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- Frustrated
Posted 2 years ago
kurrykid, Champion
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kayakman, Champion
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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]
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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
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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
kayakman, Champion
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glad you were able to review the fixed version
kurrykid, Champion
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kayakman, Champion
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kayakman, Champion
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alternatively, you could also just use a circle/ellipse sketch motion
re YouTube, have you tried produce/share to Screencast.com?
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Pretty sure my YouTube issue is the firewall here at the office. We are under pretty strict rules and regs as to what we can and cannot do on the internet here. Thanks though!!!
kayakman, Champion
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kayakman, Champion
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http://www.screencast.com/t/mEvUVY81XDb8
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kayakman, Champion
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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
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kayakman, Champion
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just curious, but why can't you use the tool used in the video?
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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.
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Those highlights become permanent. I cannot have them fade in and out as we move about the room explaining the work.
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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.
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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

kayakman, Champion
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I did this quick and dirty example using Camtasia Recorder's built-in ScreenDraw tool; it is a fast, easy way to mark up stuff; over the years, I've used it a lot and it has served me well
might be worth giving it a try?
http://www.screencast.com/t/nAg9GEZU
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I've been able to work around it for simple highlights in a different way, by simply creating Shapes, with a brighter color and some transparency, all within Camtasia, which is much easier than the frame grab method described here, depending on exactly how you want it to look.
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