Adding a Map with pt. A to pt. B moving line
 

Hi:

I'm using Pinnacle S8 and am in the middle of editing 7 hours of video to produce a one hour DVD.

Is there any way to video a map of a country and then insert the title Day 1 on the map and have a moving line go from point A to point B on the map for day 1? I would then show the Day 1 edited video. I might then have a Day 2 - 4 label on the map and have another moving line go from point B to point C on the map.

Would I somehow use Photoshop to draw the lines and then
insert them into my video? I not sure where to start on this and even if it can be done.

I might even have the the map show the running line going between all five locations covered in the 16 days with the labels appearing as the moving line comes to each location. I'd probably dub some audio into this part of the video explaining where we went.

Thanks.

Steve Urban

Frame one has no line between A and B. Last frame has a complete line between A and B. Do a horizontal wipe for the length of the clip required, between the two frames.

Hi Jeff:

If I understand you I'll:
1) Shoot some footage of the map with no line.
2) Draw a line on the map between pt. A and B.
3) Shoot the map with the line.
4) and repeat the above for the entire trip

I'll then upload footage to computer and edit so it shows
the line being drawn on the map.

Thanks!

Steve

Easiest to do in Flash.

Steve, you got the idea. Keith is also correct, if you have knowledge of Flash.

there is a better way, i haven't gotten it working 100% but i got most of the answer from this message i found by searching in google for "animated map" and "premiere"

basically you take the map and open it in premiere, then you add a new layer where you draw the lines connecting the points A and B

then you save just that layer as a separate file, you place that file on another video track so it is superimposed as a matte on the real map and then you get premiere to add color behind the matte to match the movement of your point a to point b.

now if someone can rewrite this so it makes sense i'd be eternally greatful!

the real goal is to recreate the indiana jones effect where the route is actually "painted" on the screen rather than being done in a flashcard type of way...

i got the below working but it is clunky because i hadn't had much experience moving stuff in premiere pro. the older premiere do the moving much easier...

matthew

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Antonio R <puccio@puccio.gr>
Subject: Re: Animated map travel route help : Premiere 4.2
Date: zaterdag 3 oktober 1998 15:48

WOW!!
I'm very happy to help you!

After many tries the solution is below:
With photoshop or similar create a new layer in you map file. On this layer
design (with black ink anti-aliased) your travel route (use a thick
pencil!).
Separate each layer and save ONLY map (full color) and ONLY travel route (8
bit gray white background) in separate files.
Go in Premiere, import both files, place on S2 track the travel route file
and extend it for the preferred time.
Place on S1 track (exactly above the travel route) your preferred color
matte background and set transparency to track matte (invert key on). Now
apply the movement you prefer (following the real travel route) with
movement settings.
After that you can check the results clicking on the playback line.
Now using the virtual clip function drag both the above tracks on track S2
below the map (that you have inserted on S1 track) and set transparency to
chroma with black key; make the usually adjustement and now you can see the
coloured travel route moving on the map!

wouldn't this effect be easiet with after effects and simply using a mask?

take your background image

draw the lines in illustrator or flash or photoshop.

Then mask out the lines, and keyframe them so the mask opens back up and reveals the line.

Pretty simple stuff actually.

Zac

it may be simple to some folks, but for others it would be really nice if someone would make a step by step tutorial on how to do it.

i have everything working well except for the keyframing. i need a few step by step directions on how to get that to work in premiere pro.

matthew

I have always found the simpler the better. I tell my students KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Why make things harder than it has to be.

Shoot a still frame or import the frame into NLE.

Import the same frame into Photoshop and draw the line between A and B. Then import second frame into NLE.

Do a horizontal wipe (or vertical if the line goes up/down). Most NLE's give you the choice of either a hard or soft edge wipe, so pick your preference. Total time to create this effect is 5 to 10 minutes.

ok so what your saying is to draw the a to b line on the second image and then transition from the first to the second with a wipe so the only noticable change is the line appearing?

i like it!

i'll give it a try.

matthew

If you have after effects, I wrote a tutorial that animates a path along a map.

You can find a link to it on my website.

Go to this website:

http://www.wrigleyvideo.com/videotut...andwriting.htm

It will provide a detailed explanation of how to do a moving line effect in Premiere (and will also work well in other editors).

thanks. that was a great link.

matthew

Another tutorial:

http://www.abcdv.com/article/articleview/113/1/79/

I decided to share my clip which I made in Macromedia Flash.

It really gives you control of what you are trying to do and the effect that I was trying to make is not quite possible with the ways described above (but they gave me great starting point).

Here is final clip in flash
http://boriskey.890m.com/temp/mappath.swf

So what I was after:
flying plane over the map. Map and plain are moving independently

Final result was inserted in my video clip, created in Sony Vegas

What you need:
1) Macromedia Flash (MX or Adobe Flash or any alternative flash editor with motion path support)
2) image of the map and plain/car/train
3) read tutorials on motion path (type "flash motion path" in google)

There is no rocket science to make a clip like that in Flash even if you never used it before (I did not :))

Final flash clip can be converted to AVI or MOV and inserted into your movie. If you put some background music (like theme from Indiana Jones), it will come out really cool (well, for home video ;)