Placing an Image into the actual video. How is this done?

[Devilsadvocate]

Hello, sorry if this is a primitive question but I can't figure out how to do this and I even asked on the official APP forums and they mocked me (mods included) so I'm guessing its pretty straight forward?

To re-clarify, I want to place an actual image into a video, and have it remain in he same spot throughout the video, even as the camera pans and shifts. How is this done exactly?

EDIT: Btw, I am not refering to a logo, I'm refering to placing a 2d static image or .gif inside the video clip and keep it in the same spot in relation to other objects in the clip. Also, I only make youtube videos so I'm not looking to make it professional or realistic so I'm hoping it can all be done in APP

[Midnight Blue]

I don't use APP so I can't walk you through it but these are the basic steps. Place the image on a track above the video track then size and position as required.

[david walsh]

Midnights reply answers how I first read it too, but I have a feeling it's the wording that's caused problems. Do you mean you want to place the image in the video and have it remain in the same spot in relation to the video while it pans, not the screen that is being viewed by the viewer?

If so you want to look up motion tracking/match moving.

David.

[Midnight Blue]

Yes I think you might be right David now that I re read it. Can you do motion tracking in APP ? If not I suppose he would have to do it manually.

[Devilsadvocate]

Yes thats right, I heard the only way to do this efficiently is to fork over even more money for the after effects thing. I need to stick a 2d image on a 2d plane so its only the slight panning that matters, is there a guide on what layers I need to use and stuff? I usually understand the terminology hut just finding where the correct stuff is on the progam is tres difficult.

[bigmancool]

download a 30 day free trial of after effects. this will work for what you want. import your footage into a new composition. Import your Gif into the composition. select your footage and then go Animation > track motion. a square point tracker will pop up. place the middle of the square over a dark spot in the scene, something with contrast that easily stands out. then hit 'analyze' on the right hand side, where the tracker controls are. after effects will start tracking your scene, and you can tell if it is doing it accurately or not. if not, try tracking something else, or making the track boxes bigger. when this is done, select the target layer as the "gif" from the drop down menu. now apply the tracking data and if you've done it properly you will see when you playback that the gif is attached to the scene. you can still move it about however you wish

If you want 2 or more layers to all stick to the scene, then you also need to create a 'null object'. once you've tracked the footage, apply the tracking data to the null object instead of the gif. then 'parent' all of the gifs you want to stick to the scene to the null object. when an layer is parented to another layer it will behave in exactly the same way, ie movement and rotation and scale etc.

hope this helps

[Sephirex]

It's sad that other editors would refuse to help another. In any case, everyone here has pretty much said that After Effects is your best bet.

I recommend going to Videocopilot.net. They have plenty of awesome video tutorials for After Effects.

Good luck.