If you want to dive into Corel® VideoStudio® right away, this tutorial will walk you through
the key tasks.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to:
• Import video clips to the Library
• Add your clips and photos
• Review and trim your video clips
• Add titles
• Apply transitions
• Add music
• Save and share
The same basic steps can be applied to create a photo slideshow or any multimedia
presentation that includes photos, video clips, and music.
For a quick movie, try Corel® FastFlick®. For more information, see “FastFlick” on page 183.
For more details about starting movie projects, see “Project basics” on page 41.
Import video clips to the Library
Let’s start with the most common situation—the shoot is done and you’ve transferred your
video clips and photos from your camera to your computer. We can open Corel VideoStudio,
and jump directly to the Edit workspace and the Library.
The Library is the source for all your media, including video clips, photos, and music. It also
houses templates, transitions, effects, and a variety of other media assets that you can use in
your projects.
Quick start1
1 Click the Edit tab at the top of the application window to open the Edit
workspace. The Library panel appears in the upper right corner of the application.
2 Create a folder for your project to keep all your videos together by clicking the Add a
new folder button .
3 Type a name for the folder.
4 At the top of the Library, click the Import Media Files button , select the video clips
and photos that you want to use, and click Open.
Note that the buttons at the top of the Library can be enabled and disabled to filter the
thumbnails by video, photos, and music. If you don’t see the media you expect to see, check
the state of these media buttons.
Add your clips and photos
Adding clips and photos to a video project is as easy as dragging thumbnails for the video
clips and photos that you want to use from the Library to the Timeline.
If you’re looking for a way to get polished results quickly, you can use an Instant Project
template. For more information, see “Using Instant Project templates” on page 51.
2Corel VideoStudio
Review and trim your video clips
21
The key to a successful video is to keep it short enough to hold your viewer’s interest. Let’s
review and trim the video clips.
1 In the Edit workspace, click a video clip in the Timeline.
2 In the Navigation area of the Player panel, click Clip, and click the Play button.
3 After you review the clip, drag the orange Tri m Marker from the original starting
position to the new starting position. The Scrubber moves to the selected frame and this
frame displays in the Preview Window.
1. Trim Marker (one on each end). 2. Scrubber.
4 Now drag the second Trim Marker from the original end position to the new end
position.
5 Click Play.
Note: Changes made to files imported into the Library do not affect the original files.
You can also trim video clips in the Timeline itself by dragging the end handles of a clip.
Quick start3
Want to edit a section in the middle? Try Multi-Trim Video. For more information, see
“Trimming video into multiple clips” on page 89.
Add titles
Now let’s add a title.
1 Drag the Scrubber to the position you want.
2 Click the Title button to the left of the Library thumbnails.
3 You can type directly in the Preview Window, but the easiest way to get a professional-
looking title, is to drag one of the title thumbnails from the Library to the Title track in
the Timeline.
4 You can drag the title to any position in the Title track and adjust the duration of the title
by dragging the end handles of the clip.
5 To edit the title text, double-click the title clip in the Timeline, in the Preview Window,
select the text and type new text. Keep the text inside the box that displays near the
edges of the Preview Window (called the Title Safe area).
6 The Options panel displays to the right of the Library thumbnails. On the Edit page of
the Options panel, use any of the controls to format your title text. For example, you can
align the text and change the font, size, and color.
4Corel VideoStudio
Apply transitions
You can add transitions between clips or between photos. Transitions can be used to fade in
or fade out or to dissolve one photo into the next. There are many transition options to
choose from.
1 In the Library, click the Transit ion button .
2 Click the Gallery drop-list at the top of the Library, and choose All if you want to see
what is available.
3 Drag the thumbnail for the transition you want to the Timeline and place it between two
clips or photos.
If you want to apply the same transition between all clips and photos in the track, in the
Library, right-click the transition thumbnail, and choose Apply current effect to video
track. You will be warned about replacing any existing transitions.
Add music
You can add songs from your computer by dragging a music file from the Library to the
Music track. You can also use Auto Music to choose royalty-free music to your project.
1 On the Timeline toolbar, click the Auto Music button .
1 In the Auto Music area that displays in the Options panel, experiment with different
choices in the drop-lists and click Play selected Song to listen to the selection.
2 To add your selection to the Timeline, click Add to Timeline.
3 The music is added to the Music track, and as with other clips, you can drag it to a new
position in the Timeline and trim it by dragging the end handles.
4 To fade the music at the end of your project, click the Fade-out button in the Auto
Music area.
Note that with any audio clips, or video clips that include sound, you can control the volume
of the clips. For more information about adjusting audio, see “Audio” on page 113.
Quick start5
Save and share
When you’re finished with your project, you can save it and share it in a variety of ways. For
this tutorial, we’ll upload it directly to the Web.
Before sharing, it’s important to save a version of your project to the native *.vsp format. This
will give you maximum flexibility if you choose to edit your project later or if you want to
output it to a different format.
1 Click the Share tab to view the Share workspace.
2 Click File > Save, choose a location from the Save in box, and type a name in the File
name box.
3 To share your video on the Web, click the Web button , then click YouTube, Flickr, or
Vimeo, and click Log In to sign in to your account or to create an account. After you sign
in and approve the link between Corel VideoStudio and the account, choose the settings
you want for your video upload and click Start.
6Corel VideoStudio
Welcome
Welcome to Corel VideoStudio, the surprisingly creative video-editing software that lets you
produce impressive video projects, regardless of your skill level. Corel VideoStudio provides
a complete set of tools for capturing, editing, and sharing your video, slideshow, and
multimedia projects.
The availability of features depends on the version of the software that you have. For
more information, please see www.videostudiopro.com/compare.
This section contains the following topics:
• What’s new in Corel VideoStudio 2019?
• System requirements
• Supported file formats
• Hardware acceleration
• Preparing for video editing
• Installing and uninstalling the application
• Starting and quitting the application
• Updating the application
• Corel Support Services
• About Corel
What’s new in Corel VideoStudio 2019?
New creative features as well as enhancements to favorite features means that you can create
stunning videos faster in Corel VideoStudio. The key updates are listed below.
New! Video editing shortcuts
In VideoStudio 2019, edit freely across 50 tracks, add or remove gaps in the main timeline,
adjust your clip position with new hotkeys, or easily se lect and move a por tion of your project
along the timeline. Browse the library seamlessly with new search capabilities and enhanced
flow between the library and editor. And, enjoy new custom motion flexibility and controls
from within the editing suite. The entire toolkit is faster and far more accessible.
New! Streamlined Timeline editing
The updated Timeline puts common editing controls at your fingertips and lets you
customize the toolbar, providing instant access to the tools you love to use. Mute tracks
Welcome7
directly on the Timeline and preview edits as you make any adjustments. Focus in on your
edits and adjust the height of your timeline tracks with brand new controls. Making custom
motions? You can now edit with new full screen editing windows to get even closer to the
action.
New! Color Grading
Set the mood and ambience of your video with powerful color correction and adjustment
tools. Create a sunkissed look or a dark, cool-toned effect with a few adjustments. With
VideoStudio Ultimate, advanced color controls let shift the colors and boost the saturation
and luminance on a per-color basis. Fine tune each color with HSL tuning, tone curves, LookUp Table (LUT) profiles, and more. Similar to LUT Profiles, custom presets let you save time
and achieve more consistent results by saving your settings. For more information, see “Color
tab” on page 75.
New! Morph and Seamless transitions
The new Morph Transition lets you create a fun metamorphosis effect by analyzing the
content in one clip and blending it into the content of the next clip. Or try new Seamless
transitions to add excitement and energy to your cuts with motion-based transitions that blur
the passage from one clip to the next, creating what is known as an invisible cut. For more
information, see “Morph Transitions” on page 139 and “Seamless Transitions (Ultimate)” on
page 141.
New! Dynamic Split Screen video
Impress yourself (and others!) with fun and sophisticated dynamic Split Screen videos. New
keyframe capabilities let you add motion to your split screen templates and showcase
multiple videos simultaneously. Create custom, unique effects, adjust the opacity, import
graphics, and so much more. For more information, see “Split screen video templates” on
page 52.
Enhanced! Mask Creator (Ultimate)
Now you can create text masks, a cool way to add a title or scene transition and have your
video playing behind it. Or, try the new Freehand tool to precisely isolate and fill an area
with a mask. For more information, see “Working with the Mask Creator (Ultimate)” on
page 99.
New! Alpha channel video export and import
Alpha channels let you save and import videos that include transparent areas. Now you can
export and share animated lower-third graphics, titles, and more. For more information, see
“Saving a track as an alpha channel video” on page 210.
8Corel VideoStudio
Enhanced! Title editing and custom titles
Create stunning titles with motion, text, and graphics with enhanced title editing. Or, leverage
the enhanced 3D Titl e Editor, exclusive to VideoStudio Ultimate, to control textures, lighting,
motion, and more! No matter what you create, save custom titles in the Library to save time
on future productions! For more information, see “Cre atin g titles for the Library” o n page 130
and “3D Title Editor” on page 133.
New! Tiny Planet and Rabbit Hole effects
Travel around the world and create a one-of-a-kind video. Transform your 360 video footage
into a spherical panorama, better known as a Tiny Planet or Rabbit Hole effect. This
addition completes the VideoStudio 360 video editing suite and gives your audience a
unique perspective in just a few clicks. Import your footage and start editing; trim your video,
add music, add 360 titles, and more. Export your 360° video to playback on your virtual
reality headset, upload directly to YouTube 360, or convert to standard video format to
control the angles your audience can see. For more information, see “360 video” on
page 107.
New! Premium Effects (Ultimate)
Take your video to the next level with hundreds of premium effects, exclusive to VideoStudio
Ultimate 2019. This version steps up its game with new NewBlue Video Essentials 5 and
myriad upgrades to popular effects like Boris Title Studio and ProDad, Vitascene V3 LE,
Mercalli V4, and Adorage volume 13. Immediately recognize results beyond what you
thought possible with premium effects. Apply one of hundreds of animated filters and
templates, then customize for an even more powerful result. With video stabilization tools,
color effects, and other engaging extras, VideoStudio Ultimate has what you need to take
your video to the next level.
Enhanced! Speed and performance
Edit smoother and render faster with enhanced flexibility that enables users to toggle
between an on-board CPU and an independent one like CUDA! VideoStudio is optimized for
the latest video hardware acceleration technologies from Intel and nVidia, which improves
efficiencies and dramatically speeds up rendering to popular file formats—now with support
to output video with Alpha channel. Plus, enjoy faster and smoother 4K editing and playback
thanks to the innovative Smart Proxy technology. Original high resolution files are preserved
for export, but you are able to work with smaller files to improve speed and performance.
Enhanced! A complete video editing toolkit.
With VideoStudio 2019, we deliver a fun and easy video editor, along with the element of
surprise when you find out just how much you can do! It’s a software you can grow with; after
you learn the basics you’ll be well on your way to adding, customizing, and creating more
Welcome9
advanced productions. We’ve also loaded your toolbox with a few great extras! Check out
Corel® FastFlick®, and quickly create a slideshow in three easy steps. And, we’ve made
VideoStudio® MyDVD® even better with this release, with a new, easy-to-use interface
designed to assist in burning videos to disc with customizable menus. Last, but definitely not
least, VideoStudio 2019 introduces new MultiCam Capture™ Lite to create engaging videos
and record screen and webcam simultaneously, and then easily bring it all together with the
MultiCam Editor. This tool is incredibly powerful, and extremely fun to play with!
Tutorials and learning materials
Get help when you need it from within the VideoStudio Welcome Book! New tutorials for
VideoStudio 2019 help users explore a wide range of helpful and inspirational tips designed
for both new and advanced users. Search for keywords and topics in the help files or tap the
VideoStudio community and ask a question to learn from users with more hands-on
experience. Plus, your purchase includes a 10-day all-access pass from our friends at
StudioBacklot.tv training to access video tutorials, content, and more! Best of all, grow with
VideoStudio, there’s always something new to learn and more to create.
System requirements
For optimal performance of Corel VideoStudio, make sure that your system meets the
recommended specifications. Note that some formats and features require specific hardware
or software (as indicated).
• Internet connection required for installation, registration and updates. Registration
required for product use. Digital download option available if optical drive is not
available for installation.
• Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, 64-bit OS
• Intel Core i3 or AMD A4 3.0 GHz or higher
• Intel Core i5 or i7 1.06 GHz or higher required for AVCHD & Intel Quick Sync Video
support
• Intel Core i7 or AMD Athlon A10 or higher for UHD, Multi-Camera or 360° video
• 4 GB of RAM or higher, 8+GB highly recommended for UHD, Multi-Camera, or 360°
video
• Graphics card with minimum of 256 MB VRAM, 512 MB or higher recommended for
hardware decoding acceleration
• HEVC (H.265) support requires Windows 10, supporting PC hardware or graphics card
and Microsoft HEVC video extension installed
• Minimum display resolution: 1024 x 768
•Windows-compatible sound card
• Minimum 8 GB HDD space for full installation
10Corel VideoStudio
Accessories
• DVD burner for creating DVD and AVCHD discs
Input Options
• Capture from DV, HDV and Digital8 camcorders or VCRs (requires a FireWire port)
• Capture from analog camcorders with compatible analog capture card
• Capture from USB capture devices, PC cameras, webcams
• Import from AVCHD and other file-based camcorders, digital still cameras, mobile
devices and discs
Product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation.
For more details, visit: www.videostudiopro.com
Supported file formats
The supported file formats are listed below. Please review release notes for any updates to
supported files or visit www.videostudiopro.com for the latest list in the system requirements
section.
• Devices: Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad/TV, Android devices, Sony PSP/PS3/PS4, Nintendo Wii,
Microsoft Xbox compatible formats, DV, HDV
• Disc: DVD, AVCHD, SD Card, Blu-ray (see below)
• Web: YouTube, Flickr, Vimeo
• Audio: M4A, OGG, WAV, WMA
Welcome11
• Image: BMP, JPG
Blu-ray Support
• Requires purchase of a separate plug-in from within the product
• Requires Blu-ray Disc reader and/or burner
* AVCHD with AC3 audio is only supported on Windows 8 and 10
**HEVC (H.265) support requires Windows 10, supporting PC hardware or graphics card, and
Microsoft HEVC video extension installed
***Support to import and output Alpha Channel videos
Product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation.
Hardware acceleration
Depending on your hardware specifications, Corel VideoStudio lets you optimize the
performance of your system by optimizing hardware acceleration. For example, you can take
advantage of nVidia CUDA or Intel Quick Sync. Experiment with different settings to achieve
optimal results.
Hardware decoder and encoder acceleration requires at least 512 MB of VRAM.
To change hardware acceleration settings
1 Select Settings > Preferences [F6].
2 Click the Performance tab and select the following options under Hardware
acceleration:
• Enable Hardware Decoder acceleration — enhances editing performance and
improves clip and project playback by using video graphics acceleration technologies
of the computer’s available hardware
• Enable Hardware Encoder acceleration — improves the rendering time required for
producing your movies. From the Type drop-list, choose an option.
If the feature is not supported by your system, some hardware acceleration options will
be grayed out.
12Corel VideoStudio
Preparing for video editing
Video editing tasks require a lot of computer resources. Your computer must be properly set
up to ensure successful capturing and smooth video editing. Below are some tips on how to
prepare and optimize your computer before you launch Corel VideoStudio.
• It is recommended that you close other applications when working with
Corel VideoStudio. To avoid interruptions while capturing, it is best to turn off any
automatically launched software.
• If you have two hard drives in your system, it is recommended that you install
Corel VideoStudio to your system drive (usually C:) and store captured videos on your
other drive.
• It is recommended that you store video files on a dedicated hard drive.
• Increase the Paging File (Swap File) size to twice your amount of RAM.
When you are in Corel VideoStudio, you can choose settings that let you balance the quality
of the playback and the speed of the application. For example, is your playback fast but
fuzzy? Or is your playback too slow? The tips below can help you find the right settings in
Corel VideoStudio.
• Clearer, higher quality playback is available if your computer system meets or exceeds
the recommended system requirements. You can work with HD projects and you can
preview your project in HD. For more information, see “Setting project properties” on
page 42 and “Previewing your project or clips” on page 44.
• To speed up less powerful systems, consider using Smart Proxy and review the hardware
acceleration options. For more information, see “Using Smart Proxy for a faster,
smoother editing experience” on page 44 and “Hardware acceleration” on page 12.
Installing and uninstalling the application
You can i ns ta ll Co re l VideoStudio from a disc or from installation files that you download.
To install Corel VideoStudio
1 Close any open applications.
2 Insert the DVD in the DVD drive or double-click the associated .exe file that you
downloaded.
If the disc-initiated setup does not start automatically, navigate to the DVD drive on your
computer, and double-click Setup.exe.
3 Follow the instructions on your screen.
Note: In addition to Corel VideoStudio, you might be prompted to install supporting
Windows extensions and third-party programs and drivers.
Welcome13
To uninstall Corel VideoStudio
1 Open the Windows Control Panel.
2 In the Programs category, click the Uninstall a program link.
3 In the Programs and Features window, click Corel VideoStudio 2019 in the list of
applications.
4 Click Uninstall/Change.
5 Follow the instructions on your screen.
Starting and quitting the application
You can s ta rt Cor el VideoStudio from the Windows desktop or Start menu, and quit the
program from the application window.
To start the application
• From the Windows Start menu or Start screen, choose Corel VideoStudio 2019.
To quit the application
• Click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the application window.
Updating the application
You can check for and install product updates. Updates provide important new information
about your application.
To update the application
•Choose Help > Check for Updates.
Corel Support Services
Corel® Support Services can provide you with prompt and accurate information about
product features, specifications, pricing, availability, services, and technical support options.
For the most current information on available support and professional services for your
Corel product, please visit www.corel.com/support.
About Corel
Corel is one of the world's top software companies, boasting some of the industry's bestknown graphics, productivity and digital media products. We've built a reputation for giving
14Corel VideoStudio
customers more choice, and delivering solutions that are easy to learn and use. Our mission
is simple: help people achieve new levels of creativity and productivity.
Corel's product lines include CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite, Corel® Painter®, Corel®PaintShop®
Pro, Corel® VideoStudio®, MindManager®, Pinnacle Studio™, ReviverSoft®, Roxio Creator®,
Roxio® Toast™ and WinZip®. For more information on Corel, please visit www.corel.com.
Welcome15
16Corel VideoStudio
Learning resources
You can learn how to use Corel VideoStudio in various ways: by searching the Help or the
user guide, by accessing video tutorials in the Welcome tab, or by exploring the Corel
website (www.corel.com).
This section contains the following topics:
• Documentation conventions
• Using the Help system
• Corel VideoStudio 2019 User Guide PDF
• Understanding VideoStudio terminology
• Learning with video tutorials
• Using Web-based resources
Documentation conventions
The following table describes important conventions used in the Help.
ConventionDescriptionExample
A menu item followed by a menu
Menu >Menu
command
drop-listA list of options that drops down when
command
a user clicks a down arrow button
A note containing information that is
important to the preceding steps. It
may describe conditions under which
the procedure can be performed.
A tip containing suggestions for
performing the preceding steps. It may
present alternatives to the steps, or
other benefits and uses of the
procedure.
Click Settings > Preferences > Edit.
Select a profile from the Profile droplist.
Enable Flatten audio and
background video if your browser
can only support a single track for
audio and video.
For best results, use a tripod when
you shoot photos and videos that
you want to use in your stop motion
animation project.
Using the Help system
The Help that is available from within the program is the most comprehensive source of
information for Corel VideoStudio. The Help system provides two ways to find information.
You can choose a topic from the Contents pane, or use the Search box to search for specific
words and phrases. You can also print topics from the Help.
Learning resources17
An Internet connection is required to view the Help. If you work offline on a regular basis,
you can download a PDF copy of the information (Help > User Guide (PDF)).
To use the Help system
1 Do one of the following:
• Click Help > Help topics.
• Press F1.
2 In the Help window, do one of the following:
• Contents pane — browse through topics in the Help
• Search box — search the full text of the Help for a particular word or phrase (enclosed
in quotation marks). For example, if you are looking for information about a specific
tool or command, you can type the name of the tool or command, such as Trimming ,
to display a list of relevant topics.
Corel VideoStudio 2019 User Guide PDF
You can view the Corel VideoStudio 2019 User Guide PDF online or you can download it to
your computer or tablet. At any time, you can print the pages you want. You can find the PDF
in Help menu (Help > User Guide (PDF)).
Understanding VideoStudio terminology
Learn more about the language of video editing. We created a list of the most common
video editing terms used in Corel VideoStudio to help you out. What is a scrubber and what
does rendering mean? Find out by reading the “Glossary” on page 231.
Learning with video tutorials
The Welcome tab includes access to learning material, such as video tutorials (English only
for some video content), as well as free and paid content to help you expand your project
options in VideoStudio.
The Welcome book is accessed from the Welcome tab. Click Tutorials to explore the
collection of video tutorials. For more information, see “The Welcome book” on page 25.
You can a ls o vi si t www.youtube.com/VideoStudioPro for more tutorials.
To open the Discovery Center window
•Choose Help Video Tutorials.
18Corel VideoStudio
Using Web-based resources
From the Corel VideoStudio Help menu and the Corel website, you can access a number of
Web pages dedicated to customer support and communities. You can find resources such
as tutorials, tips, newsgroups, downloads, and other online resources.
To access Corel VideoStudio Web resources
• Use your Internet browser to go to www.videostudiopro.com/learn for tutorials,