Cool effect I just discovered (fading someone out)

[david_k_jordan]

Greetings:
I just wanted to bring forward a cool effect I just discovered using VS 9 (however you could do this in previous versions). As I said this is probably old hat to many, if not all of you...but here goes...

1. Set up your camera on a tripod
2. Take a shot of someone in front of the scenery for, say 10 seconds
3. While the camera is still rolling have the person exit the scene and film the blank area for another 10 seconds (you should now have about 20 seconds of film).
4. Now, go to your VS...and allow the film to run until just before the person exits and stop the progress...at this point split the scene into 2 pieces.
5. Now you should have a 10 second scene with a person standing in front of scenerey, and another 10-15 second shot of blank scenery.
6. now using the clipping tool to "mark in/out" clip the scene in front and back to edit out the person exiting the scene. Now you should have 2 scenes...one with a person in front of scenery...and one scene of nothing but scenery...these 2 scenes should be equal in length.
7. Drag the clip with the person to the Overlay window...and leave the blank scene in the base area.
8. Go to the overlay window and you will see a small block overlyaing the base scene. Drag the overlay to match the size of the base scene...go to the entrance/exit of the overlay...and choose to make them both static.
9. In the overlay window choose the fade out...this will fade the person out and show the blank scenery behind.

So, that's it...please feel free to respond here is you need any additional information on this...like I said I know this is probably old hat for most of you...but just a cool effect I was testing out I though I would post here.

Dave Jordan

[Black Lab]

You could avoid using the overlay track step by just inserting the crossfade transition between the two clips

[Ron P.]

You could avoid using the overlay track step by just inserting the crossfade transition between the two clips

I agree he could have done that, however I must applaud David for using his creative imagination while shooting his film. That's using some fore thought into his intended outcome.

Thanks David

[Willie Marwick]

Nice to see VS users sharing their 'tips 'n tricks' - would like to see much more of this type of posting as we can all learn from each other.
Thanks David.
Willie M

[Rich2Putt]

Another cool tip:

1) Set your camcorder on a tripod aimed 20 feet away from a large tree
2) Place the camcorder on record and walk behind the tree
3) Change clothes, walk behind the tree once again

Cut the clip from you first scene when your behind the tree (leave a few seconds of walking towards the tree)
Continue the clip on the change of clothes as you walk out from the tree

Viola!!! gives the apprerance of change of clothes in seconds