text:
How can I increase the resolution of a mobile clip?
Few days ago, at early morning I saw something falling in a slop in the sky. It wasn't a plane but something with a color of fire and so bright! I wonder what it could be, so I recorded it on my mobile. But as my mobile camera resolution is really very low, it wasn't that clear to understand. While I show it to someone, then they don't understand the exact thing that I saw.
So, I'd like to know that is there any way to increase the resolution of the mobile clip?

Welcome Nadia, please start with the tour: http://video.stackexchange.com/tour to get your first badge :) If Gin-San's answer solves your issue please mark it as. It's also friendly to upvote. Anyway, enjoy the site!

You can't recover information that isn't present in the data you have.  Sometimes there's useful information hidden by noise, and filtering can help.  However, esp. in the case of downscaling/upscaling, information is just gone.
These wiki links are way too general and mathy to be specifically helpful, but this is the theory behind why you can't recover quality once it's gone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_theory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_information_theory
Think of it this way: if you could somehow increase the quality of a video, we'd just use that procedure on 100x100 pixel videos to upscale them to beautiful 4k displays, and fit HD movies on floppy disks.
Same deal if you compress the hell out of a JPEG image:  it'll be all blurry and blocky, and the details of the source are gone.  If they were recoverable from a tiny JPEG, then we could compress anything as much as we wanted and still have great-looking images.
These things are as impossible as perpetual motion machines.  Sorry to dash your hopes. :/
All that said, it's possible you could do some smoothing or filtering on an upscaled version to produce something that looks to a human eye more like what you saw.  With the aid of words, you might have some luck getting your point across.

Thanks. Though I knew its not possible, but just hoped that if there was any. May be someday technology will be that much developed. By the way, can you recommend any software for smoothing or filtering the video?

"May be someday technology will be that much developed...".  The best you could hope for would be an AI that figures out what it might have been a video of, and constructs a good-looking video of what you might have recorded.  Anything better than that is literally as impossible as a perpetual motion machine, as proved by information theory.

I've had OK results with some mplayer / ffmpeg filters.  If you're on Windows, there are a lot of free (but not open source) avisynth filters.  Apparently it's possible to get avisynth running on Linux, but I haven't done it.  Google some, and / or search the doom9.org forums directly.

Unfortunately, no. Increasing the resolution of a video after recording is impossible. You can upscale the video, but that will simply copy the pixels and maybe interpolate a bit, but the result won't look any better than the original. If, as I presume, whatever you saw there is just a bunch of colored pixels in your video, there's nothing you can do to change that.
Whatever you saw there, maybe it was just not meant to be caught on tape ...

Thanks for the answer. Sigh, I'm just so curious to know what was that. :(


text:
For a given bitrate, what video resolution is perceived as the highest quality?
I'd like to achieve certain approximate bitrate for video encoding. If I use higher resolution like 720p, I'll get more fine-grained image, but more encoding artifacts. If I use smaller resolution like 480p, I'll get less detail and more coarse image, but higher image quality. Naturally, if the resolution is too high or too low, the result will be bad. Is there any research or information based on experience, what's the optimum resolution, given a desired bitrate and codec (in my case libx264)?

There's a piece of the puzzle missing: what's the target display size? After all, for a given bit rate, 320x180 would give you more bits per pixel, but the cost in quality when upscaling that to a 1280x720 display would far outweigh any benefit.

@JimMack Good point. The target display size would be a standard 24" computer screen.

You're right, at some point it visually looks better to downscale and have a lower rez but less artifacty video.  The bitrate where this happens depends strongly on how compressible your content is.
One way to judge this for x264 might be to look at the rate-factor.  For 2-pass, the x264 output includes the rate-factor.  For CRF mode, the CRF value you set IS the rate-factor.  Just guessing off the top of my head, a rate-factor of maybe 30 or higher might be the point where you would be better off downscaling.  That might still be content dependent; e.g. if you have some very detailed but very static backgrounds, you might prefer to have the moving parts of the picture blocked/blurred, but the background high rez and crisp.  (IIRC, play around with AQ strength and/or psy-rd to control distribution of bits between long-displayed static parts of the image vs. parts that are changing.)
In the extreme case of using way too high a rez for your bitrate, a lot of the bits are just per-macroblock overhead (headers and so on), with little room for motion vectors and DCT coefficients.  Newer codecs like h.265 have bigger macroblocks (coding units in h.265 terminology), and also just higher coding efficiency (better rate-distortion tradeoff), so they push down the point at which you should start downscaling.
Visually, modern codecs will start to blur things themselves when there aren't enough bits to look sharp.  So once things start to blur as much as they would if you just downscaled, you might as well downscale.
For more discussion about encoding stuff, look around on forums.doom9.org.  Especially http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1691228#post1691228, which is the discussion I was thinking of when writing this.

In case of H.264 codec, you can use YouTube recommendations.
Here's Vimeo video compression guidelines

No, such a thing does not exist.  You can get some very rough guidelines in terms of things like suggested recording profiles for Youtube, Vimeo, or bitrates used by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Watch, but at the end of the day, the bitrate needed for a given resolution is entirely content dependent as well as dependent on how much time you can spend encoding.
It is a complex field and far too in depth to detail everything here, but in general, the slower you encode, the fewer noticeable artifacts you will have.  Additionally, the less motion (or more predictable motion) that your footage has, the less bitrate will be needed to display a high resolution image.  Conversely, if you are using fast software encoding options, there will be lots of artifacts or wasted bitrate for the level of quality you get.
Video compression is a complex field and each video needs to be calibrated a bit for best results.  Alternately, you can use a quality based encoding which will vary the bitrate as necessary to preserve a given level of quality (lack of artifacts.)  This would then be independent of the resolution of the file, it would just impact how much bitrate is consumed.  More active videos would consume more bitrate and more static or predictable videos would use less.  Additionally, slower encodings would use lower bitrates while faster encodings would use higher bitrate.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

sort: votes


text:
How do I scale an object in only one direction?
I am animating a volume meter, and have done the "tricky bit" of getting the volume value.
Now I want to apply the volume value to a mask , so that as the music moves, the mask is exposed in time to the beat.
I have tried two ways, the first by scaling the mask. However, I can't get it to scale in one direction only (i.e. it scales around a center point.) Even if I move the pan anchor it still doesn't pin the base of the shape.
The other way I tried was using a linear wipe. However, this was no good either, as the whole wipe effect is completed at 38% (i.e. if I move the slider the object vanishes totally at 38%, not 100% as I would expect.)
Is there a better way to do this?
Seems simple, but has me stumped.

Set the Anchor Point to the bottom of the asset by using the Anchor Point tool (Y)
 Tool icon in CC versions
 Tool icon in versions pre CC

Disable proportional scaling of that layer  and set the desired keyframes

Demo in AE 22.0.0

Notes

The shape also can be used as track matte, just set the layer below to Alpha.
Consider to add a slider control
As alternative you could use a trim path on a shape layer as track matte, see this answer: https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/49643/how-to-use-after-effects-trim-path-with-an-illustrator-path/49975#49975

This doesn't work on v.17.1.1, apparently.

Still works the same way in AE 22.0.0 @LeeDean See the edit.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
How do you zoom in (animated) on a portion of your canvas?
I'm using After Effects to create a Motion graphic and I would like to make the animation zoom in on a specific point, do something and then zoom out again.
To clarify what I exactly try to achieve: I'm animating a browser and I would like to zoom in on the URL bar, type an URL and then zoom out and work on just like before zooming.
One option is to scale all the visible layers, so it looks zoomed, but that's a strange way to achieve the zooming effect, I think.
What's your advice?

Here's what I would do...

Create a camera
Create a null object
Set the parent of the null object to be the camera
Make the null object a '3D' object
Use the null object's properties to zoom and move the camera around, e.g. use the 'z' position to zoom

You could do this with the camera by itself, but the null object is sometimes easier to deal with. Ease in and out of the keyframes for a smooth animation. I hope this helps!

Elegant answer! I was going to suggest animating the scale in Premiere.

Im sorry to ask, but could you make this a bit more beginner friendly? I started After Effects today and got quite an okay motion graphic already, but I haven't got a clue what you mean with a null object.

Hey Sandy - Here's a tutorial video I just found on this process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP9LyCYhv-w
I don't think he goes over the 'easing keyframes' I mentioned, but you should find a lot of resources on editing keyframes by doing a Google search for 'easing After Effects keyframe'.  I'm happy to help more if you have any other questions.

You need to make the null object a parent of the camera, not vice versa. Also, make composition 3D not only the null object.

You can simply scale the layer (or a null object) to get something like:

Click on the stop watch of the position and scale properties of the layer at the first frame (to enable the properties: select the layer, hit S followed by Shift+P)
Move 10-20 frames ahead
Scale your layer
Edit the position property or simply dragging the layer in the viewer to set the desired end position value
Sharpen the layer (Effect Panel > Sharpen)
Optional: Enable Motion Blur (for the layer and the composition property)

Project file

Note: Also check if your OS supports HiDPI mode for a better screenshot:

HiDPI on Linux: https://blogs.gnome.org/alexl/2013/06/28/hidpi-support-in-gnome/
HiDPI on OSX: https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/48433/enable-hidpi-on-23-imac
HiDPI on Win: http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/chrome-high-dpi-mode/

But should I export my composition first to a mov file, new composition and then do it or what? I've got about 30 layers and to all give them a new position/scale ain't fun.


text:
How to extract Xtra atom from MP4 file?
Can one dump/extract the Xtra atom from an MP4 file ? I am looking for a solution on a linux system (debian/jessie if possible).
Apparently this atom is used by WMP, as per link. I'd like to be able to use such information (rating, publisher or leveling inf) and pass that to my DLNA server (minidlna).
Currently all I see using AtomicParsley is:
[...]
                     Atom data @ 678585 of size: 529, ends @ 679114
         Atom Xtra @ 679114 of size: 206, ends @ 679320 ~
Atom free @ 679320 of size: 48, ends @ 679368
Atom mdat @ 679368 of size: 248835382, ends @ 249514750

 ~ denotes an unknown atom
[...]

And same thing with MP4Box:
 <UDTARecord Type="Xtra">
 <UnknownBox>
 <BoxInfo Size="206" Type="Xtra"/>
 </UnknownBox>

Which cannot be used/parsed.

I've reported the issue on Debian bug tracker here, as well as upstream here.
Really the only available reference implementation can be found here.

authors: Блашко Ливриновски


text:
Creating a stop motion vieo?
I love this short 15 second video. I'm a beginner (have mercy), but how did they do this?

I don't see a link and I don't see any edit indicator. ??

Mulvya, there is a youtube video in my post above. Do you not see it?

No. On checking source, I see that it is a Flash object. I have Flashblock on and I usually get a button indicating disabled flash objects. No such thing here. Anyway, I see the link in the source. Thanks.

One frame at a time. Many film cameras (as opposed to video cameras) will allow the creator to shoot a single frame of film. The camera is set up on a tripod, pointing at countertop with the Quest Bar, strawberries, and peanuts on it. The filmmaker shoots one frame of film. Then he/she moves the Quest Bar a couple millimeters to the right. Then shoots another frame. Moves the Quest Bar a couple more millimeters. Shoots another frame. And so on, until the Quest Bar is in the middle of the shot. Then he/she opens the end of the wrapper a bit, and shoots another frame of film. Opens the wrapper a little more, shoots another frame. Slides the wrapper a couple millimeters to the left, shoots another frame.  And so on.
This is standard "clay animation" or "Claymation". You can read more about it here.

Brett, that must be a lot of work right? How many frames do you think it would have taken them to do this?

It is a LOT of work! I've done some myself.  Remember that film has 24 frames every second.  So for 18 seconds (like this video), that's over 400 separate positions and shots!

Holy moly. Not accounting the shots they probably had to retake right?

Exactly! And this is the same technique done for ENTIRE FILMS sometimes, such as The Box Trolls, Chicken Run and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sometimes to make the process a little bit faster, they will shoot 2 frames of each setup. But that makes the final film look more jumpy. (BTW, thank you for marking my answer as "correct"!)

You're welcome Brett. Thank you as well for that. One more thing, when we see the gal's hand putting the cookies (quest bar) in the oven, is that stop motion, or could it be an effect you could apply to it? It doesn't seem as stop motion as in the beginning.

To me, her hand (which appears several times!) looks a bit jerky, like it's stop-motion animated too. That is actually simpler and quicker to shoot: the actress holds the tray, and moves it forward 1 cm. The camera operator shoots one frame of film. The actress moves her hand forward 1 cm more. The camera operator shoots one frame of film. And so on. I think that's simpler than the rest of the shoot because the actress doesn't have to get her hand out of the shot before shooting the next frame.

The most basic principal of stop motion is taking pictures of still objects,moving them slightly for each frame, then playing them very quickly to give the illusion of movement. For example, when the bar came out of the package the animator started with a frame of the closed package. Than they opened the end of the package then they took another frame(picture).They moved the package off the bar sightly and took another picture. They slowly did this until the bar was all the way out of the package. It's not that hard, really. Give it a try!


text:
Best way to batch rotate 3000+ h.264 videos?
I have approximately 3000 short video clips, each about 3 seconds in duration. I need to rotate each of them 90 degrees. What is the best way to do this? I have Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, as well as access to both Windows and Mac machines. Looking for the easiest solution to automate/batch process the rotation of so many videos.
If you were wondering - the videos are part of an e-learning course on lumber. The learner views each randomly selected video, which is just a short clip of a piece of lumber rotating. The videos were shot so that the lumber (2x4s, etc.) were horizontal. But now the client wants the lumber to be vertical in the clips.

Only rotation? From e.g. 1280x720 to 720x1280 right?

Just rotation 90 degrees clockwise (or counter cw - doesn't matter for this project).

Does the container of your video files includes an 'orientation' metadata ?

Use ffmpeg and the "transpose" filter as "poor" suggested. For example, if your files are mp4 and are in the current directory:
mkdir -p rotated
for f in *.mp4; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -vf transpose=2 -c:a copy -metadata:s:v rotate="" rotated/"$f"; done

The transpose value can be "1" or "clock" for clockwise rotation, "2" or "cclock" for counter-clockwise rotation. There are other values which will also apply a flip.
The audio will be stream copied to avoid unnecessary re-encoding.
The video stream rotation metadata is cleared in this example. Otherwise ffmpeg will copy it from the input to the output resulting in an incorrect rotation for players that pay attention to this metadata (some do, and some don't).

Another example, more verbose and flexible, and which keeps the rotated file in the same directory with a new name:
ext=mp4
for f in /some/dir/*.$ext; do
    new=${f/%.$ext/-rotated.$ext};
    ffmpeg -i "$f" -vf transpose=2 -c:a copy -metadata:s:v rotate="" "$new"
done

Yes! I should learn more about bash scripting :)

Based on this answer you can use ffmpeg with following commands to rotate a video:
ffmpeg -i input -vf transpose=2 output

To Batch process a folder of movies you can use a programming language of your choice and iterate through the files. I've used linux with python 2.7+ here. You only have to edit folder_movies path, path_to_ffmpeg and set
your movie extension:
import os # import os module
import subprocess # import subprocess module

# set the path to your video folder
folder_movies = '/home/user/Desktop/test/'

# set ffmpeg path
path_to_ffmpeg = "/opt/ffmpeg/ffmpeg"

# set file extension
ext = ".mp4"

# collect all videos in folder_movies
movie_files = [f for f in os.listdir(folder_movies) if f.endswith(ext)]

# iterate through the files
for i in movie_files:

    # setup correct filepath for mov's
    file_path = os.path.join(folder_movies,i)

    # generate new file path
    new_path = os.path.splitext(file_path)[0] + '_rotated_90' + ext

    # call ffmpeg with the correct arguments
    # command: ffmpeg -i input -vf transpose=2 output
    subprocess.call([path_to_ffmpeg, "-i",  file_path, "-vf", "transpose=2", "-c:a", "copy", new_path])

Afterwards your movie folder should looks like:

The advantage of using python is that the code runs cross platform. The only thing you need to consider are the paths to the directory and the ffmpeg executable. In order to run this on a windows machine you only have to replace the paths to something like:
# folder_movies = '/home/user/Desktop/test/' # linux or osx
folder_movies = r'c:\some\directory\test'    # windows, the r is important
folder_movies = 'c:/some/directory\test'     # windows (alternative)

# path_to_ffmpeg = '/opt/ffmpeg/ffmpeg'            # linux or osx
path_to_ffmpeg = r'c:\Program Files\ffmpeg\ffmpeg' # windows, the r is important
path_to_ffmpeg = 'c:/Program Files/ffmpeg\ffmpeg'  # windows (alternative)

Note: I'm not a ffmpeg expert, maybe there is a way to batch process with it directly.

You don't really need a whole script for this. It can be done directly on the Mac or Linux command-line with something like : mkdir -p rotated; for f in *.mp4; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -vf transpose=2 rotated/"$f"; done (assuming your video files are .mp4 in this example).

@mivk nice, why not converting this to an answer?

@mivk Since you are using a for loop it's nearly the same. For those who don't use linux or osx, it makes sense to use python or another scripting language.

@poor : well, for those users who are neither on linux nor on mac, the translation into PowerShell is "left as an exercise for the reader"... :-)

@mivk hehe, yeah, but no one wants to use it ;)

@mivk : Well, I had to, so here's the implementation for powershell.
Get-ChildItem "." -Filter *.mp4 | Foreach-Object { ffmpeg.exe -i "$" -vf transpose=2 -c:a copy -metadata:s:v rotate="" rotated/"$" }

You have specified that you are interested in working on a huge number of videos, if you have a multicore machine and you will use a normal for loop provided by your shell, you will have one of your cores running hot, while others are doing absolutely nothing. This is not ideal.
What you should be doing for such a job is using parallel, a tool that allows you to start several jobs at once, and it can do everything that a for-loop can, but better.
I will not write about all the features of this tool, but will concentrate on your specific task.
One way to start all these jobs would be:
parallel avconv -i "{}" -vf transpose=2 "{.}[rotated].mp4" ::: *.mp4

In here {} replaces each filename, and {.} replaces filename without an extension.
I will suggest that you will start as many jobs as you have cores, take away one. The reason for that is so your operating system will still remain useable, and also this will save you in case if you are using harddisk encryption (which will be using processing power to read/write data). To do this simply add --jobs -1 to your command line, and you will limit the number of jobs.
parallel --jobs -1 avconv -i "{}" -vf transpose=2 "{.}[rotated].mp4" ::: *.mp4

Please keep in mind that no output will be given until each encoding completes. So you will not see just how much of each of your video is done.

This worked for me.  create a batch file.  Make a directory called output in your videos directory.  Also put a copy of ffmpeg.exe in the directory.  You can get ffmpeg download with google.  it is a zip file, you just need ffmpeg.exe.
Run the batch file and wait.
for %%a in ("*.mp4") do ffmpeg -i "%%a" -vf transpose=2 -c:a copy -metadata:s:v rotate="" "output\%%~na.mp4"


text:
Automated Timing for Video Subtitles
I have got a video clip and a 100% accurate text file (containing subtitles). Is there any way where I can convert the text file into a timed SRT subtitle file?
Thank you very much.

How is the txt-file structured? What do you mean by "100% accurate"?

Like a tapescript. Correct word by word. What lacks are just the timecodes.

There is no professional tool that does this, as far as I know. It is never done, presumably because it would not be good enough and would need to be corrected by a human anyway.
There are of course many subtitling applications into which you can import your transcript and then do the spotting by hand. And they have varying features to make it easier/faster/more precise.
However, Youtube does offer automatic timing of transcripts. You may want to try it.
Using that, you could:

upload your video to youtube
upload your transcript
wait for their software to do the automatic timing
download the youtube captions
... then probably still do manual corrections.

Thanks for your answer. As far as I have explored, I have tried Youtube, which does automatic captioning and automatic timing. However, can I upload my 100% script (without timing, just plain text) to increase the accuracy of the automatic captioning of Youtube? Second, I have also tried Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects, which does automatic captioning and automatic timing. If I have provided a transcript for reference, Adobe will improve the accuracy of its automatic captioning, which greatly saves the time of manual editing.


text:
Software for Live Video Overlays
I have recently been working with a trial of Boinx TV, but would like to go pro. I am trying to create a live overlay with a logo, weather, and some live RSS feeds.
Thanks in advance.

Welcome to Video Production. As it stands this question is too broad to answer. Please edit your question and explain what the problem is.

I would look into Open Broadcaster Software. You may need some third-party plugins to get all the features you want, but it's a great place to start looking.

As mentioned before Open Broadcast Software and or XSplit seems to be the standards. Both are fully functional with plugins to customize your live stream output. Though OBS is free to use and available of multiple platforms while XSplit has three different range for pricing depending on the functionalities you intend to use during production. For a more complete comparison between the two software please visit here.


text:
Optimize Filesize export from Premiere CS3
After screen capturing a video and editing it with Premiere CS3*, I'd like some help optimizing the Quicktime filesize. I was wondering if I can get the ratio back to 1:1 at least.
I have tried to best match my project settings to my original video type, but when I export my edit, the filesize increases from 55mb (10min) to 963mb (7min).
Original video Settings

H.264 Codec / AAC 44.1khz, 448kbps Audio
1280*720 @ 25fps
VBR Bitrate (many still frames are present), High quality, High Profile

Premiere Project Settings

HDV 720p Preset
1280*720, 25fps
No fields (Progressive scan)
Video Rendering Setting: Maximum Bit Depth (unchecked), Optimize Stills (checked)

Movie Export Settings

H.264
1280*720, 25fps
Millions of Colours
Quality 86% (don't understand!)
Data Rate: Recompress - Always (checked) or Maintain Data Rate (unchecked)
Limit Data Rate: (unavailable)

Keyframe and Rendering:

Bit Depth: Use Project Settings (checked)/ 8-bit (unchecked)/ Maximum (unchecked)
Fields: No Fields (Progressive Scan)/ Lower Field First (unchecked)/ Upper Field First (unchecked)
- De-interlace Video Footage (unchecked)
Optimize Stills (checked).

*Apologies for using outdated software.

I've now solved this problem. I was using Export > Movie, when I needed to go to Adobe Media Encoder to find more extensive options. I kept most settings the same, but believe turning 'Bitrate' off may have decreased the data rate. I got the filesize down to around 120mb, which is much better.
This video helped me find the Adobe Media Encoder.


text:
Ghost position keyframes in After Effects
I have an animation in After Effects where I am animating a slider to move up and down at certain points. The slider should be mainly stationary, but moves occasionally in line with other actions on the project.

What I am finding though, is the slider is moving a small amount even when the keyframes are set such that it should be static. E.g. the following two keyframes are the same (Y position = 524.6) but if I move the marker in between, you'll see the value deviates from this. (As a result the slider moves.)
1st Keyframe (Y Position = 524.6):

2nd Keyframe (Y Position = 524.6):

In between (Y position varies, up to 525.4):

This is driving me nuts! As far as I can see the anchor point does not move, so I don't understand why this should happen.

Do you have a splined move between the keyframes?

What is a splined move? ;-) (Possibly - how do I tell?)

I can't give you the AE settings but when you have two position keyframes you can choose to move between them linearly or with a curve / easing / spline to smooth the motion. Sometimes even when the positions are the same, the tension of the spline results in a bump.

It's because of spatial interpolation.  Here's a previous answer:
Object moving to a position I didn't specify


text:
Ronin M vs. Helix Jr
Has anybody used the new DJI Ronin-M and compared it to the Letus Helix Jr.?
I'm considering a gimbal purchase for my DSLR videography and haven't seen anything that tells me why the Helix is twice the price of the Ronin-M.

For half the price and DSLRs only, the Ronin M probably makes more sense. The Helix Jr. makes sense for more. It can hold up to 12 lb of stuff vs the M's 8 lb (which is kind of crazy, considering that it's even lighter), and the fact that it's naturally at heart-ish level as opposed to belt level means a lot for good framing and the ability to hold it at a good frame for an extended period of time. You can get it to eye level for more easily than the Ronin, even in Upright mode (or whatever it's called), because it flips the camera upside down. (They both have briefcase mode for very low shots.)
If you want a second person with total control, the Ronin is absolutely the way to go. But if you're a one-man band and can afford the premium, the Helix is probably the better option.
Source: I have demoed both.


text:
How can I record video clips on intervals automatically?
Does anyone know of a way to record video clips of a set duration on a set interval? I am wanting to record a 1 minute video every 15 minutes automatically. I am using a Sony HDR-HC9 camcorder.
So far I have figured that I can connect the camcorder to my computer with a FireWire cable and get a live view. Then I hope I can program the computer to record the screen on my set duration and interval. The only downside with this is that I'll be losing the HD quality video from the camcorder for the resolution of the screen I'm recording on (13" laptop)...
Is there software to do this for me already?
Is there a way to capture the full quality of the camcorder's recording on my computer?
Thanks.

If you want to record the screen of a computer, wouldn't it make more sense to take a screen capture directly, rather than shooting a video of it?

Yes, I mean to do a screen capture if nobody else has a better idea.

Here's what I came up with to solve this problem:
cd \Users\Seibel\Documents\WinSendKeys

start WinSendKeys.exe
WinSendKeys -x "C:\Program Files\Sony\PlayMemories Home\TapeImporter\PMBTapeImporter.exe" -xd 10000 -w PMBTapeImporter.exe {TAB}{TAB}{TAB}{TAB}{TAB}
set cmd="dir *.m2t /b/a-d | find /v /c "Users\Seibel\Desktop\Squid videos - Birk\Pcrit""
for /f %%i in (' %cmd% ') do set n_videos_pre=%%i
echo %n_videos_pre%
WinSendKeys -w PMBTapeImporter.exe {SPACE}
FOR /L %%A IN (1,1,1000) DO (

    timeout 60 /nobreak
    WinSendKeys -m "Import from Tape" #%%,100,10
    WinSendKeys -w PMBTapeImporter.exe {SPACE}
    timeout 1800 /nobreak
    WinSendKeys -m "Import from Tape" #%%,100,10

    WinSendKeys -w PMBTapeImporter.exe {SPACE}
)

It is a batch file that uses the default software for the Sony camcorder (PlayMemories Tape Importer) and a command line controlled button pressing program (WinSendKeys) to record my desired time at my desired intervals automatically.

Ultimately if you want to keep HD quality then interval record at the camera. Hardware option is to use something like a Sony HVR-A1E that has this function built in. These are on eBay for 3-400 quid. Expensive solution!


text:
Motion graphics vs compositing
I am really confused between the meaning of motion graphics and compositing. Is motion graphics mean using still image to create illusion of moving object and compositing is combining 2 or more clips together in the same frame?

Motion graphics consists of Graphic Design and Animation. Main focus is to deal with images, typography, color and illustrations, also it's key to work with design assets, like flow charts, icons, images or backdrops, which created with animation in mind.
However Compositing consists of Animation, Mathematics and Rating Pictures (eyeballing). Main focus is digital image manipulation - it's the art and science to combine (matching) images from multiple sources like film, photographs or 3d renderings into new (blended) images to create a perfect illusion.

Melted? That might not be the right word. "Blended" maybe?

Thanks for your help @stib. I'm not a native :) "Blended" is too technical term, something more artistic would be nice, maybe "fuse"?

I wouldn't say "blended" is technical, it's a synonym for "mixed". "Fuse" is more for connecting things (usually using heat to melt them). You might say "the colours were blended" but you wouldn't say "the colours were fused".

Composition involves layering of multiple provided elements, such as live action footage, matte paintings, and special effects. Skills include keying, color correction, and integration. Compositing is often seamless and invisible, with the intent of making the shot appear to have been captured entirely in camera. All special effects in movies for instance have compositing as a final step to integrate the work of the other disciplines.
Motion graphics on the other hand is an extension of graphic design, but animated. The purpose of motion graphics is to tell a story, sell a product, or add visual interest. It does not produce a seamless photo-real image.

yea, a more succinct explanation, I like it :)

@eLouai Why the downvote?

@poor what do you mean downvote? Oh, for your explanation ... did you read your explanation ... "motion graphics consists of graphic design and animation?", that can be shortened to motion graphics is animation. But then is it fair to call motion graphics an animation, too generic because  it's not really an animation in the traditional cel animated sense. I would say "motion graphics is used to create the illusion of motion in multimedia projects" NOW that is MUCH clearer. Your explanation was just too generic and needed to be reworked. Maybe it was harsh for a downvote but that was my reason

@eLouai Thanks for your explanation. Feel free to improve my post instead, I'd really appreciate your edit. If an answer shows effort in general, I'd encorage you to expand or re-word it, which is better practice (IMO). This increases the quality of the whole site, which is need to get out of beta someday. Anyway, regarding to your proposal: "...multimedia projects" does not refer to graphic design, what is key. Eg. think of kinetic typography, it's mainly well staged typography combined with classical animation principles. So I don't think this one setence will help to make it better (IMO).

In addition to what @poor said, there are many applications which do both. For example, Apple Motion, Adobe After Effects, or Autodesk Combustion. Each one can do some combination of animating stills, drawing shapes, displaying text, and each also comes with tools for doing compositing (keyers, masks, matte manipulation tools, etc.).
In fact, motion graphics often involves compositing. For example, if you think of the title sequence of most James Bond movies, they often involve a combination of silhouettes of people (usually women), hand or computer-drawn graphics, and text. This is a perfect example of how motion graphics involves both graphic design and compositing.

Motion graphics are pieces of digital footage or animation which create the illusion of motion or rotation, and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects
It's the industry standard now and it's very important to know the benefits from the clients' perspective. Here is a great resource on that
https://yansmedia.com/2d-motion-graphics-is-the-best-animation-style-for-corporate-video-production/


text:
Quickest way to rate takes in Premiere?
How do you rate a series of takes in Premiere?
I'd like to be able to look at a series of takes, and quickly mark each one out of 5 or 10, using the keyboard more than the mouse... Is there a good way to do this?
Thanks..

First, you need to adjust the metadata display. In the panel menu of the project panel, select the option Metadata display. In the Metadata Display window, activate the Rating display under Basic. This way, you get your five-star rating system right in the project panel (you can change the position of the rating column using drag-and-drop). Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to assign shortcuts to this star rating system.
Another option, if you are dead set on primarily working with the keyboard, are label colors. You can change the available label colors in the program preferences. You could, for example, use a color code as your rating system (e.g. green → blue → yellow → orange → red). Then, you can assign shortcuts to these colors: Press CTRL+ALT+K to bring up the Keyboard Shortcuts window. The color shortcuts can be found under Edit → Label.


text:
Multiple video encoding loss
It's easier to explain my question using an example. Imagine you filmed a few short videos and want to combine them together in a sequence (probably with transitions and etc.). However, for some of this videos you also want to apply some video stabilization, color corrections and so on. So, first you edit these videos one-by-one to apply some stabilization/corrections and render them (first encoding). Then you use these edited videos to make a sequence and render a resulting clip (second encoding).
Since most video encoding formats are lossy, it seems very inefficient to basically double-encode videos, so I'm wondering if there is any common approach for this issue (apart from using lossless compression formats).

Why render them as an intermediate step?  I'm not sure about Blender, but most other NLEs let you nest one sequence into another without having to render. So you can do your edits and drag your edited sequences into the compilation sequence.

Well, it seems to me that for some things in Blender (like video stabilization) it is not possible to include edited video in a sequence, and I have to render it first.

Might be better to ask here: blender.stackexchange.com

If you must encode at each step, use a lossless codec, or at least at a high bit rate and bit depth. But it's unusual and inefficient to perform intermediate encodings. A decent NLE will let you apply the needed transforms on separate segments or layers and only encode as a final step.
And note that rendering doesn't imply encoding in the final format. It may mean only performing some actions in the internal NLE format. If your layers can't be played out for preview because of hardware limitations, a render may permit that. But it doesn't commit you. You would still encode using the original elements in a final render.


text:
video letterboxing in premiere pro with the same image as background
I am creating a slide show in premiere pro and the slideshow contains few portrait images and few box images. which give a black letterbox. I want the letterbox to show the same image blurred as background.
example:

or this youtube video: (I dont want to add links)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qm07MUkgiA

Copy the picture into a second video track. Then, zoom in the picture on the lower track (i.e. increase it's size in the effect settings panel). Then, apply a gaussian blur from the effects panel and raise the blur factor in the effect settings panel until you are satisfied with the result.
If you need more detailed instructions, please provide some additional info on how you set up your project in Premiere Pro, what you have tried to achieve this and why it didn't work.


text:
video renders well on mac, but has bizarre effect on windows
I have been editing a video which has rendered fine up until recently, I had it in a .mp4 format on a windows machine editing using wevideo, and I sent it to my friend who edited it on a mac, I think using aftereffects, and converted it to a .mov and now it has this strange effect, but only when I download it to the local machine (by the way the black bars are fine, what I am confused about are the horizontal lines):
before:

on my phone after:

on my computer after:

What could be going on and how should I fix it?
thanks!

Wrong encode settings? See @JohnManly's answer.

Those horizontal lines you're seeing are what you would call Interlacing and it's usually done in an attempt to increase a video's frame rate without using more bandwidth (in other words, make it play smoother and take up less space).  You can easily get rid of this by running your video through a program like Handbrake and using their "Decomb" filter.
There are other, more advanced methods to clean this up as well.
I personally use Davinci Resolve and I've read that you can even do it in VLC Media Player, but I think handbrake is the quickest and easiest way to accomplish deinterlacing your video.

@nosyarg instead of encoding the video again thus loosing more detail and quality you should tell your friend to pick a better output format, progressive instead of interlaced if possible. While most programs should be able to detect interlaced content and display it without combing, interlacing remains a crude hack from the CRT era. AFAIK interlaced formats have been dropped with the move to UHD.


text:
Video converted by FFMPEG has a different duration, why?
I convert videos using FFMPEG. My goal is to convert them to the MP4 container format (MPEG-4 Part 14) with AAC-encoded audio stream and MPEG-4 part 10-encoded video stream.
I use the following line to convert the videos:
ffmpeg -y -i "{inputFile}" "{outputFile}"

The converted video looks fine, however the duration of streams in the converted file and the input file doesn't always match.
I've made some experiments and the difference in the duration is undoubtedly there, however, it is not that much - anyway I'm testing with small videos.
Here are my results:
| InputFile  | InputAudio | InputVideo | OutputAudio | OutputVideo  |
|------------|------------|------------|-------------|--------------|
| h.avi      | 3s 631ms   | 3s 567ms   | 3s 668ms    | 3s 567ms     |
| h.flv      | 3s 631ms   | 3s 558ms   | 3s 668ms    | 3s 567ms     |
| h.mov      | 3s 532ms   | 3s 533ms   | 3s 682ms    | 3s 534ms     |
| h.mp4      | 3s 605ms   | 3s 534ms   | 3s 682ms    | 3s 567ms     |
| h.mpg      | 3s 605ms   | 3s 533ms   | 3s 563ms    | 3s 534ms     |
| h.wmv      | 3s 620ms   | 3s 633ms   | 3s 659ms    | 3s 567ms     |

Since I would build a software on the top of FFMPEG, I would be happier if I could at least understand the reason of this difference. Is it because of some unnecessary transcoding?
In this case, can I turn this transcoding off to prevent FFMPEG to resample my input video file?
If I cannot turn it off, how can I be sure (besides testing) that this difference is not proportional to the size of the video?
If I convert for example a 10-hour video, a difference of multiple seconds or even minutes is not suitable for me.

I would think that it depends on your input and output codecs. Long GOP codecs might change the video stream duration in order to put key frames where they need be and close GOPs. You shouldn't face this issue when transcoding from intra codecs to intra codecs. If you don't need to reencode video, use the option 'c:v copy' if the target container supports this codec.

I expect the length differences won't get worse with longer videos.  It's more likely a start/end issue, not a speed-drift or something.  When I xcode stuff with ffmpeg, the number of frames, framerate, and length in seconds always stays the same.  (unless I want it to change!).

@audionuma: no sane codec will add/remove frames.  mencoder sometimes does, because of a/v sync, BEFORE feeding frames to the video codec.  A codec will put keyframes where it sees fit (fixed interval or at scenecuts), and when the encoder tells the codec that this is the last frame, it will close that last GOP, however long it is.  Even with non-adaptive keyframe placement, no codec will add extra frames just to make the last GOP the same length!

Hope this explanation is what you're looking for:

When you transcode to an encoding such as H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10) you necessarily also resample the video, that's part of H.264 compression technique. Nontheless, I doubt if this is the reason you experience a timing gap since the resampling doesn't necessarily influence the clock rate of the media. So, I wouldn't worry too much about resampling, it can cause some variance, but probably very marginal.
The container formats you listed are kinda irrelevant, because they define how the compressed stream is packaged, whereas the the source of the timing difference is the compression itself. The .flv file, for example, may contain a stream encoded by the legacy Flash Sorenson codec or the newer H.264. In the first case you would be transcoding the video stream, but in the latter it is possible the you're not - depending on the audio codec used. The .avi and .wmv containers are codec agnostic, so there's no way of even guessing their content's encoding.
You didn't mention how the duration was tested. Note that ffmpeg by default shows you the duration that appears in the file's metadata and not a computed value. If your list is based on the data that ffmpeg dumps as part of its splash notices then you should note that this is explicitly metadata and not an actual measured value.
The delta in the durations you presented are within the range of one or two frames in a 25 or 30 fps range. It is reasonable for codecs to pad-with or strip-from streams blank frames according to their algorithm (or developer's tidiness...). It shouldn't influence timestamping when you properly concatenate streams.
There are only two reasons I can think of that can substantially change your media's duration, neither applicable in your specific case:

Re-encoding at a different target speed. Sometimes this happens unintentionally due to bad metadata in the input file. But not in your case, which, as noted above, correspond with a single frame dropped or gained.
When you apply a codec that recreates either stream. Examples include ad-stripping, silence detection, noise cleansing, etc.

Bottom line, if you are concerned what's gonna happen with a 10-hour video - just run an actual test. If you run into trouble and seek assistance then keep in mind to post the input file's codec details and the method that you measured the stream duration.
Hope this helps.

Actually, container format is probably relevant.  Different containers store timestamps / frame durations differently.  And length-calculators need different code for different container formats, and that code might behave differently.  e.g. counting the duration the last frame is shown for in one, but not in another.

@PeterCordes, what do you mean as "length" in you comment? If you wanted to mean "duration" then you are wrong, the duration is always the number of frames times the timebase. If you mean something else then please indicate what do you mean by "length".

I meant duration.  Not all video is constant-framerate.  And the way frame durations are stored (as a fraction or whatever, usually multiples of a timebase) is different for different containers.  This is kind of hand-wavy and making-stuff-up on my part, since I haven't looked at the details, but I'm pretty sure it's not as simple as we wish it was.

@PeterCordes, okay, but this is so rare and doesn't really belong here, it is used only in some edge cases like screen recording, slideshows, etc. There is some misuse of the term Variable Frame Rate in editing software, but the more concise term in their case is hybrid video (that is, streams with different rates or time bases, retaining their original constant rates when muxed together). In the case of a "regular movie" there's almost always a known frame rate, regardless of how the container represents it in its metadata.


text:
Troubleshooting XDCAM import into Premirere Pro CC 2014
I am in the middle of editing a TV spot we create bi-weekly and therefore on a tight timeline. I am using Premiere Pro CC (2014) just upadted last week on Win8.1, 4790k, 16GB, OS SSD 256GB, Project Drive 1TB SSD, Export and Preview Drive 3TB Seagate 7200. They shot this particular spot in a studio with different cameras.  So I recieved files in: XDCAM HD 1080 422 i60 50mb CBR 1920x1080 - 1888x1062
My understanding is that XDCAM is supported natively in PPro, however, when I try to import into Premiere or add to Media Encoder I recieve error: "Codec missing or unavailable".
I asked a friend to re-encode it as ProRes rather than spend time figuring out -what I assumed was a codec issue. But the ProRes 422 LT that he exported
I get error: "The importer reported a generic error". I'll say that I've been using prores on this same system a bunch of times, however it was a different possibly less savey person who did this transcode and so it is possibly still suspect.
These files were live edited on some box so the file is over an hour long.. could it be a RAM issue? I've jogged my page file up to a static 120GB..
I am able to play the prores files on a second laptop that has no adobe suite installed.. but still cannot export them from quicktime as something else. I get an error.

Since CS5 xdcam files are supported natively. Did you've tried to open it via sony clip browser?

its a good thought, just tried it and no XDCAM EX Clip Browser does not "see" the files. They are in an MOV wrapper.  Is XDCAM HD format MXF always it looked like maybe it got an MOV wrapper in some cameras?

Never seen this. Are you sure that the files are the original ones?

no.. unfortunately not. There are 2 or 3 people between me and the shooters. This particular one was live edited.. so l it may well have been saved from the box. I was told they were sending me XDCAM HD.. so I thought no problem.

You could try to open it in after effects, it's more robust in such cases...

I actually did try that. I ended up downloading a demo of Calibrated.. and installed. No I can play the "XDCAM" files in QT (watermark) the suprise was not the "ProRes" files load into PPro.. and are useable (no watermark). I am currently attempting to transcode the "ProRes" to DNxHD.. which I plan to then edit with.
http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/Products/XDDecodeV2/QXDDownload.php

sounds horrible ;)

Yes, absolutely.. I have no idea. But the demo codec seemed to work and get me to DNx, which are working fine.  Thanks for the suggestions @poor

Glad I could help :) Written an answer for general troubleshooting, just to have one, because our answer ratio needs work, see: http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/4/audio-video-production

Since Adobe CS5 XDCAM files are supported natively, make sure the folder structure is the same like on your SXS Card, open up the Sony Clip Browser and try to load up the files - this should work immediately. If you can't see the files, there must be an encoding error or the files are corrupt.


text:
View list of installed plugins in Cinema 4D
How do you view a list or in some way know that a plugin was loaded in Cinema 4D? A friend of mine sent me a plugin he made and wanted me to try it, but I can't tell if it's even loaded.
Not sure if this is the right place for this question.
Thanks in advance!

There is a plugins folder in your installation directory, all installed plugins are listed there.

@poor Thanks for the help! Actually I was wondering if there is a way to see in the application itself because sometimes I put plugins in the "plugins" directory and I don't notice anything different in C4D

I'd like to help, but this depends on the plugin and how it is written... If you know the name, search for a tutorial or the manual to find images and you'll see in which area/viewport its used.

Glad I could help :) Written an answer, just to have one, because our answer ratio needs work, see: http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/4/audio-video-production

There is a plugins folder in your installation directory. Whether you are on mac or a windows machine, all installed plugins are listed there.
Search for a tutorial, the manual or some images to identify in which area or viewport it's used.


text:
iOS like (partial) slowmotion with easing in Premiere CC
i'm curently in the 30 days trail of Premiere CC (and own Premiere Elements 12), and i try to produce iOS like (partial) slowmotion with easing between the different speeds. I already slowed down a entire clip using "Speed/Duration".
How do I get a transition between the different speeds?
Example in FCP: http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/#ver41a2cd3ae

Not an expert in premiere, but take a look into Speed Ramps or Time Remapping, like: https://vimeo.com/74355917

Yeah that's what i'm looking for. But unfortunately, the audio remains unchanged.

You can use the Time Remapping effect, and just use keyframes to ease in/out of different speeds.
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/duration-speed.html


text:
Can you read video files off a HyperDeck Studio Pro 2?
Is there a way to connect a Hyperdeck Studio Pro 2 directly to a computer, and edit the video files directly? It has a Thunderbolt connection, but it says that it's for "capture of video and audio" which sounds like you would be capturing to a file on the computer, rather than reading the previously captured file on the SSD.
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/hyperdeckstudio/techspecs/W-HYD-03
Currently our process involves removing the two SSD's from Hyperdeck, and putting them into an SSD Dock.
That introduces several adverse variables into the workflow:

The video capture person may forget to remove them and dock them at the computer. This matters because the editing person works remotely, and logs into the editing computer.
The dock connections are fiddly, and I can see over time that the SSD's SATA connectors will be stressed and become a point of failure.
It seems unnecessary.  It would be better to just read the files directly off the deck so that the drives can stay where they are.

As the HyperDeck manual mentions :

Accessing Your Clips
To access your clips, simply connect the SSD to
your computer using an SSD dock. You can either drag the files from
the SSD directly to a local hard drive, or you can work directly from
the SSD.

There's no mention of reading the clips via the Thunderbolt interface.

All the documentation I could find seems to agree with that.  I don't understand why they couldn't have included this as a feature.
Interestingly, you CAN stream the video on the SSD's through the thunderbolt cable if you want to capture the video on your computer.  I'm not sure why that would be beneficial in terms of workflow.


text:
Change codec so seek bar works in Windows Media Player
The library I work at has been converting VHS tapes to DVDs. They used a Magnavox ZV427MG9. The DVDs play in Windows Media Player, but the seek bar doesn't work. It works fine in VLC Player. It is essential that they play in WMP, because that is the supported institutional standard here.
What would it take to re-encode the DVDs so that the seek bar works? Can it be done in a lossless way, or would the VHS tapes need to be transferred again using a different method?

The problem is probably not WMP but the Microsoft MPEG-1 codec. The straight forward solution other than using a decent player is to use a better codec pack - ffdshow, it feeds WMP through the operating system level. Besides the seek issue you'll probably get better playback performance, and it doesn't require any end-user involvement - they continue to use WMP as usual.
If touching the end-user's machine is entirely out of the question then you'll have to transcode the video to something else. You'll probably get the best results (file size, quality, compatibility) by transcoding to H.264/AAC (mp4), although the encoding process is heavier/longer than alternatives such as MPEG2. You'll need for that ffmpeg and start with:
ffmpeg -i mpeg1filename outputfilename.mp4

There are tons of options that will affect the transcoding quality and speed, and much of your success will depend on trial and error with your specific footage. All that said, your first choice should be to install ffdshow on the end-user machine.


text:
Sync presentation with video of the speaker
I'm wondering if there is a quick and easy way to synchronize a video of a conference speaker with the slides that the speaker shows without having to manually edit them in Premiere or Final Cut. The result should look something like this: https://youtu.be/o12-90Dm-Qs?t=699
Also I want to avoid another camera just to record the presentation.

Without having to do anything? No, that's probably impossible. How would the computer know when to switch to the next slide? What you could to is capture a video of the screen of the computer used to show the presentation using some software like fraps and synchronize the screen capture and the camera recording. However, this has two downsides; screen capture software tends to produce very large video files, which could fill up a the hard-drive of a normal laptop really quick. Also, your video quality would be far from perfect.
What I would probably do to minimize working hourse is capture a small (i.e. SD) version of the presentation and use that to insert the slides manually in Premiere (or whatever you're using). If you have the screen capture as an indicator as to when each slide was shown, inserting the original ones in another video track at the right times should be a matter of minutes ...

The only other way I can imagine is if you use a recorder like an Atomos Ninja to record the HDMI output that was going to the presentation screen. That's a pretty expensive way to avoid having to do some editing though.


text:
Does file size affect render speed in Sony Vegas?
This is probably a dumb question but bear with me. If my raw video file size is smaller, will that speed up rendering time? Let's say I have a 500 mb video clip, and one that is 250 mb, but the same length. Will the 250 mb one render faster on the same settings?

It depends of codec/frame size in these files.
H.265 will render slower then H.264
FullHD will render slower then SD
More information about source files needed.


text:
Archiving AVCHD from camera for later processing
What is the recommended way to copy AVCHD data from SD card to a hard drive for later processing? My video camera would be going on an extended trip and the post-processing will be done after the trip.
Should the whole top level folder ("/private" in my camera SD Card") be copied to individual folder on the hard drive?
Or is there a better method so that post-processing would be easier?

It doesn't matter at all ... why do you ask?

Reason I ask is that the camera will be handled by a person with very limited technical understanding about post-processing. I just want them to dump the sd card in to a external drive and bring back to me for later processing.

Yes whole cards should be copied to preserve the structure for the NLE later on to import, giving each card a specific naming convention and following that through the whole trip/process/shoot

One thing to be aware of is that the camera may produce multiple files with the same name. So keeping the original folders is a good idea.

the way I do this from my Canon 7D / 100D is pop the CF or SD card into my Mac and copy the whole card to a folder with a very simple structure

Project_Name_Date

RAW_Cards

Camera_Name_Card00x
Camera_Name_Card00x

If I would add in a DATE Folder under the Poject_Name for multiple days/Dates, When I get back to the studio to start editing I can then just ingest these into my system.
You probably find the same system will work on a Windows PC as well.
The other alternative would be to use a card copy application to do all of this but might make it to complex for the user in the middle.


text:
Open source video editing software compatible with Linux
I've been looking around for open source software I can use to quickly edit some of my projects when I'm away from home on my Linux laptop and the best I've found so far is Blender.
Does anyone else have any recommendations for open source software? FX software recommendations would also be welcome.

Welcome Aut0 :) Please ask a new question on VFX and what exactly do you want to achieve - asking multiple questions is not allowed here. In general there is Blender and Natron. I'd also recommend you to read this article for NLE's: http://opensource.com/life/15/1/current-state-linux-video-editing. Anyway, enjoy video.se!

Light Works is supposed to be pretty good. It's been used on some pretty big budget projects so it's definitely worth a look. I have tried it myself though.
https://www.lwks.com/
EDIT
This is not open source software but it is freely available.

is lightworks open source?

My mistake. No it's not open source but it is freely available for download.

Ok, please add this to the answer, otherwise it's misleading.


text:
AE: Hide object after random time
So, I've a bunch of objects inside a composition and my ideia is the following:
I want to create an expression in one of them that will change the opacity of that object to 0 after a random time. Then I'm planning to apply this to all objects creating the effect of the objects disappearing at random.
I was looking on the web, and trying to play with this:
maxOffset = 20
seedRandom(index,true);
offset = framesToTime(random(maxOffset));
valueAtTime(time-offset)

But I can't make it work the way I described. What should happen is:

Generate a random frame number between 0 and value of maxOffset;
When the random frame number matches current time change object
opacity to zero;

Thank you.

Just to get it right, your object disappears completely after a random amount of time and should no longer appear in your comp, right?

@poor exactly! thats what I'm trying to do.

I'm not sure what the valueAtTime function is trying to achieve. That takes the value of the property at the given time. In the script you wrote it would sample the value of the opacity at a point a random number of seconds in the past, some time between the current time and maxOffset seconds ago. Unless the opacity changes during that time it won't do anything at all.
Expressions are Javascript, so you can use all the Javascript language elements, including if and else. Thus:
maxOffset = 20;
minOffset = 1;
seedRandom(index,timeless=true);
if (time>random(minOffset, maxOffset)){0}else{value}

This will turn off the layer at some time between 1 and 20 seconds for each layer. If the opacity channel is already animated it will use the animated value up until the time it turns off. To change this so that it is 100% on until it turns off, substitute {100} for {value} in the last line


text:
How to make the "wipe" transition with vertical line in Premiere pro cs6?
How to make the "wipe" transition with vertical line dividing the image during transition in Premiere pro cs6?
Transitions like that is most often used in the demoreels, showing process of creating shots "in layers"?
Thanks in advance!

Depends on your idea. Simplest way is using a Linear Wipe Effect (on the strip above). For more complex transitions I'd suggest to animate a rectangular mask path in order to get most control, see the manual: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/masking-tracking.html

Thank you very much! :)  And thanks for the link, very useful information for me!
And I also found one more way to do it, I'll leave it here as the second answer.

If you double-click on transition "wipe", in the timeline,

at the "source window" will appear settings of the transition.
There you can adjust the width and color of the border, which will be visible as a vertical strip on the border of the transition.


text:
Video in Sony Vegas flickers and is full of black frames
I'm trying to import some clips into a Vegas 13 project, but they "flicker": some frames are all black (even in the preview), even though the files play perfectly in mplayer and VLC.
The clips are recorded from a videogame using fraps, and then reencoded in H.264 with mencoder with the settings: -x264encopts preset=slow:keyint=200:crf=19:level_idc=31:colormatrix=bt709 (I don't have the originals anymore, I deleted them to gain disk space. Stupid mistake, I know).
Gspot tells me this about the files:

I have tried a lot of different options:

disabling using the GPU for rendering
setting the switch to "smart resample", "force resample", and "no resample"
changing the frame rate
using constant and variable bitrates
using the "deinterlace" settings "blend" and "interpolate" (pretty sure this does nothing in my case ^^)
checking/unchecking "adjust source media"

While I wasn't able to fix the problem, I was able to go around it, by converting my input file into xvid.
I don't have any black frames anymore, but the video freezes for a few seconds at some point.
Since I was recording and playing the game on the same PC, I'm guessing that there's been a problem at some point and fraps had to drop the framerate.
In any case, I suspect some other bug in my video editing setup, since Vegas was adding black frames in other parts of the video, that play fine once converted to xvid.


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Merging two Comps, Adobe After Effects
I want to merge two comps in after effects so, when I play contents from both layers shows.
At the current time the upper composition dont allow the lower composition to display its contents.

Welcome Ali :) I'd like to help, but I don't really understand your issue. Just to get it right: You want to create 1 comp by 2 other comps to get all in one? If yes, make sure the comp above has an alpha channel (transparency). Maybe you could add a screenshot... Anyway, enjoy video.se!

If you mean that you have two compositions in one main composition, and you want both to show their contents on top of each other, then I can help you.
Make sure that you click on "Toggle Switches / Modes",

so that you have the "Mode" option available.

Now set the top composition to either "Screen", "Add", or "Lighten".

Make sure that the top composition has at least some transparent part in it, if it's just a full solid black layer, nothing's going to show through be default, unless you lower the opacity down.


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How to mount microphone and recorder on the DSLR?
I keep reading that for proper sound you should use an external recorder like the Zoom H1 or H4N with your DSLR. Until now, I was only using an external microphone, namely the Takstar SGC-598, without an extra recorder.
My question is, how do you mount both the mic and the recorder on the DSLR which has only one hot shoe.
Recently, I've been shooting my first documentary video, holding the camera just like that with no steadycam, shoulder rig etc. Also, I was on my own so there was nobody to hold the microphone (and potentially a recorder) separately. Therefore I had to attach it directly to the camera.
Having only the camera with little extra gear made the shooting very dynamic which I liked.
I looked at a few Hot Shoe Y-Adapters but none really convinced me.
Do you have any experience with a setup like this? How do you mount mic and recorder on the camera?

There are multiple answers.
The easiest and cheaper solution is to get a shoe extender.
The more professional way is to get an external recorder specifically designed for DSLR mounting. Look at the products of BeachTek and JuiceLink for examples.


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Burn a MP4 file with SRT subtitles
I have a movie and I want to burn it on a DVD, but I don't know how I do it and what the best options are. I want the DVD be able to play on PlayStation 4.
I have a movie in MP4 format and the subtitles are in SRT format. Are you able to tell me what the best programs are? I have installed Nero 2015, but I can't figure out how to work with it.

I think most HW players that can play mp4/avi/mkv/etc files-in-a-directory will load external-file subtitles if you just put them in the same directory as the video.  Burn it to a data DVD, or put it on a USB stick, and you're done.

Okay, thank you. I downloaded DVD flick and made a movie with added subtitles and it worked on my PS4.

There is free software like DVD Flick and DVDStyler, but video on a DVD is limited to 720 Pixel in width (less than HD ready with 1280 Pixel in width) and as the video has to be reencoded you will allways loose quality, so I would also recommend to first try it with an USB-Stick or a data DVD.


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Best way to dub the voice in a very low budget or no budget film
I am in the middle of making of a short movie. I have tried dubbing in ordinary mike and later clearing the noise in adobe auditions. But it is not working for me. Can I know the best trick to dub clear voice without using any expensive gadgets. Your advice will help me in my low budget short. Thank you :)

The mic is important, but so is the room, and the mic placement. Perhaps let us know what sort of problems you had with the first recording so that we can suggest answers.

Noise. Plenty of noise and that's the only problem

It sounds like you are using your laptop's microphone, and that your main problem is the lack of a quality mic. If you own an iPhone, especially iPhone 5 or later, I would recommend you use the voice recorder app, and email the audio files to yourself using the Share button. The iPhone's microphone is surprisingly good for audio. High end Android phones also tend to have good mics. Using your phone means you don't have to purchase any additional equipment.
If it helps, this guy measured the frequency response of the iPhone 3GS back in 2009, and it's a pretty safe bet that the newer models use mics of either the same or better quality.

Fun fact, the iPhone 5 actually has three microphones. The voice recorder app only takes input from the mic along the bottom edge.

Also make sure you're recording in a very still, closed-off room. If you are editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, syncing the audio to the video afterwards shouldn't be a huge problem!


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Copying All Settings Of One Composition in AE
I want to copy the whole settings of the composition to the other, all keyframes, transition points, 3d layer etc. In Adobe After Effects

This is not possible to do in one step, it is only possible to duplicate compositions:

Select the composition (Import Footage Panel)
Press Ctrl+D (or go to Composition > Duplicate Composition)
As (almost) everywhere in AE, hit Enter on the selected composition to rename the duplicate

When you need to copy the properties of a layer:

Select the Layer
Click on the tiny Triangle > left beside the layers name to open up the properties
Select Transform, Effects or Mask
Press Ctrl+C
Switch to the Second Composition
Select the Layer
Set the playhead to the animation start frame (first keyframe)
Press Ctrl+V to overwrite all properties and insert all copied keyframes

To check the result, press U on the Layer, this will open up all animated properties of the layer.
Note: Copying the same properties of different layers is also possible by selecting multiple layers, open up the properties simultaneously, and select them by holding down Ctrl or Shift.

Related: After Effects: Shortcut for showing all transforming properties of a layer


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Fast Zoom Effect to New Camera
So I'm trying to recreate an effect that was used quite a bit in the first Hulk movie. I've seen it other places, but Hulk sticks in my mind.
So the concept is that there are two cameras, one recording a relatively wide angle, capturing two subjects and a bit of background, and another camera recording a closer crop of one subject.

This is a common setup, but what I'm focusing on is the transition between these two cameras. Normally, something as simple as a dissolve is used, but I've also seen a transition which looks like a fast zoom, but is actually a transition. This is what I'd like to know how to do.
If I can find an example, I'll edit this post. Thank you!

On the outgoing footage add a qucick zoom at the end, on the incoming
footage add a quick zoom at the beginning (animate the scale of the
clips using whatever tools your NLE has for this). If the outgoing
zoom is a zoom in, then zoom out, and vice-versa.
Add a dissolve between the two clips that is the same length as the
zoom. The whole thing needs to be very quick, 12 frames or so tops.
A radial blur can help as well to simulate motion blur.

I wrote a FCP (version 7 or lower) plugin that did this as a transition effect. I can dig it out if you want it.


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How to sync motion and music in After Effects

There's a video of a man, drawing something.
There's a violin symphony music.

I want to sync the video, I mean the movements of hand with the symphony.
For example, I want the hand to move fast, when the music rate is fast, etc.
What I have to look for to achieve this?

Depends on how much time stretch is key to synchronize the shot.

In order to increase the speed of the whole layer use the Time Stretch feature (Right Click the Layer > Time > Time Stretch) Note: values below 100 increase the speed. Values above 110 often results in bad quality. To solve this, see motion calculation (3.)
To vary the speed of a layer, it's ok in most cases to use the standard Time Remapping feature (Right Click the Layer > Time > Enable Time Remapping) This makes it possible to keyframe the time/speed of your layer.
In some situations, especially for generating slow motion shots you need to calculate the motion in between the frames with optical flow technology like twixtor. You can also play with SlomoVideo as an open source alternative. For further information, see this article: http://www.fxguide.com/featured/art_of_optical_flow/

For audio preview workflow, see: How can I preview with audio in After Effects and be able to pause / resume the preview?


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How to not import/duplicate media in FCPX?
When I create a new Event and Project within it, I don't see a way to avoid copying imported media to the FCPX folder (apparently there used to be an option when creating a new Event to not copy imported media, but it doesn't appear to be there any longer).
How can I do that? By the way, I'm importing from the Photos library browser within FCPX if that makes any difference.

For FCPX 10.1 and later:
Open preferences
Select the import tab
Choose to either leave Files in Place or Copy to Storage Library Location.
To set the Storage Library Location:
Select the library.
Open the inspector.
Select Modify Settings in the inspector to choose where your generated files go.


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How are video and audio streams placed in 'container' files and what interrelations do they have?
So far I have been guessing my way through the types of audio/video streams and getting them mixed up with containers. For example, I have had a friend tell me that a video file which won't play on my TV will work if I can change the file extension to .avi/.mpg for example - which worked. However, when I have had the problem since, I have tried the same but with no luck.
Could someone explain which are containers and how you can have different types of audio/video files/steams within a container file?

Have you done any research on this topic? One place to start is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_container_formats

Also see this in-depth answer on Super User: What is a Codec (e.g. DivX?), and how does it differ from a File Format (e.g. MPG)?

The basics of that are actually not that complicated (while there is definitely more to know about that topic than would fit in this answer).
Take a look at that graphic you can find on the w3c-website:

As you can see, the container is exactly that: a container that can contain different types of media, most notably video and audio, but also captions and metadata about the file. When you speak about a "file format", you're normally talking about the container format, after which the file extension for normal video files is named. This is why you've probably seen many video files with file extensions such as .avi, .mp4, .mkv and the likes.
When you look at the contents of this container, you will normally have at least one video and one audio track, those are referred to as "streams". Streams can be encoded using different codecs. A codec is, in layman's terms, an algorithm (or rather a set of algorithms) which is used to compress a (video or audio) stream. The more efficient the codec, the better the ratio of (video/audio) quality to file size. Two very common codecs are the H.264 (MPEG-4/AVC) codec for video and the AAC codec for audio. Those are popular because they are very efficient, thus you can have very small files with (relatively) good quality.
So to sum this up, the container is some sort of "wrapper" that contains the actual media streams. Different container formats allow for different kinds of streams. For example, the .avi-container is very limited, you can only have one audio stream and one video stream. The matroska-container (.mkv files) is a good alternative if you need more than that. Matroska is a very flexible container that allows for multiple audio streams (e.g. for different languages), subtitles and more. However, many devices (e.g. most TVs with a USB port) don't support that standard. This is where the .mp4-container (MP4 being the standard-container for the MPEG-4-standard, which is a huge topic on it's own) comes in handy, because nearly all devices can playback files that use this container format along with the H264 & AAC codecs. This combination is the most common approach for easily interchangable video files, which for example is used by most video hosting platforms such as Youtube.
Changing the file extension is generally a stupid idea. If you change an .avi file to something like .mp4, it might work on your TV in some instances, but that is just because your TV is stupid (i.e. it knows the codecs of the streams, but doesn't even try to play them if it doesn't recognise the file extension or something like that). Container format's don't behave like text-files, you can't just change the extension and expect the container format to somehow magically change as well. If you can't open a specific video file, use the VLC video player, it supports most commonly used file formats and codecs. If you want/need to watch it on a specific device such as your TV which doesn't support the codec, you can re-encode it (not a good idea, because that means quality loss) or remux it, i.e. take the individual streams and put them in different containers (which is a bit more complicated but yields better results).

Thank you so much! That makes a lot more sense and removes the mystery of container files so I can understand what's going on in future

such an answer, much wow  (y)


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Lighting for "no-shadow" effect
I'm really impressed by this video.

How to produce this no-shadow effect?
How many lights do you think are required? What kind of light? Would some classical bulbs that I have at home work?

How to produce this no-shadow effect?

Some examples will explain this best.

Lighting with a soft box makes the shadow soft and unobtrusive.

When close to a subject, the light rays from a large light source strike the subject from many angles. The closer the light is, the softer its shadows are.

Results of the lighting setup. A fill card was used to lighten the front of the gourd by reflecting some light from the overhead soft box.
Images and captions from Light – Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting.

How many lights do you think are required?

This could be done with one light, but it should be a large light source relative to the object. This doesn't mean the light itself was large, but the area the the light is being emitted from was large enough to cause scattered, soft light.
This is often done by placing diffuse material between the light source and the subject such as a soft box attached to the light, a diffusion panel from a cheap collapsible reflector, a light shed/tent that you can make yourself, or even some tissue paper (make sure it doesn't catch on fire). This results in a light quality similar to an overcast sky.

Would some classical bulbs that I have at home work?

I don't know what a classical bulb is, but sure, you could possibly use typical household bulbs if they provide enough light for your camera and if you properly setup the scene. Don't forget to set the white balance. Use the same type of bulbs; don't mix types due to the potential differences in color temperature.

Thanks for these great explanations! About white balance: I've noticed that household bulb named "daylight" often produce a very cold white... Even after setting the right white balance on the camera, the result is often "blue-ish". Have you noticed the same?  What kind of bulb would you use?

@Basj Are you using a preset white balance setting? Are there other sources of light present such as a window? You should isolate other light sources and use a custom white balance instead of the preset. Most cameras allow you to take a photo of something that is neutral white and use it as the baseline for the custom white balance. Refer to the camera instruction manual.

Yes @LordNeckbeard , I used the feature "take a photo of something neutral white to do custom white balance" (using a white cardboard available in photography store), I know all this process... But at the end, still, I find the result is always a bit "cold" with these daylight bulbs....  And, by the way, lots of youtube videos "lighting tutorials" / "video lighting 101" that use daylight bulb are rather cold-ish, don't you think so ?

@Basj Daylight bulbs are roughly 5600K color temperature. This is on the cooler end of the spectrum and is especially apparent if warmer light sources are nearby. If it still seems cold it could be due to several factors: other light sources or mismatched bulbs, the screen/monitor calibration, slight tint to white card, or simply your own subjectivity, etc. You may be able to adjust in-camera, or you can definitely perform some grading in post. I usually try to get it close enough without spending a million years on it, and then adjust it in post since I often have other things to adjust.


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If I have the music track and a music+vocals track, is it possible to seperate the vocals?
I have two audio tracks, one contains vocals and has background instrumental music. I also have a second audio track which contains just the straight background music.
I would like to know (if it is possible) how to extract the vocals from the first track. Possibly by comparing it with that of the second and extracting the perhaps by finding differences in pitch/tone from the first track.
I have a subscription to Adobe CC master collection, so I have access to Adobe Audition CC, I'm hoping there's a way to do this using that program, but I can purchase another program if it can only be done in another one.

If the music track is identical to the music in the vocal+music track, then you could invert the phase of the music track and mix it with the combined track, which (algebraically, at least) is the same as subtracting it from the v+m track.
You may find that some additional compression, level shifting or EQ was done to the v+m track, which would make the subtraction less than perfect.

Yes the music track is identical to the music in the vocals+music track. This sounds like it should work...

It definitely worked. Like you said it's not perfect, the drum beats aren't quite silent, but it definitely gives me something a lot easier to work with. Thanks!


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Can FCPX work with vector graphics?
I've tried to import .eps and .ai files unsuccessfully. Are there any vector formats supported by FCPX?

No.
Or at least not yet. According to this post:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2323932
EDIT:
Here's the offical supported media formats for FCPX from the Apple support site. It shows that those formats are not supported.

Note that the linked discussion is about FCP7, not FCPX, which this question was about.

@user1118321 Thanks for pointing that out. I've updated the question with some official documentation from Apple.

Here is a workaround I've discovered that seems to work ok. It's not elegant, but it gives you vector support within FCPX, which can be handy in a number of situations. It does require Apple Motion, however.

Convert your vector file into a PDF using Preview.
Create a Final Cut Generator in Apple Motion
Import PDF
Click the PDF in the "Media" pane (next to the Viewer), then in the inspector, un-click "Fixed Resolution" in the "Media" tab.
Drag the file into your composition.
Save As...

This will create a generator in FCPX, which is a little more permanent than making a simple file. But if you're doing work for a client and want a persistent vector version of their logo or something, this can be very helpful.

Great workaround, unfortunately I wasn't looking for something that permanent. I just wanted to be able to quickly import and use vector files, similar to how PNGs are used.

I have downloaded and installed Affinity for a one time price.  Affinity runs only on a Mac, will directly import layered AI and PDF files.  Then you can render out PNG and JPGs in any resolution you require for your project.  It is quick and convenient once you get past the learning curve.  Good luck.


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Is 4K good enough to choose for special footage such as weddings?
Resolution is obviously better in 4K but can anyone give some insight as to whether other factors of video quality are being compromised? If so, does it make sense to record in 1080?

Where are you planning on exhibiting the footage? In my experience, the average consumer has a low-quality TV they bought because of the price, and they have the factory settings that look awful because they don't even know that they would want to change them, let alone how that would happen. In my opinion you're wasting your time because your client probably won't be able to tell the difference.
On the creation side, you're multiplying the amount of data captured by 4. That increases the cost of filming (more memory cards to save it), storage (more hard drives to use while editing), and editing (need a better graphics card, more RAM, and likely more time).
If you have clients who will truly benefit from 4K, by all means, use it. But if you're doing typical videos for the web, corporate or home televisions, it's probably not worth it. If you're creating content for large outside displays that actually reach above HD, or for professional projection in a theater, then it could be worth it.
FWIW, most television shows are shot in HD, and even some feature films. I've never heard anyone complain about the quality because of the lower resolution. If I recall, parts of the first Captain America movie were shot on a Canon 7D, which only does HD. I know of nobody who said those parts were terrible or even noticed them. (Here's an article about it on Canon's web site.)

Thanks very much - I would actually be the client in this case. Capturing our wedding, only a few people offer 4K and the others are saying that although it would be lower resolution, the video quality is better. I'm thinking ahead 20+ years and wondering what would be the best technology around today to capture it on

4K is not lower resolution, Bendy - I'm not sure why you think that.

Hi, I do quite a bit of Wedding videograhpy and I have not had anyone request 4k as a lot of people dont even know what it is, bare in mind as well if they are shooting 1080 HD or 4k putting it on a DVD to watch is still only going to be DVD quality, most people dont even have a device to view 4k some not even 1080 HD, I shoot everything in 1080 HD and it looks amazing, for future proofing, it is hard as 4k will jump to 6k, t0 8k to 10k +++++ base it on the skills of the person not the kit they use

@Bendy For what it's worth, I got married in the 1990's. I could have hired someone to do it in HD, but I wouldn't have had anything to watch it on for another 10+ years! But it doesn't matter for 2 reason: 1) We've only watched our wedding video a handful of times in 17+ years. 2) When we watch it, we don't even notice the low resolution. It mainly reminds us of the day we made our commitment, and how far we've come since then. The memory is what's important, not the resolution of the video. If you want 4K, go for it. But you're not missing anything if you don't.

Thanks @user1118321 for putting it into perspective ;-) I've found people that will do do the wedding in 4K...just that other videographers who 'only' offer HD are saying that 4K hasn't matured enough yet to capture the framerate/color depth/contrast you can get in HD


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Video production client contract
I currently work as a web developer, but have recently set up a small production company on the side.
I've secured my first project and sourced a crew. Before the project begins, I need to create a contract between myself and the client.
I'm finding it difficult to source a good general contract for video production that I can amend. Can you recommend where I can find such a contract or whether I should write one from scratch? I'm happy to pay for this.

Writing one yourself is never a good idea. If you're willing to pay, why not hire a lawyer?
There are places on the net where you can find boilerplate, for example FilmContracts and FilmMakerIQ, but if there's real money involved your smartest move is to get local legal advice.


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Speeding up workflow for creating subtitles
I'm creating a series of videos that have subtitles that appear one word at a time. My workflow gets me through about 1 minute of subtitles every 45 minutes, and I feel like there could be a faster way.
My general approach is to set the opacity of the last X words of the sentence to 0, and such that X equals  N (the # of words in the sentence) when the sentence starts and then X equals 0 when the sentence hits the final word. Here's what I'm doing:

Using the audio waveform and lots of "Ctrl-." (audio preview) I find the beginning of the sentence I'm creating subtitles for. I then move back six frames (to allow for an opening fade).
I add a "Source text" keyframe and a keyframe to the "Offset" property with the value -1.
Jumping forward six keyframes, I make another "Offset" keyframe with value 0 (this displays just the first word when the sentence begins)
Finally, I search the waveform and audio for the beginning of the last word in the sentence. I put one more "Offset" keyframe there set to N–1, and then use the keyboard shortcut to make it "hold" its value until the next sentence starts.

This works just fine, it's just slow. All I've been able to do to speed things up is to copy and paste the set of 4 keyframes from one sentence to another, but that still involves finding the beginning and end of each sentence, changing the source text, and setting the final keyframe based on the number of words in that particular sentence. If this is the best approach, that's OK, but if there's a better way, I'd love to know. Thanks for reading!
One final thing: I'm using all the keyboard shortcuts I know, which has sped things up a fair bit. The only areas where additional shortcuts would be handy are a) entering editing mode for the text field (I use Command-Enter to exit editing mode), and b) selecting the keyframe at the current time (so I don't need to move to the trackpad and click it manually every time). But I haven't discovered shortcuts for these things yet.

My suggestion is only going to be useful if you have several minutes of subtitling to do like this:
Build the subtitles first using something like Aegisub. Export them as .srt files. Import them into the pt_import_subtitles from aescripts.com
This will generate all your text files for you with the lines appearing at the correct time. Then use your workflow for going through to correct the times when you'd like each word to appear.


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In fcpx, Can I edit source media in time line and have the changes be reflected in the project?
I'm editing a screen cast in fcpx. I imported the media and made a project with lots of cuts send transitions. Now I need to blur some text so it's not visible on the final version. I opened the source media in timeline  and applied my changes, but the project is not showing my changes. How can I update the project?

What do you mean the project is not showing your changes? It's a bit unclear what you're asking

Once you have placed a clip in a project, it "breaks" the relationship with the original clip. I suppose this is so you don't make a change to a source clip and inadvertently change it in a project where you didn't intend to change it. I'm not sure that it's useful like that, but its the way it is.
There is an exception, multicam clips. If you make a change inside a multicam clip, the change will carry through all of the edits. But that won't help you now.
If your blur is in the same spot for the entire clip, there are a few easy ways to fix it.

Blur your text in one of the clips. Copy the clip. Select all of the rest of the clips. Command+Alt+V to paste attributes, and the blur will be applied to all of the clips at once.
Download Alex4d's Adjustment Layer title effect. Connect the title clip to your project so that it covers every clip that you want to apply the blur to. Now make your blur. This is nice because you can tweak the effect without having to remove the effect from all the clips and reapplying the clip.
The long way. If you were going to use the exact same setup and want to blur out the same text in the same spot across projects, create an effect with just the blur in Motion and publish it to FCPX. Probably not helpful in this particular situation unless you will use this a lot.

Thanks for the multicam tip. I will keep that in mind for the next project. For this one I'll try the first method.


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Best HD camcorder for recording sports
I’m looking to start recording sporting events, specifically professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) events. Initially these will be recorded for DVD, but one of the events will be self-produced and I’d like it to be of good quality that I could potentially sell it to a local TV station.
What should I look for in a HD camcorder for recording such fast-paced events?

Canon 5D is the optionto go. Which you can get in an reasonable price too!

Is that not just a “normal” camera, i.e. for photos rather than video?

The Canon 5D is a DSLR and, like most (if not all) of Canon's DSLRs, it shoots both photo and video. It's not a "dedicated" video camera, but could fit your needs here.

A DSLR would be a poor choice for sports recording - poor ergonomics, limited depth of field, no slow-motion, low-resolution viewfinder, and compressed footage format. Great range of glass available though, and cheap.

Simple question to start with would be whats your budget? What requirements to the TV stations require? for instance if it was the BBC in the UK they have to use and meet specific requirements otherwise it will not even be looked at. Also think about workflow and post production

It wouldn’t be a top-tier TV station like the BBC. If I were at that level then I’d look at serious investment (tens of thousands) in camera equipment. I’m looking for something that I can record my events that would look acceptable on a home TV, and that a local TV station may pick up.

Nothing really. All recent camcorders are more than enough for what you want.
Two things to look:

That shutter speed can change so that you can define how smooth motion you want
That they offer fast zoom/focus capabilities for sports.

Any recent cam-corder from major companies already covers this.
If you want quality sound you should also look for a camcorder that has an external mic jack so that you can connect your own microphone. This raises the budget a lot.
Unless you are a professional I would stay away from using a DSLR for sports filming.
I personally own a panasonic-v250. I also bought it for sports filming.

Thanks, @kazanaki. Really helpful answer. I don’t suppose you know of good resources for getting to grips with filming sporting action, do you?

I don't know if there is something specific. My advice would be to use a tripod for steady shots (a tripod for video not for photos) and to learn a video editing software package. The number 1 problem in crappy video is shaky camera movement and bad editing.

Also you might consider buying two cameras for different shots. Newer camcarders can be controlled remotely by wifi from a tablet/mobile phone.

You can go for
GoPro Hero5

Sony HXR NX1

all the best.


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Color calibration with a color chart
Even if I set up a custom white balance in my software (with the traditional way to do it, using a grey card or white balance card, etc.), sometimes the colors are not exactly like I would like.
I would like to be able to :

shoot a color chart with normalized colors (example: GretagMacbeth)
import this video in Premiere (or any other software), and match all colors between left and right panel :

Then the colors would be really calibrated.
Does such a tool exist?

I'm not aware of any that work directly in Premiere, however I can use my Spyder Checkr24 to either adjust my videos in Adobe Lightroom or DaVinci Resolve.  For Lightroom, I use the software that came with my Spyder Checkr to make a preset I can apply.  In Resolve, there is actually built in native support for working with the swatches.
There are also other third party tools available that I haven't really looked in to, so I can't say for certain that there isn't a way to do it directly in Premiere with a third party tool, but the way I've been doing it has worked well enough that I have not bothered to look any further in to doing it directly in Premiere.
For more details on how things work in Resolve, you can check out this video or if you have a decent idea about how to use Resolve already, take note of the steps in this screenshot.  Start with 0 by choosing the target you are using on the Color workspace.  Then select the color match grid tool on the preview screen(1).  Position the grid over your color target during a portion of the clip that has the target visible (2).  Finally, hit Match(3) in order to have it generate the color correction profile for the clip.

Thanks! What's your workflow in DaVinci Resolve to calibrate colors with a video you've shot of your Spyder Checkr24 color chart? Would you have a small screenshot, I would be interested.   (PS: do you use DaVinci Lite / free version?)

Yes, I use the free version. I'll try to post a screenshot and more details tonight when I'm actually home.

@Basj - see the update above.  Sorry about the delay.