How to simulate typewriting text?

[orizaba]

Any idea?

I am testing some easy modes like recording (WM CAPTURE v6.0.4) fullscreen while typewriting text in Word.

I get a MPEG-2 file, 12000kbps 25fps progressive (no audio).

Text file is 161sec long but it runs in PTE in only 66sec, what is good, as I can write slowly and make no mistakes, and it runs faster in PTE.

Effect is perfect. Quality is good.

Only problem: I still could not find a way to "mask" this text (white fonts over black background) as I only want to see the fonts over the movie/still, not even a small black rectangular background for the text or subtitle.

I tried to use the PTE rectangular mask and move it with keyframes along each font of the text: "still/go/stop&remain/go/stop&remain..."

Impossible because of a very hard work and typewriting pace is not natural at all.

So, any idea?

Thanks.

[orizaba]

Hi,

Lin Evans and TheDom have both created typewriter like animations.

Lin Evans Sample Letter

TheDom

Tom

Thanks, most useful.

I would like to know if Lin Evans' process can be used according to my "specifications".

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jose,

Unfortunately, it would not be a solution for what you want to do. In the case you described, the only way I know which might work involves creating your text in one of two ways, The first way would be to create the text as a PNG file with transparent background, then move a mask to reveal the characters one at a time. This would involve extensive coordination of the mask movement via keyframe. This method would work well for a small amount of "type" but probably would be too labor intensive for any lengthy paragraph.

The second way derives from the first and that would be to create individual characters as PNG files in the same manner. Then reveal the individual characters via opacity keyframing.

Best regards,

Lin

[davegee]

Typewriter.mp3

DG

[orizaba]

Hi Jose,

Unfortunately, it would not be a solution for what you want to do. In the case you described, the only way I know which might work involves creating your text in one of two ways, The first way would be to create the text as a PNG file with transparent background, then move a mask to reveal the characters one at a time. This would involve extensive coordination of the mask movement via keyframe. This method would work well for a small amount of "type" but probably would be too labor intensive for any lengthy paragraph.

The second way derives from the first and that would be to create individual characters as PNG files in the same manner. Then reveal the individual characters via opacity keyframing.

Best regards,

Lin

Hi Lin,

Thanks for your time.

Yes, too labor intensive, as I already thought.

Based on my "specifications" (as described before), it would be nice if PTE could accept "movie masks" instead of still graphics only.

This, I think, would solve the problem, as the movie mask containing complete text, would run at same time as text (WORD) itself, so such mask would let view the fonts, one by one, as they were writen.

Would it be a non-sense, a movie mask? Why?

I attach a snapshot made half way of the typewriting.

Mask is the black fonts (complete text), text are the white fonts.

If the mask was a movie, no "black spaces" would show, only the white typewriting.

Here is a PTE sample of what I mean.

https://rapidshare.com/files/3907723629/Sample_typewriting.zip

Regards,

Jose

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jose,

I've been thinking about it, and "maybe" there is an easier way. It's not "perfect," but it would be very easy to do and very quick.

Here's how to proceed - also I have included a little sample PTE file for you to look at - link below.

What you do is go into Photoshop or other editor and type in white letters (255, 255, 255) on a black background (zero, zero, zero) so you type your entire text that you want to appear as type. This will become your mask. Then you place this over your video and adjust the position and size to size and position your text accordingly. You will be able to see the white letters on the black background. Next you choose the color you want for your text and create a solid color jpg which will be panned as the "image" inside the mask. You will set keyframes to determine the speed that the "text" appears and the text color jpg will be "dragged across revealing the text in that color as it crosses the text mask. You then adjust the speed of the reveal of your text to correspond with the typing sound you use.

The letters of your text are revealed then sequentially. It's not "perfect" but as you can see in the sample, it's easy, quick and may be sufficient.

http://www.lin-evans.org/demo/typing1.zip

Best regards,

Lin

[orizaba]

Hi Jose,

I've been thinking about it, and "maybe" there is an easier way. It's not "perfect," but it would be very easy to do and very quick.

Here's how to proceed - also I have included a little sample PTE file for you to look at - link below.

What you do is go into Photoshop or other editor and type in white letters (255, 255, 255) on a black background (zero, zero, zero) so you type your entire text that you want to appear as type. This will become your mask. Then you place this over your video and adjust the position and size to size and position your text accordingly. You will be able to see the white letters on the black background. Next you choose the color you want for your text and create a solid color jpg which will be panned as the "image" inside the mask. You will set keyframes to determine the speed that the "text" appears and the text color jpg will be "dragged across revealing the text in that color as it crosses the text mask. You then adjust the speed of the reveal of your text to correspond with the typing sound you use.

The letters of your text are revealed then sequentially. It's not "perfect" but as you can see in the sample, it's easy, quick and may be sufficient.

http://www.lin-evans.org/demo/typing1.zip

Best regards,

Lin

Thanks so much Lin, I have just run your test and understood it quite well.

However, that continuous/uniform speed (mask panning) does not seem "natural" and part of the typewriting effect is lost.

It must be no-uniform at all, as it happens when we type.

What about "movie masks"? Impossible?

Thanks again and best regards,

Jose

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jose,

Yes, that's the "not perfect part."

Video masking has been discussed and Igor is thinking about how it might be implemented. We can only wait and see...

Best regards,

Lin

Thanks so much Lin, I have just run your test and understood it quite well.

However, that continuous/uniform speed (mask panning) does not seem "natural" and part of the typewriting effect is lost.

It must be no-uniform at all, as it happens when we type.

What about "movie masks"? Impossible?

Thanks again and best regards,

Jose

[orizaba]

Hi Jose & Lin,

I think you need what Non Linear Editors (video) have had for many years. That is chroma keying. Then you can select a color (green or ?) you want to use as the mask. It would be a very nice feature to have in PTE. I feel Igor has so many things he already wants to add that I will not bother him with one more.

For easy typewriter effect I recommend using Atlantis Word Processor. It has typewriter sounds and you can go full screen in typing mode. Then you just have record the screen. Free 30 day full featured demo.

http://www.atlantiswordprocessor.com/en/

Tom

Hi Tom,

You made my day!

Chroma keying? Why didn't I remember?

Please download

https://rapidshare.com/files/706876530/Chroma_key_sample.zipx

I only regret that text color for this test was a very bad choice, and threshold could be better tuned as well.

File used (movie+text) is a MPEG-2 HDV 1080-50i (1440x1080 25 Mbps) produced in my SONY VEGAS movie editor, but in the future it will be a nice and true MP4 (1920x1080) in order that movie does not loose so much quality.

Atlantis is fabulous, I didn't know it, and its several sounds can be useful, as is the case!

So, thanks very much for your help.

Regards,

Jose

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tom,

Looks like a viable solution if one has a video editor which does chroma key. I couldn't find any information about the price for Atlantis. Do you happen to know what it costs? I saw something on a review which indicated $35 but couldn't find a link on the Atlantis site to confirm. I guess they would prefer you download and install first. The only thing which would prevent me from buying it is the lack of support for adding images to the document. That's something they need to add to make it a real value for publishing. Most "Ebook" presentations have lots of pictures as well as illustrations, so something like MS Publisher seems to be necessary. The rather unique thing is the sounds and ability to change the color of the background. I see how this would easily facilitate chroma key. Chroma key is one of two important features which the competition has that PTE lacks which makes it possible to do many things with Producer which are difficult with PTE. With PTE it takes the extra step of doing the chroma key extraction and video recode outside using 3rd party software. Hopefully, Igor will be able to implement video masking and chroma key extraction - both are possible with Producer.

Best regards,

Lin

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tom,

I was just going by one of the review comments by a user who said "forget about trying to use images with it." Perhaps it's been improved in that respect since that particular review comment. I suppose the only way to know is to download and try it.

EDIT - I just downloaded it and I see no problems with adding images. You can't type over them in layers as you can with a desktop publishing software, but not a problem to center, left or right justify image and type above or beneath it.

Who knows - Igor has said he has some "surprises" for us in 7.5 so we will just have to wait in anxious anticipation to see what happens in the beta - LOL.

Best regards,

Lin

[orizaba]

Hi Tom,

I was just going by one of the review comments by a user who said "forget about trying to use images with it." Perhaps it's been improved in that respect since that particular review comment. I suppose the only way to know is to download and try it.

EDIT - I just downloaded it and I see no problems with adding images. You can't type over them in layers as you can with a desktop publishing software, but not a problem to center, left or right justify image and type above or beneath it.

Who knows - Igor has said he has some "surprises" for us in 7.5 so we will just have to wait in anxious anticipation to see what happens in the beta - LOL.

Best regards,

Lin

Hi Lin,

ATLANTIS WORD PROCESSOR 1.6.5.8 (last version), US$42,00 (35,00 + 7,00 tax)

Sure, insert pictures is standard.

Concerning chroma key in a future PTE version:

Yes, it would be useful.

However, after testing several values for green, blue, black and white, and several threshold values as well (Sony Vegas video editor), my conclusion is that chroma keying is not perfect, at least so perfect as in professional cinema.

I already had this idea from my amateur editing hobby using former AVID LIQUID movie editor (not supporting HDTV format). I remember I always used "alpha channel" instead of chroma key, which was a perfect solution.

As you know, alpha channel is only possible with 32 bit video (8bit red, 8bit green, 8bit blue, 8bit alpha channel).

Problem now is to be able to create a 32 bit video clip with alpha channel.Could Igor think on this? PTE with chroma key and alpha channel would be great!

By the way: some 2 years ago I asked for a "negative" mask in PTE, remember? Another member confirmed such interest.

Regards,

Jose

[Lin Evans]

Hi Jose,

Thanks! I'm not sure what the "tax" is for - that's much more than normal "sales tax" in the U.S. Ten percent tax would only be $3.50 so that must be some kind of VAT? If they charge that much "tax" for a United States sale, I wouldn't buy it because that's 20% and there is no state in the U.S. which charges that kind of sales tax. In Colorado the "state" sales tax is only 2.9%.

Yes, I remember about the Alpha channel and it has been discussed with Igor. I don't know what might become available in future versions of PTE, but it's "possible" to get excellent chroma key extraction with the right software. Even Adobe Premiere Elements has excellent tools for doing really good chroma key extractions - perhaps Sony isn't as good. Several years ago I had the top Sony product (over $1700) but I lost it when my hard drive crashed and never bothered to re-install and look up my unlock key (I think that was also lost), As I remember, it was difficult for me to use it (not intuitive for me) and since video was not yet available in PTE, I just didn't pursue it.

Maybe we will get lucky and have some of these features in a future version of PTE.... Let's hope...

Best regards,

Lin