Video Production Studio

This guide is to help users navigate software installed on the computers in the production studios. Please use left pane to navigate to your preferred application. 

 

Questions, suggestions, or to report any issues, please contact:

Joshua Garris
Director of Library Information Technology
Email: jbgarris@mailbox.sc.edu

 

This guide will help in navigating the OBS program. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is open-source software that you can download and use on your personal computer— go to www.obsproject.com.

OBS will allow you to add filters to your video as you record them, like the Chroma Key feature used with the green screen.
If you are simply wanting to record and do all of your post production work yourself (without green screen), you may want to use the simple Camera tool.

Getting Started

After logging in to the computers, search for the OBS icon on the desktop—Looks like this  
Open the program.

Note: Two screens titled “Preview” and “Program,” means the program is in Studio Mode—found under Controls.

 

Saving Your Work

Connect an external drive to the computer. In OBS - select “File” - then “Settings.” A window should pop up with options listed in the left pane. Select “Output.” Under the recording section, direct the “recording path” to the connected external drive.
If the recording path was not changed before recording the video, the content can be accessed by clicking on the “Video“ folder located on the desktop, or through File Explorer. It will be named by date and be a .mkv file.

Recording

1. Click the + sign to add a video source

  

 

2. Select "Video Capture Device"       

   

 

3. Create "New" should be selected - No need to rename the source. Select OK. 

    

4. For device, select "Cam Link 4K." Click "OK."  

 

Note: I do not encourage other than default options here for users unfamiliar with OBS or other recording software.

Live feed should now be observed on screen.

 

5. Once ready, select “start recording” in the controls section. It is not necessary to change settings on the camera or record directly from camera.
7. See the next section for Chroma Key features for green screen.
6. To end the recording session, select “stop recording.”

To use OBS to place a digital background, chroma key effects filter will be used. Note: Use studio lighting on the green screen to eliminate any shadows on and behind the subject.

1. To begin, you should go to the "scene panel." 

 

 

2. Select "Filters," to open the Filters selection panel.

 

 

3. Select the + on the bottom right corner, and add "chroma."

 

 

4. The Chroma Key filter panel should be observable. This will allow adjustments to the scenes.
Note: I highly recommend doing Chroma key in post-production (OBS or Premier) as live chroma feeds will be intensive on the computer and more time consuming.

 

5. To add video or an image to the green screen, create a new scene by clicking + to add one. Name it something recognizable. Next, click the + to add a source (the video or image) - choose the setting that best suites the source material. For example, To upload a video, the source should be “Media Source.” Name the file, and select the path to the video from a saved location.

 

 

 

 

After logging into the computer, search for the Premiere icon on the desktop—Looks like this  

Open the program. All users will be required to sign in with an Adobe ID. Option to create will be available when prompted - It is free and can be used with any Adobe Program worldwide.

When prompted, select "New Project."   

 

You will be prompted to name your project, click OK to confirm. 

Opened program will look similar to below image:

 

Importing Video

Click on “File” - “Import” and then browse to the video or drag the media file into the time-line of the project or via the Media Browser.

Go to "File" and select "Import."

  

 

The imported video should be in the Project pane.

  

 

The project should look similar to the below image. Note: If your video is not showing in the “Source” pane, (left pane) you might need to double click the video in the timeline.

Editing Video

Removing Audio from Video

Removing audio from the video requires the two be unlinked. Demonstrated in the image below, there are video tracks and audio tracks. V1, V2, V3,etc. are video tracks. A1, A2, A3, etc. are audio tracks.

  

While they are linked, any manipulation on one would affect the other. To unlink, right click on the video or audio track, and select “Unlink.”

  

Once they are unlinked, they can be manipulated separately, or delete any media in the timeline if needed.

 

Removing unwanted video clips / sections

In the left “Source” panel, there is a timeline beneath the video. Dragging the small blue tab to the left or right will navigate through the video manually.

 

Warning: below instructions will cut undesired sections. I recommend reading the instructions before modifying the project.

Find the desired beginning (In) of the video. Keep the tab on the exact time and click the letter “I” (i) on the keyboard—for “IN.” Find the desired ending of the video and click “O” on the keyboard, for “OUT.” In = beginning, Out = end. Video before the beginning cut and after the ending cut will be removed completely. 

 

Cut, But Keep the Video Clips

For selecting, keeping, and moving video clips, let's look at the Razor and Move tools.

Find the precise place in the video, within the timeline, that should be cut.

 

             By sliding this bar beneath the timeline, left or right, it can be zoomed into seconds or our into longer periods of time.

 

Once the chosen section has been decided on, mark it using the blue tab.  

Use the Razor Tool to click on the video, slicing it.    

 

Use Move tool to your separate clips onto other video tracks.

   

 

 

Saving your Work

 

Rendering

Before saving the video, Premiere requires it to be rendered. Un-rendered video can be noted by observing the yellow line.

 Needs Rendering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To render the finished video, go to "Sequence."

 

Select "Render In to Out (In = beginning, Out = End).

 

 Render successful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The video is now ready to be exported. Premiere will not export the video if it isn’t rendered. To Export, go to “File” -> “Export” -> “Media.”

Export options are many. Typically videos are saved at Format “H.264,” - which a typical MP4 video. There are various options to choose from. Feel free to do research online to ensure the best export options for your project.

Once ready, click “Export.” If “Queue,” is selected to proceed, Adobe CC will open Media Encoder. Media Encoder offers more export options.

Using the Green Screen to set up a Digital Background

Import video into the timeline.

 

To begin, open the “Effects” panel . If it isn’t already open in the layout, Go to “View,” and select “Effects.” Under the Effects tab, navigate to “Video Effects, “ —> “Keying”—> “Ultra key.” Double click the mouse to add this effect to the video. The effect can also be dragged on to the video.

  

 

Open the Effects Control tab (located above the video panels Source & Program).

This should open a panel that has options like these.

   

   

 

 

 

Under “Ultra Key,” should look for “Key Color.”

 

 

 

 

 

   

Use the eyedropper tool and click on the green color in source video. This lets the program know what color are using (could be blue, etc.)

 

 

Move the original video into track “V2.”

If you haven’t already, you should now import the image or video that to put over the green screen. Drag that media into track “V1.”

Import Media   

 

Moved into Timeline 

 

Finished result 

 

Removing Shadows

It is always best to try and reduce as many shadows as possible when creating the video. Shadows observed in the finished project can be further reduced in the Effects Control tab. 

 Go to your “Effects Control” Tab.

Look for "Matte Generation."   

 

Change the numbers next to the options in this category to reduce the shadows or highlights.

 

Once finished, save the project —> Render the video —> and export the media.