What tools do I need for an uncut project?

[StainlessS]

test similarity somehow, in spite of different levelling

Immune-ish to differing levels (EDIT: At least rough alignment, better results)

RT_LumaCorrelation(clip c,clip c2,int "n"=current_frame,int "delta"=0,int "x"=0,int "y"=0,int "w"=0,int "h"=0,int "n2"=current_frame,
    int "delta2"=0,int "x2"=x,int "y2"=y,bool "interlaced"=false,int "Matrix"=(Width>1100||Height>600||clip2.Width>1100||clip2.Height>600?3:2))
  Returns FLOAT value luma correlation (-1.0 -> 1.0) between clip c frame (n+delta) area x,y,w,h, and clip c2 frame (n2+delta2) area x2,y2,w,h.
  Note, 'x2' and 'y2' default to 'x' and 'y' respectively.
    v2.0, c and c2 need not be same dimensions but BEWARE, x2 and y2 default to x and y also w and h default to 0
      which is converted to c.width-x and c.height-y, may be best to provide x2, y2, w and h where c2 not same dimensions as c.
  
  Pearson's Sample Correlation Coefficient.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_and_dependence
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearson_product-moment_correlation_coefficient
  Uses equivalent routine to the JMac698's JCorr plugin here:
  http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=165386
  and here:
  http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1495098#post1495098

[Frank62]

Wow! This looks interesting!

[StainlessS]

By the way, SirPlant() uses RT_LumaCorrelation() a lot (but not exclusively).
Has to find an initial frame via RT_FrameDifference (luma + optional weighted chroma difference),
from initial matched frame, scans both forwards and backwards using Luma Correlation to establish extent of matching range.
During forwards/backwards scan, (when STRICT=False) allows for single missing or extra frame so long as then next along
frame matches ok.

[Frank62]

After re-thinking I found that it will be a bit more difficult: The alignment (up, left, width, height) of two very different clips often changes every few scenes. This ruins my 3-points-approach (in spe).
-I would align automatically - ok.
-The new "FindCuts" then could find the first gap - ok, but maybe not - maybe it would find only a new wrong alignment.

So I would have to nest alignment and matching. I fear I can not do this in avisynth, will see if it's possible to log somehow and write something outside - and that maybe also can export some script format that can be used in Premiere (or Vegas?).
But this correlation-thing is an important step on the way, could work!

[StainlessS]

The alignment (up, left, width, height) of two very different clips often changes every few scenes.

I'm real glad I dont got that there clip.

[Frank62]

This is quite common...

[johnmeyer]

Originally Posted by StainlessS

I'm real glad I dont got that there clip.

I ran into this with a very similar project where we wanted to add hard-coded English subtitles from a very poor VHS version of a film to a high-quality DVD version in the original French language. Each transfer was scanned with something that didn't go to the edges of the film, and the portions of the film that were missed was different for each scan. As a result, I couldn't line them up perfectly, and the alignment changed from scene to scene. Also, there were one or two short scenes missing from one print.

I did what I described earlier, and once I had them aligned, used a mask to allow the subtitles from the lousy print to burn into the good print. The subtitles were yellow so I was able to construct a mask that only transferred the pixels in that color and brightness range, and didn't transfer much else. This wasn't perfect, so I used a "garbage mask" to block out everything outside the lower third area where the subtitles normally appear. I briefly tried to OCR them to make real DVD subtitles, but the tools I found online didn't work well enough for that. The bad VHS print also was very dark, and the colors were different from the good DVD print, so I had to do color and gamma correction before I merged in the subtitles.

It worked, and I ended up with a usable film, but I am not tempted to do it again. It was just too much tedious, repetitive work.

So, you may not be able to automate this much more than what you are doing, and what has been described.

[Frank62]

Yes, I fear so, too - I tried to automate this for several years with no success. But hope dies last.

By the way: I remember something similar to your subtitle replacement. I had a new HD-scan and an old but not-too-bad SD scan. The problem was that the blue layer of the HD scan had been destroyed - looked like clouds sometimes with, sometimes without blue. No way to repair, tried everything. So finally I decided to align both clips exactly and use the color of the SD clip. Of course, every few scenes x-y-alignment changed.
In the end I did this primarily by interleaving the two (time-aligned) clips, then used Deshaker. Was not too bad in the end. Maybe this trick also can help someone somewhen.

[ChaosKing]

There's also a https://github.com/introspected/AutoOverlay plugin for avisynth.

p.s. click on the "> Portrait image + landscape image -> script output" text

[Frank62]

Yes, as I said: I tested this, but in the context it is useless. You have to align 95% before, otherwise it fails. And the sources have to be very similar. Then it seems to do a very nice job, but only then.