Removing background

alfredsvideo wrote on 6/16/2006, 3:34 PM

I want to isolate my subject and place it onto a different background. Is it better to do this in Photoshop, or is there a reasonably simlpe method by just using Vegas? This includes stills, as well as video.

Comments

GlennChan wrote on 6/16/2006, 3:50 PM

In Photoshop, you can use something like the extract tool to cut the subject out (or the magnetic lasso or whatever). The transparency/alpha should carry over into Vegas.

In Vegas, there is bezier masking under the pan/crop tool. It's not as powerful at PS.

If the video is moving, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. ;) You'll need to rotoscope the footage, which is a time-consuming process. Silhouette Roto might help automate the process.

FrigidNDEditing wrote on 6/16/2006, 4:28 PM

you can also look into difference masking

Just search for "difference Masking" on www.vasst.com to find it.

I wrote a tutorial about it a little while back, it's not simple, but then again - depending on what you're wanting to do, you aren't doing something too simple. Good Luck

Dave

johnmeyer wrote on 6/16/2006, 7:59 PM

... and he wrote the tutorial in part to help me. Look for difference masking under my name. It was back in January or February, I think. If you have the camera on a tripod, and if you have a shot of the scene without anyone in the scene, and without any movement, then this technique can work almost as well as a green screen. Well, that may be a little strong, but it does work surprisingly well.