I agree Barry.

It does have a lot going for it, despite a number of things "lacking" that have been reported here. It's a great companion to PD, with its effects and plug-ins. The two, in combination offers lot more flexibility.

As you know well, PD has a number of "blur" and mask options which should meet most users' needs - particularly with the NewBlue plug-ins.

Where CDR is essentially for colour correction, PD has all the filters and effects.

PIX PIX YouTube channel

Quote: This is an excellent first-version program.
The ability to blur the mask/inverse would be outstanding, just a comment, very wishful...

Hi BG

You're absolutely right.

My workaround was to create the bokeh effect is:

1. Use mask - frame by frame around my subject - takes forever

2. Inverse mask

3. Make the inverse mask background black or green using exposure / replace colour

4. In PD use this CD file on track two and Chroma Key

5. In track one use original file clip with Gausian Blur effect.

And bingo, after an hour there you have it!

I do look forward to a blur mask too Happing editing

Best Regards

Neil
CubbyHouseFilms
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Quote: The ability to blur the mask/inverse would be outstanding, just a comment, very wishful...

Barry & all,

I came across a reference to "multiple blurred masks" in a blurb on ColorDirector, & sought clarification from CL. That led to some testing with applying multiple masks to a video clip & decreasing clarity & contrast in each one.

Applying multiple masks obviously magnifies the effect.

Even though this focuses on the pseudo blur effect (in response to Barry's original question), the same idea applies to all colour correction in CDR - using multiple masks.

To me, it would be far more efficient & effective to use PD &/or NewBlue FX for the purpose of blurring part of the video. However - the use of multiple masks in colour correction has a role to play.

I'm posting this not as a fine example of what can be done in CDR, but as my best attempt so far. It may be of some use. Making it helped my learning anyway!

http://youtu.be/3Bo0LSTGxBo

PIX

P.S. Neil, I tried your steps many times with varying degrees of success (none of them great!). PIX YouTube channel

Thanks PIX.

I find the Gradient mask an awesome piece of hardware to have in your editing arsenal.

Thanks for sharing Happing editing

Best Regards

Neil
CubbyHouseFilms
My Youtube Channel
My Vimeo Channel
PD3.5, 5, 6 & 7. Computer: Dell Dimension 5150, Intel Pen. 2.80 GHz, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT 256MB, Windows XP Pro!!
PD8 Ultra v3022. Computer: Dell Studio 1747, Intel, i7 Q740 1.73 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 560v 1GB, Windows 7 Ult. 64
PD10 Ultra v2023. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
PD12 Ultra v2930. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
PD13 Ultim v3516. Computer: HP Pavilion dv7, Intel, i7 2630 2.00 GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Mob. Radeon HD 6770 2GB, Windows 7 Pre. 64
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Director Suite 6: PowerDirector 16 Live, PhotoDirector 9, ColorDirector 6, AudioDirector 8

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For covering a face, I use the following:

1. Mask Feather: 85
2. Exposure: -4.00
3. Brightness: 17
4: Contrast: 100
5: Clarity: -100

Then I use "Color Replace" to change the black-out with another color (207, 190, 169). I set Tolerance to 100.

Sometimes I have to keep trying lighter and lighter shades for the replacement color because the black-out color won't change. I don't know if that's a flaw with my system or with ColorDirector.

I play with the Brightness until the face I'm covering doesn't show through.

Gateway DX4380, AMD A8-5500 Quad Core 3.2GHz with ATI Radeon HD 7560D; 16GB RAM; 1 TB SATA 7200 RPM; Windows 8 Pro 64-bit; PDR11, PDVD12.

Quote: I agree Barry.

It does have a lot going for it, despite a number of things "lacking" that have been reported here. It's a great companion to PD, with its effects and plug-ins. The two, in combination offers lot more flexibility.

As you know well, PD has a number of "blur" and mask options which should meet most users' needs - particularly with the NewBlue plug-ins.

Where CDR is essentially for colour correction, PD has all the filters and effects.

PIX

Just bought a combo and mistakenly thought, that Color director, with its ability to track objects, can do just simple blur. I really wonder, how such basic thing can be missing? I know we have some bluer effects, and masks, but what if I need to trace an object easily, to e.g. blur logo? Is there any easy way of how to achieve it?

Hello -pekr-

Welcome to the CDR forum.

You are right that the ability to blur is a very basic thing, but ColorDirector is colour grading software for video. To apply "effects" to video, you're better off doing it right in PowerDirector.

In PD, you can use the Blur or Gassian Blur effect with a sized mask to blur out specific objects or the whole video.

If you need to blur our moving objects on the screen, you can keyframe a motion path for the blur effect, as shown in these tutorials
http://youtu.be/CE_pbBhTl1I
and http://youtu.be/JgzRPcNKFgo

Still - given that CDR has a motion tracking feature, it would be really useful to be able to combine that with effects, such as blurring.

PIX
PIX YouTube channel

Quote: Hello -pekr-

Welcome to the CDR forum.

You are right that the ability to blur is a very basic thing, but ColorDirector is colour grading software for video. To apply "effects" to video, you're better off doing it right in PowerDirector.

In PD, you can use the Blur or Gassian Blur effect with a sized mask to blur out specific objects or the whole video.

If you need to blur our moving objects on the screen, you can keyframe a motion path for the blur effect, as shown in these tutorials
http://youtu.be/CE_pbBhTl1I
and http://youtu.be/JgzRPcNKFgo

Still - given that CDR has a motion tracking feature, it would be really useful to be able to combine that with effects, such as blurring.

PIX

Hello,

thanks for the answer, and yes, you are right - I really think, that motion tracking is generally usefull feature, and that it would be cool addition to eg. PIP section, where you can define the path and mask. There could be a feature to track some object, and define the path semi automatically, with the ability to tweak it via keyframes ...

... just an idea

Best regards,
Petr