I am completely new to Gimp and am looking to be pointed in the right directon.
I want to start a Youtube channel where I am positioned in front of a picture and I am talking.
I know the tutorials are available but there are many and I dont even know what this is called.
Advice would be extremely appreciated.
What you want is called a “green screen”. In the old days of celluloid film, it was an actual green screen or curtain and even today this method is used. Here’s an example: Interdimensional ABK: Behind the Scenes - YouTube
The idea is that the color green isn’t usually found in human skin, so if you film a person in front of a green screen, you get a clear outline and can cut out the image you want using editing software or, with cine film, possibly very small scissors. If the person is wearing green clothes, then you use a blue screen, or whatever, depending on circumstances.
With video and editing software, it’s much easier and in many cases, one doesn’t need a physical screen or curtain. If you search for “green screen” or “green screening”, you’ll probably find tutorials.
Essentially what you want is to use GIMP the way an “optical printer” was used in the past. An optical printer is a camera that allows you to re-photograph images on a reel of film. It was (is?) used for titles, double exposures, wipes, dissolves, irises and similar cinematic effects.
To do similar things with GIMP, you’ll need to use layers and transparency. I’m currently working on this but haven’t really gotten that far, so this is just meant to point you in the right direction. You could take a look at my YouTube channel for some simple examples (not tutorials, though): Laurence Finston - YouTube
Hope this helps.
Laurence Finston
To do similar things with GIMP, you’ll need to use layers and transparency.
And masks. I’m currently working on a project involving these techniques: You could have a look at the PDF file here (under “Version 2”): Architectural Models
Of course, there’s a big difference between a single static image and video, and also between frame-by-frame video, like animations, which is what I’m working on, and live-action film. However, it must be possible because a lot of people do it. However, I don’t know whether GIMP would be the right tool for green screening in combination with live-action video. It’s great for animation.
Thank you for the link, that looks interesting.
I’ve been using Flowblade, which is also Free Software: http://jliljebl.github.io/flowblade/
It allows the use of multiple video channels and it is possible to import a static image (prepared with GIMP or some other way) and set its duration to whatever you want in a given channel. I imagine it’s possible to have the live action footage cover the static image with the green screen removed. It’s probably also possible to overlay one channel of video over the other.
I haven’t needed this because I don’t have any live-action footage at the moment and have been working frame-by-frame anyway.
I know flowblade, but I use/prefer shotcut https://shotcut.org/ which is also free open source software
In shotcut I use the chroma key to change the background, it works with any color (thus greenscreen as well)
A quick video I did found if you are interested
Way too long for what it is, just skip the the first minute, he speaks too much for nothing
Thanks, I’ll certainly take a look at it. Green screen isn’t relevant for me at the moment, though. The next things I need to learn to do is to synchronize audio from two sources and to synchronize audio with video. I’m not really committed to any video editing software.
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