Xara Movie Edit Pro - 2013 Instruction Manual

Copyright

This documentation is protected by law. All rights, especially the right to duplicate, circulate, and translate, are reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in the form of copies, microfilms or other processes, or transmitted into a language used for machines, especially data processing machines, without the express written consent of the publisher.

All copyrights reserved.

All other product names are trademarks of the corresponding manufacturers. Errors in and changes to the contents as well as program modifications reserved.

MAGIX is a registered trademark of MAGIX AG.

Created under license from Dolby Laboratories

Dolby and the double D symbol are trademarks of the Dolby Laboratories.

Other named product names may be registered trademarks of their respective owners.

This product uses MAGIX patented technology (USP 6,518,492) and MAGIX patent pending technology.

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Preface 3

Preface

Congratulations! You have purchased a complete, fully-equipped, yet easy-to-use video studio!

The possibilities are endless - from quick holiday video editing to demanding and detailed advanced film editing. MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 also offers:

• Recording and import of all standard video formats

• Video and audio content optimization

• Possibility of adding fades, titles and effects

• Disc menu creation for DVD, Blu-ray Disc and others

• Upload videos to the Internet, e.g. to YouTube or Facebook

The printed manual contains the basic functions of both program versions MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 and MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013. Additional features of the Plus/Premium version are marked accordingly.

In addition to the printed manual, there is also more detailed documentation which is copied to the program folder on your hard drive during installation. This electronic PDF manual describes all program functions in detail.

This information will get you started on your way to making your first movie masterpiece. The reference chapter later on and the index can also be used to help quickly when you need it.

Enjoy!

Your MAGIX Team

Table of Contents

What is MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013? 13 What's new in MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013? 13 Additional features new in the Plus/Premium version 14 Additional programs 14 Features 14

Quick start 17

Program start 17 Import video 18 Insert AVCHD material 19 Play movie 21 Media Pool 22 Display modes 23 Removing unusable scenes 26 Regroup scenes 30 Burn DVDs with interactive menus 31

Workspaces 33

Projects, movies and scenes 33 "Edit" screen 34 The "Burn" screen 36 Toolbars 37 Media Pool 44 Transport console 51 Arranger 52 Adjusting the workspace 54

Settings 55

Project and movie settings 55 Program settings 56

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Preview rendering 64

Video recording 65

Select the recording method 65 Recording AVCHD 66 HDV camera 69 DV camera 69 Analog video recording 75 Audio 78 Single frame 81 Screen Capturing 83 Edit after recording 84 Import a non-copy-protected DVD 85

Objects 86

Insert object into the project 86 Select and group objects 88 Move Objects 88 Cutting objects 89 Duplicate objects 89 Object handles 90 Trim Objects 90 Extract sound from videos 93 Transitions (fades) 93 Overview mode 96 Snap 96 Zoom 97

Markers 98

Playback marker 98 Project markers 99 Area marker (in and out points) 99 Chapter markers 100 Scene markers 102

Multi-cam editing (Plus/Premium version) 103

Preparation 103 Source tracks and preview images 104 Multicam edit functions 105

Title 107

Creating titles using a template 107

Create titles without a template 107

Edit titles retroactively 108 Position titles 109 Advanced settings 109 3D text 110 Fade in date as title 110

Effects 111

Apply effects to objects 111 Video effects in the Media Pool 112 Movement effects in the Media Pool 119 Stereo3D in the Media Pool 125 Audio effects in the Media Pool 125 Design elements in the Media Pool 126 My Presets in the Media Pool 127 Effects masks (Plus/Premium version) 127 Additional effects in the Media Pool 133 Animate objects, effect curves 135 Attach to picture position in the video 141 Image stabilization 142 Image improvements for the entire movie 144 Image improvements for individual objects 146

Audio editing 147

Load and edit audio files 147 Edit volume curve 147 Import audio CD 148 Audio effects 151 Dubbing with MIDI songs. 165 Mixer 167

5.1 Surround 170 Scrubbing 175 MAGIX Soundtrack Maker 176 Mixdown of audio objects 177

Stereo3D (Plus/Premium version) 178

3D basics 178 Record 3D 179 Prepare 3D editing 180 Set playback mode for 3D 181 Align videos and pictures for 3D 182

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Turn camera movements into 3D videos 183 Create titles for 3D videos 183 Export and burn 3D videos 183

Special functions and wizards 185

Use movie templates 185 Preview rendering 186 Automatic scene recognition 189 Travel route animation 190 Produce panorama pictures 198 Slideshow Maker 199 Musical cut adjustment 202 Batch conversion 208 Backup copy 210 Load backup project... 212 Clean-up wizard 212

Burning 213

Preview and editing 213 Menu 214 Templates 214 Edit disc menu 216 Burning wizard 223

Export 229

Export 3D movie 229 Output as video file 230 Upload to Internet 231 Add to the Telekom Media Center 232 Upload to Internet (MAGIX Online Album) 232 Export to device 233 Export as Media Player 233

Menus 234

File Menu 234 Edit Menu 248 Effects Menu 256 Windows Menu 261 Share Menu 263 Help Menu 264 Context menu (right click) 266

Problems and solutions 278

File will not load 278 Choppy or uneven playback 278 Problems and Remedies regarding the Auto Remix Assistant 278 Activation problems 279

Keyboard shortcuts 280

Playback functions 280 Monitore 280 Arranger view 281 Move view 281 Transport control in the Media Pool 282 Mouse modes 282 File menu 282 Edit menu 283 Effects menu 284 Windows menu 285 Help menu 286 Edit keyboard shortcut 286

Integrated browser 288

Open browser 288 Navigation in the browser 288 Loading Internet media 289 Define the path for saving Internet media. 289

Activate codecs 290

Free activation of codecs 290 Fee-based activation of MVC codec 291

Annex: Digital Video and Data Storage 292

Video Editing on the PC 292 MPEG Compression 292 General notes on AVI videos 293 Overview of the different disc types 293

MPEG-4 encoder 299

Video codec 300 Audio codec 307 Multiplexer 309

Appendix: MPEG Encoder Settings 310

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Table of Contents 9

General settings 310 Video settings 311 Advanced video settings 312 Audio settings 313

MPEG glossary 315

Motion estimation 315 Bit rate 315 Block 316 Chroma format 316 Field 316 Frame 316 GOP 317 I frames 317 Interlace 317 P frames and B frames 319 Prediction 319 Quantization scaling 320

Glossary 321 If you still have questions 336

Tips for program help 336

Index 337

Support

Dear MAGIX customer,

Our aim is to provide fast, convenient, solution-focused support at all times. To this end, we offer a wide range of services:

• Unlimited web support:

As a registered MAGIX customer, you have unlimited access to web support offered via the convenient MAGIX service portal on http://support.magix.net, including an intelligent help assistant, high-quality FAQs, patches and user reports that are constantly updated. The only requirement for use is product registration at www.magix.com

• The online community, on-the-spot support and a platform for exchange:

MAGIX customers have free and unlimited access to the online community at www.magix.info, which includes approx. 150,000 members and offers the opportunity to ask members questions concerning MAGIX products as well as use the search function to search for specific topics or answers. In addition to questions & answers, the knowledge pool includes a glossary, video tutorials and a discussion forum. The multiple experts, found round-the-clock at www.magix.info guarantee quick answers, which sometimes come within minutes of a question being posted.

• Email support for MAGIX products:

For every new MAGIX product you will receive, as of date purchase, 12 months of email based customer service. Premium email support: For priority support, or if you want the MAGIX support team to help with nonMAGIX related hardware problems you can purchase a Premium email support ticket. Log in at http://support.magix.net and click on "Purchase access code", the ticket is for a specific problem, and is valid until it is solved, it is not restricted to an email.

Please note: To be able to use the Premium email support and free product email support via the Internet, you have to register your MAGIX product using the serial number provided. This can be found on the CD case of your installation CD or on the inside of the DVD box.

• Additional telephone service:

Besides the large number of free customer service offers, we also offer a feebased telephone customer service.

Here you can find a summary of our technical support telephone numbers: http://support.magix.net/

Mail (Europe): MAGIX Development Support, P.O. Box 20 09 14, 01194 Dresden, Germany

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Uninstalling the program 11

Mail (North America): MAGIX Customer Service, 1105 Terminal Way #302, Reno, NV 89502, USA

Please make sure you have the following information at hand:

• Program version

• Configuration details (operating system, processor, memory, hard drive, etc.),

sound card configuration (type, driver)

• Information regarding other audio software installed

MAGIX Sales Department

You can reach the MAGIX Sales Department workdays for help with the following questions and problems:

• Orders

• Product consulting (pre-purchase)

• Upgrade requests

• Returns

Europe

Monday - Friday, 09:00-16:00 GMT

U.K.: 0203 3189218 Denmark: 45 699 18763 Sweden: 46 852 500713 Finland: 35 89 42419023 Norway: 47 210 35843

North America

9 am to 4 pm EST Mon-Fri Phone: 1-305-722-5810

Uninstalling the program

If you would like to uninstall MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013, you can do this in the control panel under "Software" or go to "Programs > MAGIX > MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 > Service and Support > Uninstall MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013".

Serial number

A serial number is included in each product. This serial number is required for the installation of the software and enables usage of additional bonus services. Please store this number in a safe place.

What can a serial number do? With a serial number your program is clearly assigned to you and only you. This will allow you take advantage of the free email support service. Serial numbers also help to protect against software piracy which ensures that we are able to continually provide our customers with an optimal price/performance ratio.

Where can the serial number be found? The serial number can be found on the reverse side of your CD/DVD case. If your product is packed in a DVD box, you'll find the serial number on the inside.

If you have purchased the download version, you will receive a confirmation email with the serial number.

When will you need the serial number? The serial number is required when you start or register the program for the first time.

Note: We explicitly recommend registering your product (free), since only then are you entitled to download updates and to use MAGIX support services (view page

10) or activate codecs (view page 289).

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Introduction 13

Introduction

What is MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013?

MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 is a complete all-in-one movie studio for your PC. With MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 you can easily transfer your recordings to your computer and then, once you have improved and enriched them, burn them onto DVD, AVCHD or Blu-ray™ – perfect for theater-quality presentation on TV, screen, or monitor.

Videos, photos, as well as additional audio and video material can be transferred from various devices to the PC. Long movies can be separated into chapters or scenes automatically. You can also do the opposite and automatically combine individual recordings to make a single movie.

Add music, theater-quality transitions, text and selected effects to your own movies with a mouse-click. The easy-to-use interface, advanced technology and handy wizards guarantee perfect results at lightning speed!

Once your video is finished, you can use it in different ways: transfer it back onto the tape or to your camcorder. You can burn it to disc and watch it, for example, on TV. Or, you can upload your video to Internet platforms such as YouTube, Facebook or your own personal MAGIX Online Album.

What's new in MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013?

• Improved timeline display with video and audio in one track.

• Support of the new video standard AVCHD Progressive (50p)

• Accelerated AVCHD export with automatic graphics card recognition (NVIDIA

GeForce 8000 series and better (CUDA) or AMD Radeon 5000 series and better (OpenCL) or integrated graphics with Intel Quick Sync Video)

• Improved user interface with quick access features.

• High-quality decorative elements and intro/outro templates.

• Fast and direct GPU calculation of all essential video effects.

• New Chroma Key Engine for perfect object extraction.

• Import of QuickTime interlaced footage. To use this feature open the "Object

properties > Intermediate image calculation" and activate "Automatic interlace processing" and then "Interlace top field first" or "...bottom field first".

Additional features new in the Plus/Premium version

• New templates for professional movie trailers including music.

• Preview rendering for stereo 3D and multicam projects.

• Automatic synchronization of multicam projects using the audio track.

Additional programs

On the MAGIX website you'll find many additional programs you can use with MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013. Have a look at the sections "Video > Additional Products" and "Free Downloads".

In the "Free Downloads" section you'll find the Videorekorder, a PC TV with video recorder. You can use it to watch and record TV programs on your computer. A functional TV card/TV tuner box or DVB-T/S card is required to use Videorekorder.

Features

Recording

MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 features the following recording options:

• AVCHD camera

• HDV cameras: HDV1 and HDV2 camcorders

• DV cameras: Mini DV camcorders or DV video recorders

• Video: Analog TV, video input, VHS recorders, webcams

• Audio: Microphones, cassette recorders, MiniDisc players, turntables

• Screen (Plus/Premium version): PC monitor.

• Single frame: Single and series images from webcams, video recorders, video

cameras, or TV cards

Analog capture requires capture cards compatible with DirectShow. DV recording take place via FireWire.

Import and export formats

Supported import formats

Video: AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MTS, M2TS, MXV, MKV, MJPEG,

QuickTimeTM, WMV(HD), VOB, MKV

Audio: WAV, MP3, OGG, WMA, MIDI, Dolby Digital Stereo/5.1 (Classic version: downmix to stereo)

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Introduction 15

Images: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIF, TGA

Supported export formats

Video: AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MXV, MJPEG, Quicktime,

WMV(HD)

Audio: WAV, MP3, Dolby Digital Stereo/5.1 (only Plus/Premium version)

Images: JPEG, BMP

Note: For copy protection reasons, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, and Dolby Digital Stereo

must first be activated. Initial activation is free of charge. MP3 export requires installation of Windows Media Player version 10 or higher. Online Services offered inside the program as well as the Online Update require an Internet connection.

Editing

• Picture optimization: Color improvement (RGB,saturation), sharpness (focus and

feathering), brightness regulator (brightness, contrast), anti-flicker filter.

• Sound optimization: The equalizer allows you to manipulate the frequency

spectrum – perfect for cleaning-up muffled dialog. The compressor is a dynamic volume regulator. The StereoFX processor controls the position of the sound within the stereo panorama. The denoiser and dehisser are professional noise reduction tools for removing noise and hisses.

• Video effects: For example, creative filters, distortion, video mix (Chromakey),

movement effects (e.g. camera/zoom or rotation), cropping, picture-in-picture collages, video effect plug-in support.

• Automatic scene detection

• Slideshow Maker turns drab photo collages into spectacular multimedia shows.

• MAGIX Soundtrack Maker offers a huge selection of fitting sounds for your

background music.

Burnable disc formats

• DVD

• Blu-Ray disc

• AVCHD disc (on DVD and Blu-ray Discs)

• MultiDisc (DVD + WMV HD)

• Project backups, backup copies, and 1:1 copies of DVDs

Multimedia editable disc menus

Included are many disc menu templates which offer selection options for movies and chapters on the screen. Many of these are also available in 16:9 format. They can be included during burning and give the disc a professional appearance.

Every menu template may be customized with personal photos, thematic animations, 3D captions, sound, intro videos, etc.

Also in the Plus/Premium version

Professional video editing

• 99 tracks, editing & effects automation

• Live preview, MultiCam editing

Unique effects creation

• Chroma keying with alpha channel

• Movie templates, fades with sound, title editor

Perfect audio dubbing

• Create Dolby

Digital 5.1 Sound yourself, restore audio tracks

• Audio Mastering Suite, Soundtrack Maker

DVD / Blu-ray design

• Professional menu design, ISO output

Full stereo3D support

• Full support for stereoscopic footage

• Full import functions for many 3D camera models

• Editing of own 3D recordings made, for example, with two cameras

• Real 3D fades and titles for 3D video projects

• Preview and output to all standard 3D display devices

• Output in all formats (DVD, Blu-ray, file, YouTube, etc.)

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Quick start 17

Quick start

This chapter explains the basic functions of MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 with a stepby-step introduction. A systematic description of all program functions can be found in the following chapters.

Tip: Use the online tutorial videos that can be accessed in the "Help" menu. This feature requires an Internet connection.

The program keyboard shortcuts (view page 279) for commonly used processes and functions are also very helpful.

Program start

Once you have installed MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013, start the program from the Windows start menu. The following dialog opens:

Here you can decide if you want to "Load an existing project" for further editing and burning to disc or if you want to "Create a new project".

In „Options“ you can „Create a new project folder“. All of the files for that film will be saved as copies in this folder and used for editing. This option is meant to keep things centralized when files from various media, e.g. hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, are being used in one project. The internal hard drive is the best option for working on projects in MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 because it allows faster access to files compared to external storage devices. If files stored on external devices are used it

can lead to delays and stutters during project editing. You can create a backup of the project folder at a later time.

In „Movie settings" you can set up the target format for your movie you want to create (display norm, resolution, frame rate). This setting has no effect on the internal processing quality and can be changed at any time by going to "File > Settings > Movie" (view page 55).

Note: If your hard drive is partitioned, you should not save your project folder in C, i.e. where Windows is installed. MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 requires a lot of space and there may not be enough room on C for it to function properly.

In MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 you can also use movie templates (view page 185). Movie templates are have preset placeholders and elements that are very helpful for creating stories in various themes.

You can watch the introductory video to get a general idea of how MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 works.

Import video

In the following we assume that you want to import an AVCHD recording into the program.

Tip: Pay close attention to which folders you use to save your files and footage so you can find them again easily to import and edit them in MAGIX Movie Edit Pro

2013. Do not save files in C:\Windows\ or in program folders. Give your files and folders short, concise names.

If you don't have such a recording at hand now, you can load material form the hard disk in order to try out the MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 workflow. Here the included demo project is recommended.

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Quick start 19

• In the Media Pool, click the button "My Media >

Projects".

• Next, open the "_Demo" folder by double clicking

and then load the MVP movie files. ( „_Demo.MVP“) by double clicking.

Note: If you import media to a project, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 must always have access to these files. This means that you cannot rename these files, e. g. in Windows Explorer or Media Pool, if they have already been imported because MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013 won't be able to find them. Renaming or relocating files can lead to error messages and you will have to indicate the files and folders again. For larger projects this can be a very complicated and time-consuming process.

Insert AVCHD material

• Connect your AVCHD storage devices (camera, USB stick, SD card and others)

to your PC. You may have to first turn your camera on.

• To open the recording dialog, click on the red "Record" button below the preview

monitor.

• Select "AVCHD" from the recording dialog.

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Quick start 21

• The AVCHD import assistant will then open. Select your connected storage

devices as "Video source". A file list will appear.

• In the file list, select all the recordings that you've imported from the device.

• You can preview all your recordings using the preview monitor in the middle of

the dialog in order to decide if they are suitable for your movie.

• After selecting all videos, in "Import options" you can select whether the

recordings should be directly placed into your movie project or simply copied to your computer's hard drive (you can select the location in the next dialog). You can also automatically delete your recordings after import.

Play movie

• To play the recording ( or the demo project), click on the play button

on the transport control below the preview monitor.

Tip: An even easier way to control playback is by pressing the space bar on your keyboard.

During playback, a vertical line will move across the arranger, i.e. the playback marker that displays the current position. You can reposition it by clicking at different locations as desired.

Media Pool

The Media Pool can be used to access and load media files of all kinds: videos, photos, MP3 files, audio CD tracks, fades, effects and Internet media, e t c.

• Search your computer for media you would like to use. The navigation buttons for

the various drives and folders are located in "Import" above the main display area.

If you hover the cursor over a media file, three icons for the options (Preview, Trim, Import) will appear.

• Preview: All media files can be played back using this function. If you click on the

playback icon, the file will be played back in the preview monitor. Video and image files are displayed and audio files are played back through the sound card. There are previews for the templates and effects included to make it clear how they will function.

• Trim: If you want to include only certain part of a video clip in your project, you

can click on the Trim icon with the curved brackets. The video clip will then appear in the preview monitor. Use the brackets to mark the area you want to import on the timeline. Drag & drop the video from the preview monitor into the project by clicking on it and holding down the mouse button. Only the area marked by the brackets will be imported as a video object.

• Import: All media files from local drives or the Internet can be dragged and

dropped into the project or loaded through the Import icon.

Tip: Improve access to your media folder by creating a link in the "Import" area of the Media Pool. You can do this by right-clicking on one of the entries and selecting "Create link". Select the media folder and click "OK" to confirm. Note: All links are automatically deleted if the function "Reset standard program settings" is used.

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Quick start 23

Display modes

The three switches on the toolbar in the center activate the "Timeline", "Storyboard", and "Scene overview" modes (there are 4 switches and 4 modes available in the Plus/Premium version).

Storyboard mode (first button) is the preset view. This view offers an easy, streamlined interface to simplify the editing process. All scenes from your film are listed sequentially in the "Storyboard" mode. Every scene is displayed with a preview picture in the storyboard.

The scene overview (second button) provides a scaleable overview of the scenes. You can use this to comfortably view, sort, and delete unnecessary scenes.

In the Timeline mode (third button) your films are displayed as "Objects" in the "Timeline". This means: The longer the object, the longer the corresponding film.

Especially practical: you can display all modes in full screen using the button at the top right.

Multicam mode is found under the fourth button in the Plus/Premium version of MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013. Multi-cam editing enables easy cutting of various recordings of the same scene from different camera perspectives.

Storyboard mode

"Storyboard" mode represents all scenes in linear sequence on the storyboard. Each scene offers the following editing options:

Add title and text: Titles and text can be added to any film. Click on the "T" button, enter your text directly in the program monitor and select from different animations (try movement from bottom to top for a classic end credits effect).

Set volume: The volume in each scene can be set via the loudspeaker button.

Effects menu: This switch accesses a menu with different editing functions like scene recognition, image stabilization, or the trimmer dialogs. The hissing on the track can be minimized by selecting "Audio cleaning".

Transitions/Fades: Click on the large button between the scenes and select a scene transition (or "Fade").

Rotate image (only with image files): If an image or photo is on its side or upside down, click on this button. The photo will rotate 90 degrees.

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Quick start 25

Timeline mode

All advanced editing functions should be undertaken in "Timeline" mode. Your movies and scenes are shown here: The longer the object in the track, the longer the corresponding movie.

Playback range: Clicking in the range bar above the first track lets you define start markers, i.e. the starting point of the playback range. If you right click further on, the end marker will appear to indicate the end point of the playback range. The length of the playback area is shown in the center of the section display.

• When the end marker has been reached, the playback cursor jumps back to the

start marker and begins playing everything again as a loop.

• The entire playback range can be moved using the mouse by clicking on the bar

in the middle and dragging it. The in and out points can be moved with the mouse. Left clicking positions the in point, and the right mouse button sets the out point. The playback range above the first track is linked to the playback range of the preview monitor. Both can only be changed simultaneously

• To move the start and end markers to the beginning and the end of the film again,

click "Optimize movie view" in the "Window" menu.

Handles: All objects can be shortened by moving the mouse to one of the lower corners of the object until it turns into a stretch symbol. Move the mouse over one of the lower corners of the object until the mouse pointer becomes a stretch symbol. At

the top corners of every object, you’ll find two fade handles that can be adjusted to fade an object in or out. The handle at the top center can be used to adjust the volume of audio objects and the brightness of video objects.

Object selection: For advanced effects editing, the objects must be selected first. Each object can be selected by clicking it. Objects will change color to show that they have been selected. Multiple objects can be selected by holding down "Shift". You can also click and drag out a rectangle to select multiple objects. All objects included in the rectangle will be selected.

Removing unusable scenes

One of the most important steps during import of your footage is cutting out unusable scenes from the material. There are two options in this case:

• Option 1: First, the complete material is loaded into your project and the unusable

scenes are cut out.

• Option 2: You can cut the material already in the Media Pool, i.e. BEFORE you

import it, and then proceed to import only the scenes you need. This process is recommended for long movies with a lot of editing.

Cut videos in the project

Let's assume that you have already imported your film material into a project and would now like to edit it.

• Play your video by clicking on the up arrow on your keyboard.

• Pause playback at the position where the scene is located by pressing the

downward arrow. The playback marker stays near the start of the scene to be removed.

Note: You can also use the space bar or the play button on the transport bar to start and stop playback. However, in order to move the playback marker to the position where you stop the playback, you must first go to program settings (File > Settings > Program) in the "Playback" tab under "Space bar behavior" and select the "Space bar stops at current playback position" function.

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Quick start 27

Tip: In case of long films or to speed up search, you can also fast forward the video following the action on the preview monitor. To do so, pull the playback marker across the timeline (but not too fast!) while holding down the mouse key.

• Set the playback marker exactly at the start of the unusable material. The zoom

function is recommended to get a better view of longer videos (the +/- buttons in the bottom right corner).

• Press "T" on the keyboard. This will split the current scene into two sections at

the position of the playback marker.

• Repeat these steps for the end of the unusable scene. Find the end of the

unusable scene, place the play marker as close as possible to the end point, and then press the "T" key on the keyboard again.

• Now you have "isolated" the unusable scene and may delete it from the movie

using the "Del" key on the keyboard. Before this, the scene must be selected by clicking it with the mouse.

• If you didn't work accurately during cutting, then don't worry; you can use the

lower object handles to stretch or shorten the remaining objects to recover or exclude material from the deleted section.

• After deletion a gap will appear in the film sequence at the position of the

removed material. How do you remove gaps out of the film? Easy: Pull the later scenes up to the earlier scenes until they "dock" with each other. Remember to "take" all objects that are further behind, otherwise the gap will just be "passed" to the end. To pull up later objects, use the "All tracks" mouse mode, since this automatically takes all the objects found later on the timeline along with the object being pulled.

Note: If your project has a sound track next to the image track, it is usually necessary to cut audio and video tracks in synchronization. After import from the camera, video and sound tracks are automatically grouped, which is why all cutting and moving actions have an effect on video and sound tracks simultaneously. However, if you have added a separate soundtrack which has not yet been grouped with the image sequence, then you should group them before starting to edit.

To do so, select the video object and the audio object via "Ctrl" + click, and in the "Edit" menu select the "Group" option (or click the group tool).

Go ahead and experiment with the editing functions in all processes (and all other editing operations in MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 2013), the original material on your hard disk is not changed.

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Quick start 29

Importing individual scenes from longer movies

If you have saved a longer video as a file on your hard disk and only want to use a section of it for your project, you can proceed as follows:

• Select the file in the Media Pool and click on the Trim icon in the middle of the

features that appear above the file.

• Now you can play the selected file in the Media Pool using the transport control.

Find the area you want to import. Position the play marker above the transport control at the start position of the range and click the "Set in point" button.

• Next, position the playback marker at the end of the section and click the "Set

out-point" button.

• The currently selected range appears as a blue bar in the range display. You can

play back this range separately with the "Range playback" button.

• All range limits can be moved by holding down the mouse button and dragging.

Once the range matches the section that you want to import, click on the preview image in the monitor and drag it onto the track. An object will appear, corresponding to the selected area.

Regroup scenes

It will often be the case that you will want to move whole scenes or even groups of scenes to a different place within a film. This happens completely intuitively: Single scenes can be selected in any view ("Timeline", "Storyboard" or "Overview" modes) using just a mouse-click, and then moved to the desired spot with the mouse button held down. In the "Timeline" and "Overview" modes you can also create scene groups which can be moved together: "Ctrl + mouse-click" lets you select more than one scene, "Shift + mouse-click" selects the scenes that lie in between.

Three final tips for advanced video arranging:

• Using "Intelligent mouse" mode, which is available in the "Timeline" mode, you

can move not just the selected scene, but also all elements directly bordering it (e.g. transitions, fades, and scenes following the selected scene and those on neighboring tracks).

• The commands "Group (view page 251)" and "Ungroup (view page 252)" let you

oin any scene into groups which can then be moved together as a block.

• If editing and moving scenes left your project looking like a junkyard, then you

can also work in the opposite direction by selecting the scenes you want to use and saving them to the Media Pool directory. Collect scenes that you want to use, place them into the "Takes" folder, start a new project, take scenes from that folder, then place them in the second project in the order you want them. The "Takes" folder can be accessed in the Media Pool via the "Import -> My Media" button.

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