Jonathan Miller
Forum Replies Created
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Have you tried doing a luma key?
Jon
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For the lighting effects what you’re looking for is Knoll Light Factory 2. I think it’s now being sold by Red Giant Software. There’s a flare that mimics the look of a CCD chip.
As for the skin smoothing, well check out these excellent tips here:
Jon
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It’s pretty easy. Just key out the color you’d like, then duplicate the layer in the timeline. Of the two layers, check the box on the top layer to make it a track matte. Then, remove the keying effect from the bottom layer and set the layer’s track matte as the second selection from the drop-down menu, “Alpha Inverted”.
I think that’s the easiest way, although you might just be able to invert the layer’s alpha channel. I use track mattes all the time. I’m using them all over the place in a project I’m working on right now.
Jon
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I know I know I know this doesn’t help your current situation (and I’m probably preaching to the choir here…) but you said that “last time” it was expensive to repair? Ugh, it shouldn’t have happened again. Get yourself a different cameraman, or retrain the new one. This is one of those things where a minute of pre-production can save hours of post-production. Believe me, I’ve been in your shoes. I had to get rid of a shooter once because they refused to shoot out in the field with the zebra turned on because it annoyed them. Consequently a good deal of their footage was overexposed. Once those whites clip…it’s gone, man. Gone.
Jon
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Thanks for the suggestion there. You saved the day for me. Just bought DVD2One for around $60 bucks and it recompresses the disc down to whatever you tell it to. I’m compressing it to 4.30 and it works like a charm! Only takes around 15 minutes per disc on my G5. That’s totally cool. Can’t really tell what kind of quality issues it may have, since the video looks like crap to begin with (told the client to go for dual-layer replication on this one—his reply was to see if we could fit everything onto 3 DVD-5s not 4!)
I’m going to add this to my arsenal for those “grinder” clients.
Jon
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Yes, that’s what I’m going to do. But, do you think 4.35 is safe enough or should I go down to 4.2 to be safe?
Jon
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I think it may still be the IO-LA. I’ve got an IO and get that general error frequently. I can trace it back to the IO and the FireWire bus it’s connected to. Therefore, it doesnt’ slow me down. Usually, it’s because I’m running AE at the same time and switch immediately to FCP without first clicking on the desktop to release the IO from AE and make it available to FCP.
Do you have all the latest drivers from AJA?
Have you called them?
Call them, they’re great.
One of the best reasons to buy AJA gear.
Jon
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Does another program besides FCP have control over your output card (or FireWire bus)?
Jon
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Get yourself a good dog and bring him/her to the office.
My buddie Jake, an English Shepherd, spent his days lying on his comfy pillow near my workstation. Whenever I’d get stressed out over a current project, one look at his goofy face and mohawk always helped me out. Like us, dogs pee and poop all the time. But, they need to be taken outside for the deed (like only some of us) and that creates the neccessary breaks in the day we otherwise may not take…leading to further burnout. Ugh, and neck stress. Also his farts could clear the room.
Plus, no matter how burntout/stressed/frustrated I became, Jake never seemed to be bothered. Ah, the joy of perspective.
Alas, I speak of dear Jake in the past tense. Had to put him down the end of August. His 19 (!) year-old body just couldn’t keep up with his spirit. Against my better judgement I have been spending way too much time in front of the computer.
But I did happen to schedule a massage for Monday afternoon.
Jon
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Just out of curiosity, how did your dongle work? The last version of AE I have a dongle for is v4, and it’s ADB. Did you have a USB version?
Jon