Pinnacle Systems Media Composer - 11.7 Quick Start Guide

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Avid® Products

Getting Started Guide

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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. Avid products or portions thereof are protected by one or more of the following United States patents: 4,746,994; 4,970,663; 5,045,940; 5,267,351; 5,309,528; 5,355,450; 5,396,594; 5,440,348; 5,452,378; 5,467,288; 5,513,375; 5,528,310; 5,557,423; 5,568,275; 5,577,190; 5,584,006; 5,640,601; 5,644,364; 5,654,737; 5,715,018; 5,724,605; 5,726,717; 5,729,673; 5,745,637; 5,752,029; 5,754,851; 5,799,150; 5,812,216; 5,852,435; 5,883,670; 5,905,841; 5,929,836; 5,929,942; 5,930,445; 5,946,445; 5,987,501; 5,995,115; 6,016,152; 6,018,337; 6,023,531; 6,035,367; 6,038,573; 6,058,236; 6,061,758; 6,091,778; 6,105,083; 6,118,444; 6,128,001; 6,130,676; 6,134,607; 6,137,919; 6,141,007; 6,141,691; 6,157,929; 6,198,477; 6,201,531; 6,211,869; 6,223,211; 6,239,815; 6,249,280; 6,269,195; 6,301,105; 6,317,158; 6,317,515; 6,327,253; 6,330,369; 6,351,557; 6,353,862; 6,357,047; 6,392,710; 6,404,435; 6,407,775; 6,417,891; 6,426,778; D396,853; D398,912. Additional U.S. and foreign patents pending. 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 following disclaimer is required by Apple Computer, Inc.

APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THIS PRODUCT, INCLUDING WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE OTHER RIGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

The following disclaimer is required by Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics, Inc. for the use of their TIFF library:

Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software [i.e., the TIFF library] and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that (i) the above copyright notices and this permission notice appear in all copies of the software and related documentation, and (ii) the names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be used in any advertising or publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE, AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

The following disclaimer is required by the Independent JPEG Group:

Portions of this software are based on work of the Independent JPEG Group.

The following disclaimer is required by Paradigm Matrix:

Portions of this software licensed from Paradigm Matrix.

The following disclaimer is required by Ray Sauers Associates, Inc.:

“Install-It” is licensed from Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. End-User is prohibited from taking any action to derive a source code equivalent of “Install-It,” including by reverse assembly or reverse compilation, Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. shall in no event be liable for any damages resulting from reseller’s failure to perform reseller’s obligation; or any damages arising from use or operation of reseller’s products or the software; or any other damages, including but not limited to, incidental, direct, indirect, special or

consequential Damages including lost profits, or damages resulting from loss of use or inability to use reseller’s products or the software for any reason including copyright or patent infringement, or lost data, even if Ray Sauers Associates has been advised, knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages.

The following disclaimer is required by Videomedia, Inc.:

“Videomedia, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied, regarding this product, including warranties with respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose.”

“This software contains V-LAN ver. 3.0 Command Protocols which communicate with V-LAN ver. 3.0 products developed by Videomedia, Inc. and V-LAN ver. 3.0 compatible products developed by third parties under license from Videomedia, Inc. Use of this software will allow “frame accurate” editing control of applicable videotape recorder decks, videodisc recorders/players and the like.”

The following disclaimer is required by Altura Software, Inc. for the use of its Mac2Win software and Sample Source Code:

The following disclaimer is required by Ultimatte Corporation:

Certain real-time compositing capabilities are provided under a license of such technology from Ultimatte Corporation and are subject to copyright protection.

The following disclaimer is required by 3Prong.com Inc.:

Certain waveform and vector monitoring capabilities are provided under a license from 3Prong.com Inc.

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, AirPlay, AirSPACE, AirSPACE HD, AniMatte, AudioSuite, AudioVision, AutoSync, Avid, AVIDdrive, AVIDdrive Towers, AvidNet, AvidNetwork, AVIDstripe, Avid Unity, Avid Xpress, AVoption, AVX, CamCutter, ChromaCurve, ChromaWheel, DAE, D-Fi, D-fx, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, DigiDrive, 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, NetReview, NewsCutter, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, Open Media Framework, Open Media Management, ProEncode, Pro Tools, QuietDrive, Recti-Fi, rS9, rS18, Sci-Fi, Softimage, Sound Designer II, SPACE, SPACEShift, Symphony, Trilligent, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video Slave Driver, VideoSPACE, and Xdeck are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

iNEWS, iNEWS ControlAir, and Media Browse are trademarks of iNews, LLC.

Acrobat, Adobe, Photoshop, and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Hi8 is a trademark of Sony Corporation of America. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license from Apple Computer, Inc. The QuickTime logo is registered in the U.S. and other countries. RealMedia is a trademark or registered trademark of RealNetworks, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Footage

Arri — Courtesy of Arri™/Fauer — John Fauer, Inc. Bell South “Anticipation” — Courtesy of Two Headed Monster — Tucker/Wayne Atlanta/GMS. Canyonlands — Courtesy of the National Park Service/Department of the Interior. Eco Challenge British Columbia — Courtesy of Eco Challenge Lifestyles, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Eco Challenge Morocco — Courtesy of Discovery Communications, Inc. It’s Shuttletime — Courtesy of BCP & Canadian Airlines. Nestlé Coffee Crisp — Courtesy of MacLaren McCann Canada. Saturn “Calvin Egg” — Courtesy of Cossette Communications. “Tigers: Tracking a Legend” — Courtesy of www.wildlifeworlds.com. Windhorse — Courtesy of Paul Wagner Productions.

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 Products Getting Started Guide • Part 0130-05032-01 • January 2003

Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Who Should Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

If You Have Documentation Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

How to Order Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Avid Educational Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using the Tutorial Sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

What You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Turning on Your Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Installing the Tutorial Files (Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Starting the Avid System (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Starting the Avid System (Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Electronic Licensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

How to Proceed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Using Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Setting Up Your Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Getting Help for Windows and Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Getting Help for Screen Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Keeping Help Available (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Restoring Help from the Taskbar (Windows Only). . . . . . . . . . . 38

Resizing the Application (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using Alt+Tab (Windows Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Finding Information Within the Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using the Contents List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using the Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using the Search Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Using the Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Printing Help Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Using Online Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Chapter 2 About the Avid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

About the Avid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

About Avid Symphony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

About Avid Film Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

About 24p Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

About 25p Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Editing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

About Nonlinear Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Editing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Project Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Starting a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Preparing to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Editing a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Finishing a Sequence (Symphony Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Generating Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Behind the Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

The Avid Attic Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Chapter 3 Starting a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

About Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Copying Project Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Using the Bins Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

About Trash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Using the Settings Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

About Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Reviewing Basic Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Customizing Your Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Tutorial: Starting a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Starting the Application (Windows). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Starting the Application (Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Opening a Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Creating a User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Selecting a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Chapter 4 Digitizing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Selecting Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

About the Digitize Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

About the Audio Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

About the Video Input Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Digitizing Preparations Check List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

About Digitizing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Digitizing and Logging at the Same Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Batch Digitizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Redigitizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

About Bin Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Controlling Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Using Position Bars and Position Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Using Buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Play Reverse, Play, Pause, Stop, Rewind, and Fast Forward

Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Step Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Using the Tool Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Using the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

J-K-L Keys (Three-Button Play). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Home, End, and Arrow Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Stepping with the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Shuttling with the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Marking IN and OUT Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Creating Subclips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Tutorial: Getting Ready to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Viewing Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Using Text View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Using Frame View (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Using Frame View (Macintosh). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Playing Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Playing Clips in the Source Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Controlling Playback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Marking Edit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Marking the planing ms Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Marking the ducks Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Marking the draw knife cu Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Using Timecode to Find a Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Using Frame Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Subclipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Clearing IN Points and OUT Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Closing the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Ending the Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Chapter 6 Editing a Rough Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Viewing Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Navigating in the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Using the Position Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Using the Scroll Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Displaying More or Less Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Focusing the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Displaying Source Material in the Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Using the Track Selector Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Selecting Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Monitoring Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Monitoring Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Auto-Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Tutorial: Rough Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Making the First Edit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Using Digital Audio Scrub to Locate a Specific Frame of Audio . . 122

Splicing an Audio Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Playing a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Confirming the Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Splicing Video into the Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Splicing a Clip in a Pop-up Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Playing IN to OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Using the Go to OUT Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Moving to the Head and Tail of a Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Using the Splice-in Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Splicing a Clip into the Middle of a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Undoing an Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Using the I/O (IN Point / OUT Point) Tracking Display . . . . . . . . . 131

Chapter 7 Refining the Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Using Segment Mode to Edit in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Editing in Segment Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Distinguishing Between Two Types of Editing Buttons . . . . . . . . . 134

Basic Trim Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Entering Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Exiting Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Switching Between Big and Small Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Selecting Between Trim Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Performing a Basic Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Using the Command Palette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Audio Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Adjusting Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Tutorial: Refining Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Overwriting Clips into a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Storyboarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Marking Clips for Storyboarding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Storyboard Editing the Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Rearranging Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Overwriting with the Three-Point Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Changing the Order of Clips in a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Removing Footage from a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Removing Footage and Closing the Resulting Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Removing Footage and Retaining the Resulting Gap . . . . . . . . . . 153

Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Adjusting Both Sides of a Transition (Dual-Roller Trimming) . . . . . 154

Using Dual Rollers to Trim the Outgoing Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Trimming the pan lumber Clip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Single-Roller Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Adding Synced Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Working with Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Adjusting Audio Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Adjusting Audio Pan (Balance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Chapter 8 Adding Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Effects Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Displaying the Effect Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Effect Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Effect Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Transition Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Segment Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Applying Effects to a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Working in Effect Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Rendering an Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Tutorial: Adding Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Adding Transition Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Displaying Editing Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Adding a Dissolve Effect (Fade-In) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Dissolving Between Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Creating a Series of Dissolves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Creating Audio Dissolves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Adding a Fade-to-Black Effect Within the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Adding a Picture-in-Picture Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Using the Second Video Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Creating the Picture-in-Picture Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Repositioning the Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Adjusting a Parameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Adding Keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Adding Background Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Rendering the Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Screening the Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Chapter 9 Creating Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Creating New Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Understanding the Title Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Working with Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Text Formatting Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Selecting Colors and Setting Transparency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Adjusting the Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Editing a Title into a Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Tutorial: Creating Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Adding a Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Creating a New Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Repositioning Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Changing Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Adding a Shadow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Saving a Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Editing the Title into the Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Adding Rolling Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Editing an Existing Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Adding a Video Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Viewing the Creation Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Splicing the Title into a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Deleting Excess Footage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Closing the Title Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Chapter 10 Finishing Your Sequence (Symphony Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Finishing Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Using Finishing Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Real-Time Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Selecting and Correcting Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Color Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

About the Paint and AniMatte Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

About the 3D Effects Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

About Nesting Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Tutorial: Finishing Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Removing Red from a Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Adding a Blurred Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Chapter 11 Generating Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Output Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Preparing for Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Digital Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

About Exporting Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Preparing to Export a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Tutorial: Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Recording a Digital Cut to Tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Chapter 12 Backing Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

About Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Media Objects and Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Media Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Basic Media Tool Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Freeing Storage Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Consolidating Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

About the Consolidate Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Backing Up Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Backing Up Project Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Tutorial: Backing Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Consolidating the Boat Shop Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Saving Your Work on a Drive or Floppy Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Restoring from a Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Quitting and Shutting Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

Figures

Figure 1 Command Palette Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Figure 1 Command Palette Tabs (Continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Tables

Table 1 Mark Points for Tutorial Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Table 2 Media Objects and Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220

Using This Guide

This guide provides information about how to get started using your Avid system. It presents the essential features of the system; most chapters also contain hands-on tutorials so you can practice what you learn.

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.

Who Should Use This Guide

This guide is written for video and film editors who are learning to use an Avid video-based editing system.

About This Guide

This guide was designed to be used for both the Avid Symphony™ product and the Avid Media Composer

The Contents that precedes this Using This Guide section lists all topics included in the guide. They are presented with the following overall structure:

• Chapter 1 explains how to turn on your system, install the tutorial media, and use Help and online documentation.

or Film Composer® product.

• Chapter 2 presents basic editing concepts and walks you through a typical workflow scenario.

Using This Guide

• The main body of the guide presents introductory material on various aspects of your workflow, followed in most chapters by a tutorial section. Work through the tutorial for guided hands-on experience with your Avid system.

• A detailed Index helps you quickly locate specific topics.

This guide should get you started with your Avid system. For more information, see the Help and the Avid Symphony Editing Guide or the

Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Editing Guide.

Symbols and Conventions

When the text applies specifically to the Symphony product, it is marked as follows:

• (Symphony only) means the information applies to the Avid Symphony product only.

Unless noted otherwise, the material in this document applies to the Windows 2000 and Mac OS X operating systems. When the text applies to a specific operating system, it is marked as follows:

• (Windows) or (Windows only) means the information applies to the Windows 2000 operating system.

• (Macintosh) or (Macintosh only) means the information applies to the Mac OS X operating system.

The majority of screen shots in this document were captured on a Windows 2000 system, but the information applies to both Windows 2000 and Mac OS X systems. Where differences exist, both Windows 2000 and Mac OS X screen shots are shown.

Symbols and Conventions

Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

> This symbol indicates menu commands (and

k This symbol represents the Apple or Command key.

A note provides important related information, reminders, recommendations, and strong suggestions.

A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose data.

A warning describes an action that could cause you physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this document or on the unit itself when handling electrical equipment.

subcommands) in the order you select them. For example, File > Import means to open the File menu and then select the Import command.

This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed.

Press and hold the Command key and another key to perform a keyboard shortcut.

Margin tips In the margin, you will find tips that help you

perform tasks more easily and efficiently.

Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to

indicate variables.

Courier Bold font

Click Quickly press and release the left mouse button

Double-click Click the left mouse button (Windows) or the mouse

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

(Windows) or the mouse button (Macintosh).

button (Macintosh) twice rapidly.

Using This Guide

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

Right-click Quickly press and release the right mouse button

(Windows only).

Drag Press and hold the left mouse button (Windows) or

the mouse button (Macintosh) while you move the mouse.

Ctrl+key

k+key

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using your Avid system, you should:

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 the release notes supplied with your Avid application for the latest information that might have become available after the hardcopy documentation was printed.

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

4. Visit the online Knowledge Center at www.avid.com/support. Online services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this online Knowledge Center to find answers, to view error messages, to access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read/join online message-board discussions.

Press and hold the first key while you press the second key.

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

For Broadcast On-Air Sites and Call Letter Stations, call 800-NEWSDNG (800-639-7364).

Related Information

The following documents provide more information about Avid’s products:

• Avid Symphony Release Notes for the Windows 2000 Operating

System or Avid Symphony Release Notes for the Mac OS X Operating System or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Release Notes for the Windows 2000 Operating System or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Release Notes for the Mac OS X Operating System

These release notes include important information you should read before installing and using the Avid system.

• Avid Symphony and Composer Products Site Preparation Guide for

the Windows 2000 Professional Operating System or Avid Symphony and Composer Products Site Preparation Guide for the Mac OS X Operating System

These guides provide electrical, environmental, size, and weight information for users who are responsible for preparing a site for installation of the Avid system.

Related Information

• Avid Symphony and Composer Products Setup Guide for the Windows 2000 Professional Operating System or Avid Symphony and Composer Products Setup Guide for the Mac OS X Operating System

These guides are designed for anyone who is installing an Avid system, moving a system, or solving problems that can arise with the system hardware.

• Avid Products Getting Started Guide (this book)

This guide provides a step-by-step tutorial covering the basic features of the Avid system video projects.

• Avid Symphony Quick Reference for the Windows 2000 Operating

System or Avid Symphony Quick Reference for the Mac OS X Operating System or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Quick Reference for the Windows 2000 Operating System or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Quick Reference for the Macintosh Operating System

These folded cards list convenient keyboard shortcuts for using Avid products.

Using This Guide

• Avid Symphony Editing Guide or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Editing Guide

These guides provide complete information on all editing tasks, such as viewing and marking footage, editing, and trimming transitions.

• Avid Symphony Effects Guide or Avid Media Composer and Film

Composer Effects Guide

These guides describe techniques for using digital video effects, titles, third-party plug-in effects, mattes, keys, and layering options.

• Avid Symphony Input and Output Guide or Avid Media Composer and

Film Composer Input and Output Guide

These guides provide instructions for creating input (logging digitizing, importing) and generating output (digital cuts, exporting). It also includes conceptual information on workflows and film-to-tape transfer.

• Avid Symphony Color Correction Guide or Avid Color Correction

User’s Guide

These guides provide complete information on the advanced color correction features, including Color Correction mode, Safe Color limiting and warning, and Spot Color Correction.

• Avid Symphony Online Publications CD-ROM or Avid Medi a Composer and Film Composer Online Publications CD-ROM

These online collections provide electronic versions of most documents listed in this section, as well as documents for related Avid applications. You can view these PDF documents with Adobe

Acrobat® Reader®, which you can install from the CD-ROM.

• Avid Symphony Help or Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Help

These Help systems provide all the information included in the editing guides, the input and output guides, the effects guides, and the color correction guides supplied with your system. The Help operates in a Web browser. To open the Help, select Help > Symphony Help in the Symphony application or select Help > Media Composer Help or Help > Film Composer Help in the Media Composer or Film Composer application. For information on using Help, click the Using Help button in the Contents list in the Help browser.

If You Have Documentation Comments

References to the above documentation are noted throughout this guide. The specific names of the documents will not be used and you should use the appropriate document that applies to your particular system. For example, when the text states: “See the appropriate effects guide for more information on this feature,” you should see the Avid Symphony Effects Guide or the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Effects Guide depending on which system you have.

If You Have Documentation Comments

Avid Technology continuously seeks to improve its documentation. We value your comments about this guide, the Help, the Online Publications CD-ROM, and other Avid-supplied documentation.

Simply e-mail your documentation comments to Avid Technology at

TechPubs@avid.com

Please include the title of the document, its part number, and the specific section you are commenting on in all correspondence.

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).

Using This Guide

Chapter 1

Introduction

This chapter sets you up to use this guide and explains how to work through the tutorial sections that teach you the basics of your Avid system.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Using the Tutorial Sections

• What You Need

• Turning on Your Equipment

• Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)

• Installing the Tutorial Files (Macintosh)

• Starting the Avid System (Windows)

• Starting the Avid System (Macintosh)

• Electronic Licensing

• How to Proceed

• Using Help

• Using Online Documentation

Chapter 1 Introduction

Using the Tutorial Sections

The self-paced tutorial sections included in this guide are designed as guided Avid editing sessions, using the basic features of the system. In the tutorial sections, you’re going to edit a 1-minute sequence about a company in Amesbury, Massachusetts that makes small fishing boats called dories.

The footage for the sequence is on the Tutorial CD-ROMs that came with your system. The CD-ROMs contain digitized media that is ready for you to use.

The instructions in the tutorial take you through each step of the editing process. The steps are:

• Starting a project (in Chapter 3)

• Getting ready to edit (in Chapter 5)

• Editing a rough cut (in Chapter 6)

• Refining the edit (in Chapter 7)

• Adding effects and titles to the sequence (in Chapter 8 and

Chapter 9)

• (Symphony only) Finishing mode adds the finishing touches to your effects (in Chapter 10)

• Preparing output (in Chapter 11)

• Backing up (in Chapter 12)

To complete this tutorial, you need a basic familiarity with the Windows used a Windows or Macintosh system, refer to the Windows or the Apple

operating system or Macintosh® computer. If you have never

Macintosh manuals.

You don’t need any previous experience with the Avid system. The terms and techniques needed for each tutorial section are in each chapter. However, it will help to read Chapter 2 of this guide before starting any of the tutorial sections. You can also use the Help system (see “Using Help”

on page 36) and online books (see “Using Online Documentation” on page 42) for more information.

This tutorial takes approximately 4 hours. Before you begin, you need:

• An installed Avid system

• The Boat Shop media and project files on the Avid Video Editing

What You Need

The Tutorial CD-ROMs packaged with your Avid system include all files necessary to complete this tutorial. They are:

• OMFI MediaFiles folder — contains the digitized files you need for

• Avid Projects folder — contains the project and bins you need for the

What You Need

If you have not yet set up your system, see the appropriate setup guide. If you need to install the software, see the appropriate release notes.

Tutorial CD-ROM

the tutorial. You need to copy the OMFI MediaFiles folder to your external media drive.

tutorial. You need to copy the project folder to the following location:

\Program Files\Avid\Avid product\Avid Projects (Windows)

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid Projects (Macintosh).

Turning on Your Equipment

Begin your edit session by turning on the components of your Avid system. If any part of your system fails to turn on, make sure its electrical cord is plugged snugly into an appropriate electrical outlet or power strip. For information on setting up your system, see the appropriate setup guide.

If you fail to follow the proper sequence for starting up your system, you could damage your computer or storage drives.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Always turn on the devices in the following order:

1. Fixed-storage drives: Turn on fixed-storage drives before starting the computer. Allow 10 to 15 seconds for the drives to spin up to speed before starting your PC or Macintosh.

2. Other peripheral hardware: Turn on all other peripheral units except the PC or Macintosh. These include:

- Monitors and speakers

- Tape decks and additional autoassembly configurations (switcher,

time-base corrector, and so on) if you plan to digitize or conduct an autoassembly

- Meridien

™

I/O box

- Black burst generator (to maintain proper sync between audio and

video while digitizing and editing)

3. The PC or Macintosh:

Windows:

For information on your Windows features, such as the desktop and icons, see your Windows documentation.

a. Turn on your PC.

The computer goes through a self-check routine, and the Windows startup screen opens.

b. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and log on.

The Windows desktop opens.

Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)

Macintosh:

Press the Power On key located on your computer.

When you start the Macintosh:

- You hear a tone that means the hardware is operational.

- The computer goes through a self-check routine. If the Macintosh passes all of its internal logic tests, the smiling Macintosh icon appears.

For information on Macintosh features, such as the desktop and icons, see your Macintosh documentation.

- The Mac OS X startup screen opens and the initialization process begins.

- Select a user and type the password, and then click Log In.

- The Macintosh desktop opens.

Macintosh HD (internal)

Media drives (external)

To avoid system damage, do not disconnect or turn off external drives while the PC or Macintosh is on.

Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)

The Tutorial CD-ROMs contain all the files you need for the tutorial sections of this guide. The CD-ROMs contain an NTSC version and a PAL version of the tutorial media files digitized at a 20:1 resolution. The tutorial files require three CD-ROMs for NTSC and three for PAL. The installation procedure is the same for installing either type.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Each CD-ROM has its own installation program and is installed independently of the other CD-ROM. You will need approximately 1 GB of free space available on your external media drive.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to install the media files from the CD-ROMs to the external media drive.

To install the Avid Video Editing tutorial on a Windows system:

1. Insert the Avid Video Editing (NTSC or PAL) Tutorial Disc 1 of 3 into the CD-ROM drive. The Avid Video Editing Tutorial screen opens.

2. Click Install Avid Video Editing Tutorial.

The Welcome to Avid Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Setup dialog box opens.

Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)

3. Click Next.

The Choose Destination Location dialog box opens. This allows you to place the Boat Shop project files in the Avid Projects folder. If an Avid Projects folder is not already created, the installation will create one for you.

4. Select the destination location for the project files, and then click Next.

The Select a Drive dialog box opens. This allows you to select the drive where you want to store the media files. The media files take up approximately 1 GB. Select a drive with adequate space.

5. Click the appropriate drive, and then click Next.

t If an OMFI MediaFiles folder already exists on the drive, the

media files are copied into that folder.

t If there is no OMFI MediaFiles folder on the drive, a message

appears asking if you want to create an OMFI MediaFiles folder on the drive. Click Yes. The folder is created and the media files are copied to the external drive.

Chapter 1 Introduction

The Setup Needs Another Disk dialog box opens. The system prompts you to insert Tutorial CD 2.

6. Eject the Avid Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Disc 1 of 3 from the CD-ROM drive.

7. Insert the Avid Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Disc 2 of 3 into the CD-ROM drive.

8. Click OK.

The system installs the tutorial media files.

When the media files on Disc 2 are copied to the drive, the system prompts you to insert Tutorial CD 3.

9. Eject the Avid Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Disc 2 of 3 from the CD-ROM drive.

10. Insert the Avid Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Disc 3 of 3 into the CD-ROM drive.

11. Click OK.

A final dialog box opens informing you the installation is complete.

12. Click Finish, and then click Exit to close the Avid Video Editing Tutorial screen.

13. The installation is complete.

Installing the Tutorial Files (Macintosh)

The Tutorial CD-ROMs contain all the files you need for the tutorial sections of this guide. The CD-ROMs contain an NTSC version and a PAL version of the tutorial media files digitized at a 20:1 resolution. The tutorial files require two CD-ROMs for NTSC and two for PAL. The installation procedure is the same for installing either type.

Each CD-ROM has its own installation program and is installed independently of the other CD-ROM. You will need approximately 1 GB of free space available on your external media drive.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to install the media files from the CD-ROMs to the external media drive.

To install the Avid Video Editing tutorial on a Macintosh system:

1. Quit all active applications.

2. Insert the Avid Video Editing Tutorial CD 1 into the CD-ROM drive.

3. Double-click the Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) CD-ROM icon on your desktop.

4. Double-click the Video Editing Tutorial (NTSC or PAL) Installer icon to start the installer.

The opening window of the installer opens.

5. With Easy Install selected, click the Install button.

If you have more than one Avid Projects folder created on your system, a Select Folder dialog box opens asking you to select the Avid Projects folder where you want to install the tutorial project. Click OK.

The installation begins. If you do not have an OMFI MediaFiles folder created on your Macintosh HD, a message appears. When the installation is finished with Tutorial CD 1, the system prompts you to insert Tutorial CD 2.

6. Insert Tutorial CD 2 into the CD-ROM drive.

Chapter 1 Introduction

7. Click OK.

The system installs the tutorial media files.

8. When the installation is complete, click Quit.

The installation program copies the following folders to your system:

• Boat Shop project folder: This folder contains the project and bins you need for the tutorial and is copied into the Avid Projects folder on your hard drive.

• OMFI MediaFiles folder: This folder contains the media files you need for the tutorial and is copied to a media drive.

Starting the Avid System (Windows)

To start the Avid system on a Windows system, do one of the following:

t Double-click the Avid application icon on your desktop.

t Click the Start button, and select Programs > Avid > Symphony or

Media Composer.

Starting the Avid System (Macintosh)

For more information on making an alias and using the Go menu, see your Macintosh documentation.

To start the Avid system on a Macintosh system, do one of the following:

t Double-click the Avid application icon on your desktop.

t Select Go > Applications, and then double-click the Avid application

icon.

Electronic Licensing

To accept your Avid product license electronically:

1. Read the License Agreement, then click the Accept button or the Decline button at the bottom of the screen.

The agreement appears the first several times you start the application. After several starts, a new button appears at the bottom of the screen.

2. If you do not want to see the license agreement again, click the Accept and Don’t Show Again button.

A dialog box opens.

3. Type the name of your organization in the dialog box, and click OK.

After the application starts, the Select User and Project dialog box opens, as described in “Opening a Project” on page 68.

How to Proceed

Electronic Licensing

The following are a few tips for taking full advantage of Avid documentation and other resources:

• Complete the tutorial sections in this guide before starting a project.

• Begin learning about basic procedures using the default settings. As your confidence increases, begin to explore additional procedures and settings.

• Instead of using the standard menus to find the command you need in a window, try using shortcut menus. Right-clicking (Windows) or pressing Ctrl+Shift and clicking (Macintosh) in a window brings up a shortcut menu that shows the most frequently used commands for that window.

• Keep the appropriate quick reference card available during editing sessions to speed the use of shortcuts and keyboard commands.

• Make a habit of reading Avid’s newsletters, mailings, and other trade publications.

Chapter 1 Introduction

• Make use of additional training resources provided by Avid whenever possible, such as classes and instructional videotapes. For more information, contact Avid at 800-867-2843.

• Check the following Avid Web site for listings of courses, schedules, and locations:

www.avid.com/education

Using Help

You can get help and background information for tasks, windows, dialog boxes, and screen objects through your Avid Help system. Your Help system is HTML-based and operates in a Web browser. You need v4.5 or later of Microsoft recommends Internet Explorer v5.0 or later.

Setting Up Your Browser

Internet Explorer. On a Macintosh system, Avid

You must have cookies enabled in your browser to use several capabilities of your Avid Help system. Avid does not retain personal information about you or your system other than your frequently visited Help topics.

To enable cookies:

1. Select Internet Explorer Tools > Internet Options.

2. Click the Security tab.

3. Click the Custom Level button.

4. Scroll down to the Cookies section.

5. Make sure the Enable button is selected.

6. Click OK, and then click OK again.

Getting Help for Windows and Dialog Boxes

The Help system provides you with context-sensitive Help for windows and dialog boxes, such as tools and settings.

To get Help for windows and dialog boxes:

1. Make sure the Avid application is active.

2. Position the mouse pointer anywhere in the window or dialog box for which you want help.

3. Press the F1 key (Windows) or the Help key (Macintosh) on the keyboard.

If there is no information about a window or dialog box, a Navigation Canceled message appears in the browser. Open the Help and use the Search or Index functions to look for information on that window or dialog box.

Getting Help for Screen Objects

Using Help

You can use What’s This? Help to find out about buttons and other screen objects.

To get help for screen objects:

1. Do one of the following:

t (Windows) Using the right mouse button, click the screen object

(for example, a button).

t (Macintosh) Ctrl+Shift+click the screen object (for example, a

button).

A pop-up menu opens.

2. Click the pop-up menu, and select What’s This?.

A browser window opens that explains how you use the item. Many windows include a link (marked by underlined text) to more information.

(Windows only) For some dialog boxes, such as Import and Print, use the Question Mark button to access What’s This? Help.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Keeping Help Available (Windows Only)

When you access a Help topic and then return to the Avid application, the Help browser disappears behind the Avid system.

To keep Help available, you can use one of the methods in the following topics:

• Restoring Help from the Taskbar (Windows Only)

• Resizing the Application (Windows Only)

• Using Alt+Tab (Windows Only)

Restoring Help from the Taskbar (Windows Only)

You can restore the Help from the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. All your active applications are represented by buttons on the taskbar.

To restore Help, click the browser button on the taskbar, and the Help reappears.

If you can’t see the taskbar, you might have set a property that hides it.

To keep the taskbar on top:

1. Right-click in an area of the taskbar where there are no buttons.

2. Click the pop-up menu, and select Properties.

The Taskbar Properties dialog box opens.

3. Select Always on top.

4. Deselect Auto hide.

5. Click OK.

The taskbar remains visible at all times.

If you want the taskbar to appear only when you pass the pointer over the bottom of the screen, select Auto hide along with Always on top.

Resizing the Application (Windows Only)

To resize the application and leave Help available:

1. With Help active, click the purple Help title bar and drag it to the top of the screen.

2. Click in the Avid application.

The Help browser disappears behind the Avid system.

3. Click the Restore button in the top right corner of the application.

The application shrinks slightly and reveals the Help browser behind it.

This allows you to click back and forth between the application and the Help browser without significantly reducing the size of the Avid application.

Using Alt+Tab (Windows Only)

To use Alt+Tab:

Using Help

1. Press and hold the Alt key.

2. Press and release the Tab key.

A window opens containing icons and names for all the applications currently started on your system. A box surrounds the active application.

3. Continue to hold the Alt key and press and release the Tab key until the box surrounds the Help browser icon, and then release both keys.

Finding Information Within the Help

You see the Help browser when you open Help from the Help menu. The left frame of the Help browser includes a Contents list and buttons for several other methods of finding information.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Using the Contents List

The Contents button provides a list of topics covering the entire Help system.

To view the Contents list using the Contents button, do one of the following:

t Select Help > Avid Symphony or Media Composer Help, and then

t From a Help topic, click the Contents button.

To display a topic, double-click the topic title in the Contents list.

click the Contents button.

Using the Index

The Contents displays only the top-level topics. Many entries link to subtopics with related information or procedures.

The Index button provides an alphabetized list of entries, like the index of a printed book.

To find topics using the Index button:

1. Select Help > Avid Symphony or Media Composer Help, and then click the Index button (or click the Index button from a Help topic).

2. From the alphabet at the top, select the letter that begins the topic you want to find (for example, click A to jump to index entries listed under audio).

3. Scroll through the topics beginning with that letter until you find the topic you want.

4. Click the number to the right of the index entry. The number indicates how many topics that index entry has associated with it.

The topic opens in the right frame of the browser.

Using the Search Feature

The Search button lets you search the entire Help system for words or phrases, and then lists topics that include those words or phrases.

To search for topics using the Search button:

1. Select Help > Avid Symphony or Media Composer Help, and then click the Search button (or click the Search button from a Help topic).

2. In the text box, type the word or phrase that you want to find. You can type up to three words, not including invalid words like “the” or misspellings.

3. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh) or click the Search button.

A list shows topics that contain the word or words for which you searched.

Using Help

Using the Glossary

Do not type quotation marks or asterisks in the text box.

4. Click a topic in the list.

The topic opens in the right frame of the browser.

The Glossary defines and explains many terms common to the industry. Some entries might not apply to your particular system.

To use the Glossary:

1. Click the Glossary button.

2. Click the letter that begins the term or concept for which you are searching.

3. Scroll through the section to find your term.

4. Click links to see related information.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Printing Help Topics

You can print a Help topic if you need to refer to it during a complicated procedure or for reference later.

To print a Help topic:

1. Open or click the topic to make it active.

2. From the browser menu select File > Print, or click the Print button in the browser toolbar.

3. Select the print options.

4. Click OK (Windows) or Print (Macintosh).

(Windows only) Right-click and select Print to print a topic.

Using Online Documentation

The Avid Symphony Online Publications CD-ROM includes:

• Avid Symphony Editing Guide

• Avid Symphony Input and Output Guide

• Avid Symphony Effects Guide

• Avid Symphony Color Correction Guide

• Avid Products Getting Started Guide (this book)

• Avid Symphony Help system

The Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Online Publications CD-ROM includes:

• Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Editing Guide

• Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Input and Output Guide

• Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Effects Guide

• Avid Color Correction User’s Guide

Using Online Documentation

• Avid Products Getting Started Guide (this book)

• Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Help system

The books are PDF files. You can view them with the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can install from the CD-ROM.

The online version of the books enables you to:

• Navigate through books using bookmarks and hyperlinks.

• Speed up information retrieval by performing keyword searches.

• Annotate the books with your own notes.

• Zoom in on a page, enabling closer review of text and images.

• Print any or all pages.

• View the books with full-color graphics.

• View movies that illustrate Avid effects.

Avid gives you permission to print up to three complete copies of each book.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2

About the Avid System

This chapter provides a general overview of the capabilities of the Avid systems. It introduces basic concepts along with some tips for the beginning user in the following sections:

• About the Avid System

• Editing Basics

• Project Workflow

• Behind the Scenes

About the Avid System

The Avid system streamlines the editing process by combining the traditional tools of postproduction, the creative control of digital editing, and the simplicity of the user interface.

More than a method of saving time and money, nonlinear editing introduces a whole new style of craftsmanship into the postproduction suite by allowing greater experimentation in the composition of fullmotion visual media.

The Avid system blends the traditional benefits of previsualization familiar to the conventional offline editor with the advanced production tools and image quality of high-end online production.

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

About Avid Symphony

Symphony is Avid’s uncompressed finishing system offering uncompromising quality, performance, and capability for the creation of television programs and commercials. Three uncompressed streams make it the ideal tool for finishing your most demanding program types. It places all the tools you need right at your fingertips—from audio finishing to color correction, from keying to scratch removal to complex matte creation. And, when you need to work with dedicated effects and audio workstations, it includes strong links to Avid’s family of products as well as third-party applications.

If you are still finishing in a linear suite, chances are your sequences are offlined on an Avid system. Avid Symphony can perfectly re-create your entire offline session with the touch of a button. That means every edit, every composite, every audio setting, and every effect move in their entirety to the online session. No more conforming from EDLs. No more hours spent re-creating layers. Simply redigitize your media and you have a totally conformed program.

Avid Symphony includes 24p Universal Editing and Mastering technology. Universal Editing and Mastering enables content producers to edit 24-frame progressive content in its native format and to deliver NTSC, PAL, 4:3, 16:9, and letterbox versions. It also outputs list formats such as film cut lists and 24-fps and 25-fps edit decision lists (EDLs) for highdefinition television (HDTV) conforming. It can Total Conform 24p and 25p projects, complete with Pan and Scan information, from Media Composer XL systems equipped with the new Universal Offline Editing feature.

About Avid Film Composer

Film editors have long wanted access to the real-time effects and previsualization tools available in the online videotape suite, without losing their traditional sense of craftsmanship. The Film Composer nonlinear editing system makes this possible.

The nonlinear editing process is not new to film. In fact, you will discover many familiar terms and procedures of film editing preserved in this system. At the same time, Film Composer introduces random access to footage and the ability to easily create multiple versions of a cut.

This unique combination of traditional film concepts and state-of-the-art nonlinear technology dramatically shortens the distance between a concept and its execution in the cutting room, making the process of film editing more fluid. Film Composer includes new 24p and 25p editing technology which enables content producers to edit 24-frame progressive and 25-frame progressive content in its native format and to deliver NTSC, PAL, 4:3, 16:9, and letterbox versions. It also outputs list formats such as film cut lists and 24-fps and 25-fps edit decision lists (EDLs) for highdefinition television (HDTV) conforming.

About 24p Media

With new digital television (DTV) formats expanding the options for content distribution, there is renewed interest in the oldest format in the industry — 24-fps film. In addition to its common format, film provides the highest resolution master for archiving purposes. Through a telecine transfer and the digitizing process, the Avid system captures and stores film frames as 24-fps progressive media, or 24p.

About the Avid System

Progressive media is composed of single frames, each of which is vertically scanned as one pass. The Avid system creates 24p media by combining (deinterlacing) two video fields into a single, full, reconstructed frame. For NTSC film-to-tape transfers, the system creates 24p media by removing the extra fields inserted by the 2:3 pulldown process and creating progressive frames.

Working in 24p simplifies digital editing of film or other 24-fps-originated content, such as HDTV video that has been downconverted to ITU-R 601 digital video. In addition, 24p media requires less storage and processing power than 30-fps media. Because 24p provides a common production format for multiversion, multiformat delivery, it promises to become the new universal format for all film and video content.

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

About 25p Media

The 25p format is primarily for use in countries where PAL video is standard. When you transfer 25-fps film footage to 25-fps PAL video, no modifications are necessary due to matching frame rates.

The 25-fps feature provides the following advantages:

• Simultaneous input of video and audio in sync

• Frame-accurate ink number tracking

• Digital cut recording directly to videotape

• Frame-accurate cut lists and change lists

• Frame-accurate audio EDLs for online editing of audio tracks

• Frame-accurate EDLs for assembling footage from the transfer or for preparing an online show master

The source for 25p media is typically 25-fps film or 25-fps HDTV format. The methods for creating and storing 25p media are the same as for 24p media.

Editing Basics

The unique nature of nonlinear editing — and the specific features of the Avid system — suggest a new process of editing and the flow of your work on projects, as described in this section.

About Nonlinear Editing

As a digital, nonlinear editing tool, Avid systems provides complete random access to footage, with instantaneous cueing and retrieval of sequences, segments, clips, and frames.

In addition, traditional editing requires that you electronically copy video from a source tape to a master tape. When you make changes in this linear arrangement, you must reassemble all of the clips that follow the change. By contrast, when you edit with an Avid system, you are not actually

cutting or dubbing the footage. Instead, your source tapes are digitized into media files that can be played just like the original tapes. When you edit, you work with these images and sounds (objects) with great freedom, creating data files that refer to the media files and to your original source tapes. You can make changes, and the entire sequence is immediately updated. This is the primary benefit of nonlinear editing.

The system maintains frame-accurate links between each alteration of the objects you work with and the original media files. This allows you to experiment with every edit you make through multiple generations. When you play back your work, the system immediately accesses and plays the appropriate portions of the digitized video and audio.

Editing Components

Knowing some basic terms for the editing components will help you use your Avid system more effectively. They are:

• Bin: the window in which you organize the material to be edited

Editing Basics

• Cut list: a series of output lists containing specifications used to conform the work print or film negative

• Digital cut: a copy made directly from disk to tape

• EDL: edit decision list containing detailed information on your sequence for editing of a videotape master

• Effect mode: the controls in the Timeline and the Effect Editor window to apply, render, and edit effects into the sequence

• Finishing mode (Symphony only): a mode composed of a Playback monitor that displays the assembled sequence

• IN and OUT points: the starting and ending points of an edit

• Master clip: an editing object that references the compressed media

• Media file: the stored, compressed digital data representing the original video and audio

• Project: the job that results in one or more sequences; the Project window organizes all the clips, sequences, effects, and media file pointers for a program or series of programs

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

• Segment mode: the editing controls for moving, deleting, marking, and editing segments in the Timeline

• Sequence: an edited composition that includes audio and video clips and rendered effects

• Source clip: the smallest media object that contains all the information necessary to reference footage

• Source/Record mode: a mode composed of a Source monitor that displays source clips, a Record monitor that displays the assembled sequence, and controls for making basic edits

• Subclip: a part of a master clip, which references the master clip

• Timeline: the graphical representation of every edit made to a sequence, including all nested effects and layered tracks

• Trim mode: the controls for fine-tuning edits and transitions with various trim procedures

Project Workflow

The following sections introduce the five stages of a project, along with the system terms you encounter in the Avid system. Complete procedures for each phase are described in this guide, in the Avid Help system, in the online books, and in the appropriate editing guide.

Starting a Project

Starting a project involves the following steps:

1. Turn on your equipment in a prescribed order and start the Avid software.

2. Select or create a new project: the job that will result in one or more finished sequences.

Project Workflow

1. Turn on and start your Avid system.

2. Select or create a project.

3. Create and organize bins.

4. Back up your project on a regular basis.

3. Create and organize bins.

4. Back up the project.

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

Preparing to Edit

1. Import your shot logs into the bins, or log the material manually to create source clips.

2. Digitize your analog footage, creating media files and master clips.

3. Work with bins and clips to organize your source material for easy access during editing.

Preparing to edit involves the following steps:

1. Import shot logs into the bin.

2. Digitize footage, creating master clips and media files.

4. (Option) Build a storyboard, to begin previsualizing your final cut before editing.

5. Manage media files using controls provided by the system, such as the Media tool.

3. Sort and organize clips in the bins.

4. Previsualize with storyboards.

5. Manage media files for storage efficiency, and backup security.

Editing a Sequence

Editing a sequence involves the following steps:

1. View your clips in advance and mark IN points and OUT points, or create subclips based on selected portions of your master clips.

Source monitor

2. Build your sequence in Source/Record mode, which provides nonlinear editing controls with Source and Record monitors, and in the Timelin e.

3. Fine-tune your edits and effects using functions of the various edit modes, such as Segment mode, Trim mode, and Effect mode.

1. Screen, mark, and subcatalog footage.

2. Edit in Source/Record mode and in the Timeline.

Project Workflow

5. Screen and continue editing as necessary.

Record monitor

Timeline

4. Adjust and mix multiple audio tracks and prepare for final playback or output, using the Avid Audio

tool and Audio Mix tool.

5. Return to editing if further adjustments are required.

3. Fine-tune edits and effects.

4. Fine-tune audio pan, volume, and EQ.

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

Finishing a Sequence (Symphony Only)

Finishing a sequence involves the following steps:

1. Batch digitize your clips at a 1:1 resolution (uncompressed).

1. Batch digitize at an uncompressed rate.

2. In Finishing mode, you can sweeten audio, make any color corrections, add a chroma or luma key effect, repair dropouts, or add complex matte creations.

3. Link to Avid’s family of products or third-party applications.

2. Adjust color, add key effects, and repair dropouts.

3. Link to other applications.

Generating Output

Generating various forms of output based on your sequence involves selecting among several options:

1. Export and exchange material for audio sweetening or graphics enhancement in a thirdparty application, or for incorporating into a multimedia project.

2. Record the final sequence as a digital cut as NTSC or PAL, with 16:9 or 4:3 screen ratio.

Project Workflow

1. Export and exchange material for import into third-party applications.

2. Record a digital cut directly to tape.

Cut list

3. Generate a cut list to be used for conforming a film negative or work print.

4. Generate an EDL to create an HDTV online master.

3. Generate a cut list for film negative or work print.

4. Generate an EDL for HDTV online master.

Chapter 2 About the Avid System

Behind the Scenes

Every time you work and make changes to a project it’s backed up and saved to a folder.

The Avid Attic Folder

The Avid system saves copies of your current project and its bins at regular intervals and whenever you save or close a project or bin. These auto-save files are stored in the Avid Attic folder in the Avid application folder. If at any time you lose work due to a power outage or system error, open the Avid Attic folder and look for a project or bin of the same name with the file name extension .bakxx, where xx is the version number. For example, the first backup file for the bin Rough Cut would be named Rough Cut.bak01. Later versions would be named Rough Cut.bak02, Rough Cut.bak03, and so on.

Chapter 3

Starting a Project

The Project window provides controls in five different display modes for structuring and viewing important information about your current project. These include a display of bins and folders associated with the project, a list of all settings, and basic information about the format of the project and use of system memory, hardware, and project usage.

Starting a project is described in the following sections:

• About Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

• Copying Project Information

• Using the Bins Display

• About Trash

• Using the Settings Display

• About Settings

• Customizing Your Workspace

Tutorial: Starting a Project contains the following sections:

• Starting the Application (Windows)

• Starting the Application (Macintosh)

• Opening a Project

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

About Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

Avid Projects and Avid Users folders allow you to move whole projects or selected project and user settings between systems by copying and moving files on your desktop.

When you create a new project or user, the system creates the following files and folders:

• When you create a new user, the system creates three items: a user profile file, a User settings file, and a user folder containing the two. Each item is given the user name you provide. This new folder is stored in the Avid Users folder on your internal hard drive in \Program Files\Avid\Symphony or \Program Files\Avid\Media Composer (Windows), or in Macintosh HD/Users/Shared (Macintosh).

• When you create a new project, the system creates three items: a project file, a Project settings file, and a folder containing the two, each of which is given the project name you provide. This new folder is stored in the Avid Projects folder on your internal hard drive in \Program Files\Avid\Symphony or \Program Files\Avid\Media Composer (Windows), or in Macintosh HD/Users/Shared (Macintosh).

Your settings are initially set to the default values. As you work, the files maintain current settings, or are adjusted to your use, while the project folder fills with bin files.

Copying Project Information

The Avid system allows you to copy a project from one Avid product to another, such as from an Avid Media Composer system to an Avid Symphony system. You can also move a project to another Avid system through Avid EDL Manager or by importing an OMFI file (composition only).

To copy project information to your Avid system:

1. On the offline system, copy the project folder to a PC-formatted disk or a location on a server.

You can also copy settings. User Settings folders are located in the Avid Users folder at the top level of the internal hard drive (Windows) or the Macintosh HD drive (Macintosh). Site settings are located in the Avid product folder, also at the top level of the internal hard drive (Windows) or the Macintosh HD drive (Macintosh).

Copying Project Information

2. On the Avid system (Windows), copy the project folder from the disk or server to the following folder:

C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid product\Avid Projects

Copy the User settings to:

C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid product\Avid Users

Copy the Site Settings folder to:

C:\Program Files\Avid\Avid product\Settings

3. On the Avid system (Macintosh), copy the project folder from the disk or server to the following folder:

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid Projects

Copy the User settings to:

Macintosh HD/Users/Shared/Avid/Avid Users

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Copy the Site Settings folder to:

Macintosh HD/Application/Avid product/Settings

The next time you see the Select User and Project dialog box, the new project will appear in the project scroll list. New User settings will appear in the user list.

Using the Bins Display

Bins are windows that contain titles, thumbnails (small pictures that represent clips), and information about the material you digitize. These editable files are called master clips. They refer to the actual media files created when you digitize source material. While the physical media are stored on external hard drives, the master clips that refer to that media reside in the bin. Bins also store the sequences, subclips, group clips, and effects clips that you create during a project. The Project window allows you to make a new bin, close it, reopen it, and move clips among these bins. You can also open bins created for different projects.

After you select a user and project in the Select User and Project dialog box, the Project window opens. To view a complete list of bins associated with the project, click the Bins tab in the Project window. A list of bins appears.

Bins tab

Open bin

About Trash

From the Bins list you can examine the number, names, size, and location of bins, and you can also open bins. Dotted bin icons next to bin names indicate bins that are currently open; solid icons indicate closed bins.

Avid stores deleted bins in the Trash. The Trash icon is located in the Project window and only appears when you delete a bin. You can use the Trash to retrieve bins you deleted in error, or empty the Trash to create more disk space.

To empty the contents of the Trash:

1. Click the Trash icon to display its contents.

2. Click the Bin Fast Menu button at the top of the Bin window.

3. Select Empty Trash.

Bin Fast Menu button

Trash icon with file in Trash

Clips, subclips, and effects that are in a bin appear in the Trash after you delete the bin. However, if you select a clip, subclip, or effect directly and press the Delete key, the item does not appear in the Trash .

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Using the Settings Display

From the Settings display, you can view, select, open, and alter various User, Project, and Site settings, as described in this section.

To view the Settings display, click the Settings tab in the Project window. The Settings scroll list appears.

Settings tab

Settings type

About Settings

Three types of settings are displayed in the Settings scroll list:

• User settings are specific to a particular editor. User settings reflect

• Project settings are directly related to individual projects. When a

• Site settings establish default parameters for all new users and projects

About Settings

individual preferences for adjusting the user interface in your Avid system. Individual User settings are stored in each user folder within the Avid Users folder on your internal hard drive in \Program Files\Avid\Symphony or \Program Files\Avid\Media Composer (Windows), or in Macintosh HD/Users/Shared (Macintosh).

Project setting is changed, it affects all editors working on the project. Specific Project settings are stored in each project folder within the Avid Projects folder on your internal hard drive in \Program Files\Avid\Symphony or \Program Files\Avid\Media Composer (Windows), or in Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid Symphony or Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid Media Composer (Macintosh).

on a particular system. These can apply to particular configurations of equipment installed at the site, for example, specifications and node settings for an external switcher. They can also include other User or Project settings that you copy into the Site Settings window. Site settings are stored in a separate Settings folder in the Symphony or Media Composer folder on your internal hard drive in \Program Files\Avid\Symphony or \Program Files\Avid\Media Composer (Windows), or in Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid Symphony or Macintosh HD/Applications/Avid Media Composer (Macintosh).

Reviewing Basic Settings

For a complete description of all settings and their options, see the Help system.

The following list describes basic system settings to review at the start of your project:

• Bin settings

• General settings

• Interface settings

• Workspace settings

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Double-click each setting in the Settings scroll list of the Project window to view the following dialog boxes:

• Bin settings define general system functions related to bins, including:

• General settings define fundamental system defaults, including:

• Interface settings determine the level of basic information displayed

• Works pa ce settings let you associate a configuration of windows with

- Parameters of the Auto-save function

- Maximum number of bin backup files stored in the Avid Attic folder

- Starting timecode for sequences edited in your Avid system

- Setup default for either American NTSC or NTSC-EIAJ video input (affects calibration)

- Whether the system uses Windows compatible file names and allows file names to exceed more than 27 characters

in the interface, including whether written labels are displayed beneath icons in the various command palettes.

a workspace setting name. You can customize any user settings and link the settings to a workspace. You can have as many workspace settings as you want. For more information, see the appropriate editing guide and “Workspace:assigning” in the Help index.

Customizing Your Workspace

A workspace is the arrangement and size of tools displayed on your Avid system. If you are accustomed to working with a particular group of windows arranged and sized in a particular setup, you can assign them to a workspace setting that saves that arrangement.

You can also link user settings to a workspace. You can create a customized workspace and set up specific options in any Settings window, and link them together by name.

Customizing Your Workspace

For example, you can create an Audio workspace that opens the Audio Mix tool and Audio tool. This workspace will also open a customized Timeline (with enlarged audio tracks and rubberbanding displays). You can also link this workspace to a Settings window with customized options selected. You do this by creating a setting and giving it the same name in the Project window as the name of the workspace.

You can assign up to eight buttons that allow you to switch between usercustomized workspaces. This is very useful if there is more than one user accessing the same Avid system. Each user can assign up to eight workspaces using the workspace buttons. For more information on creating workspace settings, see “Creating a New Workspace Setting” in the appropriate editing guide.

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Tutorial: Starting a Project

In this tutorial, you start your Avid system, create a user, and select a project. Before starting this procedure, make sure you have installed the Tutorial files (see “Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)” on page 29 or

“Installing the Tutorial Files (Macintosh)” on page 33).

Starting the Application (Windows)

To start the Avid system on a Windows system, do one of the following:

t Double-click the desktop shortcut icon.

t Click the Start button, and select Programs > Avid > Symphony or

Media Composer.

After a few moments, the Select User and Project dialog box opens.

To start the application from the desktop, Avid recommends you create a shortcut and place it there.

If the license agreement window opens, click either Accept or Accept and Don’t Show Again.

For this tutorial, you will use the Boat Shop NTSC or Boat Shop PAL project (along with its settings file) that you installed into the Avid Projects folder in “Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)” on page 29.

Starting the Application (Macintosh)

To start the Avid system on a Macintosh system, do one of the following:

t Double-click the desktop shortcut icon.

t Select Go > Applications, and then double-click the Avid application

icon.

After a few moments, the Select User and Project dialog box opens.

Starting the Application (Macintosh)

If the license agreement window opens, click either Accept or Accept and Don’t Show Again.

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Opening a Project

To open a project, you create a new user and select an existing project.

Creating a User

To create a new user:

1. Click the New User button in the Select User and Project dialog box.

The New User dialog box opens.

2. Type your name and click OK.

The Select User and Project dialog box reopens with your name highlighted in the list of users.

Selecting a Project

To select a project:

Opening a Project

To get help for the Project window, press Ctrl+Shift and click in the Project window. (Macintosh only)

1. Select Boat Shop NTSC or Boat Shop PAL from the Avid Projects list and click OK.

The Project window opens. It lists the bins, or storage areas, created to hold the clips and sequences you will need for this tutorial.

2. Double-click the icon to the left of Source Clips to open the bin.

This bin contains the clips of the source footage you will use to begin to build the Tutorial sequence.

You’ve finished this tutorial. The next tutorial is “Tutorial: Getting Ready

to Edit” on page 96. Be sure to read Chapter 4 and the introductory

material in Chapter 5 before continuing the tutorial.

Chapter 3 Starting a Project

Chapter 4

Digitizing

This chapter discusses the digitizing process and related tools.

Digitizing is described in the following sections:

• Selecting Settings

• About the Digitize Tool

• About the Audio Tool

• About the Video Input Tool

• Digitizing Preparations Check List

• About Digitizing

Selecting Settings

A number of settings have a direct bearing on the digitizing process. Before digitizing, review the following options for General Settings, Deck Settings, and Digitize Settings:

• Drive Filtering Based on Resolution causes the system to dim all drives for which speed capabilities are unknown or untested in a particular video resolution. This setting is selected by default in the General Settings dialog box.

The Avid system does not prevent you from using non-Avid drives, but their reliability cannot be assured.

Chapter 4 Digitizing

• Deck Preferences include various options for source deck, sync mode, preroll, drop/non-drop-frame preference, and deck control.

• Deck Configuration Settings allow you to establish deck control parameters for a single deck or for multiple decks. You can manually configure the deck or use the Autoconfigure option.

• Digitize Settings include essential options for digitizing and batch digitizing, including general parameters for capture of the source material, and special conditions such as digitizing across timecode breaks or capturing a single video frame.

About the Digitize Tool

For more information on the Digitize tool, see “Digitize tool:setting up” in the Help index.

Record

Channel Selection

Video Input

Message bar

Clip name and comment

Bin

Target Drive Single/Dual Drives

Deck controls

The Digitize tool provides controls for digitizing your footage.

To open the Digitize tool, select Tools > Digitize. The Digitize tool opens.

Digitize indicator

Trash

Digitize/Log Mode

Toggle Source

Video Input Tool

Audio Tool

Enable Timecode

Audio Input

Resolution

Color/Monochrome Selection button

Drive time

available

Sets specific timecode for digitizing

Deck Selection Source Tape

display

Custom Preroll

About the Digitize Tool

The Digitize tool has the following options:

• Audio Input pop-up menu allows you to select Analog, AES/EBU, or S/PDIF.

• Audio Tool button opens the Audio tool.

• Bin pop-up menu lets you select a target bin as the destination for the master clips created when you digitize on-the-fly. You can also select a target bin containing the logged clips you will use to batch digitize your media.

• Channel Selection panel lets you select which audio and video tracks you want to digitize from the source tape, whether you want to digitize video or audio only, and whether you want to record timecode.

• Clip name and comment allows you to enter a clip name and any other information about the clip.

• Color/Monochrome Selection button allows you to filter out all of the color from each frame of video when digitizing.

• Custom Preroll check box allows you to select a preroll of 1 to 30 seconds.

• Deck controls operate the deck.

• Deck Selection pop-up menu lets you select the deck you want to play from. It also lets you check and reset serial port connections to decks.

• Digitize indicator flashes on and off while you are digitizing.

• Digitize/Log Mode button lets you switch between Digitize mode and Log mode.

• Drive time available is displayed after you select a video resolution and target a drive or drives for the digitized media.

• Enable Timecode button allows the system to digitize timecode from the source tape. If this is deselected, the system digitizes the time-ofday timecode.

• Message bar displays information on the current status of the tool.

Chapter 4 Digitizing

• Record to the Timeline allows you to digitize footage directly from tape into a sequence loaded in the Timeline in one step. Recording to the Timeline works best when you are digitizing on-the-fly.

• Red Record button begins the digitizing process.

• Resolution pop-up menu next to the Bin pop-up menu lets you select a video resolution including an uncompressed resolution to digitize three uncompressed streams of media.

• Single/Dual Drives button lets you target a single or separate media drives for digitizing the audio and video for each clip.

• Source Tape display shows the name of the source tape.

• Target Drive pop-up menu lets you select the target drive.

• Toggle Source button switches the deck online or displays the External Timecode icon, which allows you to select LTC (longitudinal or linear timecode).

• Trash button stops the digitizing process and deletes the digitized media.

• Video Input pop-up menu allows you to select Composite, Component, or S-Video.

• Video Input Tool button opens the Video Input tool.

About the Audio Tool

For more information on the Audio tool, see “Audio tool:setting up” in the Help index.

In/Out

Reset Peak

Track

Digital VU scale

The Audio tool controls parameters for audio input and output.

To open the Audio tool, select Tools > Audio Tool or click the Audio Tool button in the Digitize tool. The Audio tool opens. Click the Output and Setup buttons to fully open the Audio tool.

Output

Meters

Peak/Hold

Setup

Analog VU scale

Output display

Setup display

Channel Selectors

The Audio tool has the following options:

• Analog VU scale on the right displays a fixed range of values that you can conform to the headroom parameters of your source audio.

• Channel Selector pop-up menus let you map tracks in the sequence to output channels.

• Digital VU scale on the left displays a fixed range of values from 0 to –90 decibels (dB), according to common digital peak meter standards.

• In/Out buttons switch the meter displays for each channel between input levels from a source device, and output levels to the speakers and record devices. I indicates Input and O indicates Output.

Chapter 4 Digitizing

• Meters dynamically track audio levels for each channel as follows:

- Meters show green below the target reference level (the default reference level is –14 dB on the digital scale).

- Meters show yellow for the normal headroom range, above the reference level to approximately –3 dB.

- Meters show red for peaks approaching overload, between –3 dB and 0 dB.

- Thin green lines at the bottom indicate signals below the display range.

• Output button displays the Output display.

• Output display contains a single slider control for raising or lowering global audio output.

• Peak/Hold button allows you to select options for customizing the meter displays, and setting and playing back the internal calibration tone.

• Reset Peak button resets the current maximum peak measurements. It also stops the playback of the internal calibration tone.

• Setup button displays the Setup display.

• Setup display contains information and controls for adjusting various audio hardware parameters.

• Track indicator displays the audio track number.

For more information on using the Audio tool, see the Help system.

About the Video Input Tool

For more information on the Video Input tool, see “Calibrating:for video input” in the Help index.

Input

Waveform Monitor button

The Video Input tool controls parameters for incoming video.

To open the Video Input tool, select Tools > Video Input Tool or click the Video Input Tool button in the Digitize tool. The Video Input tool opens. Click the Internal Waveform Monitor and Vectorscope Monitor buttons to fully open the Video Input tool.

Vectorscope VectorscopeInternal

Monitor button

Internal Waveform monitor

monitor

Settings

Preset buttons

Consumer Source and 100% Bars

Slider

The Video Input tool has the following options:

• 100% Bars is used if the source displays 100% bars for calibration.

• Consumer Source is selected if you are using a consumer-grade video deck (VCR), or a deck that has no built-in time-based corrector.

• Input pop-up menu lets you select either Composite, Component, or S-Video input source.

• Internal Waveform Monitor button lets you adjust luminance (Y gain and black setup) values.

Chapter 4 Digitizing

• Preset buttons are lit when the factory preset levels are displayed. When you click a lit Preset button, it dims and the slider returns to the most recent manual level setting.

• Settings pop-up menu lets you save the Site settings for an individual tape each time you calibrate bars.

• Sliders let you change the value for: Black, Y Gain, Saturation, and Hue.

• Vectorscope Monitor button lets you adjust hue and saturation.

Digitizing Preparations Check List

1. Consider striping your drives in advance according to the appropriate setup guide, Avid MediaDrive Utilities User’s Guide (Windows), or AVIDdrive Utility 2 User’s Guide (Macintosh) if you are working on a complex project with multiple streams of video and high-resolution images.

2. Consider labeling each of your external drives. If there are no labels, you can add a specific name to help identify the information on the drive, for example, Boat Shop (G:). When digitizing audio, you must keep the audio files on a separate external drive from the uncompressed video files. To keep both the audio and video on separate drives, label your drives, for example: Audio (F:) and Media (G:).

3. Check your hardware configurations: power switches, cable connections, and remote switch on the source deck for deck control (for hardware configurations, see the appropriate setup guide).

4. In the Project Settings scroll list, make sure you have selected the options you want in the General Settings, Deck Settings, Deck Preferences, Deck Configuration, and Digitize Settings dialog boxes.

5. Insert a tape into the deck and set up the Digitize tool for track selection, target bin, target drives, source tape, and source deck.

6. Set up the Compression tool for video resolution and color compression (for more information, see the appropriate editing guide and “Compression tool:setting up” in the Help index).

7. Use the Audio tool to set the audio input levels.

8. Use the Video Input tool to set the video input levels; save your video settings for future use.

About Digitizing

You can digitize your source material in one of the following ways:

t Digitize and log at the same time

t Batch digitize

t Redigitize

About Digitizing

Digitizing and Logging at the Same Time

When you digitize without entering log information in a bin ahead of time, the system creates clips and associated media files while you digitize. Digitizing in this manner involves manually cueing source footage with an Avid-controlled deck, using the deck controls in the Digitize tool.

For more information on digitizing, see “Overview:digitizing” in the Help index.

There are several ways to digitize and log at the same time. They are:

• Digitizing from a mark IN to a mark OUT. This method lets you specify the exact timecode location to begin and end digitizing. You can also specify only a mark IN or mark OUT, and enter the other mark on-the-fly.

• Digitizing on-the-fly. This method is easier than setting marks, but it is more imprecise. It involves using the deck controls in the lower left corner of the Digitize tool to cue, play, and stop the source footage manually while digitizing.

Chapter 4 Digitizing

Batch Digitizing

• Autodigitizing. This method requires the least amount of supervision and effort, but usually calls for more digitizing time and disk storage space. It involves playing each source tape from a cue point near the beginning and letting the system digitize the entire tape, automatically naming and entering each long clip into the bin.

For more information and procedures, see “Batch digitizing” in the Help index.

For more information and procedures, see “Adjusting color bars” in the Help index.

Redigitizing

For more information and procedures, see “Redigitizing” in the Help index.

Once you have imported a log or manually logged a group of clips into a bin, you can automate the digitize process using your Avid system’s batch–digitizing capabilities. To batch digitize, source tapes must have timecode.

(Symphony only) In Symphony, after selecting all the clips you want to batch digitize, select Res > uncompressed resolution.

(Symphony only) If your media was analog (not digital) when digitized, you will need to reset the color bars in the Video Input tool before batch digitizing.

(Symphony only) After you batch digitize the media at the uncompressed resolution, you will have to re-create title media and rerender any non-realtime effects you might have in your sequence. See “Re-creating Title Media” and “Rendering Multiple Effects “in the appropriate effects guide.

Redigitizing is the process of capturing previously digitized source footage based on existing clips and sequences. Redigitizing uses the batch–digitize process and does not require extra logging time because the clip information for such things as source tracks, timecodes, and resolution settings already exists in the bin.

Chapter 5

Getting Ready to Edit

Before starting an editing session, you need to understand how to organize and manipulate your clips.

Preparing to edit is described in the following sections:

• About Bin Views

• Controlling Playback

• Marking IN and OUT Points

• Creating Subclips

Tutorial: Getting Ready to Edit contains the following sections:

• Viewing Cl ips

• Playing Clips

• Marking Edit Points

• Subclipping

• Clearing IN Points and OUT Points

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

About Bin Views

You can use four views for working with clips in a bin: Brief view, Text view, Frame view, and Script view.

The Bin Fast menu displays the same menu as the Bin menu on the toolbar along the top of your screen.

Brief tab

Column headings

Object icons

Bin Fast

Menu button

•In Brief view, clips are displayed in a database text format that uses columns and rows, with icons representing the various objects. Brief view displays only five standard columns of information about your clips and sequences.

To enter Brief view, click the Brief tab.

•In Text view, clips are displayed in a database text format that uses columns and rows, with icons representing the various objects. You can save various arrangements of columns, text, and objects as customized views using the Bins settings in the Project window and the Bin Fast menu.

To enter Text view, click the Text tab.

Text tab

About Bin Views

Bin View pop-up menu

To the right of the Bin Fast Menu button in Text view, is a pop-up menu of titles for different Bin views. Bins have the following default views that are automatically loaded:

• Statistics view uses the standard statistical column headings derived from information established during capture, such as Start and End timecodes, Duration, Resolution, and so on.

• Custom view allows you to create and save customized views. The only required heading is the clip name, displayed by default. You can customize the view by adding, hiding, or rearranging column headings.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

•In Frame view, each clip is represented by a single picture frame, with the name of the clip. You can play back the footage in each frame, change the size of frames, and rearrange frames in any order within the bin.

To enter Frame view, click the Frame tab.

About Bin Views

•In Script view, the Avid system combines the features of Text view with Frame view, and adds space for typing notes or script. The frames are displayed vertically on the left side of your screen with a text box to the right of each clip. Clip data is displayed above the text box.

To enter Script view, click the Script tab.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Controlling Playback

There are several ways to play, view, and cue clips. You can:

• Instantly access frames or move through footage using the position indicator within the position bar under the Source or Record monitors and under the Playback monitor (Symphony only) in the Symphony system’s Finishing view

For additional keyboard and userselectable button shortcuts, see the appropriate quick reference card.

• Play, step (jog), or shuttle through footage using user-selectable buttons

• Play, step, or shuttle using keyboard equivalents

• Step or shuttle using the mouse

Using Position Bars and Position Indicators

You can quickly access frames within a clip that’s been loaded into a monitor, or move through the footage using the position indicators that appear in the position bars under Source or Record monitors and in the Timeline when you are viewing a sequence.

• You can move the position indicator within the position bar under the Source or Record monitors by clicking anywhere in the position bar, or by clicking the position indicator and dragging it to the left or right. The speed with which you drag the position indicator determines the speed at which you move through the footage.

Position bar

Position indicator

Position indicator in Timeline

Using Buttons

Controlling Playback

• In the Timeline, the position indicator shows your position within the sequence. It is always in the same position as the position indicator in the Record monitor’s position bar, and works in the same way. You can click anywhere in the Timeline to relocate the position indicator, or you can click the position indicator and drag it through footage at varying speeds.

• You can go directly to the beginning or end of a clip or sequence by clicking at the far left or far right of the clip or sequence.

You can use the user-selectable buttons that appear below the Source and Record monitors to play and step through your footage. You can also use the keyboard to manipulate footage.

These buttons can be remapped from the Command palette onto any of the user palettes and the keyboard in any configuration.

Play Reverse, Play, Pause, Stop, Rewind, and Fast Forward Buttons

The Play Reverse, Play, Pause, Stop, Rewind, and Fast Forward buttons work much like the buttons on any conventional VCR. With a clip loaded in a monitor, the Play button plays your footage at a normal rate. The Play Reverse button plays backward at a normal rate.

Play

Pause

Play Reverse

Stop

Fast Forward

Rewind

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

During playback, the Play button also acts as a Stop button.

The Fast Forward and Rewind buttons instantly cue the footage to the next transition between clips. By default, the buttons cue footage to the head frame of the next transition. You can select the following alternatives in the Settings dialog box:

• Stop at Tail Frames

• Stop at Locators

• Ignore Track Lights

To access the Settings dialog box, click the Settings tab in the Project window.

The Play, Fast Forward, and Rewind buttons appear by default in the first row of buttons below the Source and Record monitors and the pop-up monitors. You can map the Play Reverse, Stop, and Pause buttons from the Command palette.

When viewing sequences in the Playback monitor (Symphony only) or Record monitor, you can play only video and audio tracks that are currently monitored in the Track Selector panel.

Video Track Monitor button

Track

Selector

panel

Audio Track

Monitor button

To play a clip:

1. Load a clip or sequence into a monitor.

2. For sequences in the Record monitor, click the Video Track Monitor or Audio Track Monitor button in the Track Selector panel if they appear dimmed.

Step Buttons

Controlling Playback

3. Go to the start of the clip or sequence by clicking the start of the position bar under the monitor, or by pressing the Home key.

4. To play the clip or sequence, click the Play button under the selected monitor.

5. To stop playback, press the space bar or click the Play button again.

1 frame forward

10 frames

forward

1 frame backward

10 frames backward

You can also use the Step buttons under the monitors to play the clip backward or forward in 1-frame or 10-frame increments.

When you have a single row of buttons displayed under your monitors, the Step Forward and Step Backward buttons appear. If you press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh) while clicking either button, you can advance 1 or 10 frames forward and 1 or 10 frames backward.

To display all four Step buttons, you must display two rows of buttons under the monitors when configuring the Source and Record monitors in the Settings dialog box.

To step through footage:

1. Load a clip or sequence into a monitor.

2. Click the appropriate button to step 1 or 10 frames forward or backward.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Using the Tool Palette

The Tool palette provides additional buttons for editing and navigating.

You can view the Tool palette by clicking the Fast Menu button between the Source and Record monitors. Click the Tool palette and drag it to any other location on the screen for easy access. You can also map additional buttons from the Command palette to the Tool palette (see “Using the

Command Palette” on page 139).

To view the Tool palette with text, make sure the Show Labels in Tool Palette option is selected in the Interface Settings dialog box.

To access the Settings dialog box, click the Settings tab in the Project window.

Using the Keyboard

Tool palette without text

Tool palette with text

The default keyboard contains all of the buttons mentioned, except the Single-Field Step buttons.

You can view your keyboard settings by selecting Keyboard from the Settings scroll list in the Project window.

You can move and reassign buttons on the keyboard using the Command palette; see “User-selectable buttons:mapping” in the Help index.

Controlling Playback

Step buttons

Play button

Stop button

J-K-L Keys (Three-Button Play)

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

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

1. Do one of the following:

Play/Step/Shuttle buttons

End key

Home key

t Load a clip or sequence into the Source or Record monitor.

t Select a clip in a bin in Frame view.

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

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

speed. Press once to increase the forward speed 2 times, twice to increase it 4 times, and three times to increase it 8 times normal speed, as desired.

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

increments.

- Press and hold the K and L keys together for slow forward.

- Press and hold the K and J keys together for slow backward.

3. To pause the shuttling, press the K key or press the space bar.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Home, End, and Arrow Keys

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

• The Home key takes you to the beginning of a clip or sequence.

• The End key takes you to the end of a sequence.

• The Left Arrow key moves the footage one frame backward.

• The Right Arrow key moves the footage one frame forward.

Using the Mouse

You can use the mouse for one-handed control of playback. You can either step or shuttle using the mouse.

Stepping with the Mouse

To step using the mouse:

Mouse Jog button

1. Do one of the following:

t Load a clip into the Source monitor or a sequence into the Record

monitor.

t Select a clip in a bin in Frame view.

2. Do one of the following:

t Press the N key to activate mouse control for stepping.

t Activate the buttons on the Command palette by selecting Active

Palette at the bottom of the Command palette. Then click the Mouse Jog button, which appears on the Play tab of the Command palette. This button can be mapped to any button under the Record monitor by selecting the Button to Button Reassignment option (see “Using the Command Palette” on page 139).

3. Move the mouse to the right to step forward, or to the left to step backward.

4. To quit stepping with the mouse, press the space bar.

Shuttling with the Mouse

To shuttle using the mouse:

1. Do one of the following:

t Load a clip or sequence into the Source or Record monitor.

t Select a clip in a bin in Frame view.

2. Do one of the following:

t Press the semicolon (;) key to activate mouse control for

Controlling Playback

shuttling.

Mouse Shuttle button

t Activate the buttons on the Command palette by selecting Active

Palette at the bottom of the Command palette. Then click the Mouse Shuttle button, which appears on the Play tab of the Command palette. This button can be mapped to any button under the Record monitor by selecting the Button to Button Reassignment option (see “Using the Command Palette” on

page 139).

3. Move the mouse to the right to increase the shuttle speed, or to the left to decrease the shuttle speed.

4. To quit shuttling with the mouse, press the space bar or double-click the mouse button.

You can also use the keyboard in conjunction with the mouse to control shuttling. For example, if you are shuttling with the mouse and you press the L key, the playback speeds up to the next normal play rate (30, 60, 90, 150, or 240 fps for NTSC; 25, 50, 75, 125, or 200 fps for PAL). You can continue to change the shuttle speed and direction with the mouse.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Marking IN and OUT Points

You can mark IN and OUT points for your clips in advance, which provides several advantages:

• 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 (see “Storyboarding” on page 145).

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

Even if your marks are not accurate now, the Avid system allows you to trim the edit points and fine-tune the sequence later without reediting the material.

Creating Subclips

When you mark footage with IN and OUT points, you can either save the entire clip along with the new marks, or you can create subclips based on the marks you set to break up longer master clips into smaller segments of selected footage.

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

Creating Subclips

You can also create subclips while digitizing as described in “Subclips:creating on-the-fly” in the Help index.

Clip icon

You can create subclips directly from the marked section of material in the monitors using the following methods:

• Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh): Press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh), then click the picture and drag it from the monitor to the bin in which you want to store the subclip.

• Clip icon: Click the icon next to the clip name in the Source monitor, then drag the icon to the bin in which you want to store the subclip.

The pointer changes to an icon of a hand pointing at a frame while you drag the frame. When you release the frame the subclip acquires a new name with the file name extension Sub.x, and a Subclip icon appears in the intended bin.

• Make Subclip button: Click the Make Subclip button located in the Command palette to create the subclip and place it into the active bin by default. If you press and hold the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh) while you click the Make Subclip button, a dialog box allows you to select the destination bin for the subclip.

For more information on trimming, see “Trim edits” in the Help index.

A new subclip as referenced in Text view

The new subclip is listed in the bin, preceded by a Subclip icon and identified with a numbered .Sub file name extension, as shown in the following illustration.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Tutorial: Getting Ready to Edit

This tutorial takes you through the early stages of editing.

Viewing Clips

If you need more information, be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.

1. If your Avid system is not already running, start it by double-clicking the Avid application icon.

2. Select your user name and your Boat Shop NTSC or Boat Shop PAL project and click OK.

3. From the Project window, double-click the Source Clips bin.

The clips are displayed in the bin.

The information in a bin can be viewed in the following ways:

• Brief view displays only five standard columns of information about your clips and sequences.

• Text view displays multiple columns of information about your clips and sequences.

• Frame view displays each clip as a single representative image.

• Script view displays each clip with an image and an area in which to enter text as part of a storyboard.

Viewing Clips

Bin Fast Menu button

Using Text View

Text view

Frame view

Let’s look at Text view.

1. Click the Text tab to view information about clips in the Source Clips bin.

If the tab is highlighted, you are already in Text view.

You can rearrange the clips in the bin by sorting on a particular column. Let’s sort by clip name so we can easily locate any clip.

2. Click the Name heading in the bin.

3. Select Bin > Sort along the top of the screen.

The clip names are rearranged in alphabetical order.

To sort in numerical order, select another heading, for example, duration.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

Using Frame View (Windows)

Now let’s look at Frame view.

1. Click the Frame tab to see a picture-frame representation of each clip in the bin.

The sorted order of clips does not carry over to Frame view.

2. Select Edit > Reduce Frame or Enlarge Frame.

To change frame size at the keyboard, you can also press Ctrl+K (Reduce Frame) and Ctrl+L (Enlarge Frame).

If some clips are now off screen, do one of the following:

t Click the Maximize button in the upper right corner of the bin

window.

t Select Bin > Fill Window.

t Click and drag the window corner in the lower right corner of the

bin window.

The clips are arranged in neat rows and columns in the bin.

Using Frame View (Macintosh)

Now let’s look at Frame view.

1. Click the Frame tab to see a picture-frame representation of each clip in the bin.

The sorted order of clips does not carry over to Frame view.

2. Select Edit > Reduce Frame or Enlarge Frame.

To change frame size at the keyboard, you can also press Command (k)+K (Reduce Frame) and k+L (Enlarge Frame).

Playing Clips

If some clips are now off screen, do one of the following:

t Click the Zoom button in the upper right corner of the bin

window.

t Select Bin > Fill Window.

t Click and drag the size box in the lower right corner of the bin

window.

3. Click the Zoom button in the upper right corner of the bin window labeled Source Clips.

The bin zooms out to enclose all the clips. However, they might be scattered randomly in the bin window. Let’s fix that.

4. Select Bin > Fill Window.

The clips are arranged in neat rows and columns in the bin.

Now you can adjust frame size so the clips are “readable” but not so large that they won’t fit in the bin window.

The clips are arranged in neat rows and columns in the bin.

Playing Clips

Your Avid system offers a variety of ways to play clips. The more you practice the various methods, the more control you will have over the editing process.

Playing Clips in the Source Monitor

(Symphony only) To display both the Source and Record monitors, click the Source/Record button to exit Finishing mode.

The Source and Record monitors are windows in which you can play clips.

1. In the Source Clips bin, open the clip named bridge by doubleclicking anywhere in the frame.

Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit

The bridge clip opens in the Source monitor.

2. Press the Home key on the keyboard (between the main keyboard and the numeric keypad) to go to the start of the clip.

100

The End key, just below the Home key, moves the position indicator to the end of the clip.

3. Press the Play (5) key on the keyboard to play the clip at normal speed.

4. Press the Play (5) key again (or press the space bar on the keyboard) to pause playback at any point.

5. Press the L key (Play) on the keyboard to play the clip forward at normal speed. Press the key repeatedly to play the clip forward at 60, 90, 150, and 240 frames per second (fps).

6. Press the J key (Reverse Play) on the keyboard to play the clip backward at normal speed. Press the key repeatedly to play the clip backward at 30, 60, 90, 150, and 240 frames per second (fps).

7. Press the K key (Pause) on the keyboard to pause playback.

8. To move forward or backward at slow speed, press and hold the K key while you press and hold the L or J key.

Pinnacle Systems Media Composer - 11.7 Quick Start Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Figures

Tables

Using This Guide

Who Should Use This Guide

About This Guide

Symbols and Conventions

If You Need Help

Related Information

If You Have Documentation Comments

How to Order Documentation

Avid Educational Services

Introduction

Using the Tutorial Sections

What You Need

Turning on Your Equipment

Installing the Tutorial Files (Windows)

Installing the Tutorial Files (Macintosh)

Starting the Avid System (Windows)

Starting the Avid System (Macintosh)

Electronic Licensing

How to Proceed

Using Help

Setting Up Your Browser

Getting Help for Windows and Dialog Boxes

Getting Help for Screen Objects

Keeping Help Available (Windows Only)

Restoring Help from the Taskbar (Windows Only)

Resizing the Application (Windows Only)

Using Alt+Tab (Windows Only)

Finding Information Within the Help

Using the Contents List

Using the Index

Using the Search Feature

Using the Glossary

Printing Help Topics

Using Online Documentation

About the Avid System

About the Avid System

About Avid Symphony

About Avid Film Composer

About 24p Media

About 25p Media

Editing Basics

About Nonlinear Editing

Editing Components

Project Workflow

Starting a Project

Preparing to Edit

Editing a Sequence

Finishing a Sequence (Symphony Only)

Generating Output

Behind the Scenes

The Avid Attic Folder

Starting a Project

About Avid Projects and Avid Users Folders

Copying Project Information

Using the Bins Display

About Trash

Using the Settings Display

About Settings

Reviewing Basic Settings

Customizing Your Workspace

Tutorial: Starting a Project

Starting the Application (Windows)

Starting the Application (Macintosh)

Opening a Project

Creating a User

Selecting a Project

Digitizing

Selecting Settings

About the Digitize Tool

About the Audio Tool

About the Video Input Tool

Digitizing Preparations Check List

About Digitizing