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What is the easiest way to add animation to a map?
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hulland
Posted : Wednesday, May 14, 2008 8:48:03 AM
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I use several dvd authoring apps. as well as VEM, on a regular basis. I try to use new and varied techniques, and to try to get to know as many features as possible, and so far I am quite satisfied and proud of my productions.

One thing I frequently need to do, is to take a map, and add a moving line or row of dots to show a route or progress during a documentary. The only way I have found to do this EASILY is to create several still images each one with a different line incorporated in it, and then merge them during the show to give the (crude) impression of gradual movement.

Is there a way to "draw a moving line" and superimpose it on a video footage? This is obviously a different requirement to using a normal green screen, or adding text, although if the adding text was adjustable over the full two dimensions of the frame that might be a thought?-Interested to hear how others get round this annoyance?
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DeskShare - Support
Posted : Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:04:18 PM

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You can do this using OpenOffice Impress (or another presentation program) and DeskShare's My Screen Recorder.

In Impress,create a presentation with a solid color background. On each slide, add a dot, drawing your route from beginning to end. Switch Impress into "Show" (so that no window borders appear), and start recording with My Screen Recorder by pressing F8. Use the keyboard to step through your show, so that the dots appear one-by-one. Stop recording using F9. My Screen Recorder will create an AVI movie showing the dots appearing.

Now, in Video Edit Magic, Put your map on Video Track 1 and your dots-appear movie on Track 2. Use the Chroma Key Color effect to make the background of the dots movie transparent, as explained in the article Using the Green Screen Technique. Now, the movie will show your map, with the dots appearing over it and tracing the route.
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hulland
Posted : Wednesday, May 14, 2008 9:10:22 PM
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Thanks for a rapid and lucid reply, I will go away and study--thanks again.
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