Now for the software side of things.
You will need to get all of the software and drivers to download the movies from the cameras. If you don’t already have this set up, go ahead and read the article on how to install it on my previous article for the CVS camera.
After that, you will need two more pieces. The first converts AVI files into other file types. The reason for this is to use the editing software; you need to have a QuickTime-compatible MOV or AVI file. Since the camera outputs xVid format AVI files, it will not import into the editing software. You can download the movie converter from www.movietoolbox.com.
This is, of course, shareware and works really well to convert the AVI files with the xVid codec into an AVI file with the Microsoft Video 1 codec.
Next, you will need to download Avid Free DV; yes, I said free. This is a limited version of the professional software that most films and everything at G4 is edited on. So if you ever wanted to become a big Hollywood hot-shot, this is a good place to start: www.avid.com/freedv
Once you launch Avid Free DV and create a new project, you will need to make two bins (one for the left camera and one for the right camera) and import the converted movies into their respective bins.
Now here is the tricky part. Avid Free DV only allows two video tracks and one effect for each clip. This is difficult because we need to make a color effect on the left camera to make it red and then super impose it over the right camera that we will put a blue color effect on. So place the left camera on the sequence and drop a color effect on it. Then open the effects editor and adjust the Red to 150 percent and Blue/Green to 0 percent. Then export the clip to a MOV file. Now import that file that you just exported and you will have a clip with the red filter applied already and you can apply the super impose to this new clip.
Now create a new sequence and lay down your right camera image on video track 1. Place a color effect on it and adjust the red to 0% and the blue/green to 100 percent.
Create a new video track and drop the red clip you just imported on the second video track. Be sure to line up the two clips to the same starting point. Since we used the same button to start and stop the camera all of the clips will be the same length. But to make sure you drop it exactly at the start of the other clip you can hold down the ctrl key to make your clip lock to the closest edit point.
Before we move to the final step, let's do a quick review:
- Import your left camera movie
- Apply the red color effect
- Export the clip with the color effect
- Import the movie you just exported
- Place the right camera on the timeline
- Apply the blue color effect to the right camera
- Add a second video track
- Drop the imported red video on the second track
Now to combine the two images, place a superimpose effect on the second video track and adjust the level to 45 percent. Make sure you are watch the second video track by clicking on the little monitor next to the V2 and watch your 3D movie. Be prepared to be shocked and awed by the magic that is 3D.
For legal reasons, we cannot place screen shots of the Avid software to help you out, but Avid has a lot of great tutorials on how to use their software and they have a good forum to ask any questions you may have on how to use the software. I have made sure to use the same terms and very simple techniques so you don’t have to be an expert to use the software.
“What about the glasses, David?” If you don’t have a pair, then you're not a real comic book fan, now are you? But to help out the “others,” you can usually find them at high-end comic book stores or you could visit www.rainbowsymphony.com. They have a deal were you can get 25 pair for only $10.00 but you have to get the Mar's 3D special #2. If you try to buy the glasses, you will need to order at least 100 pairs at $0.40 each so the Mar’s special is a great deal.
