Using an image as a background

Mike M. wrote on 1/24/2006, 7:04 PM

I've created an image that I want to use as a background using an image editing program. When I try to set the image size as say: 300x600 @300 dpi, it still fills the frame in Vegas. This has got me baffled........but I know it's something simple.

Question/Detail: Is there a way to create an image (jpg, bmp, psd...etc) that will fill only part of the video frame--------------essentially surrounded by black?

Thanks

Comments

GlennChan wrote on 1/24/2006, 7:16 PM

Go into event pan/crop.
Turn off Stretch to fill frame.
Done. :)

Mike M. wrote on 1/24/2006, 7:26 PM

Tried that, but perhaps there is another switch???

Anyway....tried it again:

1. Made a 640x480 image at 300 dpi using Photoshop (verifyed the size)
2. Saved as a PSD
3. Imported to Vegas
4. Inserted into timeline for a DV project (720x480)

I figured it would be smaller. Not so. Clicking the "fill frame" in Pan/Crop does nothing---well as least so far.

Comments/Ideas?????

Chienworks wrote on 1/24/2006, 7:34 PM

First of all, dpi is irrelevant in video. It doesn't matter if it's 30dpi or 3000dpi. All that matters is the frame size.

When you save the image in Photoshop you get a pixel aspect ratio of 1.0. DV frames are 0.9091. So 720x480 DV is the same as 654.5x480 for a still image. That means that a 640x480 image will almost exactly fill the frame.

Something very simple to do for your needs is to create a black 654x480 image and then paste your 600x300 image into the center of that. Then use this new image on the timeline.

Mike M. wrote on 1/24/2006, 7:46 PM

Thanks...........you are the man.

What I utimately want to make is a ragged edge image with background texture (like a old postcard) floating in black. This will work great.

Chienworks wrote on 1/25/2006, 5:14 AM

I just did some playing around with Vegas. To answer your original question, you can do this with Pan/Crop but the method seems rather backwards.

- In the Pan/Crop window set the width to 654.5 and height to 480.
- Make sure Stretch to fill frame is set to Yes.

This will center the image in the frame with black around it. Oddly enough setting stretch to fill frame to No stretches the image to fill the frame. *shrug* Must be some sort of negative logic, i guess.

mjroddy wrote on 1/25/2006, 10:45 AM

Maybe I'm not understanding the problem, but can't he just Right-Click and go to the Media Tab and choose "Use Sourse Resolution" on that event? (I'm not in front of Vegas, so I don't know the right path/words.)

Chienworks wrote on 1/25/2006, 12:14 PM

Matthew, i don't see any option like that.