reshaping video footage

[sirpetenme]

I have VideoStudio Pro X2 and my operating system is Windows 7 Home Premium. I'm trying to put together a film, including some sequences which have been filmed on an IPad (I think) for which the aspect ratio is a thin vertical rectangle. I would like to change the shape to a horizontal rectangle by removing segments at the top and bottom. Is there any way I can do this on my VideoStudio program, please?

Many thanks.

[rwernyei]

Use the Cropping filter.

Go to FX and drag the Cropping filter on your file.
Open Options panel.
Click Customize Filter.
Set Width and Height %, Example: 60% for both. They will need to be the same values to keep proportions.
Check Stationary box if this is going to be a static crop with no movement.
Uncheck the Fill Color box.
To make sure the changes apply to the whole video, click on the first frame red diamond and right click and Apply Copy and Paste to All.

Robert

[BrianCee]

You do not need to change the width if you are cropping a portrait image to be a landscape - just set the width to the full width of the image and then set a height which gives you a 16:9 image ratio - providing you DO NOT untick fill colour your image will not distort if you do not change height and width equally.

You can also move the selection box up and down by moving the cross at it's centre so you can make sure you have the centre of the action in your video.

[rwernyei]

Brian,

From what I understood from the OP is that there is already black borders on the sides with the video shaped as a vertical rectangle in the center. In this scenario the video will need to be stretched horizontally and squeezed vertically to keep proportional. Setting the Cropping width to just inside the side black borders and matching the height value with result in a full frame picture without any borders. The Fill Color box will need to be unchecked to complete the crop into the frame.

[sirpetenme]

Thanks for this, but I'm afraid I'm still having problems. When you say go to FX, do you mean click on F/X on the Effect menu? If so, I cannot find the Options Panel or Customise Filter. Sorry if I'm being stupid, but I would really like to crack this one.

[BrianCee]

AH - yes - very sorry sirpetenme it is not your fault - both Robert and myself have overlooked a very important point in your original post - your using version X2 - we have been giving instructions for the later versions.

so change of plan.

Select the large 'Edit' tab at the top and put your video in the timeline - now just to the right of the preview screen at the top left corner of the library panel is a drop down , which by default is probably showing 'Video' - change that drop down to "Video Filter - - All" you should now see the actual filters.

Locate the one called 'crop' - you may need to use the slider at the extreme right edge to scroll down to find the filter. Drag the filter from the library and drop it onto your video - the 'Customise Filter' option should now be visible to you - click on it and follow our previous instructions

Sorry for the confusion - as you can tell X6 is very different.

[sirpetenme]

Sorry, Brian, I know it's difficult when customers start asking questions about ancient versions of Video Studio, but I'm still stuck. Thanks to your instructions I discovered "Video Filter---All" and "Cropping" and dragged it down and dropped it on my video. And then nothing. I could not find "Customise Filter" anywhere. I guess this is still a problem because I'm using VSP X2. Can you still help me, please? Many thanks.

[sirpetenme]

Whoops, hold the phone! I've just discovered that the reason that I could not discover "customise filter" was because the array of filters had dropped down over it. Having sent them back up, I found "customise filter" and I think I'm now on the way to reshaping my videos. Watch this space.

[Shim]

Could you not just select “Distort clip” under “Attributes” and pull the image frame to the desired dimensions?

Even with full frame 16:9 video you are able to increase the size by sliding the frame either left/right or top/bottom then dragging the handles to suit.

[BrianCee]

If you just distort a portrait image so that it fills a landscape screen your image will be very distorted and look unnatural .

[sirpetenme]

Yep, I've cracked it. Many thanks for taking the time to explain how to do it.