Can you cut out the exact shape of a character from video and put it over the other?

[Steedie]

How do you cut out the exact shape of a moving character in one video so I can put it over another video?

Steedie

This post has been edited by Steedie: May 4 2012, 04:10 PM

[Mister_M]

This is only possible, if that video with the character has a plain background (best would be green screen, which is used by most professional productions, but it works with other colors, too). Than you can use the effect "chroma key" and blank out the background.

If you have normal background, you'll have to use professional software and eliminate the background frame by frame. In most cases this would be 25 or 29.97 frames per second. Have fun editing that! ;)

If you have such video, you'll have to put the background video into video track 1 and the chroma key video with the moving character into video track 2.

[wither]

If you don't mind a little lightening of the character you're overlaying, you could also adjust its opacity in its properties so you see the video on track 1 in the background.

[Steedie]

So if I wanted to superimpose a video of me playing a guitar on top of a video, of lets say 'Rivendell' in Lord of the Rings as the background, would I have to first record video 1 of me playing guitar in front of my green wallpaper first?!

This post has been edited by Steedie: May 4 2012, 06:46 PM

[Mister_M]

If you such green wallpaper, that would be the best solution. But it also works if the background is plain (the color shouldn't be black or white).

[Steedie]

Ok. Cheers Mister.

Here's my other plan. I want to do another video of me playing Howard Shore's 'Grace of the Valor/Breath of life' on keyboard so I can superimpose that on a video of me floating down a stream in the Lake District,just like the scene in 'The Two Towers' where actor Viggo Mortensson floats down a stream in New Zealand.
Now that is going to be a great challenge.

This post has been edited by Steedie: May 4 2012, 07:08 PM

[wither]

Use the opacity settings in the properties for the video you're going to overlay onto the first video.

[Steedie]

Yes-I'm certainly going to do that. I'm going to wait for a very lovely sunny day,pop up to the Lakes and take plenty of dry clothes with me!

[wither]

I don't have any idea of what you're talking about.

[Steedie]

Watch this and you'll know what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suSotC3Jatk

[wither]

What's that got to do with your question? Does anything we mentioned work?

[Steedie]

We've established what needs to be done now. I'm just telling you what else ill be doing in the video.

[wither]

Cool!

[Steedie]

Actually I'm going to record these videos in the summer.

Meanwhile I've got to start practising my backstroke down the local baths before I start recording.

[wither]

I'm usually backpedalling and don't need any practice. :)