Spot to get rid of out of 720 frames!

[Norm Sanders]

So I've got this nasty spot that I'm convinced was some abbaration in the groundglass, or a small chip in the lens (because of how I can see it refract a few pixels of the image from time to time).

For the final HD files, I'd like to clean this spot out of the frames, and I'm thinking the easiest way would be with the healing brush, and an automation script. But since the frames vary, I'm concerned with the healing brush grabbing from stuff that it shouldn't for various frames, etc.

Thoughts?

Here are the two commercials that I need to fix:
www.eefilm.com/heinz/spec1hd.wmv

www.eefilm.com/heinz/spec2hd.wmv

This one, I'm guessing because there's no camera movement, and the spot happened to fall on darker backgrounds, is fine: www.eefilm.com/heinz/spec3hd.wmv

Thanks in advance,
Norm

 

[Matt Grunau]

So I've got this nasty spot that I'm convinced was some abbaration in the groundglass, or a small chip in the lens (because of how I can see it refract a few pixels of the image from time to time).

For the final HD files, I'd like to clean this spot out of the frames, and I'm thinking the easiest way would be with the healing brush, and an automation script. But since the frames vary, I'm concerned with the healing brush grabbing from stuff that it shouldn't for various frames, etc.

Thoughts?

The way the healing brush works, an automated script or action is not going to help as a "save all". I see the problem you have, though it is not nearly as noticeable to the average view unless you tell them what to look for.

I am afraid if you go the Photoshop route, you will probably have to approach this as a shot by shot, and even frame by frame fix. There are times when you don't really notice it, mostly when the camera is not moving, but there are times, especially at the beginning of the first link when it is very obvious.

You may find it easier to fix only the frames you need to fix. Take a good hard look, find out where it seems the most noticeable, and fix those parts only.

Also, remember, once the real action starts, and by action, I mean the introduction of all those hot chicks, the eye is taken, let us say, elseware.

I saw it very well until the first hottie arrived, and then didn't notice it at all. My attention, was on the actress.

But I would caution against doing this in Photoshop, as it is playing at 30fps, and the little dot in question may be made more obvious be trying to correct it frame by frame, because unless you get it exactly right, you will exaggerate the "error".

Perhaps the clone stamp in After Effects or something of that order, made for video will be the best route.

I don't think Photoshop would be your best route.


And on the last commercial, I couldn't even really spot it as much as the first.

And your second link is dead.


Try to remember what the viewer will see, and also remember, unless the client complains, keep it to yourself. I have spent more hours that I could count, fixing things I saw as a major problem, only to find out that after 5 screenings, and multiple hundreds of viewers, no one saw what I saw. Bear that in mind.


And great work, by the way.



M

 

[Norm Sanders]

Thanks for the advice, Matt. I don't know how to work After Effects AT ALL, so it's not a route that I can take personally, at least. I see that I hadn't even loaded Spec2 to that folder ... doing so now, so it should be active next time you check ... and this is a spot I think it's as noticeable, or even worse.

I'm not even sure if it shows at all in Spec3, and I think I've even looked for it some too.

Good advice, but since it's not so much for a client (unless Heinz picks one of these from the contest), and more for my reel, I really want to get rid of that freakin' eye sore ... so I'll see if I can do a test with a section that has movement in it, and see if I can actually do it without exageratting any problem.

For any static shots where it's just sitting there, I should be able to use an automated script for those frames, as that way I can guarantee it's the same exact healing/clone effect for each frame.

Oh, and thanks for the kudos. I think #1 is the most entertaining (making people laugh, and it goes by VERY quickly, and #3 is the most polished. I think #2 still needs some VO work or something at the end to really sell the concept.

 

[DeVi| D0do]

Honestly, I only noticed the spot in shots 2,3 and 4... I couldn't even find it in any of the others.

 

[Matt Grunau]

For any static shots where it's just sitting there, I should be able to use an automated script for those frames, as that way I can guarantee it's the same exact healing/clone effect for each frame.

For the static shots, that will work, as long as nothing passes in front of it.