Need help with video editing, shifting colors

[VideoDavid]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for some guidance, I got myself into a committment to make a simple video (so I thought). I have Sony Vegas Studio Platinum 9.0. I did a video segment at a council meeting with my dvd R camcorder and I added it to start a project. Basically my camcorder recorded the video with fairly frequent shifting in colors, I don't know if something wasn't set right or if the flourescent lights were messing it up, but now I have vtdeo clips with very noticeable color shifting during the video. Is there a way I can run this through some kind of filter or color stabilization to correct this? I was trying to look at color correction options but these seem to be a point edit or a whole clip edit. Is there something that can run the video and make color corrections automatically to get rid of this abberrant color shifting? I would appreciate any help ,I think I got myself in over my head 8).

---David

[edDV]

What kind of color shift. Can you post some sample frames?

The camera was probably in auto white balance. This gives a different balance each time the camera was turned on. Ideally you should do manual white balance off a white card and keep the same settings for that room. Outside is more difficult because sunlight color temp changes during the day.

White balance errors don't show up in the waveforms. Correction is more subjective than objective so auto correction would be difficult.

[jagabo]

Sony Vegas... I was trying to look at color correction options but these seem to be a point edit or a whole clip edit.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/319037-any-software-to-edit-and-add-different-setti...=1#post1975529

[VideoDavid]

The colors are shifting as the clip is running, it is not from each time I start /stop. It must have been adjusting colors/balance as it was running. I apprecitae the responses.

Would I have to manually correct these throughout the clip? It is happening every 10-30 seconds as it is running.

[jagabo]

There are automatic white balance filters but they may not work very well depending on the nature of video. AviSynths' ColorYUV(autowhite=true) for example.

[edDV]

This is why you want manual white balance and exposure settings for field shooting. You want to lock down settings for a constant lit room so that later in editing one adjustment can be made for the full scene instead of having to react to wandering camera levels. The same is true for audio. Better to set one level for recording rather than let the AGC pump audio levels.

In Vegas, video levels and color correction filters can be key framed and splines can be applied to adjust on the fly but this is highly labor intensive to set up.

[fitch.j]

Depending on how bad it is, there are tips and tricks that can be used to lessen the visual effect, however these are normally referred for films where a stylistic look is acceptable, and this doesnt seem the case here as you mentioned it is a council film.

Things like desaturating the image a little, increasing contrast, adding a slight tint of a totally seperate colour, all by snall amounts, all 'distract' the audience a little from the problem and make them notice the 'style' instead. Ths however isnt good practice at all. If the original problems are too severe, it may do nothing but add to the problem.

To repeat the sound advice above, always shoot with all your settings on manual, this includes white balance. This will save you these issues, and many more, in the future.