How do I use ffmpeg's -filter_complex

Question

I am using FFmpeg version SVN-r0.5.9-4:0.5.9-0ubuntu0.10.04.3 and it doesn't allow me to use -filter_complex.

It shows:

ffmpeg: unrecognized option '-filter_complex'

I want to overlay 2 videos, how can I get that option?

Answer 1

Too old

Your version is way too old, and in fact I don't think it even supports any filters if I recall correctly. You can check with ffmpeg -filters.

Get a new ffmpeg

To get a recent version you can compile ffmpeg or simply download a static build. Users of Ubuntu 15.04 or newer can just install ffmpeg from the repository.

Example command

This example will:

1. Place video1.mp4 20 pixels down and 40 pixels over.
2. Place video2.mp4 in the middle.

3. Combine audio from video1.mp4 and video2.mp4.

   ffmpeg -i bg.mp4 -i video1.mp4 -i video2.mp4 -filter_complex \
   "[0:v][1:v]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS,overlay=20:40[bg]; \
    [bg][2:v]setpts=PTS-STARTPTS,overlay=(W-w)/2:(H-h)/2[v]; \
    [1:a][2:a]amerge=inputs=2[a]" \
   -map "[v]" -map "[a]" -ac 2 output.mp4
   

Also see

• overlay filter documentation
• Superimposing two videos onto a static image? for detailed descriptions for each overlay option

Answer 2

use -vf instead of -filter_complex like

ffmpeg -i new1.mp4 -vf "movie=wlogo.png [watermark]; [in][watermark] overlay=main_w-overlay_w-10:10 [out]" -strict experimental output.mp4