Your thoughts on Thought Bubbles ...

PeterWright wrote on 8/13/2006, 1:02 AM
In the upcoming golf series I'm involved in, one idea to be incorporated is the occasional insertion of a thought bubble - usually showing that whilst someone is saying one thing, they're thinking another ....

Anyway, I want to get a collection of these ready so I can drop them in whgere needed.

One source I know of is in Paint Shop Pro - start with one of the preset shapes which I can create a series of different variations, ready to suit a particular shot.

But I'm sure there are many other sources around, including some 3D looking ones, so I'd like to scan the choices available before deciding.

Any ideas welcome.

p.s. Incidentally, the Producer for this series mainly produces TV commercials, including some pretty "high end" stuff. He's used to working with Final Cut Pro people, but he was open minded enough to come and see my Vegas set up. He loved the way Vegas handled multi cam, colour correction - primary and secondary, looped preview, and several other features and said "looks fine to me."
Very refreshing to meet an open mind!

Comments

TorS wrote on 8/13/2006, 1:06 AM
Peter,
Get a font! Webdings comes to mind. Tip: Use a solid shape and pull it down to transparent. Then you can use outline (text properties) to "draw" the thing. Even a setting of outline thickness=0 will draw a very fine line when rendered.
Tor
Grazie wrote on 8/13/2006, 2:01 AM
Smashing concept Peter!

I see and hear the following:

Sound Track: Bing . . . Bing . . . POP! . . just MADE these sounds with my mouth clicking and popping!

Video Overlay: 2 or three progressively getting larger bubbles floating UP to the main one and then - POP!

Maybe an exaggerated "HMMMmm..." within the audio and a smidgen of soft echo. LOVE IT!!

But it's gotta look and sound as if it is MEANT.

Maybe use the NEWSPAPER dots and get a kinda Roy Lichtenstein effect - almost cartoony? Have the REAL video just drift into cartoon and then back out?

oooo... me wanna go?!?
Grazie wrote on 8/13/2006, 2:10 AM
Hey? An inverted golf WOOD looks like a thought bubble?
PeterWright wrote on 8/13/2006, 2:14 AM
Nice one Tor - plenty of scope for different colours etc, and sometimes "not quite transparent" gives a nice effect.

... and of course, can be saved as presets on Media Generator, reversed with Pan Crop etc ....
navydoc wrote on 8/13/2006, 3:04 AM
Just remember, there is a difference between a thought bubble and a speech balloon. 8^)

(These are gifs on a transparent background if you can use them)

For a 3D look, maybe you can apply a drop shadow too.

Doc
farss wrote on 8/13/2006, 6:24 AM
I think Peter's been watching the local McDonalds TVC, mixture of CGI and real 'thought balloons', one of the talent pulls the ballon out of the air and uses it as a cushion.

Bob.
PeterWright wrote on 8/13/2006, 6:31 AM
Thanks Grazie - some nice ideas - I'm collecting them all ....
PeterWright wrote on 8/13/2006, 6:32 AM
Haven't seen that Bob, but as I said, I'm collecting ideas.
farss wrote on 8/13/2006, 3:33 PM
Probably just as well.
Use the same idea and I think everyone'll be going "Macca's ripoff".

They're fairly realistic looking 3D rendered ballons (actually not round either, looks like a fabric texture, more like a white cushion) with images inside them, think cup of coffee etc. They look like a ballon being pulled along as the talent walks. One scene inside the restaurant the talent pulls the ballon out of the air and uses it as a cushion.

Bob.
richard-courtney wrote on 8/13/2006, 6:49 PM
Chienworks had a tutorial of water ripples using a height mask.

If you make the height mask shallow (slight difference in contrast) and not moving,
along with a white cloth material (from a photo of say burlap) you could get the 3D
look. without investing in a 3D program.

What are the bubbles to say..... humorous or techinical ?
ushere wrote on 8/13/2006, 7:39 PM
peter

ps7 / cs2 has some in shapes - easily scalable and any 'look' can be applied without hassle. used them a few times - with dissolve or ripple in, fade out

leslie
PeterWright wrote on 8/13/2006, 9:16 PM
Thanks R Courtney - yes, I'll have a play with height maps.

The thought bubbles are to be humorous - one theme running through the series is a challenge between a former Aussie cricket captain and his son as to who can reduce their handicap the most through the series. Dad may say to his son "Best of luck, son!" but the thought bubble might say "You've got no chance, you little whipper snipper."