Thought bubble video

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/25/2021, 12:15 PM

I created a bubble mask to place on a jpg. I want to l display a video in the bubble and display both the jpg photo and the bubble video. I can place the bubble on the photo and display the video in the bubble. I am using distortion to 'pull' the video to the edges of the bubble, but it doesn't fit and leaves 'gaps' where video doesn't meet the edge of the surrounding bubble. My 'mask' is black both inside and outside the bubble outline, which is white. I use chroma/key set to black which just leaves the bubble outline. I'm not using correctly which is the problem. Without fully understanding, I would like to 'fill' the entire inside-outline of the bubble with video; and also view the jpg photo on the entire outside-outline of the bubble. Thank-you for your insights. Best regards, -Larry

Comments

CubeAce wrote on 2/25/2021, 12:48 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry.

As I showed earlier the mask has to be black and white. White where the video inside the bubble needs to show and black where the background main video or still needs to be.

If you have audio on separate tracks then place the next step on the track below.

The main video or image place on track one.

Place the mask on track the track below that and stretch to length.

The video or still place on the track below the other tracks and adjust size to fit mask using the size position plugin.

Using the Chroma key plugin set it to use the alpha setting and adjust levels on the mask track.

Ray.

browj2 wrote on 2/25/2021, 12:50 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry,

Whew! I was sure that I saw something about this thought bubble this morning and an answer from Ray. I thought that I was losing it, getting inverse dementia or something. Here is the link to what Ray mentioned - in another thread.

Could you please post a screen shot of how your are trying to use the mask.

I see that Ray just answered.

John CB

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/25/2021, 4:28 PM

That fixed it! The key was moving the mask 'above' the video-clip; then, size/position, distortion, color/brightness and chroma/key tweaks. Magix and your coaching enable accessibility to enjoyable creation that I did not envision when I purchased this for making a scrapbook of photos. Thank-you again. Best regards, -Larry

CubeAce wrote on 2/25/2021, 4:52 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Glad you got the hang of it Larry.

It can become the base to many varying effects once you get into it. Masks are a very powerful tool once you let your imagination go.

Ray.

Former user wrote on 2/25/2021, 6:12 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry,

Whew! I was sure that I saw something about this thought bubble this morning and an answer from Ray. I thought that I was losing it, getting inverse dementia or something.

John CB

😂😂😂

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/25/2021, 7:11 PM

Hello John CB, that post this morning gave me a note to start a new thread since the topic was different; that is why it appears in two threads. I'm somewhat new to forums. Thank-you for helping me understand masking multiple images. The alpha-mask applied only to the video due to its position relative to the main jpg. I re-created the bubble-mask and it works as explained to me. Best regards, -Larry

Former user wrote on 2/25/2021, 7:34 PM

@Larry-Burkholder Hi, the easiest thing to remember is black is see-through when Chroma key is Alpha, I've used colours here but any picture or video can be put between Alpha masks

johnebaker wrote on 2/26/2021, 4:12 AM

@Larry-Burkholder

@Former user is correct in one way (pun intended).

The Alpha effect has 'direction' ie depending on the direction the arrow circled below is pointing either the black is transparent or white is transparent - see the image below

HTH

John EB

browj2 wrote on 2/26/2021, 8:36 AM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry,

Your image in thought bubble could use an outline, especially since the image in the bubble has about the same colours as the foreground. Any idea as to how I did this?

John CB

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/26/2021, 11:05 AM

Hello John CB, I've been attempting the outline using Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, but haven't succeeded. The 'Paint' app offers pre-composed bubbles, but I wanted a 'custom' design. I need to read the manual for both MovieEditPro and PhotoGraphicDesigner - about a thousand pages! How did you achieve the outline? I was going to try a 'thin' brush in 'Paint' and then 'fill' the inside and outside. Thanks for your suggestion, -Larry

browj2 wrote on 2/26/2021, 11:38 AM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry,

I duplicated the bubble and put a pink image between. The upper bubble has some effects on it. Look at the objects and you can see what the effects are in the text at the top of each object.

I'll get back to you on drawing in Xara later. You're best to use a vector drawing program like Xara instead of a raster program. You can scale vectors up and down with no loss of resolution, unlike rasters.

You may want to join the TalkGraphics forum and look at some of the tutorials about drawing, of which there are many.

Off to get walked by Bernadette, the dog.

John CB

Former user wrote on 2/26/2021, 2:34 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi

@Former user is correct in one way (pun intended).

The Alpha effect has 'direction' ie depending on the direction the arrow circled below is pointing either the black is transparent or white is transparent

HTH

John EB

I started writing about the arrows reversing/inverting the mask but deleted that, i didn't want to confuse Larry as Magix doesn't show it inverted on the timeline, there's many thigs to learn about masks & i thought just start with the basics, baby steps 😊

To create an outline/border i open the mask in Gimp, select the thought bubble, grow selection, create new layer with an Alpha channel, then fill in selected area with whatever colour i want, select the orig bubble again to remove the excess in the middle that would hinder the mask, export as PNG,

There's a few ways of added borders, 🙃

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/26/2021, 4:06 PM

Hello all, and thank-you for the many suggestions. I started by attempting the 'double'-mask with interleaved color-swatch; that colored the entire bubble with tint, and I tried several colors. After experimenting with several 'effects', I found this one which suits my taste (and easy apply): I went back to a single alpha-mask and used the 'sand' 'distortion' on the mask. This creates an outline of the bubble which is fuzzy/sandy and delineates the bubble sufficiently. And I applied some brightness/contrast tuning to the enclosed video to make it less prominent (it is a 'dreaming' display). This has been a good learning test-bed for me and I can change it as I digest more of your supplied techniques. All this help deserves a 'tip'-jar! Thank-you all very, very much, -Larry

I also submitted a 'help' request to Magix-Support as instructed by 'TalkGraphics' forum when my attempt to 'register' there failed. I don't know why my register there was denied.

Former user wrote on 2/26/2021, 4:30 PM

@Larry-Burkholder 👍👍 Agreed, I've owned Magix Movie for over 10yrs maybe 15yrs to make woodworking vids for YouTube but come here for advise when i need to & always get a decent response, some of it goes over my head but it's all learning & i come away with a fix & some new knowledge 😊🙃👍

CubeAce wrote on 2/26/2021, 4:58 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry.

I like 'Dream' style sequences for some projects.

There are a lot of options that can be done using that basic technique and then adding to it once you get used to adding animation of the effects using the key editor.

John CB has some base tutorials in the tutorial section to take you further but you can take it as far as you like.

Here is one of my efforts of a reminiscing style of video.

Ray.

browj2 wrote on 2/26/2021, 5:53 PM

@CubeAce

Excellent Video, Ray!

John CB

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/26/2021, 6:19 PM

Hello Ray, that video was good, good! I will return to watch again (bookmarked) to see what I missed; and it is a ready-reference (if you don't mind my taking inspiration). I have to add 'wow'! -Larry

Larry-Burkholder wrote on 2/26/2021, 6:26 PM

Hello Gid, thank-you for the video - that is what I am working. The position of the 'outline' mask is interesting to me too - it helps understanding the layers. Best regards, -Larry

browj2 wrote on 2/26/2021, 6:38 PM

@Larry-Burkholder

Hi Larry,

I'm working on a tutorial on this. Good subject! Thanks for bringing it up.

In the meantime, take a look at this tutorial in which I show how I made a mask in Xara and used it in MEP/VPX.

John CB

CubeAce wrote on 2/26/2021, 6:41 PM

@browj2 @Larry-Burkholder

Thank you.

All my own work including music track which started off by modifying the base line from 'Air on a G string', which is probably why is doesn't completely suck 😂.

Another lock-down boredom video.

Ray.

Former user wrote on 2/26/2021, 7:11 PM

@Larry-Burkholder Here's a few short vids all using masks, just thought I'd share 😉

A window i made & fitted looking outside, the view masked & swapped for a fish tank 😄

Wardrobe doors i made, masked the panels to add swimming pool water

A simple video of a cupboard with the opening masked 🐁

This is me filmed twice without moving the camera, i think 3 or 4 different masks were needed, for me but then altered to allow for the drill

johnebaker wrote on 2/27/2021, 4:50 AM

@Former user

The last video looks like you are following in the steps of Jay Bates. 👍

John EB

Former user wrote on 2/27/2021, 4:56 AM

@johnebaker Yep only thing is, I'm 52 n I've been a joiner for 36yrs, Jay doesn't look much older than 36 🤣 he has got 600k+ more subscribers than me tho 🙄😆

browj2 wrote on 2/27/2021, 9:11 AM

@Former user

Good videos! I loved the last one with the drill trick. That should keep people guessing about how this magical trick was done - and how to use masks.

John CB