Tips for extensive masking?

FancyClancy · Post by **FancyClancy** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:41 pm

Hi, i've only done a couple videos, but i have this grand idea to make a video with [b]a lot[/b] of masking. I'm working with virtualdubmod frames and paint.net and the first 3 seconds of the project went smoothly (though it took me 2.5 hours). But I was wondering if there were any programs or other techniques which significantly simplified the process. I tried "color keying" with paint.net but it doesn't seem to work as well as just tracing out the characters.

Basically, any tips or pointers from some of the veterans would be appreciated. Thanks.

sayde · Post by **sayde** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:54 pm

If by "significantly simplified the process" you mean make the process the shorter, then there are some basic things you could do. (Though I would'nt be surprised if you already figured these things out for yourself) For example, if you're working with a 2d anime, odds are you won't have to cut out every frame even if the anime runs a 30fps(29.99fps) since there are many frames in which nothing changes from the last. No motion, no nothing. For these situations, you'll only have to make one cut out as supposed to two, or even three. Then just extend the cut out to make up for those repeated frames in the editting program you'll be using.

Also, how much motion the character you're cutting out is doing might also play a big part in how many cut out's you'll have to produce. For example, if your character is standing still in the same position talking, with no moving camera angles or anything of the sort, then you'd only need to cut out a few frames and loop them. Cutting out the entire sequence of such a simple action would hardly be neccessary. But if your character(s) are going to be doing a lot of action, then you'll have to create a lot more cut outs since looping the same sequence of cut outs in this case would hardly cut it.

As for the actual cut-out process, there aren't many shortcuts that I'm aware of. The magic wand tool sucks for cutting out which definately makes the whole process 100x more boring. And the only methods that produce nice cut out's are pretty time consuming depending on how many cut out's you'll have to make.

so to sum it up; the only real short cuts you'll most likely come across will probably have to do with finding ways to reduce the number of frames you'll have to cut out.
It's not hard, just long, tedious, and boring.

But look at it this way. If it was that easy, practically everyone would be doing it.

devilmaykickass · Post by **devilmaykickass** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:32 am

Listen to sayde. o________o

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:35 am

The Pen tool (or whatever tool your image editing software has for creating paths with Bezier curves) is your friend. Learn it, use it, love it.

Orwell · Post by **Orwell** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:43 am

Scintilla wrote:The Pen tool (or whatever tool your image editing software has for creating paths with Bezier curves) is your friend. Learn it, use it, love it.

Wasn't someone putting together a guide on using the pen tool in premiere?

Gepetto · Post by **Gepetto** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:39 am

Orwell wrote:Wasn't someone putting together a guide on using the pen tool in premiere?

In AfterEffects, actually. The thread is here.

bum · Post by **bum** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:33 am

My tip for extensive masking? Buddhism. it'l teach you the art of patience.

madbunny · Post by **madbunny** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:00 am

For this you're either going to be looking at:

Rotoscoping - where you go in and paint each frame (look for industry solutions)
bluescreen- where you use a unique color as a transparency. (look for aftereffects plug ins)
masking - marking out specific area. There are some programs with predictive technology.. expensive, but possibly what you're looking for)

You can do it all manually as long as you're willing to spend lots and lots of time at it. You can shorten the process by throwing money at it, and purchase some movie industry tools that are oriented at what you want.

So, it's either time, or money. Decide which one you need more.

Gepetto · Post by **Gepetto** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:22 pm

madbunny wrote:So, it's either time, or money. Decide which one you need more.

But then again, time is money, so you'll end up poor any way you look at it.

madbunny · Post by **madbunny** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:06 pm

Gepetto wrote:
madbunny wrote:So, it's either time, or money. Decide which one you need more.
But then again, time is money, so you'll end up poor any way you look at it.

Time is only money if you're in the business of producing things. With something fan made like AMVs, it doesn't matter if you take four months to finish your video, because you used MS paint and cleaned up every frame one at a time. If you were being paid, you would just factor in the costs of your expenses to the bull... er... bill, and get the expensive software solutions. (alternatively, you could pay a team of 10 guys to spend 8 hours a day cleaning up stuff in paint... or whatever. )

It's all a matter or how much effort a person is willing to make before they plop down the money. You could make a whole video in virtualdub and avisynth (it's been done) for free...