Pinnacle Systems DS Nitris - 7.5 User Manual

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Avid® DS Nitris

Getting Started Guide

Version 7.5

make manage move | media

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Avid

Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. You can obtain a copy of that license by visiting Avid's Web site at www.avid.com. The terms of that license are also available in the product in the same directory as the software. The software may not be reverse assembled and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of Avid Technology, Inc.

The Avid DS and Avid DS Nitris application uses JScript and Visual Basic Scripting Edition from Microsoft Corporation.

Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial computer software” or “commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the License Agreement, pursuant to FAR §12.212(a) and/or DFARS §227.7202-1(a), as applicable.

Trademarks

888 I/O, Adrenaline, AirPlay, AirSPACE, AirSPACE HD, AniMatte, AudioSuite, AudioVision, AutoSync, Avid, Avid DNA, Avid DNxHD, AVIDdrive, AVIDdrive Towers, AvidNet, AvidNetwork, AVIDstripe, Avid Mojo, Avid Unity, Avid Xpress, AVoption, AVX, CamCutter, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, DAE, D-Fi, D-fx, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, DigiDrive, Digital Nonlinear Accelerator, DigiTranslator, DINR, D-Verb, Equinox, ExpertRender, FieldPak, Film Composer, FilmScribe, FluidMotion, HIIP, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, IllusionFX, Image Independence, Intraframe, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, Lo-Fi, Magic Mask, make manage move | media, Marquee, Matador, Maxim, MCXpress, Media Composer, MediaDock, MediaDock Shuttle, Media Fusion, Media Illusion, MediaLog, Media Reader, Media Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaShare, Meridien, MetaSync, NaturalMatch, Nearchive, NetReview, NewsCutter, Nitris, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, ProEncode, Pro Tools, QuietDrive, Recti-Fi, RetroLoop, rS9, rS18, Sci-Fi, Softimage, Sound Designer II, SPACE, SPACEShift, Symphony, the Avid DS logo, Trilligent, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video Slave Driver, VideoSPACE, Xdeck, and XSI are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Footage

Saturn “Calvin Egg” — Courtesy of Cossette Communications.

GOT FOOTAGE?

Editors — Filmmakers — Special Effects Artists — Game Developers — Animators — Educators — Broadcasters — Content creators of every genre — Just finished an incredible project and want to share it with the world?

Send us your reels and we may use your footage in our show reel or demo!* For a copy of our release and Avid’s mailing address, go to www.avid.com/footage.

*Note: Avid cannot guarantee the use of materials submitted.

Avid DS Nitris Getting Started Guide • 0130-05573-02. August 2004.

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Using the Avid DS Training Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Accessing the Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Logging on to Your Workstation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Avid DS Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

E-mail Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Web Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Upload Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Avid Community Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Accessing the Online Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Avid Educational Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chapter 1 Starting a Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The Digital Post-Production Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Working with Project Files and Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

What is a Project? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Creating a New Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Restoring the Default Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Title Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Accessing the Default Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using the Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Status Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Accessing the Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Combo Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Using the Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Entering Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Chapter 3 Capturing Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Capturing Source Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

The Avid Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Organizing your Project Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Changing the View Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Identifying File Types in a Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Configuring the External Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Capturing from Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Capturing from File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Chapter 4 Getting Ready to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Editing Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Previewing Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Using J-K-L Keys for Three-Button Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Marking In and Out-Points in the Source Viewer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Creating Subclips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Changing the Thumbnail of a Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

The Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Working with Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Selecting Tracks and Regions of Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Adding, Reordering and Deleting Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Setting the Track Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Muting Audio and Video Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Setting Tracks to Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Navigating the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Using the Scale and Scroll Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Selecting Objects on the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Placing Clips on the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Dragging and Dropping Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Inserting Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Overwriting Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Replacing Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Chapter 6 Refining the Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Rearranging Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Copying Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Removing Clips from the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Trimming Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Using the Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Using Ripple Mode When Trimming Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Chapter 7 Applying Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

The Effects Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Effect Bar Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Applying Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Applying Effects to Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Using the Property Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Applying Effects to Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Applying Transition Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Applying Audio Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Creating a Stack of Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

The Effects Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Using the Viewers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Chapter 8 Working with Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Editing Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Opening an Effect’s Property Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Bypassing Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Saving Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Substituting Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Animating Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Chapter 9 Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Processing Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

How Do I Process?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Chapter 10 Adding Graphics and 2D Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Starting a Graphics Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

The Graphics Combo View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

The Graphics Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Displaying the Safe/Action Title Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Using the Graphics Property Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Setting the Drawing Tool Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Defining Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Creating Graphics and Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Using the Graphics Object View (GOV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Changing the Properties of Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Finishing a Graphics Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Chapter 11 Compositing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

About Compositing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Compositing Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Creating a Basic Matte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Viewing the Alpha Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Keying out the Blue Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Simple Track Compositing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Using Composite Container Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

The Layers View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Applying Effects to Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Viewing the Results of Composited Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Chapter 12 Outputting a Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Outputting to Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Outputting to File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Chapter 13 Conforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Methods for Conforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Conforming a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Defining Your Storages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Conforming the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Getting Started

The Avid DS Nitris system lets you create broadcast-quality output, incorporating every possible production element—from full-speed, high-resolution footage, to multimedia artwork and animation, to computer-generated effects and titling.

The documentation describes the features and hardware of all models. Therefore, your system might not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.

The Getting Started Guide consists of 13 chapters of the basic information you’ll need to get working in Avid DS Nitris. The following table lists the approximate amount of time needed to complete each chapter.

Chapter Time to complete

Chapter 1: Starting a Project 15 minutes

Chapter 2: Working on the Desktop 30 minutes

Chapter 3: Capturing Material 60 minutes

Chapter 4: Getting Ready to Edit 30 minutes

Chapter 5: Creating a First Cut 45 minutes

Chapter 6: Refining the Edit 30 minutes

Chapter 7: Applying Effects 90 minutes

Chapter 8: Working with Effects 30 minutes

Chapter 9: Processing 30 minutes

Chapter 10: Adding Graphics and 2D Titles 30 minutes

Chapter 11: Compositing 60 minutes

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Chapter Time to complete

Chapter 12: Outputting a Sequence 20 minutes

Chapter 13: Conforming 45 minutes

Before using the Avid DS Nitris Getting Started Guide, your Avid DS Nitris system should be properly configured with the appropriate hardware. You should also have a working knowledge of your computer and its operating system. You must know how to use the mouse or pen, standard menus and commands, as well as how to open, save, and close files. If you need to review these techniques, refer to Windows online help.

Installing the DivX Codec and QuickTime

Before you can view or capture the media files for this guide, you will need to install the DivX codec and Apple QuickTime (if you do not already have them).

• DivX codec: Install the free standard codec from: www.divx.com/divx/

• QuickTime: Install the latest version of QuickTime from

www.apple.com/quicktime/

Using the Avid DS Training Station

If you are using the software-only Avid DS Training Station, you should know that although it functions just like the software running on Avid DS Nitris systems, there are some notable exceptions:

• A license or hardware key (dongle) is not needed to run the Avid DS Training Station.

• You won’t be able to output to tape or file, nor export OMF or AAF files.

• There are no indexing services.

• Any archives created on an Avid DS Training Station can only be used on other Avid DS Nitris Training Stations.

, EDL,

• Archiving is limited to project data (media cannot be included).

• Remote processing is not available.

• Captured and processed media, sequences, clips, and presets use a different format than the standard Avid DS Nitris software.

Accessing the Media

The media files that you’ll be using in this guide were installed along with the Avid DS software. You can find the media in the C:\Program Files\Avid\DS_v7.5\Media_GetStarted folder. In addition, you’ll need a videotape with some material on it to practice capturing material from tape and outputting to tape.

Logging on to Your Workstation

Before you start Avid DS Nitris, you must log on to your workstation with your Windows user name and password. Since many users can work on the same workstation at different times, Windows gives you security and a unique user profile, so as not to conflict with the settings of other users.

When you run Avid DS Nitris, you are accessing an environment that can be customized. If you set any personal or project preferences while logged on, Avid DS Nitris saves them to your user profile. The next time you log on to that workstation, it recalls your previous settings.

To log on to your workstation:

1. When the Welcome to Windows dialog box is displayed, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

2. In the Log On to Windows dialog box, enter your user name and password.

3. Click OK. Once you have logged on to Windows, you can access your applications

and files.

Getting Started

To start Avid DS Nitris, do one of the following:

t Double-click the Avid DS v7.5 icon on the Windows desktop. t Select Start > Programs > Avid Products > Avid DS v7.5 > Avid DS v7.5.

The Avid DS Nitris Release Notes window displays. After you close the Release Notes, the Open Project dialog box displays.

Later on, when you have created a project, here’s how you can exit Avid DS Nitris. For now, do not exit Avid DS Nitris.

To exit Avid DS Nitris, do one of the following:

t Select File > Exit. t Click the X (close) button at the top-right corner of the title bar. t Press Alt+F4.

When you exit Avid DS Nitris, any changes that you made to the desktop layout or user preferences are saved with your user profile and recalled the next time you log on to the workstation.

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using Avid DS Nitris:

1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your workflow.

2. Check for the latest information that might have become available after the documentation was published in one of two locations:

- If release notes are available, they ship with your application.

- If ReadMe files are available, they are supplied in your Avid

application folder. ReadMe files are also available from Help.

3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.

4. See “Avid DS Customer Support” below.

5. For Technical Support, please call 800-800-AVID (800-800-2843).

Avid DS Customer Support

If You Need Help

E-mail Support

Web Support

The following sections describe various Avid DS Customer Support options.

The e-mail address for Avid DS Customer Support is: dssupport@avid.com. You can use it for sending bug reports, usability questions, and avidds.cab audit reports for system analysis. All e-mails are logged in the support database and assigned a case number. Send one support request per e-mail.

It is mandatory that you include your SID number in the body of your e-mail message for verification of your maintenance contract and case logging. Otherwise, response will be delayed.

The Avid DS Support Center at http://www.softimage.com/avidds provides quick access to a wide range of resources from the Avid DS teams and user community. Downloads, including presets, drivers, and Quick Fix Engineering (QFE), provide the latest solutions for use with your Avid DS system.

Getting Started

Upload Utility

Online documentation, tutorials, and Knowledge Base articles ensure that you get the most out of your work with Avid DS. It's like having a dedicated Avid DS Customer Support engineer sitting at your desk!

For troubleshooting purposes, you can upload your files for Avid DS Customer Support to examine. You can upload a project's archive, media files, or other necessary data. Simply zip the files that you need to upload and use a short name (for easy retrieval), such as archive.zip or Case274877.zip.

To upload your files:

1. Go to the Avid web site at http://www.softimage.com/avidds.

2. Select Contact > Upload Tool.

3. Once the file upload is complete, send an e-mail to dssupport@avid.com

to inform Avid DS Customer Support as there is no automatic notification when a file is uploaded on the FTP server. Please provide the complete and exact file name (case sensitive) to retrieve.

Avid Community Forum

Although the Avid DS community forum is frequently monitored by Avid employees, it is not part of the official support channels. You are invited to send your support requests to any of the above channels when required.

If you have an e-mail account, you can join the worldwide network of Avid DS users exchanging ideas. The mailing list has proven to be quite useful for users, and there is a constant stream of new subscribers.

To subscribe, send an e-mail to majordomo@softimage.com with the following text in the body of your message: subscribe ds. You can get further information on using the automated list server by e-mailing majordomo@softimage.com with “help” as your message.

You can also join other Avid forums on the Avid web site at:

http://www.avid.com. Select Support > Forums.

Accessing the Online Library

The Online Library contains all the Avid DS Nitris documentation in PDF format. If it was installed on your system, you can access it from the Help menu in Avid DS Nitris.

Accessing the Online Library

You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view the documentation online.

To access the Online Library:

Do one of the following:

t In Avid DS Nitris, select Help > Online Library, t Insert the Software CD into the CD-ROM drive, and select Online

Library from the main menu.

To install Adobe Acrobat Reader:

1. If Acrobat Reader is not installed on your system, insert the Drivers CD into the CD-ROM drive.

2. Under the Various section, select Utilities.

How to Order Documentation

To order additional copies of this documentation from within the United States, call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843). If you are placing an order from outside the United States, contact your local Avid representative.

Avid Educational Services

For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.com/training or call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).

Getting Started

Chapter 1

Starting a Project

This chapter introduces you to the Avid DS Nitris post-production process. You will learn how to create a project in Avid DS Nitris.

This chapter takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Chapter 1 Starting a Project

The Digital Post-Production Process

The Avid DS Nitris system is a digital post-production environment. Once you’ve acquired your footage in a digital format and put it on a storage device, Avid DS Nitris gives you complete, random access to the media with instant retrieval of clips and sequences. You also have quick, nonlinear access to any part of your sequence, as well as the ability to apply a wide variety of digital effects at any stage of your production.

Because each post-production facility and its projects are unique, you can use the different tools and techniques available in Avid DS Nitris to complete them. You can import sequences “offlined” on other systems and proceed with your finishing tasks in Avid DS Nitris, or you can build a production from start to finish directly in Avid DS Nitris.

After a project is complete, you can archive the media and files, making space for your next project. If you need to go back and re-edit a project, you can restore it at any time.

The following illustration gives you an overview of the Avid DS Nitris production cycle.

“Offline” edit

Create a rough cut of clips and decide on timing of cuts and transitions.

If offlined externally, load *AAF, AFE, OMF files or EDLs, and digitize material from file, tape, or audio.

The Digital Post-Production Process

Redigitize source material in full, uncompressed resolution from file or tape.

Capture material

Digitize source material at low resolution directly from file or tape.

Archive the project

- Archive project and/or media to tape.

- Project and media can be restored at any time.

Output media

Output sequence to tape or file, such as .avi.

Fine-tune edit

Fine-tune timing of cuts, transitions, and other effects.

Apply effects

- Create composites.

- Add 2D and 3D effects.

- Mix and sweeten audio.

- Add titles and graphics.

- Perform dust/scratch removal and color correction.

Repeat if necessary

Process

Process all effects applied to clips and create new media files (source media remains untouched).

*AAF: Advanced Authoring Format, AFE: Avid File Exchange, OMF: Open Media Framework, and EDL: Edit Decision List.

Chapter 1 Starting a Project

Working with Project Files and Media

It is important to understand how Avid DS Nitris handles your data, so that you can work efficiently when using large sizes of digitized video and audio files.

When you capture material, the digitized media is placed on an external storage device, and the project files representing this media are stored in the DS Projects folder on your workstation’s local disk drive. The project files point Avid DS Nitris to the location of the corresponding digitized media on the storage device.

Source material

Captured video and/or audio

are represented as master clips

in Avid DS Nitris.

Clips refer to media

on storage device.

Actual digitized material

(media)

is on storage device.

What is a Project?

A project contains all the clips and sequences required for your work in Avid DS Nitris. In the Avid Explorer, which is a file browser similar to Windows Explorer, a project is represented as a folder that can contain many subfolders to organize all the elements related to your project.

Projects contain

master clips,

sequences, and any

special presets and/or

scripts you create.

Sequence files

contain information

about the edit

decisions, composites,

and effects you’ve

applied to your clips.

Working with Project Files and Media

Master clips are representations of the digitized media stored on a storage device.

Master clips can be shared between sequences in the same project.

A project also links and tracks master clips and sequences with their associated media, making file management easier.

When you place clips on the timeline to build your sequence, they maintain pointers to the source media on the storage device. Any edits or effects that you apply to the clips are noted in the sequence when you save it. Clips, sequences, and presets (a customized set of properties saved for reuse on other projects) are all considered project files, and must be stored in the project folder. That way, you can easily archive, restore, and/or purge all files related to a project.

When you archive a project, a copy of the media is saved to tape or disk and the project files are saved in the DS Archives folder on your local workstation. With the archived project files and associated media, you can reconstruct everything in your project when necessary.

Chapter 1 Starting a Project

Creating a New Project

As soon as you start Avid DS Nitris, you are prompted to open or create a project and sequence. When you create a project, you define the format for each sequence that you create in that particular project.

You can change the video and audio quality settings during the course of your work according to the amount of storage space available. For example, if you want to conserve disk space, do a rough cut on material captured at low resolution or in compressed form. When the sequence is ready for finishing, redigitize the material you need, so you can work at the quality at which you will be outputting.

To create a project:

When you start Avid DS Nitris, the Open Project dialog box displays.

Select the Local Projects Only option at the bottom-left.

Click the New Project button.

Give your project a name. We named ours My First Project.

Creating a New Project

Select the

NTSC 4/3 video format.

The frame details are usually set automatically.

Save project preferences.

A new sequence is opened and the Editing layout is displayed for you to start building a sequence.

Select File > Save. In the Save Sequence dialog

box, name it Sequence1 and click OK.

Set the

resolution, bit depth, and compression for capturing the video media.

Set the sample

rate and bit depth for the audio media.

Get more information on each

setting in this dialog box.

Chapter 1 Starting a Project

Chapter 2

Working on the Desktop

In this section, you will be familiarizing yourself with some of the basic elements in Avid DS Nitris, such as the layouts, toolbars, dialog boxes, and menus.

This chapter takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Restoring the Default Layout

Note that you might not be viewing the default Editing layout if your system was previously in use by a different user. Before you start exploring the Avid DS Nitris desktop, you should restore the layout to its defaults.

To restore the layout:

1. Select Layout > Restore Default Layout.

A message window displays.

2. Click OK.

3. Close and restart Avid DS Nitris. In the Open Project dialog box, the name of your project is already

highlighted.

4. Select Sequence1 and click the Open Sequence button on the right side of the dialog box.

Name of last-opened

project is highlighted.

Sequences available

in this project.

The layout is restored to its default settings. Turn to “Layouts” on page 28 to see how the Editing layout should appear.

Title Bar

The title bar at the top of the Avid DS Nitris window displays the name of the project and sequence, sequence video format, and buttons for minimizing, maximizing and closing the application window.

Project name

Sequence name

Sequence video format

Close/exit window

Minimize window

Maximize window

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Layouts

A layout contains tools for performing specialized tasks. Whether you’re digitizing media, editing, compositing, painting, or titling, there’s a corresponding layout for the job. The default layouts in Avid DS Nitris include: Editing, Effects, Graphics, Compositing, and 3D DVE.

Taskbar is a navigational aid

for moving between layouts:

Editing, Effects, Graphics,

Compositing, and 3D DVE.

The 3D DVE and Compositing layouts are not available in the Avid DS Nitris Editor product.

View is an area that contains a group of tools that are specific to the tasks you’ll

Menu bar contains commands, such as opening and saving projects and sequences, editing layouts, and accessing online help.

perform in a layout. The Editing layout below shows the Avid Explorer view, a file management tool that is useful when handling files and editing.

View switcher lets you access different views within a particular layout.

Too lbar contains commonly used commands grouped together to make certain tasks quicker and easier. All toolbars can be customized.

Viewers display the output of your sequence. During a graphics session, it serves as an area to create and arrange titles and graphics objects.

Layouts

Status bar displays the timecodes of selected objects on the timeline, and shows toolbar, warning, error, and active command information, as well as the global animation controls.

Transport controls let you preview media in the viewer or play sequences that have been edited on the timeline.

Timeline is where you place and edit clips to build a sequence. It graphically displays the position of video and audio clips, transitions, and effects over time.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Accessing the Default Layouts

Switching between the different layouts lets you access tools for particular tasks, such as editing, creating effects and graphics, compositing, and adding 3D DVE elements. When you click one of these buttons in the taskbar, its corresponding layout, views, and tools are displayed.

Editing layout

Taskbar

To switch layouts:

1. In the taskbar, click the Compositing button. The Compositing layout displays. Notice that the timeline and view have

changed. You are now in a nested clip called a composite container clip. You’ll learn more about this later in “Compositing” on page 133.

2. Return to the main timeline by clicking the Go to Top Timeline button at the lower end of the taskbar.

Tip: If you hover over active buttons on the desktop, such as the taskbar or transport controls, tooltips will appear to help you identify icons and provide keyboard shortcuts.

A clip called Composite is created on the B1 background track on the timeline. This clip was automatically created when you switched to the Compositing layout. Background tracks are usually used for compositing.

Effects layout

Graphics layout

Compositing layout

3D DVE layout

3. Click any of the other layout buttons to explore the other layouts.

Some of the layouts can’t be accessed unless a clip is selected on the timeline.

4. Switch back to the Editing layout when you’re done.

If you viewed each layout, there will be a red horizontal bar, as well as a purple one on the Composite clip on the timeline. The bars represent what you have applied to the clip so far. You’ll learn more about this in

“Applying Effects” on page 81.

Using the Menus

Menus appear in different places to make it easy for you to access commands.

• The menu bar is displayed across the top of the desktop directly below the title bar. The commands in the menu bar include general operations related to opening and saving projects, as well as setting project preferences, customizing layouts, and accessing Help.

Using the Menus

When you open a menu, you will notice keyboard shortcuts to the right of some commands. Instead of opening a menu, you can use the keyboard shortcut. For example, to save a sequence, press Ctrl+S on the keyboard.

Arrows indicate that additional commands are available.

Keyboard shortcut

• Pop-up menus are displayed by right-clicking individual elements or specific areas of the interface, such as the timeline, viewers, or tracks. These menus provide commands that are specific to the particular interface element you’ve chosen.

Right-click an area of the desktop, such as the timeline. A pop-up menu displays with a list of commands that are related to that area.

Click the Help button for detailed information on each command.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom-right of the desktop displays the timecodes of selected objects on the timeline and provides status, warning, error, toolbar, and active command information, as well as the global animation controls.

Selection Mode

button

Timecode boxes display the timecodes of selected objects on the timeline.

Avid DS Nitris Workgroup

Status indicator shows the

workgroup to which your

workstation belongs.

Audio Scrubbing

button turns audio output on/off while scrubbing timeline.

Hardware Sync Status

indicator shows when external video and audio devices are synced.

Global

button

turns

viewer

on/off.

animation controls for

recording keyframes and navigating between keyframes.

Viewer

To view the timecode of a clip:

1. To select items on the timeline, you must be in Selection mode. Click the Selection Mode button just above the status bar.

2. Drag the Composite clip towards the right on the timeline. Let go of the clip. The Start and End timecodes boxes on the status bar update.

End

Position indicator

Out timecode

Start

Duration

In timecode

Duration between

in and out

3. Right-click the Track button of the background track (B1) and select

Delete Track.

Track button

Accessing the Views

Views contain groups of tools for creating, managing, and editing media. Clicking a button on the view switcher at the bottom-center of the desktop lets you switch to the different toolsets within a layout. In the Editing layout, the Avid Explorer is the main view displayed on the left side of the desktop.

Accessing the Views

View switcher

To switch views:

1. Click any of the buttons in the view switcher to see each view.

2. Switch back to the Avid Explorer view when you’re done.

To split a view:

1. Select Layout > Edit Layout.

2. In the area that you want to split (boundaries are highlighted in red), rightclick and select one of the following:

- Split Horizontally

- Split Vertically

- Split Both Ways

3. Select Layout > Edit Layout to exit the Edit Layout mode.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Combo Views

A combo view contains a group of tools for a particular task, such as the Graphics combo view. Unlike the fixed layouts, you can move the combo views around on the desktop.

To open a combo view:

1. Select View > Default Combo Views > Graphics from the menu bar

at the top of the application. The Graphics combo view displays.

This may be different than what you see in your version of Avid DS Nitris. It depends on what was last displayed.

2. Some of the tools in the Graphics combo view are dimmed for the moment. For now, move the combo view around on the desktop by dragging it by the title bar.

3. Close the combo view by clicking the close (X) button at the top-right corner. You’ll learn more about the tools in this view later on in “Adding

Graphics and 2D Titles” on page 119.

Using the Toolbars

The toolbars contain commonly used tools and effects. The buttons on the toolbar let you activate tools or commands, and apply effects.

Using the Toolbars

NLE Tools toolbar

Click a button to see additional commands.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Dialog Boxes

A dialog box lets you set options and parameters. Selecting a command often opens a dialog box, requiring you to provide input before a command can be executed. You cannot proceed with further operations while a dialog box is open.

To open a dialog box:

1. Select File > User Preferences.

To exit without applying changes, select the Cancel button or the close (X) button, or press the Esc or Alt+F4 keys.

The changes you made are cancelled and the dialog box is closed.

To apply any changes you made in this dialog box, click OK.

2. Keep the dialog box open for the next section on entering values.

Entering Values

Text boxes let you enter values for parameters. They are located beside or below a property name in a dialog box or property editor. You’ll learn more about property editor’s later on in “Working with Effects” on page 103.

To enter values in a text box:

1. In the User Preferences dialog box (General property page), click in the Number of Undo Levels text box.

The contents of the text box is highlighted in blue.

2. Type in a new value for the number of times you can undo a task in Avid DS Nitris. The default is 50 and the maximum is 1000.

3. In the Autosave box, enter a new length of time to automatically save your sequence at regular intervals.

4. Click the Help button for detailed information on each parameter. You’ll find Help buttons or Help icons on all dialog boxes and property editors.

Entering Values

5. Click OK to apply the values and close the User Preferences dialog box.

Chapter 2 Working on the Desktop

Chapter 3

Capturing Material

Capturing material is the process of creating media files from video or audio source material. This chapter describes how to capture material from different sources, such as videotape and file.

This chapter takes approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Capturing Source Material

Source material is the original, unaltered material from videotapes or digital recordings. This source material comes from a variety of sources, such as video, audio, animated sequences, graphics, and still images. When you capture material with Avid DS Nitris, you are digitally transferring audio or video material from an external device to a storage disk on your workstation.

During capture, Avid DS Nitris creates media files (in the form of master clips) based on the parameters you’ve set, such as in-points, out-points, and compression. Master clips contain information about the location of the media on your storage disk, the source data’s tape name, and the original in and out timecodes. With this information, you can recapture the material at any time. Master clips also include information about the video format, resolution, compression, audio format, and so on.

The Avid Explorer

The Avid Explorer displays the hierarchical structure of files, folders, and drives on your workstation. When you select a project folder in the Avid Explorer, it displays the related project files (clips, sequences, effects) in a window. This window is similar to the bin view in other Avid products like Media Composer

and Film Composer®.

From this project window (also known as a bin), you can capture clips, as well as organize sequences, clips and effects within your project.

To access a bin:

1. Use the view switcher to switch to the Avid Explorer if you are in a different view.

2. In the Project panel, double-click your project folder named My First Project. The contents of the folder are displayed on the right in a bin.

Panels display the

contents of your system in a tree

structure. Each panel

can display one of

three views: My

System, Project, or

Shortcuts.

Avid Explorer tools let you control the content and arrangement of the folders and windows, and perform tasks.

Capturing Source Material

Windows display the contents of folders. You can display multiple windows. When a project is selected, this window is known as a bin. It displays master clips, sequences, and other project files.

View Modes include large icons, list,

details, thumbnail, and script views.

View switcher lets you access

different toolsets or views within

a particular layout.

Folders usually contain source clips and other objects for use in your sequence. At the moment, the folders are empty because nothing has been captured. The Avid Explorer tools let you navigate through and manage the contents of folders.

The tools at the top of the Avid Explorer let you navigate to different folders and change the display of information in a window.

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Avid Explorer tools at the top of the view.

Show/Hide Panel 1

Cascade

Capture Settings

For more information about the Avid Explorer, click the Help button.

Organizing your Project Files

Before capturing any material, you will create additional folders in your project folder to hold master clips. You may want to create separate folders for your video clips, audio clips, still images, and even one for custom presets. By organizing your project with a system of folders, you can locate files quickly and easily.

To create a folder:

1. In the Project panel of Avid Explorer, double-click your project folder named My First Project.

The contents of the folder are displayed on the right in a bin.

2. Right-click an empty area of the bin and select New > Folder. A new folder is created in the bin.

3. Type in a new name and press Enter. We created a folder called Master Clips for storing the master clips!

Panel 2

Tile

HelpPathShow/Hide

4. Continue adding as many folders as you need. You can create additional folders inside the new folders.

Although it’s not necessary right now, here’s how you can delete any extra folders that are not needed.

To delete a folder:

t Right-click a folder and select Delete.

Changing the View Mode

In a window, there are several views to help you locate clips for a sequence. The tools at the bottom of the window let you change the way the contents of the window are displayed. Go ahead and click any of the icons to see the various views.

Large Icons view displays clips as large icons.

List view displays clips as a list without details.

Details view displays

clips as a list with details.

For more information, see “Working with Bins” in the Help.

Identifying File Types in a Bin

Script view displays both pictorial

icons and clip information.

Thumbnail view displays clips with

ictorial icons.

Capturing Source Material

List lets you select a customized view.

Avid DS Nitris media files have their own icons, which appear on or beside clips in a bin. When an icon is highlighted in red, it means that Avid DS Nitris could not find any media associated with a clip. This clip must be recaptured before you can work with it.

Icon File type Icon File type

Audio clip Background or composite

container clip

Video clip Sequence

Combined audio and video clip Still image

Audio container clip Linked still image

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

To see file name extensions on your system:

1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. Select Tools > Folder Options.

3. Select the View tab.

Deselect this option.

4. Deselect the Hide extensions for known file types option and click OK.

Configuring the External Device

You’ll probably capture material from videotape or audiotape most of time. First, you’ll need to configure the device from which you will be capturing. To specify the settings for an external device, such as a videotape recorder (VTR) or deck, you’ll be using the Deck Configuration view.

Avid DS Nitris includes templates for many different types of devices. You can use the settings in the templates, or adjust them to suit your own requirements.

You can also save the settings for your device as a preset, so that you don’t have to reconfigure the device each time you use it for capture or output. A preset is a customized set of properties that you save for reuse later on or for other projects.

For the following procedure, you will need access to material on videotape.

To configure your tape deck:

Open the Deck Configuration view by selecting

View > Multi-Instance Views > Deck Configuration.

Configuring the External Device

Click the Fast

Menu button and select Add New Deck Preset. Give the new preset a name.

Set the options

5 8

for your device.

Select the

Thumbnails view.

Double-click the preset you created.

A green checkmark indicates that it’s active.

Click the Help button

for details on each parameter.

Click the Check

Machine button. Click the Save button to

save your deck preset.

Close the Deck

Configuration view.

For more information, see “Configuring the External Device” in the Help.

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Capturing from Tape

Although there are several ways to capture from tape, you’ll be using the Capture Tool to log and capture clips, so that you can later recapture using frame-accurate timecode.

To log and capture clips:

1 Open the Capture view by selecting View > Single-Instance Views > Capture Tool.

Click the Tap e button.

Select your deck

preset and click the Check button.

Select a tape or

name a new one.

Click the Target

button and select a folder to hold the captured clips. If you created a folder for master clips, set this as the target folder.

Click the Capture Settings button.

Set the Log/Capture button to Capture.

Enter number of extra

frames to record before the in-point and after the out-point.

Select the channels you

want to capture.

Enter a base clip

name to prefix all captured clips.

The capture settings are displayed. Set the options that are relevant to your system. Now do the same for the other four settings:

Input

Monitor

Audio

Input

Video

Input

Sync

Source

Capturing from Tape

On the transport controls in the Capture Tool, click the Play button to play the source material.

Mark In

In timecode

Click the Mark In button at the point at which you want to start the capture.

The timecode of the in-point you selected is displayed in the In timecode box.

Use the transport controls in the Capture Tool view to play or shuttle the tape to advance to the

point at which you want to end the capture and click the Mark Out button.

Tip: If you already know the in and out timecodes, you can type them in the In or Out timecode boxes. You can also enter a value for the duration and Avid DS Nitris will calculate the out-point.

The out-point is displayed in the Out timecode box. The Duration timecode box displays the length of material to be captured.

Click the Start Capture button in the upper-right corner of the Capture Tool.

The clip appears in the folder you specified, according to the in and out times you set. Continue to capture clips.

In the Project panel of Avid Explorer, double-click your project name. A bin opens and displays

its contents.

Double-click a clip in the bin. Click the Play button under the Source viewer (left side).

Out timecode

Duration timecode

Play

Mark Out

Position indicator timecode

The clip plays in the viewer, but is not loaded on the timeline.

Close the Capture Tool.

For more information, see “Logging and Capturing Material” and “Capture Tool” in the Help.

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Capturing from File

Avid DS Nitris lets you capture various file formats. Besides video, you can capture still graphics files, animated graphics files, and audio files. To capture from file, you will be using the Avid Explorer in Avid DS Nitris.

Logging and capturing from file is like capturing material from tape. That is, you can log the material without capturing, or log and capture at the same time. Logging creates information about the source material and in/out timecodes in a clip, so that you can perform a batch capture later on. Before you capture the files, you’ll need to specify the capture settings.

To log and capture from file:

At the top of the Avid Explorer, click the Capture Settings button.

Set the video quality at

which you want to capture material. You can choose a lower resolution, or use compression to save space on your storage device while you do a rough cut.

Capturing from File

Click the Help button for

more information on each parameter.

Select the storage folder for

the media.

Keep the default setting for

the audio quality.

Select the storage folder for

the audio media. Click the browse button

(it has three dots) to select a folder to hold the master clips. We selected the Master Clips folder we created earlier.

Keep the default conversion

settings.

Keep the default settings for

the source files.

Close the Capture Settings

view.

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Now you will use the Avid Explorer to capture the files.

Click both Show/Hide Panel buttons to make sure the two panels are

displayed. Both buttons should be highlighted.

Click the arrow next to

the first Show/Hide Panel button and select My System.

The panel updates to display the folders on your system.

Set the second panel to Project.

The Project panel updates to display the folders for the factory presets and the project folder.

Type the following in the Address line: C:\Program Files\Avid\DS_v7.5\Media_GetStarted.

Make sure to type in the exact path.

The contents of the folder is displayed.

Click the Details button to see the details of the files.

Press Ctrl and select these file types: PICT images (.pic files), QuickTime movies (.mov files),

and TIFF image (.tif files). Do not select the MXF folder or the Avid File Exchange (.afe) file.

Right-click one of the selected files and select Capture.

A progress bar appears to show you the file being captured. Captured files are placed in the folder you specified in the Capture Settings view.

Repeat step 16 and capture the .wav file.

In the Project panel, click the name of your project: My First Project. Then click

the folder that you created for the master clips.

The clips you captured are displayed in the bin.

Capturing from File

Chapter 3 Capturing Material

Chapter 4

Getting Ready to Edit

Before starting an editing session, it’s important to understand how to organize and manipulate your clips.

This chapter takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Chapter 4 Getting Ready to Edit

Editing Layout

The Editing layout is where you perform most editing tasks. Once you place clips on the timeline, you can apply transitions and effects, trim, move, slide, slip, and synchronize clips.

The Editing layout consists of the Source and Record viewers, transport controls, timeline, NLE Tools toolbar, and timeline navigation bar. The buttons in the view switcher let you access the Avid Explorer and several other views that are handy in the Editing layout.

To access the Editing layout:

t If you are not in the Editing layout, click the Editing button in the taskbar.

Avid Explorer is a

management tool that

lets you explore and

sequences, and custom

organize clips,

effects.

View switcher lets you access

different toolsets or views within

a particular layout.

NLE Tools toolbar lets you perform general editing tasks, apply transitions and effects, find and add locators, navigate the timeline, work with container clips and reference clips, and process and purge material from the timeline.

Source Viewer displays the current source clip.

Record Viewer displays the frame of the sequence at the current location of the position indicator.

Editing Layout

Status bar displays the timecode of selected objects on the timeline and provides status, warning, error, toolbar, and active command information, as well as the global animation controls.

Transport controls let you mark in/out-points, add locators, and control playback of sequences.

Timeline lets you build and edit a sequence.

Timeline navigation bar lets

you pan the timeline, zoom in

you pan the timeline, zoom in and out on the timeline, step

and out on the timeline, step into and out of container clips,

into and out of container clips, switch between the Source

switch between the Source and Record timelines, select

and Record timelines, select modes (Source/Record, Color

modes (Source/Record, Color Correction, Trim, or Slip/Slide).

Correction, Trim, or Slip/Slide).

Chapter 4 Getting Ready to Edit

Previewing Clips

The Source viewer lets you view and mark source clips before including them in your sequence. With a clip loaded in the Source viewer, you can review the clip to find and mark the footage you want to use in your sequence. You can move through the clip using the navigation keys on the keyboard or using the transport controls below the Source viewer.

To preview clips:

1. Drag the Man_Front clip from the bin to the Source viewer (left).

2. Drag the green position indicator under the Source viewer back and forth to preview the clip.

Position indicator

3. Press Enter to begin playing the clip.

4. Press Enter again to stop playback.

Tip: Go to the start of the clip or sequence by pressing the Home key.

Previewing Clips

You can use the Home, End, and arrow keys on the keyboard to move through footage when a clip is loaded in a viewer.

Press this key To

Home Go the beginning of a clip or sequence.

End Go to the end of a sequence.

Left Arrow Move the footage one frame backward.

Right Arrow Move the footage one frame forward.

Use the Step buttons under the viewer to play the clip backward or forward in 1-frame or 10-frame increments.

1 frame backward 1 frame forward

10 frames backward 10 frames forward

For more information, see “Transport Controls” in the Help.

Using J-K-L Keys for Three-Button Play

The J-K-L keys on the keyboard let you play, step, and shuttle through footage at varying speeds. This feature, also referred to as three-button or variable-speed play, lets you use three fingers to manipulate the speed of playback for greater control.

To shuttle through footage using the J-K-L keys:

1. Use the following keys to shuttle at varying speeds:

- Press the L key to move forward through the footage at normal speed.

Press the L

key

2 times 2x normal speed 60 fps 50 fps 48 fps

3 times 3x normal speed 90 fps 75 fps 72 fps

4 times 5x normal speed 150 fps 125 fps 120 fps

5 times 8x normal speed 240 fps 200 fps 192 fps

To play footage at NTSC rate PAL rate 24p rate

Chapter 4 Getting Ready to Edit

- Press the J key to move backward at the same shuttle speed

increments.

- Hold down the K+L keys for slow forward.

- Hold down the J+K keys for slow backward.

2. To pause the shuttling, press the space bar.

Marking In and Out-Points in the Source Viewer

Marking the in and out-points of clips in the Source viewer gives you several advantages:

• You can play back and mark clips in the bin before loading a single clip, saving several steps.

• You can quickly build a sequence by splicing the marked clips into place one after another.

• You can use the process of rough-cut or storyboard editing, which allows you to instantly splice several prepared clips into a sequence.

Even if your marks are not accurate now, you can later trim the edit points and fine-tune the sequence on the timeline.

Use the transport controls under the Source viewer to mark your clips:

Position bar Mark Out

In-point

Out-point

timecode

Mark In

Out

timecode

Duration

timecode

Position indicator (green)

Position

timecode

Creating Subclips

Previewing Clips

To mark a clip for use in your sequence:

1. Move the green position indicator under the Source viewer to the desired in-point.

2. Click the Mark In button.

3. An alternate method to move the position indicator to the desired outpoint is by entering the timecode in the P (position) timecode box.

4. Click the Mark Out button. An in-point and out-point appear in the position bar. If you need to adjust

these points, simply drag them to a new location.

Subclips break up longer master clips into smaller segments of selected footage. When you mark footage with in and out-points, you can either save over the existing clip along with the new marks, or you can create new subclips between the in and out-points that you set. The master clip maintains its original in and out-points.

Unlike master clips, subclips do not directly reference the original media. Subclips remain linked to the master clips from which they were created, and the master clips, in turn, reference the digitized media files located on your storage devices. As a result, none of the original footage is lost.

Instead of placing the marked clip on the timeline, you can first create a subclip from it. This leaves the original length of the master clip untouched, while a copy of the original clip with new in and out-points is saved.

Update Thumbnail

Create Subclip

Chapter 4 Getting Ready to Edit

To create a subclip:

1. After you’ve previewed a clip in the Source viewer and marked the in and out-points, click the Create Subclip button.

2. In the Create Subclip dialog box, type a name for the subclip.

You can use the default name, which is the original clip name appended with a number, such as Man_Front - 001.

3. Click OK. The new clip is created and saved in the same folder as the original clip.

For more information, see “Media Capture Settings” in the Help.

Changing the Thumbnail of a Clip

It is easier to identify clips in the Avid Explorer if you set the thumbnail to display a particular frame in that clip.

To change a clip’s thumbnail frame in the bin:

1. At the bottom of the bin in Avid Explorer, click the Thumbnails button to display your files as thumbnails.

2. Move the green position indicator to the frame you want to display as the thumbnail frame.

3. Under the Source viewer, click the Update Thumbnail button to change the thumbnail frame of the clip.

The thumbnail view updates accordingly.

4. Save your sequence. Select File > Save.

Chapter 5

Creating a First Cut

There are several ways to build a sequence. This chapter describes how to place clips on the timeline to create a sequence.

This chapter takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

The Timeline

The timeline is where you place and edit clips to build your sequence. The timeline displays all the elements that make up your sequence, such as video and audio clips, transitions, and effects. For more information, see “The

Timeline” in the Help.

Timeline ribbon

displays locators, in/out-points, and

loop markers.

Tracks contain the

components of the

sequence.

In-point indicates the

starting point when adding

clips to a sequence.

Timeline navigation bar lets you pan the timeline, zoom in and out on the timeline, step into and out of container clips, switch between the Source and Record timelines, and select modes (Source/Record, Color Correction, Trim, or Slip/Slide).

Clip indicates the

location of a clip in the

sequence.

Out-point indicates the ending point when adding clips to a sequence.

Activeness bar indicates the sections of the clip that will be used in the final sequence.

Edit point lets you trim the clip.

Position indicator (blue) shows your

place in the sequence.

Working with Tracks

There are three types of tracks on the timeline:

• Audio tracks contain the audio clips and audio container clips of a sequence.

• Video tracks contain the video clips and container clips that are

composited over clips on the video and background tracks.

• Background tracks contain the video clips and background/composite

container clips of a sequence.

While working with multiple tracks, you can use the Track selector to select, manipulate, delete, ripple, and patch tracks, as well as scroll and adjust the heights of tracks. You can use multiple tracks to layer audio effects and sound, or to add video titles and other effects.

You can change track properties, such as the track name or the level of detail at which the clips are displayed on a track. By default, tracks are numbered sequentially (V1, V2, A1, A2, and so on) as they are created on the timeline.

Working with Tracks

Tr ac k

selector

Tr ac k

button

Timeline controls

Audio track

Background track

Overview area: The white bar (called visible time

span) can be shortened, lengthened, or moved.

Ruler Timeline ribbon

Timeline effect track

Video track

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

To show or hide the Track selector:

t Right-click the overview area and select/deselect Display > Display

Control Area.

For more information, see “Track Selector” in the Help.

Selecting Tracks and Regions of Tracks

You can select one or more tracks at the same time. When you select a track, you can perform editing operations on the entire track.

To select a track:

t Click the Track button of a track.

Track button

The Track button for the selected track is highlighted.

To deselect a track:

t Click the Track button of a selected track.

To select a region on a single track:

t On a video or audio track, drag right or left to select a region.

Selected region is highlighted

Adding, Reordering and Deleting Tracks

You can add any number of audio, video, or background tracks to the timeline. Video tracks are grouped at the top of the timeline, and audio tracks are grouped at the bottom of the timeline. Background tracks are inserted between the audio and video tracks.

You can change the order of the video, audio, and background tracks. You cannot, however, place a video track below a background track. Also, you can delete any tracks that are no longer required in the sequence.

Working with Tracks

To insert a track on the timeline:

t Right-click the overview area and select Create Video Track, Create

Background Track, or Create Audio Track.

An empty track is added to the timeline.

Track button

Tip: You can automatically insert a track when dragging a clip from the viewer or Avid Explorer to the timeline. Simply drag the clip to the timeline ribbon.

To reorder tracks:

t Drag the Track button up or down to reorder the tracks.

To remove a track from the timeline:

t Right-click an empty area of a track and select Delete Track.

The selected track is deleted from the timeline.

Setting the Track Height

You can enlarge or reduce the height of the tracks to improve visibility and display more information within the tracks. You can reduce the track height if you need more space on the timeline to view other tracks.

Reducing the track height may hide any effects you have applied on the timeline.

To enlarge or reduce the height of tracks:

t Press Ctrl and drag the bottom of a Track button to change the height

of the track.

Place pointer here

Tip: Increasing the height of the video tracks lets you see larger thumbnails of your clips.

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

Muting Audio and Video Tracks

If there are several tracks on the timeline and you need to exclude clips from the preview, you can turn off the audio on selected audio tracks or turn off the video on a selected video track. When the sequence is played, any video or audio on the tracks that are ‘muted’ are not displayed or heard.

Mute button

Muted tracks do not contribute to the final sequence.

To mute a track:

t Click the Mute button on an audio track to turn off the audio. t Click the Mute button on a video track to turn off the video.

The Mute button turns red.

Setting Tracks to Solo

When you solo a track, it plays the contents of that track during the preview. Both active and inactive video clips are displayed in the viewer. With video, you can only solo one track at a time. With audio, however, you can solo more than one track. Any tracks that do not have the Solo button activated are not displayed or heard.

To solo a track:

Solo button

t Click the Solo button of the tracks that you want to preview.

The Solo button turns green.

The settings of the Mute and Solo buttons on each audio track are saved along with the sequence.

Navigating the Timeline

The timeline has various controls to quickly move through a sequence and adjust your view of the tracks while editing. The position indicator (the vertical blue line) in the timeline shows your place in the sequence. Also, the Record viewer displays the frame of the sequence on which the position indicator is parked.

Using the Scale and Scroll Bars

Depending on the length of your sequence, you might not be able to see the entire sequence on your timeline. Using the scale and scroll bars at the bottom of the timeline, you can pan the timeline, or zoom in and out to view the entire timeline.

To scale or scroll the timeline:

Navigating the Timeline

Drag the scale bar to zoom in and

1 2

out around the position indicator on the timeline.

Click the arrows or drag the timeline scroll bar to pan back and forth along the timeline.

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

Selecting Objects on the Timeline

By selecting objects on the timeline, you can move clips to different tracks, view the properties of a clip, and select a region of a track. The objects you can select include: clips, effect bars, edit points, regions, markers, and more. But before you can select anything from the timeline, you must be in Selection mode.

To turn on the Selection mode:

t Click the Selection Mode button on the timeline navigation bar.

The button is highlighted to indicate that you’re in Selection mode.

Placing Clips on the Timeline

You can build a rough cut of your sequence by dragging, inserting, overwriting, and replacing clips on the timeline. You can only place video clips on video or background tracks, and audio clips on audio tracks.

Dragging and Dropping Clips

An easy way to place create a rough cut of your sequence is to simply drag clips from the Source viewer and drop them on a track in the timeline. When you drag and drop clips on the timeline, they overwrite any existing clips that are present on the timeline.

Placing Clips on the Timeline

To drag and drop a clip to the timeline:

From the Avid Explorer, select the Basket clip and drag it to the Source viewer

for previewing.

Mark appropriate in-point and out-points on the clip.

Drag the Basket clip from the Source viewer to the V1 video track on the timeline,

and drop it at the beginning of the timeline.

Name of clip

Edit pointActiveness bar

Repeat steps 1 to 3 using the Smell clip. Place the Smell clip beside the Basket

clip on the timeline.

From the Most Recently Used Items list in the upper-left corner of the Source viewer,

select the Man_Front clip. The clip is displayed in the Source viewer. Mark the in and out-points and then place the clip on the timeline.

Most Recently Used Items list

Recent clips

Visible time span (white area)

Drag the right edge of the visible time span

towards the right to contract the view of the clips on the timeline.

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

Inserting Clips

You can also insert clips on the timeline between other clips. When you insert clips, it pushes forward any existing clips on the timeline.

To insert a clip:

1. Make sure that none of the clips are selected. If one or more clips are selected, a red border surrounds each clip. Click an empty area of the track to deselect clips on the video track.

2. Drag the Wake-Up clip to the Source viewer.

3. On the timeline, place the pointer over the ruler and drag the position indicator over the Smell clip.

4. Using the transport controls under the Record viewer (right), click the Mark In button or press I to set an in-point.

An in-point maker is displayed on the timeline ribbon.

5. On the transport controls, click the yellow Insert Clip button. The Wake_Up clip is inserted on the timeline at the location of the

in-point marker.

Tip: Adjust the visible time span or use the scale and scroll bars at the bottom of the desktop to adjust your view of the clips on the video track.

Inserted clip In-point

Tip: To undo an insert or any other operation on the timeline, press Ctrl+Z.

Overwriting Clips

Placing Clips on the Timeline

You can place a clip on the timeline and overwrite a portion of an existing clip on the timeline using the Overwrite Clip button. This method is more precise than simply dragging and dropping clip on the timeline.

To overwrite a clip on the timeline:

1. On the timeline, drag the in-point marker to the middle of the Man_Front clip.

2. Click the red Overwrite Clip button to place the clip at the in-point and overwrite any existing clips over the section that it covers.

A section of the Man_Front clip is overwritten by the Wake-Up clip.

In-point

Wake-Up clip

overwrites a portion of

the Man_Front clip.

Replacing Clips

Replacing is a way to place a clip on the timeline and delete a selected clip at the same time.

To replace a clip on the timeline:

1. Drag the Clouds clip to the Source viewer.

2. On the timeline, select the first Wake- Up clip. A red border surrounds the clip.

3. Click the blue Replace Clip button to overwrite the selected clip with the one that is currently in the Source viewer.

Chapter 5 Creating a First Cut

Clouds clip replaces Wake-Up clip.

4. Delete the Wake- Up clip as it is not needed.

5. Select File > Save to save your sequence.

A gap is left because the Clouds clip is

shorter than the clip it replaced.

Chapter 6

Refining the Edit

After you create a rough sequence on the timeline, you can refine your edits to sharpen the look and improve the relationship between pictures and sound. This chapter describes how to rearrange, overwrite, and remove material in a sequence. You can also trim the edit points between clips to fine-tune transitions.

This chapter takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Chapter 6 Refining the Edit

Rearranging Clips

After selecting one or more clips, you can rearrange them on the timeline by moving them along the same track or to a different track. When you move a clip to a new location, blank space or silence remains in the previous position.

To rearrange clips on the same track:

1. Open Sequence1 if it is not already open.

2. Select the Clouds clip on the timeline. Drag it below the other clips on the

timeline and drop it into its new position between the two Man_Front clips. You should see a gray shadow representing the clip as you move it.

The Clouds clip is moved

further in time on the

same track.

3. To close the gap between the clips, select the second Smell clip, and drag

left until the gap is closed. Do the same for the remaining clips.

4. Save your sequence.

Copying Clips

Rearranging Clips

You can easily make copies of clips on the timeline. When you copy a clip, you do not duplicate the media on the storage device. Both clips refer to the original media.

To copy a clip:

1. Select one or more clips to copy.

2. Right-click one of the selected clips and select Copy Clip.

3. On the same track, move the position indicator to where you want to paste the clips. Right-click the track and select Paste.

A copy of the clip appears at the location of the position indicator. The name of the copy is prefixed by “Copy of...”.

4. To paste the clips on a different track, right-click the desired track and select Paste.

5. To rename the clip, right-click the clip and select Properties. A property editor displays the properties of the clip.

6. In the Name text box, enter a new name for the clip and close the property editor by clicking the Close (X) button at the top-right corner.

You can use the standard cut (Ctrl+X), copy (Ctrl+C), and paste (Ctrl+V) shortcuts in Avid DS Nitris.

Removing Clips from the Timeline

You can remove any clip on the timeline. The master clip in the Avid Explorer and its media are not deleted.

To remove a clip:

t Select one or more clips and press Delete.

The clip(s) are removed from the timeline.

Chapter 6 Refining the Edit

Trimming Clips

Trimming is the process of fine-tuning the move from one clip to another. Each clip has elements that you can select and edit: the trim handles and the edit points. Edit points are located at the ends of the activeness bar of a clip, or where it transitions to another clip.

There are two ways to trim clips: by directly manipulating the clips on the timeline or by using the Trim mode.

Trim-out handle

Changes the outgoing

frame on clip A

Edit points

Changes edit time without moving clips

To trim a clip on the timeline:

Trim-in handle

Changes the incoming frame on clip B

Activeness bar

1. Select the edit point between two clips on the timeline.

2. Select a trim handle and drag left or right. The clip is trimmed.

3. Select and then drag an edit point left or right to see the difference between showing the trim handle versus its edit point.

Using the Trim Mode

The Trim mode provides a close-up view of a clip, so that you can trim the clip on a frame-by-frame basis. The results are the same as if you were dragging the clip’s trim handles or edit points on the timeline, except that there are more tools to work with in the Trim mode.

To enter Trim mode:

t On the timeline navigation bar at the bottom of the timeline, click the

Outgoing frame Incoming frame

Trimming Clips

Trim Mode button. The Source/Record viewers are replaced with the Outgoing and Incoming

viewers and trim controls. If an edit point was not selected before entering Trim mode, the edit point that is closest to the position indicator is selected for trimming.

Transition buttonsTrim Nudge buttons Transport controls

Frame Offset countersTransition buttons

Transition Duration timecode boxTransition Alignment button

Chapter 6 Refining the Edit

To trim the edit point of a clip:

1. Select the edit point between two clips on the timeline.

2. Use the trim nudge buttons to move the edit point forward or backward, and trim frames at the selected edit point. As you trim the edit point, the frames of the clip are hidden or revealed to reflect the new incoming or outgoing frame.

Nudge left 10 frames

These buttons appear dimmed when there are no more frames available at the head or tail of the clip.

To review the most recent trim edit:

t Click the Play Preview button below the Outgoing frame.

A playback loop begins playing in the Incoming viewer. The loop begins several frames before the transition and ends several frames after, pausing briefly before beginning playback again.

3. Click the Play Preview button again to stop playing.

To exit the Trim mode:

t Click the Trim Mode button again.

For more information, see “Understanding Trim Mode” in the Help.

Using Ripple Mode When Trimming Clips

The Ripple mode lets you preserve the integrity of previous edits on the timeline as you continue making other edits. As you trim clips on the timeline, the Ripple mode allows clips that follow the edit point to move to accommodate the change.

Nudge right 10 frames

Nudge right 1 frame Nudge left 1 frame

The following illustrations show how clips are affected when you trim an in-point with and without the Ripple mode.

Trimming an in-point to the left

Before

Trimming to the left

Ripple mode off

After

Ripple mode on

To enter the Ripple mode:

Trimming Clips

Edit point remains

fixed on timeline

The following clip(s) ripple

Edit point moves

Click the Ripple button to activate the Ripple mode.

The main Ripple button and the Ripple buttons for each track are activated. You can deactivate the Ripple mode on individual tracks that you do not want to be affected.

Select an edit point to trim.

For more information, see “Rippling Clips” and “Trimming with the Trim Handles” in the Help.

Drag the trim handle to the right

or left to trim the clip.

The trim handle can only be moved as far as there is extra material available on the clip.

Turn the Ripple mode off.

Do NOT save this sequence.

Chapter 6 Refining the Edit

Chapter 7

Applying Effects

Avid DS Nitris offers a wide variety of effects that you can apply to media. This chapter describes the effects library, the different ways to apply effects, the Effects layout, and property editors.

This chapter takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

The Effects Library

The term effect refers to a range of filters, DVEs, keyers, and transitions. Each effect has several properties that allow for unlimited variations. You can save custom property settings and use them on other projects.

The 3D DVE layout and tree effects are not available in Avid DS Nitris Editor.

The effects are grouped into these categories:

Effect categories Description

3D DVE Effects that let you create 2D/3D titles, as well as 3D

DVEs. You can apply these effects to clips, or tracks.

Audio Effects that let you adjust the output signal of your

audio clip. You can apply these effects to audio clips, tracks, or mixer strips in the Mixer view.

DVE Effects that are either a transition from one clip to

another clip or a 3D transformation between layers in a composite. You can apply these effects to clips, tracks, or layers.

Image filter Effects with single inputs that encompass a wide

variety of effects that you can apply to video clips, tracks, and layers. These include blur, fade-in, fadeout, and noise, to name a few.

Image transition Effects with two inputs that let you transition from

one clip to another, such as the dissolve, wipe, fade, DVE, or crossfade effects. You can apply these effects between two clips.

Source generator Effects that create a clip for you, such as solid or

gradient colors, 3D Warp effects, or patterns. This new clip is useful as the background for a compositing session or to create a fade-to-color transition.

Effect Bar Colors

The Effects Library

When you apply an effect, an effect bar appears on the timeline in various colors depending on the type of effect. This makes it easy to identify the different types of effects on the timeline.

These are the colors you’ll see on the effect bars:

Color Effect

Blue Keyer

Gray Color Correction Classic

Green Edge and Blur

Light blue Fade

Light green Color Correction

Orange AVX Host

Purple Graphics

Red Image and audio

Yellow DVE and Picture-in-Picture

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

Applying Effects

There are basically two ways to apply effects:

• On the Timeline: All effects applied on the timeline are based on what

you’ve currently selected, including clips, tracks, or portions of the timeline (called regions), transitions between clips, as well as the layers in the Compositing layout.

• In the Effects Layout: By switching to the Effects layout, you can begin

an effects session with all the tools available in this layout. Although this layout is optimized for color correction, you can use it for all kinds of video effects.

The following illustration shows the timeline with different effects on clips:

Process button Track effects

After applying or creating effects, you might have to process an effect to play it in real time. When the Process button on the timeline turns red, it means that one or more effects on a section of the timeline require processing. The region that requires processing is highlighted on the timeline ribbon. For more information, see “Processing Effects” on page 114.

Clip effect

Generated effectTransition effect

Applying Effects to Clips

Effects applied to individual clips are called clip effects. They are useful when you want to apply an effect only to one clip on the timeline. Clip effects are attached to the clip, so when you move or edit it, the effects travel with it.

You can apply an unlimited number of clip effects to a clip; this is called a stack of effects. You can build complex effects by editing and stacking simple effects. As effects are added, effect bars are placed on top of one another on the timeline. The effect at the bottom is processed first, followed by each effect directly above it.

To apply a clip effect:

1. Open Sequence1.

2. Select the first Man_Front clip on the timeline.

3. On the timeline navigation bar, click the Selection Mode button to allow

you to select objects on the timeline.

4. From the NLE Tools toolbar beside the timeline, click Video Effects > Wipe.

Applying Effects

The Wipe effect is applied to the clip you selected, an effect bar appears over the entire length of the clip, and property editor displays.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

Global controls

Property pages contain

additional properties.

Dimmed options

are not available.

Animate a specific

parameter.

List of options.

Click to turn an option on. If the box is already checked, click to turn it off.

Click to display the calculator.

Drag the scroll bars to view additional parameters on the property page.

Text b ox

Using the Property Editors

Whenever you use effects, you’ll encounter their property editors. Property editors display the properties of a selected object or tool, and can have one or more pages of properties. You can adjust these properties to achieve a desired effect using the text boxes, lists, options, and sliders. Any values that you change are immediately applied.

There are also global controls for loading, saving, and viewing presets, processing, animating properties, and previewing clips. Different property editors have different global controls.

Slider area

Applying Effects

To edit the effect:

1. To see how the Wipe effect looks on your clip, drag the position indicator slowly back and forth (scrub) on the timeline.

2. In the property editor, adjust the values of the effect by doing any of the following:

t Click anywhere in the slider area and drag to the right to increase

values, or to the left to decrease them.

t Press Shift and drag the slider to adjust values slowly. t Press Ctrl and drag the slider to adjust values quickly. t Click in a numerical text box and circle clockwise with your mouse

to increase values or circle counterclockwise to decrease values.

Drag clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease values.

3. Click the calculator next to a slider to make calculations.

4. Go ahead and adjust any of the parameters. Click the Help button for detailed information on each parameter. When you’re done, close the property editor to save the settings.

5. Save your sequence.

For more information, see “Property Editors” in the Help.

Applying Effects to Tracks

Effects applied to tracks on the timeline, such as the video and audio tracks, are known as track effects. Track effects are useful when you want to apply the same effect to several clips on the same track.

You can apply effects to one or more tracks, or to a specific area of a track called a region. The region of the track that you select can be empty or it can contain one or more clips.

Like clip effects, you can apply an unlimited number of track effects to a track or build a stack of effects one on top of another to create more complex effects.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

To apply an effect to a track:

1. Right-click the upper area of the V1 video track.

2. Select Add Track Effect from the menu.

3. Select any effect, such as Blur, and click OK.

The entire track is highlighted.

Upper area of track

The Load Preset dialog box displays the effects in the \Image Effects folder.

The Blur effect is applied to all the clips on the track and its property editor displays.

Track effect

4. Close the property editor.

To apply an effect to a portion (region) of a track:

1. Hold down the left mouse button and drag towards the right to select the region of the V1 track on which you want the effect to be placed.

Selected region

2. Do one of the following:

t From the NLE Tools toolbar beside the timeline, click Video Effects

> any effect.

t Right-click the white selected region and select Add Track Effect.

In the Load Preset dialog box, select an effect and click OK. An effect bar is applied to the region and its property editor displays.

Effect applied to region

3. Close the property editor and save your sequence.

Applying Effects to the Timeline Effect Track

The timeline effect track is a track that appears above all the other tracks on the timeline; this track can only accept track effects. When you apply an effect to the timeline effect track, it modifies the clips on all the tracks below it. This lets you, for example, place a graphics effect (such as a title) on the timeline effect track, so that it will be displayed over the resulting video sequence. You can apply effects to the timeline effect track in the same way that you apply track effects.

Applying Effects

Track effects

Timeline effect track

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

Creating Clips with Source Generator Effects

You can create new clips based on a selected region of a track. When you create a new clip, you can choose from a list of effects (called source generator effects), such as the Solid Color or Wood Grain effect. These types of clips are useful as the background for a compositing session or to create a fade-to-color transition.

To create a clip with effects:

1. Add a new video track to the timeline by right-clicking the overview area (directly above the ruler) and selecting Create Video Track.

Overview area

A new track, labeled V2, appears above the V1 track.

2. On the new track, drag to select a region at the end of the sequence.

Selected region

Applying Effects

3. From the NLE Tools toolbar, click Generate > Source Generator Clip.

The Load Preset dialog box displays the available source generator effects.

4. Select an effect. We chose the Marble effect for our example. A clip is created on the track and given the name of the effect, which is

appended with the term “Generated”. The effect’s property editor displays.

A clip created with the Marble effect.

5. Close the property editor.

6. Save your sequence.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

Applying Transition Effects

Transition effects include dissolves, wipes, fades, DVEs, or cuts that you can apply to or between clips on the timeline. You can apply transitions to the beginning or end of a single clip, or between two clips. For more information, see “Applying Transitions” in the Help.

Transitions on the timeline can be created only when there is extra material available on one of the clips to accommodate the transition.

To apply a transition effect between two clips:

1. Start a new sequence by selecting File > New Sequence.

2. Drag the Basket and Clouds clips to the video track on the timeline.

Leave some space between the clips.

Tip: Use the overview area at the top of the timeline and the scroll bar at the bottom of the timeline to adjust the view of your clips.

Edit point

3. Select the edit point at the end of the Basket clip.

Trim-out handle

4. Select the trim-out handle and drag left to trim in by a few frames. Now you’ll have extra material for the transition.

5. Move the Clouds clip beside the Basket clip.

Applying Effects

6. Select the edit point between the two clips.

Edit point

7. From the NLE Tools toolbar, select Transition Effects > effect. We chose

the Wipe effect. The transition’s property editor displays. The transition is represented as

a gradient below the clip.

Transition

8. Close the property editor.

9. Drag the position indicator back and forth (scrub) on the timeline to preview the transition you created.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

Applying Audio Effects

There is a range of audio effects that you can apply to clips or tracks on the timeline, as well as on the mixer input strips in the Mixer view.

To apply an audio effect on the timeline:

1. Place the FinalMix clip on the audio track.

2. From the NLE Tools toolbar, click Audio Effects > effect. The Dynamics

effect is a good one to try.

3. To view the effect’s waveform, place the pointer at the bottom of the Track button and press Ctrl. The pointer should now look like a double-pointed arrow. Drag downwards. The farther you drag, the larger the waveform becomes. It will take a second or two for Avid DS Nitris to generate the waveform.

Tip: You can also do this on the video tracks to see thumbnails of your clips.

Place pointer here

The clip’s waveform

4. Scrub the timeline or click the Play button to hear the result.

5. Close the property editor.

Applying Audio Effects in the Mixer

The mixer combines the audio signals coming from the audio tracks and routes them to the mixer output strips. You can assign the channels of an audio track to a specific output strip. When you add an effect to a mixer input strip, the effect is applied to an entire audio track. For more information, see “Mixer” in the Help.

Applying Effects

Mixer input strips

control volume

from audio tracks.

Mixer output strips

control volume of

sound being output.

Master Mute button

Solo indicator

Routing View button

Standard View button

Mixer Configuration

Animation controls

To access the mixer:

t From the view switcher, click the Mixer button.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

To add an effect to a mixer input strip:

1. Right-click the effects box of a mixer input strip and select Add Effect.

2. Select an effect from the \Audio Effects folder, such as the Reverb effect.

The Load Preset dialog box displays.

Effects box

The effect is applied to the input strip and its property editor displays.

3. Experiment with the properties in the property editor. Play the clip to hear the result. You can also add more audio effects. Click the Help button for details on all the parameters.

4. Close the property editor when you’re done.

5. Switch back to the Avid Explorer view by clicking its button on the view switcher.

6. Save your sequence as Sequence2.

Creating a Stack of Effects

A stack of effects is simply one effect piled on top of another, which altogether creates a more complex effect. You can apply an unlimited number of effects to individual clips, the timeline effect track, and regions on the timeline. Simply keep adding effects and experimenting with them until you’re satisfied. In the example below, there are stacks of effects on the video clip and audio clip, as well as on the timeline effect track and on regions of the video track.

Stacks of effects on:

Video and audio clips

Regions of timeline

Audio track

Applying Effects

Timeline effect track

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

The Effects Layout

The Effects layout provides an efficient way of working with video effects. This layout is optimized for color correction and will automatically load the Color Correction effect when you first switch to the layout. You can easily change the Color Correction effect for another effect.

Avid Explorer lets you explore and

organize clips, sequences, and custom

effects within a hierarchy of folders.

View switcher lets you access different

toolsets and views.

Viewers display three consecutive clips on the timeline

at the location of the position indicator.

The Effects Layout

Large property editor lets you adjust the properties of the selected effect.

Timeline is where you place, edit, and apply effects.

Chapter 7 Applying Effects

To access the Effects layout:

1. Start a new sequence.

2. Place the following clips side-by-side on the video track on the timeline: Smell, Wake_Up, Clouds, and Basket.

Tip: Adjust the overview area so that all the clips are visible on the timeline.

3. Place the position indicator over the Wake_ Up clip.

4. From the taskbar, select the Effects button. By default, the Color Correction effect, with its large property editor, is

displayed. A gray effect bar above the Wake-Up clip on the timeline indicates that the Color Correction effect is loaded, but inactive. When you edit the values on the property editor, the effect bar changes to light green (active).

Tip: If there was already video effect on the timeline that you wanted to edit, simply select the effect bar before switching to the Effects layout. Instead of the default Color Correction effect, the Effects layout will display the property editor of the effect you selected.

5. Place the position indicator over the next clip, so you can view sequential clips in the viewers.

6. Save your sequence as Sequence3.

7. Now is a good time to restore the layout to ensure that you’re using the default settings—see “Restoring the Default Layout” on page 26.

8. Restart Avid DS Nitris and open Sequence3.

100

9. Double-click the green effects bar to switch to the Effects layout.

Pinnacle Systems DS Nitris - 7.5 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Using the Avid DS Training Station

Accessing the Media

Logging on to Your Workstation

If You Need Help

Avid DS Customer Support

E-mail Support

Web Support

Upload Utility

Avid Community Forum

Accessing the Online Library

How to Order Documentation

Avid Educational Services

Starting a Project

The Digital Post-Production Process

Working with Project Files and Media

What is a Project?

Creating a New Project

Working on the Desktop

Restoring the Default Layout

Title Bar

Layouts

Accessing the Default Layouts

Using the Menus

Status Bar

Accessing the Views

Combo Views

Using the Toolbars

Dialog Boxes

Entering Values

Capturing Material

Capturing Source Material

The Avid Explorer

Organizing your Project Files

Changing the View Mode

Identifying File Types in a Bin

Configuring the External Device

Capturing from Tape

Capturing from File

Getting Ready to Edit

Editing Layout

Previewing Clips

Using J-K-L Keys for Three-Button Play

Marking In and Out-Points in the Source Viewer

Creating Subclips

Changing the Thumbnail of a Clip

Creating a First Cut

The Timeline

Working with Tracks

Selecting Tracks and Regions of Tracks

Adding, Reordering and Deleting Tracks

Setting the Track Height

Muting Audio and Video Tracks

Setting Tracks to Solo

Navigating the Timeline

Using the Scale and Scroll Bars

Selecting Objects on the Timeline

Placing Clips on the Timeline

Dragging and Dropping Clips

Inserting Clips

Overwriting Clips

Replacing Clips

Refining the Edit

Rearranging Clips

Copying Clips

Removing Clips from the Timeline

Trimming Clips

Using the Trim Mode

Using Ripple Mode When Trimming Clips

Applying Effects

The Effects Library

Effect Bar Colors

Applying Effects

Applying Effects to Clips