Mirrored pillar box effect question

qtrim · Post by **qtrim** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:04 pm

Is there a tutorial on how to do what i think is called the "mirrored pillar box effect" like when HDTV shows display 4x3 content, but instead of black pillar boxes they are a stretched and blurred version of the same content?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:41 pm

I did something similar HERE with the instant replays. (First one is at the 3:11 mark)

I think I put the clip on the main track and used the Blur video filter. I then put the same clip on the overlay track and resized it to make it a bit smaller.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:24 am

On further thought, what you are talking about is a 4:3 picture in a 16:9 frame.

Try setting your project for 16:9, then put your 4:3 clip on the main video track, apply the Blur filter and stretch the clip to fit the frame. Then put a copy of the same clip on the overlay track, keeping the 4:3 frame. I think that will achieve what you are looking for.

qtrim · Post by **qtrim** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:12 am

Black Lab wrote:Try setting your project for 16:9, then put your 4:3 clip on the main video track, apply the Blur filter and stretch the clip to fit the frame. Then put a copy of the same clip on the overlay track, keeping the 4:3 frame. I think that will achieve what you are looking for.

That's exactly what I've been doing and it works perfect.

What I couldn't figure is how to get a smooth blend on the edge of the 4x3 content. I modified one of the VS gradients in photoshop and that worked. Thanks.