Warping and Stretching Video

Spectralis wrote on 5/31/2016, 12:32 PM

I'm trying to find a way to warp and stretch video in Vegas. I think I need some kind of grid or mesh warp where the effect divides the screen into a grid and the intersecting points can be stretched and manipulated over time.

I tried Boris FX Continuum Complete 10 but this seems to have only a bulge effect that's not as versatile and accurate as I need. Mocha Pro has a mesh warp but it's hugely expensive and a bit overkill for what I think I need. This might be possible in After Effects or Hitfilm but I'm not sure.

The effect I'm trying to achieve is similar to the stretching effect in the images below. Apparently this effect is caused by glitches while navigating with the camera in Google Earth. The effect is very similar to the over stretching of textured objects in 3D modelling software like DAZ Studio, Lightwave etc. I can replicate this effect on 3D objects in DAZ Studio but there isn't a way to load 2D film into this type of software and manipulate it over time in this way. The 2D film would need to be converted into an animated texture, then applied to a 16:9 cube and then manipulated by creating various deformers. If this was even possible in DAZ Studio it would involve a huge amount of time, work and computing power. It would be much easier if I could find a Vegas plugin that could emulate this effect as closely as possible. Any ideas?

http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/csm/files/2016/05/pub-470x264.jpg

http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/csm/files/2016/05/carpark-470x265.jpg

http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/csm/files/2016/05/sea-470x264.jpg

Comments

Former user wrote on 5/31/2016, 2:41 PM

Probably not what you want but you could try the Deform Effect or the Pinch effect.

videoITguy wrote on 5/31/2016, 2:46 PM

I would not make this too hard to do -thinking overly complex is not going to help- as you seem to merely be emulating an effect where part of the picture is stable and the other part suffers some minor distortion.

Hence use the compositing feature of vegas to layer two consecutive video tracks of the same video. Cause distortion (can be done with any number of efx (check NewBlue) where you are applying on one of the two tracks. The ultimate result is that you have part of the video stable for a (given period) while the other part of the scene distorts.

Spectralis wrote on 5/31/2016, 4:09 PM

Thanks for the replies. I really want to keep it as simple as possible so compositing is probably the best way. I can mask areas of the second track I want to distort but I tried the Sony, New Blue, Hitfilm and BCC warping/distorting FX. They warp the area in various ways but as the video is stretched an increasing large black hole appears at the center of the warp rather than the image being continuously stretched outwards like in the photos above.

The reason I mentioned 3D modelers is that the effect in the photos looks very similar to models being deformed in extreme ways. I assume Google has 3D modeled their street view app and the effect is caused by the models and their textures not updating quickly enough for the camera on some systems.

Rory Cooper wrote on 6/2/2016, 1:03 AM

Understanding how Sony Vagas composites can help you.

To stretch an image convert the track to a 3D track.

Now you want to apply fx like wave distortion to the image so you create a 2D track as a new parent and apply the wave fx on the track header after the composite and make wave keys

Now you want to apply some color grading …cool make a new 2D parent track with grade.

Now you want to apply fx deform so make a new track and apply fx to the header after the composite and key your deform bend etc this way all the fx work on the image in 3D SPACE not the surface of the event.

Now you want the entire image to work around 3D space so create a new 3D parent track and key the motion etc

Finally create a new 2D track as parent and select shadow

Example =

Grazie wrote on 6/2/2016, 1:24 AM

Great work Roars! Great work.

Take note MAGIX: This product, in the hands of a master craftsman, eg here Rory, just shows MAGIX what a steal they've got, along with a User base that can make it deliver.

Roars - Shot!

Grazie

Tim Stannard wrote on 6/4/2016, 6:14 AM

Wow! I can only agree with Grazie.
I'd never have thought something like that was possible in Vegas. Thanks for the concise explanation and demo, Rory. I think I'll spend the afternoon trying to get my head around it.
Fantastic knowledge and understanding.