Tutorial: Watermarking your vid

[permetaform]

A watermark (also called a bug or a logo) is really, really easy to make in Virtual Dub (free download available here).

1) Get your vid as a .avi video clip

For Windows Movie Maker: Save as "High quality video (NTSC)"
For Premiere: Default, "Export Movie"

[do you know of other video editing programs? please comment!]

2) Make a watermark

example:

Black will be transparent, White is opaque, Grey is translucent...

3) Finished making your watermark?

- Open VDub
- Open vid (.avi file)
- Go to Video
- Go to Filters...


- Pick Add
- Pick Logo (then then configure it to look pretty much like this...)

4) Save the vid, and the watermark should be there...

How to save the vid in DivX

DivX
- for Windows
- for Mac
- VLC player (for multiple formats and platforms)
ALL DOWNLOADS ARE FREE.

How to fix size/ratio issues in Virtual Dub
Hint: for DivX, small aspect ratio = 400-600 kb bitrate, large = 800~1300 kb bitrate. In other words, bigger size = higher bitrate.

Comments

[alchemia.livejournal.com]

Hm, I don't do music-vids, I do vids more like short movies, either subtitled or voiced over. I don't usually add a watermark on the ones that are subtitled unless they are really large (which having a dial up for internet they arent) because it interfears w. the text I use the old ULead video editor (2.5) (i hate the newer 'easier' ones), or MM Flash or director. If I do add a WM, I usually just do simple text as if I were doing a subtitle, although I could take a logo w. image and add that easily. I don't know if anyone uses these programs. I always view my scenes showing a thumb of each frame in the the editting window in a row, mimicing working with actual rolls of film (I started with 16mm film and learned digital editting from there, so I maybe backwards from most). Anyway, I just set up a new video file, import the image (or insert the text0 place it where I want it (drag+click) on the screen, adjust size if needed, extend this enough frames to cover the entire video (or scene), and then make it transparent. (sorry I can't do screen caps to better explain this).

One thing I want to mention- I needed to use video from trailers for the last harry potter film to make 'the platform' (its over at http://www.intertexius.com if you'd like to see it), but the trailers all had WB watermarks on them. I uhm, simply editted them out. So watermarks might discourage copying by some folks, and its good for credit (though I think actual credits before or after the vid are nicer), but its not fool proof to prevent copying. (and if you just see a little of that fanfilm, yes, most of it is stills, however the one thing I needed to be actual moving video was what I needed the watermarked trailer video for- an image of Snape turning around, hair swinging in his face. I lifted it from the scene where Snape catches harry in the corridor with the map- so besides editting out the big ugle WB water mark (the easiest part actually!!!) I also had to edit out Harry and Snape's wand which was more tricky)

[permetaform]

=) I mostly use watermarks now to cover my ass from studios (like a sort of "Look! This is *Disney's*! I'm not taking credit from them!" kinda deal). And you're right, the only way to really prevent stealing source is to watermark the very center, or as close to the center as you can stand, and even then it's possible to get around it by blurring or using masks or photoshopping (if you're willing to do it frame by frame). I'd mostly wanted to get this info out so that if people wanted, they knew how.

[alchemia.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah I understand. I hadn't thought too much on the credittign disney on each frame or whatever since most of my stuff is photo-manip'd so its not direct copying and i do put the credits in the beginning or the end in a traditional style, so im obviously not trying to steal credit. For a music vid without most photo-manip'ing as I do, the watermark does make a lot of sense. And I wasn't trying to put down the idea with mentioning it could be editted out- I just wanted to put that out there so people looking for WM'ing for their own protection know its limits. Great thread by the way, I'm sorry I can't contribute better directions/screen caps for the programs I use.

[permetaform]

Oh it's no problem...I was just wondering tho, does ULead video editor output in .avi at all? because I think Virtural Dub can take pretty much any file that's in that form.

[alchemia.livejournal.com]

yeah the version i use does, but like i said its the old version. I assume the new versions does also since avi is common, but I uninstalled them so cant check. since I can do it in one program, why do editting in 2 seperate programs if I can do it all in one? What programs are you editting vids in in the first place? Do they not allow this kind of editting, is that why you need the 2nd program?

[permetaform]

with Adobe Premiere it's a hassle because it takes awhile to render and sometimes makes it crash. Window Movie Maker's title option is ugly as hell and has it close to the center of the screen than. For both you can only add text, and Virtual Dub is a more stable and efficient program when handling compression and fixing the vid (brightness, logo, softening/sharpening) after you've edited it.

[alchemia.livejournal.com]

Oh, yuck. Im glad i have the program I do. I dont have problems with crashes (though that could also be something with other hardware/OS/software compatibility). I tend to work in 1 to 3 minute segments (which I assume is fine for a music vid?) and then compile them afterwards into a 'film' (thsi is stuff thats 20minutes+ long). I do lots of 'layering' of video clips and stills, lighting, subtitles, and applying of special effects to get my end product. he thign with the ULead though, is only the OLD version was worth it for this kind of wirk. The newer versions are so simplified and dumbed down and made to feel more like video(vhs) edittign rather than film (16 mm) editting. Clunk, Slow, more-bugs/crashes and fewer features! How they could call it improved, I've no idea! =( Much as I love the old version I have, I'm not entirely happy with the text editor but its not that bad. After I got Macromedia (which Im les comfortable with and dont have as many nifty effects I can do there), i foudn i like their text editor better but only if my final product is going to be .SFW, becaue then the text wont get 'blocky' when enlarging the screen size on different computers.

[alchemia.livejournal.com]

PS. It does take a while to render it when you're making the final product, but no more so with added text. What takes a long time is using lots of effects, and having large/high-quality clips. Actual time is goign to vary also dependign on your computer itself. I don't mind the rendering time. ULead lets me view the clips in full-motion/applied-effects very quickly in a preview window. Instantly by sliding my mouse over a selection of film "clip" or in matter of seconds by compiling to a mini-preview window. When I'm happy with everythign, I let it render the final product when I'm shopping/sleeping whatever. The platofrm clips I have onlline are unfortuantly crummy quality because of my limits with a dial up service, not the program.