Fixing a blown out background

[Justinm59]

I'm busy editing a video and in one of the interviews the background is very washed out. It was shot outside in front of a lake and the lake appears almost white, the sky is completely white and the trees are quite faded as well. The subject looks fine though. I was wondering if anybody had a good technique to fix this.

Thanks,
Justin

[spinnerlys]

It depends on the tape format (DV, Digi Beta, HDV) or disk format and compression you used, as they differ in having enough dynamic range and information available to alter much about it.

What did you use to record and capture the footage?

What is your editing software and have you access to any kind of compositing/colour grading software?

Could you also post a screen shot?

[Justinm59]

Thanks for the quick reply, I'm editing on the newest final cut studio, the footage was shot and imported off a Sony HVRA1U HDV camera. I do have access to Color but I am not very familiar with it.

Here is a screen grab

http://gallery.me.com/justinm59/100137/Picture-202/web.jpg?ver=12496836750001

Thanks again,
Justin

[LethalWolfe]

The sky is gone for good and so is most of the lake although you might be able to use some garbage mattes and the 3-way Color Corrector to get a little bit of the lake back. If the shot is locked down it shouldn't be too hard to do a basic sky replacement.


Lethal

[Justinm59]

The shot is locked down he does move a little but not to much. What is the best way to go about doing a sky replacement? I know how to do it in motion but not with someone in the shot moving. Would I have to put the matte around him and adjust it frame by frame?

Thanks,
Justin

[LethalWolfe]

The sky is so blown out that you can probably use it to create a matte.
VidoCopilot (http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorial/advanced_sky_replacement/) has a tutorial for doing in AE, but the basic concepts should translate into Motion I'd assume.


Lethal

[acearchie]

The sky is so blown out that you can probably use it to create a matte.
VidoCopilot (http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorial/advanced_sky_replacement/) has a tutorial for doing in AE, but the basic concepts should translate into Motion I'd assume.


Agreed if you have after effects (don't know motion too well) that is perfect for a colour key as there is a nice contrast between the interviewee and the sky!