Cyberlink PowerDirector - 6.0 Instruction Manual

CyberLink

PowerDirector 6

User’s Guide

Copyright and Disclaimer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written
permission of CyberLink Corporation.

To the extent allowed by law, POWERDIRECTOR 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 POWERDIRECTOR 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.

PowerDirector 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.

International Headquarters

Mailing Address

Web Site www.cyberlink.com
Telephone
Fax

Copyright © 2007 CyberLink Corporation. All rights reserved.

CyberLink Corporation
15F, #100, Minchiuan Road, Shindian City
Taipei 231, Taiwan

886-2-8667-1298

886-2-8667-1300

Contents

Introduction ........................................... 1

Welcome! ...................................................................................................................2

Latest Features ....................................................................................................2

PowerDirector Versions ...................................................................................3

Upgrade Your Software ...................................................................................4

The PowerDirector Program ...............................................................................5

The Production Process ........................................................................................7

Pre-Production ....................................................................................................8

Putting Your Story Together ..........................................................................9

Producing and Uploading Your Productions ....................................... 10

Finalizing Your Production Disc ................................................................ 11

System Requirements ......................................................................................... 12

Pre-production..................................... 15

Importing Media ................................................................................................... 16

Import Individual Media Files ..................................................................... 16

Import a Media Folder ................................................................................... 17

Capturing Media ................................................................................................... 18

Capture Mode .................................................................................................. 18

Capture Options .............................................................................................. 19

Captured Clip Options .................................................................................. 25

Capture from DV Camcorder ...................................................................... 27

DV Backup ......................................................................................................... 29

Batch Capture from a DV Camcorder ...................................................... 31

Capture from HDV Camcorder ................................................................... 38

Capture from TV .............................................................................................. 40

Capture from Digital TV ................................................................................ 41

Capture from PC Camera ............................................................................. 43

Capture from Microphone ........................................................................... 44

Capture Audio Tracks from CD .................................................................. 45

Capture from a DVD ....................................................................................... 46

i

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Add Text Captions ...........................................................................................48

Take a Still Snapshot of a Video Clip .........................................................49

Detecting Scenes and Extracting Audio .......................................................50

Detect Scenes in a Video Clip ......................................................................50

Extracting Audio from a Video Clip ...........................................................53

PowerDirector Preferences ...............................................................................54

File Preferences ................................................................................................54

General Preferences .......................................................................................56

Editing Preferences .........................................................................................58

Confirmation Preferences ............................................................................59

Capture Preferences .......................................................................................61

Produce Preferences ......................................................................................63

Creating Your Story .............................. 65

Edit Window Overview .......................................................................................66

Working with Project Files ...........................................................................66

Set the Project’s Aspect Ratio .....................................................................67

The Library Window .......................................................................................69

Managing Media in the Library ..................................................................72

The Workspace .................................................................................................76

Adding Media to Workspace ............................................................................79

Magic Movie Wizard .......................................................................................79

Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace ..........................85

Adding Video Effects, Objects, Titles and Transitions ........................88

Working with Clips in the Workspace ......................................................91

Slideshow Designer ........................................................................................94

Preview your Production ...................................................................................95

Preview Window ..............................................................................................95

Media Viewer ....................................................................................................96

Preview Clips .....................................................................................................97

Preview Your Movie ........................................................................................99

Editing Your Media ............................................................................................ 102

Split a Clip ....................................................................................................... 102

Trim a Video or Audio Clip ........................................................................103

ii

Contents

Set a Clip’s Duration .................................................................................... 107

Mute an Entire Media Clip ......................................................................... 108

Mute an Entire Track ................................................................................... 108

Change the Speed of a Video Clip .......................................................... 108

Change the Color of a Visual Media Clip .............................................. 110

Edit an Image Clip in PhotoNow! ............................................................ 111

Set a Video Clip’s Interlacing Format .................................................... 111

Adjust a Video Clip’s Aspect Ratio .......................................................... 112

Using Magic Tools .............................................................................................. 115

Magic Movie Wizard ....................................................................................115

Magic Clean .................................................................................................... 116

Magic Motion ................................................................................................. 121

Magic Cut ........................................................................................................ 122

Magic Fix .......................................................................................................... 124

Magic Style ...................................................................................................... 127

Magic Music .................................................................................................... 128

Modifying Effects ............................................................................................... 129

Modifying a Video Effect ............................................................................ 129

Modifying a PiP Effect or Object ............................................................. 130

Modify a Title Effect ..................................................................................... 144

Audio Mixing and Voice Overs ...................................................................... 158

Splitting Audio from a Video Clip ........................................................... 158

Change Audio Clip Volume Levels ......................................................... 158

Record a Voice-Over .................................................................................... 160

Chapters ................................................................................................................ 163

Set Chapters ................................................................................................... 163

Set Chapter Thumbnails ............................................................................ 164

Add Subtitles ....................................................................................................... 165

Add a Subtitle ................................................................................................ 165

Import Subtitles from a Text File ............................................................ 166

Syncing Subtitles with Dialogue ............................................................. 167

Producing Your Movie ........................ 169

Viewing SVRT Information .............................................................................. 170

iii

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Production Mode ............................................................................................... 171

Production Wizard ....................................................................................... 171

Create a File .......................................................................................................... 174

Create/Modify a Video File Profile .......................................................... 174

Creating a Video File ................................................................................... 187

Create a Streaming File .................................................................................... 190

Create/Modify a Streaming File Profile ................................................. 190

Create a File for Streaming ........................................................................ 193

Write Back to DV Tape ...................................................................................... 196

Write Back to HDV Tape ................................................................................... 200

Uploading Video ................................................................................................ 203

Uploading Video to YouTube .................................................................. 203

Uploading Video to MediaMax ................................................................ 206

Batch Production ............................................................................................... 208

Creating Discs .................................... 211

Create Disc Mode ............................................................................................... 212

Customize Your Disc’s Menu Page .............................................................. 213

Select a Menu Page Style ........................................................................... 213

Specify the Number of Buttons Per Menu Page ................................213

Using the Menu Designer .......................................................................... 214

Set Background Music ................................................................................ 222

Set a First Play Video Clip .......................................................................... 223

View a Summary of Your Disc .................................................................. 223

Modify Your Create Disc Preference ...................................................... 224

Preview Your Disc’s Menu Page .............................................................. 226

Burn to Disc .......................................................................................................... 227

Set Your Burning Configuration .............................................................. 227

Burn Your Movie to Disc ............................................................................ 229

Create a DVD Folder .................................................................................... 229

Erase a Disc ..................................................................................................... 230

iv

Contents

Appendix ............................................ 233

Hotkeys .................................................................................................................. 234

System Hotkeys ............................................................................................. 234

Project Hotkeys ............................................................................................. 234

Workspace Hotkeys ..................................................................................... 235

Menu Hotkeys ................................................................................................ 236

Smart Guide Hotkeys .................................................................................. 237

Main Panel Hotkeys ..................................................................................... 237

Library Hotkeys .............................................................................................238

Capture Hotkeys ........................................................................................... 239

Voice-Over Hotkeys ..................................................................................... 239

Preview Window Hotkeys ......................................................................... 240

Title Designer Hotkeys ................................................................................ 241

PiP Designer Hotkeys .................................................................................. 241

SVRT2: When Can I Use it? .............................................................................. 242

Video Formats & Qualities .............................................................................. 243

TV Formats ...................................................................................................... 243

Video Qualities .............................................................................................. 244

AVI Formats .................................................................................................... 244

Licenses and Copyrights ................................................................................. 245

Dolby Laboratories ...................................................................................... 245

Technical Support............................... 247

Before Contacting Technical Support ........................................................ 248

Web Support .................................................................................................. 249

Telephone Support ...................................................................................... 249

Email Support ................................................................................................ 250

Index .................................................. 251

v

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

vi

Chapter 1:

Introduction

This chapter introduces CyberLink PowerDirector and the digital video editing
process. It provides a discussion of the different kinds of technology you will use
in the digital movie-making process, as well as system requirements for working
smoothly with CyberLink PowerDirector.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• "Welcome!" on page 2

• "The PowerDirector Program" on page 5

• "The Production Process" on page 7

• "System Requirements" on page 12

1

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Welcome!

Welcome to the CyberLink family of digital video tools. CyberLink
PowerDirector is a digital video editing program that lets you create
professional-looking video movies and photo slideshows, complete
with music, voice-overs, special effects, transition effects and much
more.

If you don’t have experience making movies or creating slideshows,
don’t worry. CyberLink PowerDirector is an easy to use tool that, with
just a little practice, will have you making movies like a Hollywood
director. In no time you will be creating creative videos and stylish
slideshows that you can email to friends, burn to disc to show your
family, or upload to the Internet to share with the world.

Latest Features

This section describes the latest features in the CyberLink
PowerDirector program.

Edit

• All new innovative way to create picture slideshows using the

Slideshow Designer.

• Includes the Auto Create Slideshow feature.

• Select from a variety of slide templates, including slides with
multiple pictures on a slide.

• Enhanced PiP Designer.

• Provides complete control for customizing the path of a PiP
object as it moves across the video.

• New Magic Style.

• New flash animation elements like particle effects, alpha­masked PiP and ending video to enhance the movie.

• New Magic Designer for auto creation of video productions.

• Enhanced Magic Clean to instantly calibrate color to provide

more vivid photo and video colors.

2

Chapter 1: Introduction

• New and improved visual effects and titles, including the ability

to add multiple effects to one video clip.

• Add objects and frames to your photos and videos.

• New add subtitles feature.

Produce

• Revolutionary Portable MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Format for Apple

iPod Video®.

• CyberLink PowerDirector is now equipped with the newly
developed CyberLink H.264 codec. Now you can export
your movie creation in MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) for Apple iPod
Video®.

• Revolutionary Portable MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Format for Sony

PSP®.

• CyberLink PowerDirector is now equipped with the newly
developed CyberLink H.264 codec. Now you can export
your movie creation in MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) to be stored on
the Memory Stick and playback on Sony PSP®.

• Direct YouTube® output and upload support.

• Automatically select the best output profile for YouTube®.

• CyberLink PowerDirector is the first YouTube® uploading
application in the world for video bloggers to capture, edit,
produce and upload videos to share with others.

Other

• Design your own DVD templates.

• Users can use the template designer to fine-tune the
existing templates, or create their own ones.

• Provide users a true 16:9 editing/authoring solution.

PowerDirector Versions

CyberLink PowerDirector is available in many different OEM versions
and the full retail version. File format support, editing features, disc­making functions, and other features vary depending on the version
that you have. For information on the availability of specific functions in

3

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

the CyberLink PowerDirector version that you are using, please check
the CyberLink PowerDirector Readme file.

Upgrade Your Software

Software upgrades may be periodically available from CyberLink. To
upgrade your software, click the Upgrade button on the About
CyberLink PowerDirector window. The Upgrade window will open and
you can select to download new upgrades and patches. You will be
redirected to CyberLink’s cyberstore if you choose to purchase new
upgrades.

Note: You must be connected to the Internet to use this feature.

4

Chapter 1: Introduction

The PowerDirector Program

When you first open CyberLink PowerDirector, the program appears as
follows:

Edit function buttons

Open editing rooms dedicated to a
specific task

Mode buttons

Click to switch working
modes

Library window

Contains your media content as well as various
effects, transitions and other media rooms

Preview window

Provides playback controls to preview
clips and movies

Magic Tools

Provide easy ways to work with
media clips

Function buttons

Shortcuts to common functions

Wor ksp ace

Insert media clips and effects
here

5

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

PowerDirector Modes

CyberLink PowerDirector has separate modes that enable you to
perform different tasks: Capture, Edit, Produce and Create Disc.

Mode Description

Capture media in a variety of formats, from a
variety of sources. See "Capturing Media" on page

18.

Edit your production by adding video and photos
to the timeline, then add transitions, effects and
titles for that creative touch. See "Creating Your
Story" on page 65.

Produce your creation by outputting it to a file, DV
tape or uploading to the Internet. See "Producing
Your Movie" on page 169.

Use Create Disc to create a custom disc, complete
with menus, that can be burnt to disc. See "Creating
Discs" on page 211.

By default, CyberLink PowerDirector opens in the Edit mode, but you
can easily switch between modes to perform your required task by
using these buttons.

PowerDirector Projects

Changes you make to your video clips, audio files or photos in
CyberLink PowerDirector do not affect your original media. Since your
settings are all saved in the project file, you can trim, edit or delete clips
in CyberLink PowerDirector, 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.

You can open and save a CyberLink PowerDirector project file just like
any other file in Windows. Your projects are saved as .pds files, a unique
file format used by the CyberLink PowerDirector program.

6

Chapter 1: Introduction

The Production Process

The digital production process involves a combination of artistry and
technology, beginning with raw footage and ending with your final
production. CyberLink PowerDirector is the easiest way to produce your
finished movie or photo slideshow and publish it to the medium of your
choice.

The production process, depending on your purpose, may involve
some or all of the following phases:

• Pre-production

• Importing your media

•Capturing your media

• Detecting scenes and extracting audio

• Putting your story together

• Adding your media to the workspace

•Adding effects, transitions and titles

• Editing and refining your videos

• Touching up your photos

• Using Magic Tools and modifying effects

• Recording voice overs and mixing audio

• Setting chapters and adding subtitles

• Producing and Uploading Your Productions

• Producing video files

• Producing streaming video files

• Writing back to a DV tape

• Uploading to the Internet

• Finalizing production to discs

• Creating disc menus

• Burning your productions to disc

7

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Pre-Production

Before you can begin creating your final production, you should first
collect all of your media content. After you have shot your video, taken
all your photos, gathered all your music, then you are ready to begin
working on your production by importing and capturing your media in
CyberLink PowerDirector.

Importing Your Media

If you already have some or all of your content on your computer, it is
recommended that you place it all in one folder so that the entire folder
can be quickly imported into the Media Library. If this is not the case,
you may also import individual media files as well at any time.

Capturing Your Media

If your media content is not yet on your computer, you can use
CyberLink PowerDirector to capture it and then directly import it into
the Media Library.

CyberLink PowerDirector allows you to:

• Capture from DV Camcorder

• Capture from HDV Camcorder

• Capture from TV

• Capture from Digital TV

• Capture from PC Camera

• Capture from Microphone

• Capture Audio Tracks from CD

• Capture from a DVD

Detecting Scenes and Extracting Audio

With CyberLink PowerDirector, you can add additional video clips and
audio to your Media Library by using the detect scene and extract
audio functions on your video files. Performing these functions before
you get started can save you time during the editing process.

8

Chapter 1: Introduction

Putting Your Story Together

Now that you have all of your content ready, this is when the fun part
begins and you can get as creative as you want. You can spend hours
fine tuning your production or use the guided wizards and designers to
quickly assist you to finish your creation.

Adding Media to the Workspace

CyberLink PowerDirector lets you add and combine video, photos,
music, video effects, objects, titles and transitions to your project in the
workspace. You can also use the Magic Move Wizard or the Slideshow
Designer for assistance if you are in hurry or not sure how to start.

Editing and Refining Your Media

Once you have all your content, you may need to refine it by editing out
parts of a video you don’t want, touching up your photos or use the
Magic Tools to fix shaky video or clean up video and audio.

Here are just a few editing functions you can perform with CyberLink
PowerDirector:

• split video clips

• trim video and audio files

• change the speed or aspect ratio of a video clip

• change the color of a visual media clip

• edit your photos in PhotoNow!

You may also use any of CyberLink PowerDirector’s Magic Tools to
quickly and easily adjust your content to the exact way you want it.
CyberLink PowerDirector’s Magic Tools make working with audio, video
and image clips easier than ever before.

Recording Voice Overs and Mixing Audio

Your production’s audio can make or break your creation. With
CyberLink PowerDirector there are several options to enhance the

9

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

audio portion of your production to create the ultimate finalized
product.

In the Voice-Over Recording Room you can record a narration with a
microphone while watching the video clip the voice-over is destined to
accompany. When you capture your narration, the audio track is
synchronized with the video portion.

Once you have all of your audio files, step into the Audio Mixing Room
to fine tune the levels of all your audio to ensure it is perfect.

Setting Chapters and Subtitles

Once your production is near completion you can add chapters for easy
navigation if your production is destined to be burned to disc or add
subtitles to your movie.

The Set Chapter Room contains options for automatically or manually
setting chapter markers. Setting chapters on your final disc allows
viewers to jump from the menu page to the chapter markers you have
set in order to navigate around your disc.

In the Subtitle Room you can add subtitles for language assistance or to
add comments that will be shown during your movie production.

Producing and Uploading Your Productions

After editing your media and creating your movie, it’s time to produce
your project. You can choose to create a movie file for playback on your
computer, create a streaming file for use on the Internet, write your
movie back to DV tape or upload your production directly to YouTube
or MediaMax. In just a few simple steps, your production will be
finalized and ready for viewing.

10

Chapter 1: Introduction

Finalizing Your Production Disc

With CyberLink PowerDirector you can put finishing touches on your
production by creating a disc that can be viewed on any DVD player.

Authoring disc menus

Use the Menu Designer to create a professional looking discs, complete
with professional looking menus, background music, stylish buttons,
video thumbnails and much more.

Burning your production to disc

Burn your creation to disc directly within CyberLink PowerDirector or
create a DVD folder that can be burned at a later date.

11

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

System Requirements

The system requirements listed below are recommended as minimums
for general digital video production work.

Screen Resolution:

• 1024 x 768, 16-bit color or higher

OS:

• Windows Vista/XP/2000 ( Windows XP Service Pack 2 is required

for HDV capture)

Memory:

• 256 MB required (512+ MB DDR recommended)

• 1 GB DDR2 Ram recommended for HD content editing

CPU:

• Capture/produce AVI: Pentium 2-450 MHz or AMD Athlon 500

MHz

• Capture/produce VCD Quality (MPEG-1): Pentium 3-600 MHz

or AMD Athlon 700 MHz

• Capture/produce DVD Quality (MPEG-2): Pentium 4-2.2 GHz or

AMD Athlon XP 2200+

• Capture/produce High Quality MPEG-4 and Streaming Videos

(WMV, QuickTime, RealVideo, DivX): Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz or AMD
Athlon XP 2400+

• Produce MPEG-4 AVC and MPEG-2 HD Files: Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz

with HyperThreading or AMD Athlon 64 recommended

• Edit HD Contents: Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz Duel Core CPU

recommended

• CyberLink PowerDirector 6 is optimized for CPU with MMX/SSE/

SSE2/3DNow!/3DNow! Extension/HyperThreading technology

• CyberLink PowerDirector 6 editing engine is optimized for Intel

Duel Core CPU.

Video Capturing Device:

12

Chapter 1: Introduction

• PCI or USB1.0/2.0 capture device compliant with WDM standard

(i.e. PC Camera and TV tuner with WDM driver)

• DV camcorder connected via OHCI-compliant IEEE1394

• DVD camcorder connected via USB2.0

• Sony MicroMV camcorder

• JVC Everio camcorder (GZ-MC100, GZ-MC200)

• Sony HDR-FX1 (HDV)

• Sony HDR-HC1 (HDV)

• Sony HDR-HC3 (HDV)

• JVC GR-HD1U (HDV)

Hard Disk Space:

• 5 GB required (400MB for SmartSound Quicktrack Library)

• 10 GB (15 GB recommended) required for DVD production

• 100 GB (7200 rpm) recommended for HD content editing

CD/DVD Burning Device:

• CD/DVD burner (CD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW or DVD-R/RW) is required

to burn VCD/DVD/SVCD titles

Microphone:

• A microphone is required for recording voice-overs.

Note: Please consult the CyberLink web site for the most recent system
requirements information.

http://www.cyberlink.com/

13

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

14

Chapter 2:

Pre-production

This chapter details the steps required for pre-production, including importing
your media into the Media Library, capturing media with CyberLink
PowerDirector and setting your CyberLink PowerDirector preferences.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• "Importing Media" on page 16

• "Capturing Media" on page 18

• "Detecting Scenes and Extracting Audio" on page 50

• "PowerDirector Preferences" on page 54

15

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Importing Media

If you already have video files, music and photos on your computer’s
hard drive that you want to use in your production you can import
them directly into CyberLink PowerDirector’s Media Library.

CyberLink PowerDirector supports the import of the following file
formats:

Image: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG

Video: HD MPEG-2, DVR-MS, DV-AVI, DAT, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VOB, VRO,

WMV, WMV-HD, MOV, MOD, DivX, MP4

Audio: MP3, WAV, WMA, ASF

When importing media into the Media Library, you have two options:

• import media files individually

• import an entire folder that contains media files you want to use

in your current project.

Import Individual Media Files

To import individual media files into the Media Room Library, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

2. Select the type of media you want to import (or All Media) from
the Filter drop-down list.

Note: By selecting a media type (other than All Media) in this drop-down
list, you restrict the type of media displayed in the Library, and consequently,
the type of media that you can import.

3. Click and select Import Media File(s). A dialog box
opens.

4. Locate and open the file(s) you want to add. Thumbnails of each
media file you have selected appears in the Media Library.

16

Import a Media Folder

To import all of the media files in a particular folder, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

2. Click and select Import a Media Folder. A dialog box
opens.

3. Locate the folder you want to open, then click OK. All of the media
files in that folder are loaded into the Media Library.

Note: If you feel there are too many files in your Media Library, you can
remove them from the library without removing them from your computer’s
hard drive. See "Remove a Clip from the Library" on page 73 for more
information.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

17

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Capturing Media

CyberLink PowerDirector lets you capture media from a variety of
sources directly into your Media Library.

Capture Mode

When you click the button you will enter the Capture
mode. In Capture mode, the program appears as follows:

Capture device selection area

Allows you to switch capture devices

Capture preview window

Displays media clips during capture

Captured clips area

Displays media clips after capture

Information display area

Displays information about captured file
size and available HDD space

18

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Note: Before you begin to capture, make sure your capture environment is
set according to your preferred working methods. See "Capture Preferences"
on page 61 for more information.

Capture Options

You can capture video clips in the following file formats:

• MPEG-1

• MPEG-2

• MPEG-4

• AVI

• DivX

To select the file format of your captured video clip, see "Profile Options
for Video Clips" on page 20.

Many of the options for capturing are the same for some of the capture
modes. These options are described below, but not all of the options
described in this section are available in all capture modes. Descriptions
of options specific to a capture mode are found in the section that
describes it.

Note: CyberLink PowerDirector’s capture functions vary, depending on
version installed. For information on the availability of specific features in the
version that you are using, please check the Readme file.

Capture Limit Options

You can set limits on the size or duration of the video that CyberLink
PowerDirector captures. When the limit you set is reached, the capture
will automatically stop.

19

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

• To set a maximum capture length, check Time limit, then enter a

time in the timecode box.

• To set a maximum captured file size, check Size limit, then enter

a size limit (in MB).

The Text Captions button lets you add a text caption, date caption
or time code to captured video. See "Add Text Captions" on page 48 for
information on using this feature.

The Snapshot button lets you take a still photo of the video you
are watching. Just click on the Snapshot button at a point where you
want to take a snapshot and an image file will be saved to the Media
Library.

Note: You can specify your preferred snapshot image file format in
preferences. See "File Preferences" on page 54 for detailed information.

Profile Options for Video Clips

When capturing a video clip you can select its file format as well as
configure the profile for the file format.

To set the profile file format, do this:

1. Click Profile. The Profile Setup dialog box opens.

2. Select the desired file format of the captured file from the first
drop down list.

3. Set the file format profile as follows:

20

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• To set the profile for a MPEG-1 Video file, see "Create a New

MPEG-1 Profile" on page 178.

• To set the profile for a MPEG-2 Video file, see "Create a New

MPEG-2 Profile" on page 181.

• To set the profile for a WIndows AVI file, see "Modify

Windows AVI Profile Settings" on page 175.

• To set the profile for a DivX file, see "Modify DivX Profile

Settings" on page 177.

4. Click the Comments and Details buttons for more information
about the profile.

5. Click on the OK button to save the profile settings.

Video Capture Options

Click Settings. The Video Settings dialog box opens, displaying the
Video Setup tab. You may select your capture source here for either

Analog or Digital video capture (i.e. depending on the capture mode
selected). You can also select your video’s audio input device, audio
input source, set the input volume here control and access the
Windows Audio Mixer

21

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Click the Adjust Video tab to adjust the video picture display options, if
necessary.

Click the TV Setup tab to select your television signal format by
selecting your location. You may also setup your audio format, if
necessary.

22

Chapter 2: Pre-production

CD/Microphone Capture Profile Setup

When recording from a CD or microphone, click Profile to set up your
CD or microphone recording profile. You may select an audio quality
here.

• You can save a profile using a unique name by clicking the Save

As... button. Click Remove to remove the new profiles you

create.

Audio Capture Options

Before you capture from a microphone, there are several options you
can configure.

• Drag the volume level slider to set the input volume level.

• Check Begin with fade-in to start an audio capture in with a

fade-in from silence.

23

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

• Check End with fade-out to end an audio capture with a fade-

out to silence.

Click Settings to open the Audio Setup dialog box. You may select your
audio input device, audio input source, and input volume here.

PC Camera Capture Options

When capturing from a PC camera, click Settings to set up your capture
profile. On the Video Setup tab you can select your capture source and
select the PC camera’s audio input device, audio input source and input
volume. Click Advanced Settings for more options.

24

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Note: Advanced settings may differ depending on the PC camera you are
using. Please refer to your PC camera’s user guide to configure the advanced
settings for it.

Captured Clip Options

After you capture clips, a number of options are available for managing
them. Some of these options appear in the dialog box immediately
after capture, while others are available in the Captured Clips area of
the Capture window.

• Click Change Folder to set a different destination folder for

captured clips.

Note: You should set this option before capturing clips.

Post-Capture Options

To delete a captured file, click Delete in the dialog box that appears
after recording.

To name a captured file, enter a name in the dialog box that appears
after recording. To have CyberLink PowerDirector automatically save
and name captured files, check the Don't prompt me to confirm file
name option in the dialog box that appears after recording.

Note: You may set the auto naming prefix or re-enable the file naming
prompt in File Preferences. See "File Preferences" on page 54 for more
information.

25

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Captured Clips Area Options

Video, audio and photos you capture appear in the Captured Clips area.
Right-clicking clips in this area displays a menu that provides several
options:

• Play in Media Viewer: Select this option to view the clip in the

Media Viewer. See "Preview a Clip in the Media Viewer" on page

98.

• Detect Scenes: Select this option to detect the scenes contained

in a video clip. See "Detect Scenes in a Video Clip" on page 50.

• Remove Item: Select this option to remove the clip from the

Captured Clips area.

• Delete from Disk: Select this option to remove the clip from the

Captured Clips area and delete the source file from your hard
disk.

26

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Capture from DV Camcorder

DV camcorders are popular among video hobbyists, as they record in a
digital format that does not require conversion before being used on a
computer, and often provide a number of advanced recording options.
You can capture a single scene or a number of scenes in a batch from
your camcorder. Procedures for both methods are described below.

Capture a Single Scene

You can capture a single segment of video from your camcorder. This
function is particularly useful, for example, if you want to acquire a long
video segment in its entirety without skipping over sections.

To capture a single scene from a DV camcorder, do this:

Note: Make sure your camcorder is in VCR mode before capturing.

1. Click to open Capture mode.

27

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

2. Click to open the DV camcorder capture function. (You may
have to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches

capture modes.)

28

3. Locate the position where you would like to begin capturing. You
may do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the playback buttons.

• Enter a timecode, then press the Enter key on your

keyboard seek to that timecode.

• Drag the time slider .

4. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

• Check Non-realtime to continue processing captured video

after the original video stops playing in order to ensure that
no frames are dropped. Capturing video at a higher speed
reduces processing time, but yields video of a lower quality.
Capturing better quality video requires more CPU power
and more time to complete.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

5. Click to begin capture. The video plays in the preview window
as you capture.

6. Click to stop capture before completion. The clip you have
captured will appear in the Captured Clips area.

DV Backup

The DV Backup feature lets you back-up the digital video from your DV
camcorder directly to DVD using CyberLink PowerDirector.

Note: This feature requires a DVD burner.

To backup digital video from a DV camcorder, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

2. Click to open the DV device capture function. (You may have

to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches
capture modes.)

29

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

3. Click . The DV Backup dialog box opens.

4. Select the DV camcorder from the drop-down you would like to
backup if more than one is attached.

5. Select the burning drive from the Select backup destination
drop-down.

6. Click the Option button to configure the following burning
configuration options:

• Select a recording speed.

• The Include buffer under-run protection option ensures

that your drive writes without errors when your hard drive is
busy or system resources are low.

7. In the Set backup time drop-down, select whether to:

• backup the entire contents of the DV tape that is currently

in your DV camcorder.

• backup from the current position on the tape to the end of

the tape.

• backup a specified amount of time (in minutes) from the

current position.

8. Set the backup profile for the DV video. See "Profile Options for
Video Clips" on page 20 for more information on setting profiles
for MPEG-2 files.

30

Chapter 2: Pre-production

9. Enter a disc name for your disc in the Disc volume label field.

10. Locate the position where you would like to begin backing up
your DV video (if you do not want to backup the entire DV tape).
You may do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the playback buttons.

• Enter a timecode, then click to seek to that timecode.

• Drag the time slider .

11. Click on the Start button. CyberLink PowerDirector will proceed to
backup your DV camcorder video. A message will be displayed
once the backup is complete.

Batch Capture from a DV Camcorder

Batch capturing may seem intimidating, but in reality it is an incredibly
convenient method of capturing multiple video clips automatically. If
you take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with batch capturing, you
will save yourself time when you capture video from your camcorder.
CyberLink PowerDirector scans your DV for intervals (or allows you to
set them manually), then captures them in a batch using the intervals
you created.

Automatic Batch Capture

Automatic batch capture is a quick way to capture scenes from a video
tape.

To perform an automatic batch capture, do this:

Note: Make sure your camcorder is in VCR mode before capturing.

1. Click to open Capture mode.

31

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

2. Click to open the DV device capture function. (You may have

to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches
capture modes.)

32

3. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

• Check Non-realtime to continue processing captured video

after the original video stops playing in order to ensure that
no frames are dropped.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

4. Click . The DV QuickScan dialog box opens.

• Click Note for important information on how to use the DV

QuickScan function.

5. Locate the position where you would like to begin scanning for
intervals. You may do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the playback buttons.

• Enter a timecode, then click to seek to that timecode.

• Drag the time slider .

6. Click Start to start scanning for intervals. CyberLink PowerDirector
scans for intervals.

33

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

7. Click Stop after all of the video segments you want to capture
have been scanned. Scanned intervals appear as thumbnails in the
window.

• Click Back to return to the QuickScan function.

8. Check the thumbnails of the intervals you want to batch capture.

• You can change the profile of the clips to be captured. To do

this, click Profile and select a new profile.

• To combine sequential intervals into a single interval, check

the intervals, then click Merge. Click AutoMerge to
combine all checked intervals in sequence or to merge all of
the clips in an interval that you can set.

34

9. Click Start to begin batch capture. CyberLink PowerDirector
rewinds your tape to the position of the first clip, then begins

Chapter 2: Pre-production

capturing all of the intervals you have checked. The video plays in
the preview window as you capture. The clips you have captured
appear in the Captured Clips area.

• Click Stop to if you want to stop the capture process.

10. Click Finished to return to Capture mode.

Manual Batch Capture

Using manual batch capture gives you more control over the capturing
process and ensures that the scenes you want to include are captured.
Manual batch capturing is recommended when you are sure which
scenes you want to capture and have a good idea where they are
located on the tape.

To perform a manual batch capture, do this:

Note: Make sure your camcorder is in VCR mode before capturing.

1. Click to open Capture mode.

35

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

2. Click to open the DV device capture function. (You may have
to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches

capture modes.)

36

3. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

• Check Non-realtime to continue processing captured video

after the original video stops playing in order to ensure that
no frames are dropped.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

4. Click . The DV Manual Scan/Batch Capture dialog box
opens.

5. Click .

6. Navigate to the mark in time by doing one of the following:

• Use the playback buttons.

• Enter a timecode, then click to seek to that timecode.

• Drag the time slider .

7. Click to set the mark in point.

8. Navigate to the mark out time, then click to set the mark out
point. The intervals you set appear in the pane to the right of the
preview window.

Note: You can continue to set intervals of clips to capture. Each interval,
however, must have a duration of at least two frames.

9. Click Start to begin batch capture. CyberLink PowerDirector
rewinds your tape to the position of the first clip, then begins
capturing all of the intervals you have checked. The video plays in

37

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

the preview window as you capture. The clips you have captured
appear in the Captured Clips area.

• Click Stop if you want to stop the capture process.

• Click Add to start another round of batch capturing.

10. Click Finished to return to Capture mode.

Capture from HDV Camcorder

HDV camcorders record in a high definition digital format that does not
require conversion before being used on a computer, and often provide
a number of advanced recording options. You can capture scenes from
your HDV camcorder into CyberLink PowerDirector. The procedure is
described below.

To capture a single scene from a HDV camcorder, do this:

Note: Make sure your camcorder is in VCR mode before capturing.

1. Click to open Capture mode.

38

Chapter 2: Pre-production

2. Click to open the HDV camcorder capture function. (You
may have to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector
switches capture modes.)

3. Locate the position where you would like to begin capturing. You
may do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the playback buttons.

• Enter a timecode, then click to seek to that timecode.

• Drag the time slider .

4. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

5. Click to begin capture. The video plays in the preview window
as you capture.

6. Click to stop capture before completion. The clip you have
captured will appear in the Captured Clips area.

39

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Capture from TV

You may wish to add segments from your favorite TV programs to your
movie production, or simply record other segments for different uses.

To capture from a TV, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

2. Click to open the TV capture function. (You may have to wait
a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches capture
modes.)

40

3. Set your capture options (if necessary).

• Click to choose CATV or Antenna.

4. Locate the channel you want to capture. You may do this in one of
the following ways:

• Click to go up a channel or to go down a channel.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• Click to return to the previous channel.

• Enter a channel number in the channel box.

5. Click to begin capture.

6. Click to stop capture. The clip you have captured will appear
in the Captured Clips area.

Capture from Digital TV

You may wish to add segments from your favorite Digital TV programs
to your movie production, or simply record other segments for different
uses.

To capture from Digital TV, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

41

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

2. Click to open the Digital TV capture function. (You may have
to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches
capture modes.)

42

3. Set your capture options (if necessary).

• Click if you have not yet setup your digital TV channels.

4. Locate the channel you want to capture. You may do this in one of
the following ways:

• Click to go up a channel or to go down a channel.

• Click to return to the previous channel.

• Enter a channel number in the channel box.

5. Click to begin capture.

6. Click to stop capture. The clip you have captured will appear
in the Captured Clips area.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Capture from PC Camera

PC cameras (also known as web cams) are inexpensive, handy video
cameras that you can use for simple video capturing.

To capture from a PC camera, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

2. Click to open the PC camera capture function. (You may have
to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches
capture modes.)

3. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

4. Click to begin capture.

5. Click to stop capture. The clip you capture will appear in the
Captured Clips area.

43

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Capture from Microphone

Your movie may require recorded dialog. No matter what kind of audio
tracks you record, they can be captured with a microphone for use in
your CyberLink PowerDirector project.

To capture from a PC microphone, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

2. Click to open the microphone capture function. (You may
have to wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches
capture modes.)

44

3. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

4. Click to begin capture. Recording begins after a three-second
countdown.

5. Click to stop capture. The clip you capture will appear in the
Captured Clips area.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Capture Audio Tracks from CD

Using your favorite music can help you to create a really fun,
personalized movie. If you have music stored on an audio CD, you can
record songs you want and then add them as audio tracks in your
CyberLink PowerDirector project.

To record audio tracks from a CD, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

2. Click to open the CD capture function. (You may have to wait
a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches capture
modes.)

3. Select the disc drive where the CD was inserted.

4. Select the track you want to record from the drop-down list. You
may preview the track if required by using the player controls.

5. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19. Select Record at maximum speed to record the audio at

45

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

a higher speed. Capturing at a higher speed reduces processing
time, but yields audio of a lower quality.

6. Click to begin capture.

7. The entire track will be recorded automatically or click to stop
capture to record just an excerpt of the song. The audio clip you
capture will appear in the Captured Clips area.

Capture from a DVD

You can capture video scenes (including the audio portion) from a DVD
for use in your CyberLink PowerDirector project.

Note: Some DVDs are protected by technology that does not allow you to
capture the content they contain.

To capture scenes from a DVD, do this:

1. Click to open Capture mode.

46

Chapter 2: Pre-production

2. Click to open the DVD capture function. (You may have to
wait a few moments as CyberLink PowerDirector switches capture
modes.)

3. Select the disc drive where the DVD was inserted by clicking DVD
Drive button.

4. Use the DVD disc navigation tree on the left to select the chapters.
or titles you want to capture. You may preview the DVD if required
by using the player controls.

5. Set your capture options (if necessary). See "Capture Options" on
page 19.

6. Click to begin capture.

7. The entire selected chapter/content will be captured
automatically and then appear in the Captured Clips area.

47

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Add Text Captions

You may add captions to the DV/TV media clips that you capture,
including a date code, time code or a short remark.

Note: Text captions are different from subtitles. If you would like to add
subtitles to your video, see "Chapters" on page 163.

To set your text captions options, go to the TV capture function or DV

capture function and click .

The Add text overlay on captured video dialog box opens, displaying
the Overlay Text tab.

Available options are as follows:

• Add Date Code: Check this option to add a date code on your

captured video. Select a date code format that best fits your
need.

• Add Time Code: Check this option to add a time code on your

captured video. Select a time code format that best fits your
need.

• Add Remark: Check this option to add a remark on your

captured video.

Click the Overlay Format tab. Available options are as follows:

• Font Type: Set the font type for your text captions.

48

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• Font Size: Set the font size and color for your text captions.

• Text Orde r: Set the order of the text captions.

Tex t Posi tion : Set the position where you want the captions to appear
in your video by clicking and dragging it to the desired position.

Take a Still Snapshot of a Video Clip

You can capture a single frame from a video clip or capture device and
automatically load the snapshot into the Media Library.

Snapshots can be captured in the following ways:

• in Capture Mode, clicking during the playing of live TV, live

Digital TV, a DV camcorder, an HDV camcorder or a PC web cam.

• in Edit Mode, selecting a video clip in the Media Library and

clicking on the Preview Window.

• in Edit Mode, clicking during the playback of a video clip in

the Preview Window.

Note: You can specify your preferred snapshot image file format in
preferences. See "File Preferences" on page 54 for detailed information.

49

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Detecting Scenes and Extracting Audio

To assist with your editing process, CyberLink PowerDirector can detect
scenes in your video clips or extract the audio from them, and have
these new clips displayed separately in the Media Library.

Detect Scenes in a Video Clip

The scene detection function automatically creates individual clips
based on the individual scenes (or pre-edited shots) contained within a
video clip. Detected scenes are not split from the original clip, but can
be added to the workspace like any other media clip. Likewise, they
may also be merged together or removed entirely without changing
the original video clip.

You can detect scenes in a video clip in both the Captured Clips area or
within the Media Library.

To detect scenes in a video clip, do this:

1. Right click the video clip whose scenes you want to detect and
select Detect Scenes or select the video clip whose scenes you

want to detect in the Media Library and click .

50

Chapter 2: Pre-production

2. The Scene Detection window opens.

3. Increase or decrease scene detection sensitivity, if necessary.
Increased or decreased scene detection sensitivity yields an
increased or decreased number of scenes that are detected. You
may do this in one of the following ways:

• Drag the Sensitivity slider.

• Click the or buttons.

4. Click Settings and set your scene detection options, if necessary:

• The Detection method section pertains to video clips that

have been captured. (If the video clip was not captured, the
Detection Method options are disabled.) If you have a DV
AVI clip that contains multiple time codes (i.e.: time codes
are automatically set when you start and stop recording)
and you wish to split up your clip in this manner, select

Detect by changing of timecodes. Otherwise, use Detect
by changing of video frames.

5. Locate the position where you would like to begin detecting
scenes. You may do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the playback buttons.

51

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

• Drag the time slider.

• Enter a timecode.

6. Click Detect. The scenes in the video clip will be detected and then
displayed in the content window.

• To set scenes manually, click Split instead of Detect.

• To stop the scene detection process before completion,

click Stop or press the <Esc> key.

• After the original scene detection, you may further detect

scenes within a newly generated scene. To detect scenes
manually (including changing detection sensitivity), select a
scene, then repeat the steps for detecting scenes. To detect
scenes automatically, right-click a scene and select Detect
Again from this scene.

• To remove a scene after detection, right-click the scene and

select Remove Scene.

7. Click to close the Scene Detection window.

• To return to the Library, click .

The detected clips are displayed in a sub folder under the original video
clip. They can be added to the workspace and managed in the Media
Library like any other video clip.

Video clips that contain detected scenes show a small folder icon in the
lower right-hand corner of the clip when displayed in the Media Library.
To display a clip’s scenes, click the folder icon.

52

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Extracting Audio from a Video Clip

If you want to include just the audio from a video clip, you can extract it
from video clips in the Media Library. The audio clip will be separated
from the video and can be used in your project like any other audio file.

To extract audio from a video clip, do this:

1. Right click on a video clip in the Media Library that contains the
audio want to extract and select Extract Audio.

2. The Save As Windows dialog box is displayed.

3. Browse to the folder location where you want to save the audio
file, enter a file name for it and then click on the Save button. The
audio portion of the video will be extracted and saved as a .wav
file in your Media Library.

53

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

PowerDirector Preferences

CyberLink PowerDirector offers a range of choices to set your video
production environment to better suit the way you work. Before you
get started working on your production you may want to set your
preferences to your liking. You may also edit them at any time during
the production process to accommodate your needs.

File Preferences

To set your file preferences, click Edit > Preferences... The Preferences
dialog box opens, displaying the File tab. Available options are as
follows:

54

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• Import directory: Set the folder where CyberLink PowerDirector

looks by default for media clips when you load media files. To
change this folder, click Browse and select a new folder.

• Export directory: Set the folder where CyberLink PowerDirector

saves captured media files by default. To change this folder, click
Browse and select a new folder.

• Captured video prefix: Enter a default name for captured video

files. CyberLink PowerDirector automatically appends a
sequential number to this name to create a unique filename for
each captured file.

• Always prompt me to confirm filename: Check this option if

you would like CyberLink PowerDirector to prompt you to enter
a filename each time you capture a video clip.

• Production file prefix: Enter a default name for files produced in

CyberLink PowerDirector.

• Snapshot filename: Enter a default name for snapshot captures.

CyberLink PowerDirector automatically appends a sequential
number to this name to create a unique filename for each
captured file. Select a file format from the drop-down list for your
snapshots. You have the choice between .bmp, .jpg and .gif
formats.

• Always prompt me to confirm filename: Check this option if

you would like CyberLink PowerDirector to prompt you to enter
a filename each time you take a snapshot.

• Snapshot destination: Select a destination for snapshot

captures from the drop-down list if you don’t want to save them
as a file.

• Use master video size whenever possible: Select this to have

the snapshot be the same size as the original video, instead of
the smaller preview window it was taken in.

• Number of recently used file projects: Enter a number

(between 0 and 20) of recently used files that you would like to
make available in the File menu when you open CyberLink
PowerDirector.

• Automatically load the most recent project when

PowerDirector opens: Check this option to automatically load

55

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

the project you have been working on most recently whenever
you open CyberLink PowerDirector.

General Preferences

To set your general preferences, click Edit > Preferences... The
Preferences dialog box opens. Click the General tab. Available options
are as follows:

56

• Maximum undo levels: Enter a number (between 0 and 100) of

levels of undo you would like to make available while you work
on your movie production. Setting a higher number of undo
consumes more CPU resources.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• TV format: Select the TV format (NTSC or PAL) of the region in

which you would like to produce your movie. This format should
correspond to the format of the region in which you plan to play
your movie (if you burn it to disc).

• Enable animated Interface: Check to enable the animated

interface within CyberLink PowerDirector.

• Show sound waveform in Timeline: Check to display the sound

waveform in the timeline that represents the sound levels in the
audio portion of video clips, music clips and voice clips.

• Enable file processing to speed up the editing of high

definition video: Select this to speed up the editing of high
definition video by enabling CyberLink PowerDirector to process
the file faster. Enabling this consumes more CPU resources.

• Allow program to append information into files as RichVideo

information: Check to allow CyberLink PowerDirector to append
RichVideo information into the media files.

• Enable RichVideo information in open media dialog: Check to

allow RichVideo information to be displayed in open media
dialog.

• Automatically connect to the Internet to check for new

software updates: Check to automatically connect to the
Internet to check for new software updates for CyberLink
PowerDirector.

• Use system default language: Select this option for the

CyberLink PowerDirector language display to be the same as the
default language of your operating system.

• User defined: Select this option and then select the language

from the drop-down list that you want CyberLink PowerDirector
to use.

57

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Editing Preferences

To set your editing preferences, click Edit > Preferences... The
Preferences dialog box opens. Click the Edit tab. Available options are
as follows:

58

• Default workspace: Select to open the Timeline or Storyboard

workspace in CyberLink PowerDirector by default.

• Link objects across tracks when moving/deleting content in

Video track: Links titles, video effects, music and PiP clips to clips
in the Master Video track. Checking this option moves these clips
when a video clip in the Master Video track is moved. Uncheck
this option to allow for the movement of all Timeline clips
separately.

• Add transition between photos when applying Magic Motion:

Adds a transition effect between adjacent photos when you use
the Magic Motion tool.

Chapter 2: Pre-production

• Durations: Set default durations (in seconds) for image files and

the different effects in the timeline.

• Auto Save Project: Check this to have CyberLink PowerDirector

auto save your project. You can enter a specific time in the field
provided. This ensures you don’t lose your changes if there was a
power outage or your computer crashed and you forgot to save
your creation.

Confirmation Preferences

To set your confirmation preferences, click Edit > Preferences... The
Preferences dialog box opens. Click the Confirmation tab. Available
options are as follows:

• Always prompt me when TV format conflicts: Check this

option to enable a warning message when you add a video clip

59

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

to the workspace whose TV format (NTSC/PAL) conflicts with that
of the video clips already located in the workspace.

• Enable file deletion from hard drive: Check this option if you

would like to enable deletion of files from your hard drive from
within the Media Library.

• Enable warning when chapters are removed during editing:

Displays a warning message if chapter points have been deleted
during video editing.

• Always prompt me when widescreen is not supported: Check

this option if you would like CyberLink PowerDirector to prompt
you when the widescreen format is not supported.

60

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Capture Preferences

To set your capture preferences, click Edit > Preferences. The
Preferences dialog box opens. Click the Capture tab. Available options
are as follows:

• Add captured files to Library: Check this option to import

captured files into the Media Library directly after capture.

• Add captured files to workspace: Check this option to import

captured files into the workspace directly after capture.

• Use video overlay for capture: Keep this option checked during

capture unless you have an older VGA card that does not support
video overlay. (Unselecting this option in this event avoids the
unsupported overlay display error.)

• Enable automatic file replacement when recording voice-

over: Check this option to overwrite existing audio if the voice­over overlaps during recording.

61

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

• Enable CyberLink MPEG@Best: Check to balance capture speed

and video quality when you capture MPEG video.

• Do not detect scenes during capture: Check this option if you

do not want to activate the auto scene detection function during
capture.

• After capture, detect scenes by changing of video frames:

Check this option to perform scene detection during video
capture. In scene detection, CyberLink PowerDirector compares
captured frames to decide when there is a scene change. Each
scene is saved as a file as recording continues.

• During capture, detect scenes by timecode, and save each

scene as a separate file (DV-VCR mode only): Check this option
to detect scene-break signals and to save each scene as a
separate file. (DV camcorder generate a scene-break signal on
the tape whenever users release the REC button.) This feature is
only available in DV camcorder capture.

• DV Parameters button: Click this button to set the buffer

parameters for your DV camcorder. Setting a buffer time ensures
that your DV camcorder and your batch capture or DV writing
device begin at the same time. Without a buffer, batch capturing
or writing to tape may begin before the camcorder is engaged.

62

Chapter 2: Pre-production

Produce Preferences

To set your production preferences, click Edit > Preferences. The
Preferences dialog box opens. Click the Produce tab. The available
option is as follows:

• Output only selected tracks: Check this option to output only

the selected tracks. The tracks that are not selected will not be
produced.

63

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

64

Chapter 3:

Creating Your Story

Now that you have all of your video, photos and audio ready, this chapter will
guide you through the process of turning your collection of media into
professional-looking video movies and photo slideshows. It also describes how
to view project information and to preview your movie during production.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• "Edit Window Overview" on page 66

• "Adding Media to Workspace" on page 79

• "Editing Your Media" on page 102

• "Using Magic Tools" on page 115

• "Modifying Effects" on page 129

• "Audio Mixing and Voice Overs" on page 158

• "Chapters" on page 163

• "Add Subtitles" on page 165

65

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Edit Window Overview

Before you get started with the editing process, it is important that you
become familiar with the Edit window. The section provides you with
an overview of some of its key features and functions.

Working with Project Files

Each time you start working on a new movie production or photo
slideshow, you create a new project that is saved as a .pds file that is
used exclusively by CyberLink PowerDirector. This section describes
working with CyberLink PowerDirector project files. These are the basic
commands for managing new and existing projects.

Create a New Project

To create a new project file, click File > New Project. If an unsaved
project file is open in the workspace, you are prompted to save it.

Save a Project

To save the current project file, click File > Save Project. (To save the
current project file under a different file name, click File > Save Project

As....) In the dialog box that opens, enter a file name and location, then

click Save.

Auto Save Project

You can configure CyberLink PowerDirector to automatically save your
project every few minutes in Preferences. Auto save ensures that you
don’t lose your changes if there was a power outage or your computer
crashed and you forgot to save your creation. See "Editing Preferences"
on page 58 to enable and configure this feature.

66

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

Open an Existing Project

To open an existing project file, click File > Open Project.... If an

unsaved project file is open in the workspace, you are prompted to save
it. In the dialog box that opens, locate the project file you want to work
with, then click Open.

New Workspace

To clear the workspace of all clips and effects, click File > New
Wor ksp ace.

View Project Properties

You can view such project properties as the creation date, the author’s
name, associated keywords, etc.

To view project properties, click File > Project Properties....

Set the Project’s Aspect Ratio

Before you start working on your project, you should set your movie’s
aspect ratio. The default aspect ratio is 4:3, but if you want your

67

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

production to utilize a widescreen TV you may change the aspect ratio
to 16:9, provided that the media clips you have are also in widescreen
format. To modify the aspect ratio for your media, see "Adjust a Video
Clip’s Aspect Ratio" on page 112.

To set the aspect ratio for your movie, click Edit > Aspect Ratio > 4:3 or
16:9. The preview window will change according to the aspect ratio
you have chosen.

Note: It is important that you set the aspect ratio of your movie before you
start adding clips to the timeline/storyboard. You can not change the aspect
ratio of your project once your started editing clips.

68

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

The Library Window

The Library window contains all of the media in CyberLink
PowerDirector, including your video, photos and music files and the
effects and additions you apply to your media. The media content that
is displayed in the Library window is dependent on the room you select.

The Library window is displayed as follows:

Filter drop-down list

Library menu button

Import media button

Room buttons

Detect scenes button

Library

69

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

To switch rooms and the content that is displayed in the Library, use the
buttons on the left side of the window. These buttons are displayed
below:

Media Room button

Effect Room button

PiP Objects Room button

Titles Room button

Transition Room button

Audio Mixing Room button

Voice-Over Recording Room button

Chapter Room button

Subtitle Room button

Each of these buttons opens a ‘room’ and displays a corresponding
library of media, effects or access to controls for mixing your audio. By
default, the Library opens to the Media Room. However, the Library
retains the same buttons and functions in each of these views.

Media Room

The Media Room contains access to the storage area, or library,
of the media that you can use in your project. The type of media
clips that appear in the Media Room depend on the selection
you make in the Filter drop-down list.

Effect Room

The Effect Room contains a library of special effects that can be
applied to video or image clips in your project. For more
information, see "Adding Video Effects" on page 88.

70

PiP Objects Room

The PiP Objects Room contains a library of graphics that you
can add on the video or photo clip in the PiP Track. There are
three main types of objects:

• static graphics

• motion graphics that fly through the clip

• decorative borders that can be added to frame your clip

Inserted objects are displayed in the PiP Track and can be
modified in the PiP Designer. For more information, see
"Modifying Objects" on page 131.

Title Room

The Title Room contains the library of titles that can be applied
to your project to add credits or comments to your production.
For more information, see "Adding Title Effects" on page 90.

Transition Room

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

The Transition Room is a library of transitions that can be
applied between video or image clips in your project, helping
to make edits appear smoother and more professional. For
more information, see "Adding Transitions" on page 90.

Audio Mixing Room

The Audio Mixing Room contains audio mixing controls for all
of the audio tracks in your project. For more information, see
"Mix Audio Levels in the Audio Mixing Room" on page 159.

Voice-Over Recording Room

The Voice-Over Recording Room contains controls for
recording a narration from a microphone while watching the

71

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

video clip the voice-over is to accompany. For more information, see
"Record a Voice-Over" on page 160.

Chapter Room

The Chapter Room contains options for automatically or
manually setting chapter markers. Setting chapters on your
final disc allows viewers to jump from the menu page to the
chapter markers you have set in order to navigate around your
disc. For more information, see "Chapters" on page 163.

Subtitle Room

The Subtitle Room lets you add subtitles to your production
manually or by importing a text file directly into CyberLink
PowerDirector. For more information, see "Chapter Room" on
page 72.

Managing Media in the Library

Once your clips are loaded, you can change the display of your media
clips within the Library and remove clips you don’t need.

Sort Clips in the Library

Once your media clips are loaded into the Media Library, you can filter
the display for a certain type of media for a simpler view or sort media
files using different criteria.

• Select the type of media you want to view (or All Media) from

the Filter drop-down list. Only those clips that belong to the
media type you have selected are displayed in the Media Room.

• To change the way files are sorted, click . Select Sort by, then

choose a sorting option (Name, Duration, File Size, Date, Type).

Note: Color boards can be sorted by Name, R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue),
or Date.

72

• To change the way files are displayed in the library, click .

Select Display As, then choose a display option (Thumbnails or
Details).

Remove a Clip from the Library

To remove a media clip from the Library, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

2. Select the clip(s) you want to remove, then do one of the
following:

• Press the Delete key.

• Click and select Delete Selected.

• Right-click on the clip(s), then select Remove from Library

or Delete from disk.

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

Note: The Remove from Library option makes the clip unavailable in the
Library but does not affect the original media file on your hard disk. The

Delete from Disk option both removes the clip from the Library and

deletes the original file on your hard disk.

73

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Rename a Clip in the Library

Clips you import into the Library retain their original file names, which
are often non descriptive and sometimes confusing to use in a video
editing project. By using an alias, you can rename any clip in the Library
to better suit your project. (For example, you may wish to use the alias
“first video clip” instead of “video_005.mpg.)

To rename a clip using an alias, do this:

1. Right-click the clip you want to rename and select Use Alias.

2. Enter a name and press Enter on your keyboard or click outside the
name box. The clip appears in the Library using the alias.

Restore a Clip’s Original File Name

Although using an alias is handy while working on your video project,
you may find it necessary to view the original name of the clip (for
example to verify which version of a clip you are using).

To restore a clip’s original name, right-click the clip you want to rename
and select Restore to Original Clip Name. The clip will revert to the
original clip name in the Library.

74

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

View Clip Properties

If you want to view information about a media clip in the Library or the
workspace (such as its format, file path, size, frame rate, etc.), you can
view the clip’s properties.

To view clip properties, right-click the clip and select Properties. The
Properties dialog box opens.

75

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

The Workspace

The workspace is the section of the Edit window where your create your
project by adding media clips, effects, transitions, etc. The workspace
has two different views, the Timeline and Storyboard view, which can
be accessed by clicking on the Timeline or Storyboard buttons.

Note: You can set which workspace view is displayed by default in "Editing
Preferences" on page 58.

You load media and effect clips into specific tracks in the workspace,
move them to different locations in your story, or remove them from
the workspace. This section describes how to add clips to the proper
track and how to manage clips once they have been added.

Timeline View

The Timeline view lets you view your entire project based on running
time. This view is useful when wanting to insert effects, subtitles, etc. at
a specific moment or time. The Timeline view also provides a view of
various tracks and where they appear in the timeline. To switch to

Timeline view, click .

76

Media Tracks

The Timeline contains the following tracks:

Tra ck Description

Master Video Track: contains your project’s main video
and/or image clips.

Effect Track: contains special effects that apply to the
video or image clip in the Master Video Track at the same
location.

PiP Track: contains video/image clips and objects that
are inserted over any clip in the Master Video Track that
appear during the PiP effect’s duration.

Title Track: contains title effects that appear over any
clips in the Master Video Track that occur during the title
effect’s duration.

Voi ce Trac k: contains a narrative voice-over or second
audio clip.

Music Track: contains your project’s main audio and
music clips.

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

Locking/Unlocking Tracks in the Timeline

To lock a track in the Timeline, click at the left of the track. When a
track is locked, you cannot add new clips to the track, nor move or edit

the clips it contains. To unlock a track in the Timeline, click at the
extreme left of the track. When a track is unlocked, you can freely add,
move and edit clips. For more information, see "Working with Clips in
the Workspace" on page 91.

Showing/Hiding Tracks in the Timeline

To hide a track in the Timeline, first click in the Preview window,

then click at the extreme left of the track. When a track is hidden, it

77

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

will not be displayed in the Preview window. This way you can preview
your project by tracks and concentrate on the track you are working on.

To display a track that has been hidden in the Timeline, first click

in the Preview window, then click at the extreme left of the track.
For more information, see "Preview Your Movie in the Preview Window"
on page 99.

Resizing the Ruler

You can resize the ruler for a more expanded or more condensed view
of your production. To resize the ruler, click inside the ruler and drag.

Expand the ruler for more a precise view, which is especially handy
when aligning clips and effects, or condense the ruler for a global
overview of your entire production.

Storyboard View

The Storyboard view is essentially a large graphical display of your
project. The Storyboard view is useful to assist you visualize the scenes

and the overall production. To switch to storyboard view, click .

78

Note: A number of features are unavailable in the Storyboard view. If you try
and perform a function that is not available in this view, CyberLink
PowerDirector automatically switches to the Timeline view.

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

Adding Media to Workspace

Now you can begin putting your final production together by adding
media and effects to the workspace. You can also use the Magic Movie
Wizard or the Slideshow Designer to quickly create a production if you
are short on time or to use as a guideline to get to you started.

Certain media clips may only be added to specific tracks, for example
titles to the Title Track, transitions to the Transition Track, or audio to
the Voice or Music Track. When you select a media clip, the tracks that it
can be added “light up”.

Magic Movie Wizard

If you are new to the editing process and not sure how or where to get
started, then the Magic Movie Wizard can help. The Magic Movie Wizard
can take all of your media and create a dazzling movie production in
just a few steps. The created production can then be edited and refined
in the workspace, outputted to a file or burned to disc.

To use the Magic Movie Wizard to create a movie production, do this:

Note: The Magic Movie Wizard provides the option of using all the media in
the Media Library, all the media currently in the workspace or all currently
selected media. If you only want to use a specific number of clips, select the
clips you want to use before you begin.

79

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

1. Click to open the Magic Movie Wizard.

2. Select the location of your media that you want to include in the
created production as follows:

• Library: selecting Library will cause the Magic Movie Wizard

to use all of the media currently located in your Media
Library.

• Wor ksp ace : select ing Workspace will cause the Magic

Movie Wizard to use only the media that is currently located
in the workspace timeline or storyboard.

• Selected Items: selecting Selected Items will cause the

Magic Movie Wizard to only use the media that was
selected when the Magic Movie Wizard was launched.

80

Note: You can add additional media to your production in the workspace
after the production has been created.

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

3. Click to display the Add Music page.

4. User the button to select specific music you want to include in
your movie production.

Note: You can add as much music as you want to include. If you don’t select
any music, the Magic Movie Wizard will use music from your Media Library if
Library was selected on the previous page

5. Set the audio mixing levels for your music with the available slider.

• Dragging the slider towards More music will cause the

music’s audio to become louder, while reducing the video’s
audio. Conversely, dragging the slider towards More video
will cause the video’s audio to be louder, while reducing the
music’s audio.

81

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

6. Click to display the Select Style page.

7. Select a pre-defined style to assist the Magic Movie Wizard to add
the right opening title, video effects and transitions that match the
theme or purpose of your movie production.

82

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

8. Click to display the Specify Duration and Split Ratio
page.

9. Choose to do one of the follow:

• Enter a desired duration in the New duration field.

• Click the Fit duration to background music button to have

the video’s duration match the selected music.

• Leave the duration as is to let the Magic Movie Wizard

decide the best duration to use.

10. Set the ratio between your photos and video with the available
slider.Dragging the slider towards More photo will cause the
Magic Movie Wizard to display more photos and less of the video
files in the final movie production. Conversely, dragging the slider
towards More video will cause the Magic Movie Wizard to display
more of the videos and less of the photos in the final movie
production.

83

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

11. Click to begin generating your movie production.

12. Once the Magic Movie Wizard is done, you can view a preview of
the production using the playback controls.

84

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

13. If you are not satisfied with the production, use the
button to return to the previous windows and change the

duration, style etc. to alter the production.

14. Once you are satisfied, click to display the Finished
window.

15. Click to finalize your production. The Magic Movie
Wizard will insert the created production into the Timeline.

Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

The sections below describe the procedures for adding each kind of
media clip into the workspace.

Note: You may prefer to add clips in Storyboard view, since this view is
simpler than the Timeline view. However, clips can only be added to the
Video track in this view. Therefore, this section uses the Timeline view in all of
the procedures.

85

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Add Video Clips & Photos

You can add video clips and photos to either the Master Video Track or
the PiP (picture-in-picture) Track. To create the basic framework of your
movie, add video clips and photos to the Master Video Track. Add
media to the PiP track only to create a picture-in-picture effect.

To add video clips or photos to the workspace, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

2. Select Video, Images or All Media from the Filter drop-down list
to sort the clips in the Media Library.

3. Select a clip and then add it to the workspace in one of the
following ways:

• Click to add the clip to the Video Track or

to add the clip to the PiP Track.

• Drag clips to a desired position in the Video or PiP Track.

When adding clips to the Master Video Track, you cannot
leave an empty gap between the last clip and the new clips
you are adding. Clips added to the end of the Master Video
Track follow immediately after the final clip in that track.

Note: You may select several clips and drag them together into the same
track, provided all of the clips are compatible with the destination track.

• Right-click on a clip and select Add to Video Track or Add

to PiP Track as required.

Note: Use the PiP Designer to customize the PiP effects in your movie
production. See"Modifying a PiP Effect or Object" on page 130 for more
information.

Add Color Boards

The use of color boards allows you to insert solid frames of color into
your movie. Color boards are really useful as quick transitions between
video clips or as background for titles and ending credits.

86

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

Color boards are not media files, but they can be applied to the
workspace and managed in the Media Library just like any other media.
You can add color boards to either the Master Video or PiP Track.

To add a color board to the workspace, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

2. Select Color Boards from the Filter drop-down list. The color
boards appear in the Library.

3. Select a color board and then add it to the workspace in one of the
following ways:

• Click to add the color board to the Master Video

Track or to add the color board to the PiP Track.

• Drag one or more color boards to a desired position in the

Master Video or PiP Track. When adding clips to the Master
Video Track, you cannot leave an empty gap between the
last clip and the new clips you are adding. Clips added to
the end of the Master Video Track follow immediately after
the final clip in that track.

• Right-click on a clip and select Add to Video Track or Add

to PiP Track as required.

Add Audio Clips

Using audio clips allows you to add background music or a narrative
voice-over to your movie. CyberLink PowerDirector provides two tracks
for audio media (the Music and Voice Tracks), which you can use
interchangeably.

Note: Audio files can only be added to the workspace in Timeline view. If you
drag an audio file to the workspace in Storyboard view, the workspace
automatically switches to Timeline view.

To add an audio clip to the workspace, do this:

1. Click to open the Media Room.

87

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

2. Select Audio or All Media from the Filter drop-down list.

3. Select an audio clip and then add it to the workspace in one of the
following ways:

• Click to add the audio clip to the Voice Track or

to add the audio clip to the Music Track.

• Drag one or more audio clips to a desired position in the

Voice or Music Track. Audio clips can be added at any point
in this track.

• Right-click on a clip and select Add to Voice Track or Add

to Music Track as required.

Adding Video Effects, Objects, Titles and Transitions

The sections below describe the procedures for adding video effects,
objects, titles and transitions into the workspace.

Note: Video effects, objects, titles and transitions can only be added to the
workspace in Timeline view. If you drag one of these to the workspace in
Storyboard view, the workspace automatically switches to Timeline view.

Adding Video Effects

To add a video effect to a portion of a clip in the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the button to open the Effect Room.

2. Select an effect and then add it to the workspace in one of the
following ways:

• Click to add the effect to the Effect track at the

current position of the Timeline slider.

• Drag an effect from the Effects Room into the Effect Track

directly beneath the clip(s) in the Master Video Track that
you want to apply it to.

88

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

• Right-click on an effect and select Add/Replace in Timeline

to add or replace the Effect track at the current position of
the Timeline slider as required.

• You can add a random video effect at the current position of

the Timeline slider by clicking and then selecting Add
Random Video Effect.

3. Click the Modify button to edit the effect’s options. See
"Modifying a Video Effect" on page 129.

To add a video effect to an entire clip in the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the button to open the Effect Room.

2. Select an effect, drag it to the Master Video Track and then drop it
on top of the clip you want to apply it to. The video effect will be
applied to the entire duration of the clip.

3. Click the Effect button to edit the effect’s options. See "Modifying
a Video Effect" on page 129.

Adding PiP Objects

To add a PiP object to the Timeline, do this:

1. Click to open the PiP Objects Room.

2. Select an object and then add it to the PiP Track in the workspace
in one of the following ways:

• Drag an object from the Objects Room into the desired

position in the PiP track.

• Right-click on an object and select Add/Replace in

Timeline to add or replace the object at the current

position of the Timeline slider as required.

3. Click the Modify button to edit the objects placement, motion and
more in the PiP Designer. See "Modifying a PiP Effect or Object" on
page 130 for more information.

89

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

Adding Title Effects

To add a title effect to the Timeline, do this:

1. Click to open the Title Room.

2. Select a title effect and then add it to the workspace in one of the
following ways:

• Click the button located below the Library to

add the effect to the Title Track at the current position of the
Timeline slider.

• Drag an effect from the Title Room into the desired position

in the Title Track.

• You can add a random title effect at the current position of

the Timeline slider by clicking and then selecting Add
Random Title Effect.

3. Edit the title effect in the Title Designer that opens. See "Modify a
Title Effect" on page 144.

Adding Transitions

To add a transition to the Timeline, do this:

1. Click to open the Transition Room.

2. Select a transition effect and then drag it from the Transition Room
to between the clips in the Master Video track where you want it to
be applied.

3. Set the transition’s duration. See "Set a Clip’s Duration" on page
107 for more information.

To add random transitions to all clips in the Timeline, do this:

• Click on a transition and then on the button located

below the Library to add a random transition to all clips in the
timeline.

90

Chapter 3: Creating Your Story

• Click on a transition and then on the button located

below the Library to add a random fading transition to all clips in
the timeline.

• Click on in the library window and selecting Apply Random

Transit ion Effect to All or Apply Fading Transition to All.

Working with Clips in the Workspace

Once your clips have been added to the workspace, you can move them
to different locations on the same track as required. Only audio clips
can be moved between tracks.

You may find moving media clips easier in Storyboard view, especially if
the clips have extremely short durations, or if you need to move them a
relatively long distance over the workspace.

Note: Moving a clip in the Video track automatically adjusts the duration of
the effects applied to it to synchronize with the remaining clips in the Master
Video Track. Some effects may therefore disappear or change length when
you move a clip.

Select Clips in the Workspace

To select clips in the workspace, do one of the following:

• To select clips in a series, click on the first clip, press the Shift key

and then select the last clip.

• To select multiple that are not beside each other, press the Ctrl

key, then select the required clips one by one.

• To select all of the clips in a track, right-click inside the track and

then select Select All.

Cut/Copy/Paste a Clip in the Workspace

You can cut, copy and paste media clips in CyberLink PowerDirector’s
workspace.

91

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

When you paste, clips appear at the current position of the Timeline
slider. If that position occurs within the duration of a media clip, the
new clip is pasted immediately after that clip. If the Timeline slider is
positioned in a gap between clips, the new clip is pasted and truncated
(if necessary) to fit in the gap (PiP/Music/Voice tracks only). If the
Timeline slider is positioned after the last clip, the new clip is pasted
immediately after the last clip.

Align Clips in the Timeline

You can align PiP, effect and title clips to the edge of the clip above
them in the Master Video Track to ensure their starting and ending
times coincide.

To align a clip, right-click it in the timeline, then select Align to Edge.
The Align to Edge dialog box opens.

The Align Left tab displays options for stretching the clip’s left edge. The
following options are available:

• Extend to the left edge: Extends the clip to the next available

border to the left in the Master Video Track.

• Shrink to the right edge: Shrinks the clip to the next available

border to the right in the Master Video Track.

The Align Right tab displays options for stretching the clip’s right edge.
The following options are available:

92