Lighting dark movies and exporting file (Basic query)

[IggyII]

Hello,

This is pretty basic. I am just starting with the version 1.5

1- I am working with a movie which part is dark and the other one is fine. Is there any way to light only the part of the movie that I need? I've been doing this using the level settings but this affects the whole movie.

2-The original file was done in widescreen mode. However, when I export this after doing the modifications, this is not longer the case since the borders get trimmed.

Thanks in advance!

Iggy

 

[EdwardMartinIII]

Let's say you have a picture of Uncle Frank and his Hideous Box of Fun.

Uncle Frank looks great, but the Hideous Box of Fun is really dark on the inside. You want to use levels to brighten up the box without washing out Uncle Frank.

Of course, you had the camera on a tripod, so what I'm about to tell you will work for the whole clip. If not, then you'll either have to lighten every frame individually, or look at something else really clever (a travelling matte, perhaps?).

First, make another copy of the clip. Put one above the other, exactly in sync, up in a superimposition layer.

Export one of the frames to a BMP.

In Photoshop, make a MASK using that exported frame. A mask is entirely white wherever you see inside the Hideous Box of Fun and black everywhere else. Save this mask as a PCT file.

Go back to your double-layered thang in Premiere. Right-click on the upper-level video and choose clip, video, transparency. You want to use a CUSTOM MASK to make this clip transparent ONLY IN THE PLACE YOU SPECIFIED. When it prompts you for the file, lead it right to that PCT you made earlier.

You might have to fiddle a bit with the settings or mask controls, but eventually, you'll get it.

Now, here's the part where even the squids clap.

Open your levels filter and apply a level change to the UPPER video level. You'll notice that the inside of the Hideous Box of Fun changes, but the rest of the video doesn't.

Yay!

Cheers,


Edward

"Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!" -- inventor of the cat door