How do you make trail behind someone moving? at DVinfo.net

Dan Measel · July 4th, 2003, 12:41 AM

Does anyone know how to make a trail effect that follows someone moving quickly, kind of a flash gordon thing or if someone was on drugs? Can that effect be done with Vegas or is that effect obtained during videotaping?

Alex Taylor · July 4th, 2003, 12:44 AM

I believe the effect is called Ghosting.

Zac Stein · July 4th, 2003, 01:28 AM

You can also echo time as well, i know after effects can do it, dunno about vegas.

Zac

Nick Glenister · July 4th, 2003, 01:52 AM

Premiere can do it too

Edward Troxel · July 4th, 2003, 06:07 AM

I have done this in Vegas as follows:

Put the same clip on 3 timelines.

Move the top timeline right a few frames (say 4 or 6)
Move the middle timeline half that distance right (2 or 3)
Reduce the opacity of track two to about 50%
Reduce the opacity of track one to about 30%

Experiment with the settings and see what you can come up with.

K. Forman · July 4th, 2003, 06:53 AM

I use Premiere, but I would do it like Edward suggests. Use a garbage matte to crop out the surroundings on the ghost tracks, and only space them 2-3 frames apart.

Dan Measel · July 5th, 2003, 01:25 AM

Thanks. It came out pretty good. I think it didn't come out great because I had both actor motion and a pan at the same time. At some points the ghosts got ahead of the real track although they were the same velocity. I can't figure that one out.

Tor Salomonsen · July 5th, 2003, 02:40 AM

HELP! I'm being overtaken by my own ghost!
It gets more difficult if the camera is moving with the actor. nd if you use blur, the surrounding will blur more than the actor. I think you must use pan/crop and zoom and/or pan a little to keep the ghosts where they belong. Use keyframes to set the effects excatly where you want them. (But do it before you duplicate the track.)

Peter Jefferson · July 6th, 2003, 11:17 AM

umm.. i would suggest you try Pixelans 1.2 plugins for Vegas or premiere if thats what you use to edit...

it has "Step Motion" and "Step Time" which can be set to do what u are asking.. u can also pinpoint what RGB channel are set to flow (or ghost) and set the length and luminance of it...

very VERY effective.. especially with high action shots....

Dan Measel · July 13th, 2003, 12:32 PM

Peter,

Thanks for the tip. Sorry so long to reply, I was on vacation. I downloaded the Pixelan demo. It very easily created the effect I was looking for. Very nice. I played around with it some, but it seemed just a little bit buggy. It would leave ghosts at the beginning of the event when they shouldn't be there. I don't know if that was just a fluke or just because it was the demo. I'll probably buy it anyway since the little problems I had could probably be resolved but I just wanted to see if you have had any problems like that with it at all?

July 4th, 2003, 12:41 AM	#1
Dan Measel Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 196	How do you make trail behind someone moving? Does anyone know how to make a trail effect that follows someone moving quickly, kind of a flash gordon thing or if someone was on drugs? Can that effect be done with Vegas or is that effect obtained during videotaping?

July 4th, 2003, 12:44 AM	#2
Alex Taylor Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 390	I believe the effect is called Ghosting. __________________ alextaylor.org

July 4th, 2003, 01:28 AM	#3
Zac Stein Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 730	You can also echo time as well, i know after effects can do it, dunno about vegas. Zac

July 4th, 2003, 01:52 AM	#4
Nick Glenister Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: UK - Norfolk Posts: 95	Premiere can do it too

July 4th, 2003, 06:07 AM	#5
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	I have done this in Vegas as follows: Put the same clip on 3 timelines. Move the top timeline right a few frames (say 4 or 6) Move the middle timeline half that distance right (2 or 3) Reduce the opacity of track two to about 50% Reduce the opacity of track one to about 30% Experiment with the settings and see what you can come up with.

July 4th, 2003, 06:53 AM	#6
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I use Premiere, but I would do it like Edward suggests. Use a garbage matte to crop out the surroundings on the ghost tracks, and only space them 2-3 frames apart.

July 5th, 2003, 01:25 AM	#7
Dan Measel Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 196	Thanks. It came out pretty good. I think it didn't come out great because I had both actor motion and a pan at the same time. At some points the ghosts got ahead of the real track although they were the same velocity. I can't figure that one out.

July 5th, 2003, 02:40 AM	#8
Tor Salomonsen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 265	HELP! I'm being overtaken by my own ghost! It gets more difficult if the camera is moving with the actor. nd if you use blur, the surrounding will blur more than the actor. I think you must use pan/crop and zoom and/or pan a little to keep the ghosts where they belong. Use keyframes to set the effects excatly where you want them. (But do it before you duplicate the track.)

July 6th, 2003, 11:17 AM	#9
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	umm.. i would suggest you try Pixelans 1.2 plugins for Vegas or premiere if thats what you use to edit... it has "Step Motion" and "Step Time" which can be set to do what u are asking.. u can also pinpoint what RGB channel are set to flow (or ghost) and set the length and luminance of it... very VERY effective.. especially with high action shots....

July 13th, 2003, 12:32 PM	#10
Dan Measel Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 196	Peter, Thanks for the tip. Sorry so long to reply, I was on vacation. I downloaded the Pixelan demo. It very easily created the effect I was looking for. Very nice. I played around with it some, but it seemed just a little bit buggy. It would leave ghosts at the beginning of the event when they shouldn't be there. I don't know if that was just a fluke or just because it was the demo. I'll probably buy it anyway since the little problems I had could probably be resolved but I just wanted to see if you have had any problems like that with it at all?