Do all your third party effects actually do anything?

CubeAce wrote on 4/16/2021, 5:32 AM

I have been playing around trying to make a mask that maps an object on the move. It is crude and just an experiment at present and needs refining in more than one way as I'm always looking for new ways to start a video.

However, during this exercise I have noticed an effect that seem to do nothing within MEP and one that works much better in VPX than MEP.

The one that works as I would expect in VPX 11 and not MEP 2021 is the 'Art Filter', particularly the emboss feature.

The Third party one (If you have it) is New Blue Elements 'Outline'. That seems to do absolutely nothing. What should it do?

Any ideas?

Ray.

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 4/16/2021, 6:57 AM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray.

That intro looks scary 🙈 - I was expecting something to jump out and go BOO! 😂😂😂

Quite by coincidence I was looking at some NB effects yesterday, and found that some effects appear not to do anything in MEP - try changing the Windows Graphics setting for MEP to Let Windows decide.

I appear not to have the NB Outline - which pack does it come in?

The Art filter, Emboss does work, however you may find that you have to turn the value up high to get any effect otherwise it just looks grey

HTH

John EB

PATIENT-X wrote on 4/16/2021, 7:07 AM

@CubeAce

Took me back to my childhood of the ghost train for a second or so 😁

browj2 wrote on 4/16/2021, 8:17 AM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

Neat effect!

I have been playing around trying to make a mask that maps an object on the move.

Can you explain more about that (maps an object on the move)? For that, I was assuming that you wanted something like "Attach to picture position in a video" like the tracking part that I show in this tutorial:

What I see in your video is the mask, that is a face, moves and rotates to see the front of the face. How did you do that? I presume that you have a face that does this and that you changed it to B&W with some grey for transparency.

Can you show us a screen shot of the interface for NB Outline? I don't have that one either.

I'm always looking for new ways to start a video.

Me too. I found some of the templates in Pixelan SpiceMaster3 to be particularly effective as a fade in or part of an intro.

Of course, everything can be modified in great detail in the interface. The possibilities are endless.

The interface menu:

You can install this and try it out. You get an X watermark on the screen until you pay.

John CB

CubeAce wrote on 4/16/2021, 9:21 AM

@johnebaker @PATIENT-X @browj2

Hi Stephen.

I was going for more of a 'Tales of the Unexpected' vibe so your reaction and John's is cool.Thanks.

The mask will eventually be to one side with titling to it's opposing side but I will be redoing the whole thing. At present it is just a proof of concept experiment.

Hi John EB.

The effect is probably in the New Blue Elements 3 Ultimate pack. At the website (I just bothered to visit) an explanation showed how it works and it is just to put a coloured outline to silhouettes or text as far as I can make out and not very good at that.

I revisited the Art Filter in both VPX and MEP and now MEP has the same degree of control as my copy of VXP with the same settings. I'm sure it hasn't been in the past. So false alarm I think.

Hi John CB.

What I want for this exercise is just a mask of a face that rotates from side profile to full front view. I used a dummy head that normally holds my headphones. It is not white but speckled and grey. It has deeper inset features than a polystyrene head has that is vital for the lighting. The lighting position has to be static and hence the camera has to move rather than placing the head on a turntable. I need to build a curved dolly track I think for a more stable pan. Our Thomas the Tank Engine play track and a wagon should do the trick if it doesn't clunk over the joins.😉

Making my own effects means I can make clips no-one can accurately replicate and helps me to understand which base effects within MEP or VPX can do what.

I am using the camera to track the head with a gimbal, not using MEP to place it anywhere as such.

I did this literally sitting at my work desk just as a thought. The head is about half adult sized.

Ray.

johnebaker wrote on 4/16/2021, 3:15 PM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray

. . . . I need to build a curved dolly track I think for a more stable pan . . . .

Have you looked at a skater like this?

John EB

CubeAce wrote on 4/16/2021, 4:11 PM

@johnebaker

Hi John.

There is a much smaller motorized one that would suit this job more as it's fairly close up, (and the camera I'm using is much smaller).

But I have just managed to do a better take manually screening the background and floor with black paper.

All it needs now is the title sequence added. I may even try again but paint the face matte white first.

Ray.

browj2 wrote on 4/16/2021, 4:18 PM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

That is brilliant!

For NB Video Essential V - Outline, see this at about 2:45

It's for text or png objects with transparency. It puts an outline on them.

I have this in another video program.

John CB

CubeAce wrote on 4/16/2021, 6:35 PM

@browj2

Hi John.

Thanks, it's getting there. A bit more mask tweaking I think as I changed my camera ISO settings but the clip itself isn't too bad.

I'm still getting to grips with the Boris Continuum Titler effects now that I've got it up and running fully again and although a bit clunky and ram hungry it's very versatile. I could replicate that look with it although not as an available preset. I also want to de-tune the sound track with some wow and flutter to give it a creepier feel to it. I would also like the old style lettering pack of fonts I've seen now and again in the Humble Bundle offerings.

Lots to think about including other possible mask effects.

Ray.