Tips and tricks to making videos

Hello to everyone .

first of all i do not think that i'm the right person to open this topic but i hope that we'll be "richer" for an another interesting topic here where we can share some interesting tips with each other about videomaking.

Simple Fade-In, Fade-out
Used Tools:
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
1, Start the Virtualdub and open the video.
2, Go to the View menu and switch on the Curve Editor
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3, Change from Direct Stream Copy to Full Processing Mode,
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4, Push Filters and then Add a new one, which is in this case Brightness and Contrast.
Change the Brightness to Black and the Contrast to 0%.
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5, Push the Blend button on the filters panel
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6, Add new points to the Curve editor. Use the Shift on the keyboard plus the Left mouse button. In this case the first point is means that the Brightness and Contrast filter will cause fully black first frames ( Blend mode=100% ). After the second point in the Curve Editor the Brightness and Contrast filter will not cause any effect for the video ( Blend mode=0% ). Between the two points we get a nice transition.
Add another two point to the end of the video. The third point is added to completely lowered, and the fourth point is added to the top of the curve editor. The end result is a simple Fade-In and Fade-Out effect in the video, but you can use this to make transition between two scenes too.
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Masks and layers in Virtualdub(only).(No need for avisynth)

A while ago was asked elsewhere, if it was possibe using virtualdub to change the background (fixed/static) in a video.

U can.

Advanced stuff made easy.

Requirements

1 Virtualdub Here:-[hidden link - please register]
2 Image Layering Filter -- by Brian Allen Vanderburg II found here:-[hidden link - please register] or [hidden link - please register]
3 Vdscript here:-[hidden link - please register]

Install Image Layering filter in virtualdub plugin folder.

Now open Virtualdub, then under tools/create test video, select RGB colour cube.
Then load processing settings (under file) or press CTRL+L to load the vdscript. (where U downloaded it too.)

Then press play(0) (second right arrow) or scrub along the playline, you should see two panels with spinning cubes, one unprocessed, with a grey background and the other, processed and a blue background.

Description of process (in brief)

Open filter-chain list under video/filters or press CTRL+F

1 Filter named difference = Layer filter, extracts foreground region from grey background using a grey difference mask/colour and increases contrast for next filter
2 Ignore the fill filter for now
3 Filter named mask = threshold filter, This creates a black and white mask (two colours) of the cube only.
4 Filter named background = 2nd instance of layer filter, here we introduce a new background, blue.
5 Filter named Output = merge layers, this is where we combine the new background, source and mask for output.

Double click on each filter to see how it is configured.

Try changing the background colour from blue to a colour of your choice by configuring the second layer filter and don't forget to apply changes before closing filter.

For those distracted by the text in the bottom of the frames select/tick the fill filter.

The mask basically works by blocking (source) in the black areas and passing through (source) in the white areas.( like looking through a keyhole)

Now, the previous text was for a solid colour background, now using the file input of the layer filter you can use a static background previously extracted from your video to use in the first layer filter(difference)for mask creation. This image is usually a mosaic (to hide the foreground) of different frames in your video

Before and after example video here:-[hidden link - please register] 24Mb 2.5Mins Mkv no audio (used avisynth to stack videos)

thanx for this...
do you guys know of any players that allow you to adjust the rgb, hsv gamma.
currently i use vlc player but its image manipulation plugins are poor to say the least.

also lossless codecs. are there any that can be used on the streams as i always seem to end up with a blockyer than i started finished product.
currently im grabbing a 720/480 stream at a bit rate of 800.
but when i edit the vid with these settings i get a much worse output. if i use 1200 board it looks as good as the original but the original is broadcast at 800 board.

RE Slow motion

Just to add

Check properties of source video to see if frames are progressive or interlaced. if progressive then continue, but if interlaced then seperate fields and resize (25i to 50p) this keeps temporal info resulting in smoother slow motion when you slow 50p to 25p

Simple Slow motion combining with Zoom In & Out / Avisynth

Used Tools:
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- [hidden link - please register] or you can use the [hidden link - please register] too with [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- Notepad ( Free ) or you can use any other text editor too.
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free ) or you can use any other picture viewer / editor which contains good selection tool ( for example the [hidden link - please register] )

Here is an example script:

# SimpleSlowMotion combining with Zoom In & OUT AVS
videoSource = DirectShowSource("Drive:PATHfilename.ext")
# -------------------------------------PART-I------------------------------------------
vid1 = Trim(videoSource,0,5000) # 0 = start point, 5000 = end point ( frame )
# slow motion with Convertfps
# the original fps = 25
# vid2=Trim(videoSource,5001,5400).Convertfps(50).AssumeFPS(25) # half speed
# slow motion with Changefps
vid2 = Trim(videoSource,5001,5200).Changefps(50).AssumeFPS(25) # half speed
vid3 = Trim(videoSource,5401,0) # 5401 = start point ( frame ), 0 = end point

sourceSLOW = UnalignedSplice(vid1,vid2,vid3)

# also it is work
# UnalignedSplice(vid1,vid2.Changefps(50).AssumeFPS(25),vid3)

# -------------------------------------PART-II-----------------------------------------
# Zoom In & OUT
# the input/basic video is the end result of the first part
# zoomIn
vidZ1 = sourceSLOW.Trim(0, 5500).
Animate(4727,4827,"BicubicResize",
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 720, 576,
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 455, 361)
# ZoomOut
vidZ2 = sourceSLOW.Trim(5501, 0).
Animate(0,100,"BicubicResize",
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 455, 361,
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 720, 576)

UnalignedSplice(vidZ1.FadeIn(65) ,vidZ2.FadeOUT(65))

The first part of this script determine the areas where the video contains slowed and normal speed parts. The second part of this script will determine where contains the video zoomed areas, and this part will use the end result of the first part ( sourceSLOW ).

Simple Zoom In & Out with Avisynth Animate().

Used Tools:
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- [hidden link - please register] or you can use the [hidden link - please register] too with [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- Notepad ( Free ) or you can use any other text editor too.
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free ) or you can use any other picture viewer / editor which contains good selection tool ( for example the [hidden link - please register] )

1. You need a simple frame from the video where you can determine the area of the zoom. I made this frame with Virtualdub. Simply open the video and then push the Ctrl + 2 on the keyboard ( Edit / Copy Source frame to the clipboard )

2. Open the picture editor / viewer and then paste the image from the clipboard ( Ctrl + V or Edit / Paste ) .
- Draw a simple selection rectangle which will determine the area of the zoom.
- Select Edit and then the Create Custom Crop Selection or simply push the Shift + C on the keyboard.
- Select the Actual ratio ( from image ).
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3. You need those four number what IrfanView show you on the top of the main window.
- Create a new text file with AVS extension.
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Here is my script:

# AVS ZOOM IN-OUT
# source size: 720x576
# ZoomIn
# the first part is from 0 to 3691
source1 = DirectShowSource("PATH\FileName.ext").trim(0,3691).\
Animate(2700,2900,"BicubicResize",\
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 720, 576,\ # original picture size
720, 576, 0, 0, 106, 97, 489, 391) # the coordinates of the top left corner and the size of the zoomed area
# from 2900 to 3691 contains the constant bigger picture size

# ZoomOUT
source2 = DirectShowSource("PATH\FileName.ext"").trim(3692,0).\
# the first 200 frames on the second part beginning is the ZoomOut
Animate(0,200,"BicubicResize",\
720, 576, 0, 0, 106, 97, 489, 391,\
720, 576, 0, 0, 0, 0, 720, 576)

# joining the 2 trimmed part of the video + a basic sharpening filter
UnalignedSplice(source1,source2).Sharpen(0.8)


2, Open the AVS file with Virtualdub ( or with avsproxy_gui for Avidemux ).
___________________Original________________________________________ZoomIN________________
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Trim and join videos and / or ( different )scenes with Avisynth.

Used Tools:
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- [hidden link - please register] or you can use the [hidden link - please register] too with [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- Notepad ( Free ) or you can use any other text editor too.

1. Create a simple text file with AVS extension.
[hidden image - please register]
First example:

# load different files or determine the scenes
Source=DirectShowSource("PATH\FileName.ext")
# trim the source file
a = Trim(Source,0,1550)
b = Trim(Source,1551,1903)
c = Trim(Source,1904,0)
# the videos / scenes fade into each other
# the number 25 is frame number
Dissolve(a, b, c, 25)

Second example( ):

# load different files or determine the scenes
Nancynity=DirectShowSource("PATH\FileName.ext")
# trim the source file
scene1 = Trim(Nancynity,0,1700)
scene2 = Trim(Nancynity,1950,0)
# the last 0 in the line of scene 2 is mean that the end of the video
# the videos / scenes fade into each other
# the number 40 is frame number
Dissolve(scene1, scene2, 40)

( If just you want to put one scene after the other then you can try the UnalignedSplice() instead of Dissolve() )

Each line which begins with double-cross( # ), those are only comments will not affect the video.

2, Open the AVS file with Virtualdub ( or open with KMPlayer ).
And here is the end result of the scripts.

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Shirtfull wrote:@genya

So we're working with the same video. Open Virtualdub and create test video, tools/create test video/rgb colour cube.

Then add bright/contrast filter and create curves as in picture below

Points are 25,50,75,100


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This should fade in at frame 25 then fade out at frame 75

Ok, i think i understand, so i will change my first post later. Thanks for the replies.

@genya

So we're working with the same video. Open Virtualdub and create test video, tools/create test video/rgb colour cube.

Then add bright/contrast filter and create curves as in picture below

Points are 25,50,75,100


[hidden link - please register]

This should fade in at frame 25 then fade out at frame 75

Shirtfull wrote:[quote='genya']
<snip>
4, Push Filters and then Add a new one, which is in this case Brightness and Contrast.
Change the Brightness to Black.
<snip>
Don't be fooled by term "black" in filter panel, that only reduces luma by a half, (dim image)
To fade in/out to full black also reduce contrast to 0%

If someone wants to change the contrast too just feel free, of course.
I checked the first frame and it is contains 2 color, so you have right, the first frame is technically not fully black.
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If i change the luminance to extremely high then the frames look like this.
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But i'm not a good videomaker so maybe i do not understand what is the point.

Shirtfull wrote:PS forgot to add that to remove curve points use Ctrl + left click

Yes you have right i forgot to write this. I write my post really late ( early ), and I was sleepy .

[quote='genya']
<snip>
4, Push Filters and then Add a new one, which is in this case Brightness and Contrast.
Change the Brightness to Black.
<snip>
Don't be fooled by term "black" in filter panel, that only reduces luma by a half, (dim image)
To fade in/out to full black also reduce contrast to 0%

PS forgot to add that to remove curve points use Ctrl + left click

Simple Fade-In, Fade-out
Used Tools:
- [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- [hidden link - please register] or you can use the [hidden link - please register] too with [hidden link - please register] ( Free )
- Notepad ( Free ) or you can use any other text editor too.

Virtualdub + Avisynth
1, first of all you need a simple script file. I made this with notepad. I created this in same directory which contains the video.
[hidden link - please register]

Here is a simple script:

# Simple Fade-In and Fade-Out with Avisynth
DirectShowSource("PATH\FILE_NAME.")
# fade-in the first 50 frames from black
FadeIn(50)
# fade-out the last 30 frames to black
FadeOut(30)

Here is an another example with white color:

# Simple Fade-In and Fade-Out with Avisynth
DirectShowSource("PATH\FILE_NAME.")
# fade-in the first 50 frames from White
FadeIn(50, color=$FFFFFF)
# fade-out the last 30 frames to black
FadeOut(30)

Each line which begins with double-cross( # ), those are only comments will not affect the video.

2, Open the AVS file with Virtualdub.
And here is the end result of the script.
the first 50 frames____________________ and ____________________ the last 30 frames
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