Blurring background in Sony Vegas Pro 8

[mashimiriam]

I recently converted to Vegas Pro 8...and I am wondering if there was any way to blur the background while keeping an object in the foreground (i.e a person) in focus? The effect I am going for is similar to the screenshot I attached (sorry, I could only find an flv version of the video).

Is there a plugin that would achieve the same effect?

Thanks in advance!

[Soopafresh]

I wish. There are plugins for still images to create shallow depth of field in apps like Photoshop, but video is a different beast.

[mashimiriam]

well the video i am trying to emulate had this scene in motion and then pause as a still with this effect. so is it possible to do it then in vegas and which plugin would i use?

[guns1inger]

If it is pausing as a still, you could simply take that frame you are going to pause on, process it in photoshop or similar, then use this in the video at that point.

If you want to do it in Vegas, you would have to take two copies of the clip, mask the top copy so you can see through everything but the people (with soft edge to the mask), then blur the second clip so you see the blurring through the top clip.

Use Linear Blur on the bottom clip to get the motion effect. The default is pretty good.

Depending on the image you using, you might be able to get away with a simple cookie cutter. Add this to the top clip. Choose a rectangle, reduce the size to fit, then use the Feather setting to soften the edges until you are happy.

[mashimiriam]

yeah i was trying that the other nite and it seems to work alright..except i did a freeze frame, dragged that out, copied and did it...
masking is such a pain in the butt tho....i was hoping there was a plugin that i can use to save the work haha

hmmm i've never thought of using linear blur on the bottom clip....thanx!

[edDV]

yeah i was trying that the other nite and it seems to work alright..except i did a freeze frame, dragged that out, copied and did it...
masking is such a pain in the butt tho....i was hoping there was a plugin that i can use to save the work haha

hmmm i've never thought of using linear blur on the bottom clip....thanx!

Pros would shoot the foreground talent over green screen then composite over a moving or still blurred background. You plan for this per your shooting script.