Talking Head Video - Video Masking

I'm using Final Cut Express 1.0. I would like to isolate video in the foreground of some footage that I shot from the video in the background. More specifically, I would like to make the backgound totally transparent, leaving only the foreground video.
How can I do this using Final Cut Express?
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Have you tried using the Mask Shape filter? That might work for you.

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Which FCP effects are used by pros for talking head corporate videos?

I'm trying to create a 'corporate' talking head web video look.
Which FCP effects are most useful for this?
On the one hand, I don't want to do effects just for the sake of doing effects, and distract from the message.
On the other hand, if it doesn't look interesting, the viewer isn't going to stick around for 30 seconds.
On the videoSellsYourMessage.com site, I've got a video on the Audio Visual tab with a race car background and sound effects along with text fade-ins and fade-outs.
Very simple and almost seems to work.
But, on the front page of that site, the abstract background just doesn't seem to cut it.
Besides needing to be re-shot with a less sleep deprived model, it's just lacking something (uh, like talent and creativity) - although the motion graphics & vocals at the end are maybe getting close?
Which FCP effects add to the message, rather than distract?
I'd love to see examples of what could be done with taking head commercial videos by a professionals using FCP.
Thanks!

Basically, Andy is right. Bottom line...content is king. If the message is humdrum, you're in for some real creative brainstorming.
There are so many ways to approach this challenge. What should drive your creative, is an understanding of the 'Brand' you're promoting.
Elements to consider:
Tone and Style
Color palette
Font selection
Pacing and edit flow.
What 'Promise' does the brand hold for the consumer?
Do you have access to corporate Broll or graphics that can help emphasize (sell) the message. That's the first thing I would look for. Use these to cut away from the straight up talking head.
Do you have the ability to create graphics or have someone on staff who can do this. If the corporation in question has a logo, graphics, website...you should use those elements to drive your creative choices...all chosen in order to re-inforce the 'Brand'.
Whizz-bang graphics, fast paced audio/visual cuts and vibrant colors might be great for the MTV generation, but if your product is geared towards 35-50 females, then you would tone things down. Or if the audience is 40 - 60 business types, you'd want visuals that projected confidence and stability...etc.
I don't think that answered your query, but (if you weren't already aware of the above blathering), I'm hopeful it will help guide you in your creative process.
K

I'm trying to edit a talking head video and want to find an straightforward way to mark a spot at the end of a statement and then cut the clip at that point. Can you help? thanks.

I'm trying to edit a talking head video and want to find an straightforward way to mark a spot at the end of a statement made by the subject and then cut the clip at that point. Can you help? Thanks.

I don't know how to mark a clip the way you want without adding an audio clip and putting in markers and then splitting the clip. You would think that hitting M would be the logical way to do things, but...
But, one can just click before the place one wants to edit, hit the spacebar and hit it again when the exact place is reached. Then go to the clip menu and click split clip. That works, but one really needs to keep the cursor out of both the timeline and the event browser, or the place in the timeline gets changed..
Are you really still using iMovie 08? That drove me nuts...a year later iMovie 09 came out with some needed improvements, and iMovie 11 with its audio adjustments is even better.
Personally, I edit iMovie with kind of a meat axe. I grab whole chunks of video and put it into the project, then edit the ends to get the frame I want. I got too frustrated otherwise.
Hugh

Need ideas to make talking head video dynamic

We are producing a DVD curriculum that will be comprised primarily of a talking head but with some slides thrown in. Our first takes are very boring--we have hours of video to produce on several DVD's.
Does anyone know of ideas or idea websites with specific suggestions to make a talking head video interesting and dynamic?

as well as B-Roll footage to support what's being said on screen.
This was going to be my comment too. The use of appropriate major "cut-aways" to the event, the action, whatever the subject is, can be very useful. Of course, some of this will probably hinge on the subject matter. Think of it in the terms of the annual reports (from the glory days of annual reports). Along with the necessary charts and text, they were filled with eye-catching images of the product, or the service. Whether it was exploration in the petrolem industry, or a bio-med firm working on synthetic skin, so much could be conveyed with the images - and they broke up those pages of required, and expected, text and pie-charts.
Jim is just ahead of me.
Hunt

Can someone tell me the best method of incorporating a talking head video

I am interested in creating a screen casting video that would have my head in the lower right-hand corner talking to people as I demonstrate the resolution to the problem
i've been unable to find a clear concise tutorial that shows how to do that using Adobe captivate I have even looked through their own help but it is of little help
Can someone show me a clear step by step tutorial of how to record a talking head video with captivate
THanks

Do you mean by using PIP (picture in picture)? This is actually pretty simple in CP7 (has a few bugs at the moment in CP8.) If you're creating a video demo just separately record yourself with a camcorder etc and then insert that video into the cpvc project via Insert/PIP video. You'll be able to move it around and play with the properties. Bit like this:

Zooming talking head video while demonstrating

How does Dr Partridge zoom in and out his talking head video while he is demonstrating with his mouse on the captivate screen in the adobe captivate 6 tutorials?

Hello and welcome to the forum,
Allen is using the new Adobe Presenter Video Creator that ships with Presenter 8 and with the eLearning Suite 6.
Lilybiri

Problems getting video in talking head option

Hi : I'm working with trail version of Macromedia Breeze
Presenter and in trying to attach a video (swf) in slide (Talking
head video) - I keep on getting message "Presenter failed to create
the folder ....., please check your file and folder permissions and
try again". The permissions are just fine. Any ideas on this ? I'm
trying to prepare a prototype presentation to see if we can use
this product.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

First, let's get you the most up to date version of Adobe
Presenter... secondly, drop me a line... let's get you into one of
our free training courses on Adobe Presenter and or have you with
myself or one of our Acrobat Connect Professional experts at my
company. We'll work with you beginning to end, which includes free
ongoing training.
Cheers
Scott Jones
Clarix Technologies, Inc.
1163 Pittsford-Victor Road, Suite 210
Pittsford, NY 14534
[email protected]
(585) 899-5300 x148 Phone
(585) 899-5464 Fax
www.clarix.com

I was trying to make a new screen recording using quicktimeplay, but when I watched the video after recording it all I could hear was me talking while the video was showing on the screen. How do I turn off that recording and turn the right one on? thanks

I was trying to make a new screen recording using quicktimeplay, but when I watched the video after recording it all I could hear was me talking while the video was showing on the screen. How do I turn off that recording and turn the right one on? thanks

Hi j2399123,
It sounds like your screen recording is doing what it was designed to do, capture what is happening on your screen, with optional voice over with the microphone.
Screen recording is for recording what you see on the screen, it is not a "video capture" option, like for capturing a movie with sound that is playing on your screen.
For the QuickTime recording options, check out "Recording with QuickTime Player" in
Mac Basics: QuickTime Player creates, plays, edits, and shares video and audio files
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4024
And for screen recording specifically, there's
QuickTime Player 10.x: Record your computer’s screen
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5882
Thank you for thinking of Apple Support Communities for your support needs.
Nubz

Smallest file size for talking head, MPEG1?

Hey friends, back again, still using PRE8.
I have to encode a talking head into a watchable quality for a podcast. Prefer between 320x240 and 640x480, prefer the later. I inadvertently tried some combination of VCD 352x240 and got an amazingly small file size that looked tollerable....and no audio (that part not so good). I cannot figure out what I did, though I probably started out with VCD setting and modified one of the video or audio characteristics, multiplexer (who knows).
The file output was a m1v and was under 99MB for an hour and a half. Other formats have all been a gig or so.
Sure, no audio is a lot smallar (don't think I disabled audio, smarter than THAT) but I can't seem to get any kind of m1v file again, pref with the audio.
Any thoughts?
While this will be viewed on a PC, we don't have a lot of bandwidth or storage space available currently. Fortunately, only graphics are at the start and end and don't have to be sharp, there is no whiteboard or other hard to encode detail.
Thanks a lot
Don

Yup Steve, for the web.
I have tried everything twice by now, and can't seem to get it to produce a m1v file again............
You know what? Think I just figured it out.
I did a search of files with my working file name after creating an mpg (which is all I seem to be able to get, even with VCD settings. Anyway, I picked up the m1v file from who knows what directory. It MAY be that the m1v file is created by PRE8 in the process of creating the mpg, and left in one of its working directories, for re-use later. PRE8 probably never intended that to be used, because it's a video-only WORKING file...Make sense?
It's hard to believe, a working video file for a 800meg mpg is 99meg. and looks pretty good. Add audio and it balloons to 800 meg? Makes no sense.
The best I can do is around 500 meg for a mpeg, and in generating a mp4, PRE8 does not change the predicted file size when you change the frame rate and hardly at all with the resolution. In mpeg 1 there is a big difference, as expected.
Unfortunately cant use flash either.
It would be nice if there was a chart someplace that gave you file size comparrisons for the various encoders and options!
Don

Best transition for same shot of talking head

With nothing to cut away to, what are the acceptable transitions for the same shot of a talking head (after editing out unwanted footage)?
I've seen jumpcuts in some movies, but they were used more as effects.
How do you pros do it for corporate gigs?

a quick mix is often acceptable as it clearly shows that it is another grab not connected to the first. this is honesty in journalism approach. another method is to use a white flash to hide the cut, simulating a camera flash to some extent) ... either 1 or 2 frames of solid white, or a cut to white then 3 frame fade to the next shot, or 2 frame fade out from the first shot and 2 frame fade back to the next
check out effects > video transitions > dissolve > dip to color dissolve
you can even try simulating a film flash by using the color corrector and keyframing the luminance levels
play around and see which loks best in your edit

FCP Pro HD: Export talking head with transparency!

I've read through a number of posts about this, but what I'm trying to do is this:
I've shot video of a talking head on a green screen.
I've keyed the shot.
Now I want to export the movie with the Flash Video Encoder and just get the talking head with no background. The background will be transparent so that when I import to Flash, I can have objects moving behind it.
IS THIS POSSIBLE IN FCP PRO HD???
It seems like everyone points to After Effects for this type of work.

Do not render before export. If you do, you will get the flat rendered output - no transparency...
Are you talking about a FCP 4.5-specific issue?
(I ask because I'm able to export an alpha channel for a sequence, even though it's been rendered, in FCP 5.0.4)

Zoom area, content and talking head

Hi all-
Here's what I'm trying to do. I have a talking head video and normal text content on my slide. I want to alternate between showing the talking head video and the normal text content. I was hoping that i could use the zoom area to zoom in and out depending on if it was more important for the learner to see the content or the talking head at that moment. The zoom area works well for the zooming in piece, but it doesn't zoom out nicely (just kinda jumps back to the main screen where both content and talking head are shown.) I toyed around with including the talking head in the TOC, but then I can't seem to zoom in on the video at all.
The other issue I seem to be running in to is that the video is less clear when I zoom in to it.
Any ideas on how I should be approaching this?

We are having this same problem but just for Mac users. Mac
users can see video if the presentation is published locally and
moved to web server but not if published to ConnectPro
server.

Sync problem on nested talking head sequence when using dissolves

Hi everyone.
I'm working on a small project that involves a talking head chroma keyed on a still. I've nested the sequence and mixed down the sound at the same time in order to keep everything in sync.
Now I'm adding stills (with a small amount of motion) to Track 2. Sync is ok when stills are cut in but the talking head goes out of sync when I try to dissolve from the still back to the interview.
Is there a way to lock the video and audio of the interview together?
Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Chris

Hi all,
For those who are interested, I have found a few things that worked for me, though I'm not sure why it worked.
This sync issue is one of those dreaded "intermittent" problems which would occur when I played out my timeline to tape. Here's what I did:
1. I changes the RT setting on the timeline from safe RT to unlimited RT. It seemed to give me a smoother playback of the first 8 minutes of my timeline previously cut. everything stayed in sync.
2. When the last minute or so played out. It lost sync. My solution was to adjust the length of the still on track 2 by 2-5 frames thereby delaying the dissolve back to the talking head. This small timing adjustment made all the difference. But again, I'm not sure why.
Just thought I'd share.
Cheers,
Chris

Does Captivate 3 support a talking-head

I understand Captivate 3 supports capturing your PC screen
and your voice at the same time. This is good for software
application training. However, even better is to record your voice
and head (hence talking-head) or maybe more than just your head, at
the same time. The video is then placed in the training video as a
PIP (Picture in a Picture).
Camtasia 5.0 does this but it needs major improvements.
Camtasia 5.0 does not support a camcorder's DV firewire as input.
TechSmith wants you to buy a WebCam which creates a poor quality
PIP. Also, the PIP, screens captured, and Transitions are not
smooth but more annoyingly acceptable.
Can Captivate 3 capture your PC screen and a talking-head at
the same time?

Hi SGEnterprises and welcome to our community
No, Captivate doesn't record in this manner. But you might
also check out Adobe Visual Communicator
Click here
for link and combine its FLV output with Captivate. Other than
that, there are other things you might do. There is a Developer
Center article on using a product called "Vcommunicator Studio"
that may interest you as well.
Click
here to see that article.
Hopefully something here was helpful... Rick

Synchronization of Talking head in side bar to existing PowerPoint animated

Can you assist us please?
We have an existing PowerPoint slide presentation, extremely well animated, and want to add video of the Trainer/Host to be added to the side bar in Presenter 7(as a talking head I believe the term is) to produce an online e-learning course.
Our questions are. . .
How do you synchronize the video with the existing animated PowerPoint.
Do you add video to each individual slide or can you do more than one slide at a time?
Is there an existing tutorial available?
Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

You can add a talking head video to the TOC area. Place your TOC on the right instead of the left side.

video /video not recognized in cs5.5

I am trying to get and mp 4 video embedded in my web page but in design view or live view it does not recognize this tag. The page is blank in design view.
I used the following code, which I got from a post earlier on this site, but no cigar, not even close.
Is this a particular problem on cs5.5. I would think it should be recognized. Or is my computer not doing something right. I changed the path.
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>HTML5 with Video</title>

<style>
video {max-width:100%;}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<video controls>
<source src="YourVideo.mp4" type='video/mp4' />
<source src="YourVideo.webm" type='video/webm' />
<source src="YourVideo.ogv" type='video/ogg' />
</video>

</body>
</html>

If you're going to use HTML5 <video>, you must use an HTML5 doc type.
change this:
     <html>
to this:
     <!doctype html>
     <html>
To test, Preview in browsers. I don't know how much support CS5 or CS5.5 had for HTML5 code.
Nancy O.

Talking Head Video - Video Masking

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