VANITY: Digital Video Help Needed: Freeze Frame Technique

self ^ | Feb. 19, 2007 | NotJustAnotherPrettyFace

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I know there are some FReepers out there who know how to capture "stills" or freeze frame from digital video footage.

I need to put together a series of photos for a 25 year anniversary "retrospective" musical performance.

The goal is to try to capture some "action shots" of these musical performances from 25 yr. history of video footage and work them up into a Powerpoint presentation which we can project onto the auditorium theater wall for the upcoming 25th anniversary shows (3 shows in one weekend).

Do I need to have any special software to do this video capture and editing? If so, what would you recommend? (I have probably a $100 budget to get this job done.)

Any techniques you can share using software with which you are familiar or point me towards sites with instructions to do this would be GREATLY appreciated.

My deadline to get this done is one week from tonight. I thank you!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I know I can count on the vast intelligence pool here at FR - looking forward to seeing what tips you offer!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I would GREATLY appreciate it if you could PING the tech list on my behalf. I'm a quick study in general when it comes to A/V stuff but would value ANY instruction or tips that come from FReepers. Thank you!

[Americanchild]

Just about any video editor can capture a still. Pinnacle Studio is one of the most user friendly, but unfortunately tends to freeze on my pc. ( more RAM might fix that issue). I believe Windows movie maker can also do it if you want to play around with it before buying something.

[HAL9000]

This won't fit your $100 budget, but a Mac mini with iMovie and iDVD software does a great job on this type of project.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I might be able to borrow or at least have access to a Mac Mini, so thanks for that suggestion!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I see that those 2 apps. you mentioned are part of the iLife package which will run me $79. OK.... so I'd be within budget here ;-).

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I see these two suggestions for refurbished Mac Minis (if I decide to go down that route...).

* 1.66 GHz Core Duo/SD, $649, Apple
* 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $699, Apple

Which one would you suggest might work better for my project?

[idkfa]

Try VLC player, it's free!
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Have you already captured the video to a computer? Just play it with this software and take a snapshot when you want. You can also capture it from your camera with this program or Windows Movie Maker which comes with Windows.

[HAL9000]

Here are some descriptions of the hardware and software -

Mac mini - has Firewire port on the back to import digital video, and includes relevant software listed below -

iMovie - to import and edit video and digital stills

iDVD - can create a slideshow with good effects like crossfades

iPhoto - can import digital photos to iMovie and iDVD

iTunes - can import music to your presentation

Good luck on your project. If you do borrow a Mac and need some info on how to do something, ping me on this thread and I'll try to help find a quick solution.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Wow - great! Thanks for your suggestion. I have not yet captured all the video. Another guy has already done some of the capturing so I can utilize what he has done, for sure. Other footage - I will have to do myself.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Excellent - thanks for the linking and your time to do so, on my behalf. I will take you up on your offer if I get stuck along the way :-).

[HAL9000]

If you plan to do a lot of video editing, I'd go with the faster one. Video processing is very CPU-intensive.

In order to burn a DVD, make sure the Mac includes a "SuperDrive" - otherwise, it can only read DVDs. The 1.83 MHz model includes a SuperDrive, the 1.66 does not.

Full specifications and configurations are here.

A Mac mini should work with your existing VGA monitor, keyboard and mouse. You can just plug them in as needed.

[HAL9000]

All of that software is powerful and flexible enough for semi-professional use - but since you want to get it done in a week, the easiest thing to use would be the iDVD Slideshow feature. You can set a theme, arrange your photos and video stills, and let the software automatically create a good, professional-looking presentation.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The other thing I'm going to need to be able to do is to control the rate at which the pictures come up on the display - that is to say, I'm going to be sitting in the control booth timing the pictures to go along with the music performance.

[HAL9000]

iDVD does have the ability to set the duration times for each slide in automatic playback mode, if the timings can be synchronized to the other elements of your presentation.

There are a few ways to do an interactive slideshow.

The iDVD webpage says it can create a DVD slideshow in "kiosk" mode with forward and back buttons. But it would better to not have those buttons on the screen.

If your video projector has VGA, DVI or HDMI connector, the Mac mini could connect directly to the projector and display an iPhoto slideshow with music from iTunes. I believe you could use the arrow keys on the keyboard to advance to the next slide, but I'll have to check that.

Another direct-connection option is the built-in FrontRow photo presentation.

Yet another direct-connection option - Apple sells a $80 software package called iWork, which includes Keynote. Steve Jobs uses for his live presentations. This would be the ideal way to go if you need an interactive slide presentation - and it exchange files with PowerPoint. (iWork also includes a word processor called Pages - so it's a good value.)

The latest Mac minis include a handheld remote control - and I believe it works with some of the software like FrontRow and Keynote, but I haven't tried it myself.

The Mac mini includes a 30-trial for both Keynote and Microsoft Office (including PowerPoint), so you could possibly use them for your project before they expire.

[rawcatslyentist]

VirtualDub and Paint ... both at Free.

Capture the frame with VitrualDub.... Paste into Paint ...

Priced right too...

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Part of the challenge of timing everything has to do with the flexibility of the music - my husband is the conductor and, in the heat of the moment, he may stretch or tighten up a phrase as it goes by. It's better for ME to follow him with controlling the slides progression than it is for HIM to have to be a slave to the slides' timing.

[HAL9000]

Cool, a live orchestra. It will be a major production.

I'd recommend Keynote as a fast and easy way to design the presentation with the manual control you need to pace the images to the music - and impressive transition effects for the projected images.

The design process is simple. First, you select one of the basic visual themes for the slides. Then drag your images or videos into the design window in the order you want them presented, and set optional effects like crossfade, page turn, etc.

After your design is completed, you click the play button to start the presentation, then press the space bar to advance to each subsequent slide.

Keynote has a feature that might be useful - but is not available on the Mac mini. If you run the presentation on a MacBook laptop computer, the projector can show the current slide at full size for the audience - but on your computer screen in the projection booth, you can see two slides: the current slide and the next slide. That could make it easier to synchronize your manual control to the music.

In the image below, the MacBook screen on the left shows what you'd see in the control room, and the right screen shows what the audience would see on the projector.

 

Apple has a video demonstration of Keynote's features here

[ShadowAce]

[antiRepublicrat]

I second VirtualDub. Open your video and save any frame you want as a still image (or all of them at once, but that would suck up the hard drive space).

Bare-bones is to do a screen capture (Alt-Print Screen) of the paused video and paste it into Paint. Note that if you get nothing, you probably have to turn off "Video Overlay" in your graphics card's properties for the duration of your captures.

For graphics editing, Gimp is about the most full-featured free editor out there. It does more than most people need for home use.