Simulating a whip pan?

[David Delaney]

I am trying to simulate a post-whip pan. ie; the camera whip around quickly from one scene to another creating a blur/blog of scenery etc as it goes.
I tried some linear blurs but they don't seem to do it. Anyone have luck in achieving this?

[Ian Stark]

This is off the top of my head as I'm not at my desk.

NewBlueFX have some very effective and very reasonably priced packs of transitions, including a roll transition that I used for just that purpose. You can tweak a number of parameters for the roll but I'm afraid you'll have to check out their website to see which ones. www.newbluefx.com I think. I'm a big fan of their products and of the people there.

Sorry I can't come up with anything using just the Vegas fx. I'd have thought a combination of a blur and a push transition might get you close. Again, don't have Vegas in front of me so this is just a random thought.

[David Delaney]

Thanks for the thought. I will try out the push and see. If you come up with any other ideas, please let me know!

[Vito DeFilippo]

David, I don't use Vegas (I'm on AVID), but a push/blur combo should do it.

Apply a push transition between your clips. On the video layer above the transition, apply a blur for the lenth of the transition. Keyframe the blur to be 0 at beginning and end of transition, and some more blurry level in the middle.

Should look good if this kind of thing is possible on Vegas.

[James Eaton]

Rather than beat this up in Vegas, why not just go out and shoot a swish pan? Try to find at least a similar environment as your original footage. Be sure to zoom in (doesn't work well as wide angle) then do a couple of spins. Go right, then left. Various focal lengths. You should be covered for any eventuality. Good luck.

[Graham Bernard]

You reminded me that I did this for a London client and added some whoosh stinger/sounds great fun!

OK.

What you've asked is a great question - and that is how do I do something? When I do this myself I start off with analysing just WHAT I want to achieve and what tools I have to do it.

So what I would want to achieve is to bring in some motion blur that would simulate the distortion of the image as I Pan from left to right or from right to left. I have the Pan, but I haven't the distortion .. Hmmm... Now what would give me distortion(you've tried linear blur - good start!)? I want distortion only along the axis of the Pan - and pan suggests left<>right<>left<>right and this forces me to think only in the X-axis - not Up and Down - that would be a tilt - yes? So, what gives me distort in ONLY the X-axis? What tools give me distortion in the X-axis? Ah! Gaussian Blur [GB] allows for blur in either Y- or the X-axis.

That's the clue . ..



OK, the trick here is to play and re-play the movement WHILE in motion and alter the GB with maximum Horizontal Blur. Sharply move the X-axis ("Horizontal range") within the first 5 frames and then accelerate the effect towards the middle of the Pan.

I now get horizontal "striations" of the image synced to the pan. I've just done this and if you want the veg you are welcome.

Finally, analysing a wished for outcome and knowing the tools is what we are all trying to attain.

Vegas has much MUCH going for it - but she is also a shy mistress . . .

Great question!!

Grazie