useful - thanks.

have a great new year

leslie

You're most welcomed. It may actually be simpler than loading a whole script (even if such actually existed :o) That said...

I still think it would be nice to have a more customizable grid built into Vegas.

**I still think it would be nice to have a more customizable grid built into Vegas.**

You won't get your wish by posting it here. Open a support ticket with Sony. It's the only way it will get noticed. As a retired still photographer, I support your suggestion wholeheartedly!

I appreciate the suggestion (and moral support :o) But it's not a tech support issue, just a pet peeve of mine or a wish-list thing at best.

Besides, I thought the Sony geniuses/programmers in Madison read this board, yes?
That said, I should probably have put this in the Vegas Scripts board anyway.

Maybe I will.

Not sure why you're thinking script for this. Scripts accomplish tasks that you can perform in Vegas by clicking on menus and buttons and filling in form fields. Is there anything you can do *within* Vegas with your mouse and keyboard to create the rule of thirds grid? Nope?* Well then, a script couldn't do it either.

What you've done with the .png file is the best and preferred way to do this, short of having Sony add it natively in the software.

Rather than tech support, how about submitting a product suggestion? That works. I've seen a couple of my ideas get implemented after i suggested them.

*Actually there is a way to do it using generated media gradient fills, but it would involve adding two more tracks with compositing modes and that would slow down previewing to a crawl and wouldn't be worth the effort. The lines would also be a bit fuzzy rather than sharp, and solid rather than dashed. Adding the .png file is much simpler and faster.

How about "Product Suggestion"?

It's under Support at the very top of this page.

Bob.

Here's a neat one: Use the Chequer Board GenMEd and make 3x3! As per your squish to fit INSIDE safe areas, do the same and then reduce the opacity. This way you get a MASK too!

I've now got a GenMEd 3x3 for 16x9 available in ALL Vegas projects - It's under GenMEd>Checkerboard.

Now, all I need to do is work out just HOW you make a GenMed an FX as a Plugin! - Hence my other post today . .

Grazie

"How about "Product Suggestion"?

Well, geeez, Bob. Do you have to make things so simple? :o)
Done. I just submitted it incl. link back to this thread.

As to 3x3 checkerboard route in GenMED (I assume generated media?), Grazie, I agree with above statement: the less of those in project, the less drag. Besides, I prefer the subtle presence of a white line grid at 10% opacity as I have it with my .png for now.

Hmmm ... maybe I'm missing something here (it wouldn't be the first time) .. but if you go to:

Options
Preverences
Video

You can change the default 10 x 10 grid to a 3 x 3 grid very easily. That gives you two equally spaced horizontal lines, and two equally spaced vertical lines ... giving horiz lines one third and two thirds up from the bottom (vertically) , and the same horizontally.

Brightside,

You're totally right, one can do this, and I just did. Now I feel like a putz -- though I must have missed this in the Help file.

I can see the Product Suggestions guy or gal reading my note and going...
"Jeeeeez, what a... (putz)."

But... since nobody until you pointed this out, maybe others don't know either. In that case, hey, I'll feel just a wee bit less of a putz (putzes love company). All I have to do is stop using black bars/letter box in-track (use different project X x Y) and this 3x3 grid will do just fine.

>>...rule-of-thirds grid...

OK, I must ask...what is "the rule?"

It's a compositional rule. Supposedly the image looks more polished and natural (as if those are compatible concepts) when the major subject in the frame as at one of the "thirds" intersections instead of in the middle. Draw the tic-tac-toe board figure on the frame and make sure the points of interest are on one of the 4 intersections.

'Course, now that i think of it, this would be much more useful in the camera viewfinder than Vegas' preview.

I'm pretty sure that brighterside has taught lots of "others", including me, a new trick!

The Canon HV20/30 actually does have this feature. It's a feature that some prosumer level HDV/DVCPRO HD cameras lack though. Go figure.

Brightside, You're totally right, one can do this, and I just did. Now I feel like a putz -- though I must have missed this in the Help file.
Well, Yes and No.

But... since nobody until you pointed this out, maybe others don't know either. It is not as straightforward as this.

All I have to do is stop using black bars/letter box in-track (use different project X x Y) and this 3x3 grid will do just fine. Again, not really.

The problem is that the Grid covers ALL the frame including and outside of the safe area. So, when you come to position within the 3x3 you are not using the ratio you intended. You are actually using a much smaller area and as such makes the Ro3 almost irrelevant.

Grazie

Yes .. but ... is the "safe area" as relevant today as in years past?

It was created because CRT displays do not show all of the image. With all the flat screen TV's people are using these days that is no longer (for those viewers) a problem. Also, if the video ends up on the web the same applies.

Yes .. but ... is the "safe area" as relevant today as in years past?

Unfortunately it still is :-(
A number of users here have reported that overscan on their new LCD & plasma sets has been as high as 5%.
Even with the imminent launch of DTV, CRTs will still be with us for a few more years so we'd best remember to compensate for them.

Mike

Good points on the "safe zone" though I have to confess I don't deal with that much since most of my stuff is for online viewing at this point.

In response to "What is the rule of thirds.." Q, Chienworks said:

"It's a compositional rule. Supposedly the image looks more polished and natural (as if those are compatible concepts) when the major subject in the frame as at one of the "thirds" intersections instead of in the middle. Draw the tic-tac-toe board figure on the frame and make sure the points of interest are on one of the 4 intersections.

True, but IMO It's not so much about exact point intersects as about graceful thirding compositions overall. The grid provides a useful frame, the rest is up to the instinct of the film-maker/editor on how to make the footage shine.

And rules can also be broken when doing so brings out a better result.

On 3rds grid elsewhere:

'"Course, now that i think of it, this would be much more useful in the camera viewfinder than Vegas' preview."

Well, then I'm a lucky dawg, cuz I'll be getting my HV30 just after New Year. And having it in Vegas (as that .png or using 3x3) will help me fine tune stuff when necessary. Win-win.

That said: I've read that those who don't have one on their camera with LCD viewer make their own = cut out an exact size of their screen from transparent cellulose/plastic (like report covers) and create grid with thin magic marker.

Good points on the "safe zone" though I have to confess I don't deal with that much since most of my stuff is for online viewing at this point.Actually, I kinda like having a "safe area". I like the option of having something within my framed area I KNOW I can omit. That is the other way of looking at this. Of course I NEVER get my mic or front edge of my matte box in frame - of course I don't!!

Grazie