Using a Mask, Adding, Removing Color

We will take an image of a bird, build a mask in Photoshop, then load in on another track allowing several possibilities. While Photoshop is my application of choice for making the mask, other graphic applications support masking, including GIMP with has a FREE port for the Window platform. A mask works like the cookie cutter filter, however that filter included with Vegas Video is limited to geometric shapes like circle, square and diamond, while a mask made in Photoshop can be any shape we like allowing more flexibility. This method is fine for still images but far too painful to mask a video, since you would have to do hundreds or thousands of video frames since Vegas Video doesn't support advanced painting at this time.

The top image shows the original, the bottom is the masked version. To make a simple mask in Photoshop, one method is to use the Magic Lasso tool. In this example I quickly outlined the bird with puts the 'marching ants" around it making it the selection. Since I want to mask out the background and not the bird, I clicked on "inverse" on the select menu. Click 'Select' again on the menu bar, pick 'save selection', 'new channel' and a new Alpha channel is created that causes everything except the bird to become transparent denoted by the color red. Another way is once you have the object outlined with the marching ants, select "copy" then File, New, type transparent and paste in. Save as a PSD file (Photoshop) which Vegas Video can open.

If you don't have Photoshop in a file type that has a Alpha (transparency) channel. Examples include .PNG or .TIFF portion of the image that is masked, you need to save in a format that supports an Alpha channel such as a .PNG file. Because the red area is now transparent, just the image of the bird will block out what is on underlying tracks allowing everything else to "bleed" through. So the rocks, ocean and sky will be visible with the bird perched on the rocks. Now that the elements are in place we can make the still image more interesting to view by zooming in to take a closer look at the island in the background.

Click on the Pan/Crop control button on the background picture event. Set it so the rocks take up about 12% of the height of the screen as shown and set up a key frame zooming in as needed. Next use the four headed arrow cursor to move in on the background island so all the rocks in the foreground are cleared and you have zoomed in on the island. Click on the last keyframe button, then test to see if the zooming is smooth. If the zoom speed seems too fast or slow adjust how much space the image spans on the timeline, increasing to slow down the zoom speed.

Create a new video track above the track where the background is. Drag and drop the PluginPac 3D LE filter on the bird event. Click on first key frame. Use the Scale X, Scale Y settings to change the size of the bird. Use Position X and Y to position the bird on the foreground rocks. Once you are happy with starting size and the position of the bird (see illustration below) go about half way through the event and enter smaller values for Scale X and Y and change Position Y settings so the bird moves down so it will slowly disappear as we zoom over the bird's shoulder. Use position X to move the bird from side to side. Setting keyframes as needed.

Repeat scaling changing the Y value as necessary for the last keyframe. Visually check so the bird disappears from view once you've zoomed far enough past the foreground rocks. The effect you're looking for is a slow pan that seems to float above and over the bird as you zoom in on the island in the background.

One effect you see sometimes in TV commercials is only a small portion is in color with everything else is in black and white. Using Vegas Video, a simple process when combined with the type of masks I just described.

Drop the image you wish to remove color from onto the timeline. Drag and drop both the black and white filter and the brightness and contrast filter. To slowly add color to a black and white image, set the blend amount to 1.00 for the first keyframe. Set to zero for the last frame or any value in-between to get a washed out look. Adjust Brightness Contrast as needed.

To have only the bird colored and the background black and white, all that is necessary is to drop a copy of the background image on a track, use the black and white filter as explained above, then drop in your masked image (bird) on a higher track.