Pinnacle Systems Media Composer First Quick Start

1 Media Composer | First Quick Start

The following topics provide a quick start for installing and using Media Composer | First. This
document is meant to get you running quickly with Media Composer | First. This document is not
meant to provide descriptions of all the features in the editing application. For more detailed
information, see the Media Composer | First User’s Guide.

• Downloading and Installing Media Composer | First

• Launching Media Composer | First

• Creating a Project

• Accessing Your Footage

• Creating a Sequence

• Publishing Your Story

Downloading and Installing Media Composer | First

Use the following procedure to access and install Media Composer | First.

To access the download for Media Composer | First:

1. Go to http://www.avid.com/media-composer-first

2. You must have an Avid Master Account. Follow the on screen instructions to either Login in (if
you already have an account) or create an Avid Master Account. The on screen instructions will
step you through creating an Avid Master Account, verifying your email address, and
downloading Media Composer | First. Once the download is complete, continue with installing
the application.

(Windows) To install the Avid software:

1. Access the file you downloaded.

2. Click to launch the Media Composer | First installer. A window will open with instructions as
well as options for choosing file locations and other custom settings.

3. Follow the on screen instructions.

4. When prompted, choose to restart the computer.

The installation process adds a Media Composer | First icon to the Desktop icon and a pointer to
your Avid editing application in the Start menu. The installation process also adds an
Application Manager icon to the Toolbar menu. The Application Manager allows you to view the
installed Avid applications and try new offerings.

5. Once you restart your system, the Application Manager launches.

Downloading and Installing Media Composer | First

6. Sign In to your Avid Master Account. NOTE: You cannot launch Media Composer | First if you
are not signed into your Avid Master Account. Continue with Launching Media

Composer | First.

(Macintosh) To install Media Composer | First:

1. Access the file you downloaded.

2. Double-click the .pkg file with the editing application name.

3. Follow the on screen instructions.

4. When prompted, choose to restart the computer.

The installation process adds a Media Composer First icon to the Dock. The installation process
also adds an Application Manager icon to the Dock. The Application Manager allows you to
view the installed Avid applications and try new offerings.

5. Once you restart, the Application Manager launches.

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6. Sign In to your Avid Master Account. NOTE: You cannot launch Media Composer | First if you
are not signed into your Avid Master Account. Continue with Launching Media

Composer | First.

Launching Media Composer | First

Perform the following to launch Media Composer | First:

(Windows) To start your Avid editing application, do one of the following:

t Click Start > All Programs > Avid > Media Composer | First.

t Double-click the Media Composer | First desktop icon.

The Media Composer | First application opens.

(Macintosh) To start your Avid editing application, do one of the following:

t Click the alias icon for your Avid editing application on the Dock.

t Select Go > Applications, and double-click the Avid editing application folder. Then double-

click the Media Composer | First application file.

The Media Composer | First application opens.

Launching Media Composer | First

Creating a Project

When you first open Media Composer | First, a window opens where you can create a project or open
an existing project.

To create a project:

1. Enter a name for your project in the Create Project text box.

2. Click Create.

The application opens with a default workspace.

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Creating a Project

Top row: Project Window, Sequence Bin and Clip Bin, Source and Record monitors
Bottom row: Source Browser, Timeline

The following describes the windows that initially open when you create a project:

Window Description

Project Window The Project window is a central location for

important information and tools that you need as
you work on your project. The Project window has
tabs that allow you to choose from the following:

• Bins - lets you create and open bins.

• Settings - lets you view and modify settings.

• Effects icon - lets you access a library of effects.

• Format - displays the Raster Dimension and
Frame Rate.

• Usage - lets you view information about the
work session usage.

• Info - lets you view information about system
memory usage and system hardware
configuration.

Sequence Bin and Clips Bin Bins are locations for organizing and managing

your media. You can create up to 5 bins.

Source and Record Monitors The Source Monitor (left monitor) displays the

currently loaded clip. The Record Monitor (right
monitor) displays the frame at the current position
of a loaded sequence in the Timeline.

Source Browser The Source Browser window allows you to import

or link your media. You can also preview your
footage before you commit the clip(s) into a bin.

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Window Description

Timeline Media Composer | First represents each edit and

Accessing Your Footage

Once you have created a project, use the Source Browser to access and preview your footage. Once
you decide on the footage you want for your sequence, use the Source Browser to import or link to
your media.

Accessing Your Footage

effect on the Timeline to help you track and
manipulate the elements of your sequence. The
Timeline continuously updates as you work,
displaying icons and information that you can
customize in various ways. The Timeline also has
its own set of editing tools for creating and revising
edits and transitions across multiple tracks.

The audio and video tracks in the Timeline play in
the Record monitor. You can continually edit your
sequence and review your changes until you are
pleased with the result.

Accessing and Previewing Your Media

You can preview your media in the Source Browser before you commit the clip(s) into a bin.

To access and preview your media:

1. In the Explore area of the Source Browser window, browse to the location of the media you want
to preview.

The clips will populate the right pane of the Source Browser with the frame clip representation
(thumbnails).

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Accessing Your Footage

2. Press Ctrl + L (Windows) or Command + L (Mac) to enlarge the thumbnails.

3. Place your cursor so it hovers over the thumbnail of the clip. While hovering, move the cursor to
the edges of the thumbnail to preview the footage. You can also use the JKL keys to shuttle
through the thumbnail. (Use L to move forward, K to pause, and J to move backward.)

4. (Optional) You can drag a clip from the Source Browser to the Source monitor to review the clip.
Dragging to the Source monitor does not commit the clip to the bin.

5. (Optional) You can also choose to view the clips in text view, rather than in thumbnail view by
clicking the Text View button at the bottom of the display pane.

6. Continue with Importing or Linking Your Media.

For additional details on the Source Browser, see “Source Browser Overview” in the Help.

Importing or Linking Your Media

In the Source Browser Window, you can choose to either import or link your media. Linking allows
you to quickly link to the files without importing, transcoding, or copying them. Once you link to the
files, you can immediately drag them to your Timeline and start editing. Importing will actually
import the media files to the bin. (The import process can take longer than linking.)

To link or import the media files:

1. Once you have previewed the clips you want in the Source Browser window, select the Link
button if you want to link to them or select the Import button if you want to import the files.

2. Select the clips you want and drag and drop them to the bin. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select
multiple files.)

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