Isolating colour in Vegas?
 

I need to wash out the colour in one scene while keeping one character and a door in front of which he stands in sharp focus. to that effect, i intend to wash out the colours of the surroundings and make it slightly darker. Is there an easy way to do this in Vegas, other than making a mask? For instance, how do they create that tacky effect of a red rose in a B&W picture?


J.

Secondary color corrector. But you can use it for color, or luma. But it's just creating a mask.

Setting up the shot before hand helps. If you want to isolate the red rose, don't have someone else in the shot wearing a red shirt. I'll post a still.

Jacques, take a look at Edward Troxel's newsletters, specifically Vol. 1 #11 - Doing A Color Pass and Vol. 2 #10 - Color Pass Reprised - Passing Multiple Colors.

Thanks everyone. I'll do some tests.

Jacques,

Here's a still from the Vegas timeline. This was done quickly with the secondary color corrector in Vegas. Tacky? Perhaps, but most couples in my market (weddings) seem to like it.

Thnaks Ken. So for optimal results I need to light as evenly as possible to get consistent colours.


J.

Having the subject evenly lit will make the color easier to pull. if you want to make it easy to highlight (focus) you subject, then have them wear a standout color (say... a red vest or if the door is red). Or if the door is a uniquely brighter color. The trick is the color that you use will be unique in the shot, because when you pull it using the secondary CC, it will pull all occurrences of that color in the shot. I don't know if you can edit the mask in secondary CC (it would be nice), other than tweaking the settings a little.

Here is a still of another Secondary CC color isolation and the mask that is created by it.

In the first shot off to the left there is an exit sign that is caught in the color effect, I'd rather not have this there. In fact, ideally I'd just like the ties and flowers to be highlighted.

Plan ahead for this and it will a piece of cake...
If you choose the right colours and light it well then you can use the secondary colour corrector fairly easily. Use the eye dropper to choose your colour, adjust the luma/saturation/hue limits, invert the mask then desaturate/darken as desired. If you have problems and you find bits of colour on objects you didn't intend then you'll have duplicate the track and use a cookie cutter.