Transparent frame for video

Post your tips & tricks here for creating slide shows with ProShow Gold. This could include suggestions for style and content in addition to working with the software itself
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Transparent frame for video

Postby chijeff57 » Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:41 pm

Hi All,

Please forgive me, as I know this has probably been explained a million times. But when I search using the keywords video, frame and transparency, I get a lot of results that are for other questions. Quite simply, I am creating a show that features a slide containing video footage. Since the resolution of the video is less than ideal, I will reduce the size of the image. I need to create a decorative frame graphic, in which the video will play, thus allowing the slide as a whole to fill the screen (see how video, slide and screen can have multiple meanings in Producer?)

Anyway, my guess is I can create something in Photoshop, but I cannot remember how to make this graphic a mask, with its center transparent so the video layer shows through. Any help, or a brief masks refresher would be greatly appreciated!

Jeff
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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby im42n8 » Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:03 pm

Create a graphic that's the same aspect as your show but has no background. Add a layer (A) that's going to be the size of the video you will want to use. This layer will be your reference. To get it to the right size, you'll need to do a little math to ensure the outside margins are where they need to be to fit the video. Now, start creating your frame. When you're done, cut the layer "A" out of the frame... use it to make a hole in the center of the graphic and frame.

You aren't going to make it a mask, you're making a frame with a transparent center ... you'll place it over the video and the video will show through the center hole.

You can resize your video as desired and position it underneath the frame graphic. The reason the graphic you created in Photoshop is the same aspect as the show is so that it will effectively have a 1 to 1 resize upon import. It also gives you considerable control over the exact size of the "hole" through which the video will shine thorough ... and lets you create your "frame" with the exact dimensions you need ... upon import into PSP, it won't distort.

That's the top level planning for what you want. You just need to do the specifics. I hope I've pointed you in the right direction tho.

Dale
Last edited by im42n8 on Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby tdew » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:05 am

I'm not familiar with Gold anymore, but I think this should also work. It's not fancy, but it is easy.
You can add a background layer.
Then resize your video the same way you do a picture.
Then you can make use of the vignette or the border to add a frame.

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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby im42n8 » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:54 am

Gold doesn't have a vignette feature and its outline feature is rather feeble (a very thin outline who's size you can't adjust). So, neither of these is going to work.

Dale
What's New: Tools for ProShow: v11.42a Access ProShow capabilities Photodex doesn't provide (For PSG & PSP).
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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby tdew » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:58 am

Oh, that's too bad. It is a really easy way to deal with a video that doesn't look good if it's too big.

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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby im42n8 » Mon Jan 27, 2014 7:23 am

Yeah, I know. While Gold is a really nice program and has some nice capabilities, it has quite a few limitations that can put a real crimp on things you'd like to do ... you know? :|

Dale
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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby debngar » Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:40 am

While the following solution only offers a plain black frame with an inside white border over your video/image, it will work in Gold and is the simplest approach.

Look for the "Border_Widescreen.png" file in the Media Source> ProShow Gold >Borders area of the built-in content of the program. It's a black frame with a transparent hole in the middle. Place it over the video and size using the zoom slider. There is no ability to re-size the aspect ration of the hole precisely by unlocking the x/y zoom like in Producer, but it will do in a pinch.

If your show is being designed in 4:3, then choose "Border_Standard.png" instead.

It would probably look better though to use a nice matching colored background under the video and selecting the outline sized to 5, if you don't wish to design your own fancy png file frame to do the job. I'm not sure if Gold has the size setting feature for the outline though. Using the outline is limiting but if you can get a size 5 out of it, it's not too bad.
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Re: Transparent frame for video

Postby rose61 » Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:05 am

You can resize your video as desired and position it underneath the frame graphic. The reason the graphic you created in Photoshop is the same aspect as the show is so that it will effectively have a 1 to 1 resize upon import. It also gives you considerable control over the exact size of the "hole" through which the video will shine thorough ... and lets you create your "frame" with the exact dimensions you need ... upon import into PSP, it won't distort.

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