Question:

It seems like whenever I use the "velocity" band to slow the footage down, it always looks a bit "studdery" once I render the file for youtube or vimeo. Is there a way to ensure smooth looking slow motion once the file is rendered? Any settings that you recommend?

Thanks!

How much are you slowing it down, Jerry, in terms of %?

In my experience, regular footage shot at 24/25/30 etc frames per second (especially footage with lots of rapid movement) doesn't do too well with extreme velocity decreases because there is too much difference from frame to frame and not enough frames in each second to make the transition from frame 1 to 2 to 3 etc nice and smooth. When planning for slow motion it's worth cranking your camera's frame rate up to give you the 'missing' frames.

Some cameras have the ability to shoot at very high frame rates thereby giving you four or five times as many frames. When you slow it down, the jump between frame 1 and 2 and 3 etc is barely noticeable. My GH4 allows 96fps giving me four times as many frames. Others go up to 200 - that's EIGHT times - allowing for super slow motion. There are some caveats, namely that you might find the camera only records high frame rates at lower bitrates, therefore your image might not be quite as good looking as if you shot at normal frame rates, or it might break up if you push it with colour corrections - but it will be smooth! I only have experience with the GH4 (and have been very happy with it) and can't comment on other cameras.

There is a third party plugin - Twixtor - which does a pretty good job of interpolating the movement between frames. In other words it synthesizes the missing frames. This gives a much better result than you could achieve just using Vegas velocity curves. Even so, I think there is only so far you can push regular footage before it starts juddering. Twixtor ain't cheap ($300+) but there's a demo version if you want to try it out. RE:Vision Effects, Inc. : Products: Twixtor (http://www.revisionfx.com/products/twixtor/)

Hope that helps.

Is there a way to ensure smooth looking slow motion once the file is rendered?Mostly no. It all has to happen prior to render with the proviso on the type of render you produce.

Any settings that you recommend? I'd need to know more about your source footage and the render work-flow you have used. And then there is the compromise: good enough.

To ensure - if you DO mean "ensure"? - then you'd require the kit that would do it and planning, which would also include lighting. But, if you are open to compromise - that word "ensure" has me severely worried - then there is "something" that can be done.

G

Further to Ian's mention of Twixtor, there is a demo video here :

SloMo Comparison - YouTube

which shows the type of difference you might expect from that kind of software, which uses 'optical flow' to create new frames.

That clip actually uses MV Tools, which is a freeware alternative to Twixtor.

The downside is that using MV Tools is not very 'friendly' to start with

I did post some notes on using MVTools, linked to from post #5 this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/open-dv-discussion/529682-how-slow-can-i-go.html

The other thing you can try (no guarantees though) is to "Disable Resample" on the specific clip. I've done this a few times and the results have been acceptable. Not perfect but acceptable for my needs.

As Mike's suggestion. I use TWIXTOR and this is an absolute must, so try it and compare the outcome.

G

Question:

It seems like whenever I use the "velocity" band to slow the footage down, it always looks a bit "studdery" once I render the file for youtube or vimeo. Is there a way to ensure smooth looking slow motion once the file is rendered? Any settings that you recommend?

Thanks!

Sometimes a little added 'motion blur' can help.

A lot will depend on how much you are expecting to slow down your clip.... if only by a factor of 2 or 3 then I think motion blur may well help to reduce any 'stutturing'.

For more extreme 'slow down' ratios it's probably only optical flow processing that can give really satisfactory results