Highlighting a moving object?

[Chuck H]

I want to create a highlight around a player; I think I can use track motion (Pro X6) to follow the player, but is there a way to highlight a small area around him? See an example in the video linked below (not my video) at the 0:24 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54f_Ur1q3Ws

[BrianCee]

Basically the answer is yes - but I have been experimenting for some time to see if I could actually highlight a person as per the video you linked to and have so far failed - but it is very easy to put a circle or similar around the object using the track motion option in VideoStudio X6

I knocked up a very quick demo which you can see here :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBTnYlPf5AM

sorry no football games I'm afraid but movement and hard work - see if that would suit your purpose.

[RobertOZ]

You could also try the Spotlight effect from the New Blue Video Essentials 111 package, you can download the trial and test it.

Robert

[rwernyei]

Here's a quick sample done without using VSP X6's New Track Motion feature. I used the Windows 7 Videos library Sample Videos Wildlife.wmv, a png file created in MS Paint black fill and white circle in the middle and Corel VideoStudio Pro X6. Method used: Wildlife.wmv on timeline. B&W png file on Overlay track(Keep Aspect Ratio/Fit to Screen). Click on B&W png file and Mask and Chroma Key, check box Apply Overlay Options, use Eyedropper and click on white circle. Set Transparency to 80. Click on the Edit tab and check box Apply Pan & Zoom/Customize. Now comes the guesswork. Keyframe movement of circle that you wish to cover the area for your highlight marker. Click OK and then Play to preview in Project Mode. If needed, Edit the keyframes in Pan & Zoom to get desired result. That's it.

Mailbigfile Untitled.wmv download will be available for 10 days.
http://mbf.me/sanau4

Hope this helps.
Robert

[rwernyei]

Just a follow up. I was able to create a highlight marker with VSP X6's New Track Motion feature. Method used. Wildlife.wmv on timeline. Used Track Motion and put crosshair on center of white horse body, click Red dial to create tracked motion path and click OK. Next, click Video tab/Color Correction and set Brightness value to -21. This is done to help sell the effect and make a more pronounced marker. Now, put alpha white circle.png on the Overlay track. You can get one here or create one yourself.

http://www.clker.com/clipart-plain-white-circle.html

Right click on png file on Overlay track and Match Motion. One can now edit circle marker by using Size: X & Y and Opacity. I changed the size for my sample and set Opacity to 5. Make sure to set first and last keyframes. ** Now, if you have not done already, make more Overlay tracks using Track Manager for your project. Copy Overlay track 1 and Paste to 2. Now open Match Motion on Overlay track 2 and change Opacity value from 5 to 10. This helps brighten the marker by blending the two overlay tracks together while keeping some detail rather than getting overexposed/blown out. ** Workaround: Experimentation is recommended to get desired result. That's it.

I can upload a sample if needed.

[rwernyei]

Here is the sample created with VSP X6 Track Motion.

Mailbigfile Untitled2.wmv download will be available for 10 days
http://mbf.me/N9owW0

Also, I would like to add that Corel VSP X6's Motion Tracker was pretty accurate. It performed just as well as Adobe After Effects CS3's Tracker Controls in my testing.

[Chuck H]

Thanks for all the options Brian, Robert and RW! I will be sure to give this a try.

[mandrews4]

Hi,
First of all thanks for posting this, I've been beating my head against the wall trying to do this for a football officials training video. The technique of using the white circle overlay works great. The weird thing is that as the clip progresses the white circle loses it's opacity until by the time the clip is near the end, it's solid white again. Any idea why?
Thanks in advance,
Mark Andrews

[BrianCee]

Yes - it's because you did not set first AND last frames opacity - by default most of the effects change throughout their duration - you need to go back to the opacity setting and set the opacity at the end the same as the beginning.

[mandrews4]

Brian, I'm sure this is not the first time you've been told this but I gotta say "YOU DA MAN". This is awesome. Since you were kind enough to answer my question, allow me to post another...In some of my videos the motion tracker loses the target. That's understandable when there are other objects in the way. Can I reestablish the target once I see it's lost in the preview?

[BrianCee]

The main reason why the highlight moves off the target while playing the video is the changing perspective as the video plays so it is important to choose the target and place the highlight carefully initially - takes a little getting used to.

But having said that and if it proves impossible to keep them together then just cut the video at the point where they start to diverge (just a straight cut - no removals) and then apply a new track motion to the second half.

[njnorsky]

I'm a complete newbie to video editing. I'm using VSP X7. Similar to the soccer/football example video by the original poster - what I'm looking to do is to just put an arrow or some other type of indicator on a person. It just needs to be there for a second or two. thank you.

[BrianCee]

Use the procedures explained above but use an arrow instead of a circle - you may need to cut the video each end of the point where you want the arrow so that it only happens for the period you want.

If it is just a few seconds you want and there is not a lot of movement during that time you could just apply the arrow manually by putting it in the overlay track and setting it in place manually.