Changing panels - like the gameshow CONCENTRATION

[David Delaney]

I want to create a gameboard like in concentration, where the panels will change over time (turn over) and reveal what is underneath (or the other side). The challenge I am having is that a transition to SPIN will only SPIN from the middle of the comp. - therefore the TOP LEFT panel in a 3X3 grid:
_________
|X |__|__|
|__|__|__|
|__|__|__|

Will not spin on it's own axis, rather, it will spin from the middle of the comp.
Any ideas how to get this going in Vegas? Each panel is its own layer.

[Edward Troxel]

Nested VEG's would work great for this. Create 9 VEG files - full size cover transitioning into whatever is "behind" it.

Now drop those 9 VEG files into a new project on 9 separate tracks and create the PIP view. You can use a velocity envelope to determine how long each stays before they turn. Just freeze frame until it's time to turn, change the velocity to let it turn, and then freeze frame again after it's turned.

That should work great for your specific situation.

[David Delaney]

So in other words, if I understand you, I need to create each PANEL, full frame in Photoshop, and then create a VEG for each with a transition? Right now, the panels are separate layers in photoshop, but only account for 1/9 of the image size...

[Edward Troxel]

I would have 10 images:

1 for each background (which is 9 of them)
1 for the "cover" which would be identical on each.

Each VEG file would be the cover image transitioning into one of the background images. Then change the transition to the transition you're wanting to use. Everything would be FULL SIZE in these VEG files.

Then create a new project, import the 9 VEG file to 9 tracks, and create the PIP view. Then the transition will be applied to only that one section as you're wanting.


I just did a test, though. You can easily do the same thing without the nested VEG files. Just create the 9 tracks as you're wanting. Then use TRACK MOTION to create the PIP view. If you create the PIP view using Pan/Crop, you get the exact symptoms you're describing.

[Mike Kujbida]

...I need to create each PANEL, full frame in Photoshop...

That's correct.

Right now, the panels are separate layers in photoshop, but only account for 1/9 of the image size...

That's why the whole board is spinning for you right now.
Each panel MUST be on it's own track for this to work properly.

[David Delaney]

ok, I am experiencing some challenges with the porting from PS to vegas. I have cropped each of the 9 panels (9 different panels) and they are 770 X 275 (they are wide panels). When I bring them into Vegas, I have 9 tracks and I use TRACK MOTION to try and place them in the correct area I want them to be. Now the problem I am having is that when I go to Track motion and try to set the SIZE of it to 770 X 225 they are not the same as in photoshop (I have an opening that I have done in AE that brings the panels into the scene, so that is why I need to position these new panels ontop of the original opening shot). Do you know what I mean? I am trying to position the panels in PS into my scene OVERTOP of the original opening from AE, but using the track motion is not working because I cannot get the scale of the PANELS from PS to work in VEGAS.

[Edward Troxel]

See this sample using generated media. I used a solid blue color as the "cover" and different colors as the "underlying images". ALL of these should be FULL SCREEN size. Track Motion was then used to put each in the various positions. I only did a 2x2 with four images for this example but the same theory applies for 3x3.

[Edward Troxel]

Without seeing what you're working with, knowing the projects settings, and a whole lot of other things, it's really hard to say exactly how you're going to have to scale things to make them match perfectly. Maybe you could have a transition of some sort from the intro to the actual board that would mask any differences between the two?

[David Delaney]

it must be Vegas 9, I can't open it.
And yes, a transition might be the way to go, but it would be nice if I could figure out a way to position these layers quickly rather then tap-tap-tap in track motion to get it right.

[Edward Troxel]

Since mine was 1/2, I changed the width from 720 to 360, changed the "x" to +/- 180, and changed the "y" to +/- 240. You'd divide by 3 instead of 2.

Yes, it's a Vegas Pro 9 VEG file.

[David Delaney]

I think I am going to try it in AE instead - it has a PAN BEHIND tool which moves the axis on a layer so I can work directly with the psd layers without having to go about the Vegas track motion way. I think I could do it in Vegas, but I would take a lot more time for me right now. Thanks anyway.

[Sam Houchins II]

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

See this sample using generated media. I used a solid blue color as the "cover" and different colors as the "underlying images". ALL of these should be FULL SCREEN size. Track Motion was then used to put each in the various positions. I only did a 2x2 with four images for this example but the same theory applies for 3x3.

Ed, I got this error message (edit: oh i see the vegas 9 vs 8 issue now, duh), but maybe this other veg will work... It uses ez droppable, premade transition, but only affects the individual tile :-)

[Sam Houchins II]

I've had troubles matching ratios/dimensions as well. I think i was taking a frame grab from vegas, editing in PS elements, and them importing back in. But the final import back in did not inherently match the last frame i captured it from. I think i had to uncheck maintain aspect ratio and uncheck size about center and meticulously tweak it to match. After you do it once, hopefully that setting could be universally applied to your other tiles though. I only had to do it once.