Stabilization, sharpening, color correction, etc.

[Fernando de Peña]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the Wolverine-Hawkeye club and have been experimenting with this wonderful machine (finally!). I got the scanning flow, but I would like to upgrade myself into better scans, stabilized, sharpened and color corrected. My aim is to eventually get to the best scan possible. I'll be heading and experimenting that way these weeks. I'm using DaVinci Resolve as editing software. I use IC to capture and still haven't figured out all the other steps that in the Hawkeye manual (fred's script and all that). Any advice and directions in this? Un abrazo desde Puerto Rico.

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Fernando. The postprocess is not exactly a set of process steps. It is also art. It depends on what you are trying to get from the film. Video Fred has a set of settings that stabilize the film which is definitely necessary. Then it does denoise by comparing multiple frames. Some people do not like that because it removes the film grain. It also does interpolation which inserts additional frames without changing the video speed. The video becomes smoother and easier to watch but it could create artifacts in some fast moving scenes. I also added a blue color compensation which to Video Fred option 4 which gives a nice sky color.
DaVinci is a powerful editor and can do all of these things and more but on the downside it is not very intuitive to use. But on a positive note there are tons of instructions on the internet.

[Fernando de Peña]

Yeah, I've been trying with DaVinci, but still haven't got what I'm looking for. Still haven't used Video Fred. Will try to get that one around, what I've seen as results so far look really nice. I'll take my chance with Video Fred and post the results, also some of the results with DaVinci. That way, maybe this post will come in handy to anyone that comes by to the same thing. In your experience, what would be the essencial parts and your work order in 8mm post process?

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Fernando.
Get avisynth running first:
http://avisynth.nl/index.php/Main_Page

Do a simple script as per the instructions and make sure that works.

Then you can use VirtualDub2:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/vdfiltermod/

Virtuadub can read avisynth scripts. Essentially you just drag and drop the script into Virtualdub2 main wirndow.
You can try that with the your script that you wrote in the first step.

OK, now that you have scan images in a folder, you can open up the first image in Virtualdub2 by using the open drop down command.
VirtualDub2 will create the video from your sequence. Set the proper frame rate and compression. Use raw for now.
Save the video.
Close the video but keep VirtualDub2 running.

Then update the VideoFred script with your video path.
Drag the updated script into VirtualDub2.
Set the compression as required.
Save the video.

That is basically it. There will be some additional details. Just post a question here if you run into issues.

[Fernando de Peña]

Ran into this. :P

I'm on the middle of the road to get all this sorted out, but if you know a solution, some advice would be great.

[David Brown]

Yes, that's my favorite thing about AVIsynth. scripts are 32b or 64b and which version of AVIsynth to use??

[Fernando de Peña]

Yes, that's my favorite thing about AVIsynth. scripts are 32b or 64b and which version of AVIsynth to use??

I installed the 64 version. Actually used the universal installer and installer the AviSynth+ (option 6) as per Fred's instructions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irbZewfz-SA

[David Brown]

Sorry Fernando, I am not able to help you. I have also been frustrated by AVIsynth, though it can have excellent results.

Nice to hear from Video Fred, I thought of him as a legendary character from film transfer history!

This picture shows a solution to the tedious process of using AVIsynth. I am excited to learn more.

[Fernando de Peña]

I won't give up. The results seem amazing. Yeah I downloaded AvsPmod, will go after that once I feel too frustrated by AviSynth or Virtualdub.
I also found this video which gives some lights. It would be cool anyway to share any kind of experience in this aspects, maybe it turns out a good thread after all. 😊 Hope we all learn how to drive that AviSynth monster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TrLaDHu-M4

Any step forward I go in this direction will share it here.

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Fernando. The issue is that VideoFred scripts use lots of 32 bit plugins. Try installing the 32 bit version. I use the 32 bit version of AviSynth and it works ok on my 64 bit machine.

[Fernando de Peña]

Hi! I've been trying to figure things out and still get stucked in the following. The scripts I run in VirtualDub or AVsPmod get stuck when trying to run the plugins (dll). I've searched and tried so much stuff to get this running that I'm lost now. Any guide into what could be the cause of this?

[Stan Jelavic]

AviSynth is not very good at reporting errors. The DLL error is probably due to a missing Microsoft runtime DLLs.
Run the following diagnostics:
https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=174797

[Fernando de Peña]

On it. Thank you Stan.

Meanwhile... Have anyone ever tested this french software that also works with AviSynth?
https://contact41766.wixsite.com/film9/home-1

[Stan Jelavic]

Yes I used it and several other people used it also. I still prefer VideoFred's scripts.