Aviutl Tips, Tricks and Support thread

[PhotoCat]

I am developing some rules which will give pleasing results based on Ken Burns' style:

1) Only vary either X, or Y or Zoom for each image. (Never vary more than 1 parameters for each image)
2) For X, either use X=-200.0,0.0,1 or X=200.0,0.0,1 with fixed zoom at 120% (use X=0.0,0.0,1 when Y or Zoom are varying)
3) For Y, either use Y=-100.0,0.0,1 or Y=100.0,0.0,1 with fixed zoom at 120% (use Y=0.0,0.0,1 when X or Zoom are varying)
4) For Zoom, either use Zoom%=120.00,100.00,1 or Zoom%=100.00,120.00,1, with X & Y both stationary (0.0,0.0,1)

The result is pretty good now but I have to resize all images to 1920 max height/width before importing the .EXO project file.

What I cannot do easily is to detect portrait or landscape image orientation. It might make more sense to do horizontal pan for landscape images
and do vertical pan for portrait images. Well, higher probability anyway...

Thanks a lot Maverick! BTW Tks for the pointer to .Net 4.5. I need to learn that some time... Still on DOS tools LOL!

PS: Sorry I don't have the .EXO file annotated to some text off hand. The working file is to some images.

[PhotoCat]

BTW, my slideshow work flow is as follows:

1) new project
2) load song into layer 3
3) reserve layer 2 for crossfade
4) drag and drop images into layer 1, one by one and try to select the image to match the lyrics
5) drag the length of the images to sync with the lyric. Note this has much better control then WLMM! Vy fast adjustments!
6) check all images are in sync with lyrics
7) export to a pass1.exo file
8) edit the pass1.exo file according to the Ken Burns rules stated in post #121. Basically replace all the X, Y, & Zoom% values.
9) add a layer 2 for crossfade by editing the pass1.exo file
10) save the file as pass2.exo
11) open a new project and import the pass2.exo file
12) The static slideshow now becomes lively with Pan-Zoom effects!
13) Adjust Pan or Zoom or both for best visual effects (just drag the image for pan)
14) Save the final project file
15) Export movie file.

[PhotoCat]

With Maverick's new slideshow helper, the process would be much simpler I think:

1) use image viewer & music player to arrange the image sequence to match the song. (If no song syncing is needed, skip this step)
2) rename all images sequentially e.g. img001, img002, img003 according to the desired sequence
3) Use Maverick's tool to import all images and turn on pan-zoom effect if desired.
4) Adjust Pan or Zoom or both for best visual effects (just drag the image for pan)
5) Save the final project file
6) Export movie file.

[PhotoCat]

The image/video quality out of this aviutl slideshow workflow is much much superior to WLMM! There is no comparison. It is so much clearer!

[MaverickTse]

I have read Wikipedia for more on Ken Burns effect...
Form what i understood, the sliding and zoom SHOULD NOT BE RANDOM. In addition, pan and zoom DO occur at the same time.
There is always a FOCUS for zooming or panning along so that the effect has true presentation meaning.
IMO, though many software implemented their "Ken Burns Effect", It'd be more of a gimmick than being really useful if the software doesn't include Face/Complexity recognition

Your rules in post #121 are insufficient since I need the application to work on a variety of resolution. Zooming is easier to handle, but panning can easily reveal the underlying background.

So as this point I decided not to include Pan and Zoom randomization in this utility.

[MaverickTse]

SlideShow Helper Update:
*- Support Japanese version of Exedit
*- Can load files as Video Object(so that you can load the image via my earlier Bitmap Reader Plugin)
*- UI switch to Japanese if Windows System locale is set to Japanese(Codepage 932)

[MaverickTse]

The image/video quality out of this aviutl slideshow workflow is much much superior to WLMM! There is no comparison. It is so much clearer!

You're comparing Apple to Orange...

[PhotoCat]

I have read Wikipedia for more on Ken Burns effect...
Form what i understood, the sliding and zoom SHOULD NOT BE RANDOM. In addition, pan and zoom DO occur at the same time.
There is always a FOCUS for zooming or panning along so that the effect has true presentation meaning.
IMO, though many software implemented their "Ken Burns Effect", It'd be more of a gimmick than being really useful if the software doesn't include Face/Complexity recognition

Your rules in post #121 are insufficient since I need the application to work on a variety of resolution. Zooming is easier to handle, but panning can easily reveal the underlying background.

So as this point I decided not to include Pan and Zoom randomization in this utility.

Fair enough... Those rules r from my personal opinions only. They r starting points only and sometimes I have to manually
adjust the start and finish points to avoid clipping a person's head for example. The slideshow helper itself is vy useful despite not hving pan/zoom support
Thanks for your support as always!

[PhotoCat]

How to Change Video Size without making a person fat or slim?

My original slideshow project started at 1920x1080 but I just remembered the projector is only 1024x768.
So I went:

Filter+ -> Change Size -> 1024x768

All of a sudden everyone in the images gets slimmer and taller LOL.

Anyway to just CROP the project into 1024x768 without making people slimmer, while maintaining the highest
possible quality?

I guess I should crop at 1440x1080, right? Can I go back to full HD 1920x1080 after the crop?

Any better way to do it? Tks!

[PhotoCat]

Just did the following and it seems to do the job but not sure if this is the best way:

Filter+ -> Change Size -> 1440x1080

Filter+ -> Clipping and Resize, select 1024x768 in box and click keep aspect ratio.


Tks!

[racer-x]

How to Change Video Size without making a person fat or slim?

My original slideshow project started at 1920x1080 but I just remembered the projector is only 1024x768.
So I went:

Filter+ -> Change Size -> 1024x768

All of a sudden everyone in the images gets slimmer and taller LOL.

Anyway to just CROP the project into 1024x768 without making people slimmer, while maintaining the highest
possible quality?

I guess I should crop at 1440x1080, right? Can I go back to full HD 1920x1080 after the crop?

Any better way to do it? Tks!

Well if you export via ffmpeg export plugin, you can add this in your command: -vf crop=1440:1080,scale=1024:768

That should do it and you won't have to change project settings....

[racer-x]

I just tried SlideShowHelper and I think it is a big time saver, thanks MaverickTse! The only thing I can fault is it doesn't set frames correctly, but no big deal, it's still very useful and now I can create slideshows as fast as I can in Vegas.

As a Tip: I use the free FastStoneViewer to organize and batch rename the jpg's in order to facilitate the whole workflow. http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

[PhotoCat]

[
Well if you export via ffmpeg export plugin, you can add this in your command: -vf crop=1440:1080,scale=1024:768

That should do it and you won't have to change project settings....

Good tips Racer! I guess I will have to use a crop mark somehow while editing the slideshow because
I don't want some important details to get cropped. Any fast way to do it? Add a black layer with transparency for the 4:3 area?

Yeah! I am using faststone viewer too and it is excellent! The story board can be done there. Tks Racer!

[PhotoCat]

I just tried SlideShowHelper and I think it is a big time saver, thanks MaverickTse! The only thing I can fault is it doesn't set frames correctly, but no big deal, it's still very useful and now I can create slideshows as fast as I can in Vegas.
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Hey Racer, just curious. U said u were 90% on aviutl now. Now I see u also have Vegas. What can Vegas do that
Aviutl can't? BTW, so far I am 100% pleased with aviutl. Thanks for introducing this tool to me! I cannot go back now

[racer-x]

If you want to resize without cropping, use: -vf pad=1920:1440:0:180,scale=1024:768

I've been using Vegas (about 10 years now) since version 6. It's a very solid NLE. I've only started using Aviutl a short time ago. It is a very good and fast video/effects editor. I've barely scratched the surface of it's capabilities I think.

[PhotoCat]

Tks Racer! Yes, I like aviutl's performance too. U have encouraged me to continue to learn aviutl knowing that this is the right choice.
The more I use aviutl, the more I appreciate the brains behind it. The only thing lacking is documentation and I am glad we hv this forum.
Of course having Maverick here on line with us is a super plus! Tks!

[PhotoCat]

-vf crop=1440:1080,scale=1024:768

worked beautifully for me! I just had to put a .png 1440x1080 frame up to hide the left and right borders. Tks Racer!

Not sure what -vf pad=1920:1440:0:180,scale=1024:768 will do but I am guessing people will become slimmer or fatter...

[racer-x]

Not sure what -vf pad=1920:1440:0:180,scale=1024:768 will do but I am guessing people will become slimmer or fatter...

No, it will just letterbox putting black above and below. It should look something like this:

[MaverickTse]

How to Change Video Size without making a person fat or slim?

My original slideshow project started at 1920x1080 but I just remembered the projector is only 1024x768.
So I went:

Filter+ -> Change Size -> 1024x768

All of a sudden everyone in the images gets slimmer and taller LOL.

Anyway to just CROP the project into 1024x768 without making people slimmer, while maintaining the highest
possible quality?

I guess I should crop at 1440x1080, right? Can I go back to full HD 1920x1080 after the crop?

Any better way to do it? Tks!

This is a effect called "Liquid Rescale" (aka. LQR). It is a part of ImageMagick and I have ported it to AviUtl as plugin.
If you cannot find it in your pack, find its announcement page on post#3

This is a slow effect however, and not all frames may give desirable results.

[MaverickTse]

I just tried SlideShowHelper and I think it is a big time saver, thanks MaverickTse! The only thing I can fault is it doesn't set frames correctly, but no big deal, it's still very useful and now I can create slideshows as fast as I can in Vegas.

As a Tip: I use the free FastStoneViewer to organize and batch rename the jpg's in order to facilitate the whole workflow. http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Please describe in what way(s) it get the frames wrong. It should be something easily fixable.
(I didn't check if the frame if there are 1-frame shift however )

I didn't describe the "Image duration" and "Transition duration" however...
actually:
(Still)Image Object length= Image duration + Transition duration
Transiting Object(Image/Video/SC)= Transition

[MaverickTse]

I just tried SlideShowHelper and I think it is a big time saver, thanks MaverickTse! The only thing I can fault is it doesn't set frames correctly, but no big deal, it's still very useful and now I can create slideshows as fast as I can in Vegas.
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Hey Racer, just curious. U said u were 90% on aviutl now. Now I see u also have Vegas. What can Vegas do that
Aviutl can't? BTW, so far I am 100% pleased with aviutl. Thanks for introducing this tool to me! I cannot go back now

Even I'm the promoter of AviUtl, I won't go so far to assert that AviUtl is omnipotent

Aware that every editor has its own set of FX, and even FX of the same name can have different implementations and presets...

So, software from Adobe, Apple, CelSys, Cyberlink, Sony and the Free-Softs usually have their own uniqueness
(FYI: CelSys's [Extremely-Priced] products are widely used by Animation studios in Japan nowadays, but seems rarely mentioned in any forum)

but AviUtl is really good in saving the proletarians from being rip-off by big corporations

[PhotoCat]

oic... letterbox... also heard this from Apple... For me, your 1st cropping method is more suitable. Tks Racer!

Yes, I am aware of liquid rescale. Saw your video example. Amazing stuff! Tks Maverick!

[MaverickTse]

Updates to Slide Show Helper:

*- Fixed the wrong frame numbering
*- Auto-Save/Load settings to/from XML file
*- fixed some typo

[racer-x]

OK, I see now. The image frame duration (96) + transition frame duration (24) = actual image frame duration (120) on the Timeline.

I like the update that saves last settings used in an xml file, thanks!

[PhotoCat]

Yay! Maverick rocks! Thanks!

[MaverickTse]

Working on MotionTracking MK-II. Current test using OpenCV3 suggest the tracking ability(AdaBoosting, MIL, MedianFlow, TLD) is much more reliable and faster than previous algorithms, and the new UI will be much more cleaner.

As a result, I'll be away from the forum for a few days until i get it done.

[racer-x]

Awesome, looking forward to testing it out....

[MaverickTse]

The exo functionality is not done yet, but there's an easy preview function and direct blurring on main Window...
so you may play with it.

Need VC2013 redist.

Note that tracking method 3 and 4 (MedianFlow and TLD) are broken in current OpenCV3.0 build... may not crash but... terrible result.
The "HELP" is built-in into the plugin.

The plugin will only respond to user when
1. there is a video/project loaded
2. The plugin is activated.

[tyee]

Just read this thread and am interested in trying Aviutl, I've downloaded everything specified but where do I put the extra pack? In the Aviutl folder, unpacked or left in folder "AviUtl-ENG1.8Extra[Win7]"? I ran it and it's all Japanese, is the extrapack supposed to make it English? I have AviUtlEnMod-1.1.0.zip but do I really need it?

This info is not in the first post or did I miss it?

Update - I unpacked the extras folder into Aviutl root folder and it's now in English, good!

[tyee]

I'm trying to load a 720p 60fps 1.5GB file into the editor and it's not responding? Ok, I waited and it finally loaded, nice!
I have more than 320,000 frames and the playback ends here, even though the timeline shows more video it won't play past 320,000. Can I do anything?

Update - After loading it again, I got a window saying I can change the max frame count in system settings so I did, but it's not taking. I open the settings again and it's back to 320000.

It's taking so long to load the video, then it brings up the new project window which shows 640x480 but it's really 1280x720. The framerate is also wrong, so I manually change it all, then have to wait again. Is this normal? Now it's all loaded ready to go, and I hit play button and it hangs again.

I guess this is not for me. Any suggestions?