One often used technique used in video identify a place or region within a wider area is to zoom in on a map. However, what will often happen is that as the image enlarges, the place-markers and names become blurry.
Here are two ways to overcome this problem.
Select a map. In both methods, for best results:
· the image should be in high resolution
· the map should not be complex (avoid highly detailed maps)
· the colours should be flat (avoid "physical" maps).
Method A: Using Zoom to highlight a single place-marker and name (eg a town)
1. Open the map in Photoshop or similar.
2. Use the clone tool or brush tool to remove the place-marker and name from the background.
3. Save the image with a new meaningful file-name.
4. Import the amended image and place it on the time-line.
5. Use the titler to create a new place-marker and name in similar style to the original (or in contrast in order to stand out as different, if you wish).
6. Place the title on the track above the map.
7. Use motion controls and key-frames to animate the title to reduce from large to an appropriate size and in the correct place on the map.
Method B: Extract a region from a map of a larger area.
1. Open the map in Photoshop or similar.
2. Crop the image to the local area you wish to extract using the appropriate screen proportions (eg 720 x 576)*.
3. Resize the image by increasing the resolution by about three times (but setting the dimensions to 720 x 576* pixels (or larger).
4. You may note a haze around edges of lines and text.
5. To remove this, click on the eyedropper and sample an area of background colour.
6. Use the paint bucket to re-paint the background (you may have to do this 2-3 times) until the haze disappears.
7. Save the image with a new meaningful file-name.
8. Import the image of the original map and place it on Track 1 of the time-line.
9. Import the image of the local area and place it on Track 2, above the original map.
10. Use the motion controls to reduce and place the local area image so as to be invisible over the original map (this can be tricky).
11. Use key-frames to expand the local area image to fill or almost fill the screen.
Note: It is tricky to exactly size and place the image of the local area over the original map. Also, the process of re-painting may result in a slight difference in the saturation of the background colour(s). Applying a narrow border before you save the local area image, makes any differences between the maps less obvious and gives better "definition" to the local area map.
An alternative approach is to use Photoshop of similar to cut out the region (along its borders) and save this as new file on a transparent background. To retain the transparency, the file should be saved in png format. This file is then treated as per steps 8 - 11 above. When in place the region borders should provide a suitable "break" between the region and the surrounding map. To add extra definition to the region as it expands, a drop shadow might be applied. This should be key-framed to appear only as the region starts to emerge from the background. A further option is to reduce the opacity of the background map as the region map is extracted (again using key-frames).
A further option is to use both methods: Extract the region using Method B then drop in a place-marker and name using Method A.
Dimensions above are for PAL standard. Use dimensions appropriate to the specifications with which you are working.
2. Wipes
Where your editing program does not support a "write-on" effect, wipes are a useful tool for showing a journey on a map.
If the journey is by road, rail or river, ensure that these are shown on the map you use.
1. Open the map in Photoshop or similar.
2. Identify a section of the journey where there are no major deviations of more than about 60 degrees. Ideally, sections should stop and start where you intend to insert other footage or images.
3. Create a new layer
4. Select a suitable colour to depict the journey.
5. Select the brush tool and set it to a suitable size.
6. Position the brush at the start point.
7. Holding down the Shift key, click and move to the next point along a straight line, click again.
8. Keeping the Shift key held down, repeat until the end of this section is reached.
9. For each section repeat steps 2 to 8 (make sure you create a new layer for each section).
10. When finished, make all layers (including the map) but the layer showing the first section invisible.
11. Save as a png file using a meaningful file-name (eg Dublin to Cork).
12. Make this layer invisible and make the next layer visible.
13. Save as per step 11.
14. Repeat until all sections are saved.
15. In Premiere Elements open a new project.
16. In Premiere Pro open a new sequence.
17. Import the original map and all of the sections.
18. Place the map on the time-line (Track 1) and stretch it out.
19. Place the first section on the next track above the map.
20. Place a Wipe effect onto the clip, and open in Effects Control.
21. From the markers surrounding the small screen in Effects Control selected the direction of travel.
22. Test the wipe.
23. Repeat steps 17 to 20 for each of the sections, making sure that each section is placed on its own track, and so that the wipe does not commence until the preceding section has been completed.
24. Trim or stretch each section until a smooth and "timely" depiction of the journey is achieved.
25. Save the project.
26. If you wish to intersperse the journey with footage or images of intervening points, open your main project or sequence and import the journey file (Premiere Elements) or sequence (premiere Pro).
27. Trim and insert into the main project as appropriate.
3. Moving Icons
A moving icon is a small graphic, usually of a vehicle, which moves across a map to indicate the journey. One problem often encountered is where a graphic of a side-on view of a vehicle is used. This normally requires the graphic to be continually rotated to always point in the direction of travel. This can be tricky, time-consuming and the result is often jerky. The following is based on using a graphic such as a head-on view of a vehicle or other icon that does not require rotation.
If the journey is by road, rail or river, ensure that these are shown on the map you use.
1. Select a graphic.
2. If necessary, use Photoshop or similar to erase the background.
3. Save as a png file.
4. In Premiere Elements open a new project.
5. In Premiere Pro open a new sequence.
6. Import the map and place it on Track 1 of the time-line.
7. Import the graphic and place it on Track 2 of the time-line.
8. Open the effect control and reduce the scale to a suitable size.
9. Position the graphic on the start point of the journey.
10. Click on the animation symbol. (a key-frame marker should appear)
11. Move the time-line indicator a short distance and click on the key-frame symbol between the two arrows (another key-frame indicator should appear).
12. Position the graphic at next point along a straight line.
13. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until the journey is complete.
14. Adjust the timing by moving the individual key-frame indicators back and forth until the speed of the entire journey is consistent.
15. The overall speed of the journey can be altered by adjusting the Speed/Duration control for the overall clip.
16. Save the project.
17. If you wish to intersperse the journey with footage or images of intervening points, open your main project or sequence and import the journey file (Premiere Elements) or sequence (Premiere Pro).
18. Trim and insert to the main project as appropriate.
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