How can I get the smoothest slow motion out of a clip?

[123erik]

All info about my question explained in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTBDqzAVvdw
I need the best slow mo possible.

[guns1inger]

The youtube clip is a waste of time. Ask the question properly in the forum rather than trying to force up your hit count at youtube.

You want super slow motion, get a 1000 fps camera. if you are going to use what is essentially a toy then your results will reflect that choice. What ever you do you will have to interpolate the missing the frames. Best results will probably come from using something like Twixtor in After Effects, however once you figure in the price of AE, plus the price of the plugin, you could have bought a much better camera.

Avisynth is probably the best option in your price range, so search the forums for avisynth and slow motion and look at the posts - there are plenty of them to go through.

[jagabo]

You can slow the video down to 30 fps or lower using the frame rate setting of MKV or MP4 containers (audio will get out of sync). The video will get noticeably jerky if you slow it down to much.

AviSynth's AssumeFPS() will do the same thing. If you want to go even slower there are frame rate converters that will generate in-between frames estimated using motion vectors. These work well with simple motions (like panning shots) but can get "confused" with more complex motions. They use variations of MvTools. Look for SmoothFPS(), MvFlowFPS(), etc.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/307226-Need-advanced-framerate-converter?p=1890385&...=1#post1890385

[123erik]

Really? You think I'm trying to boost my view count...22 views OMG ._. It's not like I'm gunna get a ton of views by posting it on this forum and it wasn't a waste of time. My objective was NOT to get a bunch of views.
I have seen many posts about Avisynth and all that but I really don't fully understand all the steps to getting my original clip to slow mo. Could you post the full direction list? Thanks.
I would kind of like to keep the audio, so it sounds like I just need help with Avisynth.

[jagabo]

Install AviSynth. Install MvTools. Then use a text editor (like Notepad) to make a file with a name that ends in .AVS, in the same folder as your source video.

function SmoothFPS(clip source, float fps) {
fp=fps*100
backward_vec = source.MVAnalyse(isb = true, truemotion=true, pel=2, idx=1)
# we use explicit idx for more fast processing
forward_vec = source.MVAnalyse(isb = false, truemotion=true, pel=2, idx=1)
cropped = source.crop(4,4,-4,-4) # by half of block size 8
backward_vec2 = cropped.MVAnalyse(isb = true, truemotion=true, pel=2, idx=2)
forward_vec2 = cropped.MVAnalyse(isb = false, truemotion=true, pel=2, idx=2)
return source.MVFlowFps2(backward_vec, forward_vec, backward_vec2, forward_vec2, num=int(fp), den=100, idx=1, idx2=2)
}

DirectShowSource("video.ext") #or whatever is appropriate for your source
AssumeFPS(10) # 60 fps slowed to 1/6, 10 fps
SmoothFPS(30) # interpolate new frames to 30 fps

The open that script in an editor.

Or if you can live with half speed:

DirectShowSource("video.ext") #or whatever is appropriate for your source
AssumeFPS(30) # 60 fps slowed to 1/2, 30 fps

[123erik]

Thank you but,
The quality of the slow mo was bad... Not just the picture, but the slow mo was chop chop choppy.
Is there anyway to accomplish the same kind of thing but do it with my camera's normal extension to all saved videos (.mov)? I hate .avi files :P
I would like to keep my nice 16:9 HD video and just give it some nice slow mo!

[123erik]

He mentioned After Effects Twixtor...?

[jagabo]

The quality of the slow mo was bad... Not just the picture, but the slow mo was chop chop choppy.

Using the SmoothFPS scrip? Then something didn't work right. Other distortions are to be expected.

Here's another variation of SmoothFPS() that works a little better:

function SmoothFPS2(clip source, int num, int den) {
super = MSuper(source, pel=2, hpad=0, vpad=0, rfilter=4)
backward_1 = MAnalyse(super, chroma=false, isb=true, blksize=16, searchparam=3, plevel=0, search=3, badrange=(-24))
forward_1 = MAnalyse(super, chroma=false, isb=false, blksize=16, searchparam=3, plevel=0, search=3, badrange=(-24))
backward_2 = MRecalculate(super, chroma=false, backward_1, blksize=8, searchparam=1, search=3)
forward_2 = MRecalculate(super, chroma=false, forward_1, blksize=8, searchparam=1, search=3)
backward_3 = MRecalculate(super, chroma=false, backward_2, blksize=4, searchparam=0, search=3)
forward_3 = MRecalculate(super, chroma=false, forward_2, blksize=4, searchparam=0, search=3)
MBlockFps(source, super, backward_3, forward_3, num, den, mode=0)
}

Call it with SmoothFPS2(30,1) for 30 fps.

Is there anyway to accomplish the same kind of thing but do it with my camera's normal extension to all saved videos (.mov)? I hate .avi files :P

There's no reason you have to save as AVI. You can use any encoder you want.

Or just remux your MP4 video with a slower frame rate flagged in the MP4 header. Try yamb.

[budwzr]

Really? You think I'm trying to boost my view count...22 views OMG .

Relax, we know you were just trying to impress, but it turned out to be annoying instead.

Anyway, you might consider using an NLE like Sony Vegas Movie Studio. It has controls for playback rate and undersampling.



Playback Rate produces smooth slow motion, and increases the duration of the clip.
Undersample Rate produces time lapse, and reduces the duration, and simulates "Photo Every X Seconds".

[jagabo]

I belive Vegas will do something like AviSynth's ConvertFPS() -- give intermediate frames that are a weighted blend of the surrounding frames.

[123erik]

There's no reason you have to save as AVI. You can use any encoder you want.

Or just remux your MP4 video with a slower frame rate flagged in the MP4 header. Try yamb.

Wait, avisynth only lets you use .avi videos...so how can I use my default video that is a 720p/60fps and a .mov and use it with avisynth? I don't know what to do in yamb.

Edit: Thank you all for the suggestions but please tell me the directions to back it up because I'm terrible at figuring this out.

[budwzr]

This was shot with a Playsport: http://youtu.be/bTzuUvCqyxs?hd=1

[123erik]

I looking for something more like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN-zOfIlN6Q

[jagabo]

There's no reason you have to save as AVI. You can use any encoder you want.

Or just remux your MP4 video with a slower frame rate flagged in the MP4 header. Try yamb.

Wait, avisynth only lets you use .avi videos...so how can I use my default video that is a 720p/60fps and a .mov and use it with avisynth?

No, you can open almost any video with AviSynth. You can use DirectShowSource(), DSS2(), ffmpegsource(), etc.

I don't know what to do in yamb.

Sorry, I remembered incorrectly. You usually can't change the frame rate in yamb -- the field is usually greyed out. When you can change it it works like this: Open your MP4 file in yamb. Select the video track. Press the Properties button. Set the frame rate. Save the result.

[123erik]

Alright, so what is the code to open a mp4 or mov in avisynth? And what should I change the frame rate to in yamb?

[jagabo]

Try DirectShowSource(). That is built into AviSynth but relies on DirectShow filters. If WMP can play your video DirectShowSource() will probably work.

Change the frame rate to whatever you want in yamb (if it will let you). Setting it to 30 will make it play half as fast.