Adding Photo to Video

rmalerstein · Post by **rmalerstein** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:06 am

I am trying to add a still photo (of my head) over that of an actor in a movie clip and have the still photo move with the actor's head as he moves across the screen. I can get the photo into the video, but cannot get it to move smoothly with the actor.

It is a spoof for a training class, so it does not have to be pristine quality.

Any suggestions for a very novice editor?

babdi · Post by **babdi** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:54 am

Take a picture of yours with a uniform green or blue background. Chroma key to remove the background colour. Position the object where you want it to be .Use the zoom Pan option to move the object ie., the picture of your head.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:21 am

A a tutorial to get you started...

http://takeoneflix.com/ulead-videostudi ... g-subject/

PuzZLeR · Post by **PuzZLeR** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:12 pm

Kind of cute, however keep in mind that VS is a consumer level product not something that somebody like Pixar would use. An automated software solution that can fit images to certain parameters is actually Hollywood domain.

No, I'm not being sarcastic, and not making fun of you, but the most nearest-to-perfect solution available by VS, despite tricks and tips, is basically to do this, manually, frame-by-frame and that is if you have a little time and the scene is not terribly long.

Then you can count on VS to do an awesome job in this case.

rmalerstein · Post by **rmalerstein** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:50 pm

thanks for the insight.

I had given it a shot placing the headshot in the correct position frame by frame, but it was jittery and I would have to quit my day job to get it right. I was hoping there was some easier way to get a smoother transition with VS.

PuzZLeR · Post by **PuzZLeR** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:22 am

It would be an awesome feature. But to have it implemented is something that would make the package much more expensive.

Yes, you would have to quit your day job and do every frame. Even with the best software, that is how such highly complex stuff is done in Hollywood - paying people to sit at their PCs fulltime and do it - sometimes frame by frame.

On the most wicked effects I would bet a whole team sometimes needs a full week just to make one second of video look perfect...

... but if I'm not mistaken, the latest Adobe professional suite does stuff like that, such as taking a video of a highway with moving automobiles, then the software can automatically "draw" the highway without the vehicles after it analyzes a few thousand frames... Something like this may help in your case, but it's definitely several times the price of VS and quite likely for professional/commercial use only.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:35 am

Don;t some giff animators do similar things?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:53 pm

rmalerstein wrote:thanks for the insight.

I had given it a shot placing the headshot in the correct position frame by frame, but it was jittery and I would have to quit my day job to get it right. I was hoping there was some easier way to get a smoother transition with VS.

Are you sure you are doing it frame by frame? If so, the results should be pretty smooth, but it is tedious work. If you haven't zoomed your timeline then the increments are seconds, not frames.

rmalerstein · Post by **rmalerstein** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:17 am

I think I am almost there.

It is frame by frame and it is tedious. Is there any shortcuts to advancing to the next frame in the video so I can reposition the image to move with the character in the video?

The tutorial on tracking a moving object looked similar to what I want to do, but I am just placing a standard image over the actors head and moving it as he moves. Nothing fancy. It's a spoof.

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:28 am

Keyboard shortcuts:

Advance to next Frame: CTL + T
Previous Frame: CTL + U

PuzZLeR · Post by **PuzZLeR** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:10 pm

Since it's a spoof, it's probably meant to be funny. The jerky motion can be made to be something that is overly exaggerated, and could work in your favor upon presentation.

rmalerstein · Post by **rmalerstein** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:41 am

CTR - T...That may have saved my sanity. Thanks

One final question: I drop the image (headshot) onto the overlay track and it is visable in the video. I can easily position it over the actors head. Let's say I am going to use that same image for a scene lasting 150 frames, but every 5 or so frames I am going to move it slightly as the actor moves.

If I make it cover the entire 150 frames, when I move it in frame 1, it moves it in all the frames. Is there an easy way that i can have the image span the 150 frames, but be able to position it independently in each frame or every 5 frames. Break it up so to speak.

I am by no means looking for perfection, just ease of use.

Post by **Ron P.** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:56 am

Depends on which version you're using? If you're using VS10+, no easy way at all. However with VS11+ you can cut clips on the overlay tracks.

So you can stretch your image across the 150 frames, then if not already make sure you're time-line display is Thumbnail only, and you're zoomed into 1-Frame size. Now you can cut (Keyboard shorcut is CTL+I ) the image clip where you need to adjust the position.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:13 pm

Yes, it would be much easier to give you a definitive answer if we knew what version you are using.

Ron is correct. If using v11 you can make the entire overlay clip span your other clip, then simply cut where you need to move it.

If you are using an earlier version you can't cut in the overlay track. You either have to move it to the main track to cut, or simply put another copy of the image at the point where you want to move it.

rmalerstein · Post by **rmalerstein** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:16 am

I have VS11, so all the tips have been quite helpful. It's a lot of work, but it's coming together quite nicely. The shortcuts are a lifesaver. Thanks for the insight.