PIP/Track Motion question

erievw wrote on 8/29/2006, 9:40 PM

I'm not sure how to describe this but here goes...a couple years ago at WEVA, I sat in on a Vegas seminar where they quickly made a PIP using Vegas 6 (maybe Track Motion) BUT the PIP was not squared - if I recall, they drew or created an outline for the PIP and dropped the video in. Is this possible and if so how would I do it?

Comments

Grazie wrote on 8/29/2006, 10:55 PM

So far my guess would be to have 2 distinct procedures:

. . either :

1- Track Motion on Track1 and the "underlying" background video or still on Track2. Here you would manipulate the overlay track to reduce and maybe rotate/twist in 3-D space to place in the correct place over Track2. I've used this to have multiple screens flying in 3-D space with a kinda page-turning effect, whole at the same time have the talking head traverse through the turning pages/screens.

or . .

2- As you brought up PIP, a Bezier Curve within Pan/Crop to cut a "hole" in an overlay video/still Track1 to allow to show through the underlying video now on Track2. I've used this to cut a hole in a TV screen OR framed artwork that comes to life. That was freaky.

erievw wrote on 8/30/2006, 3:38 PM

Thanks...that was it, the Bezier Curve wihin the Pan/Crop.

Jim H wrote on 8/30/2006, 7:52 PM

Speaking of masks... it would be nice to be able to drag a rectangle or circle etc. as a mask with a preset number of points... or is this possible?

randy-stewart wrote on 8/30/2006, 8:05 PM

Maybe I'm not understanding the question but Cookie Cutter has preset shapes that you can use. Background on lower track, overlay on upper track, place cookie cutter on upper track event, select shape from drop down selections (square is default I think) to cut out the PIP you want, you can move the hole (pip) around by moving the box in the lower left of the Cookie Cutter screen. You can also size it, add a border, or feather the edges and change the axis. And of course it's keyframeable. Once you have the PIP set, use track motion to fly it around. Hope that helps.
Randy

Grazie wrote on 8/30/2006, 11:05 PM

Randy - Maybe I'm not understanding the question but Cookie Cutter has

Yes it does. And yes I know this too. However it was this that kinda gave me a clue when I carefully read the question from erievw. Here yah goes:

BUT the

And yes Randy and you being an "old-hand" too, there are many many ways to skin Vegas Cats! LOL! What I would embellish your approach with would be to achieve "deformation" to the preset PIP mask would be to then, maybe, deform it through 3-D space. But then that kinda gets even more complex - but do-able - yeah? The Bezier "drawing" option is very easy to accomplish when an asymmetrical shape is called for. So it was the "drawing" clue that make nme think of Bezier - yeah?

PLUS you get to make multiple holes too - in ALL sorts of places! You wanna try that Randy! Great fun!

Believe it or not I DO try, as often as I can, to keep things simple - yeah?

TorS wrote on 8/30/2006, 11:36 PM

Speaking of masks ...
Take a look at this effect Small 1.6 MB or Large 5.2 MB.

I used a font (Impact) to create a mask and keyframed its transparency to pull the mask effect gradually on and off. You could do this with any font - any shape - as long as it has a solid body. You may then apply outline in Vegas text generator. Set it very thin for a subtle effect. I used setting 0.0 in this example. Then use alpha - i.e. transparency - on the font and/or the background, to hide/uncover what's on the track below.
Everything you see here (exept the footage from the mountain, obviously) is done with the Vegas text generator.
Tor

Grazie wrote on 8/30/2006, 11:47 PM

EXCELLENT Torsie! Most excellent! - Was that SPOT base jumping? Or does he confine his adrenaline hits to exiting from aeroplanes?

TorS wrote on 8/31/2006, 12:31 AM

Facts: The jump in the shot is 1000 metres off a mountain called Kjerag and into a fjord called Lysefjorden. It is a popular spot for base-jumpers. There has been fatal accidents but not many, considering the great number of successful jumps. Kjerag is also a popular goal for Sunday walkers although it is a much greater challenge than the more famous Pulpit rock (600 metres) of the same fjord.

The clip was made only to demonstrate that particular masking tecnique. You might say it is the opening of a movie never made. Or, if you're not in a poetic mood, call it a clip.
Tor

randy-stewart wrote on 8/31/2006, 5:45 AM

Thanks Grazie. I was, at that moment, doing a cookie cutter overlay with some track motion so thought I'd throw it in. I figured there was a little more to it since you offered the bezier option. Yes, it's fun to use it for masks and for writing script (reveal). So many options with Vegas. Did you get your Sony jacket?
Randy

Grazie wrote on 8/31/2006, 6:16 AM

Spot and I think that the jacket is somewhere between the US and the UK. And yes, Winter is coming in soon. BBBrrrr. . . .

So kind of you to think about it and ask here - most people would have forgotten by now. There again, most people wouldn't know WHAT on Earth we are talking about - would they Randy?

randy-stewart wrote on 8/31/2006, 6:51 AM

At risk of thread hi-jack, I'll refresh memory. Grazie won a very nice looking (and coveted) Sony jacket for the most posts in the forum last year. It was presented to him during the Vegas party at NAB in Apr 06 but he wasn't there to receive it. Many offered to take it and get it to him but VASST (and good sense) prevailed. Hopefully it will arrive before the dead of winter sets in. Congrats again Grazie and we expect a portrait once it's received.
Randy

TorS wrote on 8/31/2006, 7:06 AM

Can't wait to see you in it, Grazie. Hope it complements the Mickey Mouse cap nicely.
Tor

Lili wrote on 8/31/2006, 9:03 AM

"most people would have forgotten about it by now"

NOT! we are all STILL waiting patiently for the announcement (and now picture, since it was suggested) of its arrival. In fact I was just wondering about it last night as I was drifting off to sleep.......