Vegas Video discussions from 2006 (Q3Q4)

Mark Howells · December 13th, 2006, 01:57 PM

Thanks for the response John. I have always been happy with the results using the DVDA templates but I thought I might be missing out on a bit of extra quality. I'll stick with the DVDA templates. Many thanks for the advice.

John Rofrano · December 13th, 2006, 02:04 PM

You could always select them all in the file system and drag them all back onto the timeline and print to tape. As long as you don't have the overlap option enabled in the preferences, they will just line up perfectly on the timeline for you.

~jr

Alex Thames · December 13th, 2006, 05:34 PM

I recently shoot a Black and White 16mm Reversal type film, but overexposed by almost one and one half (1.5) f-stops. Now, I know the photo lab can pull the exposure a bit, but I was told that overexposure blows out details, but that it's still workable. What I want to do instead of paying the extra costs of pulling at the lab, I just want to process the film normally, then transfer to a Mini DV tape, which I will then bring into Vegas 7.

In Vegas, I hope to bring down the exposure as much as possible to "good" exposure, then increase the contrast. This will work well stylistically for the story of my project I think, but how exactly do I use Vegas to pull (and push) or otherwise compensate for over (and under) exposed shots. And how do I use Vegas to increase contrast?

Thanks.

Don Bloom · December 13th, 2006, 06:15 PM

As you know, in DVland once the hihgs are gone they are gone-unlike film which you can sometimes bring back in a bit. None the less, I would start with the LEVELS FX and adjust on a production monitor not the computer screen to get the exposure where you want it. That will help a little with the contrast but get the exposure right first. Then you can adjust contrast with either the Brightness and Contrast control (start with a ZERO default and move the contrast from there - don't use one of the presets) OR you can use 2ndary color correction and use GAMMA and GAIN to get the contrast moved around a bit.
You can also use that for exposure adjustment but I prefer Levels.

Don

Burk Webb · December 13th, 2006, 06:30 PM

Boy, Vegas has always worked great for me but I'm hoping some
people can help give me some info regarding my current problem.

I've currently got a Vegas 7c project that has about 12 hours of
Cineform HDV footage captured for it. About an hour of it is on
the timeline. This is a mix of 720-30p and 1080-60i in a 720p
HDV project.

Vegas 7c is just not stable for me with this project.
Lock ups with error messages, freezing and
having to be shut down from task manager and even just
completely vanishing. I uninstalled and went back to 7b but no change.

I'm thinking Vegas is just choking on all the Cineform
files. If I click around between clips real fast Vegas just croaks. If I do the same with my DV project no problems, even if I click around with a project that only has a few mixed clips of 720p & 1080i Cineform there are no problems.

Does anyone have any experience working with around 10
hours of Cineform? Anyone think it's the mix of 720p & 1080i
that's killing me? Should I try working with this media in smaller batches?

Would appreciate hugely any experience or info, Thanks a ton.

David Jasany · December 13th, 2006, 07:01 PM

Thanks John!

I was having one of those projects where nothing seemed to be going smoothly and I was glad to be finally done with it! Then I saw the missing themes and backgrounds and I didn't think it through.

You were right on the mark. I wasn't viewing a menu page. Duh.

Dave

Alex Thames · December 13th, 2006, 07:24 PM

Where are these tools? Levels, gamma, contrast, exposure?

Bill Ravens · December 13th, 2006, 08:51 PM

look in video FX...try Sony HSL, Sony Levels, Sony Curves, Sony Contrast and Brightness

Duane Burleson · December 13th, 2006, 10:46 PM

If you have overexposed your film you need to spend the extra money for the "pull processing" because once the film is processed normally the highlights are gone, they can not be brought back with Vegas (or any other NLE). The film must be processed to save that highlight detail.

Duane

Pasty Jackson · December 14th, 2006, 12:29 AM

I'd try uninstalling Vegas AND any version of Cineform Connect you may have installed (including codecs). Reinstall the version of Connect that you captured that footage in, then reinstall Vegas 7b. It sounds very much that it is related to changes in the Cineform codec.

-Pasty

Lalo Alvidrez · December 14th, 2006, 09:16 AM

working on a project and wanted to try a script. well it started the script but didn't finish it because it couldn't find the directory folder, or something like that. So what I need to know is there some way to undo that partially ran script? Guess I should have tried it on a test veg file because now my whole video is zoomed in. I did not save the project and tried the undo then closed it out and reopened but it was still the same. I started a fresh project transfered in all my video and it was the same as the project that got messed up. the video is zoomed in, I can go to track motion and squeeze the box and I can see the rest of the video but I really don't want to be doing that to every project I start. The script was thumbnailAtmaker. If anyone can shed some light on this I would really appreciate it.

Arnt Mollan · December 14th, 2006, 10:09 AM

I have the same problem with 7.0c and the new Cinaform Connect 3.3. when I have lifted 3 or 5 events from the explorer to the timeline, Vegas suddenly shuts down. No mather howe many events are on the timline. It shuts down as it starts to render the soundtrack. I can edit the events without problem. Xp is up to date, everything reinstalled. Still shut down.

Had no probems with 7.0b and Connect 3.23, so I will try to go back to older versions. Just hope I dont need to recapture 7 hours of HDV.

Do anyone have this working?

Arnt Mollan · December 14th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Removed Vegas 7.0c and Connect 3.3, and reinstalled Vegas 7.0b.
Opend my project, Vegas rerenderd the audiofiles, and now it works again.
Not tried to reinstall Connect 3.23 yet. Could it be an audio render problem from Connect 3.3 into Vegas 7.0c?

Burk Webb · December 14th, 2006, 02:02 PM

Thanks Arnt - that sure sounds like what I am seeing here. Moving a bunch of Cineform files into either the media manager or project media folders has caused Vegas to just go "poof". I will go back to the previous version of Cineform and see how things go. I'm wondering if it can be audio related as well - Sometimes when Vegas locks up I will get a rapidly repeating chunk of audio, sounds like a buzz and it won't stop till a kill Vegas with Task Manager.

FYI - system specs:

mobo ASUS a8n SLI-Premium (latest bios)
AMD X2 4800
2 gigs ram
Windows XP on 2 Raptor drive Raid 0
most media on 4 Raptor drive raid 0
some media on a P-ATA drive
Echo Gina sound card
2 Nvidia 6800GT video cards

Glenn Chan · December 14th, 2006, 02:55 PM

I think pull processing would be the way to go here. In Vegas, you can't fix anything that's been clipped. And for other things, making too big a change will bring out noise.

2- Vegas can be useful for playing around with the look of your film though. The color curves offers the most control.

Some useful presets in the link below if I remember correctly:
http://www.glennchan.info/Proofs/for...ry-presets.veg

Information about levels in Vegas:
http://www.vasst.com/resource.aspx?i...0-90d2f8de9fc1

Making s-shaped color curves increase contrast. If your target output is DVD, use a calibrated TV or broadcast monitor to view your work.

3- The brightness and contrast filter increase contrast by clipping; color curves is a little better here.

December 13th, 2006, 02:04 PM	#1682
John Rofrano Sponsor: VASST Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York Posts: 516	You could always select them all in the file system and drag them all back onto the timeline and print to tape. As long as you don't have the overlap option enabled in the preferences, they will just line up perfectly on the timeline for you. ~jr __________________ Developer: VASST Ultimate S, Scattershot 3D, Mayhem, FASST Apps, and other VASST Software plug-ins Web Site: www.johnrofrano.com

December 13th, 2006, 05:34 PM	#1683
Alex Thames Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 508	How to push/pull exposure in Vegas 7? I recently shoot a Black and White 16mm Reversal type film, but overexposed by almost one and one half (1.5) f-stops. Now, I know the photo lab can pull the exposure a bit, but I was told that overexposure blows out details, but that it's still workable. What I want to do instead of paying the extra costs of pulling at the lab, I just want to process the film normally, then transfer to a Mini DV tape, which I will then bring into Vegas 7. In Vegas, I hope to bring down the exposure as much as possible to "good" exposure, then increase the contrast. This will work well stylistically for the story of my project I think, but how exactly do I use Vegas to pull (and push) or otherwise compensate for over (and under) exposed shots. And how do I use Vegas to increase contrast? Thanks.

December 13th, 2006, 06:30 PM	#1685
Burk Webb Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 249	7c, lots o' Cineform HDV, crashes - HELP Boy, Vegas has always worked great for me but I'm hoping some people can help give me some info regarding my current problem. I've currently got a Vegas 7c project that has about 12 hours of Cineform HDV footage captured for it. About an hour of it is on the timeline. This is a mix of 720-30p and 1080-60i in a 720p HDV project. Vegas 7c is just not stable for me with this project. Lock ups with error messages, freezing and having to be shut down from task manager and even just completely vanishing. I uninstalled and went back to 7b but no change. I'm thinking Vegas is just choking on all the Cineform files. If I click around between clips real fast Vegas just croaks. If I do the same with my DV project no problems, even if I click around with a project that only has a few mixed clips of 720p & 1080i Cineform there are no problems. Does anyone have any experience working with around 10 hours of Cineform? Anyone think it's the mix of 720p & 1080i that's killing me? Should I try working with this media in smaller batches? Would appreciate hugely any experience or info, Thanks a ton.

December 14th, 2006, 09:16 AM	#1691
Lalo Alvidrez Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Longview, Tx. Posts: 227	undo script Help! working on a project and wanted to try a script. well it started the script but didn't finish it because it couldn't find the directory folder, or something like that. So what I need to know is there some way to undo that partially ran script? Guess I should have tried it on a test veg file because now my whole video is zoomed in. I did not save the project and tried the undo then closed it out and reopened but it was still the same. I started a fresh project transfered in all my video and it was the same as the project that got messed up. the video is zoomed in, I can go to track motion and squeeze the box and I can see the rest of the video but I really don't want to be doing that to every project I start. The script was thumbnailAtmaker. If anyone can shed some light on this I would really appreciate it.

December 14th, 2006, 10:09 AM	#1692
Arnt Mollan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Norway Posts: 87	I have the same problem with 7.0c and the new Cinaform Connect 3.3. when I have lifted 3 or 5 events from the explorer to the timeline, Vegas suddenly shuts down. No mather howe many events are on the timline. It shuts down as it starts to render the soundtrack. I can edit the events without problem. Xp is up to date, everything reinstalled. Still shut down. Had no probems with 7.0b and Connect 3.23, so I will try to go back to older versions. Just hope I dont need to recapture 7 hours of HDV. Do anyone have this working? __________________ Arnt Mollan www.mollanmedia.com

December 13th, 2006, 01:57 PM	#1681
Mark Howells Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 99	Thanks for the response John. I have always been happy with the results using the DVDA templates but I thought I might be missing out on a bit of extra quality. I'll stick with the DVDA templates. Many thanks for the advice.

December 13th, 2006, 06:15 PM	#1684
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	As you know, in DVland once the hihgs are gone they are gone-unlike film which you can sometimes bring back in a bit. None the less, I would start with the LEVELS FX and adjust on a production monitor not the computer screen to get the exposure where you want it. That will help a little with the contrast but get the exposure right first. Then you can adjust contrast with either the Brightness and Contrast control (start with a ZERO default and move the contrast from there - don't use one of the presets) OR you can use 2ndary color correction and use GAMMA and GAIN to get the contrast moved around a bit. You can also use that for exposure adjustment but I prefer Levels. Don

December 13th, 2006, 07:01 PM	#1686
David Jasany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 313	Thanks John! I was having one of those projects where nothing seemed to be going smoothly and I was glad to be finally done with it! Then I saw the missing themes and backgrounds and I didn't think it through. You were right on the mark. I wasn't viewing a menu page. Duh. Dave

December 13th, 2006, 07:24 PM	#1687
Alex Thames Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 508	Where are these tools? Levels, gamma, contrast, exposure?

December 13th, 2006, 08:51 PM	#1688
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	look in video FX...try Sony HSL, Sony Levels, Sony Curves, Sony Contrast and Brightness

December 13th, 2006, 10:46 PM	#1689
Duane Burleson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sterling Heights, Michigan Posts: 105	If you have overexposed your film you need to spend the extra money for the "pull processing" because once the film is processed normally the highlights are gone, they can not be brought back with Vegas (or any other NLE). The film must be processed to save that highlight detail. Duane

December 14th, 2006, 12:29 AM	#1690
Pasty Jackson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 47	I'd try uninstalling Vegas AND any version of Cineform Connect you may have installed (including codecs). Reinstall the version of Connect that you captured that footage in, then reinstall Vegas 7b. It sounds very much that it is related to changes in the Cineform codec. -Pasty

December 14th, 2006, 11:04 AM	#1693
Arnt Mollan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Norway Posts: 87	Removed Vegas 7.0c and Connect 3.3, and reinstalled Vegas 7.0b. Opend my project, Vegas rerenderd the audiofiles, and now it works again. Not tried to reinstall Connect 3.23 yet. Could it be an audio render problem from Connect 3.3 into Vegas 7.0c? __________________ Arnt Mollan www.mollanmedia.com

December 14th, 2006, 02:02 PM	#1694
Burk Webb Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 249	Thanks Arnt - that sure sounds like what I am seeing here. Moving a bunch of Cineform files into either the media manager or project media folders has caused Vegas to just go "poof". I will go back to the previous version of Cineform and see how things go. I'm wondering if it can be audio related as well - Sometimes when Vegas locks up I will get a rapidly repeating chunk of audio, sounds like a buzz and it won't stop till a kill Vegas with Task Manager. FYI - system specs: mobo ASUS a8n SLI-Premium (latest bios) AMD X2 4800 2 gigs ram Windows XP on 2 Raptor drive Raid 0 most media on 4 Raptor drive raid 0 some media on a P-ATA drive Echo Gina sound card 2 Nvidia 6800GT video cards

December 14th, 2006, 02:55 PM	#1695
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	I think pull processing would be the way to go here. In Vegas, you can't fix anything that's been clipped. And for other things, making too big a change will bring out noise. 2- Vegas can be useful for playing around with the look of your film though. The color curves offers the most control. Some useful presets in the link below if I remember correctly: http://www.glennchan.info/Proofs/for...ry-presets.veg Information about levels in Vegas: http://www.vasst.com/resource.aspx?i...0-90d2f8de9fc1 Making s-shaped color curves increase contrast. If your target output is DVD, use a calibrated TV or broadcast monitor to view your work. 3- The brightness and contrast filter increase contrast by clipping; color curves is a little better here.