Overlay Function Not Present

[jamesq]

I have a trial version of VideoStudio Pro X4

The overlay tab is not present at the top of the interface. Is this feature left off of the trial version? The video I have in the overlay track is blank and cannot be seen over the main track. Am I doing something wrong or is the feature not part of the program? I need to be sure there is a chroma key feature that works well before buying the program.

Thanks

James

[BrianCee]

Ok James - first point - the trial version of X4 is a full and completely functioning programme - nothing has been removed as it is a trial - the only thing missing from a trial version is the extras like background images, borders, music etc. - you get to download these when you purchase the product, although this has changed with X5 as you now get everything when you download the trial.

Second point - why are you testing X4 - ~X5 is the latest version , surely you want to be trying the latest version.

now to your problem - I do not understand what you mean by "The overlay tab is not present at the top of the interface" - there is no overlay tab in the product - it does not have or need one. You simply put your background video in the uppermost track and your overlay in one of the many overlay tracks and 'Bingo' there you are. Then you make the overlay whatever size you want - then invoke the chroma key options, which I can assure you work very well.

So can you explain in a bit more detail what you have done so far - can you get to a point where your screen looks like my screenshot below - if yes then we're nearly there and we can move forward - if no, then please let us know in detail exactly what you are doing.

Click on an image to see it bigger.

This is a view from X2 (but X4 and X5 work the same) of the Chroma key in action :-

VS X2 logo.jpg (40.5 KiB) Viewed 5930 times

[jamesq]

This is what I have done so far.
1.) Import two videos, one for background, one for overlay.
2.) Drag the background video to track 1
3.) Drag the overlay video to track 2
Each video shows up in the review screen when clicked but when I try and view them together the frame for the overlay video shows up over video one, the background video.

[BrianCee]

so - is the video in the overlay track a single image with a plain colour background - and you want just the image to show not the background ?

After you put both videos in the timeline you should click on the one in the overlay track - then if it is not already, open the 'Options' panel by clicking on the blue tab just above the right end of the timeline. Click on "Mask and Chroma Key". Then 'click to tick' the box against "Apply Overlay Options" - usually by default VS selects the background colour - but if it does not then use the 'eye dropper' and coloured square next to it to select the correct colour - you may also need to tweak the 'similarity' value if the background is not a uniform colour.

If you do not now have the final effect you want please post a screen shot of the VS window so we can check what you are doing.

[jamesq]

so - is the video in the overlay track a single image with a plain colour background - and you want just the image to show not the background ?

After you put both videos in the timeline you should click on the one in the overlay track - then if it is not already, open the 'Options' panel by clicking on the blue tab just above the right end of the timeline. Click on "Mask and Chroma Key". Then 'click to tick' the box against "Apply Overlay Options" - usually by default VS selects the background colour - but if it does not then use the 'eye dropper' and coloured square next to it to select the correct colour - you may also need to tweak the 'similarity' value if the background is not a uniform colour.

If you do not now have the final effect you want please post a screen shot of the VS window so we can check what you are doing.

What mouse clicks do I use to post a a screen shot?

The overlay track is actually over an a graphics avi file that moves. What you suggest is exactly what I have done. The chromakey function picks out a color easy enough. But, there is still only a frame over the background track where the overlay should be.

I would like to post a screen shot but I don't know how to do it.

[BrianCee]

to obtain and post a screen shot.

First open VideoStudio and arrange the screen to show your videos in the timeline and the result in the preview window.

On your computer click "Start" (round blue circle in the very bottom left corner of your computer screen) - then choose "all Programs" - then choose "Accessories" - then choose "Snipping Tool" - - as instructed in the little box that opens click and drag the cross shaped cursor to select the whole screen , when you release the mouse button your image will be in a window with a Save icon in the top left corner - click that and note carefully which folder it is going to save it in - also give it a sensible name - save it. You now have an image of your screen in a file on your computer.

now come back here to the Forum and under this post click "Reply" - type a bit - now down below the box you type in look for the words "Upload attachment" - click on that - click on the "choose file" button and browse to the picture you just created click on it and OK and return here - click on the "Add the file" button which has now appeared. now place the cursor in the text box under you typing and click on "place inline" - some text will appear in your typing box which when you click "Submit" to show your post will turn into your screen shot

Job done

[jamesq]

This is it

[BrianCee]

Well done - but unfortunately from that view I can't see anything that is causing your problem.

Could you open the options panel by clicking on the blue tab at the extreme right - then click on "Mask and Chroma Key" - then take another screen shot and post here.

[jamesq]

Well done - but unfortunately from that view I can't see anything that is causing your problem.

Could you open the options panel by clicking on the blue tab at the extreme right - then click on "Mask and Chroma Key" - then take another screen shot and post here.

2nd try

[BrianCee]

Well now I'm stuck - every thing looks exactly as it should - except for the final result - I don't know what to suggest at the moment.

hopefully another user has another suggestion - but if anything else occurs to me I'll let you know

[Ken Berry]

Have you tried adjusting the Similarity slider up or down from the 70 showing in your last image?

[jamesq]

Well now I'm stuck - every thing looks exactly as it should - except for the final result - I don't know what to suggest at the moment.

hopefully another user has another suggestion - but if anything else occurs to me I'll let you know

I tried somebody else's green screen video and it works where mine doesn't. See below. The video that works is an mp4 and mine is an avi. Could there be something worng with my video?

[BrianCee]

It *should* work with .avi files - you could try converting your .avi to another format (using VideoStudio) and see if that does make a difference - but I am now thinking there is something un-usual about your file.

To convert the .avi to something else - - put your .avi in the top track with no other videos at all in the timeline - next click on the "Share" tab at the top and in the panel which opens choose "Create Video file" - then choose DVD - then DVD video. Follow the prompts and this will produce an .mpeg-2 video file - try using that. Your original .avi file will not be touched or changed in any way - you will now have a .avi and a .mpg file

[srhamm770]

A friend of mine creates all the video for church with ProPresenter, AfterEffects and a Mac. He was trying to teach me the finer art of green screen, and he asked if my Corel VideoStudio X5 can create a "mask track"--basically a mask like what we can use and create in the Mask & Chroma Key feature, but it's a video file, not a still graphic. Hmmm, can we? This would help when our green screen is wrinkled or poorly lit and doesn't mask out well when choosing the Similarity value. Thoughts? Suggestions? I do have such a recorded video with green screen that can't be made to disappear without making the foreground subject also partially disappear.

[BrianCee]

I'm not 100% sure how you want to use the 'frame' - but see if this helps. Put your base video in the top track - then at the right side of the preview screen look for the flower icon - click on it, and at the top of the library pane which opens use the drop down at the top to select 'Frame' - choose one of those and drag and drop it into the overlay track - you may need to right click on the image in the preview screen and select 'fit to screen' to cover the whole image - then drag the right hand edge until the frame is the same duration as your video.

Alternatively make your own frames - create an image in an image manipulation package with a transparent section in it and put that in the overlay track - you can do something like this - you can make the cutout shape and size to suit your requirements : -

This was done in X2 so don't look for the flower icon on this screenshot but it is in X5

VS X2 overlay.jpg (41.81 KiB) Viewed 5899 times