User manual
ElasticDreams
for Casablanca Avio, Prestige and Kron
Safety notices
To avoid making mistakes during operation, we recommend that you carefully follow the
instructions provided in this manual.
We would also like to point out that ElasticDreams has been designed with the hobby enthusiast in
mind.
We have taken a great deal of care while programming and checking this software.
Nevertheless, since it is not possible to guarantee totally error-free software applications in all
environments and at any time, we unfortunately cannot rule out the possibility that some errors may
have crept in. If, contrary to all expectations, this is indeed the case, we shall remedy any errors in
the program and supply the affected customers with the new software free of charge. We cannot,
however, accept any liability for loss of data/time or any consequential damages that may occur as
a result, particularly since we have no inuence over correct software installation and operation by
the customer. MacroSystem Digital Video AG and its dealers therefore cannot be held liable for any
defects or unintentional damage in connection with the installation or use of ElasticDreams.
MacroSystem Digital Video AG and its dealers do not guarantee error-free use of the software or
complete awlessness of the program.
Any implied guarantee is null and void, including guarantee of suitability of the software or
operating instructions for a particular purpose.
Neither MacroSystem Digital Video AG nor its dealers are responsible for any damages resulting
either directly or indirectly through the use of the software or the operating instructions, e.g. for
prot loss, costs, hardware or software problems or other issues.
Contents
Page
1. General remarks ................................................................................................ 5
2. Installation ......................................................................................................... 5
3. What is ElasticDreams? .................................................................................... 5
4. Effects................................................................................................................. 5
4.1 ElasticDreams Warp.............................................................................. 5
4.2 ElasticDreams Draw.............................................................................. 6
4.3 ElasticDreams FX .................................................................................. 6
4.4 ElasticDreams Morph ........................................................................... 6
4.5 ElasticDreams Op.................................................................................. 6
5. Control elements ............................................................................................... 7
5.1 Editor window ....................................................................................... 7
5.2 Overview window................................................................................. 8
5.3 Mode window ....................................................................................... 8
5.4 Special window..................................................................................... 9
5.5 Project window ..................................................................................... 9
6. Practice examples ............................................................................................. 9
6.1 Alienation of a scene with the warp effect.......................................... 9
6.2 Connect two scenes with the morphing effect ................................... 12
6.3 Transition effects with ElasticDreams FX ........................................... 13
6.4 Puppet player effect with ElasticDreams Draw .................................. 14
6.5 Transition effects with ElasticDreams Op ........................................... 16
6.6 Deleting reference points ..................................................................... 17
6.7 Animation of a title with the help of the Scene function ................... 17
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1. General remarks
Thank you for buying ElasticDreams!
We appreciate your trust and hope that this
product will meet your expectations.
ElasticDreams enables you to obtain more from
your Casablanca than ever before.
Please use the addresses and telephone
numbers listed in the Casablanca manual if you
have any questions or comments.
Please have the serial number of your device or
your customer number ready when contacting
for help or comments.
2. Installation
name.
Click on “OK” to close the window and then
remove the SmartMedia card.
ElasticDreams is now installed as demo version.
Notes on other products:
ElasticDreams supports the Power-Key Option.
Separate instructions for keyboard control are
not available - press the “F2” key to see the
possible key abbreviations.
ElasticDreams can also be used under VGA.
3. What is ElasticDreams?
ElasticDreams is a collection consisting of ve
effects - four transition effects and one Image
Processing Effect.
All effects modify an image by using manual
and/or algorithmic distortions (warp and
morphing effects).
To install ElasticDreams you need the system
software, version 1.9 or higher, or the SMARTEDIT software, version 2.1 or higher.
The system version is displayed in the
information eld of the menu “System settings”
(below left).
Leave your Casablanca on and select the
button “Install product” in “System settings”
so that the appropriate window appears. Then
insert the installation SmartMedia card into the
Casablanca drive so that the gold contacts are
below and the folded corner is pointing forward
to the left (in the direction of the Casablanca).
Push the card into the slot until only about
half a centimeter remains outside and you feel
resistance.
The software “ElasticDreams” is now displayed
in the window. Select the entry from the list
and click on “activate”. An entry dialog is
displayed for entering the key code you have
obtained from your dealer. After that, a message
is displayed indicating that the installation
process is nished. You can then remove the
SmartMedia card.
If you want to install the program as a demo,
click “Cancel” in the entry dialog after you have
selected the program and clicked “activate”. The
word “Demo” now appears after the program
The program features simple but powerful tools
to enable you to manually or automatically
modify an image or transform it into another.
ElasticDreams always creates uid movement.
Enlarge body parts, close an eye, lengthen
nose and hair. Change somebody into another
person, or transform an object elegantly into
another!
The result is an astounding gradual, uid
transformation that can make the high point of a
perfect video.
Let animals or objects speak using your own lip
movements as the template.
Or simply use the available possibilities to create
effective transitions between scenes.
4. Effects
4.1 ElasticDreams Warp
(Image Processing effect)
(Imaging and effects on one scene)
Here you can alter a scene as much as you want.
Let body parts grow fantastically, close an eye,
lengthen nose and hair!
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You can dene any number of intermediate
steps, ElasticDreams always creates uid
movement.
Distortions are displayed in real time,
corrections can be made at any time.
4.2 ElasticDreams Draw
(Transition effect)
(Imaging and effects on the left scene, the scene
on the right can be overlaid as half-transparent
reference)
For example, let animals or objects speak!
Record yourself (or another person) while you
speak a text. Your lip movements can serve as
template. For example, you can let your dog
speak.
Use ElasticDreams tools to open and close your
dog’s mouth in time to your lip movements. The
result: the animal speaks with your voice!
ElasticDreams to directly overlay prominent
points (eyes, ears, etc.).
The result is a gradual and uid transformation
that is stunning and can make the high point of
a perfect video.
4.5 ElasticDreams Op
(Transition effect)
The special can be used here in a simple
manner. In contrast to the other ElasticDreams
effects, this one can be used in the storyboard
as often as desired. The individual effect options
are explained in the following:
4.3 ElasticDreams FX
(Transition effect)
(Imaging and effects simultaneously on both
scenes, the scenes can be overlaid as halftransparencies)
In this mode you can create your own effects.
The varied possibilities (manual drawing,
prepared effects, gradual fade) can be combined
to attain new and exceptional effects.
By setting special effects you specify how the
effect is applied from the rst scene to the
second. For example, if you select “Whirl” in the
“Special” menu with an appropriate intensity,
then the rst scene is faded into the second as a
kind of whirl.
4.4 ElasticDreams Morph
(Transition effect)
(Imaging and effects in the left scene, the scene
on the right is calculated automatically. The
scenes can be overlaid as half-transparencies)
(1) Effect
You can select any combination of effects from
a list.
(2) Power
Here you specify how strong the selected
effect is applied to the video. Negative values
are applied in contrast to the positive range
(clockwise). For every effect the most recently
set value is stored. However, this control is valid
only for the currently selected effect. Combining
several effects within a reference point is
possible.
(3) Fade Time
The effect is applied over the entire duration
selected in the storyboard. A gradual fade can
be inserted into the middle to hide the actual
scene change in the middle of the time span.
(4) Archives
Some predened effect combinations can be
found here. You can also store here your own
creations for reuse at a later time.
Transform one person into another or uidly
morph one object into another!
You can overlay two scenes with variable
transparency and use the powerful tools of
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Important note on projects:
All ElasticDreams effects (except for
“ElasticDreams Op”) can be used up to 10
times simultaneously in the storyboard for all
Casablanca projects.
Any number of effects may be inserted at rst,
but as soon as an effect is initiated and nished
through “Start Program”, one of the 10 places
is occupied until the effect is removed from the
storyboard.
For protracted usage it is recommended to
create a scene after nishing an effect (not
possible for CASABLANCA AVIO without ProPackage) and to replace the ElasticDreams effect
with the created scene.
5. Control elements
5.1 Editor window
(1) Image
The current image is displayed in which you can
“draw”. The selected “Mode” and the tool in the
currently selected size are used.
To draw you move the cursor into the image,
hold the left trackball key down and roll the
trackball.
Any changes made can be undone by using
the right instead of the left trackball. Move the
cursor to the desired position, press and hold
the right key and roll the trackball.
Alternatively, you can set mode “Undo” and
undo the changes with the left key.
(2) Lens symbols
Three lens symbols can be found in the upper
left corner of the edit window.
With the left symbol you see the image as it
normally is on the television screen (reduced to
the area of the edit window).
Selecting the middle symbol causes the image
to zoom so that only a portion of the image is
visible.
The symbol at the right magnies one level
more. For both magnication levels you can
select the desired image portion by clicking in
the overview window.
(3) Undo
The undo button (curved arrow) in the upper
right of the edit window can be used to undo all
changes that have been made since the most
recent selection of this reference point.
A reference point is a specied point in the
video material at which a modication has been
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inserted. Between individual reference points
modications are automatically interpolated
(calculated at intervals).
(4) Scales symbols / Slider
The slider is used to select a mix of the left
scene and the right scene. A continuous
variation is possible from left scene only, mix of
scenes, to right scene only. Left and right refer to
the position of the scenes in the storyboard.
The scales button simplies selection of “left
scene”, “most recent mix ratio”, and “right
scene”.
Note: Changing the view does not affect the
calculated scene, but simply helps to edit the
material.
(5) Trash can
Clicking on the trash can causes all
modications at this point in time to be undone
so that the original scene appears unmodied.
In contrast with clicking on the delete button
(deletion of a reference point), a reference point
is intentionally inserted in order to prevent
interpolated changes. Deleting a reference point
causes the interpolated states of the neighboring
reference and end points to be displayed.
otherwise red.
The storyboard contains all reference points
with an icon. Clicking on the right or left icon
moves you through the list. The arrows to the
left and right are used to jump to the beginning
or end of the scene.
As already explained, the slider is used to select
the scene image to be displayed and edited. In
addition to the displayed time code the small
arrow above is shifted. To roughly select an
image you can click on a position in the timeline
at the level of the small arrow.
The “Remove” button removes the current
reference point, but not all the settings
made for the image. After deletion the time
point’s representation, interpolated from the
neighboring reference points, is displayed,
usually not the unmodied scene.
(8) Fade
A fade can be dened for the transition effects
FX and morphing. This allows additional mixing
to be done between the two scenes, particularly
in the critical middle area. Changes to the fade
affect the calculated scene and may create new
reference points automatically.
5.2 Overview window
(6) Image
The current image in the edit window is shown
in small size.
Clicking here selects the image portion (center)
to be displayed when using zoom.
(7) Mini storyboard
The uppermost eld is a timeline, the blue marks
are the inserted reference points. Two nondeletable reference points can always be found
at the extreme left and right (at the beginning
and at the end of a scene).
Additional reference points are automatically
inserted at the current position in the timeline
(Casablanca I users had to insert the reference
points manually).
Clicking on one of the blue marks (or vicinity)
selects the corresponding reference point for
further editing.
The small arrow at the lower edge indicates
the current scene image. The slider below the
storyboard is used to move it. The arrow is
blue when it is directly over a reference point,
5.3 Mode window
(9) Tool sizes
Four different sizes can be selected. The larger
the tool point, the greater the radius applied.
Detailed modications should be made with a
small tool point.
To work with the selected tool point, simply
move the cursor on the video image with the left
trackball key pressed.
(10) Selection button for drawing modes
This button lets you choose from eight drawing
modes:
Move: In this mode you can move image
fragments of your video material without
affecting other portions of the image.
Smear soft: The selected image content is lightly
smeared with the tool point. Individual pixels
(image points) are displaced and mixed with
other pixels.
Smear: like “Smear soft”, but somewhat
rougher.
Grow: The selected image element (e.g. an eye)
is slowly enlarged. Either click several times with
the left trackball key or move the arrow over the
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desired area while you hold the key down.
Shrink: The selected element (e.g. a nose) is
slowly reduced in size. See the description of
“Grow” for details.
Twirl left: You use the cursor to turn the selected
image content to the left. For example, selecting
an eye and clicking once on it causes it to be put
at an angle.
Twirl right: Function and use like “Twirl left”,
but in the opposite direction.
Undo: This is a special mode that slowly returns
all changes made to their original state, resulting
in the unmodied image. After selecting the
“Undo” function, hold the left trackball key
down and roll the trackball.
(This mode can be initiated at any time in the
edit window by clicking the right trackball key
and rolling the trackball. “Undo” does not have
to be selected.)
(11) Mirror
If this function is activated (the cross mark is
visible) all drawing operations are carried out as
a mirror image on the other image half (left <->
right).
(13) Slider control
After selecting an effect with the selection
button, you can use the slider control to set
the effect’s intensity. Changes are immediately
visible.
Different special effects can be combined with
each other.
5.5 Project window
(14) Preview
The preview lets you judge how an effect will
look after it has been calculated. The preview
displayed corresponds to the preview from the
effect menu, i.e. just before and after the effect
itself the scenes without effect are shown for
one second.
(15) Delete project
Clicking on this button causes the entire project
to be deleted. A conrmation message is
displayed beforehand.
5.4 Special window
(12) Selection button
Predened effects can be used in addition to
manual drawing. These effects operate on the
entire image and are usually used to create
interesting transition effects.
Note: It can happen (e.g. for higher percentage
values) that the result appears somewhat
differently than you expect. For example, a
100% “rotation” causes the video image to be
directly inserted and not to be rotated into and
then out of the scene! This happens because
such high values cause the individual pixels to
be diagonally morphed from one image corner
to the other (from reference point to reference
point), which is not a true rotation. The scene is
zoomed in and out.
For high percentage values it is recommended
to use several reference points so that a rotation
can occur.
After the result has been displayed as preview,
or after you have calculated the effect, the
controls are reset to the value “O”.
6. Practice examples
In order for you to become acquainted with the
control elements of ElasticDreams as quickly
as possible, we suggest that you work through
the following practice examples. The examples
illustrate the four main application areas of
ElasticDreams and should be read and worked
through in the order given.
The examples are meant especially for new
users of the program and introduce you
carefully to the control elements.
6.1 Practice example 1
Alienation of a scene with the warp effect
For this example insert a scene of about 4
seconds duration into the storyboard. The scene
should be a close-up (portrait) of a person.
Of course, you can also record a scene from
television, e.g. a news reporter.
There should be no jumpy head movements in
the scene.
Enter the Image Processing Effects menu and
select “ElasticDreams Warp” from the list so
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that the button “Start Program” appears in the
effect options. After having inserted this effect,
click on this button.
A progress bar is initially displayed with the
message “Initialization, please wait...”. After
the screen is free, you can see the ElasticDreams
user interface.
Your scene is displayed in the edit window and
will be altered in the following way. With the
help of the tool points (mode window) you will
lengthen nose and ears of the person in the edit
window. Then you will use the “timeline” and
reference points to specify that these changes
are visible during the entire time of the scene
(even for small head movements). Don’t worry
if terms such as “tool points” or “timeline” are
foreign to you now. The terms mentioned in this
example will of course be explained in context.
If you should desire afterward a more detailed
explanation of a control element or a function,
then you can read the appropriate section in
chapter 5 of the manual.
the edit window, or to display another portion
(in case the head was not lmed exactly in the
middle and you want to see it now), simply click
on the desired area in the overview window
(above left).
You can repeat this procedure as often as you
want until you see the correct area in the edit
window. You see that the crossmark in the
overview window has moved.
First, enlarge the image area to be worked on.
In the upper right quarter of the screen you see
the edit window, in which the rst image of the
scene you have selected appears.
In the upper left corner of this window you
see three lens symbols. If you have started the
program for the rst time, the left symbol is
active. Now click with the cursor on the middle
symbol so that the image in the edit window
shows an enlarged section.
Now select a tool point in the mode window
(centered at the lower screen edge).
In the uppermost margin of this window you
see a selection of four different tool points. Here
you can select a tool point that approximately
corresponds to the size of the test person’s nose
in the video image, for example the second from
the right.
Now you can use the button below to specify the
mode for carrying out the alienating effect. To
lengthen the test person’s nose, select the mode
“Smear”.
Move the cursor in the edit window to the nose,
press and hold down the left trackball key and
move the cursor down or to the side. The nose
is lengthened in the direction taken!
Now watch the overview window above left. You
will see that a box has appeared that encloses
the area in the edit window.
To center the enlarged area of the image in
Release the key. In case the direction, length or
the effect itself are not as desired, then simply
click on the “Undo” button to the above right in
the edit window so that the alienation effect is
cancelled.
If you are satised with the new nose, then you
can move on to the ears. Now try the procedure
described above on the ears of your target
object.
You may wish to use another tool point for this.
You have created the effect but the person may
move during the scene in such a way as to
cause a cheek to be lengthened instead of the
nose. In order to keep the effect in its proper
place you use the “timeline”. The timeline is a
panel below the overview window above left
on the screen. Below the timeline you see a
blue arrow that indicates the currently active
image in the timeline. Since you have not yet
used the timeline, the arrow is positioned at
the beginning and shows the rst image of the
scene.
The alienation effect previously carried out was
inserted automatically.
Now activate the slider control below the
timeline and slide it toward the right. Go
through the scene in short steps and display the
individual positions in the overview window by
conrming the selection. Stop at the required
positions in the scene, i.e. where the head of
your target person moves. Here it is necessary
to create new “reference points” because the
alienating effects already inserted into the scene
remain at the same position on the image. It is
possible that in the course of the scene an eye
appears where the nose was. After releasing the
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slider control the selected image appears in the
edit window.
In full size you now see that the nose or the
ears are at another position on the image. The
alienating effects are now set for other image
content. Undo the changes you have already
made at this image position by holding down
the right trackball key and moving the screen
cursor over the modied position.
Now repeat the alienation with the “Smear”
mode in order to make corresponding
corrections to the image. Lengthen nose and
ears again to the desired length. This alienation
is automatically inserted as a reference point
into the storyboard below the timeline.
Now correct every such video image in your
scene. For a scene lasting about 4 seconds and
with relatively xed positions during recording,
this will be at most 2 to 3 additional reference
points that you must correct.
Note: Even if the scene is a still image, you must
still set an additional reference point. This point
should be at the end of the scene. If you don’t
set the reference point, then the alienation is
reversed during the course of the scene and the
person regains his or her original appearance.
Finally, you can observe the total result by using
the preview. Press the “Preview” button in
the project window (below left on the screen).
Casablanca now plays the entire scene with the
inserted reference points.
In case you are not yet satised with a certain
movement or a phase in the scene, you can of
course continue to make further corrections.
Stop the preview and select the undesired
reference point in the small storyboard below
the timeline. This miniature storyboard works
like the large storyboard in the Casablanca
Edit menu. The only difference is that here you
see only the beginning, end, and all inserted
“reference points” for the scene or effect.
As before, you are able to insert and remove
reference points. Now create a new reference
point or modify an existing one according to the
explanation given above.
When you are satised with the result, exit the
ElasticDreams interface by clicking on the button
at the far lower right of the screen. With this FX
key you return to the Image Processing Effects
menu. Your settings were stored beforehand
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automatically.
Now all you have to do is click on “Create” and
you are nished!
Of course, you can also use the usual preview
button in the edit menu or the single-image
function (not available with Casablanca Avio
without Pro Package). But the preview function
in ElasticDreams will probably be enough for
you to be able to judge the result. After the
calculation is nished you can play the nished
ElasticDreams project in the Image Processing
Effects menu.
It is recommended to construct a scene from
successful effects. Additional nished projects
can be saved in this way since ElasticDreams
can manage up to 10 projects simultaneously.
To obtain experience, practice by alienating
other scenes. You can also alter objects, for
example, record your car and then distort and
bend it. The warp effect can be used in many
ways - use your imagination!
Insert the scenes into the storyboard, call
up the transition effects menu, select the
“ElasticDreams Morph” effect and insert it.
First, specify the range - 2 seconds are best.
Then the effect is not too short, but instead
shows uidity of movement.
Now press the “Start Program” button so that
the ElasticDreams window opens after a short
pause for initialization.
There you now see the rst images of both
scenes that overlap each other. The overview
window displays the rst image of the rst
scene.
6.2 Practice example 2
Connect two scenes with the morphing effect
The morphing effect serves to uidly transform
persons or objects into other persons or objects.
The main difference to the warp effect is that
you now work with two scenes (instead of
just one), because one scene is “morphed”
into another. Because of this you will nd the
morphing effect in the transition effects menu.
In preparation select two appropriate scenes,
e.g. two faces. To make the effect as interesting
and astounding as possible your recordings
should consist of two different faces in similar
size and bearing. The scenes should be about
4 seconds long. For this purpose simply use a
tripod to record your own face and that of your
partner or a friend.
A static, single-color background is ideal (e.g. a
wall or a door).
Now move the slider below the timeline
(overview window) all the way to the right. You
will see that the timeline now corresponds to
the 2 seconds (000.01:24) that you have already
specied for the transition effect.
The last image of the two-second transition
phase is reached and the small, blue arrow
below the timeline now points to the end of the
timeline. (In the overview window you see the
overlapped nal images of both video scenes.)
Now move the slider next to the newly visible
“Fade” button all the way to the right so that
you see the last image of your second video
scene in the overview window. You will morph
into this scene.
The last image of the transition should appear
just like this, only the new face will be seen in
the video image.
You must see both images at the same time in
order to be able to equate prominent features in
both faces with each other.
Slide the fade slider back again to the center, i.e.
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half transparency. Releasing the slider causes
both video images to appear simultaneously in
the overview window - in the form of a double
image.
In the mode window select an appropriate
tool point, the appropriate mode (e.g. “Smear
soft”) and perhaps use the magnify function (as
already described in the rst practice example)
in order to connect important image portions
with each other.
For example, click on an eye of the rst face and
move it or smear it with the tool point to the
corresponding eye in the second face.
Repeat this for the other eye and for nose,
mouth, ears, chin and forehead. If you make
a mistake using one of the drawing functions,
simply use the “Undo” function to the upper
right in the edit window in order to re-establish
the image.
reference points you have dened, namely the
rst image of the rst face and the last image of
the second face (and with the help of the feature
assigments you have made). For complex face
movement one or more additional reference
points could be useful.
Note: If the transition of the scene contents does
not occur at the desired speed then this can
be varied. Select a reference point within the
transition time and modify the fade setting. This
affects fade behaviour during the effect time.
If in our example you would like to see the
person of the second scene in entirety for twothirds of the effect time in order to be able to
clearly observe the change in the person, then
set a reference point for this time and set the
fade at this position all the way to the left. This
causes only the rst scene to be displayed with
morphing from the beginning of the effect until
this position. Afterward the fade-in to the second
scene occurs from the rst scene to the end
position.
Now slide the fade slider all the way to the
right in order to view just the second face. You
have now mapped the prominent features of
both faces to each other. The last image of the
transition now shows only the second face.
Finally, you can check the transformation in the
project window. Press the “Preview” button to
play the animation.
Now the entire two seconds are played from
the the rst face, through the transformation
dened by your assigned points, to the second
face. ElasticDreams “morphs” both faces and
at the same times slowly fades in the second
scene. The result is a gradual transition to
the second face. This procedure is also called
“interpolation”. This means that ElasticDreams
itself calculates a transition using only two
Exit the ElasticDreams interface, calculate the
effect in the transition effects menu and observe
the result.
6.3 Practice example 3
Transition effects with ElasticDreams FX
The transition effect “ElasticDreams FX” is the
subject of the third practice example.
For this practice example you will need two
scenes of approximately 3-4 seconds duration
with any desired content.
Put both scenes next to each other in the
storyboard. Call up the transition effects menu
and select the effect “ElasticDreams FX”. Dene
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a transition time of 2 seconds for the effect and
click on “Start Program”.
After initialization you can start with the
timeline. In the overview window you see
displayed the rst of the two scenes. Move the
slider under the timeline to the exact center of
the two seconds for your effect (to 000.00:24).
The “Fade” slider control is automatically set to
half-transparency.
Then you can make settings in the special
window (below right), which was not considered
in the previous examples. Click on the selection
button (which displays “Off”) so that a window
is called up displaying several effect possibilities
you have.
Select the desired effect, e.g. “Spiral Wave”.
After selecting and conrming this effect you
at rst do not see any change in the windows.
Now you specify the effect intensity by moving
the slider in the special window. The change is
shown immediately in the edit window.
The reference point is set after you have made a
selection.
Afterward you can check the result by clicking
on “Preview”.
If you are satised, then exit the ElasticDreams
window and calculate the effect in the transition
effects menu.
The effect ElasticDreams FX can be used in
many ways. For example, try to put together a
transition with several reference points. Use the
other ElasticDreams tools and modes. There are
no limits to your imagination ...
6.4 Practice example 4
Puppet player effect with ElasticDreams Draw
For the last practice example we use the
“talking” dog already mentioned in the
introduction. The effect “ElasticDreams
Draw” is different in two ways from the
other ElasticDreams transition effects. The
transparency slider and the scales symbols have
no direct inuence on the effect itself, and the
second transition scene serves only as a control.
This means that the rst scene, contained in the
storyboard, is processed, and the second scene
is used as a movement template.
Imagine again the talking dog already
mentioned in the manual. A video scene is
recorded with lip movements in order to let
the dog speak as realistically as possible. It is
best to make a close-up recording of your own
lip movements. In this way you can not only
exactly pronounce each phrase to be spoken by
your dog, but also precisely study the individual
phases of your lip movements. The individual
lip movements serve as template for working
with the dog’s mouth. When you open your
mouth, use the tool points of the ElasticDreams
program to open the dog’s mouth. When you
close your mouth, change to the video image of
the dog and close the dog’s mouth with the help
of the tool points. In the end the original audio
of the “mouth” scene is moved to the “dog”
scene - the dog talks!
For this example you need two scenes. The
rst scene should be a close-up of your dog (of
course, you can take any animal, doll or teddy)
and last about 4 seconds.
For the second scene select a camcorder closeup of your mouth. Speak, for example, the
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following word into the camera: “Ca-sa-blanca”.
Lip movement should be as clear as possible
and not too fast. Simply imagine that your
lip movements are to be drawn on paper by
someone. This recording should also be 4
seconds long.
Of course, you can also use a recording of a
TV program (e.g. news reporter). Important is
the clear (and visible) pronunciation of a short
phrase or sentence.
Now insert both scenes into the storyboard, rst
the dog, then the “lip scene”.
Select an effect duration of 4 seconds so that
the duration agrees with the effect length and
synchronization is guaranteed.
Then call up the transition effects menu, select
“ElasticDreams Draw”, insert the effect and click
on “Start Program”.
After a short pause for initialization you see the
ElasticDreams interface.
You see that the arrow in the timeline now
points to the rst video image of the rst scene.
In order to see the video image of the second
scene in the background (in the edit window),
you should position the transparency slider
in the edit window to the middle to see both
scenes with the same transparency.
Now closely observe the actual lip movement.
At this point in time in the video you may not
have actually said anything. Use the duration
slider to move the arrow in the timeline to the
image in which the rst sound, the “Ca-” in
“Casablanca”, can be heard.
You will notice that you open your mouth
rst, which then appears in an open position,
and then you close your mouth. This course
of movement occurs 4 times for the word
“Casablanca”. You use the tool points to open
and close the dog’s mouth in synchronization
with your lip movements.
video image of the lip movements shown
in the edit window. The desired position is
automatically inserted into the timeline.
By changing the transparency value in the edit
window you can vary the transparency of the
scenes so that fast toggling between the views
is possible. This gives you better control of the
lip movements.
Move the duration slider slowly toward the right
until you reach the point at which the mouth is
open. Now use the corresponding tool points
(for detailed changes the small ones, for larger
changes the larger tool points) to bring the
mouth to the fully opened position.
Use the magnify function with the highest
magnication (lens symbol to the right at the
upper left in the edit window) and move the
enlargement box in the overview window in
order to enclose the dog’s mouth.
Now select a tool point with which you can best
put the dog’s mouth into a position showing
the mouth opening. The “Smear” mode is
appropriate because it is then easier to enlarge
the mouth. For orientation use the transparent
Follow the same procedure for all the following
mouth positions.
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The result should be 16 dened reference points
(four for each syllable). Play back the result
using the “Preview” button and make any
necessary corrections.
Return to the transition-effects menu and
calculate the effect.
You will then see that the dog speaks
synchronously with the word “Casablanca”
recorded in the background, but the audio is
inserted at the beginning of the scene and
becomes increasingly louder. Because the
“Draw” effect is operating, the sound of the
silent dog scene is faded gradually into the
“mouth” scene.
Use the “Scene->Sample” function (edit menu,
special) in order to create an audio sample
from the “mouth” scene (you will nd an exact
description of the function in the Casablanca
manual). The new audio sample can now be
used in the “Mix” menu to replace the effect’s
original audio (the audio with fade). Switch the
original audio to “Muted” and insert the new
sample on a free audio track at this position.
Finished!
For example, with the help of the “Scene”
function (not available with CASABLANCA
AVIO without Pro Package) you can combine
a “Morph” effect with an “ElasticDreams FX”
effect...
6.5 Practice example 5
Transition effects with ElasticDreams Op
This effect almost explains itself, so here we will
only give you an idea how to use it best.
Insert any two scenes into the storyboard. Set
the effect duration to a value less than the total
duration of the two scenes.
Select the effect “ElasticDreams Op” and insert
it. With this effect you do not see the button
“Start Program” but instead there are four
buttons in the effect options window.
With the button “Effect” you can (similar to the
special window of the FX effect) select a type of
transition, e.g. “Whirl”.
With the button “Power” you can specify (just as
with the FX effect) the intensity of the transition.
Using the button “Fade Time” you can insert a
gradual fade into the middle of the effect time
and thus hide the actual scene transition.
If, for example, you have set an effect duration
of four seconds and a fade time of 50%, the
actual effect operates over the complete four
seconds, but the fade-in from the rst to the
second scene begins after one second and
continues for two seconds.
During the nal second only the second scene is
visible.
Finally, you see the button “Archives”, which
gives you the possibility of saving the settings
you have just made for possible future use.
We recommend that you experiment with
ElasticDreams. Try to vary the individual practice
examples and to work with other image content.
The ElasticDreams effects can also be combined.
6.6 Practice example 6
Deleting reference points
The following example explains the three
possibilities to delete reference points.
Create a still image with a duration of eight
seconds. The image content should consist of
clear forms or text and not be just one color.
Insert the still image into the storyboard, call
up the Image Processing Effects menu, insert
the effect “ElasticDreams Warp” and start the
program.
In the overview you see a time panel divided
into four parts. Because you have chosen an
effect duration of eight seconds, one segment of
the panel corresponds to two seconds.
The time panel currently contains neither a
reference point nor an effect.
Now move the time panel’s arrow to the rst
part in order to insert an effect there. Select the
mode “Smear Soft” and activate the largest
tool point. The option “Mirror” should not be
activated.
Now position the pointer in the left corner of
the upper third of the edit window and drag the
pointer to the right screen edge, holding down
the left trackball key the entire time.
After having released the trackball key, move the
time panel arrow to the middle section and drag
a line in the lower third of the image from right
to left.
Then insert an additional reference point in
the third section of the time panel and drag a
diagonal line through the image.
In the “Preview” you can see your reference
points take effect.
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Now move the time panel arrow back to the
middle reference point so that it becomes blue
again. At this position you had carried out a
smear operation in the lower third from right to
left.
If you now click on the “Undo” function, nothing
happens. “Undo” deletes only the image
changes made immediately after selection of
the reference point. If, for example, you now
make a change in the edit window and then
click “Undo”, your last change will be cancelled
independently of any actions you may have
carried out.
However, the trash can deletes all changes made
at this reference point. If you click the trash can,
the still image is displayed without any effect.
But clicking the trash can changes the effects of
the other reference points, as you can see in the
“Preview”. You now observe the rst “Smear”
(in the upper third of the image) until the
middle of the effect duration, then the diagonal
“Smear” is shown. You thus see the rst and
third effect operate independently of each other,
because you have modied the middle reference
point so that the scene is seen there without an
effect.
The third possibility, namely the button
“Remove” belonging to the overview window,
deletes the selected reference point.
Now delete the middle reference point so that its
selection in the time panel is removed and the
arrow turns red again. The preview shows the
remaining two effects that are now joined with
each other.
“Undo” deletes only the changes in the image
that were made after the reference point was
selected.
The trash can deletes all changes that affect the
image at this position.
“Remove” deletes the currently selected
reference point. If no reference point is selected,
then the function has no effect.
6.7 Practice example 7
Animation of a title with the help of the Scene
function (not possible for AVIO without Pro
Package)
Create a black scene lasting eight seconds and
insert it into the storyboard. Call up the title
menu, select the effect “Pages”, insert it into the
storyboard and click on “Enter/edit text”.
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Now you can enter your text, e.g. “Holidays
in Mallorca”, whereby the style (color, size,
shadow, etc.) is unimportant. Then you
calculate the text and create a “Scene” which is
accessible in the edit menu.
This new scene contains the text that you will
now animate.
Put the scene into the storyboard, call up the
Image Processing Effects menu and insert the
effect “ElasticDreams Warp”. The duration of
the effect should correspond to the scene length.
Activate the function “Complete Scene” after
you have clicked on the effect length.
After you have started the program, delete the
already existing effect settings. In the overview
you now see the start and end scenes and no
further reference points.
The text becomes steadily more unreadable and
smaller. Wipe over the text several times until
it becomes a small point. The movements you
have made in “smearing” the text will be carried
out later in reverse.
The rst image of the effect is now almost black.
Click on “Preview” and observe the effect. The
preview will probably be too jumpy in showing
the effect, but if the trend is correct, exit the
program and calculate the effect.
In this example you will let the text pour out of a
spot in the image. Select a spot for this.
The scene begins with the full text, so you must
now change the rst image so that no text can
be seen in it.
Now select the beginning of the effect (the
scene with the effect start). Set the mode to
“Smear soft” and select a tool point. You must
now move the text to the position from which
it should appear. Wipe over the text with the
pointer so that the text is distorted and begins to
move to the desired position. (This procedure is
comparable to sweeping up sand. Imagine that
you have written the text with sand. Now sweep
the sand together so that it is at one point.)
You have now created your own title effect from
which you can make a “Scene” that is put into
the scene bin of the edit menu.
Tip: If you now calculate the scene in reverse,
you attain a fade-out of the text.
Let the scene be calculated in reverse (special
menu) and insert both scenes into the
storyboard, rst the forward running scene, then
the backward running scene.
When playing back you see a text that is poured
out from a point and then collapses back into the
point.
If you want the text to be readable for a certain
time as a page, then simply insert the already
existing scene with the text page between the
two effect scenes.
As a variation you can put your animated
title onto moving video material or onto still
images. First, insert the desired scene, which
is at least as long as the animated title, into
the storyboard, and then the title scene. Then
insert the transition effect “Bluebox” between
these two scenes, set the effect duration to
eight seconds and activate the effect options.
The “Color choice” should have black as
background, the active area should be as big as
the scene, and the inactive area should have the
value “0”.
Then set the width of the blue-box effect so that
the text is clearly cut out. Calculate the new text
animation and, if satisfactory, make a scene
from it.
A further variation is to let the text appear from
two points, or to “smear” from the image center
to the edge. Be creative!
For example, if you record a person in front of
a single-color background, then this person can
also appear (as the text above) from any spot.
You can use a scene that pictures a glass or a
magic hat at a given position. Make note of the
position, wipe the text or person in the second
scene exactly at this position and overlay the
scenes with the blue-box effect. It appears as if
the animation arises by magic from the glass or
the hat.
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