Question: how to present a 4:3 clip in a 16:9 project

[Volker]

Hi folks,
I have seen this nice effect on TV several times now and I am wondering how to create it with our Casablanca systems (without using CBPaint)...

You see a blurred background or a colour scene or whatever in 16:9 format and then they add a 4:3 scene on top of it not filling the whole screen but you see the background scene at the left and right borders. The 4:3 scene appears in correct aspect ratio. It is not squeezed though it actually is squeezed in order to fit in the 16:9 project.
I have tried to use PIP-Studio for this purpose but PIP-Studio does not squeeze the images. It know that it must be possible somehow but how?
Any ideas?

this is how it should look like:

[BobFoster]

How about a 16:9 black scene with a 4:3 scene inserted into it with rectangle or move rectangle or one of the similar programs and then use BB world to layer the 4:3 layered scene over the 16:9 project and make the black background section transparent as in your sample. Possibly just using Rectangle and inserting it into the 16:9 would work. That is the procedure I use to insert vertical photos onto a 4:3 graphic background scene of the same length. Others will probably have other solutions.

[IanPearson]

Volker
I love a challenge and I think this may be what you are looking for. I did this all in 4x3, but the principle will be the same for any format.

I selected a 6sec video scene and used “Out of Focus” to blur the scene. I now have two identical scenes, one in and one out of focus.

With the out of focus scene selected, I used “Akaba” to place a black rectangle in the centre of the scene, although it can of course be placed anywhere.

Added the original scene in the story board, followed by the out of focus scene with the black box and used BB Bluebox world to key out the black.

There is now an identical scene with the outside out of focus and the inner in focus.

Ian

[Volker]

Thanks, guys. Good ideas.

I have a Bogart system here, so Akaba unfortunately is no choice for me.
But here is what I did now:

Create a 16:9 project.
Load in the 4:3 clip which is horizontally strechted then.
I add the Panorama-Zoom Effect (Conversion 4:3->16:9, Distribution 0%) to un-stretch the clip. The right and left borders remain streched. Nothing to worry about because...#
I take my 16:9 background clip (you can add a blur effect, if you like) and add the image processing effect "rectangle" on top of it (Position 136,0 - Size 436*576 in PAL).
I insert both clips to the storyboard and add the Blu-box world effect (mode: black). Now you can play with the various settings of BBWorld to make the effect more interesting...
That's it. Great!

I love this forum.

Volker

[IanPearson]

Volker
It just goes to show, there are so many ways to solve most problems.

Incidentally, you don’t actually need Akaba for my solution, it just needs a rectangular box added to the blurred scene, this can be done with the title and add graphics box function. The box can be sized and positioned anywhere.

This is when I love this forum, finding solutions to editing issues.

Ian

[LouBruno]

Volker,

Method#1

Method#2 in the below/next thread.

There is a very simple way to do this. I have been doing this for several months. However, the top and bottom still appear. NOTE: SEE THE NEXT THREAD TO COVER THE ENTIRE 4:3 RATIO.

The PIP STUDIO 2 is the only way to accomplish the goal to make a 4:3 scene appear crisp.. If this is not what you can use, others can copy the instructions below to add 4:3 material to their 16:9 project.

Using your CLIPBOARD, retrieve an 8 second 4:3 clip and transfer that clip via the CLIPBOARD to a HD project window, using the OPTIONS setting as the"BORDERS" setting in the dropdown menu.

The above "BORDERS" Clipboard setting is the secret!

Keep this 4:3 clip in the HD scene bin for future use. You will see black pillars on each side.

Not to worry, we will get rid of these borders.

Open your HD project which is always 16:9 and import or make an 8 second Background clip or even upconvert an 8 second Digital Juice clip.

Open PIP Studio 2....NOT PIP

Highlight your background clip
Designate PIP STUDIO 2 as a "SINGLE" scene and search for your 4:3 clip

ADD....the 4:3 clip

Make sure you have NO Shadows......Click on Shadows and make everything "0". There should be NO Blur or Distance set in the "SHADOW" menu.


NOW....you will still observe the black pillars on the left and right side of the 4:3. We will now work on that now.

Go to "BORDER" and set the SIZE to #24 and the BLUR to "0". This crops the black borders

The 4:3 scene will now be in the proper aspect ratio to play on a 16:9 screen.

NOTE: I always use HD. This procedure should also work using a 16:9 SD project but never tried it as I always work in HD.

[LouBruno]

Method #2 which will just pillar box the left and right with a background. Probably what Volker is looking to accomplish:

THE SECRET IS USING THE CLIPBOARD FUNCTION SET TO "BORDERS."
As in the above thread:

Make a 16:9 background in a HD project. Keep the clip as a background.

Import a 4:3 DV clip into the above HD scene bin via using the "BORDER" option in the clipboard function. "Border" function MUST be used.

OPEN Panorama Zoom and use the following setting: Conversion 4:3>16:9 (I know it sounds weird but it works) Set DISTRIBUTION to 20%

Common sense would dictate the above conversion would not be necessary as the Clipboard "BORDER" option already cropped the clip, BUT......if one does not use the PANORAMA method, then there is an annoying border in the upper portion of the 4:3 clip. So, basically, we are very slightly elongating the 4:3 clip to extend to the TOP and Bottom.

RENDER that 4:3 clip and then PLACE on the storyboard. You will still observe the right and left black pillarbox.

ADD your background clip, in my case a 16:9 Digital Juice clip, to the left of the 4:3 clip.

Open Blue Box World and "key-out the black pillar-boxed area of the 4:3 clip, which will be replaced with the background.

RESULTS: A 4:3 scene within the 16:9 clip with only left and right background pillars....just like CNN NEWS.