Visual Effects

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Visual Effects Computer Generated Video

• COM 112
• Beginning
• Television
• Production
• VSCC 2000

• Desk Top Computer Systems
• Standard Electronic Effects
• Digital Images

2
Key Concept One

• Video Consists of lens-generated and
  computer-generated images
• Computers are standard equipment in Video Art
  Departments
• Computer literacy is essential for work in video
  production

3
Desktop Computer System

• Nature and function of digital computer
• Desktop Computers
• Computer peripherals
• Basic Terminology in Word Processing and Graphics
  Programs

4
Key Concept Two

• The computer is a high speed counting machine
• It does not think
• Even moving graphics are created via a counting
  process
• Software establishes procedures and mathematics
  sequences

5
Desktop Computers

• Two primary platforms (operating systems)
• Windows and Mac
• PCs use DOS or Windows systems
• Macs use Apple Macintosh systems

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Desktop Computer Hardware

• Computer Motherboard and Internal Hard Drive
• Disk Drives
• Monitor
• Keyboard and Mouse

7
Six Important Components

• Random-Access Memory - RAM
• Read-Only Memory - ROM
• Storage Capacity - Hard Drive Size
• Central Processing Unit - CPU
• Speaker Soundboard
• Input/Output Ports (I/O ports)

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Ram Capacity

• Must be Large enough to handle complex programs
  to operate
• Graphics and Word Processing programs require
  heavy doses of ram
• Typically measured in bundles of 8 megabytes

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Key Concept Three

• RAM is temporary storage it loses data every
  time the computer is switched off.
• ROM is permanent data storage it remains intact
  when the computer is switched off.

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Disk Drives

• Floppy Disk Drives
• Hard Disk Drives
• Some systems have removable hard drives
• CD-ROM Drives
• Zip Drives allow compressed data

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Compression

• Squeezing Digital data
• Done with compression software
• Full motion video is readily achieved through
  digital compression
• Most animated sequences are compressed in reduced
  size

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CD-ROM Drives

• Hold up to 650 megabytes of data
• Places high volume of information at the
  producers fingertip
• Used extensively for multimedia and interactive
  programs
• New DVD can hold up to 4.7 gigabytes
• Provides excellent video playback

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Other Desktop Elements

• Monotor - similar to high quality video monitor
• Keyboard - Provides text and number input
• Mouse - connects to an I/O port to navigate with
  a cursor

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Computer Peripherals

• Printer
• Dot Matrix - Inkjet - Laser
• Modem - Modular and Demodular
• Converts digital signals to analog for phone line
  transmission
• Digitizing or Drawing tablet - a bit pad, allows
  drawing of images on the computer screen with
  electronic stylus

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Basic Computer Terminology

• Found on pages 160 - 162 (figure 7.7)
• Will give you a working vocabulary

16
Standard Electronic Effects

• Made with
• an ELECTRONIC SWITCHER OR
• A SPECIAL EFFECTS GENERATOR
• Four Standard Electronic Effects
• Superimposition (Super)
• Key
• Chroma key
• Wipe

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Key Concept 4

• The Superimposition (super) is a double exposure
  showing two separate images simultaneously
• You can see both complete images and vary the
  strength of either the background (base) image or
  the supered image

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Superimposition

• Mainly convey inner events (thoughts and dreams)
• Make complex images
• Superimposition tends to create its individual
  meaning

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Key Concept 5

• In a key, the base picture (second video source)
  replaces the dark or bule areas of the key source
  (first video source). The light or non-blue
  areas (such as white title) will seem to be on
  top of the base picture.

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Keying

• Combines two video images electronically
• Unlike the super, the keyed image blocks our
  portions of the base picture
• Terms associated with the process are
• key matte, matte key and chroma key

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Key Types

• Normal Key - 2 video sources base and key
• normal key replaces all dark areas around a title
• gives appearance of title being cut into the base
  picture

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Key Types

• Matte key - 3 video sources base, key, external
• external generated by switcher or other source
• matte key generally refers to title letters
  filled with colors or grays for edges, drop
  shadows or outlines

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Key Types

• Chroma Key - uses specific color (usually blue or
  green) as a background for keying a subject or
  object. The color is replaced by a video source
• Key picture subjects cannot wear the color used
  for the key
• ie.. Newscaster cannot wear blue clothing if blue
  is the key color

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Wipe

• one video image gradually replaced by another
• most switchers have multiple wipe patterns
• most have hard and soft edge wipes

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Key Concept 6

• Use special effects only to help clarify or
  intensify an intended message.

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Digital Images

• Digital video effects
• synthetic image creation
• animation

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Key Concept 7

• Digital Video Effects (DVE) digitize and
  manipulate the normal analog video image

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DVE

• analog signal converted to digital
• grabs a frame from any video source
• stores, changes and manipulates the digital image

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Electronic Still Store (ESS)

• stores digital images on disk
• become rapid slide projectors
• once stored, the image can be manipulated in
  size, color, texture etc.

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Frame Store Synchronizer

• stabilizes a picture and can synchronize two
  video sources
• keeps video picture roll from occurring
  (maintains timing)
• allows freezing, stretching, solarization etc. of
  a moving image

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Key Concept 8

• Synthetic images are completely computer generated

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Synthetic Images

• Character Generators
• produces text letters and numbers in various
  fonts and sizes
• Graphics Generators
• Produce drawing and painting programs

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Animation

• Allow you to fill in missing frames between
  beginning and end of sequence
• Morphing allows transformation from one image to
  another
• A growing part of video