur as an option. I think this will give the effect you are going for.

BinaryCafe wrote on 8/3/2012, 9:12 PM

Try this: (these are all available by default in Vegas...no 3rd party plug-ins)
1. Make a duplicate of the video track
2. Click the Event Pan/Crop icon on the topmost track
3. On the Event Pan/Crop window timeline, click the checkmark for 'Mask' to turn it on
4. Use the 'Anchor Creation Tool' to draw a Bezier path around the object(s) - make sure you close the path when done clicking/drawing it
5. Make sure the Mode is set the Negative and play with the feathering options (e.g., feather type: both, feather (%): 50
6. Apply the 'Gussian Blur' video effect to the topmost track

Following these steps, you're basically just applying the gaussian blur to the top track, outside the feathered path. Since you made a duplicate of the video track, you'll see sharp pixels within the masked area...to simulate a shallow depth of field.

wwjd wrote on 8/3/2012, 11:10 PM

so none of the built in or included effects will do it? I used DOF as a weak example... I just want to make things fuzzy in controllable sections of the video, sort of picking what I want in focus... DOF just sort of an example. thought there'd be an effect like COOKIE CUTTER for that

wwjd wrote on 8/3/2012, 11:20 PM

gah! Just found it NEW BLU ST SPOTLIGHT has a "Clear Spot" preset with the blur effect exactly what I was after. Came with Vegas or HD Studio.
Thanks!

megabit wrote on 8/4/2012, 2:45 AM

Yeah, but:

- from what I can see it's not keyable
- when coming bundled with their Titler Pro, the other FXs are just "teasers", and cannot be activated with the Titler's serial number...

Or am I missing something?

Piotr

wwjd wrote on 8/4/2012, 1:16 PM

I'm not sure what keyable means.

It is possible it came with my version of SONY MOVIE STUDIO PLATINUM HD SOMETHING 11 which I also legally own.
Maybe there is more to it in the full version, but this does exactly what I was hoping for: create some minor out of focus around the edges for that artsy fartsy focus look