Cyberlink ActionDirector - 2.0 User’s Guide
CyberLink
ActionDirector
User's Guide
Copyright and Disclaimer
All rights reserved.
To the extent allowed by law, ActionDirector IS PROVIDED “AS IS”,
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY FOR
INFORMATION, SERVICES, OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN
CONNECTION WITH ActionDirector AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.
BY USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE THAT CYBERLINK WILL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS
ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR MATERIALS
CONTAINED EITHER IN THIS PACKAGE.
The terms and conditions here under shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of Taiwan.
ActionDirector is a registered trademark along with other company
and product names mentioned in this publication, used for
identification purposes and remain the exclusive property of their
respective owners.
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. Dolby and the
double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
Confidential unpublished works. Copyright 1995-2005 Dolby
Laboratories. All rights reserved.
For DTS patents, see http://patents.dts.com. Manufactured under
license from DTS Licensing Limited. DTS, the Symbol, & DTS and the
Symbol together are registered trademarks, and DTS 5.1 Producer is a
trademark of DTS, Inc. © DTS, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
International Headquarters
Mailing Address CyberLink Corporation
15F., No. 100, Minquan Rd., Xindian Dist.
New Taipei City 231, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Web Site http://www.cyberlink.com
Telephone 886-2-8667-1298
Fax 886-2-8667-1385
Copyright © 2016 CyberLink Corporation. All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction
................................................................................................1Welcome
.................................................................................................2DirectorZone
.................................................................................................2ActionDirector Versions
................................................................................................3System Requirements
ActionDirector Projects
................................................................................................4Setting Project Aspect Ratio
................................................................................................5Opening Saved Projects
................................................................................................6Exporting Projects
Storyboard Window
................................................................................................7Rooms
................................................................................................8Library Window
.................................................................................................9Searching the Library
.................................................................................................10Filtering Media in the Library
.................................................................................................12Library Menu
................................................................................................13Preview Window
.................................................................................................13Preview Player Controls
.................................................................................................14Playing 360° Media Files
.................................................................................................15Taking a Screen Snapshot
.................................................................................................15Preview /Display Options
.................................................................................................16Zoom In/Out
.................................................................................................16Undocking the Preview Window
................................................................................................17Expanding the Library/Preview Window
..................................................1
..................................................4
..................................................7
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................................................................................................17Function Buttons
Importing Media
................................................................................................19Importing Media Files
.................................................................................................20Importing 360° Media Files
.................................................................................................21Importing ActionDirector Projects
Downloading Effects and Templates from
................................................................................................21
DirectorZone
Adding Video Clips and Images to
the Storyboard
Editing Media on the Storyboard
................................................................................................28Splitting a Clip
................................................................................................29Trimming Video Clips
................................................................................................31Cropping Images
................................................................................................32Rotating Media Clips
................................................................................................32Making Color Adjustments
................................................................................................33Fixing Video Clips
................................................................................................36Setting a Media Clip's Duration
................................................................................................36Changing the Shape of Media
Editing 360° Videos
..................................................19
..................................................22
..................................................28
..................................................39
Adding Action Effects in the Action
Camera Center
Adding Video Effects
Adding Title Effects
.................................................................................................52Adding Text, Images, and Backgrounds
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..................................................40
................................................................................................41Creating Action Effects on Video Clips
................................................................................................47Action Camera Center Settings
................................................................................................48Changing the Action Camera Center Content
..................................................50
..................................................51
................................................................................................51Modifying Titles in the Title Designer
.................................................................................................54Modifying Title Effect Position
.................................................................................................54Modifying Title Text Properties
.................................................................................................56Applying Animation Effects to Title Text
Using Transitions
Adding Background Music
..................................................57
................................................................................................57Adding Transitions to a Single Clip
................................................................................................58Adding Transitions Between Two Clips
..................................................59
Producing Your Project
.................................................................................................62Producing Regular HD Video
.................................................................................................63Producing a 360° Video
.................................................................................................64Uploading Regular HD Video
.................................................................................................70Uploading a 360° Video
Using the Theme Designer
.................................................................................................73What are Theme Templates?
.................................................................................................74Importing Media Files into the Theme Designer
.................................................................................................81Taking Snapshots from Videos
..................................................61
................................................................................................61Utilizing Intelligent SVRT
................................................................................................62Producing and Saving to a Video File
................................................................................................64Uploading Video to Online Media Sites
..................................................72
................................................................................................73Overview
................................................................................................76Adding Theme Templates/Sequences
................................................................................................78Adding Media Clips
................................................................................................81Importing More Media Files
................................................................................................82Editing Media Clips
................................................................................................83Editing Background Music
................................................................................................85Editing Title Text
................................................................................................85Replacing Background Images
................................................................................................86Adding Transitions Between Sequences
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................................................................................................86Previewing and Saving
ActionDirector Preferences
................................................................................................88General Preferences
................................................................................................88DirectorZone Preferences
................................................................................................89Editing Preferences
................................................................................................89File Preferences
................................................................................................90Hardware Acceleration Preferences
................................................................................................90Project Preferences
................................................................................................91Produce Preferences
................................................................................................91Improvement Program Preferences
ActionDirector Hotkeys
..................................................88
..................................................93
Appendix
.................................................................................................98Licenses and Copyrights
Technical Support
................................................................................................110Before Contacting Technical Support
................................................................................................111Web Support
................................................................................................111Help Resources
..................................................96
................................................................................................96Intelligent SVRT: When Is Used?
................................................................................................97Licensing and Copyright Information
..................................................110
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Introduction
Note: this document is for reference and informational use only. Its content
and the corresponding program are subject to change without notice.
Note: you can also quickly access your saved ActionDirector projects in
the Welcome window. See Opening Saved Projects for more information.
Chapter 1:
Introduction
This chapter introduces CyberLink ActionDirector, outlines its key features, and
reviews the minimum system requirements for the program.
Welcome
Welcome to the CyberLink family of digital media tools. CyberLink ActionDirector is
a digital video editing program designed specifically for action camera
enthusiasts like you, as it helps you quickly create high-impact, pro-looking
videos that showcase the action.
When you launch the program from the start menu, or the CyberLink
ActionDirector shortcut on the desktop, you are prompted to choose one of the
following editing modes:
· Storyboard: select this option to edit your video on the storyboard.
Storyboard editing is a flexible and very intuitive way to quickly create your
video. See Storyboard Window for an overview of the storyboard and the
editing features it includes.
· Theme Designer: in the Theme Designer you can use theme templates to
create impressive, professional looking videos with style, almost instantly. See
Using the Theme Designer for more information and detailed steps on using
this feature.
· 360° E ditor: select this option to perform 360° video editing. See Importing
360° Media Files for information on importing these types of media files, or
Editing 360° Videos for information on how to edit them.
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Note: you can prevent CyberLink ActionDirector from auto checking for
updates/upgrades in General Preferences.
DirectorZone
DirectorZone is a free web service that lets you search for and download theme
templates, title templates, and transitions created by CyberLink and other users of
CyberLink software.
To access the benefits of DirectorZone, you can sign in by:
· clic king the S ign in to DirectorZone link in the top right corner of the
CyberLink ActionDirector window.
· clic king the button at the top of the window to open the ActionDirector
preferences, and then on the DirectorZone tab. See DirectorZone Preferences
for more information.
Also, be sure to periodically click the button to check out the latest
DirectorZone B ulletin and view the Popular templates on D irectorZone. Just click
in either of these sections in the Notifications window to view the bulletin or
download these templates. Or go to http://directorzone.cyberlink.com to find out
more information on the features and benefits of the DirectorZone web service.
ActionDirector Versions
The features that are available to you within CyberLink ActionDirector are
completely dependent on the version you have installed on your computer.
To determine your version of CyberLink ActionDirector, click on the CyberLink
ActionDirector logo in the top left corner or select ? > About CyberLink
ActionDirector.
Updating ActionDirector
Software upgrades and updates (patches) are periodically available from CyberLink.
CyberLink ActionDirector automatically prompts you when either is available.
To update your software, do this:
1. Click the button to open the Notifications window.
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Introduction
Note: you must connect to the Internet to use this feature.
System R equirements
Operating System
· Microsoft Windows 10, 8/8.1, 7
Scr een Resolution
· 1024 x 768, 16-bit color
Memory
· 2GB
Hard Disk S pace
· 2GB for installation
CPU
· Intel Core i3 or AMD A6
GPU
· ATI/AMD: Radeon HD 7000 series
· NVIDIA: GeForce GTX 600 series
· Intel: HD Graphics
Internet Connection
· Required for program activation, online
services and activation of some import/
export formats
Note: please consult the CyberLink web site (http://www.cyberlink.com) for
the most recent system requirements information.
2. Check the New U pdates and U pgrade Info sections.
3. Select an item in these sections to open your web browser, where you can
purchase product upgrades or download the latest patch update.
System Requirements
The system requirements listed below are recommended as minimums for general
digital video production work.
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Note: a CyberLink ActionDirector project (.acs) file essentially contains a
list of the media clips and effects used in your project, and a log of all the
edits you want to make to your media. Project files do not include the media
clips in them. If you want to save all your video production files in one place,
use the Pack Project Materials function. To do this select, File > Pack
Project M aterials from the menu.
Chapter 2:
ActionDirector Projects
When working on a new video production, click the button to save it as a .acs
file, a project file format that is used exclusively by CyberLink ActionDirector. These
project files can be imported directly into the storyboard, if required. See Importing
ActionDirector Projects for more information.
Use the options in the File menu to save, create new, or open existing projects in
CyberLink ActionDirector. When you create a new project, CyberLink ActionDirector
resets your media library. If you want to create a new video production using the
same media that's currently in your library, select F ile > New Workspace.
The changes you make to your media in CyberLink ActionDirector do not affect the
original media you imported into the program. Since your edits are all saved in the
project file, you can trim, edit, or remove clips, but still keep your original files on
your hard drive, untouched. So let yourself get creative. If you end up changing
things too drastically, you can always start over.
Setting Project Aspect Ratio
To set the aspect ratio for your project, and your outputted video, select 4:3 or 16:9
from the aspect ratio drop-down at the top of the window. The preview window
changes according to the aspect ratio you select.
When you select 360, your project will actually have an aspect ratio of 2:1 and is for
users wanting to create and produce 360 virtual reality videos. See Editing 360°
4
ActionDirecto r Projects
Videos for information on how to edit 360 projects, and Playing 360° Media Files for
more information on the extra preview window controls available in these types of
projects.
Opening Saved Projects
You can open previously saved projects at any time when in the storyboard window
by selecting Open Project f rom the File menu. You can also open projects directly
on the ActionDirector launch window.
The most recent projects you were working on display at the bottom of launch
window. Just click the project thumbnail to open it, or click See m ore to find
another saved project.
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Exporting Projects
You can export your CyberLink ActionDirector projects by packing all the materials
in a folder on your computer's hard drive. Exported projects can then be imported
into another computer running CyberLink ActionDirector.
To export your project to a folder select File > Pack Proj ect Materials.
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Storyb oard Win dow
Chapter 3:
Storyboard Window
In the storyboard window is where you edit together your video production. The
storyboard is a large graphical display of all the video clips and images in your
video production. When you select Storyboard on the CyberLink ActionDirector
launch window, the program displays as follows.
A - Imp ort Med ia, B - Me dia R oom, C - Li brary Window , D - Title Effects Room, E - Transitio ns Room s, F
- ActionDi rector Preferences, G - P review Window, H - Undoc k Preview Window, I - Zoo m In/ Out, J Add B ackground Music, K - Produc e Video , L - Preview Quali ty/Di splay Optio ns, M - Take Snapshot,
N - P review Player Co ntrols, O - Storyboard Wo rkspace, P - Functio n Buttons
Rooms
There are three rooms in the storyboard window of CyberLink ActionDirector:
· Media room: this room contains all the video files and images that you import
into CyberLink ActionDirector. See Importing Media for information on
importing media into this window, or Adding Video Clips and Images to the
Storyboard to learn how to add media files to the storyboard workspace.
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· Title room: this room contains a library of title effects that when applied to
your project, add credits or comments to your production. For more
inform ation, see Adding Title Effects.
· Transition room : this room contains transitions that you can use on or
between clips in your project. Transitions let you control how media appears
and disappears in your project, and changes from one clip to the next. For
more information, see Using Transitions.
Library Window
The library window contains all of the media you in CyberLink ActionDirector,
including your video files and images. When you are in other rooms (Title Room,
Transition Room, etc.) it contains the effects, titles, and transitions you apply to
your media.
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Storyb oard Win dow
Note: if you cannot see all of the media or content in a specific room, you
can resize the library window to display it. See Expanding the Library/
Preview Window for more information.
The media content and available buttons that display in the library window depend
on the room you are currently in.
Searching the Library
If you are looking for specific media files, effects, or templates in a library window,
use the search function to find them.
To search in the library, do this:
1. Enter in a keyword in the search field located on top of the library window.
2. CyberLink ActionDirector filters the content in the library window based on
the keywords entered.
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Note: click on to clear the search results.
Filtering Media in the Library
You can filter the media files that are in the library by file type, using the two
buttons above the library window. Click these buttons to hide media so you can
more easily find what you are looking for.
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Storyb oard Win dow
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Cyb erLink ActionDirector
Library Menu
Click on to access the library menu. In the library menu you can sort the
content in a room by name, date created, file size, and more. You can also select all
the content in the room or change the media/effect thumbnail display size. Other
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Storyb oard Win dow
Note: you can resize the preview window to fit your personal preference.
See Expanding the Library/Preview Window for more information.
options that are available in the library menu, but are dependent on the specific
room you are in.
Preview Window
While creating your video production, you can preview it in the preview window
using the available player controls.
Preview Player Controls
With the player controls you can preview your production as you edit, including
playing your project from the current storyboard position, or pausing and stopping
playback.
Use the button to select a seek by method (frame, second, minute, segment)
and then use the buttons on either side of it for a more precise step through of your
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Note: you can also click and drag your mouse in the preview window to
explore the 360° environment.
current video production. You can also click and drag the playback slider, or enter
in a specific timecode in the time field, and then press the enter key on your
keyboard to quickly find a specific scene.
Playing 360° Media Files
After 360° video and image files are imported into the media library, they can be
played back. To play back a 360° media file, do this:
1. First, ensure your project's aspect ratio is set to 360. See Setting Project Aspect
Ratio for more information.
2. Select the 360° media file in the media library or on the project timeline.
3. Click to enable the 360° viewer mode.
4. If it is a video file, click the play button to start playing it back.
5. Use the 360 controls to view and explore the 360° environment.
360 Controls
When you play 360° media files, there are extra 360 controls available in the preview
window.
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Storyb oard Win dow
Note: you can also use your mouse's scroll wheel to zoom in and out within
the 360° view.
When viewing or playing a 360° media file, you can click and drag on the preview
window to pan around the 360° environment or use the controls to pan left,
right, up, or down.
Taking a Screen Snapshot
While previewing your project, you can take a still screen snapshot and save it as a
JPG image file. To do this click the button on the player controls.
Preview/Display Options
CyberLink ActionDirector includes some preview and display options that help
make your editing experience easier. Click on to set the preview quality or
display grid lines on the preview window.
Preview Quality
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Note: Full HD and HD preview resolution are only available when
CyberLink ActionDirector is installed on a 64-bit operating system.
Click , select Preview Quality, and then a preview quality from the list (Full HD*,
HD*, high, normal, low) to set the resolution/quality of the video used when
previewing your video in the preview window. The higher the quality you select, the
more resources that are required to preview your video project.
Grid Lines
When you place media on the storyboard, use the grid lines to help with the precise
placement on your video project's image. Click the button, select Grid Lines,
and then select the number of lines you want to display in a grid over the video
image. Use this grid to more precisely place the title text or PiP media on the video
image.
Once enabled, media and title effects will snap to the grid lines on the preview
window.
Zoom In/Out
When you place media on the storyboard, use the Fit drop-down underneath the
preview window to zoom in or out on the video. Zooming in is useful for precise
placement of media on the preview window.
Undocking the Preview Window
Click the button to undock the preview window. Once undocked, you can
preview your production at full screen or move it to an extended desktop. You can
also resize the timeline and library window to your liking.
Once undocked, you can:
· click to view your production at full screen, or to maximize the
preview window.
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Storyb oard Win dow
· click to minimize the preview window, and hide it so you can edit more
freely. Click on next to the button to show the minimized preview
window.
· clic k on to re-dock the preview window.
Expanding the Library/Preview Window
You can expand the size of the library and the preview window to fit your personal
preference.
Simply drag the border between the library window and the preview window to
resize them to your liking. This allows you to get the most out of your display
device space by customizing the size of the preview window, or increasing the
amount of content you can view in the media, title, or transition room.
Function Buttons
When you select media that is on the storyboard, whether it's a video clip, image,
effect, title effect, etc., several function buttons display above the storyboard. These
buttons let you perform a variety of tasks or gain access to some important features
of CyberLink ActionDirector.
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The function buttons that are available depend on the type of media content you
select. However, whenever you select media, the is always displayed. Click
to remove the selected media content from the storyboard.
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Impo rting Media
Note: media you import is saved in the current CyberLink ActionDirector
project you are working on. You can also select Fi le > New Work space to
create a new project, while maintaining the current media in the library.
Note: if you import media files that are on a removable device into the
media library, they will be removed if the removable device is disconnected.
For best results, it is recommended that you copy the media to your
computer's hard drive before importing.
Note: ** to enable, you must download the DivX codec online. Available on
Windows 32bit only.
Chapter 4:
Importing Media
The first step when using CyberLink ActionDirector is to import your video clips and
photos into the media room library. You can import videos and images one by one,
or import the entire contents of a folder into the program.
Importing Media Files
If you already have video and image files that you want to use in your production
on your computer's hard drive, you can import the files directly into CyberLink
Action Director's media library in the Media Room. You can also import media files
that are on a removable device.
CyberLink ActionDirector supports the following file formats:
Image: Animated-GIF, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF
CyberLink ActionDirector also supports the import of the following camera RAW
image formats, which are then converted to JPEG once imported: ARW (SONY), CR2
(Canon), DNG (Ricoh), ERF (Epson), KDC (Kodak), MRW (Konica Minolta), NEF (Nikon),
NRW (Nikon), ORF (OLYMPUS), PEF (Pentax), RAF (Fujifilm), RW2 (Panasonic), SR2
(SONY), SRF (SONY)
Video: 3GPP2, AVCHD (M2T, MTS), AVI, DAT, DivX**, DV-AVI, DVR-MS, DSLR video
clip in H.264 format with LPCM/AAC, FLV (H.264), MKV, MP4 (XAVC S), MOD, MOV ,
MOV (H.264), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), MVC (MTS), TOD, VOB, VRO,
WMV, WMV-HD, WTV in H.264/MPEG2 (multiple video and audio streams).
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Note: you can also drag and drop media onto the CyberLink ActionDirector
window to import it into the program.
Note: if an imported 360° video file is not displaying correctly (no 360°
logo), it usually means the file is not using the 360 equirectangular
projection video format required for editing. See the documentation for your
360 camera manufacturer for information on producing the video file in this
format.
PowerPoint files: CyberLink ActionDirector supports the import of PowerPoint files
in the PPT and PPTX formats. During import, each of the PowerPoint slides are
converted to PNG image files, which are then added to the media library.
To import media into CyberLink ActionDirector, click and then select one of the
following options:
· Im port Media F iles: import media files individually.
· Im port a Media F older: import the entire contents of a folder that contains the
media files you want to use in your current project.
Importing 360° Media Files
You can import and edit video and image files that were recorded with a 360
camera. Once imported, the 360° video files are automatically detected and
indicated by a 360° logo in the top right of the thumbnail.
See Playing 360° Media Files for information on the additional preview controls
available in the preview window for these types of videos.
Setting 360 Projection Format
If CyberLink ActionDirector did not detect your 360° video file and you are sure it
has been produced for playback and editing, you can manually set the 360
projection format. You can also disable 360° mode for a file that was mistakenly
detected as a 360° video file.
To set the 360 projection format, do this:
1. Right-click on a 360° media file in the media library and then select Set 360
Projection Format.
2. Select the 360 projection format by selecting one of the following:
20
Impo rting Media
· Equirectangular (360°): equirectangular video is the standard projection used
in 360° video. Equirectangular projection displays the 360° video environment,
which is a sphere, onto a rectangular video screen.
· 2D Format (Not 360 °): select this option if the selected media file is actually
2D content.
Importing ActionDirector Projects
CyberLink ActionDirector projects (.acs files) you worked on and saved previously
can be imported and then directly inserted into your video production's storyboard.
To do this, select File > Insert Project from the menu. All of the media in the
original project will be imported into the current project's media library, and also
inserted at the current position of the storyboard slider.
Downloading Effects and Templates from DirectorZone
If you are looking for additional title effects or transitions for your library, you can
click D ownload Templates to download them directly from the DirectorZone web
site in to the Title Room or Transition Room.
Visit the DirectorZone web site for more information: www.directorzone.com.
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Chapter 5:
Adding Video Clips and Images to the Storyboard
To start creating your video production, begin adding video clips and images to the
storyboard. To add a media clip to the storyboard, just select it in the media room
and then drag and drop it on the storyboard.
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Addin g V ideo Clips and Images to the Story board
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