How to Make a Hologram Video in PowerPoint (Yes, Way!)

While we're still far from widespread 3D holograms, one thing that's very close is this 3D hologram video pyramid. Want to learn how to make one yourself? SkiptocontentIt’salwaysexcitingtothinkaboutthatnextbigthingaroundthecorner,whichcantransformthewaythatwelive–andespeciallyhowwecommunicateanddeliverpresentations.Althoughwhat looks likehologramvideotechnologyhasbeenusedinhigh-profileperformancesinthepast,suchas Tupac’sforafewyearsago,I’mpersonallywaitingforconsumerhologramstobecomewidelyavailable.Whilewe’restillsometimeawayfromwidespread3Dholograms,onethingthat’ssortofclosetoahologramvideo–andverypopularrightnow–isthis3Dhologramvideopyramid. Itconsistsofavideoplayingonaflatscreen(Ipersonallyjustflippedmylaptopscreendown),withtheupside-downpyramidsittingontopandreflectingtheanimation.Youcangetsomeprettycoollookingeffects,asyoucanseehere:Iabsolutelylovethiseffectandcouldstareatitforhours.However,Idon’tliketomaketutorialsthat“reinventthewheel”andshowsomethingthat’salreadybeenshown(therearesooomanyoutthereonhowtomakethepyramid).Somyfocusforthistutorialishowtodothepyramideffectwith yourownvideo –andforextracoolness,onewithyourfacetalking(whatIcallthe“hologramselfie”). I’llalsoshowhowtodoitwithalltypesofvideos,includingonesyoucaneasilygetonYouTube.Checkoutwhatitlookslikebelow.Todothistrickyou’llneedthefollowingWhatyouneedtomakeahologramHorizontalscreen​First,youwillneedascreenthatyoucanlayflatonyourtable.Thiscanbeaphone,atablet,oracomputerscreen(whichiswhatIused)–orsomepeoplehaveevenflippedtheirTVsonthebacktogetsomeprettygiantprojections.Ofcourse,thelargerthescreen,thebiggertheeffect,soIwouldrecommendgoingaslargeasyoucan.Transparentpyramid​Next,you’llneedatransparentpyramid.TherearetonsoftutorialsonYouTubeforhowtomakethisyourself,supercheap,outofaCDcaseandsometape,suchasthisone.Orifyou’relazylikeme,youcangetitAmazon,suchas theoneIgothere (combopackforcellphoneandtable). Justmakesureyouget(ormake)itinthesizethatfitsthescreenyou’llbeusing.Thiswillsitontopofyourscreen(moreonthatlater).Hologramvideo​​​​​​Finally,you’llneedavideotoproject.YoucanfindalotofthesealreadymadeonYouTube,liketheonesIshowedintheexampleabove.Prettymuchallofthesevideoshavefourpanels,whichyoucanseefromallfoursidesofthepyramid.Thesearegreatforgettingstartedwiththistrickandamazingyouraudiencesrightaway.Tospiceitupmorebyaddingyourface,however,checkouthowtodoitbelow.Adarkturtleneck(preferablyblack)Preferablyblack.Youcouldalsogetawaywithhavingadarkshirtandadarkscarf.Themostimportantthingisthatyourneckisdarksothatyoudon’tseeit.Adarksheetorbackground(preferablyblack)Youcanhangthesheetbehindyouoryoucanevensitunderit,whichiswhatIdidsinceIdidn’tfeellikehangingit.Forthelighting,youhavetogetalightsourceeitherpointingtowardsyourfaceorawayfromyourfaceforamorenaturallook(itwillreflectonyourfacemoresoftly).Playaroundwiththelightuntilyoulikeit. Youdefinitelydon’twanttohavethatscaryflashlightfacegoingon–unlessofcourseit’sHalloween,whichcouldactuallybeveryfitting.CreatingthehologramThengoaheadandgetfilming.Ipersonallyjustusemyphonetofilm,soyoudon’treallyneedveryfancyequipment.Onceyou’redonefilming,insertthevideointoPowerPoint(oravideoeditor),andyoushouldhavesomethinglikethis.Notperfectlyblack,butverycloseandwecandefinitelyworkwithit.Oncewehaveourvideoinserted,thefirstthingweneedtodoisjustcroparoundthefacesothatwedon’thaveanyofthatextravideospacetoworkwith.Solet’sselectthefacevideoandthengotoFormatandthenCrop.Thenjustcroparoundtheface.Makeitastightaspossiblewithoutcuttingintotheface.Nowwhatthisalsodoesisitshowsustheedgeofthevideo,whichiswhatwe’regoingtohavetoblendinwiththeblackofthebackground.Sowedothisbychangingthebrightnessandcontrastsettings.Todothis,gotoFormatandthenCorrections.Thenscrollallthewaydowntovideocorrectionsoptionsusingthearrowonthebottomofthemenu.Wethenplayaroundwiththebrightnessandcontrastuntilthevideobackgroundaroundthefaceturnscompletelyblack.Wecanevenzoominheresothatwecanseebetter.Forbrightness,I’llloweritdownto-5%,percent,forexample.Then,let’smakethecontrastabout19or20%.Ofcourse,thisisallgoingtovaryforyourvideo,sojustplayaroundwiththesesettingsuntilyoufindsomethingthatworksforyou.Let’snowdeselectthevideo(byclickinganywhereelse)–andlookslikewehaveourvideoedgesperfectlyblendedwiththebackground,whichisgreat.Let’szoomout,thenwe’llmakefourdifferentcopiesofthevideosoyoucanseethemoneachsideofthepyramid.Todothis,wewillfirstneedaguide–sowegotoInsertandShapes,andthenunderEquationsShapes,clickonthemultiplesignortheXhere.Goaheadanddrawthatinniceandbig.Let’sputitinthemiddleoftheslideandjustmakesurethatit’ssquare.Sowe’lljustneedtoeventhisout.Let’smakeit10x10onthesizesettings.Nowweknowthatthisisperfectlysquare.Nextweneedtomakeitalittlebitskinnierbytakingtheyellowdotthat’sontheX,andadjustingitsoitbecomesmuchskinnier.Thenfinally,weputitinthemiddleofthescreenbygoingtoAlignandthenCenter.GoingtoAlignagain,andchoosingMiddle.TheXshouldbeinthemiddleoftheslidenow,andthespaceisdividedintofourseparatepanelsthatwecanworkwith.Yourfinalresultshouldlooklikethebelow:Now,justsendtheXtothebackbyrightclickingonitandchoosingSendtoBack.Wecanthenplacethisvideointhefirstpanel.Whenyou’replacingthevideo,makesureyouhavethepartthatwillbefacingthebottompointingtothemiddleoftheX(inmycase,mychin).It’sOKiftheedgesofthevideoaretouchingtheX,aswe’reactuallygoingtodeletetheXverysoonanyway.Next,we’regoingtomakethreedifferentcopiesofthevideo(hitCTRL+Dthreetimeswiththevideoselected)andplacethemsothey’reallfacingwiththechininward.Usetherotationadjustertorotatethem–oryoucanalsousetherotationsettingstomakethisexact.Here’swhattheresultlookslike–doesn’thavetobeperfect,buttheXletsyougetitcloseenough.Nowthatwe’veusedtheXtolineeverythingup,wecangoaheadanddeleteit.Next,weneedtosyncupallofthevideossothattheycanstartatthesametime.Todothis,weselectallthevideosbyclickingonallofthemintheAnimationPaneontherightwhileholdingdowntheSHIFTkey.WethentakeoutallofthetriggersbyclickingontheselectedvideosontheAnimationPane,thendraggingup(movingyourcursorupslightly)andreleasing.Thetriggersarenowremoved.MakeallthevideosStartWithPrevious(orStartonClick)intheDurationandthenPlayinsteadofPause(whichwasthedefault).Youarebasicallydone–verynice!You’rereadytoenjoyasis,ifyoulike.However,Isuggestyoukeepreadingforsomeadditionaladvancedtipstoaddevenmorespice.ProTip#1:AddinganimationsFirst,considerwhetheryouwantyourfacetohaveanEntranceeffect.Forexample,formyintroductionvideo,IhadthefacecomeinwithaZoomentranceeffect.Putwhateverentranceeffects(oremphasisorexiteffects)youlikeonallthevideos,byselectingthem,thengoingtoAddAnimationandaddingwhatyouwant.HereiswhatmyanimationpanelookedlikeafterIaddedtheZoomentrance.NoticehowthefirstvideohasastartAfterPreviouseffect,andtheothershaveastartWithPreviouseffect.ProTip#2:ImprovingsoundandvideoplaybackIfyourvideoshavesound,muteallofthemexceptone–otherwise,itwillsoundlikeachorusofvoices,sincePowerPointcan’thandlesyncingallfourvideosatonce.Toimprovethevideoplayback(i.e.,makingsurethevideosplaytogether),Isuggestexportingthesetof4videostoanewvideo–thenreinsertingitbackintoPowerPoint.Thiswillensureeverythingissyncedproperly.YoucandothisbygoinguptoFile,thenExport,thenCreateavideo.Afterthis,findthefileanddragitbackintoPowerPoint.ProTip#3:MaximizingvideosizeHere’satipthatIhaven’theardanybodytalkaboutyetinanyofthetutorialsI’veseen–maximizethesizeofyourvideowithinthepyramidbyusingonlyonevideoinsteadoffour.Thefour-panelvideoisgreatifyou’reactuallygoingtobeusingthiswithanaudiencethatwillbelookingatitfromallsides.However,inasituationinwhichthere’sonlyonesidethat’sgoingtobeseen,Ipersonallyliketomaximizethesizeofthevideosothattheaudiencecanseethelargestpossibleimage.ThatiswhatIdidfortheintrotothisvideo.WhatIdidthereisjustmadetheheadabitlarger.Sameprocess–youjustdon’tneedtheX.Keepincreasingthesizeandtestingitwithyourscreentomakesuretheheadisn’ttoolargeforthepyramid.Mineendedupbeingthesizebelow–soabitlargerthanitwasinthe4-panelvideo.ProTip#4:MakingyourfacecolorfulIfyouwanttolookreallycreepyorlikeanalienorwitch,forexample,youcanactuallychangethecolorofyourfacetobealittlebitmoreinteresting.Todothat,weselectthefaceandthenwegotoFormat,thenColor,andifIwanttomakemyselfgreen,Iclickonthegreenandblackoptionhere.Looksgoodalready,butnowIhavetoreadjustthebrightnessofcontrastsettingstomakethevideobackgroundblack.Makingitgreenmessedupoursettingsfromlasttime.Letmejustdolessbrightness(-9%)andmorecontrast(34%),sothefacelookssomethinglikethebelow.Again,thekeyhereistomakesuretheblackpartofthevideomatchestheblackoftheslide.Perfect–abitmoreinterestingthanjustmyregularface(maybeIshouldhaveusedthisfortheintrovideo,butIdidn’twanttoscareanyoneaway!).FinalhologramvideostepsNowthatyou’redonewiththehologramvideo(inwhateverwayyoudecidedtomakeit),youcannowaddthepyramidontopandproject.Makesureyouscreenishorizontal(computerscreen,tablet,phone,TV,etc.)andthenplaceyourpyramidontopofit.Ifyouhavea4-panelvideo,putthepyramidrightinthemiddle(wherethecenteroftheXusedtobe).Ifyouhavea1-panelvideo,putthepyramidrightunderneathit(underthechin,inmycase)–testitoutandadjustasneededtomakesureit’sintherightplace.YoucanalsochangetheclicksettingstomakeitstartonclickorWithPreviouslikewhatIshowedearlier.Great,that’sit!Gooutandtrythis.Inadditiontothe3D“hologramselfie”trick,youcanalsodothiswithanyothervideo,pictureoreventexttoo.Youcanalsouseanypre-madevideosonYouTube–justsearchfor“hologrampyramidvideo.”HologramusagetipsYoumaybewondering–thisissupercool,buthowcouldIactuallyuseitinpresentations?Therearemanyways.First,makesureyouhaveacomputerortabletavailablethatcanbeusedasahorizontalprojector.Thisisthemostpracticalprojectorforasmall-scaleclassroom-typepresentation.Let’ssayyou’reteachingaclassonbirdsorseacreaturesofsomekind,forexample,youcouldplayoneoftheseacreaturevideos(likethepopular jellyfishone youcangetonYouTube)atakeymomentinyourpresentation.Youcanevenwalkaroundwithitthroughtheaudiencesothattheycanseeitbetter.Justmakesuretoholditabovetheireyelevelforbestresults.Asanotherexample,maybeyouhaveastationatapostersessionorsciencefair.Youcouldhavesomeversionofthistrickplaying–maybeaproductdemo,a“hologramselfie”oftheCEOtalkingaboutyourcompany–orevenastaticphotographorlogotoattractpeopletoyourstation.Beingspicyisallaboutstandingoutfromothers–andthiseffectshouldbecoolanddifferentenoughtodoso.Ihopethishasgiveyousomenewideasandinspiration.Shootmeanoteifyoucanthinkofothercoolusesforthistrickoranyotheremergingpresentationtechnologythatyouthinkmightbeworthfeaturinginafuturetutorial.I’dlovetohearyourthoughts.Also,ifyouwanttoseethistutorialinvideoform, clickhere.What’sNext?RelatedArticlesWhatdoesCtrl+DdoinPowerPoint?HowtoDrawinPowerPoint(w/KeyboardShortcuts)FormatPainter:HowToCopyAndPasteFormatting8HiddenPowerPointShortcutsYouDon’tKnow(Yet)Shapesvs.TextBoxesvs.Placeholders(MicrosoftPowerPoint)ArticleContentsWhatyouneedtomakeahologramHorizontalscreenTransparentpyramidHologramvideo​​​​​Adarkturtleneck(preferablyblack)Adarksheetorbackground(preferablyblack)CreatingthehologramFinalhologramvideostepsHologramusagetipsWhat’sNext?RelatedArticlesRelatedArticlesPaint3D:Going3DwithYourDesignsin2017 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