Video Overlays---how much is possible?

Rogueone wrote on 9/22/2003, 4:37 PM

Question for any experienced users in Vegas. Just how powerful is it?? Can Vegas edit out specific areas of a video clip? For instance, the lightsaber effect in Star Wars. Like overlaying the shining glow over the metal pipe they use. Can Vegas do that? Replace a certain area in a clip with another? Or does that require some special model/render program?

Thanks,
Rogue One

Comments

Jessariah67 wrote on 9/22/2003, 4:44 PM

You'd really need something like After Effects or Boris to do that. Someone in here may have had success trying something like that, but I think it would be rather difficult using just Vegas.

That said, Vegas is an AWESOME application. Very intuitive. Easy to learn/use the basics. Even though it lacks a "light sabre" plugin, it's still the best NLE out there (IMHO).

frogmugsy wrote on 9/22/2003, 5:27 PM

Here's a pretty good tutorial on how to creat lightsaber effects, unfortunately, you'll need Photoshop and Premiere. It's the only reason I ever use Premiere. I think even the pros have to do a frame by frame drawing of the lightsaber.

http://www.alienryderflex.com/rotoscope/

Satish is working on a plug-in for Vegas to create a rotoscoping effect. Also, a search in these forums would get you results.
Sorry I can't hyperlink the darn thing!

JonnyMac wrote on 9/22/2003, 7:34 PM

There's a little program called AlamDV that many use to add lightsaber, explosion and similar effects. And, if my memory is not decieving me, I believe a Vegas user actually did a lightsaber inside of Vegas using track motion. You might want to do a search to see if I'm not mistaken.

Chienworks wrote on 9/22/2003, 7:42 PM

Light sabre video created entirely in Vegas with track motion by Wes Orr:
http://www.vegasusers.com/vidshare/textdisp?wdorr-mikelight3

The Sonic Foundry crew also once posted a video of two hands battling with "light sabre pencils" done entirely in Vegas using the mask generator function. I don't have a link for it, unfortunately.

johnmeyer wrote on 9/22/2003, 8:43 PM

This site was suggested in an earlier post:

http://fxhome.com/alamdv2/

However, if you want to have your socks totally blown off by what can be done, go to this page:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/~zap/kidwars/intermezzo/

and download "INTERMEZZO DUALIS - RELOADED". It has all the effects you are looking for. After you pull your jaw off the floor, click on the "Behind the Scenes" link to see how it was done.

If you aren't amazed by what this guy has done with tools available to us all, you aren't human. The "crane shot" in the opening sequence (done without any equipment at all) is particularly amazing.

kameronj wrote on 9/22/2003, 9:36 PM

I too was very blown away with AlamDV. I dinked with the demo - planned to purchase - but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I have stuck with expanding my Vegas abilities before branching out.

But with track motion and lighting and a little paitence - you to can master the force in VV. In relative terms - very siimple to do. Rotoscoping would be a bunch more better - but I can wait for that.

johnmeyer wrote on 9/22/2003, 10:16 PM

I agree that the AlarmDV looks interesting, but when I said I was blown away, I was referring to the video at this site:

http://www.lysator.liu.se/~zap/kidwars/intermezzo/

I just looked at it again for the first time in several months, and I am still amazed that a single person with no budget could do this.

philfort wrote on 9/22/2003, 11:08 PM

Vegas can already do anything AlamDV does... all its doing is superimposing one video layer on another.

Stiffler wrote on 9/23/2003, 2:50 AM

Be patient, young apprentice...a rotoscoping plug-in is soon to be arrived....

jsteehl wrote on 9/23/2003, 6:46 AM

Yes and may the cash be with you (Boris).

Rogueone wrote on 9/24/2003, 1:30 PM

Thanks for all the feedback! I knew Vegas was powerfull, I wasn't sure how far it could go.

Rogue One