One big sigh: video editing success

I have finally gotten my video editing to work!  Hallelujah!  Ha ha ha!

History

Alright, here’s the story: I’ve been trying to get my video editing workflow down for a long time now, nearly a year since I got more serious about it.

For some years now I have played with video editing very little, but have enjoyed making short films with family.

December 2007 I purchased the Adobe Video Collection (2003) from a friend to use for my personal video projects and to edit something to DVD (Miracle In Gansu play to DVD.)  But after nearly a year I still have not gotten the project done due to a lack of knowledge and to my royal procrastination skills. 🙂

During this time I tried to get Adobe Premiere Pro 1.0 to work for my video editing tasks, but for the  majority of it I was unsuccessful.  The only successful project that I produced from it was DuelMind, a short film for the 24 Hour Christian Film Contest (however, I was unable to enter my film into the contest because I had never used YouTube before and did not realize that the file size of my video was way too big.  The next day a friend of mine gave me some advice which solved my problem – but the deadline had passed and it was too late.)  And even with that project I think the audio and video were getting out of sync.  😦

I will let you know: a/v out of sync has been my greatest technical video editing “curse.” 😀

I have tried to get Cinelerra to work, (actually the link goes to the CV version, whereas I may have been trying to get the official release to work,) but I was not successful with that.  I have seen Kino, touched Avidemux, tasted VirtualDub, and used Windows Movie Maker.  The latter program was the one I used the most, especially before I got the Adobe Video Collection.  Simply put: It worked.  But to use who are artistically inclined or professionally minded, it just isn’t enough.

I saved up for a camcorder and purchased the JVC Everio GZ-HD7.  The .tod file type (video container) posed a big problem, though, and for long time I was stumped (and frustrated.)  Multiple times I have considered selling the camera and getting a MiniDV SD camcorder.  But in a way I am glad I didn’t, because the Everio can get some sweet footage, and the fact that I couldn’t edit my video like I wanted to drove to new measures to discover the answer to my problems.

Eventually I decided to give the CyberLink BD Solution software a try (it came packaged with my camcorder.)  Surprisingly enough it worked, and it has been quite useful to get some DVD projects done.  I am planning on using it very soon to get another DVD project done.  I edited the Dr. Narendra Singh – 2008 Interview with PowerProducer Express.  Simple editing features are available, like splitting (cutting) video.  You can also use a range of video transitions inbetween video clips – but I only ended up using a few of them, like Fade and Burn.

Now this is where the history gets a little blurry… at some time I tried Blender’s VSE (Video Sequence Editor) to try to do my video editing, but I still had trouble with the audio/video being out of sync – and I couldn’t figure out how to export my video with the audio!

So the days passed, and my years waned… no, that bad. 😉  But one day someone heard my call, a man by the name of Rob Scott.  He had been working on something called BlenderAVC and kindly let me know about it by commenting to one of my posts here on the Minosa Films blog.  That’s where it really started.  From there I tried to get BlenderAVC to work.  I filmed with a few different settings and gave Rob some of my .tod files to work with.  Rob Scott’s BunnyHopHop workflow is very useful as well.  But BlenderAVC still wasn’t working for me.

I finally got a project to work in Blender’s VSE, the audio and video being in sync!  However, I won’t likely need to edit that project.

So, time passed…

Conclusion

But just today I downloaded the most recent version of BlenderAVC – BlenderAVC 0.7!  I can import my .tod files and it works fine!  But I still had trouble with my audio and video being out of sync.  I wrote some e-mails to Rob Scott asking for advice, but I didn’t need to… read on. 🙂  I noticed that Zelgadis (leader of the Morevna Project) was online, so I started IMing him.  He suggested I change the FPS on my file and so, after some tweaking, I reported back to him with a “OK, it’s official.  You the man!” victory cry that it had worked.

BlenderAVC 0.7 - screenshot of some successfully synced audio and video (see the last two strips)

So, praise the Lord!  One of my biggest video editing hurdles has been removed.  With further testing I hope that I wll be able to consistently repeat this successful outcome and get the rest of the workflow down pat.

I have not yet realized how great this is… if it really is true.  Maybe I will be glad tomorrow?  😀 Ahead of me lies the journey of actually learning what “video editing” really is!  Whew… this is very good.

So, I guess that’s about all.  I hope your journey is as exciting as mine – no, WAY more exciting!

One big sigh: Whew, video editing success.

God bless, friends, and may your journey be bright,
Best wishes,

-b

P.S. So a big PRAISE THE LORD!!! 😀

This election – vote your conscience!

This excellent-quality film voices the heart of a nation seeking the redemption of the priceless values that the United States of America is built upon.*

Stand with me this November as we spread the truth of Jesus Christ and the good values upon which our nation was built.  Your country is waiting for you, for we the people are the flesh of America, and our values the backbone.

This election, vote your conscience.  Cast your vote for what you believe, not what you want.  Your personal decision counts. and each and every vote makes a difference.

Please, stand.

-b

*We are not only built upon the high principles that define our constitution, but upon God, (that is Jesus Christ,) who graciously guided our forefathers in laying the foundations of our once-great America.

P.S. God bless all the Catholic and Protestant Christians who helped lead America to victory and finally becoming an independent nation.  For all their sweat, blood, prayers, and love, that went into the founding of our America.  God bless, always, -b

New Macbook from Apple! (Video)

Check out the new Macbook from Apple!

http://www.viddler.com/explore/cdevroe/videos/489/

Some more news: Updating www.ShadrachYouth.org website, need to prepare to DVD projects to burn, making a game in Blender 2.48 (bouncing mushroom platformer,) listening to music on Playlist.com (check out my playlist,) and looking forward to what the future holds.

Best wishes, God bless,
-b

Did some quick filming with a friend today

As the title implies, I got a little bit of time to do some filming with a good friend of mine.  I hope to do more later, and perhaps, if other obligations and responsbilities (or distractions like broswing the ‘net,)  I will edit the footage and hack together a short music vid of some sort… who knows?

Anyhow, a quick, little update.

Bleh bleh blehhh…

Best wishes!

-b

Celtx Against Maleria Student Challenge

Check this awesome challenge: Celtx Against Maleria Student Challenge.

The video on that page is inspiring, especially the words of the filmmakers:

I make media that matters

If I can get my video editing problems figured out into a consistent, reliable, and proficient workflow, I would love to participate in this challenge.

I am now participating in the Morevna Project and am working on learning how to draw one of the main characters, Ivan, as well as drawing a soldier design suggestion.

Check out our new Minosa Films Production Forum! Sign up to the Forest Quest forum (follow the link and hit “Register”) and start discussing current projects (uh… well, we don’t really have any current project discussions on there yet… LOL)

So, anyhow, those are some updates.

God bless, and, as always, best wishes,

-b

Stalemate – well, sort of

I’ve run into a stalemate of sorts due to hardware limitations.  It’s better than it could be, but a solution will need to be found before I can absentmindedly run ahead with this video editing business.

So, anyhow, I ask for your prayers in this matter and that God would provide for what I need.

Thanks for listening and sticking in there with me!

Working on various video editing things, trying to get my workflow going, working toward a Minosa Films demo video… whooo!  See ya,

-b

Testing Blender VSE with HD proxy

Hey everyone!

Testing Blender’s VSE (Video Sequence Editor) for my editing needs.  So far it’s working well, once God helped me figure out how to get the audio and video the same length.  (Clue: import the audio and video separately, then make a meta strip to keep them together if you want to.)

Testing Blender VSE with HD proxy

(Watching the video real-time with a 25% proxy is great!  Unlike using Premiere Pro 1.0, playing the video back on Blender’s preview window is fast enough and sweet for viewing!)

Interlacing is bad, so I may use VirtualDub for that.  Depends.

If I can get good results from Blender, I may go with it for now and keep the JVC Everio GZ-HD7, instead of downsizing my camcorder.

Hopefully BlenderAVC will continue to be developed so I can import my video directly (without worrying about conversion.)

I hope this all works out!  Thanks to all who recommended using Blender for editing my video.  I should have tried it again earlier – then again, what’s wrong with now?  “The road goes ever one” as Bilbo sings, and it’s the journey that brings memories and experience.

Best wishes, peace out,

-b

Working on new Minosa Films blog header

New design WIP - Minosa Films blog header (Blender's node editor.)

Recently I have been working on a new header design for the Minosa Films blog.  It is not done yet, but it is turning out well.  I am using render layers and compositing them together, which is a first for me.  Praise God!  The theme is darker and has a moon, branches, the words “Minosa Films” and a nifty little design behind it.

Originally I was designing this in a hope to make an animated Minosa Films title intro for a promo video about Minosa Films.  I could make it theatrical like a silver screen trailer, or I could make it more instructional, like an interview or special feature.

I need to get back to solving the mystery of a successful video workflow.  My current progress on that is:

Import HD SP video file (.tod) into PowerDirector Express.
Drag video file onto the timeline.  Hit produce.
Go through a number of options and choose to export as an MPEG2 (for DVDs.)
Wait for it to render.
Import .mpg file into Adobe Premiere Pro 1.0.
Place on timeline.  There are no apparent “hiccups”.
Export video to .mov (Apple QuickTime.)
Play video in Media Player Classic – it works.

Goals:
I would prefer to someday edit in full HD; use a faster (better) conversion method; buy and use a newer, different, HD compatible non-linear editing (NLE) app; edit .avi (or .mpg if I choose to);  export to .avi, .mpg. with no  errors when opening in MPC (Media Player Classic,); be able to use After Effects (AE) in conjunction with Premiere (currently when I export from After Effects I get a jittered effect to the video and some artifacts.  Most unpleasing and… terrible.)

Goals in list form:

• HD
• Best conversion method (no conversion if possible.)
• New NLE software
• No editing hiccups
• Excellent file export
• Cross-software use

But for now, no HD!  No fooling around with the unnecessary.  😉

Thanks for listening,

God bless, prayers,

-b

Blender green screening, VSE – and how to make your own greenscreen!

I am endeavoring to learn some of Blender’s (blender.org) VSE (Video Sequence Editor) and node compositing editor.

With the VSE you can arrange video clips and do effects, such as achieving a fade out to black (using three strips – video, gamma cross and color generator.)

Using VSE as a simple video editor may be very useful, and as it develops hopefully it will overrun such commercial monster products as Adobe Premiere Pro.  One advantage over Premiere Pro 1.0 that I have found is that Blender’s VSE accepts an .avi compression that I use, whereas Premiere Pro 1.0 doesn’t.  Besides that, Blender is completely free and open source, and is an alternative to Windows Movie Maker.  WMM can be very useful for shrinking file sizes and doing some simple editing (and you can do text effects and transitions,) but Blender’s VSE seems less dumbing.

And now about the greenscreening:

With the node compositing I am endeavoring to make a successful chroma keying – taking out a certain color, like bluescreening, also known as split screen – but it is proving quite a bit harder than I hoped. It seems (as is perfectly logical) that to have an effective keying I need very clear, pure colors to key out. Otherwise you get grays when it looks blue and your footage becomes very spotty.

Hopefully I will get some good results soon. Here’s a screenshot of my first work with chroma keying – overlaying a video on an image – not so great, but I’m learning.

Old machinery (video) on old machinery (image)

Also, doing further testing this evening, this chroma keying business may be much more difficult than I had hoped. Looking online for professional options, I found these two sites: (the first site recommended the second site.)

DIY (Do It Yourself – Bluescreens, Greenscreens, Backdrops and Background stands) Highly recommended to check out – you can find out about how to make your own greenscreen the cheap way. (not fool proof.

EEFX (green/blue screen backgrounds and backdrops(?)) Great for seeing professional quality equipement, seeing the prices, and learning about what makes their cloth special.

Hope you enjoy – looking forward to filming soon! Praise God!

-B

Life Interviews: Your Story

The title may be misleading, but today I had the privilege to talk to someone who gave me the idea (in part) for this.  Life Interviews: Your Story (or whatever the title may end up being) is an attempt to capture a moment of someone’s life on video through a day-long interview.

I hope to follow someone for about one day, asking them questions and just hanging out as they show me what they do.  What is their job?  Where are they from?  What are their beliefs?  All these questions await to be answered.

Note: since these interviews deal with particular people and their life story some interviews may not be posted online.

I hope you enjoy these interviews and whatever else we may come up with.

God bless,

Banor