REALLY amateur questions

furi kuri · Post by **furi kuri** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 12:29 am

I just got a new video camera, and decided to make some home movies (emphasis on home). My skill level is extremely basic, so humor me. If it wouldnt be too much, could any of you answer these questions?

!. How do you reverse video clips? i know imovie has it, but i cant find any other software that can (that is free, and im using a pc)

2. how do you make those muzzle flashes?

3. is there a site that teaches how to make lightsaber effects for noobs like me?

4. how do you make that matrix effect?

Ok, thats a little much, and ill be satisfied with just an answer to the first one. But if you could, please tell me how to do the other ones. Please???

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 3:19 am

1. How do you reverse video clips? i know imovie has it, but i cant find any other software that can (that is free, and im using a pc)?

I don't know of any that are free...

2. how do you make those muzzle flashes?

http://www.matthawkins.co.uk/special_fx ... eflash.htm

http://www.geocities.com/browncowstudio ... flash.html

3. is there a site that teaches how to make lightsaber effects for noobs like me?

Yes, but I can't give you a link. I've seen them all over, but just haven't cared to try them. Not exactly what I like...

4. how do you make that matrix effect?

http://www.nccinema.ch/esfx11.html

OR

http://www.geocities.com/browncowstudio ... ffect.html

Hope some of this helped. You may also want to browse around the site below. Has all around useful stuff...

http://www.jushhome.com/AmMoviePort/

[Edited on 7-12 -0303 by BrownCowStudios]

Post by **Matt** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:33 pm

For more info on Matrix effects use the 'search' facility and stick in 'Matrix'. The is plenty of info which has been posted in the last few months.

Sayhi · Post by **Sayhi** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:35 pm

1Reverse motion---Adobe Premiere has this feature, but it's very expensive. You can download it (that's illegal) from Kazaa but many versions do not work. If you want sth less expensive you can BUY Pinnacle Studio 8 or Ulead VideoStudio 7 ($40), which are good programs but do not have reverse motion.

2 There are 2 ways (I haven't tried video overlays-alpha maps- yet and I think the other techiques work fine).

a) You save the m.f. pics you found in matthawkins.co.uk and you open them in a photo editor (i use photoshop). You cut out the black background (magnetic lasso tool) and copu-paste the picture in a new document with transparent background. Finally,you save it in targa format (.tga) and you use it in your video as a still overlay (e.g. in your title editor), setting the length in 1-2 frames.

b) You use BBguns and put flower in the barrel before every shot.

3 Why would you need this?!!!

4 You allready have the answer.

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 12:32 am

reverse motion, Premere does it also Sonic foundry's Vagas Video dese it, but will run you $500, still worth the cash.

For questions 2&4 look around this site, it is a tresure trove of cool stuff, and effects, I can't wait to start my gun filled film, once I finish my sword one.

As for the lightsabers look at theforce.net their fan film area has a few good tourials, in that area, almost anything sci-fi. But you are going to need all that expensive software, because it seems to me that all the star wars sfx tuts, asume that you are some rich sonob with a MAC and thusnds of dollors, but still more power to ya.

Rememeber don't let your effects rule the picture, unless they really kick a**.

Lorenzo_amateur_prods · Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:30 am

Pretty much exactly like foxwood says. And a MAC is way better for graphics and video editing u can get lots of stuff. I have no problem with this stuff i use final cut pro (:P) but if you upload a short movie file in avi or quicktime format ill donwload it reverse it for you and upload it again

Lorenzo_amateur_prods · Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:43 am

By the way is there some easy to use, free morphiong software out there for mac? I might try the matrix thing myself...

Ornsack · Post by **Ornsack** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 1:58 pm

Originally posted by Lorenzo_amateur_prods
And a MAC is way better for graphics and video editing u can get lots of stuff.

People always say this, but these days you can get all the graphic programs and more (like 3D Studio) for the PC. The only good Mac editing program that isn't avaliable for the PC is Final Cut Pro. But it works the same as Premiere really, it's pretty much just a cosmetic difference

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 2:09 pm

On the subject of final cut pro, it is over rated junk. I worked with it at a film camp last summer, and was totally unimpressed, after it crashed three times, and made me rinder, before it could do anything. The adobie, sweet (Premere after affects, and photo shop) are much better and in the end cheeper, then the $3000 some odd dollers that I have heard fianl cut costs. Also their is all the other cool third partty stuff for your PC. People talk about MACs even I did because they have a reputation, but now that the PC is just comming out of the first wave of its new video revelution, it is about to do another thing better then the MAC, what a suprise.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 3:08 am

Lightsabers and Gunpowder-based guns in one movie, You may have found the Holy Grail of MovieMaking. (Bum ba da dum dum)

SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE YET

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 5:11 am

And there was this one time at film camp ...

HetH · Post by **HetH** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 7:00 am

For lightsabers and stuff alike check this guyÃ‚Â´s website out, heÃ‚Â´s truly amazing and has lots of very good and detailed tutorials, IÃ‚Â´m using his method for making lightsabers and they look truly awesome:

http://www.ryan-w.com/

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:12 am

I have a JEDI plan for a flick that will shock the world i tell you. ahh no i will not you leeches:D

DoDGe · Post by **DoDGe** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:19 pm

you can get a FREE evaluation version of jasc animation shop, then when you run outta time, change your computer clock back

ive had it for years
This is what I use for everything, you can reverse using it and muzzle flashes and everything, soooo easy

[Edited on 17-7-2003 by DoDGe]

furi kuri · Post by **furi kuri** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 2:53 am

ummm, is there any way to improve the video quality, because its all shaky and laggy:(

HetH · Post by **HetH** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 10:04 am

What do you mean exactly? WHERE want you mprove the video? Do you mean the video you captured itself is shaky etc. or do you mean the outcome of the program you use doesnÃ‚Â´t quite match your expectations?

More information will sure help to get further into solving your problem!

furi kuri · Post by **furi kuri** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:00 pm

whoops, nevermind, i figured it out. it worked fine when i exported it into mpeg 2 format.