HOW TO BLUR PORTION OF SCREEN? - LOGOS

I need to blur out part of a T-shirt in an interview - wondering if this is possible in FCP.

Yes.

Copy your video directly above itself (so your clip on V1 is now also on V2, in sync with the original clip). There are several ways to do this so I won't get into detail about that part.

On the new copy of your clip, apply the Gaussian Blur filter followed by a Matte filter (either one of the multi-point garbage matte filters, or the mask shape filter).

To help find your shape and size, it's probably a good idea to turn down the opacity of your bottom (original) file for awhile now... you'll be able to see exactly what you're doing with your matte and your amount of blur.

Double-click your filtered copy of the video clip so it's open in the Viewer.

Adjust the blur amount until the shirt is unreadable, and choose your matte shape and position using the controls under the FILTERS tab in the Viewer.

From here on out, it's all experimentation to get the precise look you want. You can even add the Mask Feather filter to soften the edges of the effect.

Don't forget that you can use keyframes to adjust the size and shape of the mask throughout the clip (if, for example, the person wearing the shirt moves around).

When you're happy with the boundaries and blur intensity, go back to your bottom clip (the original) and set opacity back to 100% for the full effect.

Render it all out and you're done.

- M.

There are a few ways to do this. Here is one: Make a copy of that scene and put it on the video layer, V2, above the original scene, V1. Crop the clip on V2 to the size of the area you want to blur then add a Gaussian Blur filter to it, adjust as necessary.

Tom