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A
Anonymous
May 4, 2010
Question

Create freeze frame quickly (to turn a normal video into stop motion)

  • May 4, 2010
  • 3 replies
  • 25785 views

I've worked a fair amount with Final Cut in the past but this project needs to be done in Premiere Pro CS4 (or I guess after effects cs5 trial) because I'm on a windows machine.. I have a video that I am trying to turn into a stop motion clip. 

When doing this in FCP, you can click Modify>Make Freeze Frame or even better, Shift+N to make an image. The image then pops up in a new window which can be dragged into the browser or timeline.

Now that I am in Premiere, I cant find an efficient way to do it. The only way I read as to how to create still images from video clips are to "Hold the Frame" or to Export as a still image. Neither of these methods will work for me because I need to create 150+ images and both require to many keystrokes (thus taking an extremely long time). Sounds like laziness but I prefer to think of it as practicality

What is the best method to turn a video into stop motion? Is there any way to quickly and easily make still images like there is in FCP with Shift+N? Is there an easier way in After Effects as opposed to Premiere (I've never really used it before)?

Thanks.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    VidBlgga
    VidBlgga
    Participant
    September 18, 2012

    Definitely too late for ortreehugger, but it occurred to me that what he was trying to accomplish can be done easily, without too many clicks, except it needs to be split differently than it is done in FCP or any other software that separates the frames of a video clip and adds them to the timeline automatically.

    The easiest way to do this would be to:

    1. Go through the source clip and press the cammera button on each frame that is needed/desired. Premiere Pro will name them sequentially and save them in the same directory. Do not add them to the project just yet.
    2. After all the frames have been captured, import them into the project in one single operation.
    3. Similarly, select and grab all the frames from the project window and add them to the timeline in one go. The full video is now stop-motion and the only time consuming portion was the selection of the frames.
    sync2rhythm
    sync2rhythm
    Participating Frequently
    June 2, 2010

    Freeze Frame in CS5 is as simple as it is in Sony Vegas now...just hit the 'Camera Button' under your Preview Monitor.

    This will 'Export a Frame' to your desired location and Format Type on your computer.

    You can then Import it or go into Photoshop or whatever you need to do with it.

    Just remember, that if you start your project in CS5 you'll have to finish it in CS5 (not backwards compatible).

    Same goes if you will need to update it later... after your Trial ends.

    If you have CS4 maybe you should stay there till you're ready to take the CS5 plunge.

    In CS4 you can export a Frame via Adobe Media Encoder.

    The steps are same as they are for exporting Video except in AME you would select Windows BMP... remembering to DeSelect the box for 'Export As Sequence'. This will just export your Single Frame. If you 'Export As Sequence'... this will give you an Image Sequence (multiple BMPs) of however long you've selected.

    As you can see, there were many more steps involved in CS4 than needed.

    Thank you Adobe.

    You can also Right-Click and do "Frame Hold" without exporting anything.

    This will essentially create a Velocity KeyFrame of 0% or a STILL Frame.

    ____________________

    I just watched the Video link posted above... and it says exactly what I wrote.

    I guess if I had watched it before posting I wouldn't have written that novel for you.

    Message was edited by: sync2rhythm

    the_wine_snob
    the_wine_snob
    Inspiring
    June 3, 2010

    Thanks for the update to Export Still. Did they add back the capability to Add to Project, like in pre-CS4 versions?

    Appreciated,

    Hunt

    PS - you can tell who does not yet have CS5...

    the_wine_snob
    the_wine_snob
    Inspiring
    May 4, 2010

    Do you have CS4.2? Things are back, similar to how they were in CS3 and before, where you can Export a Still Frame easily. I understand that CS5 is now much simpler (more simple?), and that AME is no longer involved.

    Good luck,

    Hunt

    A
    Anonymous
    May 4, 2010

    I have CS4.0. Would it be easier if I upgrade? I guess I could get the trial of CS5 but I would like confirmation that its a lot easier (it would take a while to download).

    Im looking for a way to create a still frame with a keyboard shortcut or one or two mouse clicks

    Thanks for the help.

    Was reading some more and posterize time will not work because I want to pick which images are the still frames .

    the_wine_snob
    the_wine_snob
    Inspiring
    May 4, 2010

    CS4.0 allows for a Frame-cap, but it is an involved method. I would definitely upgrade to CS4.2, as it fixes many issues, plus improves this.

    Good luck,

    Hunt

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