image size/lens flare

[hpharley90]

Hi everyone.
I just finished making a new image in Photo shop Elements 4.0.
It was 14 layers when done. I linked all layers flattened the image and saved.

I made the image 720 x 480 x 72 ppi. NTSC
Is that the correct size I should be making my images to import into Premiere Elements 2.0?

I brought it into Premiere Elements 2.0 and added it to the time line. I think the clip is about 5 seconds long. I wanted to add a little effect similar to meteors flying through the nights sky. So I tried key framing lens flare. I applied the affect 6 times to the clip. Different key frame placements and settings for each one of the 6.

I really like the effect there giving but it makes the text on my still image very soft looking or blurry and it's not acceptable.

When I click the eye in the properties panel for each of the 6 effect to shut off, the text in image starts to get sharper and sharper.

Am I doing what I want to do the wrong way?

If the text stayed sharp I'd be really happy.
The way I have the brightness and motion key frames positioned is exactly what I'm looking for but not at the expense of loosing quality in the text.

I would actually like to add 6 more meteor effects.

How can I achieve this?

Thanks
Richard

[Wheat King]

I might try applying the lens flare toa title with nothing in it on the clip above.

Would this work?

[hpharley90]

I'm not following you Wheat.

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm guessing the reason the focus is going out of your image as you add lens flares is that, although it seems to draw a little dot on only a portion of the frame, each time you add a lens flare, it actually affects the entire frame. It may not seem to, but it does. Adding lots of shooting stars is just corrupting the background image.

My solution? In Photo Elements, open a new document -- maybe 100x100 at 72 dpi. Drag the Background layer in the Layers panel to the trash to delete it, leaving you a backgroundless file.

Paint a white dot in the middle of the frame and then apply a slightGaussian Blur to it. Save it as a PSD.

Import that PSD into Premiere Elements and place it on a video track above your background and keyframe its movement. You should be able to add as many of these as you want with no problem.

[hpharley90]

Thanks for the tip Steve.
Explaining to me about the layer of effects corrupting the clip makes sense to me now.

I will try your solution and post back.

My solution? In Photo Elements, open a new document -- maybe 100x100 at 72 dpi. Drag the Background layer in the Layers panel to the trash to delete it, leaving you a backgroundless file.

Paint a white dot in the middle of the frame and then apply a slightGaussian Blur to it. Save it as a PSD.

Thanks
Richard

[Wheat King]

Hi Richard,

Here's an example of what I mean.

http://www.muvipix.com/cpg/displayi ... p?pos=-902

What I was getting at was to use a transparent clip on the track above the original image. To get the transparent clip use a title that is empty (no text or graphics) Apply your lens flares to the title on track 2 instead of the clip on track 1. You could even copy and paste what you've done already. You may have to bring the brightness of the flare up when you do this.

Steve's method is essentially the same thing 6 of one half dozen of the other, more ways than one to get there.

[hpharley90]

I understand now what you were saying.

Yes your way and Steve's way are both about the same thing.

I did it Steve's way this afternoon.
I'm going to try your way tomorrow.

Now that I've done and got pretty much the results I was looking for I think It looks kinda cheesy.

But I did learn a lot and got a little deeper into the program.
I'll figure out how to post it and you can see.
http://muvipix.com/cpg/displayimage ... at=0&pos=0

I also used your idea Wheat King from the preset I downloaded in this little clip of mine.
I'm just trying to learn a little about all the tools.

I'll keep on trying.

Thanks
Rich

[Steve Grisetti]

It may look less cheesy if you:

1) Vary the sizes of the meteors, so some look closer and some look farther away.

2) Instead of using a static background, do a slow pan across the sky. It will make the keyframing a bit tougher, but it will look more real. In fact, if you really want to make it look real, shoot it with a jiggly handheld camera, as if shot by someone who is scared out of his mind!

And, of course, don't forget the power of sound effects. Ever watch Star Wars with the sound turned down? It's not nearly the same exciting, visceral experience.

[hpharley90]

Wheat King your clip with the lens flare looks good.
Thanks
nice job