Question about JPEG Technique
 

Hey guys. I'm looking to Google up some tutorials about a certain editing technique but I haven't the slightest idea what the technique might be called. Hopefully someone can help me out.

The technique I'm referring to is used quite a bit on TV, where we have a slow push-in on some sort of still image, let's say a combat shot in a war, but a single element, such as a soldier in the foreground, has been singled out, scaled slightly bigger, and separated from the background image so as to give the effect he is "popping out" of the picture, for lack of a better term.

If it helps, I remember seeing a similar effect done in "Riding Giants" when Laird is riding that monster of a wave, thought it looked as if they had separated multiple layers so as to give a neat 3D effect. Probably not the called the same thing but very similar, so if any of you might know this technique I'd appreciate the help greatly. Thanks!

you answered the question by asking.
"it looked as if they had separated multiple layers so as to give a neat 3D effect"

The effect is often referred to as the Ken Burn's Effect, here's a good tutorial on how to achieve it:
http://www.digitaljuice.com/djtv/seg...how=all_videos

I think Frank is referring to something more elaborate than that, whereby an element is cut out from a still, the missing "background" on the still is reconstituted, and the background and the cut-out element are animated separately, but in a perspective-related fashion, giving the impression that they are at separate depths from the viewer.

Seen a few examples, but I don't know the term to search for either!

Beautiful! Thanks Nate!

You have to key (extract) the subject. The rest is easy.

Just to get nit-picky about terminology for a second. The "Ken Burns Effect" is typically just panning and zooming across stills. The video you linked to, and what the OP asked about, is commonly referred to as 2 1/2 D (since you are using 2D images in 3D space). It can be done in FCP to a point, but if you want something like the opening sequence in "Riding Giants" then I think you need a program that can work in 3D like AE.


-Andrew

or you can simply use gItip, a nice program , while it was left at a early beta level.

You can draw a shape with beziers in Motion and do it there. I'd think that would be best.

Motion also has an automatic feature where you can put multiple items in the same Z plane, scale them so they're the right size, and then separate the planes in Z space so they all retain the correct scaling (to eye) with the given "lens" on the 3D camera.

That way when you do a 3D move with the elements, they start (or end) with the 2D look, but look 3D when the camera moves.

There's a free tutorial which covers an important part of how to obtain this effect.

To watch it, go to:

http://www.rippletraining.com/

and scroll down to the free tutorials section and click the link to "Motion 3 Bonus Tutorial - Prep Images in Photoshop for 3D Animation".

Just use photoshop or another image editor. Separate the pieces, then animate in FCP (I'd use AE, but FCP will work as well.) Both AE and FCP can import a psd as layers.

http://truthandliesmovie.com/demo.mov

That's from the project I'm currently working on. About two-thirds through, there is a pan down shot were I had to digitally extend the pan above his head. The effect isn't final yet, but it's more than you'll need for just stills.
What I did needed to match up to the rest of the video, so yours will be easier too.

Very interesting stuff! Though the Motion tutorial at Ripple Training does not seem to be there.

I especially liked that quick mask thing, I know a little about photoshop now I wish there were more tutorials.

Thanks!

I've just copied (by hand) the address for the direct link to the tutorial file.

Try this:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/bbygngxq83.mov

Awesome responses guys. I really do appreciate the help. So far I should have plenty to go on to figure out how to execute this effect. We shall see.

Excellent, David! Thanks to all for the great thread!