How To Remove Watermark from Video?

[matthewd]

I need to learn how or even IF I can remove watermarks
from videos.

I have heard people talk about doing this, but the only
way I know of is to have the original file without the
watermark already on it.

Is there a way to do it if you do NOT have the original
file, or don't want to go back through the entire original
footage to edit all of the videos again?

By the way, these are videos that I DO own.

I bought a site and the videos came with the site, but
I want to move the videos to another site and use them
for a different purpose but they are watermarked with the
original site's logo in the corner.

[Upstate Cowboy]

You can only blur the image or remove it, but the pixels behind it will be static. There is a program called WaterMark Master but I think it costs almost $100. Be careful of the legal ramifications also of doing so if you don't own the videos.

[Steve Robertson]

Originally Posted by matthewd

I need to learn how or even IF I can remove watermarks
from videos.

I they are watermarked with the
original site's logo in the corner.

If the logo is small enough and tight enough in the corner, you could crop the video enough to remove the logo. That would give you a black bar on the side with the logo. Probably would look better to also crop the opposite side so that the video looks as if it is letterboxed.

I can do that with Final Cut. I'm sure you can do it with other high end editing programs such as Premiere and Vegas. Don't know if there are any free or inexpensive video editing programs that will do cropping.

Steve R.
R.A.M. Video

[matthewd]

Thanks for the advice Upstate Cowboy. I own these videos,
so there is no legal problem.

Steve, I was hoping you would pop in, being the video expert.

The logo is too wide to crop from the side, but thin short enough
that I MAY be able to crop it from the bottom... that might look a
bit weird though, don't know.

What if I had a very similar logo designed for this other site and
layed it over the top of the current logo? That works in my head,
but I don't know if it would really work.

[Marty S]

Ask the Dude you bought the site from for the original files. A watermark is usually one of the last steps in production. You can just re-render the original (FLV) files without the watermark, otherwise it`s really not worth the effort.

As a buy of a website though, this probably should have been addressed before the transaction.

[matthewd]

Originally Posted by Marty S

Ask the Dude you bought the site from for the original files. A watermark is usually one of the last steps in production. You can just re-render the original (FLV) files without the watermark, otherwise it`s really not worth the effort.

As a buy of a website though, this probably should have been addressed before the transaction.

I am getting the original files, but I am guessing that
the watermarks were added at the initial point of editing
which means if I want to remove them using the original
files I will have to go back through and edit all of the
original clips.

[Marty S]

Originally Posted by matthewd

I am getting the original files, but I am guessing that the watermarks were added at the initial point of editing
which means if I want to remove them using the original
files I will have to go back through and edit all of the
original clips.

By original, I mean the camtasia, or iMovie, or Premier (or whatever) files before rendering. A water mark is always a layer or an added element before rendering, and can easily be deleted in the files.

[matthewd]

Originally Posted by Marty S

By original, I mean the camtasia, or iMovie, or Premier (or whatever) files before rendering. A water mark is always a layer or an added element before rendering, and can easily be deleted in the files.

Okay, let me see if I know what you are saying.

It was edited in Premiere, so if I open the original
file in Premiere (the edited version, not the video
ripped from the camera) the watermark shouldn't
be on there?

[avenuegirl]

Originally Posted by matthewd

Okay, let me see if I know what you are saying.

It was edited in Premiere, so if I open the original
file in Premiere (the edited version, not the video
ripped from the camera) the watermark shouldn't
be on there?

You need the real original source files.

Files that were created before a final rendering process that gets exported.

It's kinda the same as photoshop. There are layers and layers created in a project. Then, sometimes at the end the image needs to get "flattened" meaning everything is merged together into one. Once that is done, you can not edit individual elements in the flattened version (with out blurring, or cropping or smudging) but if you have the original file with all the layers that was created before the flattening, then you can remove the layer you wish.

[matthewd]

Okay, I think I understand now.

Thanks.

[shane_k]

Originally Posted by matthewd

Okay, let me see if I know what you are saying.

It was edited in Premiere, so if I open the original
file in Premiere (the edited version, not the video
ripped from the camera) the watermark shouldn't
be on there?

That is exactly what he is saying.

When you open up the original file the watermark will not be there.

The water mark is usually the last thing that you would put in a film just before you render it or export it.

So if you get the original file of the video then you are good to go.

Shane_K

[Craig Fenton]

Hi Matthew:

Hope you are well. The question about Watermarks came up in a business meeting I had a few months ago. We were thinking of selling on-line several hundred rock and roll photos from the 60's to the present and all involved were curious about watermark removal.

Here you go:
Please be aware of the legalities per state/country of doing this. Copyright infringement of photos for examples in certain jurisdictions is a fine that would make anyone think twice.

Let's get away from the legal and moral portion. At one time even the best software used would not give the outcome desired. Even a non-trained eye would see the imperfections. The watermarks from the better programs to put in the easiest description are an entrenched stain. You could put bleach and Spray and wash but you are not getting the root of the problem. If you cut out the stain you are changing the look of the image.

If you can find out anyone that has used the better watermark removal products and ask to see before/after. You may be surprised how poor the results look.

This is a good thing because if it is your photo, words, or video it would be a shame to be used without compensation.

Do the right thing and play by the rules.

Have a great Tuesday.

[Marty S]

Originally Posted by Craig Fenton

Do the right thing and play by the rules.

Its true that the video would look bad no matter how you masked it, but Matthew said a couple times he OWNS the videos. From what I read, there isn't a moral issue here whatsoever.

I assume they just have a watermark to another website that he doesn't own.

[Glenn Leader]

why not overlay the watermark logo with another one? In Camtasia you
can use a graphic call out, there might be a similar option in your video
editing software.

HTH

Glenn

[nic.basd]

BTW.

I used a VideoCharge Studio some time ago, and convert video with add eraser.

Tool very good removes watermark from video.

Recommended.

[actionplanbiz]

Originally Posted by Glenn Leader

why not overlay the watermark logo with another one? In Camtasia you
can use a graphic call out, there might be a similar option in your video
editing software.

HTH

Glenn

Thats what i do. when the water mark is on the lower third.

but if you are talking about the water mark that takes up the whole screen. blended behind the content. then the best and only thing i can think of is color correction with video editing software