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Updating Avid Media Composer (MC) to v5.5.2:

• I purchased an update from Avid Media Composer (MC) v5.0 to v5.5.
  • Actually I purchased PhraseFind, with which the MC 5.5 upgrade was bundled for free.
• Following the purchase, I received an email with dowload links for PhraseFind and for MC 5.5.1.
• I subsequently became aware that MC 5.5.1 had been superseded by an update to MC 5.5.2.
• Two routes to this latest version were possible: update-patch or stanalone-install.
• Advice from a “guru” on an Avid forum confirmed my instince: go for the standalone install.
• I chose to follow that advice.
• I downloaded a combined installer forMC 5.5.2 and PhraseFind.
• Installation procedure:
  • First I uninstalled all Avid-associated software and started from scratch.
    • No need to deactivate before uninstall since I am using a dongle, not activation.
  • Installed the new MC version (with PhraseFind) with no problems.
  • Went about installing the Avid Production Suite applications, such as Boris, Sorenson Squeeze, Sonic DVD.
    • See separate posts on each of these items.

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http://community.avid.com/forums/p/59728/335320.aspx#335320

Although Avid Media Composer (MC) itself has no native Secondary Color Correction, that functionality can be achieved via plug-ins such as Boris (e.g. BCC Colors & Blurs) or Spectra Mate.

• http://community.avid.com/forums/p/68172/381466.aspx
  • Douglas’s video shows how to do it (but use a browser other than Safari).

Avid Media Composer (up to V5 at least) does not have secondary color correction.

• http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=743013&Replies=10
  • Avid (Media Composer) does not have secondary color correction. At least not like Vegas does.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Composer
  • (Avid) Media Composer differentiates itself from Avid Symphony because it is missing Advanced/Secondary Color Correction and Universal Mastering.
• http://dylanreeve.com/videotv/avid/2010/review-media-composer-5-0.html
  • Now all we need is secondary color correction…
• http://community.avid.com/forums/t/63155.aspx
  • I heard Media composer does not have secondary color correction
  • Idea 1:
    • Colorista does full screen or square/rectangle/oval/circle windows (not custom).
    • You can achieve “power windows”-style secondary results in Media Composer by duplicating the clip onto a higher track, using Animatte tools to isolate an area within the clip and applying different correction to that area.
  • Idea 2:
    • ColorFix from 3Prong: http://www.3prong.com
  • Idea 3:
    • Colorista combined with Magic Bullet Looks should be able to do everything you’re looking for.
    • I believe Colorista has masks or what’s commonly called Power Windows but I don’t believe they have a tracker. I suggest you download the demo version of each and try them out.
    • In the Media Composer you can use the Paint effect to create a shape and apply basic corrections to that shape and track it.
  • Media Composer has a tracker. Here’s a tutorial:
    • http://learn.avid.com/content/tutorials/SNtracking/tutorial.html
  • Using the Paint Effect or AniMatte with two layers of video a very basic correction can be applied and tracked. For example, I’ve corrected a scene where the subject was looking at a computer monitor and their face was blue from the reflection of the screen. I was able to draw a shape, make color adjustments to remove the cast and track it.
  • Additionally Boris Red/Avid FX has a powerful color corrector and motion tracking:
    • http://www.borisfx.com/tutorials/motiontracking.php

Some good links with tutorials and documentation on Boris BX, within and without Avid:

• http://library.creativecow.net/tutorials/borisfx
• http://www.fmctraining.com/sales/MO-ID1.pdf

Which is best?   Depends on the camera, scene and shot dynamics I guess.  The same point is queried at the following thread:

• http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-ex-cinealta/238593-steady-shot-smoothcam-both-what-2.html#post1551809

Some general advice from a computer-post-savvy author: definitely use the camera’s SteadyShot:

• http://www.gcvcc.com/March%202008%20%20Camera%20Techniques%20No2.pdf

Limitations of post

• Stabilization necessitates motion estimation and image reconstruction, which are extremely CPU-heavy, hence really slow to execute.
• Most stabilization apps (in post) can’t currently cope with motion-blurred edges or parallax effects (though both should be possible in principle, by deconvolution and 3D modelling both informed from multiple frames).
• For rolling-shutter-ed footage (e.g. CMOS sensors as in Sony Exmor as in Sony XDCAM-EX e.g. EX1 & EX3), there exist options to reduce the effect (don’t expect perfection, but may suffice):
  • Sony’s ClipBrowser 2.6 can remove this http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdcam-ex-cinealta/467511-clipbrowser-takes-out-rolling-shutter.html.
  • Gunnar Thalin’s Deshaker plugin for VirtualDub can compensate for this.

My experiences:

• Stabilizing Tools:
  • Gunnar Thalin’s Deshaker works really well.  And it is multi-threaded, really speeds up the process.  The author says it is more intended for handheld pans etc. than fast-shaking shots from vehicles etc. (but has nevertheless seen good results in such situations).
    • The author says [http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1418923] to try “to stabilize only on the most distant parts in the frames, since the moving inwards-effect is less there”.  And “you should probably increase the value for [discard motion of blocks that move > X pixels in wrong direction]. That’s to allow the blocks to move “freely” a little, since Deshaker can’t handle the “moving inwards”-effect.
    • Possibly equally applicable to other smooth/stabilize/deshake tools ?
  • Boris’s Optical/Motion Stabilizer (in Boris Red 4.3.3 on XP) is only single-threaded and I find it slower, clunkier and less intuitive than Deshaker.  Has a Smooth mode, which is like the others here, as well as a Stabilize mode (try to keep frame static, no good for motion then).  The other tools can be configured to do the same thing.
  • Mercalli in Sony Vegas has no mode for 720p50 but otherwise is pretty good and very intuitive and configurable.
  • FCP’s SmoothCam Effect worked best for a challenging clip for wobbly-hand-held camera tracking close past an object (a Formula-1 car) hence huge degree of moving-inwards effect.  The default settings worked straight away.  The result quality was way above that of the other tools.  On the other hand sometimes it’s not the best (sorry, forgot the exact situation).
• Cameras & Shots:
  • Historically, using a TRV33 DV HandyCam indoors (hence low-light hence long shutter time):
    • Way back in the past, using a (now ancient) TRV33 DV handy-cam (which has huge sensor margin i.e. spare pixels), when I shot big zooms to lecture audience individuals (e.g. question-time) I had the camera’s steady-shot (digital, not mirror) enabled  and used Gunnar Thalin’s Deshaker (VirtualDub plugin) also.  The result was astoundingly steady.
    • The same arrangement worked OK with hand or shoulder mounted cam for walk-throughs past nearby objects (e.g. walls, people, furniture).
    • An attempt to do the same thing without steady-shot enabled on the camera resulted in seriously motion-blurred edges.
  • Now, using a Sony EX3:
    • With camera Steady-Shot set to Medium, hand-held pans and motion past nearby objects seem to acquire a positional instability, as if the camera feedback mechanism needs greater damping. Maybe the camera’s internal mirror “suspension” has to be tighter (than the TRV33 digital equivalent) because it lacks the generous pixels margin of the TRV33?  or maybe something to do with the mirror’s inertia?  Or (real-time-constrained) processing-power?
      • Experimentation is needed with the camera’s other SteadyShot modes (High, Low).
      • In the absence of more generous sensor pixel margins, I wish it could be loosened-up e.g. to allow black borders (to crop in post) so as to permit smoother rides overall.

http://forums.creativecow.net/archivethread/15/264071#264626  (a thread from 2003 re Boris 2.5)

•  ”As for expressions, well there is no real expressions in Red, but by using containers and precomps you can definately do some expression type of moves.”

Using Boris RED 4.3.3.1502 on Windows, mostly as standalone (Red Engine).  Today, wanted to apply it as a stabilizer.  Have done this a long time in the past, for AVI files etc., but this is the first time I have seriously tried to apply it to to XDCAM-EX footage, of 720p50 (intended for a PAL DVD 576i50 deliverable).   Summary:

• Warnings:
  • Boris can’t be used in Sony Vegas for other than static effects, hence not for stabilization (a dynamic effect).
    • At least, not without a workaround of debatable overall advantage (explained under “More”).
  • Boris doesn’t recognize Sony XDCAM ClipBrowser’s “MXF for NLEs” format, but does recognize Cineform AVI (no need to be QT).
  • When altering any settings, Boris defaults to keyframing them.  Right-click the funny symbol and change it to Constant.
  • Have to double-check the compression settings, including the codec’s own dialog (their defaults are not always good and they can change “automatically”).
  • Boris can export 720p50 as QT-CFHD but, as far as I can tell, Sony Vegas cannot (it can only export such CFHD as AVI, though thankfully Boris can read that).
  • Boris doesn’t use multiple CPUs it seems.  Unlike DeShaker - of great advantage for such lengthy (CPU-heavy) processes.
• Instructions (in Boris):
  • Delete existing tracks, drag-in the source file, de-select its tracks (audio & video), Menu: [Filters > Time > BCC Optical Stabilizer], select the Stabilizer track.
  • In Controls change Mode from default [Setup region] to wanted [Smooth], twirl-open the Stabilizer track, drag video track onto its Input Layer.  Also increase Smoothing Range from default (30 frames) to 1 or 2 seconds-worth (in my case 100 since footage was 50 fps).
  • Click Preview’s [ >>| ] ”Go To End” button.  This causes motion analysis to begin.  Takes ages…  Likewise, don’t bother playing it…
  • [Menu: File > Export > Movie File].
    • Initially generate a quick draft to check the stabilization is as required:
      • Temporarily set 25fps, choose [Fast]
      • Select a limited region (I/O) for export.
    • Regardless, in compression dialog, if Cineform is used then select Quality = Medium (not Best or High which are overkill).
• Links:
  • Tutorial on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q53YmSuz5uA
  • New (to me) forum: http://www.pigsfly.com/forums/index.php?s=48265a27e235c75b30ce35270c3935a6&showforum=70

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http://machouse.mhvt.net/?m=200812