follow the bouncing ball effect?

Question

Level 1

127 points

follow the bouncing ball effect?

Hi,

Does anyone know of a "follow the bouncing ball" effect available for iMovie HD?

I want to add lyrics and annotate a film, a sort of personal director's cut with trivia, etc. I'd have the film set in an slightly smaller area above the (white) text, with the rest of the screen being all black. If I could get a "follow the bouncing ball" effect to go along with the singing of the lyrics, that'd be cool. I can see it would be tricky to co-ordinate the ball with the singing of the lyrics but it might be do-able.

Many thanks for any help.

Cheers,

John L

15" Powerbook/1.67 Ghz (DL/HR), Mac OS X (10.4.10), 1.5 gb RAM

Posted on Sep 9, 2007 8:12 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 9, 2007 11:22 PM in response to lipwak

my usual advice for elaborated plug-ins is geethree.com, but, if I haven't overseen it, there's no 'karaoke' plug-in avail ...-

plus, what you said: setting the keyframes for fit-to-lyric is very tricky...

I guess, you need to purchase FinalCutExpress, and spend some hours to sync a bouncing ball to music ..

a quick Search at versiontracker spits out this beta.. :
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tuneprompter/

no ball, just lyrics ... but probably could be combined (=compositing) in FCE with video .. ?

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Answer 2

lipwak Author

Level 1

127 points

Sep 10, 2007 6:03 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

Thanks! I would be supplying the lyrics so finding them wouldn't be an issue.

I'll check out those sites.

Cheers,

John

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Answer 3

Sep 10, 2007 6:15 AM in response to lipwak

http://homepage.mac.com/kkirkster/MTV/
QuickTime Pro could add the karaoke style text track to the file (after export from iMovie).
Generating the text file is the easy part. Setting the time code to stylize the text takes a lot of patience.

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Answer 4

lipwak Author

Level 1

127 points

Sep 10, 2007 6:31 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

Wow. I've never seen quicktime movies that are a) without a frame and b) interactive.

The steps you suggest for doing the reveal are alot for me to try. I don't have Quicktime Pro but if I do decide to go this route that would give excellent results.

Thanks!

John L

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Answer 5

Sep 10, 2007 6:40 AM in response to lipwak

http://homepage.mac.com/kkirkster/64/
I "borrowed" the Beatles karaoke version of this and replaced my text with the original.
If you music is "standard" maybe someone has already done the hard work for you. You could then use QuickTime Pro to "extract" the text track and add it to your exported iMovie file.
The "frame-less" QuickTime files are known as "Skin Track" files. Made using QuickTime Pro.

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Answer 6

lipwak Author

Level 1

127 points

Sep 10, 2007 6:50 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

Hilarious! You're a pro.

The movie/music I would be doing this on is The Wicker Man so I'd need to sync the "bouncing ball"/'karaoke reveal' myself.

It is good to know it can be done!I'd prefer an iMovie plug-in but this is a very good alternative. Thanks!

Cheers,

John

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Answer 7

Sep 10, 2007 11:12 PM in response to lipwak

You're a pro.

Kirk is, when it comes to Quicktime.. but he's no good salesman... 😉
have a look at his 'book' (=pdf download), which he offers on his website:

http://homepage.mac.com/kkirkster/book/

in there, Kirk shares all his knowledge about QT.. which is enough to fill long winter nights ..

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Answer 8

Suz.

Level 2

306 points

Sep 21, 2007 10:54 PM in response to Karsten Schlüter

why in the world would you suggest a program well over a thousand dollars when it can be done in something like photoshop? Even in AppleWorks paint! Frame for frame. I've done it already. It's not rocket science. It's basic film making fx. With or without premade transitions/effects it can be done. it only needs to be thought through. planned out then done.

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Answer 9

Sep 21, 2007 11:11 PM in response to Suz.

Suz. wrote:
why in the world would you suggest a program well over a thousand dollars when it can be done in something like photoshop?

FinalCutEXPRESS is 299 ....-
it allows easy compositing and keyframing (=just set beginning and end position of 'ball', FCE doe the rest)

I've done Rotoscoping with Photoshop (.. which costs...? I pay for my apps...) too.. 25 frames per second? .. phphewww...

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Answer 10

Suz.

Level 2

306 points

Sep 22, 2007 12:15 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

okay then, FCE...299

what drawing program do you ALREADY have? it's still an animation. someone still has to do it. it's really no easier in any other program than iMovie or anything else. It only has to be thought through and SIMPLY executed. it's no biggie. think it through. it can be done.

Walt Disney created Fantasia with acetate and india ink. What is the big deal about a bouncing dot using a computer?

btw, Kirk, your little QT is cute. I feel your pain.

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Answer 11

Suz.

Level 2

306 points

Sep 22, 2007 9:17 AM in response to lipwak

John, is this the kind of effect you are looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4oFdt25L_0

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Answer 12

lipwak Author

Level 1

127 points

Sep 22, 2007 10:31 AM in response to Suz.

Yes, that'd be great. That was all done with iMovie HD? And I could (layer?) that on top of the existing video so that the existing video is still visible?

I'd also want to shrink that whole yellow background, or in my case probably black or maybe even slightly transparent, so that it only highlights the text as needed.

Thanks!

Message was edited by: John Lippincott

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Answer 13

Suz.

Level 2

306 points

Sep 22, 2007 11:14 AM in response to lipwak

i created my frames in Photoshop. Before I had PS, I used AppleWorks for years. I made a yellow background because that is what I wanted. I could have done it over a picture of me flipping pancakes, frame by frame. Whatever.

think it through, John. I am a firm believer that almost anything is possible without all the hiTech dingles and do-dads that cost bigger and bigger bucks it seems. For a dot, it's too too too easy to think you need to buy expensive software to move it around.

Walt Disney must be twirling around in his cryogenic case at this one.

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Answer 14

lipwak Author

Level 1

127 points

Sep 22, 2007 11:22 AM in response to Suz.

Great. I will try Appleworks. I agree that if it can be done with a little creativity using what you have, then that's the way to go. I couldn't go with the high-end suggestions offered here anyway.

It many be awhile before I get to doing this but I hope to report back with either a tale of success or asking for a tip here or there.

Thanks again,

John

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Answer 15

Suz.

Level 2

306 points

Sep 22, 2007 11:42 AM in response to lipwak

creativity and patience is the key. you already have a powerful tool to play around with.

good luck with it.

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