Ulead MEDIASTUDIO PRO 8 User Manual

User Guide

Ulead Systems, Inc.

September 2005

P/N: C22-180-110-0A0001

All rights reserved. No part of this publication ma y be reprodu ced or tr ansmitted in any f orm or b y any me ans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy ing, recording, or storing in a retrie v al system, or tran slated into a ny language in an y f orm without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.

Software license

The software described in this document is furnished under a License Ag r eement wh ich is incl uded with t he produ ct . This Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses of the product.

Licenses and trademarks

All rights reserved. Ulead, the Ulead Systems logo, and MediaStudio are registered trademarks of Ulead Systems, Inc. Intel, Pentium and MMX are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, Windows, Direct X and/or other Microsoft products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. QuickTime and the QuickTime logo are trademarks used under license. QuickTime is registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in this manual are used for identificat ion purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective ow ners.

Sample files

Files provided as samples on the program CD can be used for personal demonstrations, productions and presentations. No rights are granted for commercial reproduction or redistribution of any sample files.

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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: Welcome to MediaStudio Pro .......................... 13

Getting started ................................................................... 14

Installation ......................................................................... 15

Running the programs ........................................................ 16

Readme .............................................................................. 16

PART I: VIDEO EDITOR

Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................... 18

Understanding the workspace ............................................ 19

Standard Toolbar .............................................................20

Panel Manager ................................................................20

Timeline Toolbar ..............................................................21

Personalizing the workspace ..............................................21

Saving the layout ............................................................22

Setting up a video project .................................................. 22

Creating a new video project .............................................22

Opening an existing project ..............................................24

Customizing a video project ..............................................25

Project Options dialog box ................................................. 25

Saving project settings as a template .................................. 27

Enabling Smart Proxy .......................................................27

Saving a video project ......................................................27

Capturing video .................................................................. 28

Video Capture .................................................................28

Batch Capture .................................................................30

Scan DV Tape ..................................................................30

Creating project segments in Smart Compositor ................ 31

Using the Production Library .............................................. 36

Placing clips into the Production Library ..............................36

4 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Using the Storyboard .......................................................37

Nested timelines .............................................................38

Working with folders ........................................................38

Drag and drop ................................................................39

Viewing Production Library thumbnails ...............................39

Adding effects to the Production Library .............................39

Preferences ........................................................................ 40

Chapter 2: Working with the Timeline ..............................45

Inserting clips .................................................................... 46

Inserting video, audio and image clips ................................46

Extracting extra audio tracks ..............................................47

Inserting voiceover ..........................................................47

Inserting title, color, and silence clips .................................49

Inserting Ulead video file types .........................................49

Inserting UIS files ...........................................................50

Inserting soundtracks from third-party music ......................50

Inserting Video Editor projects ..........................................51

Push Away insertion ........................................................51

Working with tracks ........................................................... 52

Single-track editing .........................................................52

Adding or deleting tracks ..................................................52

The Track buttons ...........................................................52

Determining the visibility of clips ....................................... 53

Displaying clips on the Timeline .........................................53

Zooming in/out of the Timeline .........................................54

General Timeline and Summary Timeline ............................54

Creating nested timelines ................................................... 56

Inserting nested timelines ................................................ 56

Editing a timeline ............................................................57

Working with virtual clips .................................................. 57

Viewing virtual clips in the Source Window ..........................58

Adding virtual clips to the Production Library .......................58

Chapter 3: Editing .............................................................59

Making selections in the Timeline ....................................... 60

Using the Clip Selection Tool ............................................60

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

Using the Time Selection Tool ...........................................61

Using the Track Selection Tool ..........................................61

Using the Track buttons ....................................................62

Grouping clips .................................................................62

Working with clips .............................................................. 63

Pasting attributes ............................................................63

Aligning clips ...................................................................64

Splitting the audio from video clips ....................................64

Changing the volume of clips .............................................65

Changing the speed of clips ..............................................65

Reversing the frames of a clip ...........................................67

Relinking clips .................................................................67

Calibrating video clips ......................................................68

Freezing a frame .............................................................68

Setting field options for video clips .....................................69

Working with cues .............................................................. 71

Placing project cues .........................................................71

Placing clip cues ..............................................................72

Placing chapter cues .......................................................73

Locating clips ..................................................................... 73

Locating an empty time slot ..............................................74

Trimming clips .................................................................... 74

Trimming in the Source Window ........................................75

Trimming in the Preview Window ........................................ 76

Using the Trim Window ....................................................76

Using the Scissors Tool to trim clips ..................................77

Defining trim options ........................................................78

Smart Trim .....................................................................79

Multi-trim Video ................................................................. 79

Split by Scene ..................................................................... 81

Ripple Editing ..................................................................... 82

Ripple Editing examples ....................................................83

Inserting clips into the middle of an existing clip ..................84

Using the Source Window ................................................... 85

Previewing your work ........................................................ 88

Previewing ......................................................................89

6 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Instant Play ................................................................... 90

Using DV SmartPlay ......................................................... 92

Performing scrub previews ................................................92

Previewing on an external device .......................................93

Managing preview files .....................................................93

Chapter 4: Adding Effects and Titles .................................95

Using transition effects ...................................................... 96

Transition effects basics ....................................................96

Customizing a transition ...................................................97

Commonly used transitions ...............................................99

The Flashback transition ................................................. 100

The Mask transitions ...................................................... 101

Mask transition options ....................................................102

Audio transitions ........................................................... 102

Using key frame controls in dialog boxes ......................... 103

Effects Manager ............................................................... 105

Previewing the applied effects ......................................... 106

Editing in the Preview Window ......................................... 107

Organizing effects ......................................................... 108

Overlay ............................................................................. 109

Overlay Options dialog box ............................................. 110

Overlay key types .......................................................... 111

Understanding Alpha Channels ........................................ 112

Using Gamma correction ................................................ 113

Working with mattes ...................................................... 114

Creating image and video mattes ......................................114

Using Grayscale mattes ...................................................115

Applying video filters ....................................................... 115

Applying a regional matte to a video filter ......................... 118

Video enhancement filters ................................................120

Enhance Lighting Tool ................................................... 120

Color Correction Tool .................................................... 121

Color correcting selected regions ................................... 122

Color correcting with the HSL wheel ............................... 122

Color correcting with Curves .......................................... 123

Global filters ................................................................. 124

Creating a moving path .................................................... 124

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

Moving Path dialog box ................................................... 125

Creating 3D moving paths ..............................................129

Managing key frames on a moving path ............................130

Inserting an image with moving path attributes .................131

Applying audio filters ....................................................... 131

Filling the left or right audio channel ................................132

Removing vocals ...........................................................133

Creating titles ................................................................... 133

Insert Title Clip dialog box ..............................................135

Chapter 5: Audio Mixing ................................................. 139

Audio Mixing Panel ........................................................... 140

Grouping audio tracks .................................................... 142

Modifying volume in real-time .........................................143

Chapter 6: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound .................145

Working with Dolby Digital 5.1

in Video Editor .................................................................. 146

Surround sound hardware requirements ...........................146

Setting up surround sound projects ..................................146

Mixing Dolby Surround ...................................................147

Creating a surround sound audio file ................................150

Chapter 7: Creating and Exporting Final Video ...............151

Creating a video file ......................................................... 152

Creating MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files .....................................153

Creating HDV or HD video files ......................................... 153

Creating WMV HD files ...................................................154

Creating WMV/ QuickTime streaming file ..........................155

Determining your video save options ................................156

Performing a batch video creation ....................................159

Creating a VCD ................................................................. 160

Creating an SVCD ............................................................. 160

Creating a DVD ................................................................. 161

Creating an audio file ....................................................... 162

Creating an image sequence ............................................. 163

8 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Analyzing a video file's data rate ...................................... 164

Recording to a digital video camcorder ............................ 165

External preview ........................................................... 166

Creating an Edit Decision List (EDL) file ........................... 167

Posting timecode ........................................................... 168

Outputting to analog video tape ....................................... 169

Exporting to Ulead DVD MovieFactory and Ulead DVD

DiskRecorder .................................................................... 171

Chapter 8: Managing Video Projects ...............................173

Smart Package ................................................................. 174

Smart Relink .................................................................... 175

Converting files ................................................................ 175

Smart Check & Convert .................................................. 176

Batch Convert ............................................................... 176

Using the Quick Command Panel ...................................... 177

Chapter 9: Integration with Ulead Products ...................179

VideoStudio project files .................................................. 180

PhotoImpact UFO files ..................................................... 180

Importing masks from PhotoImpact ................................ 180

COOL 3D Production Studio files ...................................... 181

Chapter 10: Shortcuts .....................................................183

PART II: VIDEO CAPTURE

Chapter 1: Getting started ............................................. 194

Understanding the basics ................................................. 195

Standard Toolbar .......................................................... 196

Navigation Bar .............................................................. 196

Preparation ...................................................................... 197

Connecting a DV or Digital 8 camcorder ............................ 197

Connecting an HDV camcorder ........................................ 198

Sony HDV camcorder .......................................................199

JVC HD camcorder ..........................................................199

TABLE OF CONTENTS 9

Connecting an analog video source ..................................202

Connecting a USB camera ............................................... 203

Previewing video from your video source ..........................203

Setting preview options .................................................. 203

Resizing the program window ..........................................204

Defining audio input when capturing analog video ..............204

Improving video signal when capturing analog video ....... 205

Calibrating your display ..................................................205

Typical calibration settings ............................................... 207

Adjusting color with your video capture board ................... 207

Preferences ...................................................................... 208

Chapter 2: Capturing Video ............................................. 209

Tips for capturing video .................................................... 210

Before capturing ............................................................... 211

Enabling device control ...................................................211

Choosing a capture plug-in .............................................212

Capturing video ................................................................ 213

Capture options .............................................................215

Capturing video from a DV camcorder ..............................216

Capturing video from an HDV/HD camcorder .....................217

Direct MPEG capturing from a DV camcorder .....................218

Seamless DV and MPEG capture ......................................219

Direct WMV capturing .....................................................220

Selecting a profile .......................................................... 220

Editing and customizing a video profile .............................. 221

About dropped frames ....................................................221

Capturing single frames ..................................................222

Capturing a sequence of still frames .................................223

Capture history .............................................................223

Scanning a DV tape .......................................................... 224

Batch capturing ................................................................ 226

Importing and editing a batch list ....................................228

Changing a file's properties .............................................. 229

Chapter 3: Shortcuts ...................................................... 231

10 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

PART III: AUDIO EDITOR

Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................. 236

Understanding the basics ................................................. 237

Playing audio files ......................................................... 239

Creating a new audio file ................................................ 239

Saving files ................................................................... 239

Saving files to a video .....................................................240

Changing audio properties .............................................. 240

Zooming ...................................................................... 240

Changing the view of a waveform ......................................241

Controlling the display and time unit of waveforms ..............242

Recording sound .............................................................. 243

Tips for determining audio quality .................................... 244

Preferences ...................................................................... 245

Chapter 2: Editing Audio Files .........................................247

Working with selections ................................................... 248

Making selections .......................................................... 248

Creating precise selections ............................................. 249

Clearing audio data ....................................................... 249

Inserting audio data ...................................................... 250

Working with cues ........................................................... 251

Managing cues .............................................................. 252

Using cues with Video Editor ........................................... 252

Enhancing sound .............................................................. 253

Changing the audio level ................................................ 253

Changing pitch .............................................................. 254

Quantizing a waveform .................................................. 254

Working with silence ...................................................... 255

Removing background noise ........................................... 255

Muting a waveform .........................................................256

Calibrating files recorded from different sources ................ 256

Mixing tracks .................................................................... 257

Removing a mixed track ................................................. 257

Applying special effects .................................................... 258

Performing a fade .......................................................... 258

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11

Changing speed .............................................................259

Performing a stereo pan .................................................259

Reversing a file .............................................................260

Performing an echo ........................................................260

Performing a cross fade .................................................. 261

Using DirectX Audio plug-ins ...........................................262

Chapter 3: Shortcuts ...................................................... 263

PART IV: MORE PROGRAMS

Ulead DVD MovieFactory ................................................ 269

Launching DVD MovieFactory ........................................... 269

Start Project ..................................................................... 269

Add Media ........................................................................ 270

Adding/Editing chapters ..................................................271

Export selected clips ......................................................272

Setup Preferences, Project Settings and other options ..... 273

Settings and options .....................................................273

Preferences ................................................................... 273

Project settings ............................................................ 275

16:9 DVD ...................................................................... 276

Play and edit media .......................................................... 276

The right-click menu ......................................................277

Trimming a video ..........................................................278

Setup menus .................................................................... 278

Manipulating objects ......................................................281

Displayed thumbnail and text style ..................................281

Layout settings ............................................................. 282

Preview ............................................................................ 282

Burn ................................................................................. 283

Burning options .............................................................284

The Burning Options dialog box .......................................285

Ulead DVD DiskRecorder ............................................... 287

System requirements ....................................................... 287

12 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Hardware checkup and configuration ............................... 287

Running DVD DiskRecorder .............................................. 287

Important terms to know ................................................. 288

Preferences ...................................................................... 288

Create Disc ....................................................................... 289

Introduction to the workspace ......................................... 289

Adding video files .......................................................... 290

Editing programs ........................................................... 290

Protecting programs ...................................................... 290

Playlist ......................................................................... 291

Setting the name for a program, playlist, or entry point ...... 291

Exporting video or image files ......................................... 292

Burning your disc .......................................................... 293

Edit Disc ........................................................................... 294

Formatting a disc .......................................................... 294

Protecting a disc ............................................................ 294

Certifying a disc ............................................................ 295

INDEX

Index ............................................................................... 298

INTRODUCTION

WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Congratulations on purchasing Ulead MediaStudio Pro, the ultimate video

editing solution for desktop professionals and digital video enthusiasts. Built around a powerful suite of versatile and high performance programs, MediaStudio Pro is the first choice for anyone wanting to work with video.

MediaStudio Pro offers Real-time MPEG capture, Real-time preview and Realtime output. With intuitive controls and seamless integration, creating video has never been easier or more accessible.

14 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Getting started

If you ever worked with digital video before, you can start working in MediaStudio Pro right away. The program is equally intuitive for both - the novice users and professionals. The fastest way to learn the program is direct interaction with its tools. The more advanced features, however, are not on the surface and you might well refer to the manual for particular answers on specific questions.

There are several sources of information that will help you explore the broad range of MediaStudio Pro features: the manual, online help, and the MediaStudio Pro Web site that contains tutorials and a host of other useful informative content.

All the information required to master MediaStudio Pro is in the manual and online help. These are the primary sources of information.

The MediaStudio Pro Web site (www.ulead.com/msp/runme.htm) also has a number of resources you will find useful.

The Web-based learning center has excellent tutorials that will guide you through the program in a brief and intense way. Spending a few hours on the tutorial page (http://www.ulead.com/learning/msp.htm) will empower you with an intimate knowledge of MediaStudio Pro tools.

There are also a few private Web sites that have great tutorials and sample projects. One of the best is the MediaStudio User’s Group, or MUG, at www.mugcentral.com. This is the home base for the MUG mailing list, which you can subscribe to at this site. Everyday, dozens of users, including quite a few video professionals, ask and answer questions in an amazingly useful forum.

WELCOME TO MEDIASTUDIO PRO 15

Installation

The MediaStudio Pro installation program runs from within Windows and contains complete instructions to take you through the installation process.

To install MediaStudio Pro:

1. Read the license agreement that comes with the MediaStudio Pro package. The license agreement contains important legal requirements that you need to be aware of. If you agree to abide by it, continue with the installation.

Please take a moment to fill out the registration card during installation. Becoming a registered user entitles you to product updates and upgrade information, as well as technical support. You can also instantly register online (electronically) after installing the program.

2. Insert the MediaStudio Pro CD into your CD-ROM drive. Windows should detect the CD and then automatically run the installation program. If the automatic detection feature is turned off, use Windows Explorer to run the SETUP.EXE program directly from your CD-ROM drive.

Follow the installation program instructions. While the program is installing files, a window will appear, displaying information about MediaStudio Pro and the installation status.

If you want to browse the contents of the MediaStudio Pro CD, run AUTOEXEC.EXE found in the Setup folder from your CD-ROM drive.

Installing Acrobat Reader

An electronic copy of this user guide is also available in the Adobe Acrobat format (Portable Document Format - PDF). To view this, first run the AR500ENU.EXE file (in the \Driver folder of the first MediaStudio Pro CD) and follow the installation instructions. After successfully installing the Reader program, run the program and click File: Open to open the file MediaStudio Pro 8 User Guide.PDF that is in the \Document folder of the CD. You can then view the user guide.

16 ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO

Running the programs

To run the MediaStudio Pro programs, click on the desired program in the Start: Programs - Ulead MediaStudio Pro 8 submenu. This submenu may differ

depending on the choices you made during installation. If you are already working in any of these programs, the easiest method to run another MediaStudio Pro program is by using the Switch menu, located on the right of the Menu Bar.

Readme

In the fast paced world of software, changes occur almost daily. While we have tried to keep this manual as up-to-date as possible, there will inevitably be some things that did not make it into the book by press time. Please browse through the Readme file installed in the Ulead MediaStudio Pro program folder to find out about the latest notes, drivers, and troubleshooting tips.

PART I: VIDEO EDITOR

GETTING STARTED

This chapter introduces the Video Editor user interface, beginning with a walkthrough of the workspace and its various components, followed by ways on customizing and saving the workspace. You will also learn how to capture

video directly in Video Editor, manage your media using the Production Library, and use some of the basic program functions.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Understanding the workspace

Setting up a video project

Capturing video

Creating project segments in Smart Compositor

Using the Production Library

Preferences

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 19

Understanding the workspace

The Timeline Window is where you assemble and edit your video project. It is laid out horizontally and composed of several independent layers or 'tracks.' These tracks hold the clips that make up a video project. The other windows in the Video Editor workspace, such as the Preview Window and Effects Manager, are there to help you in the editing process.

7 Timeline Window

8 Track buttons;

Lock, Hide and Solo buttons 9 Video clip in the video track 10 Transition effect clip 11 Audio clip in the audio track

1 Standard Toolbar 2 Panel Manager 3 Effects Manager 4 Production Library and Project Tray 5 Source Window and Preview Window 6 Timeline Toolbar

3 4

91110

20 VIDEO EDITOR

Standard Toolbar

Panel Manager

The Panel Manager allows you to show or hide the different windows in the workspace. You may dock it beside or below the Standard Toolbar, or float it anywhere in the workspace as a separate toolbar panel.

Create a new project

Open a project file

Save a Video Editor project

Show and edit Project Settings

Cut a clip from a project

Copy a clip from a project

Paste a clip into the Timeline

Find the next clip in a project

Find a clip in a project

Redo an undone function

Undo a previous action

Help

Open Ulead Home page

Create a video file

Preview Window

Source Window

Quick Command Panel Audio Mixing Panel

Production Library

Effect Manager

Dock/Float Timeline Window

Layout Template

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 21

Timeline Toolbar

Personalizing the workspace

The different windows in Video Editor can be floated or docked in the workspace. To dock a window, click on its title bar then drag it to the edge of another window or to the edge of the workspace. You can also double-click on a window to make it floating or docked.

Insert Image File

Insert Voice File

Insert Audio File

Insert Video File

Zoom

Clip Selection

Stitch Trim

Overwrite Trim

Normal Trim

Insert Title Clip

Insert Color Clip

Insert Silence Clip

Time Selection Track Selection

Timeline Display Mode Save Project Template

Single-track Ripple Editing

Multi-track Ripple Editing

Enable/Disable Video Proxy

General Timeline

Summary Timeline

Insert Project File

Auto Music

Insert from Smart Compositor

Time Stretch

No Ripple

Scissors

Add/Delete Tracks

22 VIDEO EDITOR

Saving the layout

Use the Layout Manager in the Window menu to save time arranging the windows in the workspace. To save your custom layout, type a Layout Template Name, then click Save To. Giving your layouts intelligible names like “Audio Video Editing” or “Timeline Only” will help you work faster and more enjoyable.

You can assign hotkeys for quickly switching between different layouts. Just select a layout, then choose any [Alt + Number] combination from the Hot-Key Mapping menu in the upper right of the dialog box.

To use a layout on the Video Editor workspace, select it from the Existing Layout Templates list, then click OK.

You can also click in the Panel Manager to choose a workspace layout.

Setting up a video project

In Video Editor, the Timeline and its associated clips are referred to as a video project, which is saved as a DVP (Digital Video Project) file. When you save a video project, Video Editor only saves the positions and attributes of the clips in the Timeline, not the actual source files themselves. The advantage to this is that the DVP file has a relatively small file size and that any editing done is nondestructive – that is, the editing doesn’t affect the original source files. The next time you open a DVP file, Video Editor links the clips in the project to the source files accordingly.

Creating a new video project

To get started in Video Editor, you first need to create a video project. The video project not only holds the clips that you place into the Timeline, but also defines the properties for the resulting video, such as the television standard and the size of the frames used. Any clips that you place into the project subsequently adopt those properties, regardless of their original attributes.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 23

To create a new video project:

1. Click the New button on the Standard Toolbar or File: New [Ctrl+N]. The New dialog box opens displaying a list of project templates.

2. Select a video format (AVI or MPEG) to use for clips in your project from the Edit file format drop-down list.

3. Click on the template you want to use. (Its properties, as well as an annotated description, are displayed on the right side of the dialog box). You can choose one of the following templates:

• DV - for editing and producing standard DV.

• DV 16:9 - for editing or producing widescreen 16:9 DV.

• DV 24P - for editing footage from a Panasonic AG-DVX100 camcorder that was recorded in 24P or 24PA (24P Advanced) modes.

• DVD-Dolby Digital 5.1 channel - for editing and producing DVDs encoded with Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound.

• HDV templates - for editing and producing HDV- or HD-encoded video.

•And more...

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new project is created.

24 VIDEO EDITOR

When you start a new project, you may find that none of the existing templates in the New dialog box contains the exact attributes you want to use. You therefore have the option of creating a custom template to suit your particular needs.

To create a template:

1. In the New dialog box, click the Create button. The Template Options dialog box opens up.

2. Select and set the attributes for your new template.

3. Click OK. The Save New Template dialog box opens up.

4. Select Save the current settings, and then type in a name and description for your new template.

5. Click OK.

Your video project will now have the specified settings, and the next time you open a new project, your customized template will be listed in the New dialog box.

Opening an existing project

To open an existing project on your hard drive or from a network, select File -

Open or click

on the Standard Toolbar. Locate your project folder, choose

the project file to load, and click Open.

For a more detailed explanation of setting up a template, see “Project

Options dialog box” on page 25. Also, it is a good idea to consult the

manual of your particular video capture board to see the recommended specifications.

When you run Video Editor for the first time, the New dialog box opens automatically. If you regularly use the same properties for a video project, you can hide the New dialog box each time you click New by clearing the

Always show this dialog box option. (Another way is to clear the Display New dialog box option in the File: Preferences: General tab). Any

subsequent projects take their properties from the current project.

To locate your project files fast, click Browse and navigate to your project directory. Click Scan to perform a quick search for files with default extensions *.dvp (Video Editor projects) or *.vsp (VideoStudio projects).

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 25

Customizing a video project

When you create a new project, its properties are determined by the New dialog box settings. These settings are integral to your project and determine not only how previews are created, but also the format of the final movie. You can change these properties and customize your project through the Project Settings dialog box.

To view and/or alter your project settings while in the project:

1. Click the Project Settings button or select Project: Project Settings [ALT+ENTER]. This opens the Project Settings dialog box where you can

view the properties of your project.

2. To change any of the settings, click the Edit button to open the Project Options dialog box. Click through the various tabs and then specify the television standard you are using, such as NTSC or PAL, the frame rate, and the frame size.

Project Options dialog box

As mentioned earlier, the Project Options dialog box gives you direct control over an existing project. There are three tabs in this dialog box:

Video Editor tab

• Select the desired TV standard.

• Choose whether or not to preview applied video filters when you view your project in Video Editor.

• Specify the type of audio channel, Stereo or Multi-Channel Surround Sound, that you will use for your project.

General tab

• Set the project Frame rate and Frame size.

Project settings directly determine the default settings in the Video Save Options dialog box which in turn determines your final video format. (See

“Determining your video save options” on page 156 for details).

The Frame rate option determines the number of frames for any resulting video file. The appearance of the clip on the Timeline will not change.

26 VIDEO EDITOR

•The Frame type option determines interlacing properties.

If your final output video is meant for playback on progressive interlaced TV, set frame type to either Lower Field First or Upper field First.

If your output video allows for progressive frames (LCD monitors, plasma TVs, TFT monitors, etc.), use the Frame-based option. This setting is more film-like and less complicated to handle when editing or retiming your video.

• You can set the size for the target display and output screen to 4:3 (for traditional letterbox TVs, computer monitors, or some DV camcorders) or 16:9 (widescreen used in HDTV, theaters, or some DV camcorders).

To use the 16:9 display, select Perform non-square pixel rendering on the

Video Editor tab first and choose 16:9 as the display aspect ratio on the General tab.

AVI / Compression tab

This tab has all the video and audio compression controls.

One thing to remember in dealing with compression and data rate is output file size. To minimize the size of your rendered projects, compress your files with the best and the most recent compression algorithm possible.

Bit size is another way of saving your hard drive space. The bigger it is, the more space you will need.

You will need to balance between compression, bit depth and quality of your video. Experiment to preserve as much fidelity as possible using less memory space on your storage.

• Be aware of the aspect ratio of the video files you are using and the display aspect ratio of the intended playback screen for your videos. This

will help you determine which display aspect ratio to use in your projects.

• The aspect ratio is also important when dealing with moving paths in a project. The moving path's aspect ratio should be similar to the aspect ratio being used by the project.

Changing a project's properties clears the undo/redo history.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 27

Saving project settings as a template

After you have customized your video project, you can save your project settings as a template by clicking the File: Save Project Template command. In the dialog box that opens, give the template a name as well as a description. Presets and previously created templates are also displayed in the Existing templates list box. If you wish to replace one of these templates with the properties of the current video project, select it and then click OK.

Enabling Smart Proxy

Proxy files are lower resolution working copies of video files. They are reduced in resolution or compression bit rate for only one reason - to speed up editing of HDV and other large video source files. Proxy files are source-dependent rather than project-dependent. In other words, proxy files can be shared among different projects.

When you edit and preview your project in Instant Play mode, proxy files will be used as substitutes for their large video source counterparts. Whereas when you preview your project in high-quality playback mode or when you render a video file, the original video source files will be used. (See

“Previewing your work” on

page 88 to know more on playback modes).

To enable the creation of proxy files, click in the Timeline Toolbar, or go to File:

Preferences - Smart Proxy, then select the Enable video proxy option. In the Smart Proxy tab of the Preferences dialog box, you can set the condition when

proxy files need to be generated and choose a proxy file format. For more details on the settings, see

“Preferences” on page 40.

Once video proxy is enabled, proxy files will automatically be created and used in your project whenever you insert video files into the Timeline.

Saving a video project

When you save a video project, it is saved as a DVP (Digital Video Project) file. This is a small file that contains all of the information about your project, like which clips to include, their position on the Timeline, and any transitions that you have used. This file is not a movie and can only be opened in Video Editor. To save your current project, select File: Save.

You can customize Video Editor to save backups of your project automatically by selecting the Automatically save every option in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box. Set a desired time interval between saves and the maximum number of backups to keep.

28 VIDEO EDITOR

Capturing video

From within Video Editor, you can directly capture footage from your video camera for editing. Alternatively, you can also use the separate Video Capture program that is included with MediaStudio Pro.

In both the Video Editor and Video Capture programs, you will find three tools for capturing footage in the Capture menu: Video Capture, Batch Capture, and

Scan DV Tape. Before you start capturing with these tools, make sure you have

your capture card installed in your computer and your video camera is connected and switched on.

Video Capture

Video Capture allows you to capture a video clip at a time. The Video Capture dialog box in Video Editor looks slightly different from the one in the Video Capture program, but the capture settings are mostly the same.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 29

To capture a video sequence:

1. Select Capture: Video Capture.

2. If you have several video devices connected to your computer, select your desired source device from the Capture device list.

3. Click Capture Options, then select Change Capture Plug-in from the pop- menu.

The Change Capture Plug-in dialog box provides special plug-ins that enable capturing footage from HDV, Sony MICROMV, and miniDV camcorders as well as DVD and DVD-VR discs. You need to choose the proper plug-in to be able to capture footage from such devices.

If you are capturing video as MPEG or WMV files, you also need to choose the proper plug-in in this dialog box.

After you have selected a capture plug-in, click OK.

4. Check if the Capture format is set to the target file format that you want to use for saving captured video files. If not, choose your desired file format from the Capture format list.

5. In the Capture Settings tab, set your preferences for performing the capture:

• Capture method - Choose to auto capture with specified duration, auto capture with no time limit, or manual capture. Select Auto naming to save each captured segment as a separate file.

• Capture options - Specify the prefix file name and folder to use for saving captured videos.

Click the Advanced tab to see more settings and customize them according to your needs.

For details on all the capture settings in the Advanced tab, see “Capture Video

dialog box: Advanced tab” on page 215.

6. After customizing all capture settings, play your videotape and stop at the part of the footage that you want to capture. If you have a DV or HDV source, you can directly use the Navigation controls in the dialog box for playback.

7. Click Capture Video to start capturing.

8. If you specified a capture duration, wait for the capture to complete. Otherwise, click Stop Capture or press [Esc] to stop capturing.

If you are capturing TV footage via a TV capture card, choose your desired TV channel as well.

30 VIDEO EDITOR

Batch Capture

Batch Capture allows you to choose multiple video segments from your footage and capture them all at once. You can use Batch Capture when capturing video from DV and HDV sources.

Select Capture: Batch Capture to open a dialog box where you can play back your footage, and at the same time, mark your desired video segments. The markin and mark-out times of the video segments will be logged into a task list. After you have finished marking, click the Capture Video button.

To save the task list for future use, click Save .

The Batch Capture dialog box in Video Editor is just the same as the one in the Video Capture program. For more details on this dialog box, see

“Batch capturing”

on page 226 under “Part II: Video Capture”.

Scan DV Tape

Scan DV Tape quickly scans an entire DV tape and automatically detects scenes based on the recording date and time (that is, based on stops and starts of video recordings).

To use this function, select Capture: Scan DV Tape. In the Scan DV Tape dialog box, first choose how to perform the scan from the Scan/Capture method list, then click Start to begin scanning the DV tape. As each scene is detected, a thumbnail frame will be created and added to the list at the left side of the dialog box. After the entire tape has been scanned, click Capture Video to capture the detected scenes.

To save the scenes list and information for future use, click Save .

The Scan DV Tape dialog box in Video Editor is just the same as the one in the Video Capture program. For more details on this dialog box, see

“Scanning a DV

tape” on page 224 under “Part II: Video Capture”.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 31

Creating project segments in Smart Compositor

The Smart Compositor in the Insert menu allows you to quickly compose themed segments and use them in your project. This tool provides ready-made theme templates that you can easily customize with your own video clips, titles, audio clips, and effects.

Basically, you will only need to complete two stages in Smart Compositor before inserting a movie segment into your project:

• First, select a template in the Theme Template tab.

1. Select a theme category from this drop-down menu.

2. Click a thumbnail to choose a template.

3. Use the Navigation buttons to preview the selected template.

32 VIDEO EDITOR

• Click Next to go to the Options tab. Here, choose which template elements you want to replace or customize. These elements can be video clips, titles, filters, audio, and more.

The succeeding procedures explain how to customize the elements in a template in greater detail.

1. Expand the Tree View, then select clips to be replaced or effects to be customized.

3. Click Save if you want to save your changes as a new template.

4. Click Insert to insert the customized template as a project segment into the Timeline.

2. Use the Settings panel to customize the elements in a template. You can replace clips, adjust overlay settings, and tweak filters and moving path effects.

Trim Bar

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 33

To replace the media clips:

1. First, make sure that your own clips have already been added to the Media Library in the Production Library before opening Smart Compositor.

If you have not done so, you can still add them in Smart Compositor. In the

Options tab, click in the Media Library window then import your video

files. To import images, click .

2. Click on the small triangle icon next to the Media Clip item to expand its tree view and to see the current clips in the template. The clips here may be video, image or color clips.

3. Select a preset clip, for instance, Media Clip 1.

4. To replace the preset with your own clip, drag your video or image file from the Media Library and drop it onto the first thumbnail in the Storyboard.

5. To append another clip, drag your video or image file from the Media Library and drop it onto the placeholder (that is, the black thumbnail) in the Storyboard.

Repeat this step to append more video or image clips.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to replace the other preset media clips with your own video or image clips.

The process for replacing audio clips is just the same as that of media clips.

The clips that you add to the Storyboard will be fit into the length of the original preset clip. If the length of your clips is longer than the preset, your last appended clip will be trimmed to fit the original length.

These icons indicate that there are effects applied to a clip. From left to right: Filter, Overlay, Moving Path. Refer to the succeeding procedures to know more on customizing these effects.

34 VIDEO EDITOR

To trim a clip segment in the Storyboard:

1. Double-click the clip that you want to trim in the Storyboard.

2. Click to play back.

3. Click Pause when you reach the desired part, then click to set the mark-in point.

4. Resume playback, then click Pause again when you reach the desired end point

and click to set the mark-out point.

5. Click to trim the clip.

To replace and customize the titles:

1. Click on the small triangle icon next to the Title item to expand its tree view and to see the title clips in the template.

2. Select a default clip, for instance, Title Clip 1.

3. Type your text in the Title edit box, then change the font and text settings.

4. Use the Trim bar to adjust the title duration.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 to replace the other default title clips with your own text.

To enable or disable filters:

1. Click on the small triangle icon next to the Filter item to expand its tree view and to see the media clips that are applied with filters.

2. Select a clip, for instance, Filter Clip 1.

3. Select Remove Filter to disable the filter. Clear this checkbox to enable the filter.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to enable or disable filters in the other clips.

To customize overlay clips:

1. Click on the small triangle icon next to the Overlay item to expand its tree view and to see the overlay clips that are in the template.

2. Select a clip, for instance, Overlay Clip 1.

3. From the Type drop-down list, select Blue Key if the overlay clip has a bluescreen. On the Preview Window in Smart Compositor, click on the bluescreen to make it transparent.

Otherwise, choose from the other overlay key types in the drop-down list. See

“Overlay key types” on page 111 for details.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 35

4. If the background of the overlay clip is not removed completely, increase the Similarity value until the background is totally transparent.

5. For a smoother overlay effect, apply a soft edge.

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 to customize the other overlay clips in the template.

To customize moving path effects:

1. Click on the small triangle icon next to the Moving Path item to expand its tree view and to see the media clips that have moving path effects.

2. Select a clip, for instance, Moving Path Clip 1.

3. To resize the clip dimensions, change the width and height settings.

4. Specify the initial clip position before the moving path effect starts by setting the X and Y coordinates.

5. Specify the degree of Rotation for the clip.

6. You can also apply a soft edge and add a surrounding border to the clip.

7. Repeat steps 2 to 6 to customize moving path effects for the other clips in the template.

After creating the project segment in Smart Compositor:

When you have completed your work and clicked OK in Smart Compositor, insert the piece you created into your project. It will be inserted as a virtual clip on the Timeline.

For details on how to edit virtual clips, see “Working with virtual clips” on page 57.

36 VIDEO EDITOR

Using the Production Library

Video Editor's Production Library stores everything you need to create your movie. It has two parts

- the Production Library and Project Tray tabs.

When you start a project, the Production Library tab already contains all of the transitions, filters, and other special effects that come with Video Editor. Whereas the Project Tray tab is your organizer - it is ready to be filled with the various clips that you will use in your current project. In both tabs, clips are categorized by subject and represented by small thumbnail pictures.

If the Production Library is not yet open in the program, select Window: Production Library or

click

on the Panel Manager to

open it.

Placing clips into the Production Library

To share clips among different projects, import them to the Media Library folder of the Production Library tab. To use clips only in a particular project, import them to the Media Pool folder of the Project Tray tab.

To import media files into the Production Library:

1. Click either the Import Video File, Import Audio File, Import Image File, or Import Project File button from the toolbar.

2. Browse for and select your file. Click Open to import the file.

Production Library (Transition Effects Gallery).

Effect and filter thumbnails with are the ones that can be played back in real-time.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 37

To add title, color and silence clips from the Timeline to the Production Library, drag them to the Production Library’s Media Library folder or to the Project Tray’s Media Pool folder.

Using the Storyboard

The Project Tray’s Storyboard folder allows you to arrange your images or video clips before inserting them into the Timeline.

To use the Storyboard function:

1. Click the Project Tray tab, then open the Storyboard folder.

2. Import or copy images or video files (from other folders inside the Production Library) you want to use into the Storyboard folder.

3. Arrange the sequence of the images or video clips by dragging them to the desired positions.

4. Select all the images or video files, then right-click and select Add to Timeline.

5. In the Add to Timeline dialog box, determine the layout option for your clips.

To be able to apply transitions between clips, select Overlap.

6. If you have images, set their duration.

You can also add files to the Production Library when you click File: Create to generate video or audio files. You can add effects or filters to the Production Library while creating them.

If you want to create new folders, right-click on the Media Library or Media Pool folder and select Create.

Storyboard folder

38 VIDEO EDITOR

7. Choose a transition effect to apply. Either select Random, or select Customize then click Select to choose your desired transition effect. Also specify the Transition effect duration.

8. Select Use default pan and zoom filter, then either select Random or select Customize then click Select to choose your desired effect.

9. Click OK.

10.Place the hand cursor over the Video track position on the Timeline where you want to place the images or video clips then click the mouse button.

Hand cursor over the Video track position

Nested timelines

When you create nested timelines in your project, they are automatically added to the Timeline folder in the Project Tray tab. You can drag the timelines in this folder to other parts of your project. For details on nested timelines, see

“Creating

nested timelines” on page 56.

Working with folders

When you view the Production Library, the contents of the currently selected gallery appear on the right side of the Production Library window. To the left are folders which organize the various thumbnails of the particular gallery. You can manage these folders by right-clicking on them and choosing a command from the pop-up menu that appears. This menu offers commands for creating, renaming,

• Select Apply auto audio cross fade to automatically apply a fade in/ fade out audio effect between overlapping video clips.

• Select Clear clips from the Storyboard folder to remove the files from the Storyboard folder after inserting them into the Timeline.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 39

deleting and copying folders. You can also save the contents of a folder as a gallery file as well as load the contents from a previously saved gallery file.

Drag and drop

The mouse is a powerful tool in Video Editor. You will find that it is effortless to drag and drop clips among many parts of the program. Try dragging a clip from Windows Explorer to the Production Library to organize your project. Then drag the clip's thumbnail from the Production Library to the Source Window to do a little trimming. Finally, drag the clip from the Source Window directly to the Timeline for insertion into your movie.

Viewing Production Library thumbnails

Click in the Production Library Toolbar to open a pop-up menu where you can choose whether to display clips in Thumbnail, Description, or List View.

The Menu button opens a pop-up menu that provides additional commands for viewing the properties of a selected thumbnail, as well as editing, deleting, and customizing the Production Library preferences (this menu can also be accessed by right-clicking on a thumbnail).

When customizing the preferences, you can choose to control the size of the thumbnails as well as to display or hide the name below each of the thumbnails. If you want to maximize the space available for displaying thumbnails, clear the Show border option.

The Search command allows you to search for particular thumbnails, while the Sort command allows you to arrange them based on their name, description, annotation, or date and time.

Adding effects to the Production Library

In the Production Library, you can edit any clip or effect without having to first insert it into the Timeline. This is a great way to define and save unique attributes for clips and effects and allows you to expand and customize the Production Library indefinitely.

To see all the contents of the folders (including subfolders) in a particular library, click All in the selected library's folder tree.

40 VIDEO EDITOR

To modify and add an effect:

1. Select the thumbnail.

2. Right-click the thumbnail and click the Edit command on the pop-up menu.

3. Specify the attributes in the dialog box for that thumbnail.

4. Click the Add button. Enter a name below the thumbnail and click OK.

Preferences

The Preferences dialog box (double–click the Status Bar or click File: Preferences [F6]) provides options for customizing certain aspects of Video

Editor’s behavior. Understanding these options will improve the way you work as well as help optimize Video Editor for each project.

Preferences dialog box: General tab

• Enable undo specifies the maximum levels of undo/redo allowed by Video Editor (up to 99). As Video Editor allocates more memory for each level of undo/redo, you may find that too high a level adversely affects performance. In such cases, restrict the level to 3-4 only. You can, of course, choose not to have undo/redo to maximize performance, but any editing done will be final.

• Number of recently opened files specifies how many file names are stored in the Recent History list found on the File menu.

• Return to the first frame after playing returns any sequence in the Source and Preview windows to the first frame after it has been played (like a CD player). When left cleared, the sequence stops on the last frame in the sequence after playing (like coming to the end of a tape in a VCR).

• Use temporary file when creating 8-bit optimized palettes uses a temporary file whenever you create an optimized palette for Indexed-Color video. This option speeds up the creation process significantly and should be selected whenever you plan on creating Indexed-Color video files.

• Display Options dialog box opens the Options dialog box for any video filter, transition effect, audio filter, or moving path dropped directly into the Timeline from the Production Library.

• Display data rate warning message halts the creation process of any video file once it exceeds the specified data rate. Leave this cleared if the data rate is not important or you are creating video files unattended and do not want the creation process to be stopped.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 41

• Display New dialog box opens the New dialog box whenever the New button or File: New command is clicked. If left cleared, any new video project is automatically created based on the attributes of the current project. If you often create video projects using the same attributes then leave this option clear.

• Automatically save every automatically saves the video project at the time interval specified. In the event of the program crash, you will be presented with an option to restore the latest backup when you restart the program. You can specify an auto-save time interval and the number of backups to keep.

• Default background color sets the color for any color clips.

• Title safe area margin specifies the margin percentage for displaying any titles in a video project. This is useful if you intend on sending your video back out to video tape or for broadcasting, as television has a different resolution than a computer monitor, and edges which are viewable on screen may disappear. As a guideline, for NTSC devices choose 12%, for PAL 10%.

• Default inserted clip duration determines the duration of Image File, Title Clip, Color Clip and Silence Clip being placed in the Timeline. Specify a number from 1 to 9999 frames.

• Check Ulead's Web site at start of every _ day(s) automatically checks Ulead Web site at a specified number of days interval for product news and updates.

• Temporary folder defines the folder that Video Editor uses as a temporary workspace for compiling, compressing, or decompressing files. By assigning a temporary folder for these types of operations you prevent Video Editor from using the default hard drive folder. This will minimize the chances of Video Editor interfering with other processes your computer may be running in the background.

• Display DV timecode on Source Window allows the DV timecode to be shown in Video Editor's Source Window. (You need a VMR-compatible display card to use this option).

• Default number of tracks specifies the number of video/audio tracks populating the Timeline upon a new project creation. The maximum supported number of tracks is 99.

Preferences dialog box: Edit tab

• Apply color filter allows you to control how colors are displayed in Video Editor, based on the NTSC or PAL color models. Select the appropriate option if you plan on having your video played back over an NTSC or PAL device such as a television. If you are designing for monitor display only, leave this option clear.

• Double-click on video track to insert determines whether to open the Insert Video File dialog box or the Insert Image File dialog box whenever you double-click on an empty portion of a video track.

42 VIDEO EDITOR

• Resample quality allows you to set the quality of any video data resampling. Best quality results in better video reproduction, but takes longer to render. Good quality will give you faster previews. If you are preparing for final output and are using the original source files, select Best.

• Apply auto audio cross-fade automatically applies a fade in/fade out audio effect between overlapping clips.

• Auto cross-fade resampling lets you choose the audio fading algorithm to be used for audio cross-fade. Logarithmic requires longer processing time but produces smoother audio fading than Linear.

• Default field order option sets the default field options for the selected video clips whose field options are unknown. Field-based video stores video data as two distinct fields of information for each frame. If your video is only for computer playback, select Frame-based.

• Default display aspect ratio sets the default display aspect ratio for the selected video clips whose display aspect ratio is unknown.

• Default stretch mode sets how you want your video to be displayed in the Preview Window. Select Stretch to extend your video to fill out the entire frame without keeping the aspect ratio. Keep aspect ratio (with letterbox) fits the entire video into the Preview Window while Keep aspect ratio (no letterbox) keeps the video proportioned and crops the areas that exceeds the Preview Window.

• Default transition effect sets a default transition effect for video clips. When two clips in the same track overlap, a default transition clip will be automatically added to the overlapped region.

• Save image deinterlace allows you to save image files and at the same time eliminates the blinking effect from images derived from interlaced video output.

• Append project as lets you choose how to insert an existing Video Editor project file into the Timeline. Select Virtual clip if you want to insert it as a single clip just like any normal media clip. Select Part of current project if you want to insert the complete content of the project file into the Timeline.

Preferences dialog box: Associate tab

• File type specifies the type of file (such as AVI or WAV) you want to associate with a program.

• Associated program indicates the program to open whenever the Edit: Open in Associated Program command is selected.

• Include trim information allows a video clip opened in the associated program to display any marked portions that you have created in Video Editor.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED 43

Preferences dialog box: Preview tab

• Specify additional folders for preview files indicates which folder Video Editor can use to save preview files. Specify other folders if you have additional drives or a partitioned drive. If you only have one drive, leave the other boxes empty.

• Hard disk displays how much free space you have left on your hard drive.

• Limit hard disk usage to specifies how much memory you want to allocate just for Video Editor’s purposes. If you are only using Video Editor and want to optimize performance, select the maximum amount possible. If you are using other programs in the background, you may want to limit this to about half. If left clear, Video Editor uses your system's memory management to control the use and distribution of memory.

Preferences dialog box: Smart Proxy tab

• Enable video proxy automatically creates proxy files whenever a video source file is inserted into the Timeline.

• Create proxy when video size is (or above) allows you to set the condition as to when proxy files will be generated. If the frame size of a video source file is the same as or is higher than the chosen frame size here, a proxy file will be created for the video file.

• Proxy folder sets the folder location to store proxy files.

• Video proxy options indicate the settings to be used in generating proxy files. To change the proxy file format or other settings, click Template to choose a template that already contains predefined settings, or click Options to tweak detailed settings.

44 VIDEO EDITOR

WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE

While organizing your media clips in the Production Library is a necessary first step, the real work occurs on the Timeline. As the name implies, the Timeline is a chronological workspace that allows you to visually lay out your clips,

transitions, and overlays.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Inserting clips

Working with tracks

Creating nested timelines

Working with virtual clips

46 VIDEO EDITOR

Inserting clips

Clips are the objects that make up your movie. A clip can be an image, a video, a transition, a title, a background color, or an audio file. Following insertion into the Timeline, clips can be trimmed and special effects can be applied without modifying the original source files. This is designed to give you greater confidence in editing your video. To start work on a video project, you need to first insert clips into the Timeline. Once inserted, you can begin to edit and arrange them into your final video production.

Inserting video, audio and image clips

The easiest way to insert a video, audio, or image clip into the Timeline is to click the appropriate Insert button on the Timeline Toolbar. You can also choose its corresponding command from the Insert menu or the right-click pop-up menu. A dialog box opens allowing you to select a file that Video Editor supports. Supported formats include MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DV type 1 & 2 AVI, as well as QuickTime and Flash files.

If you choose a video file that contains both video and audio data, the clips are placed in both the video and audio tracks: these clips remain connected to maintain synchronicity. (You can separate them by clicking the Clip: Split command.) Clips already in the Production Library can simply be dragged onto the Timeline. You can also drag-and-drop clips directly from Windows Explorer.

When you insert clips, they are placed at the position of your pointer. How inserted clips affect any neighboring clips is determined by the Ripple Editing mode. If you are in Ripple Editing mode, you can insert the clip anywhere you like on a compatible track (even over existing clips) and the clip pushes along any other clips which appear in the same track. If you are not in Ripple Editing mode, you can only insert the clip into an empty clip slot. An empty clip slot starts from the

Double-clicking an empty time portion of a video track opens either the Insert Video or Insert Image File dialog box depending on the settings in the Edit tab of the File: Preferences dialog box.

The files you insert should match the properties of your video project to ensure the best possible output results.

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 47

end of one clip and continues to the beginning of the next. (See “Ripple Editing” on

page 82 for details).

Extracting extra audio tracks

In the Insert Video File dialog box, the Tracks button allows you to extract audio files from a video that contains multiple audio clips. With this feature, you can extract any or all the audio clips and insert them on the various audio tracks on the Timeline.

To extract an audio track:

1. Select Insert: Video File.

2. Select the file containing the audio

clip for extraction.

3. Click Tracks. The Extract Extra

Audio Tracks dialog box will appear.

4. A list of all available tracks will

appear in the Audio Tracks window. Select the file you want to extract by clicking on it.

5. Determine the file name, audio

file type, and other options.

6. Click OK.

Inserting voiceover

In the case of documentaries and presentation videos, narration often helps viewers understand and appreciate the movie’s content. Video Editor’s voiceover function allows you to incorporate narration and voiceovers into your videos using the following procedure.

To insert a voice over:

1. Use the Preview bar to determine the section of the video where you want to

add your narration.

If the selected file has only one audio track, the Tracks button is disabled. Click the Play button to listen to the track you have selected.

48 VIDEO EDITOR

2. Select Insert: Voice File.

3. In the Insert Voice File dialog box, test the sensitivity of the microphone by looking at the level meter.

4. Under Audio track selection, choose the audio track where to insert the voiceover.

5. Under Select audio file folder, click the ellipsis button to choose a folder where to save the voiceover file.

6. Click Start to begin recording your voice. Press [ESC] to stop recording.

Make sure the Project cursor is not over an existing audio clip on the selected Audio track.

You can adjust the recording level of the microphone by going into the Windows Volume Control.

Click Run Mixer to adjust the recording volume and other recording options.

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 49

Inserting title, color, and silence clips

Apart from video, audio, voice over, and image clips, you can also insert title, color, and silence clips into the Timeline. Title clips are often used in conjunction with moving path effects (they are described in detail in Chapter 4). Silence and color clips can be used as placeholder clips which can ‘stand in’ for other clips you want to insert later. For example, you may want to start working on a video project, but you have yet to acquire all your source files or some may still be in the editing stage. You can use a color clip to substitute for an image or video clip and a silence clip for an audio clip that will serve as default clips. When it is time to utilize your finished source files, use the Clip: Replace With command to insert these files into the positions that the default clips occupy. Any existing filters, special effects, and/or moving paths are retained by the new clip.

You can also use color clips as a background for other clips in the project, such as when performing fades or to create certain types of effects. You can set key frames to create impressive gradient effects with each frame of the clip gradually shifting from one color to the next.

To insert a color clip:

1. Click the Insert Color Clip button in the Timeline Toolbar (You can also click Insert: Color Clip or right-click on a video track and select Color Clip from the

pop-up menu.)

2. In the Insert Color Clip dialog box, specify the duration of the clip in the Duration spin box.

3. Choose the color of the clip by clicking the color square or entering RGB values. Click the Pure Color button to quickly insert a solid color clip.

4. Click OK. Drop the clip into position on a video track.

If you choose different colors for the start and end key frames, you can create a gradient effect, such as a fade from black to white. The more key frames you add, the greater the variety of colors you can have. For more on adding key frames, see

“Using key frame controls in dialog boxes” on page 103.

Inserting Ulead video file types

MediaStudio Pro supports a number of proprietary file formats for use with the MediaStudio Pro suite of programs. These are Ulead Image Sequence (*.UIS), Ulead CG Infinity (*.UCG) and Ulead Video Paint (*.UVP). You can insert these files into the Timeline whenever you open the Insert Video File dialog box and

50 VIDEO EDITOR

choose their respective file types from the Files of type list. It is always best to insert the actual project files for any projects you have created in one of these other programs as they have not been rendered or compressed in any way and thus maintain the highest quality.

Inserting UIS files

The UIS file type is a special format that allows you to select a sequence of images to be loaded into a video project with the Insert Video File command. These images can be from any source, such as animation Targa files or even a hand drawn series of images created in a drawing program. The only restriction is that these files must have consecutively numbered file names, such as vid0001.tga, vid0002.tga, vid0003.tga and so on.

Inserting soundtracks from third-party music

Video Editor’s Auto Music feature lets you easily create composer-quality soundtracks from royalty-free music and use them as background music in your project. You can have different tempos or musical instrument variations per music.

To create soundtracks using Auto Music:

1. Select Insert: Auto Music.

2. To choose from the royalty-free music library that’s supplied with Video Editor, select Owned from the Scope menu, then choose the music that you want from the Music list.

Ulead CG Infinity and Video Paint files are not supported in the MediaStudio Pro Standard Edition.

Any image sequence can easily be converted to a UIS by using the File: Convert command.

Auto Music Maker utilizes the patented SmartSound Quicktracks technology in soundtrack creation and features a variety of SmartSound royalty-free music.

To view the complete selection of SmartSound libraries, select All from the Scope menu. When you choose a music that is not supplied with Video Editor, it will be downloaded for preview only. You need to purchase the music if you want to use it.

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 51

3. Select a Variation of the selected music. Click Play to listen to the music with the variation applied.

4. Set the Duration for the music. Alternatively, select Fit to project length to make the music clip the same length as your project.

5. Click OK, then insert the music into an audio track in the Timeline.

Inserting Video Editor projects

You can insert another Video Editor project (.DVP) file into the current project by clicking Insert: Project File, or by dragging a project file from the Production Library or Windows Explorer and dropping it into the Timeline.

Before insertion, you can choose first how DVP projects will be inserted into the Timeline through the Edit tab of the Preferences dialog box.

By default, a DVP project will be inserted as a Virtual clip. That is, all the media files, transitions and effects in it will be combined as a single clip and placed at the insertion point in the Main Timeline. Once the virtual clip has been placed in the timeline, you can treat it as any other ordinary video clip. For details on what operations can be applied to virtual clips,

see “Working with virtual clips” on

page 57.

If you prefer to have the DVP project expanded on the timeline, select Part of current project from the Append project as drop-down menu. In this case, all of the media clips, transitions, and effects contained in it will be completely placed at the insertion point in the Main Timeline and you can replace or edit them.

Push Away insertion

Push Away insertion is related to Ripple Editing and controls how inserted clips affect other clips in the Timeline. You must be in No Ripple mode for this to work and it only works on a single track. The key to this technique is to press [SHIFT] while inserting clips.

To use Push Away insertion:

1. Click the No Ripple button, then click the Insert Video File button in the Timeline Toolbar.

2. In the Insert Video File dialog box, select a clip (click it once) then click Open.

3. While you press (and hold) the [SHIFT] key, place your clip in a video track.

Push Away insertion also works on clips that are being dragged from one location to another or that are being pasted into the Timeline.

52 VIDEO EDITOR

Working with tracks

The Timeline consists of two types of tracks - video and audio. There is one primary video track, while the others are overlay tracks. (For details on overlay tracks, see

“Overlay” on page 109).

Single-track editing

Single-track editing means that clips and transitions share the same video track. When you insert and overlap two video clips on a video track, a default transition (as defined in the Preferences dialog box) will automatically be applied to the overlapping section. If you want to apply your own transition, you can overlap video clips, then drag a transition from the Production Library and drop it onto the overlapping segment of the clips.

Adding or deleting tracks

Depending on the scale of your project, you can add or remove tracks in the Timeline. To do so, right-click on the leftmost area of a track to open a menu. You can then choose whether to add or remove the current track, or to add or remove multiple tracks.

The Track buttons

Track name button

When this button is pressed down, all the clips on the track are selected.

Lock or Unlock track button

When a track is locked, the clips cannot be moved or edited. You can lock individual clips by first selecting a clip and then select Edit: Lock.

When you have more tracks available that can fit on the screen at one time, you can use the scroll bars to move up and down through the tracks. To lock both the video and audio tracks when scrolling, click the Scroll Lock button at the top of the vertical scroll bar or the View: Scroll Lock command. The next time you scroll, both tracks move in unison.

Trac k na m e b utt on

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 53

Solo button

When pressed down, only the current track will be included in the preview or rendered file and all other tracks will be disabled.

Hide button

When pressed down, the current track will be hidden and not included in the preview or rendered file.

Determining the visibility of clips

Often you will have a number of clips that will be playing at the same time in a project. It is common, for example, to have one main clip in Video1 and a second clip with titles in Video2. Clips that are in the upper tracks in the Timeline will always play over (on top of) clips located in lower tracks. Since Video2 is higher in the Timeline than Video1, it will play over Video1.

Displaying clips on the Timeline

Click the Display Mode button on the Timeline Toolbar (or click View: Timeline Display Mode) to choose how clips are displayed: Filmstrip, Waveform, Thumbnail, or Filename modes.

Filmstrip and Waveform modes display clips graphically (video clips as frames,

audio clips as waveforms) allowing you to see the entire contents of a clip. While the graphic modes may be easier to work with, it takes time for your computer to redraw clips every time they have been modified. To help improve performance, but still retain some visual cues as to the contents of a clip, select the Thumbnail mode (video only). This shows the first and last frames of a video clip separated by the file name of the clip. The last mode, File name, represents clips by their file names only with no graphical information. This is the fastest mode as it is the quickest to display, but offers no visual reference to the clip’s contents.

Underneath the timecode ruler in the Timeline Window, you can show a project cue bar which is useful for marking areas on a project for future edits, or show a chapter point cue bar if you will be marking chapter points for a DVD project. A cue bar can also be displayed underneath each video and audio track for placing clip cues.

54 VIDEO EDITOR

Moreover, you can set the size of video and audio clips in the tracks. Changing the size of clips is especially useful if you are running in a high resolution display mode and find it hard to identify clips and their contents.

Zooming in/out of the Timeline

The Timeline can represent your project at any magnification. You can display every frame in a clip or view the entire project on the screen at one time. This zooming is achieved by changing the time measurement unit used in the Timeline. For example, at 1 second (the default) each division on the Timeline represents 30 frames (using the NTSC standard), and at 1 minute each division represents 1,800 frames, and so on. To change the unit of measurement you have two options:

• Select View: Ruler Unit to open a submenu and choose the preferred time unit to do your editing. You can also select Zoom In/Out, single Frame, Fit In Window, or Previous Zoom to toggle between the previous zoom ratio and the current one.

•Drag the Timeline Zoom slider to the left to zoom out or to the right to zoom in. Alternatively, click the Zoom Out or Zoom In button that is above the slider.

• Click the Zoom tool and then click on the Timeline. Each mouse click zooms in one ruler unit (toward displaying each frame). Holding down the [SHIFT] key as you click zooms out one ruler unit (toward Fit in Window). This method is best if you are zooming in on a particular clip or frame and want it to remain in view at all times. You can also use the "+" and "-" keys found on the keyboard to zoom in and out.

General Timeline and Summary Timeline

Video Editor provides two types of timeline views: General Timeline and Summary Timeline.

Press and hold the [Z] key on your keyboard to temporarily switch to the Zoom tool. The [SHIFT+Z] allows you to zoom out.

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 55

General Timeline

Summary Timeline

General Timeline provides the traditional linear style for all timecodes and tracks. This means that your clips are displayed in their real time showing their actual length. This may cause some clips in your project not to be visible in the Timeline window all at the same time. You may need to use the scroll bar to view desired clips. You may also adjust the Ruler Unit while editing in the General Timeline mode to select short clips and to see all the clips in your project.

In the Summary Timeline mode, you get an overall picture of the whole project similar to a storyboard. Clips are displayed in similar thumbnail sizes regardless of the clip's actual time length making it easier to select it. The number of thumbnails you will see will depend on the number of segments your project has. The numbers on the illustration below display an example of what segments are in a project Timeline.

You can toggle between these two modes by clicking the corresponding button or selecting the mode from the Window menu.

56 VIDEO EDITOR

Creating nested timelines

Having just one timeline in the workspace usually is enough for a simple editing job. But what if you have multiple projects in production, or you need to include multiple sets of independent files for ongoing editing? The answer is to have nested timelines in your project. To create a nested timeline, right-click on the Main Timeline tab to open a pop-up menu, then select Create New Timeline.

A blank new Timeline1 will be created and becomes active in the workspace.

When you create several nested timelines, each will be numbered sequentially (Timeline1, Timeline2, Timeline3...).

Inserting nested timelines

After you are done editing in a nested timeline, you can insert it into your main project timeline. Video Editor will wrap the whole timeline as a single virtual clip and insert it into the Main Timeline.

To insert a nested timeline into the Main Timeline, you can:

• While in the main project timeline, right-click on the Main Timeline tab. In the pop-up menu that opens, click Insert from Timeline, then select the nested timeline that you want to insert into the Main Timeline.

• While in a nested timeline, for instance Timeline1, right-click on its tab. In the

pop-up menu that opens, select Add to Timeline: Main Timeline.

At most, you can have up to two levels of nested timelines. For instance, the Main Timeline can be inserted with Timeline1, and Timeline1 can be inserted with Timeline2. Timeline2 cannot be further inserted with Timeline3.

Everytime you create a nested timeline, it will be stored in the Timeline folder of the Project Tray tab. If you want to insert a duplicate of this nested timeline, simply drag it from the Timeline folder and place it in the desired part of your project.

CHAPTER 2: WORKING WITH THE TIMELINE 57

Editing a timeline

Double-click a virtual clip in the Main Timeline to edit its contents. This will create a new Timeline tab, showing the media clips and effects expanded in the workspace. After you have finished your edits, all of the changes will be automatically updated into the virtual clip in the Main Timeline.

Double-clicking the virtual clip, Timeline1, will open a new Timeline tab for you to edit its contents.

Working with virtual clips

Virtual clips have the same editing attributes as ordinary video clips. All tools applicable to video clips can be used with virtual clips, such as trimming and Ripple modes.

You can also apply video and audio filters, moving paths, freeze frame, speed, reverse, color calibration, overlay options, and other features. The only limitation is the unavailability of the Split by Scene function in the Clip menu when working with virtual clips.

To delete a specific timeline, set it active then right-click on its tab to open a pop-up menu. Select Close Timeline from the menu.

58 VIDEO EDITOR

Audio attributes in a virtual clip (such as audio filters, speed and reverse) can be added, modified, or deleted. You can adjust its sound volume just like in audio clips.

Viewing virtual clips in the Source Window

Just like video clips, you can view virtual clips in the Source Window.

To view a virtual clip in the Source Window, you can:

• Double-click a virtual clip on the Timeline,

• Drag and drop the virtual clip from the timeline onto the Source Window,

• Load a DVP project file by using the Import command from the Source

Window Menu.

After you have successfully loaded a virtual clip into the Source Window, you can set mark-in/mark-out points, add cues, play a preview range, and apply many other operations to the virtual clip through the Source Window.

Unlike normal video clips, however, there are some limitations when working with virtual clips in the Source Window:

• Shuttle playback is not supported.

•The Export Video submenu is disabled.

• The VU-Meter is not available.

Adding virtual clips to the Production Library

Apart from viewing virtual clips in the Source Window, you can load them into the Production Library.

To import a virtual clip into Production Library, you can:

• Drag and drop a virtual clip from the timeline or Source Window into the Production Library or Project Tray.

• Drag and drop a DVP project file from Windows Explorer. Alternatively, click

Import Project File on the Production Library Toolbar or right-click and select Import Project File in the pop-up menu, then choose a DVP project file to

import.

Working with virtual clips in the Production Library is similar to normal video/ audio clip operations. The only limitation is the unavailability of the Split by Scene function in the right-click pop-up menu.

EDITING

Frame accurate editing and drag-and-drop simplicity is what digital video is all about. This is the heart of Video Editor.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Making selections in the Timeline

Working with clips

Working with cues

Locating clips

Trimming clips

Multi-trim Video

Split by Scene

Ripple Editing

Using the Source Window

Previewing your work

60 VIDEO EDITOR

Making selections in the Timeline

In order to edit clips, you must first select them. This can be as easy as clicking on a clip, but more advanced techniques can be very useful. There are two types of selections that you can make: clip-based and time-based. Clip-based selections are horizontal, moving left, and right across tracks, whereas time- based selections are vertical, encompassing all clips in all tracks within the selected duration. You can make selections in Video Editor using either the Clip or Time Selection tools.

Using the Clip Selection Tool

The Clip Selection Tool allows you to select clips in any of the tracks in the Timeline. You can select individual clips by clicking them. Once you have selected a clip, you can move it or drag on its borders to trim the clip.

To select all the clips in a particular track, click the Track button on the left side of the track. To select all the clips in the Timeline, select Edit: Select: All [CTRL+L].

To select multiple clips:

1. Select the Clip Selection tool.

2. Press and hold the [SHIFT] key on your keyboard.

3. Click and drag in the Video or Audio (but not both) Timeline to make a selection.

4. Any clips included (in whole or in part) in the selection area will be selected when you release the mouse button.

This is the original Timeline. The selection area is shaded above. It was

created while holding the [CTRL+SHIFT] keys and extends across multiple video tracks. Note that the audio clip in Audio1 is not selected.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 61

Using the Time Selection Tool

The Time Selection Tool allows you to select a period of time, including any clips (or portions of clips) that occur within that time period.

To perform a time selection:

1. Select the Time Selection Tool. The pointer now has a Timeline icon under it when placed over the Timeline.

2. Drag your mouse over the area of the Timeline you want to select.

If you need to select a period of time more precisely, you can manually enter the exact location by selecting the Time Selection Tool, and then selecting Edit: Time Selection. Choosing this command opens the Time Selection dialog box where you can specify the duration. The Mark-in time corresponds to the start of the selection area and the Mark-out time the end of the selection area. Click OK to automatically create a selection marquee over the specified area of the Timeline.

Using the Track Selection Tool

The Track Selection Tool is useful when you want to select entire tracks or parts of tracks.

To select a track or part of a track with the Track Selection tool:

1. Click the Track Selection Tool on the Timeline Toolbar.

2. Click on a clip. The clip, along with the rest of the track to the right of the clip, is selected. Therefore, if you click on the first clip in a track you will then select the entire track.

• The corresponding audio is automatically selected for video clips that have audio.

• Hold down the [CTRL+SHIFT] keys while creating a selection area to also select any audio clips on the related audio tracks. For example, when selecting a video clip on Video1, any audio clip on Audio1 will also be selected.

If you press [SHIFT] while clicking on a clip, you will select all clips in all of the tracks in the Timeline to the right of the clip.

62 VIDEO EDITOR

Using the Track buttons

Enable or Disable track button

When this is disabled, the track will not show up in a preview. That is, it is temporarily hidden. By default it is enabled.

Lock or Unlock track button

When a track is locked, the clips cannot be moved or edited. You can lock individual clips by first selecting a clip and then select Edit: Lock or Clip: Locked.

Solo button

When this button is pressed down, all the video/audio tracks on the Timeline are turned off except for the one which solo button is pressed down. The track becomes the only one activated or simply, solo.

Grouping clips

As your project becomes more and more complex, it may be useful to group some clips together so that they may be moved around as a unit.

To group clips:

1. Select the clips by pressing [SHIFT] while dragging over clips to be included.

2. Click Edit: Group (to ungroup click Edit: Ungroup).

Additional clips can be added to the group by selecting the group and then the new clip. Different groups of clips can also be grouped into a higher level group, that is, groups of clips can be grouped together. If you want to separate some clips from a multi-level group, you need to ungroup at each level until you reach the level where the clips are.

All actions performed to any grouped clip will affect all of the clips in the group.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 63

Working with clips

Clips, whether audio, video, images or effects, are the foundation of your project and manipulating them is the most important skill you can master. The next few pages cover the basics: cutting, copying, pasting, and trimming.

To cut or copy a selected clip (to the Clipboard), you can:

• Click either the Cut or Copy button on the Standard Toolbar.

• Select either the Edit: Cut or Copy command.

• Hold down [Ctrl] and drag the clip to a different location.

• Use the keyboard shortcuts: Cut [Ctrl+X] or Copy [Ctrl+C].

• Right-click the clip and select Cut or Copy from the pop-up menu.

To paste a clip (from the Clipboard), you can:

• Click the Paste button.

•From the Edit menu, select Paste [Ctrl+V].

After performing one of the above actions you will have to click on the location where you want to paste the clip.

Pasting attributes

Sometimes you may want to paste only the attributes (Video Filters, Audio Filters, Overlay Options, and Moving Paths) of one clip to another. This is a very powerful technique that allows you to maintain perfect consistency between clips.

To paste the attributes of a clip only:

1. Select the clip.

2. Right-click the clip (or use the Edit: Paste Attributes command).

3. From the drop-down menu, select Paste Attributes.

Cutting a clip removes it from its original location, and pasting transfers it to your designated location. Copying leaves the original clip in place, and pasting then effectively duplicates it. You can use the Cut and Copy commands to transfer a clip to a different project. The Production Library contains copies of your clips. You can drag a clip from the Production Library to the Timeline as many times as you need to.

64 VIDEO EDITOR

This will open the Paste Attributes dialog box which allows you to select individual attributes to paste. When pasting filters, there are two additional options: Append and Replace. Append adds the new filters to any existing filters and Replace overwrites any existing filters with those from the pasted clip.

To clear (remove) a clip from the Timeline:

1. Select a clip (or a period of time) on the Timeline.

2. Click Edit: Clear [Delete] or right-click the selected clip and click Clear.

Aligning clips

Snapping helps to align clips precisely and effortlessly. Select Edit: Snap to make clips snap to the Vertical Preview Line, edge of other clips, transitions, and even project cues (for more on cues, see

“Working with cues” on page 71).

Splitting the audio from video clips

Video clips commonly also have audio. In the Timeline, the accompanying audio clip is placed into the corresponding audio track (Video1 with Audio1, Video2 with Audio2) and the two clips are locked together as a unit. To delete or move either of the clips separately, the two must first be split. This is useful when you are creating a music video and the audio track is not needed. You will also need to split the audio from a video clip in order to perform a freeze frame effect (see

“Freezing a frame” on page 68).

To split the audio from video clips:

1. Select the clip.

2. Click Clip: Split (or right-click a selected clip and, from the pop-up menu, select Split).

• This does not affect the source files in any way.

• If clearing a period of time, any clips that are included in the time selection are removed. (Clips partially selected are trimmed to the selection

boundary.)

• If you do not want to create an empty clip or time slot, make sure that the Single-Track or Multi-Track Ripple Editing button on the Timeline Toolbar is selected (see “Ripple Editing” on page 82). The next time you use the Clear command any following clips will move backward to the left to occupy the vacated space.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 65

Changing the volume of clips

Audio clips and the soundtracks of video clips have a volume rubber band in the middle that is used for adjusting sound volume. Simply drag the rubber band up or down to change the volume.

To change the sound volume of a clip from the Timeline:

1. Select the clip whose sound volume you want to change.

2. Click on the rubber band (baseline) that appears in the middle of the clip. A control point is placed at the position of your pointer.

Changing the sound volume from the Timeline

3. Drag the control point up to increase volume at this point, down to decrease. (All the way to the top doubles the volume; all the way down means no sound).

To add additional control points, repeat steps 2 and 3.

Changing the speed of clips

Retiming clips is a very powerful feature that allows you into the “time domain” of video playback. It empowers you to speed up or slow down the clips. On the technical side it’s important to know that every media clip has a certain playback speed expressed in frame rate. Let’s assume you have a video clip with a normal speed of thirty frames per second. The motion is life-like.

Suppose you want to speed up the pace of the action two folds - make it move faster twice. In this case, you will need to tell the program to cram all your thirty frames in just a half a second time. Flip this concept and you will know how to slow down things in your clip, make it twice slower - simply extend the thirty frames of natural motion throughout sixty frames of video.

To reunite clips, select Unite. For the two clips to be successfully reunited they need to be of exactly the same duration and in corresponding positions in the Timeline. This command is therefore usually limited to clips that were previously joined and then split.

To remove a control point, drag it off the top or bottom of the clip. If you hold down the [SHIFT] key before adjusting the control points, you will see

values (in dB and %) for the exact volume.

66 VIDEO EDITOR

To change the speed of your video in Video Editor, you will not need to bother altering the actual amount of frames played per second. All you need to do is drag on a clip’s edges.

By default, a clip is trimmed every time you drag on its edges. Thus to be able to retime clips, you will need to activate a special mode in the Timeline that allows you interactive retiming, Time Stretch. Dragging the edges of a clip in Time Stretch mode will actually add or remove real frames in your video. Visual shrinking of a clip leads to reducing the number of frames and speeding up the video, whereas expanding a clip past its original borders slows down the motion.

All the retiming is done internally, source video files remain unchanged. Retiming information is stored in the project file and is applied at rendering.

To retime a clip:

1. Click the Time Stretch Tool in the Timeline Toolbar.

2. Click-drag on any edge of a clip to either left or right.

Another way to retime your clip is by entering numerical values for speed, duration or variable speed in the Speed dialog box (Clip: Speed). This feature is extremely useful if you need to achieve fast and slow motion effects having in mind exact percentage by which to speed up or slow down the playback.

Here are the three methods in the Speed dialog box that allow direct access to clip retiming:

• Speed - enter a value between 10 and 1000 percent to retime in a linear fashion. Once entered, the speed value will be applied to the whole duration of the clip.

• Duration - set the end time in the timecode boxes. Setting the end time before the end of the original duration will speed up the clip, setting it past the mark will slow down the motion of the video.

Time Stretch and Clip: Speed can also be applied to audio clips.

Altering the speed of clips will remove Freeze Frame settings if they were set on the clip prior to retiming. Freeze Frame is also removed when you apply Speed attribute in the Timeline.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 67

• Variable Speed - enter a value between 10 and 1000 percent to retime in a linear fashion with an option to key frame the values at different points in time. Placing key frames with different speed values across your clip will vary its playback speed interpolating from one value to another in a linear fashion.

Reversing the frames of a clip

Select Clip: Reverse (the Reverse command can also be accessed by rightclicking the clip) to reverse the position of the frames in a clip and create a backwards effect. Any audio accompanying the clip will also be reversed.

Relinking clips

Whenever you open a project, Video Editor performs a cross-check between the clips in the project and their associated source files. If the source files are missing, the Relink dialog box opens prompting you to relink the clips by browsing for the correct folder or folders.

Video Editor includes a feature that works completely transparent (meaning that you won't even notice it), called Smart Relink. If you have moved your files to another drive or folder, but have basically maintained their positions relative to one another, Smart Relink will automatically find all of the clips in the project that have missing file links and locate the rest of the source files. This can be a huge time saver.

If you click the Ignore button in the Relink dialog box, the clips on the Timeline will appear blacked out. You can still work with them, but you won’t be able to create previews or final video files.

Another way of relinking source files to their clips is by clicking Search: Find Unlinked Clips. The dialog box that opens displays a list of the missing source files, their associated file names, as well as options to relink, delete, or go to the clip on the Timeline in question. If you choose to relink, the Relink Video File dialog box opens allowing you to browse for the missing files.

The Duration dialog box (Clip: Duration) is for trimming only. It doesn’t retime your clips.

If you choose Variable Speed mode, the audio of the clip will be removed.

68 VIDEO EDITOR

Calibrating video clips

If you have captured or inserted a video file whose colors you were unable to properly calibrate (adjust) in Video Capture, you can do so directly from Video Editor with the Clip: Color Calibration command (or right-click the clip and select Color Calibration). This method uses Video Editor as a post production tool to adjust the color. To properly use the Color calibration command, your video file needs to have a color bar test pattern which was created by the video source, and included with the file at the time of capture, otherwise this command has no benefit.

For more on color calibration, see “Calibrating your display” on page 205 under “Part II: Video Capture”.

Freezing a frame

A common technique in video editing is freezing a frame during playback. In Video Editor, this is done by selecting Clip: Freeze Frame.

To freeze a frame during playback:

1. Select a clip and then split the audio from the video (see “Splitting the audio

from video clips” on page 64).

2. Right-click the clip and select Freeze Frame. The Freeze Frame dialog box opens.

3. Use the slider under the Preview Window to find the frame you want to freeze.

4. Check Freeze before frame or Freeze after frame, or both, and then click the corresponding arrow button. You can also directly enter the timecode and set it as the frame to freeze. (See notes below for details.)

5. Enter how long you want the selected frames to be "frozen" in Freeze duration.

6. Click OK.

If you need to edit the freeze frame attributes, select then right-click the clip and choose Freeze Frame from the pop-up menu. If you only need to change the freeze duration, you can press [Shift] and drag the end of the video clip in the Timeline.

If your video file is field-based, select De-interlace freeze frame to produce better video quality.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 69

Setting field options for video clips

Video Editor allows you to work with both field-based and frame-based video files. Field-based video stores video data as two distinct fields of information for each frame. This allows the video to play back flicker free on a television which interlaces both of these fields in odd/even scan lines. If your video is only for computer playback, you should save your work as frame-based.

To specify the type of video you are working with:

1. Select the clip.

2. Select Clip: Media Source Options. (Right-click the clip and from the pop-up menu, select Media Source Options.) This will open the Media Source Options dialog box.

• Freeze before frame. When the clip is played back, it will "freeze" on the designated frame from the beginning of the clip, up to and including the

frame itself, and then resume normal playback.

• Freeze after frame. When the clip is played back, it will playback normally until it comes to the designated frame and then "freeze" to the end of the

clip.

If both boxes are checked, the clip will freeze both before a particular frame

and after a particular frame. See the illustration below for an example.

In the above illustration, the top row represents a normal clip of fifteen frames. In the second row, Freeze before frame was selected and frame 5 was frozen. Frame 5 is then repeated (frozen) until frame 6 is reached. Normal playback resumes. Freeze after frame was also selected with the value of 10, and the frame is repeated (frozen) until the end of the clip. So this clip freezes at two different points. If you want to freeze more frames within this one clip, you must first use the Scissors Tool to cut your clip into

separate clips.

Freeze before frame Freeze after frame

70 VIDEO EDITOR

If you are working on frame-based video, select the Frame-based option in the Frame type list. For field-based video, select either the Lower Field First or Upper Field First option. Exactly which one depends on the type of video capture board used to digitize the original video. (For more information, see the documentation accompanying your video capture board.) If you cannot determine the correct order, switch between the two and render a section of your movie to see which gives you the best results.

If your video was originally field-based but you are editing the video as framebased, select the Deinterlace option. This helps combine the two fields into one frame. For frame-based video that you are editing as field-based, select the Flicker reduction option to help Video Editor create the two fields necessary for each frame. This may require some initial experimentation, and may only be apparent when you output your movie to a video tape. Click OK when you are done setting the options.

• Display aspect ratio may be disabled if Perform non-square pixel rendering is not selected in the Project Options dialog box or if the video

clip has a ratio of 16:9 or 4:3.

• If you already determined the aspect ratio settings in the Preferences dialog box, you don't need to change the aspect ratio again in the Media Source Options dialog box unless you want to use a different aspect ratio for a

particular video clip.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 71

Working with cues

Cues are simply bookmarks for your video project. As your projects get larger and more complex, you can use cues to quickly jump from one place to another, easily align clips when inserting them, or mark the location of a particular event. You can name the cues and add descriptions. Cues can be added to the Timeline as a whole (project cues) or to individual clips (clip cues). Also, there is a special kind called chapter cues used only in projects that will be exported for DVD authoring in programs like Ulead DVD MovieFactory.

Placing project cues

You can place cues either directly on the cue bar or in the Preview Window.

To place a project cue on the cue bar:

1. Move the pointer to the cue bar (the bottom part of the ruler). The cursor changes to the cue cursor.

2. Click on the appropriate location on the Timeline. A triangular blue cue marker appears on the cue bar.

To place a project cue using the Preview Window:

1. Click Play [ENTER] to preview the project in the Preview Window or use the Navigation bar to move to the place where you want to add a cue.

Project cues

Clip cues

72 VIDEO EDITOR

2. Press [F5] on your keyboard when you want to add a cue (or click the Menu button and choose Add/Delete Cue).

3. Cues (blue triangles) appear on the Timeline Cue Bar.

The default name of the clip (the variable &p) is the location of the cue on the Timeline. For example, the default name of a cue at the 1 minute, 30 second point would be ‘01:30:00’. Right-click a cue to view its name. If you wish to move a cue, drag it to a new location. To remove a cue, drag it off the edges of the Timeline. Select View: Cue Manager to delete cues, rename them or jump to a specific cue.

Placing clip cues

You can also place cues on individual clips. They are quite useful for aligning clips in different tracks and for accurately combining video and audio clips. In this case, the cues are black and appear on the Timeline immediately below the clip. These cues cannot be named but can be used as navigation points in the Source Window by clicking the Next/Previous Edit Point buttons.

To place clip cues using the Source Window:

1. Open a clip in the Source Window (double-click the clip or drag it to the Source Window).

2. Play the clip or use the Navigation Bar to move to the place where you want to place a cue.

3. Press [F5] (or click the Menu button and choose Add/Delete Cue).

4. Continue adding cues and click the Apply button when finished.

To view clip cues on the Timeline:

1. Click View: Timeline Display Mode or the Timeline Display Mode button.

2. Select Show cue bar for video and/or audio tracks.

• The Source Window displays an audio cue bar when you have an audio clip. Click on the cue bar to add audio cues. To remove cues, drag them off of the cue bar.

• Alternatively, click the Source Window Menu . You can select Clip Cue Manager from the menu to add, delete, and rename clip cues.

Project cues are always visible at the top of the Timeline.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 73

Placing chapter cues

The third type is chapter cues. You will only need to set them if you plan to export your project to either Ulead DVD Workshop or Ulead DVD MovieFactory. There, your chapter cues will be used for easy navigation through DVD movies. All the chapter points set in Video Editor will be recognized by both - DVD Workshop and MovieFactory.

To set chapter cues in the Timeline:

1. Click Display Mode . Alternatively, click View: Timeline Display Mode.

2. Select Chapter point cue bar.

3. Click OK.

4. The horizontal bar beneath the Timeline Ruler now becomes the chapter point cue bar. Click on this bar to set more chapter points. A green triangle indicator appears as you add a chapter point. (To remove a Chapter point, drag the triangle icon all the way to the left).

Locating clips

You can use cues to jump to a specific location in your project instantly.

To locate a specific clip:

1. Click the Find Clip button or Search: Find Clip [CTRL+F]. This displays the start time, duration, track and name of all the cues contained within the current video project.

2. To go directly to a clip, select it under Start Time in the list box.

3. Click OK.

To go to another clip from the same source file, click the Find Next button on the Standard Toolbar or click Search: Find Next [F2].

You can also use the DVD Chapter Point Manager in the View menu to manage your chapter cues.

74 VIDEO EDITOR

You can also use the Production Library to view all the clips in the current video project and search through text annotated to the clips.

To jump to a cue or a specific time:

1. Click Search: Go To.

2. In the Go To dialog box, enter a time or select a cue.

3. Click the To button. The Timeline jumps to your selection with a yellow arrow pointing to the specific jump.

Locating an empty time slot

In the course of creating a large project, you may have left blank spaces in the Timeline to fill at a later time. Click Search: Find Empty Time Slots to find these.

Trimming clips

Trimming and editing clips is the basis of making movies. There are a number of convenient methods for doing this in Video Editor. Each of these offers different advantages depending on the type of clip and the operations you wish to perform.

To trim using the Clip Selection Tool:

1. Click the Clip Selection Tool .

2. Drag the left or right border of the clip.

You can also use the Production Library to view all the clips in the current video project and search through text annotated to the clips.

When you view the Find Empty Time Slot dialog box, there will always be one time slot listed. This is the time slot at the end of the video project and cannot be deleted.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 75

How far you can drag depends on the type of clip and/or its duration. For example, you cannot extend the length of a video or audio clip to exceed the duration of its source file. Image, title, and color clips can be extended indefinitely. Zooming in [+] on the Timeline will help in trimming a clip with accuracy.

Trimming in the Source Window

One way which you can use to trim your videos is to use the Source window.

To trim a video in the Source Window:

1. Double-click a video clip in the Timeline.

2. In the Source Window, drag the Jog slider to the position you want as the markin point and then press [F3].

3. Drag the Jog slider to the position you want as the mark-out point and then press [F4].

4. Click Apply in the Source Window.

You can also use the Source Window to cut your video clips. Video Editor gives you two options on how you can cut your video clips: Cut by Position and Cut by Cue. Cut by Position slices the video clip based on the position of the Jog slider. Cut by Cue slices the video clip based on the cue positions.

Select Clip: Duration if you need extreme precision for the clip length. In the Duration dialog box, type the desired length for the clip.

• Use the left-arrow or right-arrow key on your keyboard to go through your video frame by frame. Each key press moves you one frame forward or back. You can also hold down [Shift] and use the mouse to drag the Jog slider. This feature is particularly useful if the video clip duration is very long or you

want to make precise trimming.

• This displays the clip duration. You can enter new values here to change the length of the clip.

76 VIDEO EDITOR

Trimming in the Preview Window

As you trim, Preview Window will display the real-time result of your actions. This is a preferable way of trimming if precision is not critical but time is important.

To trim a video in the Preview Window:

1. Click-select a video clip in the Timeline.

2. Drag its edges to trim the clip. Notice the realtime preview of the trimming operation in the Preview Window.

Setting preview range in Preview Window is different from the trimming in the Source Window or Trim Window. After you set the mark-in and mark-out points in the Preview Window, your project preview range will be limited to the “trimmed” duration that was set in the Preview Window.

To set a preview range in the Preview Window:

1. Open the Preview Window.

2. Drag the little triangle trim handle on the left end to the desired play-in point. Alternatively, drag the Jog slider to the position you want as the mark-in point and then press [F3].

3. Drag the trim handle on the right to desired play-out point. Alternatively, drag the Jog slider to the position you want as the mark-out point and press [F4].

4. Click Play Preview Range in the Preview Window to play the trimmed

segment.

Using the Trim Window

The Trim Window is the most precise method of trimming your clips, frame by frame.

To use the Trim Window:

1. Select Window: Trim Window.

If the Preview Window and Trim Window are open simultaneously, the feedback will be streamed to the Trim Window only.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 77

2. Select Edit: Trim Options and select how you want to trim the clip. See

“Defining trim options” on page 78.

3. Grab the edge of the clip you want to trim. The Trim Window displays two frames. The clip will be trimmed between these two frames when you release the mouse button.

Using the Scissors Tool to trim clips

To cut a clip:

1. Click the Scissors Tool (or hold down the [S] key on your keyboard).

2. Click on the place where you want to cut the clip.

Cutting a clip breaks the clip at the pointer position, creating two separate clips that you can then move around the Timeline. If you place two previously cut clips back in their original positions you can reattach them together by clicking (with the Scissors Tool selected) over the cut line.

If you have the Stitch trim option selected, only the previous frame is displayed whenever you use the Trim Window.

• Hold down the mouse button and use the arrow keys to move frame by frame.

• To trim a title clip using the Trim Window, press [Shift] as you drag the edge of the title clip.

• The Trim Window has no effect if you are using the Time Selection Tool.

78 VIDEO EDITOR

Defining trim options

While trimming is a basic operation, it does have more advanced features. The effect of trimming on neighboring clips is determined by the Trim Options. Select Edit: Trim Options to choose the following:

An example of stitching one clip over another

Cutting a clip with the Scissors tool

Hold down the [SHIFT] key on your keyboard to cut across multiple tracks.

Normal allows you to trim a clip only within the available free clip slot.

Overwrite allows you to trim a clip so that it extends over a

neighboring clip, thereby replacing the overlapped portion with the new clip (if you then trim the clip back it will still leave an empty slot).

Stitch allows you to trim a clip over another, trimming the neighboring clip instead of overwriting it (if you then trim the clip back, it will reveal the underlying portion of the other clip which is then "untrimmed"). This is useful if you want to merge two clips together and need to see the frames of each clip in the Trim Window. (If the two clips are not adjacent you can only trim the active clip to the duration of the clip slot.)

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 79

Smart Trim

The trimming procedures described on the preceding pages are completely nondestructive and do not affect the original source files in any way. While this is a major advantage to editing video on a computer, there may be times where, because of a lack of free hard disk space, you want to actually trim your source files according to your edits.

In the Project menu, select Smart: Smart Trim. In the dialog box that opens, you can select the clip or clips that you want to permanently alter.

Multi-trim Video

Sometimes, marking only the start and the end points to trim a clip just isn’t enough. There could be situations when you will need to mark multiple start/end points. Let’s say you recorded a TV program and you want to trim out all the nine commercials in the clip. For that, you will need to use the Multi-trim Video function available from the Production Library toolbar.

1 Shuttle Slider - Preview the clip at different playback speeds.

2 Jog Wheel -

Use to scroll to different parts of the clip.

80 VIDEO EDITOR

To trim a video file into multiple clips:

1. Import your video file into the Production Library. Select the video file, then

click Multi-trim Video .

2. In the Multi-trim Video dialog box, view the whole clip first by clicking to determine how you want to mark segments.

3. Drag the Jog Slider until you get to the part of the video that you want to use

as the beginning frame of the first segment. Click Start .

4. Drag the Jog Slider again, this time, to the point where you want the segment

to end. Click End .

5. Do steps 3 and 4 repeatedly until you have marked all the segments you want kept or removed.

6. Click OK when finished. The video segments that you kept are then inserted onto the Timeline.

• To mark segments, you can also press [F3] and [F4] while playing the video.

• Click Invert Selection to toggle between marking segments that you want to retain or marking segments that you want taken out from the

clip.

Navigation controls in the Multi-trim Video dialog box:

Reverses or advances through the video in fixed increments. By default, these buttons move up or down through the video in increments of 25 seconds.

Plays a preview of the final trimmed video.

Plays the video file. Hold [Shift] then click to play only the selected segments.

Moves to the start or end frame of a trimmed segment.

Moves to the previous/next frame in the video.

[F5] [F6]

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 81

Split by Scene

Split by Scene allows you to separate scenes in your DV video clip into several clips. This function is very useful when wanting to insert transition effects between segments in a single DV video clip. It can be accessed in three different locations: Insert Video File dialog box, right-click pop-up menu in the Production Library, and in the right-click menu on the Timeline.

To use Split by Scene:

1. Select the DV video clip then access the Split by Scene function.

2. The Scenes & Recording Cuts dialog box appears.

3. Preview, join, or split videos if needed.

4. When done, select the Open scenes & recording cuts as multiple clips option.

5. Click OK. The file will then be split into multiple clips according to different

scenes.

Each separated clip is merely a trimmed version of the captured video file. Each of the clips is not an independent file. Hence, notice that the clips all bear the same file name indicating that they actually come from a single video file.

The Split by Scene option is disabled when the selected video clip does not contain any scene information.

When the different scenes of the video clip are not displayed, click Scan to generate the scene information.

The Split by Scene function will be disabled when the DV clip has been trimmed or an effect has been applied.

82 VIDEO EDITOR

Ripple Editing

Ripple editing is a mode in Video Editor that allows you to insert clips and automatically push other clips out of the way so the new clip will fit on the Timeline.

To select a Ripple Editing mode click one of three Ripple Editing buttons on the Timeline toolbar or choose from the Edit: Ripple Editing menu list. See the next two pages for specific examples.

No Ripple mode means that newly inserted clips are trimmed to fit the available empty time slot.

Single-Track Ripple editing will move everything (including empty space) out of the way to make room for the inserted clip, but only on the target track.

Multi-Track Ripple editing will move everything (including empty space) out of the way to make room for the inserted clip, moving all clips (audio and transitions included) on all tracks.

When you are in No Ripple mode, select a file to insert and hold down the [SHIFT] key while placing the clip on the Timeline. When this file is dropped on the Timeline, it will push all downstream clips in a single track out of the way. Empty spaces will NOT be preserved if the clip length fits perfectly or is longer than the available slot.

• With any of the Ripple Editing modes selected, you cannot trim clips toward the start of the project (frame 0), unless there is an empty clip slot for the

preceding clip to occupy.

• Ripple Editing only has an effect when the Normal Trim option is selected.

• Ripple Editing has no effect when dragging clips around the Timeline. It is

only enacted when inserting, trimming, cutting, clearing or pasting clips.

• With either Single or Multi-track Ripple mode selected, hold down the

SHIFT key while inserting a clip onto an occupied slot. This will split the

existing clip on the Timeline and insert your clip in between.

• When Ripple Editing is turned on and you delete a clip, all downstream clips move left to fill in the space vacated by the deleted clip.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 83

Ripple Editing examples

The following illustrations will help you understand the sometimes complex, but extremely important and useful aspects of Ripple Editing.

Automatically overlaying an inserted clip (No Ripple)

No Ripple mode allows you to insert clips without temporal changes in other clips position. In other words, inserting clips in No Ripple editing mode will not affect positions of the clips on the Timeline. In the following example, two clips are already on the Timeline while the third is being inserted. After insertion, the third clip gets overlaid over the two neighbors without shifting them.

Inserting a clip into a full Timeline (Ripple)

In this example, the third clip is again inserted between the two clips. This time, Single Track Ripple is selected.

As the clip is being inserted, the clip to the right is moved to the right two seconds. The entire track is shifted, spaces and all. (If you don't want the spaces preserved, use Push Away Insertion. See “Push Away insertion” on page 51.)

All of the following examples involve the initial insertion of a clip from outside of the Timeline. When moving already inserted clips around within the Timeline, results will differ.

84 VIDEO EDITOR

This time, Multi-Track Ripple is selected:

Everything downstream, including spaces, is shifted to the right three seconds. This will include transitions and clips on all of the other tracks. The entire project (to the right of the insertion point) is moved a few seconds to accommodate the new clip.

Inserting clips into the middle of an existing clip

Clips can be inserted right into the middle of an existing clip, automatically cutting the clip at the insertion point.

To insert a clip into another:

1. Select Edit: Ripple Editing: Single- or Multi-Track.

2. Click the Insert Video File button.

3. In the Insert Video dialog box, select the clip you want to insert.

4. Click the Open button.

5. Press and hold the [SHIFT] key while clicking in the middle of the clip on the

Timeline that you want to insert the new clip into.

Here green.avi is inserted into red.avi. Multi-Track Ripple is on. In the first image, you can see where the inserted clip overlaps the existing clips. Notice how the red clip is split into two parts and the green clip is dropped into the middle. Again, the entire project (to the right of the insertion point) is shifted right three seconds.

Ripple editing modes are valid only for the clips being inserted. Once you place your clips on the Timeline, changing their position will have no ripple effect whatsoever.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 85

Using the Source Window

The Source Window is a single, integrated tool that lets you easily view the contents of any audio, video, or image clip, perform trimming operations, and place clip specific cues. Clips can be dragged to and from the Source Window and into the Timeline or Production Library. A quick double-click will immediately open up a clip in the Source Window. The Source Window itself is made visible by selecting the Source Window button on the Standard Toolbar or by using the Window: Source Window command. Once a clip is opened you can use the menu list to select any other clip which you have previously opened in the Source Window, listed by track and start time. The next few pages cover the Source Window in more detail.

Source Window

1 Playback slider slides back and forth to scrub the clip.

2 Trim handles determine the Mark-in and Mark-out points of the trim area.

3 Current position displays, and allows you to edit, the time of the current position of

the Playback slider.

4 Jog wheel use to scroll to different parts of the clip.

5 Shuttle slider preview the clip at different playback speeds.

1 2

86 VIDEO EDITOR

6 Trim bar shows the trimmed portion of the clip (between the Trim Handles).

7 Trim area displays, and allows you to edit the current duration of the trim area.

8 Clip menu displays, and allows you to choose, any of the clips loaded into the

Source Window.

9 Source Window Menu button displays several options for resizing the Source Win-

dow, importing files, viewing the properties of the clip, finding the clip in the Timeline and adding, deleting, and managing cues.

10 Apply button applies all editing done in the Source Window to the clip in the Time-

line.

11 Navigation bar (See details below.)

Source Window Navigation Bar

1 Play (Pause) plays the entire clip from beginning to end.

2 Play Mark Area (Pause) plays only the trim area from Mark-in to Mark-out portion.

3 Play from the current position to Mark-out (Pause) plays the clip from the cur-

rent position of the Playback slider to the Mark-out point.

4 Previous Edit Point moves the Playback slider to the previous cue or the beginning

of the clip.

5 Previous Frame moves the Playback slider to the previous frame.

6 Next Frame allows you to maneuver the Playback slider one frame at a time.

7 Next Edit Point moves the Playback slider to the previous or next cue or the end of

the clip.

8 Repeat plays the active clip continuously.

9 Mark-in and Mark-out allows you to position the Trim Handles at the current loca-

tion of the Playback slider and adjust the Trim Area.

When trimming videos in the Source Window, the entire trim area can be repositioned by dragging it. The

Playback slider automatically slides along with

while dragging on the Trim handle.

12 345678 9

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 87

The pointer will change to a hand when placed over the trim area. Use this hand to drag the two trim handles when trimming and moving the trim area as a whole. Right-click on the trim area to automatically reset both trim handles to their original positions at the beginning and end of the original clip. Both the Current Position display and Trim Area display boxes can be manually edited. Just click on the box and key in the new numbers to automatically re-adjust the Jog slider and/or Trim handle.

To trim an audio clip:

1. Place the red vertical line where you want to begin the trim selection area.

2. Click the Mark-in button. The unselected area changes to a blue waveform on a gray background.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the Mark-out button.

Alternatively, to mark an audio clip segment, press the [Shift] key and

drag the mouse over a selection.

4. Click the Apply button. The clip on the Timeline is adjusted.

Additional unlabeled controls are the same as the Source Window for video clips (see “Using the Source Window” on page 85). Trimming the audio track of a clip with attached video will also trim the corresponding video track.

Mark-in point

Trim ar e a

Mark-out point

Visible area

Zoom tool

88 VIDEO EDITOR

Previewing your work

Video Editor allows you to see a portion of your project without performing a full save. It lets you render a small section of your project before you create your final video at the end. This way you can view a few seconds of a transition between two clips without having to take the time to render the whole thirty minute project. If your capture board supports an external monitor, you can also preview the output there.

The Preview Window itself is very similar to the Source Window. Where the Source Window is used to view, trim and add cues to individual clips, the Preview Window is used to view your project, either in full or in part, or to add project cues.

Preview Window

1 Play/Pause plays a preview of all the clips in the video project.

2 Play the Preview Range plays only the clips in the preview area.

3 Play to Mark-out plays clips starting from the current pointer position.

4 Timeline History Menu allows you to choose a timeline to playback from. Select it

from the list of available timelines.

12 3 4 5 6

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 89

5 Preview Window Menu displays a pop-up menu for adding/deleting project cues,

changing the video frame size, playing video in full screen, and more.

6 Instant Play swithes between Instant Playback and High-quality playback render-

ing.

Previewing

Video Editor offers real-time previewing for your projects. With this feature, you can instantly see how filters and effects you apply look on your video. You can then make the necessary adjustments when needed.

When you want to preview your work, press [ENTER] or click Play on the Preview Window. If your project is long, this could take some time. Often you will only want to preview part of your project, for example, a few seconds of a transition sequence or an overlay effect. There are three different ways to select the portion of your project you want to preview:

• Create a preview area on the Preview bar over the Timeline. The cursor appears with a little hand icon under it when over the Preview bar. A blue bar in the Preview Window indicates the period for preview. Drag the edges of the white Preview bar in the Timeline or the little triangle icons in the Preview Window to set the in and out points of the preview. Alternatively, place the jog slider on a mark-in point in the Preview Window and press [F3]; press [F4] for the mark-out point. A right-click on the cue bar in the Timeline will delete the preview range.

• Use the Preview Window to create a preview range. Use the Trim handles to define the preview range. This is also represented as a blue line, both in the Preview Window and on the Preview bar above the Timeline.

• Click Edit: Preview Range and enter specific timecode values to define the preview area.

• This displays the duration of the marked preview area. You can enter new

values to change the length of the Preview range.

After selecting the preview range, click the Play [SPACE BAR] button to begin the preview. You can change the size of the Preview Window by clicking on the Preview Window Menu button, then selecting Frame Size List, and choosing a predefined size from the list that appears.

90 VIDEO EDITOR

Instant Play

Instant Play lets you quickly see the changes you have made in your project in the Preview Window. Simply click the Instant Play button or access it in the Preview Window Menu to enable or disable it.

Since the complexity of a project may vary (e.g. a lot of special effects) in different segments, you can set the Performance Level (by right-clicking the Toggle button) to determine whether Video Editor renders a preview file or not when you are previewing your video clip.

Video Editor renders only when a segment's complexity level is above the performance level you set. The Performance Level you set should be relative to your CPU speed.

You may also force a particular segment to be rendered to have a smoother preview.

To force a segment to render:

1. Right-click on the Complexity bar just below the Timescale.

2. Select Force To Render Segment & Preview. Video Editor creates a preview file of the particular segment even when in Instant playback mode then automatically previews the rendered segment.

3. You can also set the preview range by selecting Set Preview Range or force the segment to render at the same time by selecting Set Preview Range & Render Preview.

A segment refers to a vertical stack in the Timeline.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 91

In addition to Instant Playback, Video Editor offers a variety of playback monitoring options. This feature can be accessed from File: Playback Options or the pop-up menu when clicking the Preview Window Menu button.

Depending on the project settings, the display card, and the external monitor type you have, you can preview your work in the target display devices you choose. This feature is useful when you want to preview your work in the device where you will actually play your project.

Toggle button to High Quality Playback to render the whole project before previewing. This produces better image quality and smoother transition of clips.

Toggle button (Instant Playback or High-Quality Playback)

Preview Window Menu button

Performance Level

Playback Options

92 VIDEO EDITOR

Using DV SmartPlay

DV SmartPlay plays your project (with a DV file format templates only) directly from the Timeline out to a DV camcorder or other IEEE-1394 devices without rendering a final movie file. It also lets you view a project on an external monitor at any time.

To use DV SmartPlay:

1. Select Project: Project Settings and click Edit. Here, select the options corresponding to your video clip attributes. (For example, on the AVI tab, make sure the audio format is set to DV Audio -- NTSC/PAL.)

2. Connect your DV camcorder or other IEEE-1394 device to the PC and turn it on.

3. Select File: Select Device Control to make sure a proper device control is activated.

4. Select File: Print to Tape - Timeline. Here, choose Entire project or Preview range, and then click OK.

Performing scrub previews

You can instantly preview your video "on-the-fly" at any time. This is known as scrubbing and is the quickest way to get an idea of how your project is going. When you scrub, you can preview your transitions and the timing of your video, but filters and effects will not be visible unless your hardware supports them. Unlike performing a regular preview, however, scrubbing an area with too many effects may not be smooth.

Before performing a scrub preview, set scrubbing preferences such as preferred preview playback source in the Scrubbing Options dialog box. You can access this through the Preview Window menu.

To perform a scrub preview:

1. Move the pointer up to the top of the ruler above the Timeline. It will change to

a star .

2. Drag your mouse across the top of the ruler to view your preview in the Preview Window. You can also use the Jog slider to scrub from within the Preview Window.

CHAPTER 3: EDITING 93

Previewing on an external device

Preview your video and transition effects on an external device. You can use your TV (if you have a dual-head display card) and even your DV camcorder's LCD screen to preview your project. You can set the external preview viewing device by selecting File: Playback Options.

To set an external preview viewing device for your transition effects, click in the transition effect's dialog box.

Managing preview files

The files that are created for the preview (if high-quality playback is selected) are saved in a temporary folder that can be set from File: Preferences on the Preview tab. Preview files can take up a huge amount of disk space, so it is important to set these folders up properly. Sometimes, MediaStudio Pro will generate a "Not enough disk space" error when previewing. This error often occurs because you need to specify additional space for these files on another disk.

Specific preview files can be controlled by going to File: Preview Files Manager. You can see how much disk space your preview files occupy and then decide whether or not to delete them.

94 VIDEO EDITOR

ADDING EFFECTS AND TITLES

From transition effects between scenes to stunning video filters and amazing animated moving paths, MediaStudio Pro has it all. Let your creativity run wild as you learn about the most fun and exciting features of Video Editor.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Using transition effects

Using key frame controls in dialog boxes

Effects Manager

Overlay

Applying video filters

Creating a moving path

Applying audio filters

Creating titles

96 VIDEO EDITOR

Using transition effects

An integral part of any video or film presentation is the transition effects used to enhance the way clips merge, fade, and cut from one scene to another. An appropriate and well placed transition effect can make your video sequence flow better and add impact to your work.

Transition effects basics

After you drop clips on a video track, clips can either have an empty space in between, sit frame by frame next to each other or overlap. When they overlap, a default transition clip will be automatically added to the overlapped region.

The amount of overlap determines the effect duration, which will automatically adjust when you readjust the overlapping region.

To specify a default transition for overlapping clips you will need to set it in the Preferences dialog box.

To set a default transition:

1. Select File: Preferences

2. Click the Edit tab.

3. In Default transition effect click the Select button.

4. Choose any transition from the list in the Production Library pop-up window.

5. Click OK to apply the settings.

The added transition clip must be attached to a video clip. You can trim or delete the transition clip.

CHAPTER 4: ADDING EFFECTS AND TITLES 97

To manually add a transition effect:

1. Place two video clips on a video track, making sure the clips overlap a little.

2. Open the Production Library and select the Transition Effect folder to display its gallery of effects.

3. Drag-and-drop an effect onto the overlapping clips.

4. Double-click on the transition in timeline, Transition Options dialog box

appears. Click OK and preview.

The Transition Options dialog box is where you can customize your transitions. You can alter the speed, the direction, the border, and apply any number of little nuances to your transition with the Key Frame Controller. Each effect has slightly different controls. Refer to the next section for details.

Customizing a transition

There are a number of options available in the Transition Options dialog box that let you customize your transition. The variety of these available options depends on the type of transition you are applying. The following is just one example among hundreds.

Transition Options dialog box (for the Box-Wipe transition effect)

The Transition Effect gallery displays all the available transition effects in Video Editor. There are over one hundred transitions which are conveniently grouped into folders. Each effect is displayed as an animated thumbnail for easy identification.

98 VIDEO EDITOR

1 Transition selects which video clip starts the transition.

2 Divide X/Y by divides the screen horizontally/vertically to produce duplicates.

3 Color square specifies the color for the border.

4 Border specifies the size of the border at the edge of the transition.

5 Soft edge softens the transition edges.

6 Direction buttons set the movement of the transition.

7 Sample window displays a preview of the selected transition.

8 Key Frame Controller specifies the key frames at which different settings are

applied to the clip.

9 Speed control selects the preview play speed.

10 Show background displays actual video in the sample window.

11 Preview button plays the effect with its current settings.

12 Preview Playback Options opens a dialog box where you can specify where to

preview the filter/effect.

13 Play in Preview Window or External Monitor outputs the results in Video Edi-

tor's Preview and/or an external monitor.

14 Transition degree specifies the degree of completion at the current frame.

15 X and Y indicate the coordinates for the starting point of the transition.

16 Reverse changes the direction of the transition.

To customize a transition effect:

1. Insert a Box-Wipe transition effect between two clips.

2. In the Transition Options dialog box, adjust the Divide by X value to 2. This divides the screen vertically to produce two box-wipe effects on the screen at the same time.

Every transition effect clip placed between the clips contains a horizontal “switch” which allows you to change the direction of the transition without having to open the Transition Options dialog box. Clicking the green arrow switch changes the direction of the transition effect from Forward to Backward.

Double-click a previously inserted transition to open the Transition Options dialog box. It is automatically opened when you insert a new transition only when the Display Options dialog box option is selected in File: Preferences: General tab.

CHAPTER 4: ADDING EFFECTS AND TITLES 99

3. Enter a Border value of 1. Change the color of the border by clicking on the Color square and selecting a color.

4. Select one of the two Direction buttons to set the movement of the transition.

5. Enter an X value of 60 and a Y value of 50. This is the starting position of the transition effect.

6. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the attributes to the transition

effect. Preview the new transition.

You now have a customized transition. When you have done this, it is an excellent idea to save this customized effect to the Production Library for future use.

To save a transition effect:

1. Modify a preset transition as detailed above.

2. In the Transition Options dialog box, click Add to send the effect to the Production Library.

3. Enter a name and a description. Click OK.

Commonly used transitions

While Video Editor has dozens and dozens of different transition effects to choose from, the jump cut with no transition and the crossfade are probably the only two that are commonly used in Hollywood movies. Another popular technique is to fade to black at the end of a program or scene.

To fade to black:

1. Place a video clip onto the Video1 track.

2. Create a black color clip (see “Inserting title, color, and silence clips” on

page 49) and drag onto the same Video1 track, making sure the start of the

color clip overlaps the end of the video clip.

3. From the F/X folder, drag the Crossfade transition effect onto the overlapping region between the clips.

4. Adjust the Transition Options dialog box (make sure the transition is selected as Forward) and click OK. Preview the effect.

You can also set the starting position by dragging the control point that appears in the center of the sample image. This option may not be available for all effects.

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Using Crossfade to create a fade to black effect

It is of course trivial to reverse this effect to fade from black at the start of your movie. Just make sure that the color clip precedes the video clip in the Timeline and then make sure that you change the direction of the transition to go from the black color clip to the video clip.

Another common effect is called the Turn Page effect, located in the Film folder of the Production Library. Simply drag the effect onto the transition between two overlapping clips to replace it with the Turn Page effect.

Turn Page transition effect

Depending on your hardware, it may take a little time for the effect to be created by your computer. This is called rendering time. To see your transition effect without rendering your project, use the Instant Play function (see

“Instant Play” on page 90). A jump cut, where the clips are simply placed beside each other on

the same track, requires no rendering time and is sometimes just as useful. Video Editor offers so many fun and interesting transition effects that it is sometimes easy to get carried away and use them between every clip. A fancy transition is not always the best artistic choice however, and can at times be distracting. Simple jump cuts or fades are often your best choices.

The Flashback transition

You can use the Flashback transition to simulate a flashback or introduce a dream sequence for the next scene. Light is added to the dissolving scenes to create a dreamy effect.

Ulead MEDIASTUDIO PRO 8 User Manual

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