Using certain layers of a video?

[bmcgonag]

I doubt this is possible, but here goes...

I want to use a graphic as a background to some motion with a couple of people in the foreground. The problem is the video that i have is shot in the outdoors, where there is no solid color to do a "green" screen (chroma key) effect.

Is there a way to bring out the people, and lose the background? Is there some method of only selecting what's moving in a big way in a video. I say this because I know the water, trees and cars way off are moving, but not in any major way compared to the people in the foreground that I want to keep.

Thanks,

Brian

[tomlee59]

There's no simple off-the-shelf way of satisfactorily doing what you want, unfortunately (at least, none that I'm aware of). The methods that I know of (e.g., successive subtraction) will leave lots of ghosty artifacts. While they have artistic uses in and of themselves, I doubt that you would find them to your liking.

[dnix71]

Could you shoot the video in such a way that only the people in the forground are in focus and all else is blurry? That would make subtraction easier.

[bmcgonag]

I've already shot the video, so no on that count, but if I am going to reshoot, i'll try to get a solid drop cloth to use.

I appreciate all the help though,

Brian