Okay -- I think I am understanding what must be done to complete this. The VideoEffects\EffectAlphaMasks\HD are examples of masks only. Video Pro X15 appears to not have built-in support to do what I need. What I must do is create a new PNG file for each frame of the video that masks the selection I want.

I do own Photoshop CS6, so I can use this tool to create a custom mask PNG. This is quite a lot of work to do something simple though.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

What I did was export a single frame as a PNG file. I then opened the exported file in PhotoShop CS6. I added a new layer with a rectangular marquee around the portion of the image I want to apply the mask. I then used the selected marquee to fill the layer an all white color. Copy that single layer to a new Photoshop image that has a black background. Save it as a new PNG with a meaningful name. Finally, load the PNG into Video Pro X15 in my split timeline using Effects|Load effects mask... of the image I want to blur. I was using sand from the YouTube video, but I may switch to Gausian Blur Effect instead.

This was a lot of work to complete something relatively simple. Someone please tell me there is an easier way to do this!

I am getting closer to my expected result. My new PNG file I created in PhotoShop is 1920x1080 image size. The white image is an exact overlay over the image that I want to mask from my frame export. When I use Effects|Load effects mask.. and select the new PNG that I created in PhotoShop, the rectangle sizing gets reduced in Video Pro X15. It does not have enough height and width.

Any ideas on why this is happening and how to fix?

Thanks in advance.

@Jamil-Taylor

Hi,

VPX15 has everything you need and more, with multiple ways to do the same thing, you just need to learn how to use the tools.

For resizing, use the effect under View/Animation - Size/Position/Rotation (SPR) to change the size and position of the mask. If the mask has to move and even change size, then use keyframing. Watch my tutorials on Size/Position/Rotation and keyframing.

There are 4 parts. Here are parts 1 and 4:

To do what you want, I simply use a white jpg rectangle as a mask and resize/reshape it.

There are 2 other ways to do this.

1. Duplicate the video (remove the sound from 1 of them), put the effect on one of the videos and put a mask between them. EDIT: give the mask a Chromakey Alpha effect. Use SPR to resize and move. With this method, you can use multiple masks. If fact, in the first video the you referenced, there is a second tutorial that goes with it showing how to do this.

Below is the setup in VPX15:

2. Duplicate the video (remove the sound from 1 of them), put the effect on one of the videos and use the Cookie Cutter on the second one. Use the correct method - Cut away Section or Cut away all but section. The Cookie Cutter has various built-in mask shapes and you can feather the edges. Use keyframing to adjust the location. etc.

John CB

Thank you for your reply.

Yes -- I do need to learn the software. I will work through the tutorials and practice.

I will practice using resize. I know that you know how to use it, but it is not so straight forward to grasp. Resizing should generally be a simple thing to do, but it is what it is.

I will get it eventually.

Again, thank you for responding.

@Jamil-Taylor

I do agree the feature should be easier to use. Having to add another track to cookie cut just to blur a small area is a faff. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is.

@Jamil-Taylor

Hi,

I will practice using resize. I know that you know how to use it, but it is not so straight forward to grasp. Resizing should generally be a simple thing to do, but it is what it is.

I don't see how it could be made simpler. Just Apply Effect, and resize on the preview monitor by dragging the handles and moving the box around. If you don't want to keep the aspect ratio, uncheck "Combine input fields."

Almost every video editing program on the market does keyframing and it's pretty much the same. Adjust parameters, place a keyframe, move along the timeline, adjust parameters and a keyframe is added, move along the timeline, adjust parameters and a keyframe is added...

No matter what you use, you still have get a mask of some kind, size it to suit, and move it where needed.

@AAProds

Hi Al,

The comment was about SPR, not the Cookie Cutter. I just added the Cookie Cutter in as a way to do it. The simplest way is the one in the first tutorial referenced by @Jamil-Taylor in the first post.

Cookie Cutter makes a hole in an image/video, so if you want the same image but blurred to be seen where the hole is, then you need to put a blurred duplicate on that track. I don't see that this is ffaf. It does what it is supposed to do.

There are undoubtedly third party tools that will blur an area (or put some other effect) on an image/video. There must be a New Blue effect that I don't have, similar to Spotlight but with a blur.

Here is Pixelan Blurpro:

Like I said, there are many ways to do the same thing.

John CB

I could be my YouTube search was not so great at finding matches. The video I found discusses copying effects from one video to another. I don't want to do this at all. I simply want to add blur to a fixed rectangle. I have zero sound in my MP4.

I still do not have this working, so it really is not easy with this software. Adobe Premier Pro CS6 that I have a license to use was much simpler, for example. I am happy that you find it easy, but it really is not.

@Jamil-Taylor

Hi,

Could you please show a screen shot of the interface showing what you have and what you want to blur?

I simply want to add blur to a fixed rectangle.

No, that is not quite how it's done. The blur has to be applied to the video, not the mask. I showed this clearly in the video.

I have zero sound in my MP4.

That has nothing to do with it. You may not have sound, but there is a sound track, even if it's blank. I have my settings to have video/audio on separate tracks. If you make a copy of a video clip and put it on 2 tracks, one below the other, you will have the audio twice, which is why I said to remove it from one of them.

I will do up a quick video of the same method that I showed in the first video of your first post, but I would like to see what it is you're trying to do.

John CB

I am creating a similar mock video and will share screenshots of my attempts shortly.

I appreciate your assistance.

@Jamil-Taylor

Hi,

Here is a video showing how to quickly and simply resize an object:

Here is a video showing the same thing but in the context of blurring out something and moving the blur. Note that the way it works is that the effect is applied to the video clip itself. The mask simply shows the effect within the masked part and not outside of it. Flipping the chromakey arrow shows the effect outside of the mask and not within it.

There is a lot more that can be done, but that is the simplest case.

John CB

To do what you want, I simply use a white jpg rectangle as a mask and resize/reshape it.

Thank you. I was actually attempting something different based on YouTube videos I had found. I was attempting to use Load effects mask... found under Effects. I was trying to resize the mask using size and position, but it was not working. Most likely it is not used for that. As you stated -- there's many ways to do things, and I was trying everything I had found.

I am now adding a white image that I should be able to resize with no issues.

The white rectangle image did the trick. After clearing Combine input fields checkbox, I can size the height and width as needed to cover the item I wish to hide.

Additionally, adding noise over the white box provides a nice effect to indicate the item is hidden. Distortion options were not visible due to the white box. I used PhotoShop to actually create the white box, so I have more options there for image creation.

Thank you.

Incidentally, the reason I migrated from Adobe is I do not want to rent software. MAGIX will have me for a customer as long as they do not decide to rent licenses.