Adding a blank frame (or frames) to a video clip?

[SeK612]

A fairly simple question,

I have a normal video clip which shortening. I've managed to do this in virtual dub (using the select range function). However at the end its a bit confusing as it cuts off at transition in the clip and it looks really messy.

To improve it I want to slip in some blank black frames (possibly fading and the ability to add text to the frames if needed - if this is easy enough) so its more obvious that the clip has ended and looks neater.

Can you do such a thing in Virtual Dub (I couldn't find it). If not what programs would I need to do this (preferably something small and compact) - I've had a quick go at doing this in Flash MX but it was pretty complex and the output had no sound and a big white frame around it.

Thanks :)

[Mug Funky]

try premiere, ulead video studio, or anything that can handle loading pictures.

avisynth can also do it, but with no GUI it's probably not an elegant option.

if you're in linux, try this NLE app:
http://heroinewarrior.com/index.php3

i haven't tried it yet (i have to share this computer, and the other user refuses to finish backing up their crap so i can put a nice fresh linux distro on once and for all), but i'm excited by the idea of it.

good luck doing video in Flash!! i've done some single-frame animation, and exporting png sequences from it, but it's REALLY not meant for editing video (and sorenson spark is a piece of poop - mpeg-1 looks better IMO).

[SeK612]

Thanks.

Can I not do it in Virtual Dub then? Premier is a pretty big file and I don't really have the space to store it.

Also I've just re looked at the file and it looks worse than the original and is bigger in size (its 4.83MB whereas the original is 2.33 - I've cut a load of frames out as well :().

The file was originally a .wmv file. Virtual Dub doesn't allow .wmv files (something to do with a Microsoft patent) so I had to download a converter to convert it to .avi. I then loaded that into VD and selected the frame range and re saved it as a .avi file.

Is there anyway to maintain the file quality (it wasn't great to start of with). Would either premier or ulead video allow .wmv files and be able to save them as .avi with no quality loss (along with the additional frames).

[Mug Funky]

unfortunately, WMV isn't a readily editable format - not many keyframes and loads of p and (maybe) b frames. this means that most of the frames are dependant on other frames (and we can't risk cutting those ones out...).

if you don't mind a lot of scripting, you could use "directshowsource" in avisynth, do your cutting and inserting there (using trim and splice), and there would be no loss.

however, if the WMV is variable frame rate (it most probably is), then avisynth will screw up the timing and the sound will go out of sync.

WMV files usually aren't worth the bother. horrible format, and closed-source.

the reason the avi was bigger and looked worse was because it was transcoded from wmv into another format. there is no way to do this losslessly, unfortunately. them's the breaks.

[SeK612]

I have premier now.

I haven't yet found a way to add blank frames but I'm sure its possible.

I'm having bit problems with the filesize though. The 2.33MB .wmv file shoots to 78MB's when fed through premier (thats after cutting out a fair chunk). I have seen you can change the compression settings when exporting the clip but when I change them enough to get it back down to 4MB for the file the clip is barely watchable :(