What programs can batch process STILLS for special effects?

HalfDead wrote on 11/10/2003, 5:38 PM
I have seen a few posts about exporting an AVI as a 'still image sequence' into a Photo application so that an effect can be applied & then have the results imported back into Vegas. I have just been reloading all of my programs back into XP & have been only putting each back on as they are needed.

I have several Photo Editing programs at my disposal should they be necessary. I have Corel PhotoPaint 10, Adobe Photoshop Elements2.0, which just came with my still camera & I still haven't looked at it yet, as well as Photo Impact 8 another program that has never been used. Can any of these programs do this? If so is there anywhere I can read up about what to do?

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 11/10/2003, 5:44 PM
Photoshop full version can do this. Ulead Photo Impact can do this. I don't know Corel, so can't comment.
PeterWright wrote on 11/10/2003, 6:48 PM
Paint Shop Pro 8, does this, and has its own scripting, so you can accumulate a huge library of effects which can be automated for still sequences.

PSP8 is excellent value, much like Vegas is in the video field.
planders wrote on 11/10/2003, 7:15 PM
Photo Paint 10 can do batch processing. Its macro system is nicer than Photoshop, IMHO. If it weren't for the program's stability issues, I'd still be using it.
JohnS wrote on 11/10/2003, 7:53 PM
Photoshop ...
-Open Photoshop.
-Go into "Window", "Actions" first ("actions" in the Photoshop world are the same as "macros" in any other world).
-Once you have your "action" set up for one photo, then go into "File", "Automate", "Batch" and tell it to use the "action" that you set up for your remaining photos.

Yeah, Photoshop is a bit expensive, but it is still the standard.

If you aren't using it for a business, and you are either in school or have a kid in school, get the education version for a much better price.

By the way, Photoshop Elements' batch function is very, very limited.
XPUser2003 wrote on 11/10/2003, 8:31 PM
Photoshop 7 works, as mentioned. Depending on the effects you want the apply the process can be easy or tricky. You have do experiment on your own to get the hang of batch processing. I found it challenging but definitely rewarding.

The main thing to remember is that Photoshop will batch render still images not movie files (as far as I know.) It doesn't care where these stills come from or where you want to use it. Therefore, first convert you movie file into stills. After the effect has been applied to these stills, bring them back to Vegas as a movie stream. The steps are more or less like this:

1. In Vegas, open a video clip
2. File, automate, batch, scripting (BatchRender...something. Im not so sure about these as I am away from my video editing pc)
3. Choose folder to contain the "deconstructed" movie file. There'll be lots of jpegs now.
4. I Photoshop, open a jpeg file
5. Begin new action, name it
6. Apply your effect (say, filter/artistic/pencil)
7. Stop action.
8. File/automate/batch process
9. Select all your target jpegs and apply the action.
10. In Vegas import the filtered jpegs as a movie stream.

This is a rough guide. I can't recall precisely the correct terms. I can only say that Photoshop 7 works great for batch rendering. If you dont have batch/render script on your Vegas menu, it's time you download the update Vegas4d scripting and install it first.

good luck!
TheHappyFriar wrote on 11/10/2003, 9:24 PM
Unless you have a fast computer, you might want to find a free utility to convert your DV AVI into still frames. The Vegas script is EXTREAMILY slow (compaired to Premiere or TMPGenc).

But, I belive Corel Painter (Formarly Metacreations [Formerly Fractal]) does scripting. I have it at home and when I get off work I'll check and see.

Painter though isn't like Photoshop at all, so it would take some getting used to. Great program though, and for that one you would want a gb or 2 of RAM for lots of pic's or big pictures. :)
johnmeyer wrote on 11/11/2003, 12:27 AM
There was a thread about a week ago about how to do this in Photoimpact. I have used the batch capability in Photoimpact, but not to create video effects. However, having read the post, I am quite certain it will do what you want.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 11/11/2003, 12:48 AM
I just loaded up my copy of Fractal Painter 5. No batch option in that program. But, BUT. :) You CAN import your stil sequence into the program and edit every frame. Supports onion skinning (upto 5 layers). I belive the newest version (v8) may have a batch. You can download a demo (w/o the ability to save) at www.corel.com
XPUser2003 wrote on 11/11/2003, 3:00 AM
Friar,

That's a very clever tip on TMPGEnc. I didn't think of it before but now I experimented and lo! Wow! TMPGENc made short work of converting avi to stills and it's free to boot!

I just did a quick render and batch processed in Photoshop 7. Then, opened the image sequence in virtualdub. Fantastic. I used the rough pastels filter in Photoshop and recorded the action inclusive of "save as" before pressing stop record.

Photoshop never cease to amaze me! While it was batch redering the images, I went for a drink and when I returned, the filtered images were ready to be opened in virtualdub. I gotta try this again when I get to my Vegas pc. I now got a 5-second clip in rough pastels look.

I'll stick with Photoshop and thanks for the TMPGENc tip!

HalfDead,

In recording your "Action" in Photoshop, make sure you incude the "save as" in the recorded action. This way, you can set your resulting still setting one time only and it will apply automatically for the whole batch of images. Otherwise (if you stopped recording the action before the "save as" command) the batch render will do only one image at a time then stop and wait for you to choose the settings for the stills before saving. Confused? Believe me, this is MUCH easier done than said.