Adding DOF in post at DVinfo.net

Greg Fiske · March 26th, 2011, 12:31 PM

I was wondering how many use post processes tools to add blur to their transitions in post. I'm reviewing my footage and I'm wondering if I should just be shooting wide open, and then deal with blurring the footage in post for transitions. Does this work or does it look fake? Any recommended tools.

Danny O'Neill · March 27th, 2011, 03:16 PM

We used to do this with magic bullet in post but it looks totally fake, your better off just doing without. All it does is blur the edges and when you actually look at shallow dof footage this is nothing like what it actually does.

Ken Diewert · March 27th, 2011, 08:53 PM

Greg,

If you mean doing something equivalent to rolling focus to completely obscure everything, while leading into a transition, then you can do this by just adding blur to the last second or two of a shot in post. I've done it, but not for awhile, and sparingly at that.

Chris Harding · March 28th, 2011, 02:03 AM

Hi Greg

I personally wouldn't go to all the trouble of creating DOF but if you are intent on doing so try using FX Home's Visual Studio ....there is a tutorial at :

FXhome.com :: Tutorial :: Artificial depth-of-field

It involves masking the background and then putting just the background out of focus ..I have never tried it with a bride and groom but have a look anyway!!

Chris

Lisa Maxwell · March 30th, 2011, 10:04 AM

I use FCP 7 and have added blur in the background. It takes a ton of rendering time and makes it slower to work on the timeline, even with a fast computer. You can send it to Color and add tracking too. The background has to be clean or you will end up keyframing each individual frame manually.

March 26th, 2011, 12:31 PM	#1
Greg Fiske Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Santa Ana, CA Posts: 499	Adding DOF in post I was wondering how many use post processes tools to add blur to their transitions in post. I'm reviewing my footage and I'm wondering if I should just be shooting wide open, and then deal with blurring the footage in post for transitions. Does this work or does it look fake? Any recommended tools.

March 27th, 2011, 03:16 PM	#2
Danny O'Neill Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 915	Re: Adding DOF in post We used to do this with magic bullet in post but it looks totally fake, your better off just doing without. All it does is blur the edges and when you actually look at shallow dof footage this is nothing like what it actually does. __________________ mintyslippers.com

March 27th, 2011, 08:53 PM	#3
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Re: Adding DOF in post Greg, If you mean doing something equivalent to rolling focus to completely obscure everything, while leading into a transition, then you can do this by just adding blur to the last second or two of a shot in post. I've done it, but not for awhile, and sparingly at that. __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

March 28th, 2011, 02:03 AM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Adding DOF in post Hi Greg I personally wouldn't go to all the trouble of creating DOF but if you are intent on doing so try using FX Home's Visual Studio ....there is a tutorial at : FXhome.com :: Tutorial :: Artificial depth-of-field It involves masking the background and then putting just the background out of focus ..I have never tried it with a bride and groom but have a look anyway!! Chris

March 30th, 2011, 10:04 AM	#5
Lisa Maxwell Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 135	Re: Adding DOF in post I use FCP 7 and have added blur in the background. It takes a ton of rendering time and makes it slower to work on the timeline, even with a fast computer. You can send it to Color and add tracking too. The background has to be clean or you will end up keyframing each individual frame manually.