While making instructional videos, we are trying to highlight various items on the walls for emphasis. Currently, Camtasia Studio 8 only has a rectangle for highlighting. I would like to be able to trace the object in the video so that the whole object is highlighted and not just a rectangle that does not cover it, making it look very 2D and unprofessional.
Posted 3 years ago
kurrykid, Champion
kayakman, Champion
as kurrykid requested, a video would be very helpful
but based on some assumptions I've made re your intentions, perhaps this tutorial might be helpful
it describes a technique for creating free-hand-style spotlight effects ...
http://www.screencast.com/t/WURCGvoQQ [tutorial updated 9/26/2016 @ 11:50]
FYI, this technique can be applied to any spotlight shape desired [circle, triangle octagon, etc]
but based on some assumptions I've made re your intentions, perhaps this tutorial might be helpful
it describes a technique for creating free-hand-style spotlight effects ...
http://www.screencast.com/t/WURCGvoQQ [tutorial updated 9/26/2016 @ 11:50]
FYI, this technique can be applied to any spotlight shape desired [circle, triangle octagon, etc]
(Edited)
Hey Bob, loved the video and the technique. I'm curious, however, about the technique you demonstrated and why you took the path you did.
I note that you first saved the frame from Camtasia. Then you resized it using Snagit so it was substantially smaller.
Can you expound on exactly why you elected to resize it before creating the cutout? Why not leave it at that desired size, make the odd cutout as you did, then add it to Camtasia? Wouldn't that have just made it perfectly fit without having to make it larger after you added it?
Cheers... Rick :)
I note that you first saved the frame from Camtasia. Then you resized it using Snagit so it was substantially smaller.
Can you expound on exactly why you elected to resize it before creating the cutout? Why not leave it at that desired size, make the odd cutout as you did, then add it to Camtasia? Wouldn't that have just made it perfectly fit without having to make it larger after you added it?
Cheers... Rick :)
kayakman, Champion
Rick, if you have time, revisit that post and watch again
I remade the tutorial this AM, addressing the issue you bring up
when I first made the tutorial, it was a "shot-from-the-hip" quickie
after original post, I realized I could accomplish the task with better technique, and with fewer steps
I should have used original frame size mask on an enlarged Snagit canvas; that's now demonstrated in new version of tutorial
I remade the tutorial this AM, addressing the issue you bring up
when I first made the tutorial, it was a "shot-from-the-hip" quickie
after original post, I realized I could accomplish the task with better technique, and with fewer steps
I should have used original frame size mask on an enlarged Snagit canvas; that's now demonstrated in new version of tutorial
Looks good. Thanks!
kayakman, Champion
Rick, thanks for your "thumbs up"
glad you were able to review the fixed version
glad you were able to review the fixed version
kurrykid, Champion
kayakman, Champion
kayakman, Champion
kayakman, Champion
While the screencast you suggested does provide some insight, it doesn't quite seem to cover all of my issues. I was not able to duplicate what he had done using visual properties and the Z axis however. At the end of the video, you will see that I highlight the phone speaker on the table. That required something close to a pentagonal shape. Most of my shapes are going to be like that.
kayakman, Champion
your embedded youtube video says removed by user
Yeah, working on that. YouTube does not play well here at my work. I should have it back up soon. Thanks for letting me know!!
I would like to expand on this discussion.
Are you trying to highlight objects that are contained in a still image without any movement?
Or is this a dynamic and changing scene in which the objects are not stationary or change in scale?
If the image is still and unchanging.The easiest way would be to create a mask in a program like Photoshop first. You could create complex shapes that cannot be created by rotating a callout. I appreciate where kayakman is coming from but I believe I understand what you are trying to do and why callouts aren't working out.
It would only require exporting the frame and manipulating it in Photoshop.
Once the mask is created you can control it's Opacity in Camtasia. You could even fade the mask in and out for a more fluid look.
Regards,Joe
Are you trying to highlight objects that are contained in a still image without any movement?
Or is this a dynamic and changing scene in which the objects are not stationary or change in scale?
If the image is still and unchanging.The easiest way would be to create a mask in a program like Photoshop first. You could create complex shapes that cannot be created by rotating a callout. I appreciate where kayakman is coming from but I believe I understand what you are trying to do and why callouts aren't working out.
It would only require exporting the frame and manipulating it in Photoshop.
Once the mask is created you can control it's Opacity in Camtasia. You could even fade the mask in and out for a more fluid look.
Regards,Joe
(Edited)
They would be pretty much in a still image. While the scene would move around, we don't need the highlight to stay on the entire time, so, no it would not need to be dynamic. Photoshop brings in another whole realm, its a license my work does not hand out readily and we are looking at having numbers of people creating these videos. It has to be simple and quick. This video shows what I would like to be able to do in Camtasia. I have to be able to pick multiple points with some kind of lasso affect like SnagIt has, I just need it to create a highlight.
kayakman, Champion
thanks for the video
just curious, but why can't you use the tool used in the video?
just curious, but why can't you use the tool used in the video?
Do you have SnagIt? It doesn't support layers but I believe there is a way to trick it into doing what I have in mind.
What program are you using in the video? Maybe I can trick it into doing the same thing instead, maybe not. I don't recognize it at all.
I have some free time today and will give it a whirl if you have SnagIt.
What program are you using in the video? Maybe I can trick it into doing the same thing instead, maybe not. I don't recognize it at all.
I have some free time today and will give it a whirl if you have SnagIt.
Those highlights become permanent. I cannot have them fade in and out as we move about the room explaining the work.
We do have snagit. My issue is I have to keep this as simple as possible as we would like to roll this method out to the engineers and designers on the floor for general use. The program being used in the video is ReCap. It is a point cloud registration and manipulation tool. We are using that software to walk through the space, using the screen capture tool in Camtasia to record the video and audio. Various objects get highlighted as they go, some may get highlighted more than once for different reasons. These highlights are always faded in and out for though emphasis.
Unfortunately, keeping it simple is not so simple. Camtasia doesn't have built in tools for this and I'm not seeing a way to use SnagIt for this.
Will your company let you install the free photo editing tool GIMP?http://www.gimp.org/
I can show you how to create a mask using GIMP. It would require exporting a frame from Camtasia. Opening that image in GIMP. Adding a transparent layer over the top of the image"It's very Easy to do". Then making selections and filling them with color. Yellow is a good color. Then you would save the transparent layer as a png.
You would bring that into Camtasia and place it over the video and adjust opacity, apply fades if you wanted. You could even change the color somewhat by using the colorize feature in Camtasia if need be.
This process is not that complicated but it does require a number of steps.It can actually be done fairly quickly but there is a learning curve initially.
Any way you slice it you would need a photo editing program that supports working in layers to create an effect matching the one in your video.
I can create a video using GIMP if that would help you.
Will your company let you install the free photo editing tool GIMP?http://www.gimp.org/
I can show you how to create a mask using GIMP. It would require exporting a frame from Camtasia. Opening that image in GIMP. Adding a transparent layer over the top of the image"It's very Easy to do". Then making selections and filling them with color. Yellow is a good color. Then you would save the transparent layer as a png.
You would bring that into Camtasia and place it over the video and adjust opacity, apply fades if you wanted. You could even change the color somewhat by using the colorize feature in Camtasia if need be.
This process is not that complicated but it does require a number of steps.It can actually be done fairly quickly but there is a learning curve initially.
Any way you slice it you would need a photo editing program that supports working in layers to create an effect matching the one in your video.
I can create a video using GIMP if that would help you.
Paul,
I should have thought of this earlier today but now is better then never is it not?
You could highlight using the Polygonal tool over an exported image in SnagIt and fade the entire image in and out over the video as needed.
You can use any color you want and adjust the opacity of the polygons fill.
You could even highlight the objects with just a border and no fill if you wanted to.
You could even copy and paste the polygonal objects over a "New Image" with a transparent background.
However, this would require a few more steps and SnagIt doesn't copy and paste to the same location.
Meaning you would need to line them back up manually. So it's less than ideal but it is do-able.
Regards,Joe
I should have thought of this earlier today but now is better then never is it not?
You could highlight using the Polygonal tool over an exported image in SnagIt and fade the entire image in and out over the video as needed.
You can use any color you want and adjust the opacity of the polygons fill.
You could even highlight the objects with just a border and no fill if you wanted to.
You could even copy and paste the polygonal objects over a "New Image" with a transparent background.
However, this would require a few more steps and SnagIt doesn't copy and paste to the same location.
Meaning you would need to line them back up manually. So it's less than ideal but it is do-able.
Regards,Joe
(Edited)
kayakman, Champion
