Collaboration-- looking for a simpler way.

AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:15 pm

Hey all,

I had a couple of messages from people asking how I did the collaboration video with Anton. Unfortunately I think I'm discouraging people with my 'How To' explanation. I'm sure my way isn't the only way to go about it. So this is a call to other technically inclined guys & gals that might have other ways to record a collaboration (Wandoctor??).

Use this thread to share methods and ideas. I'll also re-post them in the TG Techies Group.

I'll start with what I did to record the first 'Hey Anton' video (just me on video playing along to Anton's audio):

To play with someone else's existing track (with only you on video-- NOT picture in picture):
- Choose the video you want to play along with and get their permission to use it. (I chose Anton's).
- Play Anton's youtube clip in a separate window on your computer, and play along to it using your recording software (I use Dell webcam centre). Essentially mix his and your audio while you record yourself with your webcam. This takes some messing around with levels/inputs etc.
- When finished, you'll have YOU on video playing along to Anton's audio. No picture in picture.

That's the easy way. My next post is the harder way that is discouraging people.. the actual way that I did the picture in picture. It's also where I'm looking for ideas from other members.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:27 pm

Here are the steps I went through to get picture in picture.
Keep in mind that I already had a mixed audio version of me and Anton from scenario A that I described above.

- Download Anton's youtube clip to my computer
- Import Anton's clip into MovieMaker (or AVS)
- Import the mixed audio clip into MM
- Lastly, using MM, combine Anton's and my clip on the timeline and mute his clip's audio, while using the mixed clip's audio (because it already had both Anton's and my playing on it). Then apply the side by side effect in MM and slip and slide your visuals to match the audio track.

Unfortunately, there are so many variables with systems, cameras, audio programs, etc, that I can't just say 'Do this, and it will work'.

So does anyone else have other programs or input that they can suggest?

***Note- scroll down 4 posts for a better, more succinct how-to on this.


tovo
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:35 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:11 pm

AcousticAl wrote:
So does anyone else have other programs or input that they can suggest?
Yes, for Mac owners iMovie does picture in Picture right out of the box. To the best of my knowledge however, it only does 1 PIP. I would be delighted to hear that it does multiple if I happen to be wrong on that, but for Al's suggestion (a 2 person collaboration) it works just fine and is very simple.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:15 pm

The way I described above has me using a mixed audio track that I created in Scenario A of my first post. I suppose you can get around that by doing something similar to what LDC did. Maybe someone from LDC might want to comment on how easy/hard it was to do what they did.

Anyways, that's the last thing on this from me for a bit.. my head's a shed. Collaborations are a cool idea, and I'm hoping to see more of them in the future on TG.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:20 pm

tovo wrote:
AcousticAl wrote:
So does anyone else have other programs or input that they can suggest?
Yes, for Mac owners iMovie does picture in Picture right out of the box. To the best of my knowledge however, it only does 1 PIP. I would be delighted to hear that it does multiple if I happen to be wrong on that, but for Al's suggestion (a 2 person collaboration) it works just fine and is very simple.

Thanks for responding Tony.

I think the bottom line is that people would like to be able to take the existing recording (Anton for example), and re-record it live while they play along in a little window beside him. I don't know about Mac's, but my PC don't do that. I gotta jump through some hoops that I described above.

**Edit. Let me rephrase that. I probably could do what I just described - but I try to do things on here with what most people already have on their computers. ie. MovieMaker.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:09 pm

Thinking some more, in simple terms (the best way that I think!)...
I was getting hung up on the whole mixed audio thing. That totally isn't necessary.

Follow this.
One person records 1st video.

Second person watches 1st video and records second video (not mixed audio).

Then one person just combines them in MM or AVS.

The trickiest part in this scenario is just knowing how MM or AVS works.

You dig?


Chasplaya
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:18 pm

AcousticAl wrote:
Thinking some more, in simple terms (the best way that I think!)...
I was getting hung up on the whole mixed audio thing. That totally isn't necessary.

Follow this.
One person records 1st video.

Second person watches 1st video and records second video (not mixed audio).

Then one person just combines them in MM or AVS.

The trickiest part in this scenario is just knowing how MM or AVS works.

You dig?
Now you're talking Simple I like that. This is probably the first one I actually really understand and think hmmm this is doable!


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:26 pm

That's good, Chas. I'm going to get to 1,000 on this thread alone!

Now the Moviemaker or AVS step isn't a small one, to be sure. Definitely a learning curve, but anyone that has uploaded a video already knows the basics of MM. People just need to play with it and read up on it as well.

Now I hope I don't lose you here, but I don't think MM comes with the 'picture in picture' effect installed already. You'd need to add that separately, but I'll give a link for those that want to take it on.


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:35 pm

At the risk of losing Chas- here's what you need to do if you want picture in picture (side by side) effect in MovieMaker.

The following link walks you through how to add certain effects to MovieMaker.

http://www.livevideo.com/video/71BB8E09 ... maker.aspx

What he does is what I had to do to get the split effect in my video. You only have to do it once, then the effect is always available in your system.

Note- you don't need to go to the website they mention in the video. I have pasted the code below. Just copy and paste it to your system when necessary for the side by side effect. When you save it- call it sidebyside.xml It will then be available in your MovieMaker program.












tovo
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:35 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:55 pm

hey I totally dig it man...I dig it the most.


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic