Special Effects/Editing

mscotstar · Post by **mscotstar** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:27 am

I like to make short videos on youtube. But my special effects aren't very good, actually non existent. I have a friend on youtube who makes fantastic videos using great special effects, using Vegas. I have attached her latest video. What i would like to know is, can Ulead do the same effects as this. I do mess around with Ulead but never seem to get anywhere. Any tips on how i could create some of these effects. Any help would be fantastic, or a point in the right direction.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sjy_OGNKR ... h_response

Thank you Stacey

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:46 am

Well, you ask whether Ulead can do those effects. The answer is yes, no problem, in MediaStudio Pro. If you are asking whether they can all be done in VS11.5, then I can't be so categorical: they would probably require much more work with intermediate renderings and file generations, as you can't apply transitions to overlay tracks, but something fairly close to it should be possible, with patience.

mscotstar · Post by **mscotstar** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:57 am

Devil wrote:Well, you ask whether Ulead can do those effects. The answer is yes, no problem, in MediaStudio Pro. If you are asking whether they can all be done in VS11.5, then I can't be so categorical: they would probably require much more work with intermediate renderings and file generations, as you can't apply transitions to overlay tracks, but something fairly close to it should be possible, with patience.

Thank you, i do have VS11.5. I have just bought it, and i don't have a lot of patience

If i want to get Mediastudio Pro do i have to buy the whole package or is there an add on i can just purchase to put on top of my VS11.5.

Stacey

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:03 pm

It's a completely different software. No upgrade offer. Note it is obsolescent, but not obsolete.

Post by **Ron P.** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:10 pm

I did not see any fantastic effects in that clip, that can not be easily done with VS. The only effects I noticed were PIP (picture in picture), using a mask, split screen, and that more than one camera was used to film.

VS has the ability to do PIP and apply a mask, not just the masks provided with the program. You can create or import your own masks. The "flickering" or flashing of the PIP is simple enough. So far this could have been done in VS8 or 9.

There are several effects packages, like Boris, Digital Juice, that can be purchased to enhance your production. There are some free ones, like Stephen Burger's FX Bench, and Burger's Transitions. That's not to mention the audio packages.

To sum it up, I don't think there's a single NLE that does it all, and most of the pros will use numerous packages/programs to achieve the type of effect(s). Some even create their own special programs.

I've looked at some of Sony's packages, and was so impressed that I continue to use Ulead/Corel's...

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:01 pm

... and neither Ron (nor I) work for Ulead/Corel!!!

But it is absolutely true, and a lot of use a wide variety of programs in any one project. I for instance, will use WinDV to capture from my mini DV camer (or HDV Split from my high def camera), VS to do some editing, Canopus FX or Adorage for my transitions, Sonic Fire Pro and Nero Wave Editor for my audio, Xara 3D, Bluff Titler or Cool 3D Production Studio (or combinations thereof) for my titles, DVD Workshop for my menus and Nero for my actual burning to disc... And some will use a lot more than that...

But yes, the sort of thing you are after can be done in VS11.5+, but I am afraid there are few short cuts...

Video editing is not for the impatient and you have to be prepared to read an awful and learn an awful lot more which cannot happen overnight...

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:45 pm

mscotstar wrote:
Thank you, i do have VS11.5. I have just bought it, and i don't have a lot of patience If i want to get Mediastudio Pro do i have to buy the whole package or is there an add on i can just purchase to put on top of my VS11.5.

Stacey

Then you are pursuing the wrong hobby!

mscotstar · Post by **mscotstar** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:09 pm

Black Lab wrote:
mscotstar wrote:
Thank you, i do have VS11.5. I have just bought it, and i don't have a lot of patience If i want to get Mediastudio Pro do i have to buy the whole package or is there an add on i can just purchase to put on top of my VS11.5.

Stacey
Then you are pursuing the wrong hobby!

Well it looks like I'm going to have to be very patient and keep practicing

Plus keep reading all your fab tips on here which i have been reading most the night.

A question (yes another one

) when using a split screen and a mask as mentioned above how do you get rid of the line down the middle. I want it to look as if the 2 pictures just blend into 1.

Thank you again Stacey

Post by **Ron P.** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:49 pm

To use masks effectively, you first need to understand how they work. Masks use an alpha channel or transparency, which uses the 8-bit grayscale. Which means there are only degrees of shading from black to white, opacity to transparency. There are only certain formats that have a transparency or alpha channel, Bitmap (bmp), Targa (tga), Portable Networks Graphics (png), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) are the most common. Even though these formats support higher color depths, to use the transparency in VS they must be 8-bit grayscale.

Remember that Black blocks, and white shines, and anything between that is a degree thereof. So look at the masks included with VS, and it will better help you understand that concept. Then when you create your own, you will know what will allow the layer below to be seen, and what will block that layer from being seen.

So if you want the images to blend, you need to feather the edges, or use differing degrees of gray towards the edges.

Now with all that said, higher-end NLEs do have additional functions, such as better control with Chroma key, Luma-key, to be able to add a "video matte" (which a matte is a mask), some other blending such as gray-key, mulitply, add, subtract. You pay a lot more, not only monetarily, but in the learning curve.

So if you're wanting to produce broadcast quality videos to enter competitions, or for major production companies and television stations to use, a professionally designed NLE would be in order. For putting your home-made videos on DVDs that your family and friends will go WOW, can be achieved with a consumer level NLE like VS..

Most of that comes from the person filming and editing, not the software..

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:44 pm

What special effects, those are overlays. You can do that sort of thing with any video editor that has multiple video tracks. VideoStudio has 6, MediaStudio 99.

VideoStudio 12 will support transitions on the overlay tracks.
MediaStudio is far more powerful and includes moving paths and many other things, but as pointed out by Devil it is now considered a product being phased out.