Ken Burns effect: How do I import stllls into video project and create movement? at DVinfo.net

Charles Penn · June 28th, 2006, 11:08 AM

I'm sure someone can help me with this one quickly. How do I incorporate digital still photographs into my video project and create movement with the stills/photos?

At first, I thought I would just videotape photos but the gentleman that owns the stills said he has them in digital stills. I know how to get them into to FCP but how am I going to create movement with them after I import them into my editing software?

If I were shooting them, I would just set my lighting and framing and zoom in and out or pan diagonally to create the movement I want. I don't want stationary shots of stills or pictures. I need movement. Some have referred to this as the "Ken Burns effect."

Thanks for your assistance.

Chuck

Chris Barcellos · June 28th, 2006, 11:11 AM

This probably should be moved to a FCP thread. In most NLE there are methods called panning and zooming, to accomplish your goal. In Premiere Pro 2.0 it is available in the Effects menu for the clip under movement. I've also done extensive pans and zooms on cheaper NLE like Pinnacle Studio (7-10) with great results. Thats the PC side.

Jason Varner · July 3rd, 2006, 06:36 PM

Super easy to do. Don't import the photos into final cut because it will just create a log jam as FCP tries to deal with 3+mp stills. Import the photos into iphoto and then select them. From the file menu select new slideshow. Now click on Ken Burns effect and use the settings tab to adjust as you will. When you've got it looking snappy choose export from the share menu. Here's the tricky part, since the file is mp4 you need to convert it to quicktime in mpeg streamclip re-rendering it in FCP will take forever. Now you have a nice quicktime movie in an FCP native format. This will cut your time down by about 5000% and save you the trouble of having to manually keyframe each movement.

Carol Gancia · July 3rd, 2006, 07:03 PM

I have a follow-up question to this. I was able to make my still images move, zoom, pan and tilt successfully but there are images, especially those with high contrast, that look watery in certain areas. I think this might have to do with the video interlace. When I de-interlaced it, the image became blurry and didn't really eliminate the watery look.

What would you guys suggest I do to make this problem go away?

Thank you in advance for your advice!

Rickey Brillantes · July 3rd, 2006, 07:19 PM

Chuck,
I use Photo to Movie to create the Ken Burn effects to Final Cut Pro. It's so eay to use try it here's the link:

http://www.lqgraphics.com/software/phototomovie.php

Mick Isdes · July 3rd, 2006, 10:29 PM

Carol,
That tip sure is a time saver!!! Thanks a million.

Dean Sensui · July 6th, 2006, 05:20 PM

Carol...

Regarding that "watery" look, that's something that seems unavoidable in FCP. It doesn't render such things smoothly.

To solve that problem I use a program called "Automatic Duck" to export the program as an XML file into After Effects. And AE does all the rendering for all the digital video effects such as pans, pushes and pulls.

Not a cheap solution but it works very well.

Charles Penn · July 10th, 2006, 08:38 AM

Thanks to everyone for your input! I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

One other follow up question: How do you deal with size issues? If you're trying to fill the screen with the image but the size of the image does not fill the screen. I'm using the 16:9 format exclusively. Any way to get around this? Any software you recommend? Many of my stills will have to be enlarged.

Thanks.

Chuck

Kevin James · July 16th, 2007, 10:21 AM

Bringing a post back from the dead!

Can anyone recommend any other good Burns Effect type plugins for FCP? Free is great ;)

I was using VASST Ultimate S in Vegas, which had a phenomenal plugin for the effect.

Dick Campbell · July 16th, 2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

This probably should be moved to a FCP thread.

Forgive my newbness, but I thought this was the FCP forum.

great info btw. I have used Pinnacle Studio extensively for this effect, but I'm new to the Mac, I'll give iPhoto a shot.

Dean Sensui · July 16th, 2007, 02:52 PM

Kevin...

The reason for the lack of a plugin is probably because it's easy enough to do that in FCP without it.

Check out Shane Ross's tutorial (the URL is listed above) and give it a try. After a bit of practice you'll find it quite simple and, probably, more controlable.

I'm able to do a quick layout of stills for wedding "slide shows" and other similar jobs fairly fast. Perhaps an hour of effort to lay out a 4-minute song with 50 to 60 pictures.

Kevin James · July 16th, 2007, 02:55 PM

I'm sure it's easy enough, I am just used to the VASST plugin, which takes all of about 5 seconds to do 30 or 40 photos!

David Scattergood · July 18th, 2007, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Sensui

Carol...

Regarding that "watery" look, that's something that seems unavoidable in FCP. It doesn't render such things smoothly.

To solve that problem I use a program called "Automatic Duck" to export the program as an XML file into After Effects. And AE does all the rendering for all the digital video effects such as pans, pushes and pulls.

Not a cheap solution but it works very well.

I guess you would have to own AE to achieve this...bit expensive at the moment :(

Quote:

Thanks to everyone for your input! I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

One other follow up question: How do you deal with size issues? If you're trying to fill the screen with the image but the size of the image does not fill the screen. I'm using the 16:9 format exclusively. Any way to get around this? Any software you recommend? Many of my stills will have to be enlarged.

Thanks.

Chuck

I guess if you want to keep the photographs in their native context then you would have to use black bars either side of the screen. Depends on whose photographs you are using...I can guarantee 'editing' somebody's photographs wouldn't go down to well with the photographer (if for example you were doing a documentary on their work). Pretty sure most stills are large enough (pixel wise) to zoom in a little without compromising on quality.

Quote:

Super easy to do. Don't import the photos into final cut because it will just create a log jam as FCP tries to deal with 3+mp stills. Import the photos into iphoto and then select them. From the file menu select new slideshow. Now click on Ken Burns effect and use the settings tab to adjust as you will. When you've got it looking snappy choose export from the share menu. Here's the tricky part, since the file is mp4 you need to convert it to quicktime in mpeg streamclip re-rendering it in FCP will take forever. Now you have a nice quicktime movie in an FCP native format. This will cut your time down by about 5000% and save you the trouble of having to manually keyframe each movement.

That's an idea I'd never thought of Jason...any hit on quality using this method?

Scott Shama · July 18th, 2007, 10:51 PM

I can't believe no one has suggested opening Motion......this is the type of thing Motion is great at.

Cheers,
Scott

June 28th, 2006, 11:08 AM	#1
Charles Penn Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 103	Ken Burns effect: How do I import stllls into video project and create movement? I'm sure someone can help me with this one quickly. How do I incorporate digital still photographs into my video project and create movement with the stills/photos? At first, I thought I would just videotape photos but the gentleman that owns the stills said he has them in digital stills. I know how to get them into to FCP but how am I going to create movement with them after I import them into my editing software? If I were shooting them, I would just set my lighting and framing and zoom in and out or pan diagonally to create the movement I want. I don't want stationary shots of stills or pictures. I need movement. Some have referred to this as the "Ken Burns effect." Thanks for your assistance. Chuck

June 28th, 2006, 11:11 AM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	This probably should be moved to a FCP thread. In most NLE there are methods called panning and zooming, to accomplish your goal. In Premiere Pro 2.0 it is available in the Effects menu for the clip under movement. I've also done extensive pans and zooms on cheaper NLE like Pinnacle Studio (7-10) with great results. Thats the PC side. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

July 3rd, 2006, 06:36 PM	#3
Jason Varner Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 119	Ken Burns Super easy to do. Don't import the photos into final cut because it will just create a log jam as FCP tries to deal with 3+mp stills. Import the photos into iphoto and then select them. From the file menu select new slideshow. Now click on Ken Burns effect and use the settings tab to adjust as you will. When you've got it looking snappy choose export from the share menu. Here's the tricky part, since the file is mp4 you need to convert it to quicktime in mpeg streamclip re-rendering it in FCP will take forever. Now you have a nice quicktime movie in an FCP native format. This will cut your time down by about 5000% and save you the trouble of having to manually keyframe each movement.

July 3rd, 2006, 07:03 PM	#4
Carol Gancia New Boot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 9	watery still images on FCP - interlace problem? I have a follow-up question to this. I was able to make my still images move, zoom, pan and tilt successfully but there are images, especially those with high contrast, that look watery in certain areas. I think this might have to do with the video interlace. When I de-interlaced it, the image became blurry and didn't really eliminate the watery look. What would you guys suggest I do to make this problem go away? Thank you in advance for your advice! __________________ Carol Gancia Layaco Promotional Media inform. educate. inspire.

July 3rd, 2006, 10:29 PM	#6
Mick Isdes Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: HI Posts: 93	Carol, That tip sure is a time saver!!! Thanks a million. __________________ _________ Mick

July 3rd, 2006, 07:19 PM	#5
Rickey Brillantes Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ontario, California Posts: 309	Chuck, I use Photo to Movie to create the Ken Burn effects to Final Cut Pro. It's so eay to use try it here's the link: http://www.lqgraphics.com/software/phototomovie.php

July 6th, 2006, 05:20 PM	#7
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Carol... Regarding that "watery" look, that's something that seems unavoidable in FCP. It doesn't render such things smoothly. To solve that problem I use a program called "Automatic Duck" to export the program as an XML file into After Effects. And AE does all the rendering for all the digital video effects such as pans, pushes and pulls. Not a cheap solution but it works very well. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

July 10th, 2006, 08:38 AM	#8
Charles Penn Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 103	Thanks to everyone for your input! I'm just getting back into the swing of things. One other follow up question: How do you deal with size issues? If you're trying to fill the screen with the image but the size of the image does not fill the screen. I'm using the 16:9 format exclusively. Any way to get around this? Any software you recommend? Many of my stills will have to be enlarged. Thanks. Chuck Last edited by Charles Penn; July 10th, 2006 at 10:08 AM.

July 16th, 2007, 10:21 AM	#9
Kevin James Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 204	Bringing a post back from the dead! Can anyone recommend any other good Burns Effect type plugins for FCP? Free is great ;) I was using VASST Ultimate S in Vegas, which had a phenomenal plugin for the effect.

July 16th, 2007, 02:52 PM	#11
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Kevin... The reason for the lack of a plugin is probably because it's easy enough to do that in FCP without it. Check out Shane Ross's tutorial (the URL is listed above) and give it a try. After a bit of practice you'll find it quite simple and, probably, more controlable. I'm able to do a quick layout of stills for wedding "slide shows" and other similar jobs fairly fast. Perhaps an hour of effort to lay out a 4-minute song with 50 to 60 pictures. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

July 16th, 2007, 02:55 PM	#12
Kevin James Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 204	I'm sure it's easy enough, I am just used to the VASST plugin, which takes all of about 5 seconds to do 30 or 40 photos!

July 18th, 2007, 10:51 PM	#14
Scott Shama Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 399	I can't believe no one has suggested opening Motion......this is the type of thing Motion is great at. Cheers, Scott