How can I improve this zoom transition

[Ken Teutsch]

This is entirely subjective and a matter of taste, but… The zoom in and out seems startling and jerky to me. Visual whiplash.

I think I would do the same heavily motion-blurred “zoom”, but to a part of the image not in the exact center, and scale the bridge shot up rather than down. That would create the impression of a super-fast flight from from the current location to the bridge.

There’s one pointless opinion for you.

[Ashley Davis]

Thanks for the feedback. I see what you mean with the jerkiness – Ill try and ease it in more.

I was going for the “fast flight” impression precisely so I agree the zoom would work much better but its a 1080 footage so I can’t zoom in on it. Is there another work around?

Definitely want more of the zoom/fast flight in look. Looks very much like a cheap effect to me right now.

[Ken Teutsch]

I wouldn’t say it looks “cheap.” It just looks like a transition.

What kills the impression of flight is the reversal of motion– zoom in/zoom out. Making it one (seemingly) continuous zoom by scaling both layers up together with a little easing at the beginning and end would help that. As for the resolution problem with blowing up the first image, if you make it fast enough and blurry enough (maybe a directional blur or radial blur effect) and no one will be able to tell.

My two cents.

[Richard Garabedain]

what the last guy said….also…your zooom doesnt make any sense…zooming on a building then cutting to a bridge…

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Instead of zooming in the still image I would build a circular mask with a circular line outline on top of the moving footage and scale that up to full screen as you are revealing it with the animated circular mask. Start the move from the actual point on the still image where the footage is from. Play with speed of the transition and motion blur. This would make more sense to me.

Tudor \”Ted\” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist