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CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 12:33 pm
by nostradamus
Hi there !
I have compiled segments from 5 long VR videos into a PMV and seeking your expert advise as I am struggling with automating and assembling footage to beats of the song.

Here is my workflow in premiere pro so far:
  • Inserted a 4 minute song in the timeline
  • Placed markers in timeline at the audio beats (~every 4 seconds)
  • I made subclips from the original footage from in-out markers
  • Selected all subclips and used "automate to sequence" to insert into sequence
For the next unused four seconds from the orginal footage I am having to manually copy and paste the previously inserted clips and using slip tool(Y). It took me a good 4 hours to assemble this way :\'-( Pretty tedious process !

I wonder if there is way to select the next 4 seconds from original footage automatically:

Subclip1(movie1) 4secs | Subclip1(movie2)4secs |Subclip1(movie3) 4secs |..... Subclip2(movie1) | Subclip2(movie2) | Subclip2(movie3) |........


Thanks in advance

N

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 2:18 pm
by kharon
Hi Nostradamus

Video editing is by far the most time consuming part when it comes to a cock hero project (or any film project once you have your captures)

Keeping audio/visual sync as sharp as possible is a very high priority for me whenever i do a project. The method I have the most success with is the following:

1. Make your project in 60fps. This will just make everything tighter, even though not all sources will be 60fps.
2. Use kerkersklave beatmeter tool to identify your song BPM and create a musical BAR pattern and put it into your timeline. Make sure to show the waveform to see the spikes. Now you can quickly identify the time signature of the song when editing. Alternatively, you can use any music software to create a metronome.
3. If you just want to throw in random 4 second segments after one another, this can be done very rapidly by importing the source-clips into a separate timeline, stack them all up and then just razor cut it all in desired lengths. If this is not fast enough, you can make a 'comb' from any timeline object, and use the comb as a tool to overwrite parts of your clips, leaving you with a timeline full of sub-clips.
Now moving around the segments will take some time, but with some shift clicking it can be done fast. HOWEVER, from my experience this method will leave you with a very poor cock-hero as a result.
4. IMHO, doing the right way is unfortunately even more time consuming than what you have described. The way I do it is to evaluate every sub-clip with regards to framing and and intensity. The framing matters when it comes to the framing of the preceding and the following clip. The intensity matters when it comes to matching the music. As you can imagine this quickly turns into puzzle, but from my experience this will also yield a much better final product.

Good luck
-Kharon

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:59 pm
by fragrantEmulsion
Yes, it takes a long time. It helps being organized (which I am not). Having all of your tools and materials in the right place is a good start, and you want to group similar tasks so that you can be more efficient. Here's an (unrelated to porn) video that has helped me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP1AmDRhoas

I use markers but cut everything manually. Usually I pull a longer portion of the clip onto the timeline and then cut it up and use the slip tool to adjust it when it is in place. You could watch the clips and then mark them where you want them to start, and cut them based on that.

Automation is going to result in a lackluster product, but you can use it to make your life easier and then pick from the better parts. For example: when editing stuff with lots of cuts, you can use a cut detection tool (such as the one in the free editing software DaVinci Resolve).

I think that we could possibly train a neural network to select good clips for us, but this is still a ways off based on my limited understanding. Think of it like art. Computers aren't able to generate meaningful art, but artists can use computers to help them make art. Machines are only just now starting to be subjective.

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:51 pm
by nostradamus
Thanks for the response. Absolutely agree with all your points. Will try your workflow.
From what I am learning as I indulge and watch some well done CH movies out there, this is an art and comes with time and lots of experience. Now I am trying this in VR which is another beast in itself :-). My first output was as mess.

Any tips on that for rendering VR 180 footage and posting on PH?

I specially love the POV VR stuff which can be played on a simple Utopia headset.

Merci !
kharon wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 2:18 pm Hi Nostradamus

Video editing is by far the most time consuming part when it comes to a cock hero project (or any film project once you have your captures)

Keeping audio/visual sync as sharp as possible is a very high priority for me whenever i do a project. The method I have the most success with is the following:

1. Make your project in 60fps. This will just make everything tighter, even though not all sources will be 60fps.
2. Use kerkersklave beatmeter tool to identify your song BPM and create a musical BAR pattern and put it into your timeline. Make sure to show the waveform to see the spikes. Now you can quickly identify the time signature of the song when editing. Alternatively, you can use any music software to create a metronome.
3. If you just want to throw in random 4 second segments after one another, this can be done very rapidly by importing the source-clips into a separate timeline, stack them all up and then just razor cut it all in desired lengths. If this is not fast enough, you can make a 'comb' from any timeline object, and use the comb as a tool to overwrite parts of your clips, leaving you with a timeline full of sub-clips.
Now moving around the segments will take some time, but with some shift clicking it can be done fast. HOWEVER, from my experience this method will leave you with a very poor cock-hero as a result.
4. IMHO, doing the right way is unfortunately even more time consuming than what you have described. The way I do it is to evaluate every sub-clip with regards to framing and and intensity. The framing matters when it comes to the framing of the preceding and the following clip. The intensity matters when it comes to matching the music. As you can imagine this quickly turns into puzzle, but from my experience this will also yield a much better final product.

Good luck
-Kharon

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:58 pm
by Caius Prepus
Im been doing that thing for a time now, and what I am ready from you make no sense to me at all Nostradamus.

If you want to make something good you have to choose every sequence, and you also don't want to stay at 4 sec. sequence from the beginning to the end. You have to try to recreate the intensity of the song through your sequencing.

And yes it is very time consuming.

1. Find the bpm of the song = use mix meister or something like that to find out the bpm or your song. Be aware that a lot of song, older song mostly, do not have an electronically driven bpm. That means that the bpm is dictated by the drummer and him being human make the bpm varies throughout the song. I would stay away from that unless you master the thing.(that is why we often use electronic music).

2. When you have the bpm, use a software to create a beat pattern at the same bpm of the song. (Ex : Hydrogen drum machine)

3. Align the beat with your song in Premiere Pro. Use the option to show audio stamp unit to be more precise.

4. Mix match your visual with the song, the beat pattern and do every sequence switch on the hit of a beat.

Good luck !

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:17 pm
by nostradamus
That was quiet an inspiring video on productivity. Applies everywhere !
I have come to a realization that good work takes time with all the planning and staying on the task at hand like a dog with a bone !
I liked the ease of use of DaVinci resolve and the awesome features in the free version. Migrated to Premiere as I had some VR features I want are only available in the paid version.

As you said, automation and creating art have some finite boundaries. I can't comprehend how machine learning will ever replace the optics through which an artist sees and creates.

Will apply the principles learnt so far.

Have a great day !

N
fragrantEmulsion wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:59 pm Yes, it takes a long time. It helps being organized (which I am not). Having all of your tools and materials in the right place is a good start, and you want to group similar tasks so that you can be more efficient. Here's an (unrelated to porn) video that has helped me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP1AmDRhoas

I use markers but cut everything manually. Usually I pull a longer portion of the clip onto the timeline and then cut it up and use the slip tool to adjust it when it is in place. You could watch the clips and then mark them where you want them to start, and cut them based on that.

Automation is going to result in a lackluster product, but you can use it to make your life easier and then pick from the better parts. For example: when editing stuff with lots of cuts, you can use a cut detection tool (such as the one in the free editing software DaVinci Resolve).

I think that we could possibly train a neural network to select good clips for us, but this is still a ways off based on my limited understanding. Think of it like art. Computers aren't able to generate meaningful art, but artists can use computers to help them make art. Machines are only just now starting to be subjective.

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:26 pm
by nostradamus
I knew someone would say that ! LOL !
Yep ! It was a lousy CH I made witout a beatmeter and paused to ask the experts.
After 1 minute elapsed into assembling the sequence and playing it back brought me to a quick realization.

I will use the tips given so far.. be patient ! Collect all the raw data and align the cuts to the beatmeter waveforms.

How long does it typically take you to make one?

Cheers and have a good day !

Caius Prepus wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:58 pm Im been doing that thing for a time now, and what I am ready from you make no sense to me at all Nostradamus.

If you want to make something good you have to choose every sequence, and you also don't want to stay at 4 sec. sequence from the beginning to the end. You have to try to recreate the intensity of the song through your sequencing.

And yes it is very time consuming.

1. Find the bpm of the song = use mix meister or something like that to find out the bpm or your song. Be aware that a lot of song, older song mostly, do not have an electronically driven bpm. That means that the bpm is dictated by the drummer and him being human make the bpm varies throughout the song. I would stay away from that unless you master the thing.(that is why we often use electronic music).

2. When you have the bpm, use a software to create a beat pattern at the same bpm of the song. (Ex : Hydrogen drum machine)

3. Align the beat with your song in Premiere Pro. Use the option to show audio stamp unit to be more precise.

4. Mix match your visual with the song, the beat pattern and do every sequence switch on the hit of a beat.

Good luck !

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:18 am
by pl3b
You're basically asking for ways to improve your workflow, but more at the technical side of things and not necessarily "I have nothing yet, where do I start". This is to mostly depend on the tool, but there's going to be also some universal tips, so that's good that you get feedback from multiple creators working in different editing software. You also may find this topic interesting: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=20724

Personally I'm a fan of automating things and because computers are generally good at doing tedtious repetitive tasks and because After Effects is something that I've used in the past and because it has scripting capatilities, I've made a tool that automates some parts of the process that are either super repetitive (marking positions of beats according to song BPM) or require precision but not much thinking (such as: placing already prepared beats at the markers and cutting them to length). This tool can be found here: viewtopic.php?t=19984.

As far as general workflow goes, as already mentioned above - it helps to be organized and have a set of steps that you follow. Then it's a matter of following the steps each time and getting better at each of them, possibly optimizing them here and there each time.

To give a concrete example, the way I do things after collecting music and video material and is the following:
- Create beat patterns (I use Ableton Live). After this step I know which parts of each song should be more intense (with possibly shorter clips) and which should be more "relaxed" (with possibly longer clips)
- Put it all into video editing software (using After Effects as mentioned above already)
- Generate beatmeter (using the script)
- Place beat markers (using the script) on top of the beatmeter layer
- Add text cues at the moments when pattern changes
- Estimate how many clips (and on average how long) do I need for each section and I go through the video material and find the most interesting parts of them. Again, the script makes it a bit easier for me as I only need to cut the beginning of each clip, placement and cutting the end according to BPM is done automatically
- Shuffle, place and cut the clips (using the script)
- Quickly go through the video again and fine-tune things
- Add intro and outro
- Render

As you can see, the process followed step by step each time should give similar results. Over time you get better at each part so you finish them quicker. Some of them that are the most tedious I've decided to automate, but they can as well be done by hand and that's what I did initially. This is also by no means something I'll never improve on myself personally - for example I'm still trying to find a way of automating some aspects of adding text cues for beat pattern changes. I want to have them in my videos, but they just take time to place that I'd rather spend elsewhere.

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:57 pm
by geogpig
I have to agree with Kharons last point. With my limmit experience, this is how my workflow has gone so far. At the end I will list some tips/ tricks I picked up that makes life a whole lot easier... but still probably no what you want to hear.

1- once I have a good idea of a few songs I want to use I will open a new file in Ableton and create a mix. (in the mix I will usually add 30 seconds at the begginning and end where the volume is low/ a filter and reverb make it sound kinda far away). I mix it all together and make it "work" I set the master track at -5 to allow space for the beat sound.

2- I take that mix and import the whole thing into beat meater (its awesome thank you again for creating a tool that has saved me hours). I start with the first actual song and get the BPM synced and make the beats. Rinse repeat. When that is all done I export the video and audio.

3- I take said audio and match it back up on ableton... I use filters to make room in the music for the clave/ take extra frequencies off the clave so it sounds better.

4- I render the video in Vegas pro usually ~25k frames per render (I make different folders for the beat meeter frames so I can import them seperately.

5- and this is where I will start to answer your question with what I do. I import a few of the videos I want to use and I scrub through them. Everytime a new act/ camera angle/ or something that I am like "Oh fudge thats HOT" I cut the video. Side note I put all the cumshots together so they are easy to find at the end. Scrubbing helps me for when I am like "hmmm doggy needs to go here" and I dont want to have to search through a whole bunch of stuff to find things.

6- After I get all the transitions and scenes lined up I will do a playtest. then I will go back and rework steps 2-4 to adjust the beats.

7- I go back and look at specific scenes/ areas I want to highlight and I adjust scenes so they are "timed right." Maybe this is moving the clip I found to a few seconds before or after because the star made eye contact or yadda yadda.

8- render playtest repeat.

9- do all the stuf you have to do before releasing.

TLDR TIPS THAT HELP ME
Scrub through and find specific scenes that you forsure want to include/ mark when sex acts change.
The program I use (vegas pro) allows me to make the timeline into beats and measure that helps alot for lining video up to sound.
Get a rough cut then go back and really tighten up areas where you want video to sync with beat.

Hope this helps a little bit, if you do find a way to automate building CH please do share, because in my experience it can be very time consuming.

Re: CH workflow request

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:24 pm
by 3xTripleXXX
I use Premiere Pro, but what works really well for me is that after I've made my mix (I do it live with VirtualDJ 8), is that I import the final track into Beatmeter Generator. The first thing I do is to make a BPM track for the whole set, and then import that BPM track as its own audio track. At least in Premiere Pro (though I imagine any video editor would do this), the audio tracks are shown as their waveform, so once I have aligned the BPM track, I then have a waveform with a spike on every beat. That makes it super easy to line up video cuts to the beats, since they're all on the same timeline. I do a lot of cutting of my video to match the beats (including speeding up and slowing down if I really want to match the action and such), so I don't think I can see a situation where you can automate all of that.