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Application Note
Using Encore’s Key Cut & Fill Feature to Manipulate “Shaped” PIPs
Rectangular vs. Shaped
In a typical performance or concert environment, the Encore Presentation System generates rectangular PIPs that can be filled with any video source,
sized and positioned on screen, and moved from point to point using keyframe “moves.” In this standard mode, the PIPs are always rectangular, and
only one mixer layer is required to create the PIP.
However, using Encore’s special “Key Cut & Fill” feature, the system can also manipulate non-rectangular or shaped PIPs — with the same freedom as
their rectangular counterparts. The only caveat is that two mixer layers are required for each shaped PIP. One layer cuts the key hole with a shape, and
the other layer fills the hole with the desired input video.
Creativity with Shaped PIPs
The shape of the PIP itself (the portion that cuts the hole), can be static or in full motion, depending on your creative requirement. For example, you
could fill a triangle, circle or multi-sided polygon with a close-up of your speaker, and then size and position the image anywhere on screen. Or, you
could fill an animated or morphing shape with video, and then manipulate it on screen. The only limitation is your imagination.
Where Do The Shapes Come From?
The non-rectangular shapes themselves are standard graphic files — stored on single or multi-head computer(s) that are connected to Encore as scaled
inputs. File “types” such as bitmaps, JPEGs, AVIs, WMVs, Flash (and even PowerPoint slides) can all be used. Typically, the shape is a “hi-con” — a
high-contrast white graphic on a black background, which in turn enables Encore to cut a clean key hole. The files themselves can be created using
standard graphics and animation programs, as desired.
