My new video "Razzle Dazzle" and some techniques I used to make it

[jonray]

Hi folks, haven’t posted for a while - I’ve been making tons of flute videos (well, three or four)…
Thought I’d post about my latest one, though, and mention a few techniques I used, to maybe help some SC users with a few techniques.
So - after composing the music, sequencing the backing track in Cubase, recording my live flute, typesetting the music in MuseScore (and exporting the flute part as a PNG)… I set to work on the video. I searched for suitable dancing clips on YT and did my best to synchronise them with the music …
Here’s the final video (target audience: flute players/teachers):

RAZZLE DAZZLE ! - for Flute and piano (or swing-style BIG BAND backing track) by Jon Raybould

TRANSITIONS
The slide in/out effect between each clip was created by adding two SPR filters to each clip, then selecting the presets “Slide in from left” on SPR filter 1 and “Slide Out Right” on SPR filter 2, then overlapping the clips like so:

THE TEXT
The text wasn’t created using the Text:Simple or Text:Rich filters! Instead I discovered a seriously cool site called COOLTEXT.COM, which generates free png text designs with transparent backgrounds. The pre-set style “Gold Trim” was ideal for the effect I wanted. So each text line is a png image generated from the site.

THE SCROLLING MUSIC
The white background page for the sheet music is a white colour clip, sized with a SPR filter and an Opacity filter applied. On top of that on another track is the sheet music PNG exported from MuseScore (with transparent background selected as an option in MuseScore). Again, 2 SPR filters applied: 1) to resize and 2) to keyframe the scrolling. Also a Mask:Simple shape filter to cut off and hide the top of the sheet music as it moves upwards.

THE SPINNING IMAGES (END CREDITS)
(Since the end credits won’t be seen by most people unless they have watched the whole video, here’s just the end credits section):

"Razzle Dazzle" - music for flute and backing track - End Credits sequence only, made in Shotcut

I used “Export Frame” to capture 12 PNG images of each clip. Then I used a white colour clip and the SPR filter to make the background borders of each image. The images were positioned on a track higher than the white clip using the grid (snapping on), leaving 20 pixels around each image. I added a green background to the edges and again exported these as 12 more images.
Then imported them back into SC…

Then I chromakeyed out the green background, and the rotated of each image- SPR filter, first 0-359 degrees, then a “hold” (discrete) keyframe, then 90-350 or so degrees (varying each one slightly. For some I ended at 359 degrees then added a keyframe of between 2 and 10 degrees to get the image to rotate a little further, past the 360 degree point).

I also applied a zoom in for each image in addition to the rotation, and also applied another SPR filter to each track just to move each image left or right to achieve a visually satisfying result.
Here’s my timeline for this:

Then I exported this as an MP4, re-imported into a new SC project - and finally it was just a case of adding the text (more PNGs from COOLTEXT.COM), and adding fade ins/outs.

DONE! (Easy really!)
Seriously, it’s not easy. Who said video editing was easy??? I’ll kill 'em

PS it’s also not easy to read this long post, so if you have made it to the end, congratulations

[kagsundaram]

@jonray

did my best to synchronise

This is where time remap on a clip could be very useful.

[jonray]

Possibly! In this case it was essential to keep the steady beat of the dancers. I tried where possible to synchronise with the music to give the effect of the dancers dancing to the music! Which of course they weren’t…

[DRM]

Great post as always @jonray.
Really nice video too.

About the cooltext site, do you know what kind of license they have for use of their text?

[pbattersby]

That’s some impressive work for the music and video. It must have taken a while to source that video footage given that the dancers need to appear to dance to your music.

I’m glad you explained the process behind the video and the end credits. It’s too easy to overlook how much work it is to create such a video.

[MusicalBox]

Big respect for your synchronisation skills. I tried that somewhere last year and I remember a bit of frustration. Especially when the tempo of the video clips used is different from the one in the main song.
Love the spinning pictures at the end and that you took time to credit all the performers.

[Namna]

@jonray

(Since the end credits won’t be seen by most people unless they have watched the whole video, here’s just the end credits section)

Je fais partie de ceux qui ont regardé votre vidéo jusqu’à la fin.
Les crédits à la fin sont particulièrement réussis dans la mesure ou il n’y a aucun filtre dans Shotcut qui permette d’ajouter un contour à une image ou à un clip vidéo. De plus chaque image se superpose au dessus des précédentes, ce qui rend la tâche encore plus compliquée. J’avoue que malgré votre description, je n’ai pas encore bien compris comment vous êtes arrivé à un tel résultat. Cela m’intéresserait d’en savoir plus.
En conclusion, Bravo maestro

I am one of those who watched your video to the end.
The credits at the end are particularly good because there is no filter in Shotcut that allows you to add an outline to an image or video clip. Moreover, each image is superimposed on top of the previous ones, which makes the task even more complicated. I must admit that despite your description, I still don’t understand how you achieved such a result. I would be interested to know more.
In conclusion, Bravo maestro.

Translated with DeepL Translate: The world's most accurate translator (free version)

[brian]

Great videos. Thanks for sharing!

[jonray]

@Namna

I still don’t understand how you achieved such a result. I would be interested to know more.

Hi @namna, it will be my pleasure to explain further, when I get a few moments spare. Thank you for your comments!

[ejmillan]

I love music. Very fresh and fun.
Great job. Thanks for sharing.

[Elusien]

Brilliant. It is hard to believe that the clips were not actually choreographed to the flute music. The flute playing (to my untuned ears) was excellent and you’ve done a brilliant job describing how the video was made. Keep those videos coming.

[jonray]

@pbattersby

It must have taken a while to source that video footage given that the dancers need to appear to dance to your music.

Thank you Paul @pbattersby . Yes indeed it did!! I tried to source clips which had approximately the same tempo of dancing as my music - ie not too frenetic.

@MusicalBox

Big respect for your synchronisation skills

Thanks @musicalbox. -although I have to admit that quite a lot of the synchronization was more luck than judgement!! Seriously, having chosen clips of approx. the same speed, it was usually only necessary to shove the clips along slightly. I wasn’t trying to get the synchronisation perfect but I was pleased with how it came out. I was determined, though to get the synchronisation right just at the end of the music track, where Garland and Kelly present their hats!!

[jonray]

@DRM

Really nice video too.

About the cooltext site, do you know what kind of license they have for use of their text?

Thanks @drm! About the cooltext site - it appears to be completely free and as far as I can tell, licence free. I looked for a catch but couldn’t find one.

[bentacular]

Great job!

[Namna]

@jonray

Hi @namna, it will be my pleasure to explain further, when I get a few moments spare.

Merci @Jonray mais ne prenez pas cette peine j’ai fini par comprendre et j’ai pu reproduire. Encore bravo.

Thanks @Jonray but don’t bother I eventually figured it out and was able to reproduce. Congratulations again.

[jonray]

Hi Namna, no worries. Actually I quickly made this short demo this morning before I saw your message so I’ll post it anyway, maybe to help other users.
Thank you!

Razzle Dazzle end credits Tutorial - spinning images

[jonray]

@ejmillan, @Elusien, @brian, @bentacular, thank you all for your kind comments.

[4PhilFilms]

BRAVO!! Why am I not surprised to find out that you are also a musician? (and a darn fine one at that).
Many thanks for all of your excellent Shotcut tutorials. They helped and inspired me to 'ave a go myself.
Originally only done for friends’n’family during lockdown, I have created about 6 music videos with fun/amusement being the key element rather than the performance itself. Playing only once every 5-6 weeks has definitely deteriorated the abilities!
Always try to add a new or different effect for varieties sake.
“4PhilFilms” if anyone could do with a laugh to we’re all allowed ‘out to play’ again!

[jonray]

Hi @4PhilFilms, wow, thanks for your kind comments. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I tootle the flute from time to time I certainly enjoyed creating it!!

I’ll take a look at your videos. And thanks for being the tenth person to “like” my post - it just gained me a “nice topic” badge from the forum admins - woo-hoo!