Clone

PieroF_Clone_v1.1R.fxscript.zip: (click the link to Download)

What does it do ?

Clone is a freeware filter that clones a rectangular area of a clip into a different area in the same clip, where the original video is covered by an amount defined by Opacity. You can also apply blurring to the modified area, and a time lapse between the current frame and the cloned frame.

In the example picture above the source area (in the green frame) is copied to its left into a destination area within the same clip (in the red frame) that covers the underlying clip  with opacity = 77%, and Blur Radius = 0. Note that the green and the red frames may be displayed by setting Preview Infos, but they are never rendered with the clip.

The main use for filter is to cover a detail of a frame with a different portion of the same frame (see Example a. below), but it may also delay or anticipate action in the destination area, or it may create “ghosts” (see Example b.), and other special effects.

Compatibility, Disclaimer

This Clone filter has been tested in Final Cut Express HD v3.5 and Final Cut Pro v5.1, but it will likely work also in other versions of FCE and FCP as long as they provide support for the fxscript language (see also the Disclaimer).

Version History

v1.0 - Minor interface improvements.

v0.3 - first release.

How does it Work ?

After its Installation drag the filter Clone v1.0 from the Video Filter > pf folder of Effects into the Viewer on the clip you want to apply it to, and then choose:

Destination Area:

1. •Center (default: 0,0): is the position of the center of the destination area in the frame. The area is always a rectangle with edges Width and Height. If Bounded by the Clip is ON and the Center of the destination area is too close to the clip boundaries, the destination area will be forced to fit into the clip frame and not cross the clip boundaries.
   

2. •Width (default: 50): is the width of both the source and the destination areas.
   

3. •Height (default: 50): is the height of both the source and the destination areas.
   

Source Area (same size):

1. •Center (default: -180,0): is the position of the center of the source area in the frame. The area is always a rectangle with edges Width and Height. The contents of this area will cover the destination area and the amount of opacity depends on Opacity. If Bounded by the Clip is ON and the Center of the source area is too close to the clip boundaries, the source area will be forced to fit into the clip frame and not cross the clip boundaries.
   

Effects:

1. •Bounded by the Clip (default: ON): when checked both the source and the destination areas are forced to lay within the clip frame: they are always drawn with the requested Width and Height, but will never cross the clip frame, independent of the source and destination areas Centers.
   

2. •Opacity (%) (default: 100%): opacity of the the source area contents while covering the destination area.
   

3. •Blur Radius (default: 0.5 - range: 0 to 20): amount of blur to be applied to the source area contents before copying into the destination area.
   

4. •Time Offset (frames) (default: 0 - range: -1500 to +1500): defines which frame has to be used in the destination area. When Time Offset = 0, the current frame is used, otherwise the frame which is + or - Time Offset frames apart from the current one is used. For example if Time Offset = 25 the frame 1 second ahead (in PAL) is used.
   

5. Note: the range allows to select frame from -1 to +1 minute in PAL or -50 to +50 seconds in NTSC.
   

6. •Preview Infos (default: ON): if checked the two areas will be framed by two colored borders: a green border for the source area and a red border for the destination area. If Time Offset is not 0, also Time Offset is displayed across the destination area. Independent of the value of Preview areas, the two frames and the time offset will never be rendered in the final output.
   

Examples:

1. a.Hiding an area of the frame. You can use the Clone filter to cover a rectangular area of a frame with a different portion of the same clip, similarly to what you can do in Photoshop using the clone tool:
   

1. 1.set destination area Center to point to the center of the area to cover
   

2. 2.set source area Center to point to the source area
   

3. 3.move the Width and Height sliders to set the area size
   

4. 4.if the area to cover moves in the frame you must keyframe either or both Center to follow the areas movement.
   

5. In the following example (snapshots from the Canvas) the red boy jumping in the left frame is erased in the right frame. The two colored rectangles in the right frame are not visible in the final video.
   

6. 

              

   

   
   
2. 

   b.Creating a ghost. You can use the Clone filter to create a ghost picture like the one on the right.
   

1. 1.set both the destination and the source area Centers to the center of the frame (0,0) and Width and Height to their maximum value (768 and 576 in PAL), to select the whole frame for both source and destination.
   

2. 2.set Time Offset to some negative value, eg -125 to show an overlapping frame taken 5 seconds before (PAL).
   

3. 3.set Opacity to 65%.
   

4. Now people or objects moving in main frame are followed by themselves (their “ghost”) with a delay of 1 seconds.
   

3. c.Creating a ghost - 2. You can also keyframe Time Offset to apply a variable delay (or anticipation) to the ghost.
   

4. In the example below 3 keyframes are set:
   

1. i.first keyframe with Time Offset = 0 (no delay - no ghost);
   

2. ii.second keyframe (current playhead position) 5 seconds later with Time Offset = -125 (5 seconds in PAL): this way the ghost is frozen to its first frame during all the 5 seconds;
   

3. iii.third keyframe 5 seconds later with Time Offset = 0; in this period between the second and third keyframe the ghost moves at double speed and reaches the main frame.
   

4. iv.Note that as in case b. above both the source and the destination area Centers are (0,0), the Width and Height are at their maximum value, and Opacity is set to 65%.
   

5.