User manual ULEAD VIDEOSTUDIO 6

User Guide Ulead Systems, Inc. November 2001 First English edition for Ulead VideoStudio version 6.0, November 2001. © 1992-2002 Ulead Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or storing in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc. Software license The software described in this document is furnished under a License Agreement, which is included with the product. This Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses of the product. Licenses and trademarks ICI Library © 1991­1992 C-Cube Microsystems. Ulead Systems, Inc., Ulead, the Ulead logo, and Ulead VideoStudio are trademarks of Ulead Systems, Inc. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in this manual are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. 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. North & South America: Ulead Systems Inc. http://www.ulead.com E-mail: info@ulead.com International: Ulead Systems, Inc. http://www.ulead.com http://www.asiapac.ulead.com http://www.ulead.com.tw E-mail: info@ulead.com.tw Europe: Ulead Systems GmbH http://www.ulead.de E-mail: info@ulead.de Japan: Ulead Systems, Inc. http://www.ulead.co.jp E-mail: info@ulead.co.jp Table of Contents The big picture ................................................................................ 6 An introduction to digital video ....................................................................................... 6 Key features of DV ......................................................................................................... 7 Analog to digital ............................................................................................................. 7 An introduction to MPEG ............................................................................................... 8 MPEG-1 ............................................................................................................................... 8 MPEG-2 ............................................................................................................................... 8 How VideoStudio works ................................................................................................. 9 Whats new? ................................................................................. 10 System requirements ....................................................................... 12 Hardware checkup before using VideoStudio ........................................... 13 DV IEEE 1394 capture card ......................................................................................... 13 Analog capture card ..................................................................................................... 15 USB port ...................................................................................................................... 15 Installing and running VideoStudio ....................................................... 16 Configuring VideoStudio .................................................................... 17 DV (IEEE 1394 capture card) ...................................................................................... 17 Analog capture card ..................................................................................................... 18 USB input device ......................................................................................................... 18 Getting around VideoStudio ............................................................... 19 The Library ................................................................................................................... 23 Library Manager ................................................................................................................24 Steps to create your movie ................................................................. 25 Start ............................................................................................................................. 27 Creating a new project ..................................................................................................... 27 Selecting a template ......................................................................................................... 29 Capture ........................................................................................................................ 31 Checklist for successful video capture ............................................................................ 31 Capturing DV video ........................................................................................................... 32 Capturing analog video .................................................................................................... 32 Direct capturing MPEG video ............................................................................................ 33 Scene Detection / Split by Scene ..................................................................................... 34 Capturing still images ...................................................................................................... 35 Captured video file size in Windows ................................................................................ 35 Batch Capture ................................................................................................................... 36 Storyboard ................................................................................................................... 38 Storyboard Mode ............................................................................................................... 38 Timeline Mode .................................................................................................................. 39 The Options Panel ............................................................................................................ 40 SmartRender and Play Project button ............................................................................. 41 Preview Files Manager ..................................................................................................... 42 Inserting a clip into the Timeline ...................................................................................... 42 Trimming a clip ................................................................................................................. 43 Working with clips ............................................................................................................. 44 Capturing still images in the Storyboard Step ................................................................. 46 Using color clips ............................................................................................................... 46 Using video filters ............................................................................................................. 47 Effect ........................................................................................................................... 49 Creating effects ................................................................................................................. 49 Customizing effects .......................................................................................................... 50 Overlay ......................................................................................................................... 51 Inserting video/image in the Overlay track ....................................................................... 51 Customizing overlays ....................................................................................................... 52 Title .............................................................................................................................. 53 Creating text titles ............................................................................................................. 54 Rolling & scrolling ............................................................................................................ 56 Fading in & out .................................................................................................................. 57 Putting it all together ......................................................................................................... 57 Audio ........................................................................................................................... 58 Creating voiceover narration ............................................................................................ 60 Creating background music ............................................................................................. 61 Customizing background music ...................................................................................... 62 Mixing it together ............................................................................................................... 62 Fade ................................................................................................................................... 63 Finish ........................................................................................................................... 64 Creating and saving a video file ....................................................................................... 64 Video Save Options .......................................................................................................... 66 Creating a DVD / VCD / SVCD Title .................................................................................. 71 Project Playback ................................................................................................................ 71 Creating an audio file ....................................................................................................... 71 Exporting your movie ........................................................................ 72 Burning DVD/VCD/SVCD ............................................................................................. 72 Compressing video for the Web ........................................................................................................................ 74 Putting a movie on the Web ......................................................................................... 74 Posting your video on a Web page .................................................................................. 75 Sending a movie by E-mail .......................................................................................... 76 Electronic greeting cards ............................................................................................. 77 Recording back to a DV camcorder ............................................................................. 78 Shortcuts ..................................................................................... 79 Need more help? ............................................................................ 80 Glossary ....................................................................................... 81 Index ........................................................................................... 83 6 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE The big picture Digital video editing used to be dominated only by professionals. Advances in technology, however, made it possible for almost anyone to create desktop video productions even at home. As personal computers become increasingly powerful, video editing software also become smarter. Ulead VideoStudio puts you at the cutting edge of video technology by providing a complete set of tools to cut, mix, run titles, add special effects, and do almost anything digitally possible with your work. Even novices achieve professional results as VideoStudio turns the complex process of video editing into a simple and fun affair. An introduction to digital video Tens of millions of camcorders and personal computers have been sold around the world and video capture cards serve as the connection between the two. These cards allow the transfer of video data from the camcorder to the computer hard disk. The introduction of the IEEE 1394 interface technology also known as FireWire or i.Link and the emergence of a generation of entirely digital camcorders and a new format to emerged - digital video (DV). VideoStudio fully supports digital video (DV) editing and puts all the advantages of working with this format in your hands. VideoStudio lets you output your video projects in a wide range of storage media DV camcorders are compact and simple to operate THE BIG PICTURE 7 Key features of DV Digital video boasts of excellent lossless quality since its data is processed in purely digital form. Its viewing area is large at 720x480 pixels, with more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution and PCM 16 / 12 -bit stereo sound. This means sharper images, more vibrant colors, and crisp CD quality audio. Digital video data can be controlled and manipulated more accurately than analog signals. This makes it easier for you to apply modifications, transitions, and special effects to specific segments or even to a single frame. And of course, portability is a major advantage of digital video as DV camcorders and tapes are more compact and lightweight to carry around compared to their analog counterparts. Apply digital effects in VideoStudio with one click of a button Analog to digital VideoStudio also supports analog video to allow you to convert video from old High-8, 8 mm, VHS, and S-VHS tapes to digital compact discs. Use an analog capture card to digitize footage from analog devices. Once digitized, you can edit these footage in your computer and output them in a format of your choice. 8 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE An introduction to MPEG The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) defined a series of standards for compressing or reducing the file size of video to make it easier for computers to handle. VideoStudio allows you to work with both MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats to create VCD and DVD movies with amazing frameaccurate technology. MPEG-1 Also known as the White Book standard, MPEG-1 gives you VHS quality video which you can burn to a CD and play back using a regular CD player. Popularly known as the VCD format, MPEG-1 enables more than 70 minutes of good quality video and audio to be stored on a single CD-ROM disc. MPEG-2 A standard for coding video at higher data rates and in an interlaced format, MPEG-2 allows multi-channel sound recording and enables a resolution four times greater than MPEG-1. It is optimized for higher-end applications such as satellite broadcast and DVD. Note: MPEG-4, a more recent development, allows video and sound recorded by cameras and microphones to work smoothly with their computer-generated counterparts. THE BIG PICTURE 9 How VideoStudio works VideoStudio follows a step-by-step paradigm so that editing tasks remain uncomplicated from start to finish. VideoStudio also offers more than a hundred transition effects, professional titling capabilities and simple soundtrack creation tools. Learn in seconds, create in minutes. VideoStudio breaks up your movie into separate tracks, giving you broad creative freedom. Changes to one track do not affect others. After transferring footage from your camcorder, you can arrange scenes, apply special effects, overlay images, add animated titles, sync in a voiceover narration, and use background music from your favorite CDs in formats such as WAV and MP3. All these can be done using drag-and-drop, cut-and-paste, or select-and-apply operations. All the tracks in your movie are then organized into a video project file (*.VSP), which contains all the video and audio information on how your movie is put together. When everything is all set to go, your computer collects all information needed to create your final movie file. This process is called rendering. You can then output and distribute your movie as a DVD/VCD/SVCD title, streaming Web page video, or an e-mail attachment. You can also record your movie back to your camcorder or VCR. Components of a finished project as displayed in Timeline Mode Footage can be captured from your camcorder and digitized for editing in your PC The VideoStudio workspace 10 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Whats new? Take advantage of VideoStudio's latest features and enhancements: · Advanced interface design - Enjoy working with a responsive task-based interface. The Preview Window can even be enlarged to let you analyze color, texture, or motion in greater detail while making full use of display space even at a resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher. MPEG capture from IEEE 1394 - Capture MPEG directly from your DV camcorder with the IEEE 1394 interface. Save a lot of hard disk space and skip the task of having to convert files to MPEG. A must for those who plan to output movies in VCD or DVD! Scene detection while capturing to multiple files - Manage your files better! During capture, break your video into several files automatically based on changes in recording date and time. This applies to DV format video. SMPTE time code editing - For editing jobs that require precise timing, such as animation, the SMPTE (Society for Motion Picture and Television Engineers) time code lets you work faster and more efficiently. By having a number assigned to each frame representing hours, minutes, and seconds, you get frameaccurate control of your editing task. Ulead COOL 3D animations - Generate animated graphics with amazing special effects in Ulead COOL 3D and simply insert it in the Video or Overlay Track. Ulead's hottest 3D titling package, Ulead COOL 3D even allows you specify frame rate or size and codecs. · · · · WHAT'S NEW? 11 · Enhanced title motions - A wide range of motion style presets in the Animation Library folder allows you to produce an impressive choreography of eye-catching titles to match the look and feel of your video. Video and image overlays - Put together dynamic compositions of overlapping videos and images. Transparency controls remove the usual bounding box so you can create animated logos, cartoon clips over live footage, and a lot of other interesting effects. QuickTime streaming - Stream your video over the Web in QuickTime for full-frame (640 x 480), full-motion (30 fps) quality. QuickTime is a cross-platform standard that supports many file formats and codecs. Instant preview - Preview your video without having to create a temporary file. Select Instant preview to save hard disk space and rendering time. Multiple CD-ROM support - Hook up several CD-ROM drives to your PC and music tracks can be acquired from any selected drive. · · · · 12 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE System requirements Video demands a lot from your computer. When setting up your system for video editing, the basic factors to consider are the size and speed of your hard drive, RAM, and processor. These determine how much video you can store and how quickly you can process or render your files. If you can afford a bigger hard drive, higher RAM, and faster chip, go with it. Just remember that technology is changing so rapidly and by evaluating first the kind of video editing projects you plan to do, you can better determine the setup that works best for you. Following are the system requirements for setting up VideoStudio: · · · · Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP 450 MHz above CPU speed is recommended 64 MB of RAM (128 MB or above for editing) 500 MB of available hard disk space or above; 4 GB is recommended (best results can be achieved with a 30 GB Ultra-DMA/66 72000 rpm. hard disk) Video for Windows and DirectShow compatible video capture card Windows compatible sound card CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive · · · Tip: Follow the installation instructions of your hardware components carefully, particularly your capture card and consult the operating manual of your camcorder or capture device. HARDWARE CHECKUP BEFORE USING VIDEOSTUDIO 13 Hardware checkup before using VideoStudio To ensure that your video production runs smoothly and trouble-free, click Control Panel: Systems - Device Manager and check if your devices are working properly in accordance with your Operating System (O/S). DV IEEE 1394 capture card The following Windows operating systems support the IEEE 1394 capture card. Always remember to turn on your DV camcorder or VCR connected to the IEEE 1394 interface so that it can be detected as image device or sound, video and game controller. Windows 98 Windows 98 supports the Texas Instruments DV driver only but does not provide it. Search the drivers (if bundled) that come with the IEEE 1394 card. Check that the following devices are working properly: · · 1394 Bus Controller Sound, video and game controllers: 1394 camcorder Windows 98 Second Edition / Windows 2000 Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows 2000 include the Microsoft DV driver and still support the Texas Instruments DV driver. Check that the following devices are working properly: · · · 1394 Bus Controller Image Device: Microsoft DV Camera and VCR (For Microsoft DV driver only.) Sound, video and game controllers: 1394 camcorder (For Texas Instruments DV driver only.) A device list on the Device Manager in the Systems Properties dialog box, Windows Me. 14 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Windows Millennium Edition (Me) Windows Me fully supports the IEEE 1394 card. Check that the following devices are working properly: · · · · 1394 Bus Controller 61883 Device Class AVC Device Class (Brand name) DV Camcorder: The brand name depends on the DV camcorder connected to the IEEE interface card. Windows XP Windows XP fully supports IEEE 1394 and is also the only PC O/S that offers wireless access to cameras and other devices over a network. On a wireless IEEE 802.11 home network, attach an IEEE 1394-enabled laptop to a Windows XP-based PC and instantly access all other connected devices. To run VideoStudio under Windows XP, check that the following devices are working properly: · · · · 1394 Bus Controller 61883 Device Class AVC Device Class (Brand name) DV Camcorder: The brand name depends on the DV camcorder connected to the IEEE interface card. Settings Tab after clicking Properties when a hard drive is selected from Control Panel: System - Device Manager For Windows 98 and Windows Me, select the DMA option in Device Manager: Disk drive Settings Tab. In Windows 2000, the DMA option is hidden but it is always enabled. DMA avoids possible drop frame problems later when you are capturing video. Note: In addition to commonly used Texas Instruments and Microsoft DV drivers, there are other drivers available. Consult your camcorder's manual for suitable drivers. HARDWARE CHECKUP BEFORE USING VIDEOSTUDIO 15 Analog capture card Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP supports analog capture cards. Remember to turn on the camcorder or VCR and connect it to your computer. Then check that the following devices are working properly: · Sound, video and game controllers USB port The Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector lets you attach a wide array of devices to your computer quickly and easily. These devices include digital cameras, Webcams, and just about every computer peripheral. Since Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP fully support USB, installing the driver for this device is quick and easy too. Check that the following device is working properly: · Universal serial bus controller 16 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Installing and running VideoStudio To install VideoStudio: 1. Place the VideoStudio CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. When the Setup screen appears, follow the instructions to install VideoStudio onto your computer. Note: If the Setup screen does not appear after loading the CD, then you can manually start it by doubleclicking the My Computer icon on your desktop, then double-clicking the icon for the CD-ROM drive. When the CD-ROM window opens, doubleclick the Setup icon. VideoStudio installation screen Please install also the following applications, because they are very important in making digital video work well on your computer. The installation program will walk you through installing: · · · · QuickTime Windows Media Format RealPlayer Acrobat Reader Note: Skip this step if you already have newer versions of the above supporting applications installed in your PC. To run VideoStudio: · Double-click the VideoStudio icon on your Windows desktop. OR Select the VideoStudio icon from the VideoStudio program group on the Windows Start menu. Running VideoStudio from Windows Start menu · CONFIGURING VIDEOSTUDIO 17 Configuring VideoStudio Camcorders, VCRs, and VCD/DVD players are common sources of video footage. To ensure a smooth interaction between these video sources and your computer, make sure that the settings of VideoStudio are configured properly depending on the capture device you are using. DV (IEEE 1394 capture card) To check the setup of VideoStudio for DV interface: 1. Connect your camcorder to your IEEE 1394 capture card. 2. Insert your video tape into the camcorder and switch it on. Make sure it is in playback mode (usually named VTR or VCR). Check your camcorder's manual for specific instructions. 3. Your Capture plug-in and Device control will be detected automatically based on your selected template. 4. Click Capture Step and check if your device is displayed in the Options Panel under Driver. Note: When your camcorder is in Record mode (usually named CAMERA or MOVIE), you can still capture real-time video directly in VideoStudio, even if there's no video tape inserted. Check that your device is listed under Driver 18 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Analog capture card To check the setup of VideoStudio for analog interface: 1. Connect your camcorder, VCR, or other video source device to your analog capture card. 2. Insert your videotape into the capture device and switch it on. Make sure it is in the playback mode (usually named VTR or VCR). See your machine's manual for specific instructions. 3. Your Capture plug-in will be detected automatically. 4. Click Capture Step and check if your device is displayed in the Options Panel under Driver. Note: If your capture device supports multiple video sources, the Input Source dialog box allows you to select your desired video source such as Composite, Tuner, or S-Video. Likewise, if you have multiple audio sources, this dialog box allows you to select your desired audio source. USB input device To check the setup of VideoStudio for USB interface: 1. Connect your video source device to your USB port using a standard USB cable and switch it on. 2. Your Capture plug-in will automatically be detected. 3. Click Capture Step and check if your device is displayed in the Options Panel under Driver. GETTING AROUND VIDEOSTUDIO 19 Getting around VideoStudio The VideoStudio interface has been designed to make the sometimes complicated task of editing movies on your PC intuitive and enjoyable. The illustration on this page shows an overview of the entire program, while the next few pages detail more specific features. Track buttons Each activates a track to edit. Click a button to change the Preview Window and available options accordingly. Options Panel Contains controls, buttons, and other information. Preview Window Shows the current clip, video filter, effect, or title. Folder button Click to switch between various library folders. Load media button Click to add video or audio files to the Library. Library Stores and organizes all of your media clips. Trim Bar Used for trimming, editing, and cropping video clips. Timeline Represents the period of time that a clip appears in your movie. The Options Panel The Options Panel changes depending on the program's mode and the step or track you are working on. The Options Panel may contain one or two tabs. Information in each tab vary depending on the selected clip. Options Panel in Storyboard Step 20 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Zoom controls Increase or decrease the number of frames displayed in the Timeline. Selected range These color bars represent the trimmed or selected part of a clip or project. Preview Bar Click and drag these controls to scroll through a clip. The position is shown in the Preview Window's content. Trim handle Click and drag to trim a clip. Time units Represents the timing of clips in hours : minutes, seconds, and milliseconds Storyboard and Timeline Click tabs to switch between Storyboard Mode and Timeline Mode. Insert media files Displays a menu allowing you to place video, audio or image clips directly on the project. Project scroll controls Use the left and right buttons or grab the Scroll Bar to move around your project. ToolTips Place the mouse over a button or object to display a balloon which identifies the item. GETTING AROUND VIDEOSTUDIO 21 Navigator buttons These can be used to move around a project or a selected clip. See page 22. Save Project Displays the Save As dialog box to save the VSP file in a folder of your choice. Trash Can Drag and drop clips here to delete them from the project. You can also select a clip and press the Delete key on your keyboard. Context Sensitive Help This button activates the Context sensitive help feature. After you click on it, your cursor changes to a question mark. Move over an object in the program and click again. Undo and Redo Any changes you make that you don't like can be instantly fixed or undone by clicking the left button. And if you change your mind, simply click Redo. Settings and Commands This button pops up a menu that contains many useful tools such as online Help and Preferences. You can also setup Device control and Capture plug-in from here. Settings and Commands pop-up menu 22 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Next Moves to the point right after the present point of a project, clip, or selected area. Previous Moves to the preceding point of a project, clip, or selected area. Home Returns to the starting point of a project, clip, or selected area. Mark in / out Use these buttons to mark the point where you want a clip to start and end. End Moves to the ending point of a project, clip, or selected area. Repeat Plays a project, clip, or selected area continually. Play Project Provides options to select between Instant Preview or High Quality Preview. Choose Instant Preview for a quick preview without rendering. To render your project, choose High Quality Preview. Play Clip Click to play a video or audio clip. Hold down the [Shift] to play only the selected duration (between Mark in and Mark out) on the Trim Bar. During playback, click the button again to stop. System Volume Click and drag the slider to adjust the volume of a clip's audio output or music. This adjusts the volume of your speakers at the same time. GETTING AROUND VIDEOSTUDIO 23 The Library The Library is a storage depot for everything you need to create a movie: video clips, video filters, audio clips, still images, transition effects, music files, titles and color clips. These are collectively known as media clips. To add media clips to the Library: 1. Click Load media to open a dialog box for locating the media clip to insert in the Library. 2. Select the desired file. 3. Click Open when you are finished. Note: You can also drag and drop files from Windows Explorer straight to the Library. Load media allows you to locate the clip you want to add to the Library. The type of clip you can insert depends on which step you are working on (such as Title or Audio). Use your mouse to drag and drop single or multiple clips from the Library to its destination. In the Storyboard Step, you can drag and drop clips simultaneously from the Library to the Timeline whether you are in Timeline Mode or Storyboard Mode. Right-click a clip in the Library to view the clip's properties as well as copy, delete, or split by scene. Hold [Ctrl] or [Shift] to select multiple clips. 24 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE To delete media clips from the Library: 1. Select the clip to remove from the Library. 2. Drag the selected clip to the Trash Can or press [Delete]. You can also right click the clip in the Library and select Delete . 3. When prompted, verify whether you also want to delete the source file from your hard disk. Note: Deleting source files from your hard disk permanently removes them from your computer. You may not be able to recover them. Trash Can Deleting source file dialog box (Source file will be deleted.) Deleting thumbnail dialog box (Source file will not be deleted.) Library Manager The Library Manager organizes your custom Library folders. These folders help you store and manage all kinds of media files. To use the Library Manager: 1. Click Settings and Commands then select Library Manager. You can also click the Folder arrow. 2. Select a media type from the Available custom folder list. 3. Click New to display the New custom folder dialog box and create a new folder. Enter a name under Folder name and a description under Properties. Click OK. Click Edit to rename or modify the description of a selected custom folder. Click Delete to remove a selected custom folder from the Library. 4. Click Close. The Folder arrow button Library Manager dialog box STEPS TO CREATE YOUR MOVIE 25 Steps to create your movie VideoStudio is laid out in a step-by-step format, following the items on the Menu Bar at the top of the program, from left to right. Click a step on the Menu Bar to move directly to it. The step you are currently in is highlighted in yellow. It is not necessary to work through every step every time, but these steps can serve as a guide to creating a complete movie. These steps do not necessarily need to be followed in the order that they are presented. Your work is saved in a small project file (*.VSP) that organizes all of your media files together. A project file is NOT the same as a movie and changes made to it do not affect your media clips. It is possible to have a number of different projects using the same clips. The Start Step is for creating a new project file or opening an existing one. This is the very first and required step whenever you want to work in VideoStudio. See page 27. Once a project is opened in VideoStudio, video can be recorded directly to your computer's hard disk in the Capture Step. Footage from a videotape can be captured as a single file or automatically divided into multiple files. This step allows you to record video files and still images. See page 31. The Storyboard Step and the Timeline are the heart of VideoStudio. This is where you arrange, edit, and trim your video clips. Video filters can also be applied to your video clips in this step. See page 38. Transition effects between scenes are fun and easy. Thumbnail animations and dragand-drop operations put dozens of cool effects at your fingertips. See page 49. 26 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE This feature allows you to superimpose one clip over another as an added effect to your movie. On top of what you can do using Effects, you can use Overlay feature to add a professional touch to your work. See page 51. No movie would be complete without opening and closing titles. You can design and animate your text title in any Windows True Type font, color and size, or choose from various presets in the Library. See page 53. Background music sets the mood of your movie. VideoStudio lets you select and record music files from one or several CD-ROM drives attached to your computer. You can also dub over your video in this step. See page 58. The final cuts have been made and the music has been synchronized with care. Now it's time to put it all together and make a master copy of your newest movie. See page 64. Notes: · When moving between steps, VideoStudio Guide - a real-time online Help - is displayed to give you quick reference and tips. You can enable or disable it in the Preferences dialog box which you can access by clicking Settings and Commands: Preferences or by pressing [F6]. · Since video rendering usually requires large hard disk space, use the Preview Tab in the Preferences dialog box to assign proper space and folders in your hard disk(s). This should be done before opening a project in VideoStudio to ensure enough there is space for rendering and previewing. START 27 Start The Start Step is where you create a new project file (*.VSP), or open an existing project. A project file is a small file used by VideoStudio to store all of the information about your movie such as clips used, trimming information, duration of movie, size of frames, and type of movie to make. A project file is not the finished movie and can only be opened in VideoStudio. The actual process of creating a movie from a project file is performed in the Finish Step. Creating a new project When you run VideoStudio, it automatically opens a new project and lets you start composing your video production. If this is your first time to use VideoStudio, the new project uses VideoStudio's initial default settings. Otherwise, the new project reuses the project settings which you have last used. To check what these settings are, click Settings and Commands and select Project Properties. Project settings determine how your video project is rendered when you preview the project. Rendering is the process by which VideoStudio converts raw video, titles, sounds, and effects into a continuous stream of data which can be played back in your computer. You can modify the project settings in the Project Properties dialog box. When you capture or insert your first video clip into the project, VideoStudio automatically checks the properties of the clip and your project. If properties such as file format, frame size, etc. are not identical, VideoStudio displays a message and gives you the option to have the project settings automatically adjusted to match the clip's properties. Changing the project settings allows VideoStudio to perform the SmartRender function. See page 41 for more information on SmartRender. 28 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE You can also begin by creating an empty project file using New Project. To create a new project using New Project: 1. Click New Project in the Options Panel or the Start menu arrow and select New Project. 2. Click Browse to select a working folder where all your captured/project files will be located. You can also click Settings and Commands: Preferences. Enter a folder name to create a subfolder in this location. 3. Choose a template from Available project templates which includes all templates you created previously. See page 29. Select the one that most closely matches the type of movie you want to create. 4. Click OK. To open an existing project: 1. Click Open Project or the Start menu arrow and select Open Project. 2. Select the project file (*.VSP) you want to open. If you are not sure where the file is, use Browse and then click Scan. This finds all *.VSP files under your assigned folder or drive. 3. Click Open. Note: A faster way to open an existing project is to click it in the Recent file list. VideoStudio, however, cannot open a project that has been moved or removed. OR START 29 Selecting a template Templates provide settings that can get you started as quickly as possible. When choosing a template, first know the attributes of the sources you are going to use in the project. Video sources can be already existing video files in your hard drive or still to be captured scenes from your capturing device. Remember that the template you're going to choose here does not restrict you from changing the output format of your final movie. Templates are more directly related to your video source. To get the best quality and rendering time, choose a project template that has the same frame size, frame rate, and other attributes as your capture settings. · Template from the capture settings uses the same frame size, frame rate, and other attributes as your capture device's settings. VideoStudio allows you to reuse the settings of previously created video files. This makes it easier to create several projects with exactly the same properties. · Template from an existing video file allows you to create a template based on the settings of previously created AVI and MPEG video files. Previous template reuses the settings of the last project template used. Select from Available project templates depending on the settings required by your project · Video is displayed on NTSC or PAL devices, the most common of which is the television. Although many devices now work with both, it is helpful to select the standard that suits your specific need. · · NTSC is predominant in North America and many Asian countries. PAL is the standard in Europe and South Pacific. Select a video file as a template dialog box is displayed upon selecting Template from an existing video file If you select your country when installing VideoStudio, the appropriate TV standard is selected by default. 30 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE The output video file format determines the media type by which your project can be distributed. See page 69. · · · · · MPEG-1 lets you output in VCD. MPEG-2 lets you output in DVD. DV lets you record back to the DV camcorder. The widely-used Microsoft AVI is ideal for videos intended for viewing on most PCs. Streaming formats such as MOV, RM, and WMV are used in creating video for sharing over the Internet. VideoStudio also allows you to create new templates with your custom settings. This means you can set precise values for frame rate, frame size, video data rate, audio bit rate, compression, and other attributes. To create a new template: 1. Click Settings and Commands: Templates Manager to display the Templates Manager dialog box. 2. Then click New to display the New Template dialog box. 3. Select a file format and enter a template name and its description. This will be displayed automatically in the New Project dialog box. 4. Click OK. 5. The Template options dialog box is displayed. Specify the settings of your template. 6. Click OK. Note: To modify clips in Templates Manager, select from Available movie templates and click Edit. CAPTURE 31 Capture The process of transferring video from your camcorder or other video sources to your computer is called capturing. When everything is ready to go, the video feed from your source device should be visible in the Preview Window. If your card supports a television monitor, you should also be able to watch your video on it. Checklist for successful video capture Capturing video is one of the most demanding tasks you will ever ask of your computer. It involves high data rates and requires huge amounts of disk space. Here are a few things you can do to ensure success: · · · Shut down ALL other programs that are running except Windows Explorer and VideoStudio. Remove the Screen Saver to avoid possible interruption. Best results can be achieved by using a dedicated video hard disk, preferably with the capabilities of at least Ultra-DMA/66, 7200 rpm and more than 30 GB space. For better manipulation of batch capture and camcorder device control, correct timecode on the DV tape is a must. To do this, before shooting your video, use the standard playback (SP) mode and shoot a blank video (for example, leaving the lens cover on while recording) without interruption from start to end of a tape. Capture Video Transfers video from your source to your hard disk. Capture Image Captures a single frame as a still image from your source to your hard disk. Options Displays a menu allowing you to modify your capture settings. Format Allows you to easily select a file format to use for saving captured videos. Driver Displays the detected capture device and lists other capture device drivers installed in your computer. Scene Detection Automatically separates captured video into several files based on changes in recording date and time. Capture duration Sets the length of time for the capture. Captured frames The total number of captured video frames. Dropped frames The total number of lost video frames while capturing. Switch to capture mode Click to work in Capture Mode and perform capturing tasks. Switch to playback mode Click to work in Playback Mode for instant previews. 32 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Capturing DV video To capture DV video: 1. Connect your camcorder to the IEEE 1394 capture card. Turn it on and set it to Play (or VTR / VCR) mode. Check your device manual for specific instructions. 2. Open a new project. 3. In the Capture Step, click Play in Navigator. 4. When you get to the part of the video you want to record, click Capture Video on the Capture Settings Tab in the Options Panel. 5. Click Capture Video again or press [Esc] to stop capturing. Capturing analog video To capture video using an analog capture card with audio / video jacks or S-video: 1. Connect your video source device to your capture card. On some cards, you may also need to connect the audio cables. 2. Open a project and click the Capture Step. 3. Select a capture file format (MPEG or AVI) from the Format list. 4. Scan your video to search the part to capture. 5. When you get to the point you want to record, click Capture Video on the Capture Settings Tab in the Options Panel. 6. Click Capture Video again or press [Esc] to stop capturing. If a confirmation dialog box appears, click OK to start the capture process. To disable this, click Settings and Commands and select Preferences. In the Preferences dialog box, click the Capture Tab and clear Enable pressing OK to capture. Tips: · Capture menu items are grayed out in the Playback Mode. If this happens in the Capture Mode, check if your video capture devices are correctly installed. · A delay in capture may be due to the confirmation dialog box or connection between devices. It is better to rewind your tape to an earlier point before capturing and just trim the video later. · The normal number of dropped frames is zero. If any frames are dropped, check if the DMA setting is enabled. See page 14. CAPTURE 33 Direct capturing MPEG video Capturing video directly from your camcorder straight to MPEG format is one of the most exciting developments in computer video. Capture straight to MPEG-1 or MPEG-2, depending on your needs and skip the task of having to capture in other formats only to convert it later. And with the much smaller size of MPEG files, you save on hard disk space. Both the IEEE 1394 and analog capture cards support direct capturing of MPEG video. Note: This feature is only available if the analog capture card supports RGB 24 or YUV capture. (Please see the manual of your capture card.) To capture video in MPEG format: 1. Connect your camcorder or VCR to your capture card. Switch it on and set it to Play (or VTR / VCR) mode. Check your device manual for specific instructions. 2. In the Capture Step, select MPEG from the Format list. 3. Ulead DSW MPEG Capture Plug-in will be detected automatically. Use this capture plug-in when capturing MPEG from a DV camcorder. Otherwise, if you have a USB camera or analog capture device which does not support this capture plug-in, click Settings and Commands then select Change Capture Plug-in and choose Ulead VFW Capture Plug-in. 4. Click Options and select MPEG Settings. Choose the type of MPEG you would like to capture and set other attributes. If you are capturing from a USB device or analog source, also select Video format from the Options menu to specify the desired frame size. 5. Click Capture Video to start capturing. 6. Click Capture Video again or press [Esc] to stop capturing. 34 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Scene Detection / Split by Scene Scene Detection and Split by Scene divide DV into multiple files or clips based on recording date and time. This feature is useful when you have several video sessions recorded on the same DV tape at different times and you want to separate them into different clips or files. You can divide footage during capture or after being captured. To use Scene Detection option in Capture Step: 1. Select Scene Detection on the Capture Settings Tab in the Options Panel. 2. Click Capture Video. Note: This splits the footage into multiple files based on the date and time of recording. The captured files are inserted into the Video Track. To use Split by Scene on captured DV AVI files: 1. Load the DV formatted AVI file into the Library. 2. Right-click its thumbnail, and select Split by Scene. 3. The Scenes & Recording Cuts dialog box is displayed. Click Scan. Note: This splits the video file into multiple clips based on recording date and time. Physically, there is still one file. CAPTURE 35 Capturing still images In addition to video, VideoStudio also allows you to capture still images. The image format can be BMP or JPEG, and the size spends on its source video. To choose your image format, click Settings and Commands: Preferences. In the Preferences dialog box click the Capture Tab and set the format. To capture still images: 1. Connect your camcorder or VCR to your capture card. Switch it on and set it to Play (or VTR / VCR) mode. Check your device manual for specific instructions. 2. Open a new project. 3. In the Capture Step, click Play in Navigator. 4. When you get to the part of the video you want to record, click Capture Image on the Capture Settings Tab in the Options Panel. Captured video file size in Windows VideoStudio runs on Windows operating systems and is subject to limitations in file size when capturing or rendering video. VideoStudio automatically performs seamless capture, saving video into a new file every time the maximum allowable file size for a single video file has been reached. Seamless capture will be performed only when capturing DV from a DV camcorder through the IEEE 1394 capture card. The maximum captured file size per video file is 4 GB in Windows operating systems (such as Windows 98 and Me) that use the FAT 32 partition file system. Captured video data in excess of 4 GB are automatically saved to a new file. In Windows 2000, which uses the NTFS file system, there is no limit in the captured file size. Seamless capture is not available in VFW (Video For Windows) capture. Note: VideoStudio automatically detects your file system and performs seamless capture only in a FAT 32 partition file system. The NTFS system does not have the 4GB limitation. 36 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Batch Capture Overburdened by immense amounts of footage to capture from your DV tape? You can get peace of mind through VideoStudio's Batch Capture. This feature captures only the video clips you want with just one click and saves you a considerable amount of time. To Batch capture, simply watch the video. At any time, press [F3] to mark in the task and [F4] to mark out. Press [F3] and [F4] as often as required. Note: Batch capturing can be achieved only when you are using a DV tape and the IEEE 1394 card for computer connection. Capture Video Captures the listed tasks all at once. Play Selected Tasks Allows you to preview selected tasks before capturing. Current mark in Displays the current starting timecode. Tasks list Displays all the tasks created in the timecode format. Click to select a task. Multiple selections can be made by holding down [Ctrl] or [Shift]. Modify a task Changes the timecode of either the starting or the ending point. Delete the selected task(s) Removes the selected task(s). Deletes all tasks Removes all tasks on the list. STORYBOARD 37 To use Batch Capture: 1. Switch on your camcorder and set it to Play (or VTR / VCR) mode. Refer to your camcorder's manual for specific instructions. 2. Open a project. 3. In the Capture Step, click the Batch Capture Tab in the Options Panel. You can also click the Capture menu arrow and select Batch Capture. Note: The videotape automatically plays once you click the Batch Capture Tab. Rewind or forward you videotape first to cue it. 4. When you get to the part of the video you want to record, press [F3]. Then press [F4] to mark out the task. 5. Continue to play the video, and then repeat step 4 as needed. 6. Click Play Selected Tasks to view the selected segments on tape. Click Modify a task to change a marked segment. You can also double-click a task and enter a new timecode. 7. Click Capture Video. 8. Batch capture starts based on all or selected (if any) tasks. The process stops when the last task is captured. A report is displayed for your reference. Note: It is up to you whether to click Stop before starting Batch capture. However, if you need to modify some tasks, click Stop first to help VideoStudio prioritize capturing tasks. 38 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Storyboard A storyboard is an outline for a movie. It contains a chronological order of the events that occur in your story. The bottom half of the VideoStudio interface is simply an electronic storyboard. You can edit your project either in the Storyboard Mode or Timeline Mode. Storyboard Mode Storyboard Mode is the fastest and simplest way to add clips to your movie. Clips can be moved around by simply dragging them. You may find that starting out in the Storyboard Mode is the easiest way to get your project rolling. Each picture represents an event in your movie, an event being a video clip or a transition. Thumbnails show at a glance the chronological order of events in your project. You can drag and drop clips to insert and arrange them. Transition effects can be inserted between clips. Selected clips can be trimmed in the Preview Window. See page 43 for more information on trimming. Larger storyboard display The storyboard display can be maximized to enjoy a bigger workspace. Click Enlarge to divide the entire display area between the storyboard display and the Library. With a larger workspace, you can arrange clips and apply effects and transitions more easily. Click Minimize to switch back to the normal Storyboard Mode display. STORYBOARD 39 Timeline Mode The Timeline Mode allows you to fine tune effects and perform frame accurate trimming and editing. The Timeline Mode shows exactly when and where events in your story occur based on the position of clips in each track. Clips are simply dragged from the Library to the Timeline. They are displayed here as short sequences. The length of a clip accurately represents its duration in your project. The ruler units, represented by timecodes, can be adjusted to give you precise control over trimming and editing. Use the Zoom controls or click the Ruler menu to adjust the ruler units. Click Fit in window to see the entire project displayed on one screen. If you have a mouse with a scroll button, the scroll button can be used to scroll through the timeline. Zoom to Zoom control Ruler units Storyboard Mode Selected clip Transition effect Fit in window button Timeline Mode Tracks The Timeline is divided horizontally into the Video, Overlay, Title, Voice, and Music Tracks. To switch to different tracks: · · · Click the Step menu item that corresponds to the track. Click the track's icon. Double-click the track or the clip. Video Overlay Title Voice Music The tracks 40 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE The Options Panel In the Storyboard Step, the Options Panel contains the Video and Filter Tabs. The Video Tab shown below is displayed when a video clip is selected. Here, you can monitor the length of your clip, control its volume, save a trimmed clip as a new file, or save a selected frame as an image file. In the Video Tab, you can also export video clips in various media. When you click the Filter Tab, the Options Panel displays the list of video filters which have been applied to a selected video clip and allows you to modify filter settings. Video mark in / out Displays the starting / ending point of a video clip (after trimming). Vo l u m e Click the arrow or enter a value directly to adjust volume. Save Trimmed Video Applies any trimming modifications to a clip and saves it to a new video file. Save Still Image Saves the currently selected frame to an image file in the Library. Export Displays a drop-down menu that allows you to output your clip to Ulead DVD Wizard or as a Web page, E-mail attachment, DV recording or Greeting Card. Video duration Displays the length of time of the clip. Click a value or an arrow button for modification. Fade in / out Gradually increases / decreases the volume of the clip for a smooth transition. Click Settings and Commands: Preferences to set the fade in / fade out duration. Mute Disables audio of the selected clip. Split Video Breaks a selected video clip in two. Properties Click to display specific information about a clip. STORYBOARD 41 SmartRender and Play Project button SmartRender technology allows "changes-only" rendering which eliminates the need to rerender entire video sequences when only slight changes have been made. This is especially useful for rendering across transitions, title sequences, or to check the timing of audio clips in relation to the associated video. It is advisable that projects are rendered regularly to reduce overall render times. While editing, you will want to preview your work frequently to see how your project is progressing. Play Project allows you to select between Instant Preview and High Quality Preview. The first allows you to preview changes in your project without the need to create a temporary preview file. The latter renders a preview file and provides a quick preview right after. For faster previews, you may choose to play only a part of your project. The selected range of frames to preview is referred to as the preview area, and it is marked as a red bar in the Ruler Panel. To play the preview area only: 1. Use the Trim Bar or the Mark in/out buttons to select the preview area. The Preview range mark in and Preview range mark out timecodes will then be displayed in the Options Panel. 2. To preview the selected range of frames, hold [Shift] and select a preview option (Instant Preview or High Quality Preview). Or, when the desired preview option is already selected, hold [Shift] and click Play Project. Play Project in Navigator 42 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Preview Files Manager Use Preview Files Manager to free hard disk space occupied by temporary preview files used in your project. To delete temporary preview files: 1. Click Settings and Commands: Preview Files Manager to display the Preview Files Manager dialog box. You can also click Preview Files Manager in the Start Step Options Panel. 2. Select the VSP project under Project file name where the temporary preview files you want to remove are located and click Delete. This removes only the temporary preview files and not the actual VSP project. 3. Click Delete All to remove all temporary preview files of all VSP projects. 4. Click Close. Tip: Press [Ctrl + S] to quickly save your project from time to time. This ensures that all project settings and file links are always updated. Inserting a clip into the Timeline To add video clips to the Timeline, you can use drag and drop or browse and select, depending on where your clips are located. To insert a video clip into the Timeline: · Select a clip in the Library and drag and drop it to the Timeline. Multiple clips can be selected by pressing [Shift] or [Ctrl]. To insert a clip from a file folder directly to the Timeline, click Insert Media Files, located to the left of the Timeline. · Insert Media Files STORYBOARD 43 Trimming a clip The best part of editing your movie on your computer is the ease with which you can snip and trim with frame by frame accuracy. To trim a clip from the Timeline: 1. Click a clip in the Timeline to select it. 2. Drag the yellow Trim handles on either side of the clip to change its length. The Preview Window reflects the position of the Trim handle in the clip. 3. To trim frame by frame, refer to the Video mark in / out timecodes in the Options Panel. These represent precise positions of frames in the Timeline. 4. Other clips in your project automatically reposition themselves according to changes made. It is most convenient to use the Trim Bar in adjusting your clips. This is the green bar beneath the Preview Window which represents the selected portion of a clip. If the clip has not been trimmed, the green bar extends along the entire length. To trim a clip with the Trim Bar: 1. Select a clip from the Timeline or the Library. 2. Click and drag a Trim handle to set the trim position. 3. When you have selected the area you want to trim, click Apply. 4. Hold down [Shift] and click Play Clip to selectively play only the trimmed portion of the clip. For precise control, click on a Trim handle, hold it, and use the left or right arrow keys on your keyboard to trim one frame at a time. Check the Video mark in / out timecodes in the Options Panel to monitor your trimming. The Mark in / out points can also be set by pressing [F3] and [F4], respectively. You can also use Zoom controls to display each frame of your video in the Timeline and trim one frame at a time. The Scroll Bar makes navigating through your project quicker and easier. A wheel mouse can also be used to scroll, and to zoom by pressing [Ctrl]. 44 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE To trim a clip in the Options Panel: 1. Select a clip from the Timeline or the Library. 2. Click the time in Video duration and the numbers will blink. 3. Enter a length of time for the clip. Mark in shows the timecode representing the first frame of the clip and Mark out shows the timecode for the last frame. 4. Click Apply. Note: Changes made in the Video duration box only affect the Mark out point. The Mark in point remains unchanged. Video duration Displays and sets the length of time of the clip. Arrow buttons Use these to fine tune your trimming. Video mark in / out Displays the points in the original clip where the trimming takes place. Reset sets all values back to defaults. Apply renders the new settings made in the Options Panel to the selected clip. Working with clips Your original video file can be used as a source for creating a number of different clips in the Library. This type of editing allows you to trim different segments of a video file without affecting its source file. To create multiple copies of a single clip: 1. Select a clip from the Library. 2. Click and drag a Trim handle to set the trim position. 3. Click Apply. 4. Click Load video to reinsert the original video file into the Library. Therefore, there are now two copies of a single clip in the Library. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to add more copies as needed. Note: In step 1, if you want to use an existing clip in the current project, drag a clip from the Timeline into the Library first. STORYBOARD 45 This clip is the trimmed version of the original video file. You can see that a selected clip was trimmed by checking the Options Panel or the Trim Bar. Once a clip is trimmed, rename the thumbnail in the Library to distinguish it from the original. (See detail on renaming in the notes below.) This Library contains five copies of the same clip. Selected clips are highlighted in blue. Then the original clip is reinserted into the Library, the Mark in point is zero and the Mark out point is the last frame. The duration is the entire clip. The Trim Bar clearly shows that the clip has not been trimmed. Frequently, when you make changes, you may wish to make a permanent change to the clip and save the edited file. Again, VideoStudio gives you a margin of safety in that it saves the trimmed video to a new file and does not alter the original file. You can press [Delete] or drag the thumbnail to remove it from the Library, or even remove the original file to recover disk space. To break a clip into multiple files: 1. Select a clip from the Library or Timeline. 2. Click and drag a Trim handle to set the trim position. 3. Click Save Trimmed Video. 4. You now have two different physical video files on your hard disk, the original file and a trimmed copy. Notes: · To rename a thumbnail, click the name of the thumbnail to modify. · Dragging a clip from the Timeline to the Trash only removes the thumbnail. The original video file is not affected. 46 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Capturing still images in the Storyboard Step A still image can be captured in the Storyboard Step by selecting a specific frame in the Timeline and saving it as an image file. In this manner, possible distortions are avoided since the image is not acquired from a running video, unlike in the Capture Step. To capture still images: 1. Select a clip in your project. 2. Drag the Preview Bar to the frame you want to capture. 3. Switch to an image folder in the Library. The folder can be the default Image folder, or the one created by yourself. 4. Click Save Still Image in the Options Panel. The new image file is saved to the hard disk and is represented as a thumbnail in the image folder you assigned. Using color clips Color clips are simply solid colored backgrounds that are useful for titles and transitions. For example, black clips can be used for an effective fade to black transition. Place your opening credits over the top of the color clip and then use a cross fade effect to create smooth transition into your movie. See page 49. You can insert a new color to the Color Library and control its duration just like an image clip. Once a color clip has been inserted into the Library, you can drag it to the Timeline to put it into your movie project. To insert a color clip in the Color Library: 1. Select Color from the folder list or click the Storyboard menu arrow and select Color. 2. Click Load color to display the New Color Clip dialog box. 3. Here, click the color box to select a color either from the Ulead Color Picker or the Windows Color Picker. 4. Adjust the RGB values if needed. 5. Set Duration. 6. Click OK. STORYBOARD 47 Titles set against solid backgrounds are often easier to see than against an image, especially a moving one Using video filters Video filters are effects which you can apply to video clips in order to change their style or appearance. For example, you can improve the color balance of a clip, or make the video look like a painting. Filters are applied over each frame in a clip. By specifying the different start and end values, you can control the intensity and speed of a filter as it moves from the first frame to the last. To apply a video filter to a clip in the Timeline: 1. Select a video clip in the Timeline. 2. Select the Video Filter folder in the Library or click the Storyboard menu arrow and select Video Filter. 3. Click a video filter in the Library to apply to the selected clip. 4. To customize a filter, click Options on the Filter Tab in the Options Panel. Available options depend on the selected filter. 5. Preview the result. 6. Click Apply. 48 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE To apply a video filter to a clip when no clip is selected: 1. Select Video Filter from the folder list or click the Storyboard menu arrow and select Video Filter. 2. While there is no video clip selected, click the video filter you want to use. It is then displayed in the Preview Window. Click Play Clip to closely observe its behavior. 3. There are two ways to apply the filter: · Follow a prompt in the Options Panel asking you to drag and drop the selected filter to a video / image / color clip on the Timeline. · Click Add and select the video / image / color clip in the Timeline to apply the filter on. Shift up / down video filter buttons Advanced options button 4. Click Options for filter customization. Available options depend on the selected filter. 5. You may also preview the result through Navigator. If you want to change the filter, click another thumbnail. Notes: · VideoStudio allows you to apply a maximum of five filters to a single video clip. · When there is more than one video filter applied to a video clip, you can change the order of filters by clicking the Shift up / down video filter buttons. However, the order change affects the whole appearance or style of the video clip. Add to Timeline button Example of a dialog box after clicking Options Clicking Options displays a dialog box which allows you to fine tune your filter. Advanced options can be applied to the first and the last frames only in a video clip. So, drag the slider to either of these two points to adjust. EFFECT 49 Effect Transition effects offer creative ways to shift from one scene to the next. They are applied between clips in the Video Track and their attributes can be modified in the Options Panel to suit a specific purpose. VideoStudio studio allows you to mix and match a variety of preset effects while editing your project. Effective use of this feature can add a professional touch to your work. Creating effects The Library provides a wide range of preset transitions from cross fades to explosions. We will deal with the details of these effects later. For now, you just need a project with two video clips in it. To add a transition: 1. Select a category of effects from the Folder list. 2. Scroll through the effects thumbnails in the Library. Select and drag an effect to the Timeline, roughly between two video clips. Drop your effect and it will snap into place. You can only drag and drop one clip at a time. Note: Transitions work the same way in both the Storyboard Mode and Timeline Mode. But you may find it easier to work on transition effects in the Storyboard Mode. Drag and drop transition effects right onto the tracks in both Storyboard Mode and Timeline Mode 50 VIDEOSTUDIO USER GUIDE Customizing effects If you've tried a few simple transitions as outlined on the previous page, you really have mastered all you need to know. VideoStudio pretty much takes care of all the details to make your transitions smooth and professional. You can, however, further customize your effects after adding them to your project. The Options Panel displays the settings of your selected effects so that you can change their various parameters. This gives you complete control of exactly how your effects will behave in your movie. Duration Sets the length of time of the transition. You can also modify the duration by using the yellow Trim handles in the Timeline. Border / Color Select a size for the border (in pixels) on the left and choose a color by clicking the color box. Soft edge Soft edge applies to the border of the effect to blend two clips together more smoothly. The soft edge buttons are unavailable if there no border on the clip. Apply Click to apply changes made to a selected effect in the Timeline. Direction These buttons control the direction of motion in the transition effect. In this transition, the two doors can move in eight different ways. Reset Click to return to previous settings if changes have not been applied. If Apply has already been clicked, use Undo to return to previous settings. Add Click to apply a selected transition effect. Then click between two clips in the Timeline where you want to add the effect.