"Magnetic" object tracking in new Magix Modie Edit Pro 12
Smarty
inexpensive editing and authoring program which has some unique features,
among them one called "Magnetic" objects.
The program allows for defining an object or text (or both) and then
selecting a moving object in the video content to which it becomes
"magnetically attached". Some simple examples shown are such things as:
--a pair of eyeglasses moving with a human subject's face on the video
--a black rectangular bar moving with an area of the human body (like the
eyes or the "Girls Gone Wild" anatomy)
--Text moving with a bouncing basketball
The program computes the path trajectory by analyzing the selected video
content, and builds the motion trajectory path which can be optionally
edited.
The process takes a while to render, especially since I do all my editing in
HDV, but the effects look very nice when finished.
Perhaps there are other programs which also provide this feature, but I have
yet to see one.
In addition, the program does very nice looking HD DVDs on both red and blue
laser burners, with menus, 5.1 Dolby sound, etc.
The program can be purchased for under $10 after rebate with a special
promotion now in effect.
http://shop2.outpost.com/%7B72LiYy+PN080AOcmD1+i2Q**.node3%7D/product/5200807
When the promotion ends, the price becomes $40.
I bought the prior version 11 last year (also for $10) and it was quite
useful and fun to play with. This one is very much better IMHO.
Just thought I would pass this along for the benefit of the newsgroup
readers.
Smarty
Ken Maltby
"Smarty" <nob...@nobody.com> wrote in message
news:zYGdnfZ4r-dead7b...@adelphia.com...
$10, and I paid full upgrade price.
As it happens I have all the US versions of this editor,
from the bundled VideoDeluxe through to MEP 12.
This latest one does seem to have quite a few
improvements. The 5.1 requires a plug-in doesn't it?
Odd, since it was included in 11 if I remember it
correctly.
Just tried the "Attach to picture position in the video"
on the right click of the timeline menu. It is a neat
feature when it's not worth it to "rotoscope". If you
offset the overlaid object they have it maintain the
same offset. Combine this with the improved effects/
object curves and you should really have something.
Oh, it appears to handle chroma keying with that
function pretty well, too. (Had my head floating
along behind the Ice Age Proto-Squirrel, next I might
overlay my head over his acorn.)
I haven't checked out the tutorials yet, is there one
on using this feature?
Luck;
Ken
Smarty
5.1 does require a plug in but it is activated at no extra charge (unlike
the mpeg4 plug in which is optional for another $15).
I've been looking for a tutorial dealing with this magnetic effect, but have
yet to find one. The user manual in pdf format in the Program Folder-->Magix
does have a far more complete description that the abbreviated book which
comes in the box, however.
This is one cool program. Also, the HD DVDs look excellent, not quite a
crisp as the Ulead ones, and lacking some of the elaborate animated menus /
templates, but still very, very nice. The SmartRender is also remarkably
good.
It was you, in fact, who put me onto this program in one of the earlier
versions a couple years ago. I had not tried it until you told me of its
features, and I have indeed found it to be a great product.
Smarty
"Ken Maltby" <kma...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:JP2dnZB3EIRak9nb...@giganews.com...
Ken Maltby
> Ken,
> 5.1 does require a plug in but it is activated at no extra charge (unlike
> the mpeg4 plug in which is optional for another $15).
>
> I've been looking for a tutorial dealing with this magnetic effect, but
> have yet to find one. The user manual in pdf format in the Program
> Folder-->Magix does have a far more complete description that the
> abbreviated book which comes in the box, however.
>
> This is one cool program. Also, the HD DVDs look excellent, not quite a
> crisp as the Ulead ones, and lacking some of the elaborate animated menus
> / templates, but still very, very nice. The SmartRender is also remarkably
> good.
>
> It was you, in fact, who put me onto this program in one of the earlier
> versions a couple years ago. I had not tried it until you told me of its
> features, and I have indeed found it to be a great product.
>
> Smarty
>
Don't know about "Great", except at $10 it would be totally
amazing. It has always been a great way to play with features,
techniques that are normally only available in very expensive
editing packages. It's had some stability issues for many of
us, but that seems to be much improved. It's interface can be
a little hard to get used to, as well.
All-in-all, it has always been a worthwhile editing tool to have
on hand, and, at it's low price, it's easy to add it to your toolbox.
I find editing projects to be a lot more interesting if they are
built up from many parts. With many parts coming from or
effected by many separate tools. Fortunately, there are a lot of
free or inexpensive tools being created, all the time. Even
things as simple as a good collection of interesting fonts, can
allow for some real impact on your resulting productions.
Being stuck to just one editing tool, even the most liked
packages, would be very limiting from my point of view.
Besides, it's not the tools so much as the techniques and
your inventiveness in using them. You can do some pretty
good things with cheap tools like BluffTitler, (with a little
practice, and combined with an editing package), that rival
what studios use $30-40,000 proprietary effects engines to
do.
So even if you have other editing tools on hand, it is worth
it to investigate what this one can do, I wouldn't have it as
my only editor, but it works well with others, and can add
features and techniques to your editing capabilities.
Luck;
Ken
=(8)
I have been very impressed with most of Magix software. They have good
things are a very good price.
=(8)
Smarty
a number of tools like Blufftitler, MEP, VideoReDo, 3D Album-PicturePro, and
Ulead on the PC make up the creative pieces, and Vegas is my workhorse I am
going to give Final Cut Studio another try after the dust settles with the
new major software speedup / upgrade, faster hardware, etc.
This Magix software now seems quite stable, and the effects are pretty cool.
They really have some quirky ways of doing the user interface as you have
noted, and I find it necessary to get help from the manual and other sources
more often on this one than I do on way more complex programs mostly because
the authors were a bit unconventional.
Smarty
"Ken Maltby" <kma...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:e-mdnW-vrMieCdnb...@giganews.com...
Terry Pinnell
<snip>
>The program can be purchased for under $10 after rebate with a special
>promotion now in effect.
>
>http://shop2.outpost.com/%7B72LiYy+PN080AOcmD1+i2Q**.node3%7D/product/5200807
>
>When the promotion ends, the price becomes $40.
>
>I bought the prior version 11 last year (also for $10) and it was quite
>useful and fun to play with. This one is very much better IMHO.
>
>Just thought I would pass this along for the benefit of the newsgroup
>readers.
>
>Smarty
>
I could see only a price of $49.99 at that link. What is the promotion
you mentioned please?
Also, do you happen to know if delivery is only by surface mail, or is
it downloadable? Obviously a factor for me.
--
Terry, West Sussex, UK
Smarty
The promotion ended yesterday, and Fry's / Outpost then modified the web
page to remove the $30 rebate offer. The item can only be ordered from Frys
in a physical package containing the disk and owner manual, but is also
available as a download directly from the manufacturer on the Magix website.
Based on the prior version experience I had, I can guess that this promotion
or a variation of it is likely to be offered again, so you could consider
waiting if you want to buy it at the rebate price.
Smarty
"Terry Pinnell" <terr...@dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:etta435401vjm0do6...@4ax.com...
Terry Pinnell
>Terry,
>
>The promotion ended yesterday, and Fry's / Outpost then modified the web
>page to remove the $30 rebate offer. The item can only be ordered from Frys
>in a physical package containing the disk and owner manual, but is also
>available as a download directly from the manufacturer on the Magix website.
>
>Based on the prior version experience I had, I can guess that this promotion
>or a variation of it is likely to be offered again, so you could consider
>waiting if you want to buy it at the rebate price.
>
>Smarty
>
OK, thanks, I'll probably do that.