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AMVGuide TUTORIALS
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| « BACK | PART 1: Obtaining your Footage | NEXT » |
"...wait... wut?"
PART I: Obtaining your Footage
There are a number of different methods to obtain footage for your AMV; but for now, I have the most common methods broken down into the following three sections:
Now, maybe I'm just stating the obvious, but: You need to get the footage onto your computer.
Sorry to say this... but anime cannot exist in the Real World, no matter what the above picture says...
Now, maybe I'm just stating the obvious, but: You need to get the footage onto your computer.
Sorry to say this... but anime cannot exist in the Real World, no matter what the above picture says...
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Obtaining your Footage) | NEXT: DVD Ripping & Indexing » |
| « BACK | DVD Ripping & Indexing | NEXT » |
"...wooo... shiny..."
VIDEO 1/2: Ripping DVD Footage with DVDFab (Free Version)
VIDEO 2/2: Making DGIndex Project Files
DVD Ripping & Indexing
(Note before reading: Information in this section is somewhat incomplete.)
Basically, you need a DVD drive connected to your computer; then install some Ripping Software (a computer program). Try to get the most up-to-date version so that you have a better chance at reading any DVDs you've got, even the newest ones with the latest encryption. There are a number of rippers you can use, but at the time of writing this guide, I suggest the free version of DVDFab. (you don't need to purchase the full version; the free version rips raw data only, without re-encoding, which is exactly what we want when making AMVs :P).
After you rip your DVDs, you should have .vob file(s).
But before you can use them, they need to be indexed; otherwise you will have slow seeking times, frame-inaccuracies, and all sorts of problems that you don't want to deal with. So, indexing the footage is kind-of like creating an index for a text-book: It makes all the frames easier for your computer to find =D
To index your footage, open your .vob file(s) with DGIndex (aka DGMPGDec, which should have been included in the AMVApp, as part of the Requirements section), and save your project to get a .d2v index file. (Just like in the above diagram and video above.)
Basically, you need a DVD drive connected to your computer; then install some Ripping Software (a computer program). Try to get the most up-to-date version so that you have a better chance at reading any DVDs you've got, even the newest ones with the latest encryption. There are a number of rippers you can use, but at the time of writing this guide, I suggest the free version of DVDFab. (you don't need to purchase the full version; the free version rips raw data only, without re-encoding, which is exactly what we want when making AMVs :P).
After you rip your DVDs, you should have .vob file(s).
But before you can use them, they need to be indexed; otherwise you will have slow seeking times, frame-inaccuracies, and all sorts of problems that you don't want to deal with. So, indexing the footage is kind-of like creating an index for a text-book: It makes all the frames easier for your computer to find =D
To index your footage, open your .vob file(s) with DGIndex (aka DGMPGDec, which should have been included in the AMVApp, as part of the Requirements section), and save your project to get a .d2v index file. (Just like in the above diagram and video above.)
(Eventually, I'll write more details about this process but for now you'll have to use the RELATED LINKS.)
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: DVD Ripping & Indexing) | NEXT: BD Ripping » |
| « BACK | BD (Blu-Ray) Ripping | NEXT » |
"...wooooooooooo..... shinier!"
BD (Blu-Ray) Ripping
Ripping BDs is pretty much the same process as ripping DVDs; you even use the same software:
DVDFab HD Decrypter. The big difference is you get .mt2s files or remuxed .mkv files (instead of .vob's.)
Of course, you will need a BD Drive in order to read/rip your BDs too ;)
If you need details on this process, go back to the DVD Section, or check out the RELATED LINKS.
DVDFab HD Decrypter. The big difference is you get .mt2s files or remuxed .mkv files (instead of .vob's.)
Of course, you will need a BD Drive in order to read/rip your BDs too ;)
If you need details on this process, go back to the DVD Section, or check out the RELATED LINKS.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: BD Blu-Ray Ripping) | NEXT: Other Footage » |
| « BACK | Other Footage | NEXT » |
"anime! ANIME!
It's EVERYWHERE!1!!!!111!1WIN!!!!1"
It's EVERYWHERE!1!!!!111!1WIN!!!!1"
Other Footage
Let's say you already ripped your footage and compressed it to a different file type for storage; or you did a TV capture; or you already pre-rendered some selected clips. Hopefully you didn't just download your footage :|
...or if you did... maybe you plan on buying the DVDs or BDs later when you have money or something... but whatever the reason, if your footage is already on your computer... then you can move on to the next section.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Other Footage) | NEXT: PART 2: Preparing & Cleaning » |
| « BACK | PART 2: Preparing & Cleaning | NEXT » |
"...is... hack3r... fr13ndly...?"
PART 2: Preparing & Cleaning your Footage
Yes, we are literally going to type commands in order to manipulate our footage! It may be a little awkward at first, but script manipulation is perhaps the most powerful and precise way to process digital media. Alternatively, you could use plugins for VirtualDub, but you'll still need to make a script so vdub can read your footage.
Note: we will be using VirtualDub in combination with AviSynth Scripts later. However, to keep things simple for beginners, we will be making our scripts using AvsPmod right away in the next section.
Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with the TIPS below. These simple hotkeys will really expand your skills when using a keyboard. Sadly, not many people know this stuff; nor realize how much easier it can make their lives. If you don't already use some of these on a regular basis... trust me: you will.
 |  never been so fun! |
Note: we will be using VirtualDub in combination with AviSynth Scripts later. However, to keep things simple for beginners, we will be making our scripts using AvsPmod right away in the next section.
Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with the TIPS below. These simple hotkeys will really expand your skills when using a keyboard. Sadly, not many people know this stuff; nor realize how much easier it can make their lives. If you don't already use some of these on a regular basis... trust me: you will.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Intro to Preparing & Cleaning) | NEXT: Writing AviSynth Scripts » |
| « BACK | Writing AviSynth Scripts | NEXT » |
"...ummm, Sir...? ...am I doing it right?"
VIDEO 1/3: Installations
Instructions
I. Download AMVapp
(1) It might be useful to have File Extensions showing-- like "AMVapp31.zip" (Google how)
(2) Right-click > extract...
(3) At this point, you can delete the .zip if you want...
(4) If possible, right-click > run as admin...
a. UnZip contents (1)(2)(3)
b. Install the following (4):
________________ b. Install the following (4):
- avisynth
- avspluginspack
- avspmod
c. Download & Install CCCP- avspluginspack
- avspmod
(1) It might be useful to have File Extensions showing-- like "AMVapp31.zip" (Google how)
(2) Right-click > extract...
(3) At this point, you can delete the .zip if you want...
(4) If possible, right-click > run as admin...
What is AviSynth?
I like to think of AviSynth as a programing/scripting language you can use to manipulate your footage. Yes, this means you type commands, and stuff happens to your video (or audio) :P
Here's an example script you can write with AvsPmod: (or even plain old Notepad)
Translated to English, this basically means:
Here's an example script you can write with AvsPmod: (or even plain old Notepad)
avisource("C:\AMV\randomclip.avi")
crop(8,0,-8,-0)
spline36resize(704,396)
1. go get your .avi clip from that location on your computer
2. then cut off 8 pixels from the left; 0 from the top; 8 from the right and; 0 from the bottom
3. then Resize your clip to a Resolution of 704x396 pixels using a spline36 method
2. then cut off 8 pixels from the left; 0 from the top; 8 from the right and; 0 from the bottom
3. then Resize your clip to a Resolution of 704x396 pixels using a spline36 method
VIDEO 2/3: How do I use AviSynth?
Instructions
Or create scripts manually [+]
---------------
1. Drag-and-Drop your footage into AvsPmod (or make script manually as indicated)
2. Using the bar on the bottom, preview how your footage looks
-if directshowsource() is used, change it to ffvideosource() for better frame-accuracy
-if that still doesn't work, find out what codec your video uses and download/install it.
3. On a new line in the script box, type the command you want (see examples below)
4. Press & Release F5 on your keyboard to refresh the script
5. Use the bar on the bottom to preview how your footage looks using the new script
6. Go to File > Save Script as... > Pick a location > Save
(Remember where you saved the .avs file-- you'll need it for later...)
1. Drag-and-Drop your footage into AvsPmod (or make script manually as indicated)
2. Using the bar on the bottom, preview how your footage looks
-if directshowsource() is used, change it to ffvideosource() for better frame-accuracy
-Press & Release F5 on your keyboard to refresh the script
-if your footage doesn't show up, try changing the sourcecall to DSS2()-if that still doesn't work, find out what codec your video uses and download/install it.
3. On a new line in the script box, type the command you want (see examples below)
4. Press & Release F5 on your keyboard to refresh the script
5. Use the bar on the bottom to preview how your footage looks using the new script
6. Go to File > Save Script as... > Pick a location > Save
(Remember where you saved the .avs file-- you'll need it for later...)
VIDEO 3/3: Preparing Your Footage with AviSynth
Examples: What can I do with AviSynth?
The number of things you can do to your footage is pretty much endless,
but here is one example of a full script with sort descriptions of what each line does:
NOTE: you may not need any of these functions so don't just blindly copy/paste it into your own script!
but here is one example of a full script with sort descriptions of what each line does:
MPEG2Source("C:\SOURCE\DVD_Index.d2v", cpu=0) # declares and gets source footage
tfm(mode=1,pp=5,slow=2,micmatching=2,clip2=tdeint(mode=2,type=3))
# removes interlacing
tdecimate() # removes duplicate frames (29.97fps-->23.976fps)
ttempsmooth() # cleaning filter (noise removal)
crop(8,0,-8,-0) # removes 8px black borders on left/right
spline36resize(704,396) # resizes to a smaller 16:9 resolution
lsfmod() # sharpening filter
gradfunkmirror() # gradient restoration
assumefps(23.98) # framerate change via speed adjustment
# This is a Comment (anything after a '#' symbol is not read by AviSynth)
# Notice how the sequential order of commands is important;
# For example, you need to declare your source footage before doing anything to it.
Well, hopefully that wasn't so bad. Because at this point, it's all about familiarizing yourself with AviSynth usage. The next few articles under Preparing & Cleaning shall deal with specific scenarios that you may or may not have to deal with in your own footage; like Interlacing, Frame rate Adjustments, Cropping/Resizing/Aspect Ratio, and Cleaning.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Writing AviSynth Scripts) | NEXT: Interlacing » |
| « BACK | Dealing with Interlacing | NEXT » |
Not all footage has interlacing; and it doesn't occur on all frames either.
A. Removing Interlacing
Interlacing is usually present on DVDs; but to find out if you do have it, scan through your footage using AvsPmod or VirtualDub via AviSynth Script. If present, it will look like fine scan lines during motion.
If your footage does have interlacing, and you want to remove it, give this script a try: (for NTSC DVD's)
tfm(mode=1,pp=5,slow=2,micmatching=2,clip2=tdeint(mode=2,type=3))
Copy & Paste it into the script dialogue (using ctrl+c and ctrl+p)and hit F5 on your keyboard to Refresh.
(Then, you'll have to scan through your footage again to see if it worked.)
Custom Methods
Unfortunately, the above method won't work in all cases, so you may have to customize your script. However, I am probably not going to teach you how to do this any time soon. For now, the above method is pretty decent since it first uses Inverse Telecine to try to restore the original Progressive Frames; then at times when it can't do that, it automatically reverts to Deinterlace the frame instead, which we have customized with TDeint(). Sounds complicated? Yeah, well... it is... and now you know why I don't really feel like trying to explaining it :P But if you are interested, you can Google the Documentation, and it might actually makes sense. Or not. You'll have to see for yourself ^__^;;
Also, be aware that there are a number of different ways interlacing will manifest itself; and some interlacing is more difficult to remove than others; so different methods need to be used. Often, customizing your script is the only way to get rid of it. And sometimes you just can't get rid of it all (well, not easily anyway...). I'm not going to lie, a lot of scripting won't seem to make sense, at least, not in the beginning. And I fully admit there are tons of AviSynth functions that I have to look up, read, and re-read. But again, if you want, you can Google the Documentation for various methods of removing interlacing, or check out the RELATED LINKS.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Dealing with Interlacing) | NEXT: Framerate » |
| « BACK | Framerate | NEXT » |
Video is just a sequence of images shown really really fast.
B. Framerate
Generally you always try to use the original framerate of the animation so your motion is just as smooth as the original: Most anime is 23.976fps (FILM).
Yet if you are using DVD footage, it will probably come up as 29.97fps (NTSC DVDs) or 25.00fps (PAL DVDs). Don't worry, this means you have duplicate frames (likely a result of removing interlacing), which we will simply remove. If you don't do this, the animation may appear jerky, particularly during panning/zooming scenes where the motion seems to stutter.
The Importance of using a Common Framerate
If it's possible, you should always try to use the same framerate for everything, otherwise you won't know exactly where you are making your cuts (since you can't realistically cut in-between a frame, your program must round to the nearest frame edge.) In some parts of your AMV, you may get the frames you want (and synchronization will be correct); but in other parts, you may not get the frames you want (and synchronization may be off). In some cases this only means a difference of 1 frame, which may or may not be a big deal depending on how accurate your synchronization needs to be; but it's still best to use a common framerate for everything if you can-- especially for AMVs where timing is critical.
Fixing/Adjusting fps (frames per second)
If you don't have 23.976fps, add the following line and hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh:
TDecimate() # for 29.97fps ---> 23.976fps
TDecimate(cycle=25) # for 25.00fps ---> 23.976fps
In case you need another framerate, try doing the following after TDecimate():
Assumefps(29.97)
# this will speed up or slow down your footage to meet the target framerate.
# keep in mind your footage will be faster or slower than the original
# for 23.976 --> 29.97fps that means 25% faster
# (which may or may not look strange in an AMV...)
Remove tdecimate() from your script so the duplicate frames are not removed.
# keep in mind your motion won't be as smooth when duplicates are present.
Changefps(29.97)
# this will selectively add/remove frames to meet the target framerate.
# keep in mind your motion won't be as smooth as the original.
# timing could be slightly off; and may or may not be noticeable.
This Guide is a Work in Progress. For more information use the RELATED LINKS.
TIPS:
- Sometimes AMV contests will require a framerate of 29.97fps for DVD playback; which is not the fps of most anime... but you'll have to deal with it using one of the above methods... :|
- Typically, try to adjust your fps before you start editing
- In some programs, you cannot set the project settings to 23.976, so you may want to use 23.98fps instead.
RELATED LINKS
A/VTech: Dealing with the new FPS
Theory: DVD's
Help Improve this Section
a-m-v.org Forum
« BACK (DONE: Framerate) NEXT: Cropping, Resizing, and Aspect Ratio »
| « BACK | Crop/Resize/Aspect | NEXT » |
True for the most part; but there is a lot more to it than that.
C. Resolution, Cropping, Resizing, and AR (Aspect Ratio)
Resolution: The width and height of a video frame in px (pixels). ex) 640x480
Cropping: The process of cutting off the edge(s) of an image
Resizing: Changing the Resolution of a video
AR (Aspect Ratio): The intended ratio of a video's width to height. ex) 4:3
- Typically, your footage will have an AR of 4:3 or 16:9, and sometimes 2.35:1 <---(2.35 to 1) - Be aware that there are exceptions to these common conventions-- including DVDs.
Calculating & Expressing AR
Often, AR is Expressed in Different Ways:
by Common Name, Actual Dimension Ratio, Whole Ratio, Decimal Value, or Decimal Ratio.
...I know it's pretty annoying, but they all mathematically mean the same thing.
"FullScreen" = 640/480, 720/540, etc... = 4/3 (or 4:3) = 1.333... = 1.33:1 | "WideScreen" = 1280/720, 704/396, etc... = 16/9 (or 16:9) = 1.777... = 1.78:1 | "NTSC DVD" (before stretching) = 720/480 = 3/2 (or 3:2) = 1.5 = 1.5:1 |
| So, regardless of how AR is expressed, the math never lies: | ||
But, for clarity sake, I personally prefer giving both the Actual Dimensions and the Decimal value.
DVDs & The Exceptions: The Biggest Mistake AMVers Make!
A few of you may have noticed in the above example, DVD Resolutions are not mathematically 4:3 or 16:9 straight off of the disc. As such, the two most Common Types of DVDs you may encounter are:
- NTSC DVD's. Which have a resolution of 720x480 (North America)
- PAL DVD's. They have a resolution of 720x576 (Europe, Australia...)
And this is how AR is reconciled. ---> via S t r e t c h i n g: - PAL DVD's. They have a resolution of 720x576 (Europe, Australia...)
- So, DVD footage must be stretched (or squished) so that it has the correct AR during
playback. A simple Resize is all you need (see the example cropping/resizing script below).
- But if you leave your DVD footage at 720x480 or 768x576 it will be wrong.
playback. A simple Resize is all you need (see the example cropping/resizing script below).
- But if you leave your DVD footage at 720x480 or 768x576 it will be wrong.
----------------------------
Other file types may do this same stretch-during-playback-thing using an AR Flag. It is just a piece of information in the file that tells your computer "Hey! Stretch me during playback!" I don't really recommend this method for AMVs... however, there are some advantages explained below for those that are curious.
How to Crop & Resize: An Example
Crop(8,0,-8,-0) # removes 8px black borders on left/right
Spline36Resize(704,396) # resizes to a smaller 16:9 resolution
Combining Different Resolutions
When combining Multiple Sources with different resolutions/AR's, it is best to crop/resize them so they all have a common resolution. For best results you should do this manually. However, for convenience, I have also written a function called BestFit() that you might be interested in trying out.
Beating a Dead Horse. And for those that want to get Technical.
AR (Aspect Ratio) typically refers to the ratio of width to height of a video during playback. The three AR's you will encounter the most are Fullscreen, Widescreen, and Extra-Widescreen (Scope). Numerically, those ratios would be 4:3, 16:9, and ~2.35:1 respectively. Examples of widths x heights that match these AR's would be 640x480, 1280x720, and 1280x544, if you just do the math/division.
An important note about AR: Some footage, particularly DVD's, stretch during playback to match one of the above AR's. In North America, this usually means footage starts out as 720x480 (which has a 'wrong' AR of 3:2), and it stretches to 720x540 for Fullscreen, or ~854x480 for Widescreen. This is how a DVD can be BOTH Widescreen AND Fullscreen.
As such, this is a very common mistake for beginners and seasoned AMVers alike. (And remember, this is only some footage; however, if it's from a DVD, this is probably the case.)
So then, how do you stretch your footage? Well, one way is to look for "Aspect Ratio" Settings somewhere in your editing program. (Do note, however, that some editing programs differentiate between three separate aspect ratios: the AR of your Footage, the AR of your Project, and in some cases, the AR of your Final Exported File too. If they all match, things usually work out the way you want, but sometimes it takes some experimentation to figure out what the program actually means when they say Aspect Ratio; sometimes AR can refer to the Pixel Aspect Ratio, PAR, which is the ratio of the Pixel's width to height, typically 1:1)
For me, I usually encode an entirely separate file resized to the correct AR so that I get exactly what I want, and I don't have to worry about AR issues, (among some other advantages like frame-accuracy and faster seek-times). The whole process can be a lot of work if you are not familiar, but that's what this guide is for ;)
However, in the end it usually boils down to two options:
1. Crop/Resize it with avisynth before/after editing, using the above scripts; or
2. Flag the final encode with the proper AR so it stretches during playback
(in Zarx264gui there's an Auto-Calculate option in the Advanced Tab)
Personally, I resize everything beforehand so that the AR of text/effects doesn't get ruined by AR stretch.
----------------------
Technical Note
Information presented here is slightly inaccurate since it doesn't take into account things like Active Picture Region. However, I would say the reasoning behind it is generally correct. And you will probably get the results you want for making a simple little AMV. However if you really want to take the technical route --more than I have covered here-- feel free to check out these links:
----------------------
This Guide is a Work in Progress. For more information use the RELATED LINKS.
TIPS:
- DVD footage must be Stretched to the correct AR (Aspect Ratio) or it WILL BE WRONG.
- If you must resize, try to do it so only the vertical or horizontal resolution is altered. This helps preserve the original quality.
- Using heights & widths that are Divisible by 16 makes processing more efficient. (aka MOD16)
RELATED LINKS
A/VTech: Dealing with Aspect Ratios
A/VTech: Aspect Ratios and Frame Sizes for Online Distribution
Theory: DVD's
Theory: Aspect Ratios
Help Improve this Section
a-m-v.org Forum
« BACK (DONE: Crop/Resize/Aspect) NEXT: Cleaning (Phase I) »
| « BACK | Cleaning (Phase I) | NEXT » |
D. Cleaning (part I)
Here is a list of possible defects you may find in your footage:
- Dot Crawl
- Rainbowing
- Blocking
- Noise
- Aliasing
- Artifacts
- Blurry
- Halos
- Banding (broken gradients)
- Over-filtered
- Blended frames
- Jerky Motion
- Aspect Ratio
- Borders
- Subtitles/Logos
At this point it might not be a bad idea to look over Tutorial 8 again:
VIDEO 1/1: Preparing Your Footage with AviSynth
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=101111#p1340074
This Guide is a Work in Progress. For more information use the RELATED LINKS.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Cleaning, Phase I) | NEXT: PART 3: Editing Methods » |
| « BACK | PART 3: Editing Methods | NEXT » |
"...Method... Technique... same difference Naruto..."
Editing Methods
There are a number of different ways you can get your footage into your editing program; but the last thing you want to do is just drag-and-drop the original file into your editor. You want to get your footage into an editing-friendly format first. Typically, this is determined by the Codec you use:
A codec is almost like the language your computer uses to Code/Decode your footage; or rather, what it uses to Read/Write the file. It's almost like having a dictionary you use to read/write another language, and the language in our case would be Video. Some examples are: x264, XviD, and UTVideo.
This should not be confused with Container, which refers to the method of encapsulating your Audio/Video Codecs. Examples of containers would be .mp4 .avi .mp3 .mkv (you can usually find this at the end of your file like "awesomeamv.mp4"
If you don't see that dot followed by three characters, make sure you figure out how to show File Extensions on your computer first. By default, Windows hides those file extensions.)
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Intro to Editing Methods) | NEXT: Method 1: Lossless Editing » |
| « BACK | Method 1: Lossless Editing | NEXT » |
(Recommended Method)
"...I can never Lose!"
Lossless Editing
The purpose of Lossless Editing goes back to the Objectives of this whole guide: to get our footage into a format that is Editing Friendly: with Faster Seeking Times in the timeline; Full-Quality; Frame-Accurate; and Reliable. Sure it may take up some extra time and disc space...
...but it makes editing sooooooooo much easier!
Anyway, at this point you should already have a basic AviSynth Script for your footage (with any modifications you think are necessary). And now, we are simply going to read the output of our script with VirtualDub, and turn it into usable footage. (Included in the AMVapp, from the Requirements)
VIDEO 1/2: Installing VirtualDub & UTvideo
VIDEO 2/2: Making Lossless Files with VirtualDub
Instructions
Open your script with VirtualDub (Drag-and-Drop)
1. Video > Compression > Ut Video Codec YUV420 > ok
2. Video > Fast recompress ; Audio > No audio
3. Mark off the Start and End points of the segment you want
4. File > Save as avi... (or F7)
5. If you want to save multiple clips in a row without waiting for each clip to render:
6. Wait for all clips to render, then close vdub
2. Video > Fast recompress ; Audio > No audio
3. Mark off the Start and End points of the segment you want
4. File > Save as avi... (or F7)
5. If you want to save multiple clips in a row without waiting for each clip to render:
- File > Queue as Batch Operation > Save as Avi... (or Ctrl+Shift+F7)
- Then once you are ready: File > Job Control > Start
- Then once you are ready: File > Job Control > Start
6. Wait for all clips to render, then close vdub
Note 1: You can save the whole video by not marking off Start/End-points
Note 2: Lossless files tend to be several gigabytes in size (BIG: ~20-80GB),
so if you don't have enough disc space, make shorter clips, or resize to a smaller resolution.
Note 3: Other Lossless Codecs include Lagarith and HuffYUV,
However, Ut Video is usually preferred for it's fast decoding speed.
Note 2: Lossless files tend to be several gigabytes in size (BIG: ~20-80GB),
so if you don't have enough disc space, make shorter clips, or resize to a smaller resolution.
Note 3: Other Lossless Codecs include Lagarith and HuffYUV,
However, Ut Video is usually preferred for it's fast decoding speed.
At this point, you should be well-equipped with the ability to convert your footage to Editing-Friendly Footage that is Fast, Frame-Accurate, and Reliable. There are still some important steps to follow --so you're not done yet-- but most of the major skills necessary to easily make a high quality AMV have been covered by now ^__^
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Method 1: Lossless Editing) | NEXT: Method 2: Lossy Editing » |
| « BACK | Method 2: Lossy Editing | NEXT » |
(Not Recommended)
"...dude, look. I made an AMV lol"
Lossy Editing
I hesitate to even write this section because the alternatives are much much better, but truthfully, there are some formats and encoding techniques that allow you to throw away some quality... and are still suitable for editing, though uncommon. Some of these formats can be accessed the same way as Lossless Codecs:
But whatever you do, DON'T use Distribution Formats like XviD or DivX in your editing program. What does is mean? Well, there are two groups of video formats: those that are made for sharing over the internet, typically characterized by small file sizes at the expense of some quality loss, for 'Distribution;' and the second type are those that are lossless in quality and are made for editing. We obviously want to use the second type. Distribution/lossy formats use inter-frame compression techniques that, while good for reducing file sizes, can unfortunately cause problems in your editing program. (like frame-inaccuracy, slow seek-times in your timeline, low quality, instability, unreliability, or even nasty program crashes).
Now... if you are really set on doing lossy editing, I can't stop you, but it's best if you at least know what you are doing. In that case, you'll have to read the long explanation below; otherwise just forget about it... and use one of the other methods-- like you probably should be doing in the first place.
But whatever you do, DON'T use Distribution Formats like XviD or DivX in your editing program. What does is mean? Well, there are two groups of video formats: those that are made for sharing over the internet, typically characterized by small file sizes at the expense of some quality loss, for 'Distribution;' and the second type are those that are lossless in quality and are made for editing. We obviously want to use the second type. Distribution/lossy formats use inter-frame compression techniques that, while good for reducing file sizes, can unfortunately cause problems in your editing program. (like frame-inaccuracy, slow seek-times in your timeline, low quality, instability, unreliability, or even nasty program crashes).
Now... if you are really set on doing lossy editing, I can't stop you, but it's best if you at least know what you are doing. In that case, you'll have to read the long explanation below; otherwise just forget about it... and use one of the other methods-- like you probably should be doing in the first place.
Why are some formats 'bad?' An explanation for the curious.
This has a lot to do with the trade-off between quality and file-size. See, there aren't that many formats that allow you to throw away quality to reduce file size and are still suitable for editing. One reason for this is because of something called inter-frame compression, where a frame isn't really a frame; but rather, it is made up of parts of the next frame to reduce file size.
"Inter-frame compression uses one or more earlier or later frames in a sequence to compress the current frame, while Intra-frame compression uses only the current frame." (See: Data Compression and GOP Structure.)
To help understand... think of a video that consists of two frames only: Frame 1 is of your favourite anime character sitting there doing nothing. Frame 2 is the same image, but with their mouth slightly open, about ready to talk. If you saved *all* the data from both frames, Frame 1 takes up 1KB, and Frame 2 also takes up 1KB for a total of 2KB. However, if Frame 2 is virtually identical to Frame 1, besides a moving mouth, why should Frame 2 take up the same amount of file space when it could simply use data from Frame 1? I mean, the background of the image doesn't change... the character is still sitting in the same chair... and the character doesn't really even move... except for their mouth...
This is pretty much where inter-frame compression comes in: because with inter-frame-compression, NOW Frame 2 only takes up 0.1KB worth of data since it only contains information for the moving mouth; the rest of the data can come from Frame 1. So, the total file size is drastically reduced to a mere 1.1KB for both frames. Now this is great if you need to send the file over the internet; and it works fine if you are watching the footage from start to finish. But with video editing, that's not the case. Often times, you seek forwards and backwards, or you begin somewhere in the middle of your footage. So, think about how your editing program is going to handle that? If you start at Frame 2, your program is going to get confused because there isn't really a full frame at that moment --only part of a frame. And in order to re-create the full image, your program has to look backwards to the previous frame to get the rest of the data. This requires more processing power to handle, expecially when there is a long chain sequence of frames that rely on each other. So naturally, reading the footage is going to be slow and lag in your editing program. Not only does this make editing more painful to perform, but this whole process of decoding previous frames can cause programs to lose track of what information goes where, leading to frame-inaccuracies where something you thought was supposed to happen at a certain time, ends up occurring at a different moment, which can screw up your AMV timing/synchronization, or in some cases, even cause nasty program/system crashes.
To overcome this issue, Editing-Friendly formats don't use inter-frame compression, and save every frame as a keyframe-- a full frame. Of course, this means your file sizes will be much larger; but when you seek through your footage in your timeline, there is almost nothing to decode; so the frames are displayed pretty much instantly. This makes for a much more pleasant editing experience where there is no lag: you don't have to wait for your computer to catch up when performing simple actions like: making your cuts, fades, and moving your clips around in the timeline. For this reason, you generally find good Editing-Friendly formats to be rather large in file size; and if a file is small in size, that is an indication it is highly compressed; and almost certainly uses inter-frame compression, which, as we have established, would make it 'bad' for editing. Alright. Now that you know all that, I think I'll tell you how to edit using lossy-- ohwait. nvm. I changed my mind. Just don't do it. Use one of the other method instead, please.
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Method 2: Lossy Editing) | NEXT: Method 3: FrameServing » |
| « BACK | Method 4: Proxy Editing | NEXT » |
"...can you tell what is Real? and what is just Proxy?"
Proxy Editing
The whole purpose of Proxy Editing is to provide a way for your computer to perform difficult editing tasks on dummy/fake footage (known as Proxies) when it would otherwise be too strenuous to perform on the Real footage. This may be useful if you are dealing with massive Lossless Files (possibly HD) that simply don't read fast enough in your timeline (probably bottlenecked by Hard Drive Read Speeds), or if you try the FrameServing method, and find it to be too slow.
So the whole idea is to make two files (with different quality resolutions and/or codecs), then trick your editor into using whatever file it see's in the file location of your footage. As long as they look the same frame-by-frame, and have the same name and file extension (like .avi), your editor cannot distinguish between the two files. So, just like in the diagram, you can switch between the two as needed.
The Old Switcheroo... (aka 'Bait-and-Switch' with Proxies)
A. To make your "Real" File(s), simply make Lossless Files, or doing FrameServing.
B. To make your "Proxy" File(s), install the Midvid Codec, and use it in VirtualDub's Compression dialogue.
(alternatively you can use the MJPEG option offered by ffdshow (which comes with CCCP)
Now, you could switch files the long way by swapping clips directly in your timeline, or...
- 1. Close your editor.
2. Switch the file location of your footage with the Real/Proxy file. (my moving or renaming files)
3. Re-open your editor, and hope it uses the swapped file in your timeline instead.
4. Then just Edit with the Proxy file; Render with the Real file.
Suggestions for Success
a. Make sure your Proxy file has the same framerate as your Real file.
b. Repeat this process as you edit, so you know it is working, ensuring all your frames line up.
(You really don't want to botch your whole project...)
c. You may need to change your project framesize to match the new file.
d. Play with resolution/quality of your proxy file using
I've gone as low as 320x180, and it was lightning fast (quality was iffy but good enough for me...)
b. Repeat this process as you edit, so you know it is working, ensuring all your frames line up.
(You really don't want to botch your whole project...)
c. You may need to change your project framesize to match the new file.
d. Play with resolution/quality of your proxy file using
Spline36Resize(width, height).
I've gone as low as 320x180, and it was lightning fast (quality was iffy but good enough for me...)
I find the nicest thing about proxy editing is: you can use the slowest computer ever, and it will still be fast in your timeline; assuming you aren't applying any effects that require processing power.
(until it comes to rendering... but I usually render on a different computer at home anyway... )
TIPS:
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| « BACK | (DONE: Method 4: Proxy Editing) | NEXT: SECTION III: EDITING » |