VegasVideoHelp.com

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I was just toying around in Sony Vegas and created a simple but, I think, nice animated background. It uses just two pieces of generated media, the Bump Map composting mode to give it some depth, and a transition I probably wouldn’t use under most circumstances. The end result is something like a pool of melted Crayons or plastic, though you can change settings along the way to get something different.

The Media

Create a new project and set it to the properties you want for your final video. I’m still working with standard definition, so I’ll stick with the default 720×480 NTSC properties. Insert a video track by going to Insert > Video Track or hitting Ctrl+Shft+Q, and then do it again for a second video track.

In the Media Generators window, select Solid Color from the list, find a preset for the color you want, and drag it to the second video track. Adjust the color if you’d like – I’m going to use the Orange preset, and I’ll hold down Shift when I add it so I can bypass any options.

That’s our color. Now we need some texture. Still on the Media Generators window, select Noise Texture and find the Charcoal Scribbles preset. Drag that to the first track and drop it directly above the solid color event. We need to adjust options for this one, so allow the Video Media Generators window to open (don’t hold down Shift).

Figure 1: Added Media

When we change the composting mode later, it will “mold” the solid color event based on the value of this noise texture event, with the result appearing 3D-ish. Pure black will form valleys, pure white will form peaks, and shades of gray will form the slopes. The default Charcoal Scribbles preset is too harsh for a “pool of melted Crayons or plastic,” but it’s closer than any other preset.

The most important settings to change here are the Noise Parameters. These essentially determine which of the texture’s two colors will dominate and how smooth the gradients between them will be. Here are the Noise Parameter settings I’m using:

• Min: 0.600
• Max: 0.900
• Bias: 0.250
• Amplitude: 0.500
• Grain: 0.000

Next, change Color A to pure black and Color B to pure white, and you’ve got a wavy black and gray gradient. You can adjust it so there’s more white, but keep in mind that a lot of white is going to give you flat bluffs instead of smooth peaks. So now we’ve got something that looks like it might “ripple,” but it’s doesn’t yet because we haven’t gotten to the “animated” part.

We do that by adding a keyframe to the end of the keyframe timeline and adjusting the Progress setting at that keyframe. Using a larger value produces faster movement (because it’s trying to make that much progress in the allotted time — kind of like when you’re on a deadline, and the boss keeps giving you more work). I feel like working slowly, so I’ll change the Progress value at the second keyframe to two (2). We’re done with the Video Media Generators window for now, so close it.

Figure 2: Softened Noise Texture

(Note: If you can’t find the keyframe timeline in the Video Media Generators window, Vegas probably hid it. Hover your cursor near the bottom of the window until it becomes two horizontal bars with arrows pointing up and down. Then click and drag up to reveal the keyframe timeline.)

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Tags: background, bump map, compositing, generated media, transitions