In the following screencast I demonstrate how to use the chroma-key effect in OpenShot Video Editor. Watch me create the newest demo video (also shown below).
In this video, you will also see our 2 new features, our static timeline and simple export options. I created this screencast with version 0.9.43 of OpenShot, and used gtk-recordMyDesktop.
Here is the demo video I created in the above screencast. I used the simple export setting "Vimeo-HD" to create this video.
If you get the itch to create your own screencast of OpenShot, please let me know so I can link to it from this website. =)
I need to stop blogging now and get back to my email. It's overflowing at the moment. If you are waiting on me to respond to one of your emails, please be patient. Thanks!
October 5, 2009 2:05 PM
That was great! It was almost like a tutorial + promo for OpenShot all at the same time.
Love the video output simplicity too!
Can't wait to try this out soon! (My Ubuntu box has a failed HDD that needs replacing)
October 6, 2009 1:18 PM
Hi Jonathan
For the first tutorial video it's great.
It's the first for a long serie and soon will have some others tutorials (pdf or odt).
Cenwen/Olivier
October 7, 2009 12:15 AM
I tried latest build, great stuff!!!
Still, simple undo/redo are still missing. Anyway, I'm sure those will be included in the near future.
Go go, bring the beast to the daylight!
October 7, 2009 3:50 PM
What a wonderful project!! I just discovered this piece of software and I love it!
You have a new fan, I suscribed your feed :)
October 8, 2009 2:35 PM
A-WE-SOME!
Keep it going Man! Keep it going!
October 10, 2009 6:46 AM
Well done
I have Ubuntu running in a Sun VirtualBox on Win Vista. It's not quick enough for smooth playback in a virtual machine emulation but it should allow me to try out the user interfaces of Kdenlive 0.7.6 and OpenShot.
I've just got it all running, and I'll get back to you with my initial impressions of how they compare, if you like :)
October 11, 2009 3:57 AM
"I've just got it all running, and I'll get back to you with my initial impressions of how they compare, if you like :)"
i don't think people need comparatif .. here it's open shot dev, no other ...
October 11, 2009 1:03 PM
There's a comment you might like to see at ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=8088455
"OpenShot has really impressed me with the way it has been developed by one programmer. The blog http://www.openshotvideo.com/ shows how he has assessed frameworks and programming languages, and made very good progress with the lone effort - the number of features added in such short time... wow! It loads my MJPEG MOV files no problem, and even the newfangled AVCHD Lite 720p MTS clips too.
However, from following the progress with interest from afar, I've just made the effort to load it up and see what it's like to drive.
I'm disappointed to find that he seems to have made a wrong turn with the user interface. He has gone down the "tools" route of photo editors and PDF viewers - making the number of actions with the normal mouse pointer very limited until you select a specific tool and then the pointer changes... etc.
This makes sense with a photo editor or PDF viewer because with those kind of applications there is no concept of "current" position. You can't leave a cursor or something positioned somewhere and then move the mouse pointer away to select an action - but with a video editor you can because there's a vertical line marking the current position on the timeline, so the "tools" approach is clumsy.
For example, if you want to trim a clip to remove the shaky bits at the start and end? With Kdenlive, and the Windows freebie "VideoPad" you simply click on the side of a clip in the timeline and drag it to change the length of the clip. Simple and intuitive. Not so in OpenShot which forces you to click the resize button, changing into resize mode with a new mouse pointer appearance, and then do exactly what you could have quite easily done without all that mucking about!
The ideal NLE interface can achieve wonders without tools and mouse pointer "modes" - it's not difficult to find places on a timeline clip to click on to achieve what he's trying to do with tool modes. It seems to be particularly ridiculous to have to select a "razor tool" mode to split a clip into two - and "fly blind" when it comes to placing the "razor" and where exactly the split happens. Why not just pause playback where you want the split to happen - WHILE ABLE TO SEE on the monitor where you are... and then press a simple button (or key combo) to do it?
I hope the programmer has a good think about this and changes the approach. He's obviously very talented and much of OpenShot shows huge potential. I just hope he stops and thinks..... maybe has a play with other NLE software..... and then realises how much easier he could make it for his users :)
October 11, 2009 2:35 PM
Thanks for sharing the comment from ubuntuforums.org. The issues mentioned are good points, and most are already mentioned in our bug system. These improvements will come, hopefully sooner than later. =)
Thanks!
-Jonathan
October 12, 2009 3:48 AM
You have been thanked and praised on the forum :)
Well done for being so open to constructive criticism.
October 12, 2009 10:00 PM
Wow, this Chroma-Key is great! It keyed out my footage better than "After Effects" on the first attempt. It's variance setting is very sensitive.
The only thing I don't like is that you can't repeat an effect on the same clip, so you kant key out more than one color.
As the rate this proyect grows I think I'll be able to fully replace Premiere in less than a year!
October 12, 2009 10:55 PM
@corper
Thanks for the comment! I agree with you, we need the ability to add the same effect multiple times. We'll get there. =)
October 13, 2009 1:57 PM
Hello corper,
You make a very valid point here on Chroma Key usage; especially relating to artistic freedom.
However I would add one caveat: Using multiple layering of effects will cause a very large increase in the processing to render the final movie.
To avoid this, I tend to prepare parts of a video and render them as processed clips for inclusion in the final movie.
This is the same as the standard technique of "baking" used in Blender to conserve resources.
Best wishes, Helen
October 13, 2009 2:12 PM
I think the chroma key effect is one of the more common effects you might want to use more than once. For example, if you had some green and some red that needed to be removed from a clip, this is the only way to easily achieve that.