how do I make a stereoscopic title in MEP 17+

starosta wrote on 10/29/2012, 8:35 AM

Hi, I'm trying to make some closing titles / credits for my stereoscopic movie edit.

The stereoscopic video assets are imported as objects on two separate tracks, one each for the left eye, and the right eye. They have been duly converted into stereoscopic 3d objects with no problem, and they render correctly in 3d.

Now, when I insert a title into the timeline, it appears on just one track. That means, when I dissolve into or out of this title from one of the stereo3d video objects, the dissolve appears in only one eye. That's very unattractive, not to say visually painful!

So I need the title on two tracks, one for each eye, as a stereoscopic object, but MEP is not letting me do that. If I duplicate the title object, put the duplicate on a second track, select both those objects, then try to make them into a stereoscopic object (effects>stereo 3d>properties>create stereo>stereo 3d pair(left image first)), I get the error "at least two objects need to be selected for this function."

Has anyone else had this problem, and what am I doing wrong?

thanks,

Boris Starosta

Comments

john-auvil wrote on 10/29/2012, 11:02 AM

Can you just use the stereo depth for 2D object?

starosta wrote on 10/29/2012, 12:18 PM

I did try that, and then the "depth" of the title can indeed be changed, with respect to the screen plane; but (sort of) by definition, it remains a 2d object (that effect indeed only works on 2D objects).

So the title remains a single 2D object on a single track. It will not dissolve properly into a stereo 3d object that occupies two tracks.

But thanks for considering my question! I also tried the "3d" button in the titles effects panel. That did not do anything for me either.

Boris

PS I do have a workaround - not all is lost - I just wonder if it can be done within MEP. My workaround is to create the titles outside MEP, as a left and right JPEG. I take each of these JPEGs and import them into the L and R tracks. Since MEP does have a titler, and it has stereoscopic functions, it would be good if these functionalities played nice with each other.

Can you just use the stereo depth for 2D object?

starosta wrote on 10/30/2012, 10:11 AM

My workaround, with an important detail:

1: create title outside MEP (I used photoshop), save as an RGB JPEG (MEP cannot import grayscale JPEGs)

2: import JPEG into timeline track for left eye. Copy the object. Paste into the second timeline track (right eye).

3: select effect to make 3d object "stereo3d pair," take care to _uncheck_ "mixdown." You do not want to "mix down."

Now this stereo object will blend properly with the other video assets that you have on the left eye and right eye tracks.

john-auvil wrote on 10/31/2012, 9:38 AM

Thanks for the update... I have never really used the 3D part of the program, other than a basic understanding, which I doubt I still have. Since I am not using a 3D camera and do not have a 3D monitor or TV, I having found much use in the feature, but it is good to see that there is a workaround for what you were after.