Vegas Video discussions from 2003

Robert Poulton · September 30th, 2003, 11:39 AM

Say I have a laptop with enough power and room to do editing but I lack the pyshical Hard Drive space to hold all the clips. Is there a way to create low rez copies of every clip within the project so I could work on editing. Then later just copy the scene file to my desktop computer and replace all the clips with another folder and have it auto update. I know you can do this in After Effects but am unsure how to do this in Vegas.

Rob

Edward Troxel · September 30th, 2003, 12:09 PM

That's why I use a deck. You could also use a convertor such as the Canopus ADVC-100 to do the same thing. The deck or convertor can be left connected to the computer all the time - NO messing with wires!

Edward Troxel · September 30th, 2003, 12:12 PM

The main way I can think of would be to capture normally and then render to a lower res version. Of course you then have to capture normally again at the end (unless you leave the originals stored on an external drive).

Instead, I edit in pieces on my laptop. Load all footage for one section, edit that section, render, and delete the original. Repeat for the next section. Once all sections have been completed, make one final project combining all of the sections.

Neil Slade · September 30th, 2003, 01:14 PM

Okay, who knows what is going on here:

When you left click your mouse inside the preview window, you get a plus sign, which then allows you to create any size box-- inside which no effects will be created, and outside which your chosen effects will apply.
This is like a PERMANENT COOKIE CUTTER- but I can't get rid of the damn thing.

QUESTIONS:
1) How to get rid of this plus sign and the effect !!!
2) Can you REVERSE the operation of this, i.e.
effects apply INSIDE the box, rather than OUTSIDE the chosen area. Actually, I guess you can when you choose cookie cutter- but this thing is ALWAYS ON. ERGGG!!!

thanks
Neil

Edward Troxel · September 30th, 2003, 01:33 PM

Above the preview window, turn OFF "Split Screen View"

There is also a drop-down arrow beside this button allowing you to view the various ways in which this feature can work.

Josh Bass · September 30th, 2003, 03:53 PM

Okay, I'm editing these fake commercials in Vegas 4, three of them, that all have the same audio tag on the end. Today, I was rendering them into AVI files, and kept hitting a snag. Two of them rendered fine, and the third keeps having a glitch in the audio. This is on the audio tag, that is the exact same source of sound being used on each spot, same volume level, everything--I simply copied the sound file in the timeline once I'd done the first one to my satisfaction, and pasted it onto the end of the other two spots--no changes or anything.

This glitch is where the audio just cuts out for a split second. . .I cannot figure it out. It doesn't do it on the other two spots, but no matter how many times I rerender, on this one it just does it. I tried deleting it out of the timeline and pasting it again, same deal. They're all on the same audio track, no FX on the track. . .the original sound file is fine, so obviously it's fine on the original miniDV tape too.

HELP!

Gints Klimanis · September 30th, 2003, 04:54 PM

While I can't explain your glitch, have you considered rendering the audio and video separately, then, combining them before your final render?

Peter Wright · September 30th, 2003, 08:11 PM

I use external hard drives - a 120 Gb holds about 9 hours of full res DV.

Neil Slade · September 30th, 2003, 09:51 PM

Oh man, this was driving me crazy.
Thanks a lot---

Neil

Neil Slade · September 30th, 2003, 09:57 PM

Okay-- say I want to apply processing to just a single small section of the picture-- an UNEVEN one.

Any way to do create anything but a box or circle, like the photoshop LASSO shape maker?

So far, it looks like NOT.

?

Tor Salomonsen · October 1st, 2003, 12:25 AM

Robert,
Since you have the power and room, perhaps Peter's suggestion is the best for you.
If you do render to low-res, the trick is to create "semi-originals" with the same filenames as the real originals. Then Vegas should be able to recreate the edit when it later is given the real originals in the same folder.
Under a scheme like that you may also want to add timecode to your low-res renders. Ctrl-alt-1, click-drag and drop the Timecode FX on your preview window. That will add it to your rendered output.

Josh Bass · October 1st, 2003, 12:38 AM

I could try it. . .why not just render the audio and then render it together with the unrendered video, instead of rendering the video as well?

Dave Largent · October 1st, 2003, 06:45 AM

Mike,
In case you are unaware, you cannot import an m2t file (i.e. the JVC's raw file) into Vegas until you get the free Mainconcept codec from Sony. You get the codec by dragging any clip (e.g. jpeg, avi, wav, etc. but *not* an m2t) to the timeline and attempting to render the clip as MPEG-2. At this point Vegas will walk you through acquiring the codec.

Edward Troxel · October 1st, 2003, 07:43 AM

You would need to create a mask of some sort - either in Photoshop or by finding something unique about the area to be modified.

Glen Elliott · October 1st, 2003, 07:54 AM

however if the subject your trying to mask/isolate is moving and changing shapes it can be very difficult. If it is a general area like bluring out someones face, etc- it's fairly easy to keep it in the general area with simple keyframe usage.

Just so you know what is entailed in creating this effect- it's not the same as creating a selection in the preview window. Thats *only* for previewing the affect- that, in no way, designates where the effect takes place. It serves as a visual way to compare the edited footage to original.
To add an effect to only certian areas of the frame you have to first duplicate your clip and add the effect to one of the copies....then add a cookie cuter to the top layer to either obscure or show only the area masked (based on whether the effect was created on the top or bottom layer to begin with).

September 30th, 2003, 11:39 AM	#1216
Robert Poulton Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 245	Vegas instance editing. Say I have a laptop with enough power and room to do editing but I lack the pyshical Hard Drive space to hold all the clips. Is there a way to create low rez copies of every clip within the project so I could work on editing. Then later just copy the scene file to my desktop computer and replace all the clips with another folder and have it auto update. I know you can do this in After Effects but am unsure how to do this in Vegas. Rob

September 30th, 2003, 01:14 PM	#1219
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	Plus Sign Preview Click Box??? Okay, who knows what is going on here: When you left click your mouse inside the preview window, you get a plus sign, which then allows you to create any size box-- inside which no effects will be created, and outside which your chosen effects will apply. This is like a PERMANENT COOKIE CUTTER- but I can't get rid of the damn thing. QUESTIONS: 1) How to get rid of this plus sign and the effect !!! 2) Can you REVERSE the operation of this, i.e. effects apply INSIDE the box, rather than OUTSIDE the chosen area. Actually, I guess you can when you choose cookie cutter- but this thing is ALWAYS ON. ERGGG!!! thanks Neil

September 30th, 2003, 03:53 PM	#1221
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Weird audio problem. . .HELP! Okay, I'm editing these fake commercials in Vegas 4, three of them, that all have the same audio tag on the end. Today, I was rendering them into AVI files, and kept hitting a snag. Two of them rendered fine, and the third keeps having a glitch in the audio. This is on the audio tag, that is the exact same source of sound being used on each spot, same volume level, everything--I simply copied the sound file in the timeline once I'd done the first one to my satisfaction, and pasted it onto the end of the other two spots--no changes or anything. This glitch is where the audio just cuts out for a split second. . .I cannot figure it out. It doesn't do it on the other two spots, but no matter how many times I rerender, on this one it just does it. I tried deleting it out of the timeline and pasting it again, same deal. They're all on the same audio track, no FX on the track. . .the original sound file is fine, so obviously it's fine on the original miniDV tape too. HELP! __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

September 30th, 2003, 09:51 PM	#1224
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	THANKS! Oh man, this was driving me crazy. Thanks a lot--- Neil

September 30th, 2003, 09:57 PM	#1225
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	Ah, another thing... Okay-- say I want to apply processing to just a single small section of the picture-- an UNEVEN one. Any way to do create anything but a box or circle, like the photoshop LASSO shape maker? So far, it looks like NOT. ?

September 30th, 2003, 12:09 PM	#1217
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	That's why I use a deck. You could also use a convertor such as the Canopus ADVC-100 to do the same thing. The deck or convertor can be left connected to the computer all the time - NO messing with wires!

September 30th, 2003, 12:12 PM	#1218
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	The main way I can think of would be to capture normally and then render to a lower res version. Of course you then have to capture normally again at the end (unless you leave the originals stored on an external drive). Instead, I edit in pieces on my laptop. Load all footage for one section, edit that section, render, and delete the original. Repeat for the next section. Once all sections have been completed, make one final project combining all of the sections.

September 30th, 2003, 01:33 PM	#1220
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Above the preview window, turn OFF "Split Screen View" There is also a drop-down arrow beside this button allowing you to view the various ways in which this feature can work.

September 30th, 2003, 04:54 PM	#1222
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	While I can't explain your glitch, have you considered rendering the audio and video separately, then, combining them before your final render?

September 30th, 2003, 08:11 PM	#1223
Peter Wright Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 193	I use external hard drives - a 120 Gb holds about 9 hours of full res DV.

October 1st, 2003, 12:25 AM	#1226
Tor Salomonsen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 265	Robert, Since you have the power and room, perhaps Peter's suggestion is the best for you. If you do render to low-res, the trick is to create "semi-originals" with the same filenames as the real originals. Then Vegas should be able to recreate the edit when it later is given the real originals in the same folder. Under a scheme like that you may also want to add timecode to your low-res renders. Ctrl-alt-1, click-drag and drop the Timecode FX on your preview window. That will add it to your rendered output.

October 1st, 2003, 12:38 AM	#1227
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	I could try it. . .why not just render the audio and then render it together with the unrendered video, instead of rendering the video as well? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

October 1st, 2003, 06:45 AM	#1228
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Mike, In case you are unaware, you cannot import an m2t file (i.e. the JVC's raw file) into Vegas until you get the free Mainconcept codec from Sony. You get the codec by dragging any clip (e.g. jpeg, avi, wav, etc. but not an m2t) to the timeline and attempting to render the clip as MPEG-2. At this point Vegas will walk you through acquiring the codec.

October 1st, 2003, 07:43 AM	#1229
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	You would need to create a mask of some sort - either in Photoshop or by finding something unique about the area to be modified.

October 1st, 2003, 07:54 AM	#1230
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	however if the subject your trying to mask/isolate is moving and changing shapes it can be very difficult. If it is a general area like bluring out someones face, etc- it's fairly easy to keep it in the general area with simple keyframe usage. Just so you know what is entailed in creating this effect- it's not the same as creating a selection in the preview window. Thats only for previewing the affect- that, in no way, designates where the effect takes place. It serves as a visual way to compare the edited footage to original. To add an effect to only certian areas of the frame you have to first duplicate your clip and add the effect to one of the copies....then add a cookie cuter to the top layer to either obscure or show only the area masked (based on whether the effect was created on the top or bottom layer to begin with).