mediastudio pro 5 manual

User Guide

MediaStudio Pro

Ulead Systems, Inc.

May 1997

VERSION 5.0

First English edition for MediaStudio Pro version 5.0, May 1997

© 1992–1997, Ulead Systems, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,or storing in a retrieval system, or translating into any language in any form withoutthe express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.

Software license

The software described in this document is furnished under a License Agreement whichis included with the product. This Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses

of the product.

Licenses and trademarks

ICI Library © 1991–1992 C-Cube Microsystems.

Ulead Systems, Inc., the Ulead logo and MediaStudio Pro are trademarks of UleadSystems, Inc. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarksmentioned in this manual are used for identification purposes only and remain theexclusive property of their respective owners.

Sample files

Files provided as samples on the program CD-ROM can be used for personaldemonstrations, productions and presentations. No rights are granted for commercialreproduction or redistribution of any sample files.

Ulead Systems, Inc.

United States Headquarters: International Headquarters:

970 West 190th Street, Suite 520 10F, 111 Tung Hsing St.

Torrance, CA 90502 Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

Tel: (310) 523-9393 Tel: (+886) 2 764-8599

Fax: (310) 523-9399 Fax: (+886) 2 764-9599

http://www.ulead.com http://www.ulead.com.tw

http://www.ulead.com

http://www.ulead.com.tw

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.11

How to learn about using MediaStudio Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.12

What's new in this version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.14

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.15

Tutorials p.17

Tutorial 1: Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.19

Getting to know Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.20Creating your first video project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.20Arranging clips in the timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.21Previewing your work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.22

Performing common techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.23Applying a video filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.23Performing a transition effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.24Creating a moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.25Creating rolling credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.26Changing the amplification of an audio track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.27

Performing advanced techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.27Using mattes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.28Customizing a transition effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.30Performing a blue screen effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.31Performing moving paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.32Creating a shadow effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.35Synchronizing audio to video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.36

Tutorial 2: Video Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.37

Getting to know Video Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.38Creating your first project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.38Working with images in an edit window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.39Customizing your brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.40Working over multiple frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.41

Performing common techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.43Applying a video filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.43Cloning an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.44Creating a video matte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.45

Performing advanced techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.46Performing an erase effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.46Performing an advanced power duplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.47Creating background sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.48Retouching images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.50Advanced macros: Creating a laser beam effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.51Advanced cloning: Disappearing act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.52

MEDIASTUDIO PRO 5.0 USER GUIDE4

Tutorial 3: CG Infinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.53

Performing common techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.54Drawing regular shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.54Creating and distorting text objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.55Applying gradients to your objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.56Manipulating objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.57Creating a corporate logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.58Animating objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.59

Performing advanced techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.60Creating mattes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.60Creating a corporate logo (advanced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.61Controlling the timing of multiple objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.62Performing fades and distortions over time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.63

Video Capture p.65

Chapter 1: Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.67

Understanding the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.68

Preparing video for display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.70Connecting to a video source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.70Viewing your displayed video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.70Setting display options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.71Defining audio input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.72

Improving your video signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.73Calibrating your display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.73Adjusting color with your video capture board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.76

Customizing Video Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.77

Chapter 2: Capturing video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.79

Tips for capturing good video and audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.80Getting the right hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.80Using compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.81Techniques for improving your video captures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.81Techniques for improving your audio captures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.82

Capturing video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.82Customizing your capture options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.86Dropped frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.87Capturing single frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.87

Capturing a color palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.88Changing a file’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.89

Using a controllable device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.90Viewing and editing a batch list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.92Capturing using a controllable device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.93

INTRODUCTION 5

Video Editor p.95

Chapter 1: Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.97

Understanding the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.98Working with tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.100Working with clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.101Using the Production Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.101Using the Quick Command panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.104

Working with video projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.106Creating a new video project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.106Customizing a video project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.108Saving a video project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.108Packaging a video project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.109Saving the layout of your project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.109

Working with proxy files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.110Creating proxy files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.110

Inserting clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.112Inserting video, audio and image clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.112Inserting title, color and silence clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.114Inserting Ulead video file types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.115

Viewing clips in the timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.117Controlling the display of clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.117Zooming in on clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.118

Converting files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.119

Customizing Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.121

Chapter 2: Editing clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.127

Making selections in the timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.128Using the Clip Selection tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.128Using the Time Selection tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.129Grouping clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.130

Working with clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.130Cutting and copying clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.130Pasting clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.131Clearing clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.132Snapping to clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.132Splitting and uniting video clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.132Changing the speed of clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.133Reversing the frames of a clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.133Relinking clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.133Replacing clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.134Calibrating video clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.134Freezing a frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.135Setting field options for video clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.135


Working with cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.136Placing and managing cues in a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.137

Locating clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.138Locating a specific clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.138Locating a specific time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.139Locating an empty time slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.139

Trimming clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.140Using the Clip Selection tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.140Using the Scissors tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.140Using the Trim window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.141Defining trim options and ripple editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.142

Using the Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.143Playing a clip in the Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.144Trimming clips in the Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.145Placing cues in the Scratch Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.146

Previewing your work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.147Setting your preview options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.147Understanding Smart Render . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.149Performing a preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.150Performing on-the-fly previews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.151Managing preview files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.152

Chapter 3: Performing effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.153

Using key frame controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.154

Performing transition effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.156

Performing a video overlay effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.160Working with overlay key types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.164Using gamma correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.169

Working with mattes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.170Creating an image matte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.170Creating a video matte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.170

Creating a moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.171Using the Moving Path dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.172Creating a 2D advanced moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.174Creating 3D moving paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.175Managing key frames on a moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.176

Creating titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.177

Applying video filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.180Applying a regional matte to a video filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.181Applying audio filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.182Changing the amplification of an audio clip from the timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.183

INTRODUCTION 7

Chapter 4: Creating and outputting your files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.185

Creating a video file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.186Determining your video save options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.187Performing a batch video creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.193

Analyzing a video file’s data rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.194

Creating an audio file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.196

Creating an image sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.197

Creating an edit decision list (EDL) file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.198Posting timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.199

Outputting to video tape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.200

Video Paint p.203

Chapter 1: Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.205

Understanding the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.206Working with the Filmstrip panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.208Working with edit windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.209Saving your work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.209Opening files into Video Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.210Starting a new Video Paint project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.211Creating a video or image file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.212Performing Cut and Copy operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.213Performing a paste operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.213Duplicating changes over frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.214Placing cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.216

Viewing edit windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.217Zooming on an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.217Using the Global Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.218Fitting an image in the edit window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.219

Working with frames in a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.219Inserting frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.220Duplicating frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.221Deleting frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.221Replacing frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.221

Customizing Video Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.222

Chapter 2: Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.229

Working in different display modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.230Normal mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.230Ruby Mask mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.230Onionskin mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.232No Source Video mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.233


Making selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.234Understanding the selection marquee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.234Selecting in the Composite and Paint Layer modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.235Selecting regularly shaped areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.235Selecting irregularly shaped areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.236Selecting an area containing similar colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.237Adding to or subtracting from a selection area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.238Moving a selection area marquee (mask) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.239

Working with color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.239Using the Color palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.240Selecting colors from the Color Picker pop-up menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.241Selecting colors with the Eyedropper tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.242Loading and saving color tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.242

Using the painting tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.243Specifying Brush panel attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.244Filling an area with color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.248

Transforming selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.248

Using the Clone tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.249

Using the Retouch tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.250

Recording macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.252

Applying filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.255

Previewing your work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.256Performing a flick preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.256Performing a preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.257

CG Infinity p.259


Understanding the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.262Understanding objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.264Starting a new CG project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.264Changing the background of an edit window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.265Changing the view of an edit window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.266Viewing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.266Saving your work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.267Creating video and image files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.267Performing Cut and Copy operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.267Performing a paste operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.268

Controlling the alignment of objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.269Displaying rulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.269Displaying the grid and guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.269Aligning objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.270

Customizing CG Infinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.271

INTRODUCTION 9

Chapter 2: Working with objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.273

Defining an object’s style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.274Setting your default object style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.277

Creating text and shape objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.277Using the Text tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.278Using the Shape tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.279Using the Freehand tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.280Using the Path tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.281

Selecting and transforming objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.282Selecting multiple objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.283Grouping objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.283Layering objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.283Moving objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.284Transforming objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.284Using the Envelope tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.285

Adjusting shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.286

Creating a moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.288Changing the shape of a moving path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.289Changing the size and style of an object over time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.290Changing the speed of an object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.291Timing the movement of objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.292

Audio Editor p.295


Understanding the basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.298Playing audio files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.300Creating a new edit window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.300Saving files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.301Converting files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.302Viewing waveforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.302Dragging-and-dropping to Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.304

Recording sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.304Tips for determining audio quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.306

Customizing Audio Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.306

Chapter 2: Editing audio files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.309

Creating selection areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.310Creating precise selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.311

Working with Cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.311Managing cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.312Clearing audio data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.313Inserting audio data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.314

Sound sweetening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.315Changing the amplification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.315Changing pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.316Quantizing a waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.317Working with silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.317Removing background noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.318Calibrating files recorded from different sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.319

Mixing tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.319Removing a mixed track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.320

Applying special effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.321Performing a fade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.321Changing speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.322Performing a stereo pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.323Reversing a file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.323Performing an echo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.324Performing a cross fade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.325

Appendix p.327

Background information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.329

The world of analog video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.330Inside the video signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.330How analog video is displayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.331

The world of digital video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.331Inside digital video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.332Working with the data rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.332Understanding the frame rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.333Understanding frame size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.333Understanding data types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.334Understanding video compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.334

Index p.337


Introduction

Welcome to MediaStudio Pro

Congratulations on purchasing Ulead MediaStudio Pro 5.0,

the ultimate video editing solution for desktop professionals and

digital video enthusiasts. Built around a powerful suite of

versatile and high performance programs, MediaStudio Pro is

the first choice for anyone wishing to work with and control

digital video, such as graphic designers, multimedia producers,

Internet developers and budding home video directors. With

intuitive controls and seamless integration, creating video has

never been easier or more accessible.

In this introduction you will learn:

• Using the MediaStudio Pro 5.0 documentation ........................................p.12

• What's new in MediaStudio Pro 5.0 .........................................................p.14

• Installing MediaStudio Pro 5.0 on your system ........................................p.15

• Starting MediaStudio Pro 5.0 programs ...................................................p.16


How to learn about using MediaStudio Pro

MediaStudio Pro offers you several resources for learning about itsprograms and how to use them. Depending on your preferences and theamount of time you have you can select which method or methods you aremost comfortable with. This manual is a good place to start, other sourcesinclude the online help, interactive tutorials and the Ulead Systems website. Another useful place for information is the MediaStudio Pro UsersGroup. This is an independent news group for MediaStudio Pro enthusiastsand often has useful tips on getting the most out of your Ulead software aswell as digital video editing in general.

Reading the user guide

This user guide consists of two sections: the Tutorial and the Reference.The Tutorial provides real world examples of how to get started inMediaStudio Pro and gets you up and running the quickest. In most casesthis is the best place to start if you are a new user as it guides you throughthe concepts of working with video and what is possible. The Referencesection is where you will find all the program specific documentation andprovides detailed explanations of each and every feature in the fiveMediaStudio Pro programs. Use this section when you need to learn abouta particular tool, feature or dialog box.

If you need more information about the technical side of digital video,then go to the Appendix. This is a background information section whichexplains the concepts of digital video and how they affect the way youwork. Understanding these concepts will go a long way in helping you getthe most out of MediaStudio Pro as well as ensuring you get the bestpossible results for your video projects.

Note: An electronic copy of this user guide is also available in the AdobeAcrobat format (PDF). To view this, you must have a copy of Adobe AcrobatReader installed on your system. (For more about installing Acrobat Reader, seethe section on ‘Installing Acrobat Reader’ on page 15.)

INTRODUCTION 13

Using the online help

The online help provides a useful and informative method to learn aboutMediaStudio Pro and should be used in conjunction with this user guide. Ifyou are working in a MediaStudio Pro program and come across a dialogbox or feature you don’t understand, first look in the Help. With powerfuland quick search facilities, this method easily outperforms letting your‘fingers do the walking’. There are several ways you can view the help:

For instant information about a command or feature, the F1 hot key isperhaps the most convenient way to access help, as it is easy to rememberand quick to use. Just rest your mouse on a feature and press the F1 key.Help then opens at the topic describing that particular feature. (You canalso do this by clicking the Help button in the Standard toolbar and thenclicking over the feature you want to know more about.)

Most dialog boxes contain a Help button which you can click to open atopic describing the dialog box you are in. This is particularly helpfulwhen you want to clarify or understand specific options available in adialog box.

From the Help menu you can open the Help Contents dialog box. You canthen search the contents or index for specific information based on topictitles or key words.

Note: Each program also provides tooltips and hint messages. Tooltips appearbeneath any tool your mouse is resting on, displaying the tool’s name, while hintmessages appear in the status bar whenever your mouse rests on a menucommand.

Using the guided tour and tutorials

To get an overview of MediaStudio Pro, be sure to check out theinteractive tutorials that come with the program. These provide you with atrue multimedia experience and show you what can be achieved by usingthe MediaStudio Pro programs. To view the tutorials, place your firstMediaStudio Pro CD in your CD ROM drive and click Start:Programs:MediaStudio Pro: MediaStudio Pro 5.0 Tutorials.


Both the guided tour and tutorials are interactive and allow you to controlthe pace of your learning. If you are a ‘hands-on’ type of person, viewingthe guided tour and tutorials will give you a solid idea about the featuresand abilities of each of the MediaStudio Pro programs. You can then godirectly to the program and start practicing what you have learned.

Other sources of information

For the latest information about MediaStudio Pro and other Ulead prod-ucts, go to the Ulead Systems web site at http://www.ulead.com. We areconstantly updating it with news and tips about our programs. To ex-change ideas and see what other MediaStudio users are up to, check outthe MediaStudio Users Group at http://www.concentric.net/~Hillsc/mug/.

What’s new in this version

There have been several significant upgrades, additions and other changesto this version of MediaStudio Pro. All are designed to make MediaStudioPro the industry standard in the desktop video market as well as provide amore focused and ‘video-centric’ solution for desktopprofessionals and video editing enthusiasts.

Topping the list of additions to MediaStudio Pro are two new programs:Video Paint and CG Infinity. Video Paint is a powerful rotoscopingprogram that allows you to paint directly over any frame in a video clip,while CG Infinity handles animated titles and motion graphics. VideoEditor, long the mainstay of MediaStudio Pro, has undergone severalsignificant enhancements, with Video Capture and Audio Editor alsoimproved to round out the overall package.

Gone from this version are Album, Image Editor, Screen Capture, MorphEditor and Multimedia Converter. (Many of these can still be found in ourrange of image editing products, most notably Ulead PhotoImpact, thepremier web imaging, design and optimization tool.)

INTRODUCTION 15

Installation

The MediaStudio Pro installation program runs from within Windows andcontains complete instructions on the installation process.

To install MediaStudio Pro:

1. Read the license agreement that comes with the MediaStudio Propackage. (The license agreement is important as it contains variouslegal requirements that you need to be aware of.) If you agree to abideby it, continue with the installation.

Note: Please take a moment to fill out the Registration card during installation.Becoming a registered user entitles you to product update and upgradeinformation, as well as technical support.

2. Insert the MediaStudio Pro CD into your CD drive. Windows shoulddetect the CD and then automatically run the installation program.If the automatic detection feature is turned off, use Windows Explorerto run the INSTALL.EXE program directly from your CD-ROM drive.

Follow the installation program instructions. While the program isinstalling files, the installation window displays information aboutMediaStudio Pro and the progress of the installation.

Note: To move between entry boxes in the installation program, use yourmouse or press Tab (not Enter).

Installing the Acrobat reader

An electronic copy of this user guide is also available in the AdobeAcrobat format (PDF). To view this, first run the ACROE30.EXE file (in theMANUAL folder of the first MediaStudio Pro CD) and follow the installationinstructions. After successfully installing the Reader program, use theprogram’s File: Open command to open the file MS5GUIDE.PDF. You canthen view the user guide on line.


Running the programs

To run the MediaStudio Pro programs, click on the appropriate commandin the Start: Programs: Ulead MediaStudio Pro submenu. (This submenumay differ depending on the choices you made during installation.)When you are already working in any of the programs, the easiest methodto run another MediaStudio Pro program is by using the Switch menu,located on the right of the Menu bar.

If you are new to using Windows 95, try creating shortcuts to theMediaStudio Pro programs, done by dragging each program’s EXE filefrom Windows Explorer (for example, VEDITOR.EXE) and dropping itonto your desktop. A shortcut is automatically created and appears onyour desktop. To start the program just double-click the shortcut.

TutorialsTutorials

Video Editor

Video Editor is where you combine all the elements from the

other MediaStudio Pro programs to create a final video

production. Here you can insert your files and then arrange

them into their playing sequence, adding impressive transition

effects, overlays and moving paths as you go.

Tutorial 1

In this tutorial you will learn about:

• Getting to know Video Editor ...................................................................p.20

• Performing common techniques ..............................................................p.23

• Performing advanced techniques ............................................................p.27


Getting to know Video Editor

This section gets you up and running with Video Editor and takes youthrough some of the more basic techniques involved in video editing,beginning with creating your first video project to preparing a preview ofyour work.

Creating your first video project

To create a video project you first need to insert the files you want to workwith into the Video Editor timeline. Once inserted, these files are referredto as clips which you can move and manipulate, as well as apply a numberof effects and filters.

To insert files into the timeline:

1. Change the Ruler Unit to 4 seconds and then click the Insert Videobutton on the Attribute toolbar to open the Insert Video File dialog box.

2. Select the following files from the SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder of theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM:

CASTLE.AVI, DANCER.AVI, PAINTER.AVI and WALKER.AVI.

3. Click Open. The Change Clip Sequence dialog box opens displayingeach of the selected files.

4. Click on the timecode of the PAINTER.AVI file (under the Mark Inbutton) and then drag it to the top of the list.

5. Click OK, the dialog box closes, and then move your cursor to the firstframe on the Va track and click. Each of the files are inserted as clipsinto the timeline in the order that they appeared in the Clip Sequencedialog box.

How your timeline should look

TUTORIAL ONE: VIDEO EDITOR 21

Arranging clips in the timeline

Once your clips are inserted into the timeline you can begin arrangingthem in the sequence you want them to play back in the resulting videofile. Clips play back from left to right, with clips in higher-numberedtracks appearing over those on lower numbered tracks. You can alsocontrol how clips in the timeline are represented to help improve displayperformance and clarity.

To arrange and display clips in the timeline:

1. Click the Display Mode button on the timeline to open the DisplayMode dialog box.

2. Select the Thumbnail mode option in the Video group box and theFilename mode option in the Audio group box and click OK. Thedialog box closes and the clips are now displayed in their respectivemodes.

3. Select the CASTLE.AVI clip and drag it to the four second mark on theVb track.

4. Click the Production Library button on the Standard toolbar to open theProduction Library, and select the Transition Effects option in theGallery combo box. Drag-and-drop the Burn effect thumbnail from theFx folder into the F/X track on the timeline, placing it between thevideo overlap in the Va and Vb tracks. The Transition Options dialogbox opens; click OK to accept the default settings. The dialog boxcloses and the transition effect is inserted into the timeline.

How your timeline should look


Previewing your work

Previews are an important aspect of any video project as they allow you tosee how your work is developing. Before you perform a preview, you needto set your preview options to control the size and quality of the preview.

To perform a preview:

1. Click the Preview Options button on the Standard toolbar to open thePreview Options dialog box.

2. Set the following options in the Video Editor tab:• Preview method (select Optimal Preview)

• Frame type (select Frame-based)

3. Set the following options in the General tab:• Data track (select Video Only)

• Frame rate (select 15)

• Frame size (select 160x120)

4. Set the following options in the Advanced tab:• Target playback drive (select Custom)

5. Set the following options in the Compression tab:• Compression (select Cinepak Codec by Radius)

• Quality (set the slider to 75%)

• Key frame for every (select 15)

• Data type (select 24 Bits RGB)

6. Close the dialog box, then right-click over any toolbar or panel andselect the Navigator command to show the Navigator.

The Navigator bar

7. Drag over the Preview bar to select the range you want to preview, thenclick the Preview button on the Navigator to start the preview.

Creating a preview range selection


Performing common techniques

This section includes some of the more common techniques you willperform using Video Editor. If you are more experienced or wish to trysomething more challenging, jump to the next section on advancedtechniques.

Applying a video filter

Video filters are effects which you apply to clips in order to change theirappearance or style. For example, you can make a color clip black andwhite or have it appear embossed against a solid color. Filters are appliedover each frame in a clip. By specifying different start and end values youcan control the intensity and speed of a filter as it moves from the firstframe to the last.

To apply a video filter:

1. Select the Video Filters: 2D Mapping gallery from the ProductionLibrary and drag-and-drop the Ripple filter onto a clip in the videotrack of the timeline. The Ripple dialog box opens.

2. In the Direction group box select the From center option and in theFrequency group box select the Medium option.

3. Set the Level slider to 20. (This is how much of a ripple effect appearsat the first frame of the clip.)

4. Click the End key frame and select a level of 360. (This is how much ofa ripple effect appears at the last frame of the clip.)

Note: Click the Lock button so you can see the effect in the Preview window.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the filter.

Applying a Ripple filter to a video clip


Performing a transition effect

Transition effects occur between video clips placed in the Va and Vbtracks in the timeline. Video Editor offers over one-hundred differenttransitions to can choose from, including simple peels and wipes to moreadvanced fractal and 3D roll effects.

To perform a transition effect:

1. Place the two clips you want to perform a transition between in the Vaand Vb tracks with an overlap of one second.

2. Drag-and-drop the transition effect thumbnail you want to apply fromthe Transition Effect gallery in the Production Library. (This exampleuses the Flow effect in the Wipe folder.) The dialog box for thattransition opens.

3. Click the Preview button beneath the Sample preview window to seehow the effect looks. (To see the effect on the actual clips click theActual Image button.) Depending on the effect, there will be options tochange its direction, place a border, apply a soft edge or to reverse it.

4. Experiment with the various options and, when happy with the how thetransition looks, click OK to apply the effect. (You can switch theeffect to another by dragging-and-dropping a new one onto theTransition Effect clip in the timeline.)

Performing a Flow transition effect between two clips


Creating a moving path

During your video editing work you will often make use of moving pathsto enable video clips to move over others in the background. These clipscan move linearly or in any number of different directions, changing shapeand size as they go.

To create a moving path:

1. Select the Moving Path: 2D Basic gallery from the Production Libraryand drag-and-drop the 2D Basic thumbnail onto a clip in a videooverlay track of the timeline. The 2D Basic Moving Path dialog boxopens.

2. Click the middle control point at the top of the frame in the Referencebox (the clip changes position accordingly) and drag the Start controlpoint to the bottom of the frame in the Motion Control window sothat it appears off screen. (This is where the clip starts its movement.)

3. Drag the End control point to the top of the frame in the MotionControl window so that it appears off screen. (This is where the clipwill end its movement.)

4. Click the Animate button to preview the path and then pause it in themiddle and click the Add Key Frame button. A key frame appears inthe Key Frame slider and a control point appears on the moving path.

5. In the Motion Control window drag the new control point to the rightof the frame.

6. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the moving path.

Performing a 2D Basic moving path


Creating rolling credits

Credits are an important part of any video production and are used to setthe scene for the video and to mention the cast and characters. When youcreate credits they are often rolling, moving up or across the screen as thevideo plays.

To create rolling credits:

1. Create a project and click the Insert Title Clip button on the Attributetoolbar to open the Insert Title Clip dialog box.

2. Click the Open button and in the resulting dialog box, selectCREDITS.TXT from the SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder of the MediaStudioPro CD-ROM.

3. Select the Enable rolling option to enable the Rolling tab and thenselect the following options in the Font tab, if not already selected:• Font characteristics (select from the options available)

• Anti-aliasing

• Opaque text

Note: If you align text in the center it works only on the text within the clip. Toalign the actual clip you need to use a moving path to position it.

4. Click the Rolling tab and select the following options, if not alreadyselected:• Direction (Up)

• Placed at (select Center)

• Start (select Off the Screen)

• Stop (select Off the Screen)

• Speed (select Fast)

• Repeat (set to 1 time)

5. Click OK to accept the settings and insert the clip into the timeline.

Rolling end credits over a video


Changing the amplification of an audio track

In Video Editor you can change an audio track’s amplification using anaudio filter or directly from the timeline by adjusting its baseline.By changing the amplification of an audio clip from the timeline you canquickly perform fade in and out effects as well as temporarily adjust audiolevels as you work.

To change the amplification of an audio clip:

1. Select the audio clip whose amplification you want to change.

2. Click on the baseline of the clip. A control point is placed on the baseline at the cursor position. (To better see the baseline, view the audioclip in Filename mode.)

3. Drag the control point upward to increase amplification: downward todecrease it. Place additional control points to determine where to startand end your changes. (To remove a control point drag it off the rightor left edge of the clip.)

Changing the amplification of an audio clip from the timeline

Performing advanced techniques

The following section takes you one some of the more advancedtechniques possible in Video Editor. Here you will learn how to usemattes, customize transition effects, perform blue screen effects, createmoving paths and synchronize the playback of audio and video clips.


Using mattes

Mattes are an integral part of video editing and work by hiding portions ofa video while at the same time revealing others. In most cases, mattes arerepresented as solid colors, such as black and white, with one color beingopaque and the other transparent. By using a grayscale matte, one whichcontains a range of grays from black to white, you can control a matte’stransparency, with the varying levels of gray corresponding to the degreeof transparency. For example, the darker a gray the less transparent theeffect.

To apply a matte to an overlay clip:

1. Place the clip you want to appear as the background on the Va track,and the clip to appear as the foreground directly over it in an overlaytrack.

2. Click the Overlay Options button on the Attribute toolbar to open theOverlay Options dialog box.

3. Click anywhere in Overlay clip image to enable the Type and Maskcombo boxes and then select the Image Matte option from the Maskcombo box. The Select Image Matte dialog box opens.

4. Select the file MATTE01.TIF from the SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder of theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM and click Open to load the file as a matteinto the Overlay Options dialog box.

5. Select the Gray Key option from the Type combo box. The underlyingclip should now appear in the background with the overlaying clipappearing at varying levels of transparency, determined by the gradientstyle of the matte. (If you are using a solid color matte, such as blackand white, select the Color Key option from the Type combo box andthen click on the color to key out.)

6. Click OK to close the dialog box and place the overlay.

Applying a grayscale image matte to an overlay clip


Applying a matte to a video filter

While you can use mattes to control which aspects of an overlay clip aredisplayed over a background video, you can also use them to controlwhich areas of a video are affected by a filter. This is particularly usefulwhen you have background areas, such as a sky, which you want to remainuntouched while you apply a filter over a foreground object, such as amountain.

To apply an image matte to a video filter:

1. Select the clip you want to apply the filter to and click the Video Filtersbutton on the Attribute toolbar to open the Video Filters dialog box.

2. Select the filter or filters you wish to apply from the Available filterslist box and click Add to add them to the Applied filters list box.(To edit a filter, first select it and then click the Options button.)

3. Click the Region button to open the Region dialog box and then selectthe Image Matte option in the Mask combo box. In the dialog box thatopens, select a matte you have created or, select the file MATTE02.TIF

from the SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder of the MediaStudio Pro CD-ROMand click Open to load the matte into the Region dialog box.

4. Click on a color of the matte image in the Original preview windowand adjust the Threshold slider to control the range of colors affected.(To switch the colors click the Invert option.)

5. Click the End key frame and specify the same threshold for the lastframe in the sequence and then click OK to close each dialog box andapply the filter.

Applying a Hue & Saturation filter through an image matte


Customizing a transition effect

Transition effects are great for determining how the clips in the Vaand other video tracks interact. You can customize these transitions bycontrolling the degree of the transition for both the start and end keyframes, as well as the transition’s spot position. This allows you to createspecial effects such as video windows or split screens.

To customize a transition effect:

1. Place the clip you want to appear as the background on the Va track,and the clip to appear as the foreground directly over it on the Vb track.

2. Drag-and-drop the transition effect thumbnail you want to apply fromthe Transition Effect gallery in the Production Library. (This exampleuses the Box effect in the Wipe folder.)

3. Set the Transition degree slider to 35% and then drag the control pointin the center of the Sample preview window to reposition the clip atthe top right corner of the frame.

4. Click the End key frame and set the Transition degree slider to thesame value as the Start key frame. This makes the effect appear at thesame size throughout the video sequence.

5. Add a border by clicking the Border spin box, or, for non-rectangularshapes try softening the edges with the Soft edge combo box.

6. Click OK to apply the effect.

Creating a video window transition effect


Performing a blue screen effect

Blue screens allow you to easily replace the background from a videowithout having to change the foreground character or object. For example,by using a blue screen a character can appear in a house setting, on thebeach or even floating in space.

To perform a blue screen effect:

1. Open the file PROJECT1.DVP from the SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder of theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM.

2. Select the blue screen clip in the overlay track and click the OverlayOptions button on the Attribute toolbar to open the Overlay Optionsdialog box.

3. Select the Blue Screen option from the Type combo box and then clickon an area of blue in the Overlay clip image. The color is keyed outrevealing the underlying clip.

To select more areas of blue, drag over the image in the Overlay clipimage to create a selection marquee. All similar blue colors within themarquee are keyed out. (Any colors not blue are left untouched.)If there are still remnants of blue, drag the Similarity slider and selectthe Mask option in the Preview as combo box. This displays agrayscale preview with the white areas transparent (keyed out) and theblack areas opaque. If there are any gray areas present, move thegamma square on the Advanced control graph downward to reduce thelevels of gray.

Preview as result (left), mask (center) and with reduced gamma (right)

4. Click OK to close the dialog box and place the overlay.

Performing a blue screen effect


Performing moving paths

The extensive moving path options in Video Editor allow you to doeverything from move clips linearly from point to point or to have themtwist and turn in three dimensions. Using moving paths you can also createadditional effects such as video windows and zooming.

To create a video window using a moving path:

1. Place the clip for the background on the Va track, and the clip to appearas the foreground directly over it in an overlay track.

2. Drag-and-drop the 2D Basic moving path thumbnail onto the clip in theoverlay track. The 2D Basic moving path dialog box opens.

3. Click the Keep aspect ratio option and enter in a new width valueof one-third the size of the original in the Width spin box. The Heightspin box changes accordingly as well as the Start clip in the MotionControl window.

4. Drag on the Start control point and place the clip at the top right cornerwithin the frame of the Motion Control window. (Note its current Xand Y coordinates which you will use for the End clip.)

5. Switch to the End clip and change its width to that of the Start clip aswell as entering the X and Y coordinates from the Start clip into the Xand Y spin boxes. The End clip is now placed directly beneath the Startclip, ensuring that the clip does not move during playback.

6. Add a border or soft edge by clicking the Options button and specifyingthem in the resulting Moving Path Options dialog box and click OK.

7. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the path.

Note: You can duplicate the number of video windows by repeating the effecton different clips in successive overlay tracks.

Creating a video window using a moving path


To zoom in on a clip using a moving path:

1. Drag-and-drop the 2D Basic moving path thumbnail from theProduction Library to the clip you wish to zoom in on.

2. Click on the End control point and then select the Keep aspect ratiooption. In the Width spin box enter in a value twice that of your framesize. (This is the size of the magnification effect.)

Note: You can reposition the End clip to determine which part of the videoremains in center view.

3. Switch to the Start clip and center it in the middle of the frame window.(This places it directly over the End clip and is the original size fromwhere the zoom begins.)


Creating a zoom effect using a moving path

To create rotating text using a moving path:

1. Place a simple, non-scrolling title clip into the V1 track of your videoproject.

2. Drag-and-drop the 3D Cylinder moving path thumbnail from theProduction Library to the Title clip in the overlay track.

3. Select the following options for the Start clip and cylinder:• Y (set to 100)

• Clip Angle (set to -180º)

• Cylinder: Radius (set to 80)

• Cylinder: Rotate (set to -20º)

4. Select the End clip (click the Invert button on the Key Frame bar if it ishidden by the Start clip) and select the same options as for the Startclip, with the exception of the clip angle which you want to set to 180º(positive). The two clips should now be positioned on top of eachother. (If you inverted the Start and End clip, click Invert again toreturn them to their original positions.)



6. Preview the video.

Notice how the overlay clip does not actually go behind the object inthe foreground of the background clip. (This is impossible as they areboth the same image.) You can, however, create the illusion that theobject is in fact independent from the background. Here’s how:

1. Using the Navigator, step through the timeline until you see the framewhere the overlay clip (in this case the text) appears outside of theforeground object (the dancer).

2. Switch to the Scissors tool and cut the background Va clip at thatframe.

3. Switch back to the Clip Selection tool and drag the new clip (with theCtrl key held down) to the same time position in the overlay trackbelow the Title clip.

4. Open the Overlay Options dialog box and then key out the blue screen.This leaves the background transparent, showing the same backgroundas the clip in the Vb track, with the exception that the foregroundobject is now placed on top of both the clips in the Vb and V1 track.

5. Repeat the same procedure toward the end of the clip, copying theoriginal clip and then performing a blue screen so that when the textreaches the right side it appears to move behind the foreground objectin the Va clip.

Performing a 3D Cylinder moving path


Creating a shadow effect

An important aspect of working with blue screens is being able to createthe illusion that the foreground object or character was in fact filmedagainst the underlying background video. The best way to do this is bycreating a shadow effect of the object or character against the background.

To create a shadow effect:

1. Create a Color Clip (use a midtone gray for the color) and insert it intothe Va track of the timeline.

2. Place the blue screen clip you want to create a shadow of and positionit in the V2 overlay track over the background color clip. (You mayneed to trim the color clip so that it is the same duration as the overlayclip.)

3. With the overlay clip selected, click the Overlay Options button on theAttribute toolbar to open the Overlay Options dialog box. Key out theblue screen and then select the Invert overlay area option. Whenready click OK to close the dialog box and apply the settings.

4. Create a video file of the current project and then insert it as a new clipinto the V1 overlay track, placing it between the original blue screenclip and the color clip.

5. Replace the color clip with the clip you want to use as the backgroundand then deselect the Invert overlay option for the clip in the V2 track.

6. Select the new overlay clip in the V1 track and key out the blue screen.At the same time give the clip a 40% transparency to allow thebackground video to show through the shadow.

7. Drag-and-drop the 2D Advanced Moving Path thumbnail onto the clipand then drag on the handles in the Distortion box to distort the clipso that it appears at the angle and size you want for the shadow.(Repeat the same distortion for the End control point.)

8. Click OK to close the dialog box and then preview your work.

Adding a shadow to a blue screen


Synchronizing audio to video

An often overlooked area of video editing is audio editing. One essentialimportant aspect of audio editing is synchronizing actions and events withsound, such as matching subtitles to dialogue or the crackle of burningwood with a fire.

To synchronize audio to video:

1. Place the two clips you want to synchronize on respective tracks in thetimeline.

2. Double-click on the audio clip to open it in a Scratch Pad. Play backthe clip and when you hear the sound you wish to synchronize thevideo clip to click the +/- Cue button. This places a cue on the cue barabove the waveform. (To better refine the position of the cue, zoom inon the waveform and playback the clip again, dragging on the cue tochange its position where necessary.)

3. Close the Scratch Pad and double-click on the video clip to open it in aScratch Pad. Play back the clip and at the frame you want tosynchronize the sound to, click the +/- Cue button. This places a cue onthe current frame. (To better position the cue, step through the videoframe by frame.)

4. Close the Scratch Pad and then click the Display Mode button to openthe Display Mode dialog box. Select the Show cue bar options in boththe Video and Audio group boxes and click OK. The dialog box closesand you return to the timeline where you can now view the audio andvideo cues beneath each track in the timeline.

5. Click the Edit: Snap command and move the audio or video clip so thatthe two cues are positioned directly in-line with each other. (Whenplaced close together they will ‘snap’ to each other.) Once positionedthe two clips are now synchronized.

Synchronizing audio to video

Video Paint

Video Paint is the program where you add all your effects

animation and rotoscoping to the individual frames of a video

project. With it, you can create such effects as laser blasts, back-

ground mattes, and cloned actors and props.

Tutorial 2

In this tutorial you will learn about:

• Getting to know Video Paint .................................................................. p.38

• Performing common techniques .......................................................... p.43

• Performing advanced techniques ......................................................... p.46


Getting to know Video Paint

Video Paint is a special effects animation program that allows you to paint(rotoscope) over the frames in a video. These animations can range fromthe simple, such as signing your name across an opening title sequence, tothe complex, such as painting background sets and removing video noise.

Creating your first project

In Video Paint you can create a project from scratch, such as whenbuilding background sets, or open an existing video or image file to workon. If opening a video file, you can choose which frames in the sequenceto open, rather than having to open several hundred at the one time. Thisability to partially edit video can be a great time saver and allows you toperform your edits quickly without draining system resources.

To open a video file for editing:

1. Click the Open Video File button on the Standard toolbar to open theOpen Video File dialog box and select any video file from the Samplesfolder of your MediaStudio CD.

2. Drag the Preview slider to locate the first frame of the sequence youwant to open and click the Mark-In button. Now find the last frameand click the Mark-Out button. (At first, it is best to open just one ortwo seconds of video until you are more comfortable with how VideoPaint works.) When happy with your selection, click OK to return tothe Open Video File dialog box.

3. Click OK to open the video as a clip in Video Paint. Each frame of theclip appears in the Filmstrip panel, with the first frame displayed as animage in an edit window.

The Filmstrip panel

TUTORIAL TWO: VIDEO PAINT 39

Working with images in an edit window

The edit window displays the image of the currently selected frame in aVideo Paint project. Once displayed you can begin working on the imageby selecting or painting over parts of it. At any given time, you will beworking in one of two modes: Composite or Paint Layer. Which mode youchoose depends on the type of work you are doing as well as the type ofeffect you want to create.

To work on an image in an edit window:

1. Click the Paint tool on the Tool panel and start painting over an imagein an edit window.

2. Switch to the Shape Selection tool and then drag over part of theimage to select it. As you drag a selection marquee appears outliningthe area included in the selection. When finished, move the selection toa new location in the image. (This selection is now referred to as afloating selection and appears in the Paint Layer.)

3. To better see the Paint Layer, click the No Source Video button on theStandard toolbar. The image disappears from view, leaving only thebackground film color plus your edits.

4. Click the Normal button on the Standard toolbar to return the imageinto view and then click the Paint Layer button on the Standard toolbar.

5. Create another selection area, making sure that it includes your edits,and then click the Shrink mode button on the Attribute toolbar. Theselection marquee changes to select only your edits, leaving theunderlying image untouched.

Creating a selection in Composite mode (left) and Paint Layer mode (right)


Customizing your brushes

Most of your work in Video Paint will be done with the paint, clone andretouch tools. Each of these tools has various attributes which determinethe way they work as well as how they apply paint. These attributes arespecified in the Brush panel and a number of presets can also be selectedfrom various galleries in the Production Library.

To create a felt-tip pen brush:

1. Click the Paint tool on the Tool panel and then select the Marker brushfrom the Attribute toolbar. (If the brush panel does not automaticallyappear, click the Show/Hide Brush Panel button in the Attributetoolbar.)

2. In the Shape tab of the Brush panel, click the Lock button and thenadjust either the vertical or horizontal slider tabs until the Height andWidth spin boxes read 7. Once done, set the Brush Angle to 0 andthe Soft Edge to 34.

3. In the Options tab, set the Application method to Pigment, and thenclick the Freehand button. (Also set the Transparency and the WetControl both to 0, if not already set.)

4. In the Color tab, right-click the color square and select a color for thepaint from the available palette or from a color picker.

5. In the Advanced tab set a Spacing of 5 and then click the Fade Outbutton and set the fade to 0.

The Marker brush has now been customized as a felt-tip pen.

6. Click the Save Options button on the Attribute toolbar and assign aname and Production Library folder to store the new brush. To use thebrush again, or any other preset, double click on the thumbnailrepresenting it in the appropriate folder of the Production Library.

Painting with a customized brush


Working over multiple frames

One of Video Paint's strengths is its ability to allow you to copy your editsover multiple frames. For example, you can paint a line and then have thatline appear in the same position and at the size over all frames in theproject, or have it progressively appear over each successive frame. Thetwo operations you will use most often to perform these tasks are PowerDuplicate and macro recording.

To perform a power duplication:

1. Paint over an image in an edit window.

2. Click the Edit: Power Duplicate command to open the Power Duplicatedialog box.

3. Select the Paint Layer option in the Source group box and the Applyafter current frame option in the Apply group box. In the same groupbox, set the duration to cover the number of frames you want youredits to appear over. (The default is the maximum number of frames inyour project.)

4. Click OK to apply your edits over the specified number of frames. (Ifthe number of frames exceeds the value specified in the Clear undohistory for multiple frame actions option in the Preferences dialogbox, a message box appears indicating that if you continue all undohistory will be discarded to help improve performance.)

Duplicating an edit in the first frame over multiple frames


To perform and apply a macro:

1. Click the Paint tool on the Tool panel, select the brush to paint withfrom the Attribute toolbar and then specify the brush's attributes in theBrush panel.

Note: You can only perform macro recording using the Paint and Retouch tools.

2. Click the Record button on the Attribute toolbar. The edit window iscentered in the workspace and a message box appears preparing forrecording.

3. Click OK and start painting over an image. When finished, click theRecord button again to end the recording. The Add to Library dialogbox opens prompting you to specify the folder and location to storeyour macro. (You can also give it a name and description.)

4. Click OK. The macro is saved to the proper location and the edits areremoved from the edit window. To apply the macro you need to accessthe Production Library.

Note: To have the macro play back automatically, select the Play back macroafter recording option in the Preferences dialog box.

5. Click the Production Library button on the Standard toolbar and locatethe folder you saved the macro to.

6. Double-click the thumbnail of the macro to apply it to the active editwindow. The Macro Playing Options dialog box opens.

7. Specify the number of frames to apply the macro over in the Numberof frames spin box.

8. Click the Progressive option in the Playing method group box to havethe macro playback progressively over the specified number of frames.

9. Click OK. The macro plays back over the specified number of frames.

Applying a macro progressively over multiple frames



Now that you have the essentials of Video Paint out of the way, let's take alook at some of the more common techniques used to add special effectsto a video production. These techniques are the stepping stones to creatingHollywood-style illusions and effects.

Applying a video filter

The video filters you can apply in Video Paint are the same as those inVideo Editor. The difference lies in how you apply them and how todetermine which frame within the project are affected.


1. Drag over the Preview bar in the Filmstrip panel to select the framesyou want to apply the filter to. (If you want to apply the filter to theentire clip, make no selection.)

2. Select the Video Filters: Camera Lens gallery from the ProductionLibrary and drag-and-drop the Kaleidoscope filter onto the edit windowcontaining the image you want to apply the effect to. The Kaleidoscopedialog box opens.

3. Drag the View circle on the Original preview image and place it whereyou want the effect to start.

4. Click on the End key frame and drag the View circle to where youwant the effect to end. (You can have the view move over the image ina number of different directions by placing additional key frames andadjusting the view circle's position accordingly.)

Note: Click the Lock button to automatically update the Preview window whenyou change frames in the Original window.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box and place the filter.

Applying the Kaleidoscope video filter


Cloning an image

Cloning is a great way to quickly duplicate an object or feature in oneframe and replicate it over other frames in the sequence. For example, youcould remove an annoying object by cloning over it with parts of thebackground, or create the impression of more stars in a night scene bycloning additional stars into the background.

To clone an image:

1. Click the Clone tool on the Tool panel, select the brush to clone withfrom the Attribute toolbar and then specify the brush's attributes in theBrush panel. (In the Options tab of the Brush panel, click the Absolutebutton if it is not already selected.)

2. Move to the image you want to clone and, holding down the Shift key,click over the object or feature you want to clone. A crosshair pointerappears indicating the area to be cloned.

3. Start painting where you want the object or feature to appear. As youpaint, a brush head marquee appears around the crosshair pointerindicating the portions of the image being cloned.

4. Move to another area of the image and click again to clone the sameobject or feature. Keep repeating this until you have cloned as manyobjects or features you want. When finished, power duplicate youredits over the other frames in the project.

Cloning an image to remove part of the background


Creating a video matte

Mattes are a useful part of video editing and are used primarily with theoverlay and video filter effects of Video Editor. In Video Paint you cancreate single image mattes or video mattes. Image mattes require you tosimply paint over one frame in an edit window and then save it as animage file or as a single frame Video Paint file. Video mattes are created inthe same way, except that you can paint over multiple frames and thensave your edits as a video file or a Video Paint file.

To create a video matte:

1. Click the New button on the Standard toolbar to open the New dialogbox.

2. Set the duration, frame rate and frame size to that of the video youwant to apply the matte to and click OK. The dialog box closes and anew project is created. (Use the default settings if you do not yet havea Video Editor project to work with.)

3. Click the Lasso tool on the Tool panel and then click the Anti-aliasingbutton on the Attribute toolbar.

4. Create a selection area the size you want for your matte and thenright-click and choose the Soft Edge command from the pop-up menu.In the Dialog box that appears enter a value of 15 for the soft edge andclick OK. The dialog box closes and the selection changes toincorporate the soft edge.

When you apply the matte in Video Editor the soft edge is treated as agrayscale mask, with lighter areas appearing more transparent anddarker areas less so.

5. Click the Edit: Fill command and select black as the fill color and clickOK. The fill is applied to the selection area. You can now copy andpaste the fill on each successive frame, changing its position slightly tocreate a moving matte.




Advanced techniques build on the methods and procedures you learnedearlier in the lesson. With them, you can create such effects as translucentghosts, wild virtual background sets, and disappearing people.

Performing an erase effect

In Video Paint you can use the painting tools to erase as well as applypaint. Erasing paint is useful if you want to remove excess paint from animage or to create certain effects, such as removing a solid fill color toreveal an underlying video.

To perform an erase effect:

1. Select the frame from where you want the effect to begin and thenclick the Edit: Fill command to open the Fill dialog box.

2. Select the color you want to use as the fill from the Color group boxand enter 15 in the Transparency spin box.

3. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the fill. (Once appliedpower duplicate the fill over the number of frames you want include inthe effect.)

4. Click the Paint tool on the Tool panel and then select the type of brushyou want to use from the Attribute toolbar.

5. Specify the various attributes of the brush in the Brush panel and then,in the General tab, click the Erase button.

Note: If you are using a WACOM® UltraPen, you can erase by simply turningthe pen upside down when you draw.

6. Start painting on the image. As you paint the fill is removed revealingthe underlying image. (If you want the effect to appear progressivelyon each frame, perform a macro recording.)

Performing an erase effect


Performing an advanced power duplication

Power Duplication is not just useful for copying the paint layer or animage across hundreds of frames. You can also create special effects.With the Transparency feature of Power Duplication, you can paste animage over an entire video and give it the appearance of fading in or fadingout. This is useful for creating “ghosts” and other similar effects.

To perform an advanced duplication:

1. Select the edit window which contains the edits you want to performthe duplication to and then click the Edit: Power Duplicate command toopen the Power Duplicate dialog box.

2. Select the Paint Layer option in the Source group box.

3. Select the After current frame option in the Apply group box and setthe number of frames to apply the edit over in the Duration spin box.(The default number represents all frames in the project.)

4. Move to the Start tab and enter a value of 50 in the Transparency spinbox and then click the End tab and enter the same transparency as welland value of 99 in the X spin box to move the edits horizontally. (Tomove the edits vertically change the Y value.)

5. Click OK to apply the duplication.

Performing an advanced duplication


Creating background sets

While Video Paint allows you to paint over and enhance the frames of avideo, you can also use it to create background sets which are then placedinto Video Editor as the underlying clip for any blue screen clips you mayhave. You can create background sets by painting over an original video orby using some of the animation filters available in Video Paint.

To create an animated background set [1]:

1. Create a new project and then select half of the frames by draggingover the Preview bar in the Filmstrip panel.

2. Drag-and-drop the Animation Texture thumbnail from the Video Filters:Special folder in the Production library to the edit window of your newproject. The Animation Texture dialog box opens displaying variousoptions for controlling the display and movement of a texture.

3. Select thumbnail 11 from the Pattern group box and then click on theend key frame in the Key Frame controller to jump to the last frame inthe sequence. (Click the Lock button so that the Preview imagechanges.)

4. Select thumbnail 11 from the Pattern group box again and then clickthe Palette ramp image to open the Palette Ramp Editor dialog box.Select the palette-2 thumbnail and click OK to return to the AnimationTexture dialog box.

5. Enter a value of -1.5 in the Amplitude slider and click OK to apply thefilter. (You can experiment with each of the other sliders to see howthey affect the texture.) Once applied, repeat the procedure, except thistime select the remaining frames in the sequence and reverse the orderof the texture so that it appears to be repeating upon itself.

Creating an animated texture background


To create a background set [2]:

1. Click the Open button on the Standard toolbar and select the fileFISH.TIF from the SAMPLES\TUTORIAL folder of the MediaStudio ProCD-ROM. Once it is displayed in the workspace open the file SKY.TIFfile from the same location.

2. Click the Magic Wand selection tool and in the Similarity spin box onthe Attribute toolbar enter in a value of 25.

3. Select the edit window containing the image of the fish, and then dragover the fish to create a selection, starting from the tail and movingtoward the head. If you have more sea than fish selected, try again, ordecrease the similarity range.

4. Switch to the Lasso tool and, holding down the S key, draw around theareas of the sea which are included in the selection. Double-clickingthen deselects these areas. Keep doing this until all areas of the sea areno longer part of the selection. (If you need to add areas of the fish tothe selection area, hold down the A key.) When finished, copy andpaste the fish into the edit window containing the image of the sky.

5. Switch to the Transform tool and click the Resize button on theAttribute toolbar. A bounding box appears around the fish. Holdingdown the Shift key, drag one of the handles of the bounding box andresize the fish so that it appears larger.

6. Switch to the Shape tool and position the fish to the bottom left of theedit window. Now paste in another three fish and resize them, each oneslightly smaller than the other, and position them over the image in theedit window. You can also create a video window for later use as anoverlay clip in Video Editor by creating a selection area and filling itwith a solid color.

Creating a background set (left) with video window (right)


Retouching images

The Retouch tool is a powerful tool that allows you to ‘touch-up’ areas ofan image to improve its appearance or to create a particular type of effect.For example, you could enhance the color of someone's eye, blur anyjagged edges an object may have or adjust the highlights and midtones ofan image to improve its color.

To retouch an image:

1. Click the Open button on the Standard toolbar and select theBACKGRD.TIF file from the SAMPLES\TUTORIAL folder of theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM.

2. Click the Retouch tool and select the Blur brush from the Attributetoolbar.

3. In the Shape tab of the Brush panel specify a small brush size with nosoft edge, and in the Options tab set the blur value to one.

4. Zoom in on the edit window containing the background image andbegin painting over the edges of the largest fish. As you paint noticehow the jagged edges are blended into the background. To increase theeffect paint repeatedly. Once finished move to the other fish andretouch them where necessary.

5. Switch to the Saturation brush and in the Options tab of the Brushpanel set the saturation value to 60.

6. Drag over the head of the largest fish to increase the saturation of thecolors to make them more vivid. Once happy move on to the othersand adjust them accordingly.

The background image (left) enhanced with the Retouch tool (right)


Advanced Macros: Creating a laser beam effect

One of the coolest effects you can create in Video Paint is the laser beameffect. Using the built-in macro recording capabilities, you can paint thelaser beam, record it, and then apply it progressively across an entirerange of frames. Once you've recorded a macro, you can save it to theProduction Library to use again at a later time.

To create a laser beam effect:

1. Open the video you want to apply the laser beam effect and locate theframe you want to record the macro in. Click the frame in the Filmstrippanel to open it in the edit window.

2. Select the paint tool you want to use to create the laser beam. In theOptions tab of the brush panel, click the Straight Line button. Set thelaser's color in the Color tab and the brush's height and width in theShape tab.

3. Click the Recording button. The edit window is centered in theworkspace.

4. In the edit window, draw the laser beam from the starting referencepoint to the ending reference point.

5. Click the Recording button again to stop recording. The Add to Librarydialog box appears. Enter the name and annotation for your laser beammacro, select the Custom folder, and click OK.

6. In the Production Library, select the Macro: Custom folder and findyour new macro. Drag-and-drop it into the edit window. The MacroPlaying Options dialog box opens.

7. Enter the number of frames you want to apply the macro to. Select theProgressive Playing method and click OK. The dialog box closes andthe macro is applied to clip.


Advanced cloning: Disappearing act

You can combine the Cloning (see p.44), Power Duplicating (see p.47),and the Macro Recording (see p.51) capabilities of Video Paint to createthe effect of a person disappearing. Before you try this though, you shouldalready be familiar with bluescreens (see p.31). You also need a suitablebackground for the video to play against. For best results, you shouldprobably use a still image for the background.

1. In Video Editor, overlay your blue screen video on top of thebackground render the clip as a new video file with no compression.

2. In Video Paint, click the Open Video button on the Standard toolbar toopen the clip you just created (video window). Then open the originalbackground in a second edit window (background window).

3. Click the Clone tool button on the Tool panel. In the Options tab of theBrush Panel, click the Frame button and the Shift-click anywhere in thebackground window.

4. In the video window, paint out the person you want to disappear.

5. Next, power duplicate the paint layer of the video window you justcloned into across every frame of the video.

6. Click the Painting tool on the Tool panel and select Paint Brush.

7. In the Shape tab of the Brush panel, click the Eraser mode button andthen the Recording button.

8. When the macros recording begins, erase away the paint layer you justcloned in.

9. Click the Recording button again and save the macro to the Macro:Custom folder.

10.To apply the macro to your video, drag-and-drop its thumbnail into theedit window and define its application properties in the Macro PlayingOptions dialog box.

CG Infinity

CG Infinity is where you create exciting and dazzling title

sequences and graphics animation. With CG Infinity's tools, you

can send text and objects flying into the third dimension. This

tutorial is designed to give you everything you need to get started

at creating your own CG sequences.

Tutorial 3

In this tutorial you will learn:

• Performing common techniques ..............................................................p.54

• Performing advanced techniques ............................................................p.60



This section includes some of the more common techniques you willperform using CG Infinity. Many of these lessons assume you are startingwith a new edit window in CG Infinity.

Drawing regular shapes

The quickest way to get started in CG Infinity is to begin creating simpleshapes. While simple in design, you can easily create impressive results bycombining shapes and changing their styles to produce different colors andeffects.

To draw a logo using regular shapes:

1. Click the Shape tool and select or deselect the following buttons on theAttribute toolbar:• Rectangle (select)

• Draw From Center (deselect)

• Equal Sides (deselect)

2. In Preview mode, draw a rectangular path within the frame of the editwindow and set the fill color to blue with no line color or shadow.

3. Switch to the Ellipse option on the Attribute toolbar and create a longelliptical path.

4. Using the Object tool, position the new path so that its middle starts atthe bottom left corner of the rectangular path and, if necessary, resize itso that it is wide enough to go over to the right side of the rectangularpath. (Set the fill color to white with no line color or shadow.)

5. Switch back to the Ellipse tool and click the 1:1 button on the Attributetoolbar and create a small circle path at the lower right corner of therectangular path.

Creating a logo using regular shapes

TUTORIAL THREE: CG INFINITY 55

Creating and distorting text objects

One of the more powerful aspects of CG Infinity is its ability to createimpressive titles for use as images or in video projects. Once a title iscreated, you can distort it in a variety of ways as well as apply variouscolors and gradients to give it a more polished look and feel.

To create and distort a text object:

1. Select the Text tool and click anywhere in the edit window.

2. Enter in the text of your title. (Add a new line by pressing the Enterkey.) To change the text alignment, font or any other characteristics,select the text and then choose the appropriate options from theAttribute toolbar.

3. Switch to the Envelope tool. A red border appears around the text aswell as nodes on the corners and edges of the border.

4. Drag the nodes to adjust the envelope. Each time you select a node twocontrol handles appear which you can adjust independently. Keepadjusting the nodes and handles until you are happy with the result. Ifyou are not sure on the type of distortion you want to create, select apreset from the Envelope gallery in the Production Library and drop itonto the text. The text automatically distorts itself to the path of theenvelope.

Creating and distorting a text object


Applying gradients to your objects

In CG Infinity you can apply gradients to any fill or line color, producing avariety of lighting and shading effects. These gradients are created in theMagic Gradient dialog box which is found in many of the MediaStudio Proprograms and is extremely flexible and versatile in its use.

To apply a gradient to an object:

1. Select the object or objects you wish to apply the gradient to and clickthe Gradient button in the Color tab of the Object Style panel.

2. Click the Gradient square to open the Magic Gradient dialog box.

3. Click the Edit button in the Palette ramp group box to open the PaletteRamp Editor dialog box and select the palette-5 thumbnail and thenclick OK. The dialog box closes and the color ring in the MagicGradient dialog box changes to reflect the new palette.

4. Drag on the Hue shift to change the hue of the color ring and thenclick the eighth button in the Mode group box to select the style of thegradient. (When you click a button, its number is displayed next tothe title of the group box.)

5. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the gradient.

Applying a gradient to an object


Manipulating objects

CG Infinity allows you to alter an object's intrinsic shape to make it moredynamic as well as give you more flexibility in making your titles andgraphic objects really stand out. Both text objects and graphic objects canbe warped and changed, but if you change a text object too much you maynot be able to edit the text later.

To manipulate objects:

1. Open the file LOGO1.UCG file from SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder on theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM.

2. Click the Object tool and select the rectangular object. Then click thePerspective button on the Attribute toolbar.

3. Drag one of the right-hand side nodes and move backward to aboutone-third of the original size, moving upward as you go to create theperspective effect.

4. Duplicate the object and then click the Resize option on the Attributetoolbar and drag the left side of the object to the right, flipping it. (Tomake sure it is the same size as the original, enter its width in theWidth spin box on the Attribute toolbar.)

5. Switch to the Shape tool and create a rectangular shape the size of theoriginal object, filling it with a solid dark blue color. Switch back to theObject tool and click the Slant button on the Attribute toolbar and thendrag upward on one of the right side nodes to match the angle of theobject with the original.

6. Click the Send to Back button on the Standard toolbar to place theobject behind the others. Repeat step 5 for the mirrored object, exceptfill it with a solid light blue color.

7. Finish the effect by positioning the ball object in the center of the otherobjects.

Manipulating objects


Creating a corporate logo

CG Infinity is ideal for creating corporate logos which you can use in yourvideo projects as well as for other purposes, such as presentations,CD-ROMs and web pages. In this lesson, we will create a ‘head’ logo for afictional company called “Interface Designs.”

To create a corporate logo:

1. Select the Shape tool and create a rectangular shape with a red fill colorand no line color or shadow.

2. Switch to the Adjust tool and select the Add Node button on theAttribute toolbar and click in the center of the left side path segment aswell as the center of the bottom path segment to place additional nodes.

3. Click the Remove Node button on the Attribute toolbar and click on thebottom left corner node. The node is removed from the path and theobject changes shape.

4. Click the Edit: Duplicate command to make a copy of the currentobject, giving it a yellow fill color with no line color. Then switch tothe Object tool and drag the left side over to the right, flipping theobject. (To get the same width, enter its original value in the Widthspin box.) When finished, place both objects side by side.

5. Add four more rectangular objects, (for the cap, left eye, left nose andleft mouth). Give each a yellow fill color (no line color) and place thenaccordingly on the background object. (For the nose object remove thetop right corner node to create the appropriate angle as in step 3.)

6. Duplicate each of the objects (except the cap line) and drag them to theother side of the face, changing their fill color to red. (For the noseobject you will have to flip it as in step 4.)

7. Create another rectangular object for the cap. Then switch to the Objecttool and click the Slant button on the Attribute toolbar to angle the capoff to the side and then add text with a shadow to finish off the project.


Animating objects

A central component to working with objects is being able to animatethem. You do this with the Moving Path tool and you can animate objectslinearly or have them follow any path you set.

To animate objects:

1. Select the object you want to animate and then position it where youwant to start its movement.

2. Select the Moving Path tool, Start and End control points appear at thecenter of the object, and then drag on the center of the object. As youdrag the End control point follows the path of your mouse. Releasingyour mouse then creates the moving path.

3. Click the Play button on the Time Control panel to see how youranimation looks.

If you want to change the position of the control points, click theAdjust Moving Path button on the Attribute toolbar and click on thepoint concerned. (You may need to click twice before moving a controlpoint depending on the type of path created.) To create a curved path,click the Curve Segment button on the Attribute toolbar and then dragon a control point. (For greater control you may need to add morenodes by clicking on the path with the Add Node option selected fromthe Attribute toolbar.)

Animating an object



After you have mastered the basics of CG Infinity, you are ready to moveon to the more advanced methods and techniques. Using the procedures inthis section will give you a deeper understanding of how CG Infinityworks and allow you to expand and enhance your work even more.

Creating mattes

In CG Infinity you can create two type of mattes: solid color and gradient.Solid mattes are the easiest and simply require you to draw a shape andthen fill the shape with a different color from the background. Gradientmattes require a little more work.

To create a gradient matte:

1. Select the tool you wish to create the path with and draw the shape ofthe matte in the edit window.

2. Select the Gradient Transparency button in the general tab of theObject Style panel and click on the gradient square to open theGradient Transparency dialog box.

3. Move the Start and End sliders to determine the number of grays. Tochange the direction of the gradient, drag on the sample preview. Theangle you drag at determines the angle of the gradient. (White is fullytransparent, black is fully opaque and grays are in between.)

4. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the gradient. (The defaultfill color should be set to black.)

A grayscale gradient matte


Creating a corporate logo (advanced)

This is an advanced technique for creating a complex corporate logo. It isslightly more complicated than the technique presented on page 58. If youhave not looked at the previous tutorial on making a corporate logo, thendo that first. Then return to this lesson.

Creating a corporate logo:

1. Select the Shape tool and create a circular path in the center of the editwindow, (fill with red and no line color or shadow), and then duplicatethe object and resize it so that it is slightly larger than the original,filling this object with white. Repeat the process, this time making acircle which is approximately twice the size of the original and placingit at the back, with the bottom lower than the other two.

2. Create a rectangular object with the same color as the smaller circleand place it over the bottom of the large circle, creating a break.

3. Switch to the Adjust tool and add two nodes to the left and right ofthe top node on the larger circle. Click the Adjust Path button on theAttribute toolbar and drag the center node upward.

4. Click the Cusp node button on the Attribute toolbar and drag the leftcontrol handle downward to increase the angle of the curve. Whenhappy with the angle, do the same to the right control handle.

5. Switch to the Object tool and select the Gradient button for the Fillcolor in the Object Style panel. Click on the Gradient square to openthe Magic Gradient dialog box.

6. Click the Edit button and select the palette-5 thumbnail and change thehue value to 314. Click Add to place the new style as a new thumbnailin the Palette Ramp dialog box.

7. Click OK and click the fifteenth button in the Mode group box toselect the style of the gradient. Move to the Sample window and dragon the sample image to reposition the focus to the left of the window.Once finished click OK to close the dialog box.

8. Duplicate the object, and set it to have a line color with no fill color.(Make the line color different from the others for better contrast.) Oncechanged resize the object slightly so that it fits just inside the outline of


the larger circle. (For this it is best to use the Width and Height spinboxes on the Attribute toolbar with the Keep Aspect Ratio buttonpressed.)

9. Change the Line color to a Gradient and select the palette rampthumbnail you previously added.

10. Repeat steps 5 through 9 for the inner circle.

11. To finish, add text and place it in the center circle. Give it the samegradient as the others, except this time in the Palette Ramp Editordialog box remove several of the color nodes that appear around thecolor circle in the Palette ramp sample window. (Do this by right-clicking over a node and selecting Delete.) Remove the darker onesfirst and then drag the remaining nodes so that the darker colors appearto the left of the circle and the lighter ones to the right. When finished,click OK and then select the fifteenth button in the Mode group boxand drag on the image in the sample window to have the light sourceappear from the top right. Also, change the slope value to 200 degreesin the bottom Slope dial. Click OK to close the dialog box and applythe fill.

Creating a corporate logo

Controlling the timing of multiple objects

Sometimes you'll want to create a title or animation clip that containsmultiple objects moving independently of each other. To accomplish this,you can take advantage of the Motion Tool and the Time Control panel.

1. Open the LOGO2.UCG file from SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder on theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM.


2. Select the Moving Path tool and click the object on the left side, dragthe End control point to the center of the screen. (Show your Rulersand Guides to use guidelines to help you align the object.)

Note: All moving path actions must be done with the Moving Path toolselected. Do not switch tools during this procedure.

3. Move the time control slider to the last frame and click the Add KeyFrame control point.

4. Drag the key frame back to the one second mark. This makes the objectfinish its movement at the one second mark.

5. Repeat the same procedure with the object on the right side, draggingthe End control point so that the two sides of the face touch.

6. Click the white line on the left and drag its End control point to thecenter of the edit window.

7. Move the slider to the one second mark and add a key frame. (This isthe time you want the object to commence its movement.) Place yourpointer on the object in the edit window and drag it back so that it is inthe same place as the Start point. Move to the last frame in the TimeControl panel and add a key frame and then move this key frame backto the two second mark. (This is where the object ends its movement.)

8. Repeat the same technique for the text at the top of the frame, startingthe movement at the two second mark and ending at the three secondmark.

Controlling the timing of multiple objects

Performing fades and distortions over time

The Motion Tool and Time Control panel allow you to control an object'stransparency and size over time. This lets you create text or objects thatcome flying in from the distance or fading in out of nothing.

To perform a fade and distortion over time:

1. Open the LOGO3.UCG file from SAMPLES/TUTORIAL folder on theMediaStudio Pro CD-ROM.


2. Select the main logo and click the Moving Path tool. (It is best to dothese procedures in Wireframe mode to speed up the editing process.)

Note: All moving path actions must be done with the Moving Path tool selected.Do not switch tools during this procedure

3. Select the Start key frame in the Time Control panel and, clicking theResize button on the A ttribute toolbar, enter 580 in the Width spin box.(Click the Keep Aspect Ratio button to ensure the height changesproportionally.) After resizing drag on the object to position the letterCG in the middle of the edit window frame.

4. Go to the last frame and click the Add Key Frame button and then dragthe key frame back to the two second mark.

5. Click the Resize button on the Attribute toolbar and enter 68 in theWidth spin box. (Click the Keep Aspect Ratio button to ensure theheight changes proportionally.) After resizing, position the object in thecenter of the edit window frame.

6. Click on the letter A and then click on the Start key frame in the TimeControl panel.

7. Drag the transparency control point to the top of the transparency graphand then move the slider to the two second mark. Add another keyframe and then at the seven frame mark and add another key frame. Forthis key frame set the transparency to 0% by dragging the transparencypoint to the bottom of the transparency graph.

8. Repeat the same process for the title text, except start the fade in at the 3second mark finishing at the four second mark.

9. Select the text at the bottom of the logo at set it to appear at the 4second 7 frame mark (without a fade effect). To do this, place a keyframe at the four second six frame mark, and then another at the foursecond seven frame mark and then change the transparency accordingly.

Performing a fade and distortion over time

Video CaptureVideo Capture

Getting started

Video Capture is the program where many of your video creations

begin. Here you can view and capture ‘live’ video from a variety

of different sources such as VCRs, TVs, laserdiscs or camcorders.

Once captured, you can then play back those files or take them

into Video Editor to start constructing your video project.

Chapter 1

In this chapter you will learn about:

• Understanding the basics .......................................................................p.68

• Preparing video for display .....................................................................p.70

• Improving your video signal ....................................................................p.73

• Customizing Video Capture ....................................................................p.77


Understanding the basics

Video Capture is designed to work in conjunction with an installed videocapture board. Video capture boards serve as the connection between anexternal video source, such as a VCR, camcorder or laserdisc, and yourcomputer. (If you do not have a video capture board you can still useVideo Capture to play back existing video files.) Once you have yourvideo source connected and playing, the video automatically appears inthe Video Capture video window. If no video is playing, or you do nothave a video capture board, the video window displays a color bar testpattern instead.

The Video Capture program window

VIDEO CAPTURE: CHAPTER ONE 69

Standard toolbar

Control bar

Video window

Save avideo file

Open avideo file

Open avideo file

Play video inPreview mode

Play video inOverlay mode

Connect to avideo source

Adjust videodisplay

Define audioformat

Define videoformat

Capture a frameto the clipboard

Capture a frameto a file

Capture a videocolor palette

Rewind througha video

Go forwardthrough a video

Go to theprevious frame

Play a videorepeatedly

Go to the lastframe

Go to the firstframe

Go to the nextframe

Mark in the startof a selection

Mark out the startof a selection

Record avideo

Play backa video

Stop playinga video


Preparing video for display

The first step on your way to displaying video is to get your video sourcecommunicating to your PC. This involves connecting the source to thevideo capture board and adjusting Video Capture so that it is ‘tuned in’using the correct settings. The following sections describe how to do this,along with ways to improve video display and audio characteristics.

Connecting to a video source

If your video capture board is correctly installed and running picturesshould immediately appear in the video window of Video Capture. If thisdoes not happen, then you need to tune Video Capture to your videosource. To do this, click the Setup: Video Source command. The VideoSource dialog box opens with various options that allow you to connect toa video channel and specify the type of video source you have, as well asthe television standard it operates on (these options may differ dependingon your video capture board). In general, you should at least be able toselect your video source, such as composite or s-video and a broadcastsignal, such as NTSC, PAL or SECAM.

Note: If you are unsure about any of these options, or how they work, refer to thedocumentation accompanying your video capture board.

Viewing your displayed video

Depending on the type of video capture board you have, you can viewvideo in either Overlay or Preview mode. (To switch between them,click the appropriate buttons on the Standard toolbar or either the View:Overlay or Preview commands.) For viewing purposes, Overlay is the bestoption as it sends the video signal straight to your monitor via the displaycard, much like a television. Preview, on the other hand, sends the signalvia your PC’s system, and, depending on the capabilities of your PC, thevideo may appear choppy.


Note: If you are only viewing video (not necessarily capturing), you may want tohide certain features, such as the toolbars, for a cleaner look and feel. To hidethese, or show them once hidden, select the appropriate option in the Toolbars &

Panels dialog box, opened by clicking the View: Toolbars & Panels command orby right-clicking on any displayed toolbar or panel.

Setting display options

Video Capture allows you to control the size of the frames in a videosequence as well as the data type of the displayed video with the VideoFormat dialog box, opened by clicking the Video Format button on theStandard toolbar or the Setup: Video Format command. (The settings inthis dialog box may differ for some video capture boards). You shouldadjust these settings according to how you plan on using the video.For example, if you are just watching a movie on your computer monitor,then it may be important for you to adjust the frame size to get a betterpicture with the most colors. If you are capturing video to use in a multi-media project then perhaps a smaller frame size with less colors may bemore appropriate.

Note: If you are displaying video in Preview mode, Video Capture allows you tocontrol the frame rate and frame size with the Preview Options dialog box (openedby clicking the View: Preview Options command).

The Preview Options dialog box


Resizing the program window

Whenever you change the frame size in Video Capture, the video windowresizes itself accordingly. To resize the program window for optimumviewing, drag its borders to widen or lengthen it, or maximize it to takefull advantage of your monitor’s screen size. You can also click the View:Center command to resize the program window to fit snugly around thevideo window or center it on your screen.

Defining audio input

If your video source has a soundtrack, it too can be captured with thevideo. Once captured, it will play back in synchronization with the video.Exactly how sound is captured depends upon a combination of factors,namely: the video source, the video capture board and the sound cardinstalled in your computer. In general, the video capture board handlesthe capturing of video frames while your sound card captures the audioportion. Video Capture then merges this information into the resultingvideo file.

To define audio input:

1. Click the Audio Format button on the Standard toolbar or the Setup:Audio Format command to open the Audio Format dialog box.(This command is disabled when your PC has no sound card andyour video capture board does not support audio.)

The Audio Format dialog box

2. In the Name combo box, select an option for the audio data.The attributes of the option are displayed in the Attributes combo box.(You can also select a new combination of audio attributes directlyfrom this combo box.)


If you define new attributes and wish to save them for later use, clickthe Save As button. The Save As dialog box opens allowing you toassign a name to the attributes. Clicking OK saves the attributes andthe specified name appears in the Name combo box.

3. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the audio attributes are now setfor your next capture.

Note: Any sound you hear over your speakers is not affected by the selectionsmade with this command. To hear the changes you need to have a soundmixer utility that provides a monitor function. If you have a mixer, you can mixyour own sound track by combining the output from MIDI, wave, CD-ROM andother external sources (such as your VCR).

Improving your video signal

The job of your video capture board is to convert an incoming analogvideo signal into a digitized format which your computer can read.Once your video is displayed, you may find that the colors do not appearas vibrant or are darker than you expected. Such examples indicate thatyour video capture board and the video source are not properly adjustedor calibrated. By having a well calibrated display you can capture and seevideo (particularly color) as it was originally recorded.

Calibrating your display

To get the best possible calibration your video source needs to be able togenerate a color test pattern. These are often found in more expensiveand professional video cameras which allow videographers to record thepattern onto video tape before they start recording a particular event.Later, they can then match this pattern to another display device to ensurethat the colors recorded by the camera can be faithfully reproduced on thatdevice, such as a computer monitor or a television set. If your video sourcedoes not have test pattern generation capability then you will be unable toaccurately calibrate your display. You can, however, adjust the colorsusing your video capture board’s own controls (see p.76).


To calibrate your display:

1. Make sure that the test pattern recorded on the video source appearsin the video window of Video Capture and click the Setup: ColorCalibration command. This opens the Color Calibration dialog boxdisplaying two color meters: a vectorscope and a waveform monitor.A preview window displaying the current frame of the video sourceappears in the upper right hand corner. (It is a good idea to pause yourvideo playback at this stage.)

The Color Calibration dialog box

The vectorscope indicates the hue and saturation values of the colors inthe test pattern while the waveform monitor displays the video source’scolor signal broken down into its component parts: Composite,Chroma, Luma, and Parade. Composite displays all the componentparts combined, Chroma (shown in green) the color values and Luma(shown in white) the brightness values. Parade uses a different methodfrom the others and is applicable for video capture boards whichhave support for the parade method. The preview window is a smallrepresentation of the current frame in the video window. The red slidertab indicates the horizontal scan line from which the colors evaluatedin the test pattern are taken.

Note: See p.76 for a chart outlining typical color values of a well calibrateddisplay.

2. Move the red slider next to the preview window so that it intersectseach distinct color in the test pattern. (If you have a vertical patternthen there is no need to change it.)


3. Click the Get Image button. The vectorscope and waveform monitorredraw indicating the various color values at the point indicated by thescan line.

In a well calibrated display the green lines on the vectorscope shouldtouch the white squares and the graph in the waveform monitor shoulddisplay a staircase pattern (see p.76 for a typical example). If they donot, then you need to adjust the settings using the software suppliedwith your video capture board.

4. Leaving the Color Calibration dialog box open, click the Setup: VideoDisplay or Setup: Source command (depending on your video captureboard) to open the Display dialog box. This dialog box allows you toadjust various color values such as hue and saturation as well asbrightness and contrast.

It is important to keep both dialog boxes open so that any changes inthe Setup dialog box can be reflected in the Color Calibration dialogbox. To view these changes you need to make sure that the preview testpattern in the Color Calibration dialog box redraws itself regularly.To do this, set the Get video frame for every option in the ColorCalibration dialog box to 1 second. This ensures that at every secondthe preview test pattern refreshes itself, thereby reflecting any adjust-ments you make. (If the test pattern only appears for a short time, clickthe Get Image button after each adjustment to refresh the previewwindow.)

5. Adjust the various color values in the Display dialog box while at thesame time viewing the Color Calibration dialog box to see how yourchanges affect the preview test pattern. Once the vectorscope andwaveform monitor show a properly calibrated display close both dialogboxes and prepare for capturing.

When adjusting color values, keep in mind the following:

• changing hue rotates the green lines on the vectorscope counter orcounterclockwise depending on the degree of change,

• changing saturation affects the depth of the lines, with low saturationappearing closer to the center and high saturation closer to the edges,

• changing brightness and contrast affects the waveform in differentways depending on your choice of options in the Display dialog box.


Note: If you cannot satisfactorily calibrate your hardware you can stillartificially readjust the video clip (after it’s been successfully captured)using the Color Calibration command in Video Editor (see p.134).

Typical calibration settings

At 75% amplitude, with 100% saturated RGB color bars, your color valuesshould resemble the following:

White Yellow Cyan Green Magenta Red Blue Black

Red 191 191 0 0 191 191 0 0

Green 191 191 191 191 0 0 0 0

Blue 191 0 191 0 191 0 191 0

When looking at a composite waveform in the waveform monitor,the typical settings are about:

White Yellow Cyan Green Magenta Red Blue Black

100 65 50 50 30 20 20 0

Note: White and black should always be 100 and 0 respectively, though the othercolors may vary slightly.

Adjusting color with your video capture board

If you cannot use color calibration, your video capture board should stillprovide controls that allow you to adjust the contrast, color and position ofany video displayed from an external video source. The Video Displaybutton on the Standard toolbar as well as the Setup: Video Display orSetup: Source command (depending on your video capture board) givesyou access to these controls. If you are not sure how to use them, refer tothe documentation that accompanied your video capture board.


Customizing Video Capture

You can customize the way you work in Video Capture using thePreferences dialog box, opened by double-clicking the Status bar or byclicking the File: Preferences com m and [F6]. From this dialog box you cancontrol various aspects of Video Capture’s behavior, such as playing fileswhenever opened, specifying the shuttle speed or defining the backgroundcolor of the workspace.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX

Play file when opened plays a video file immediately upon opening in theworkspace. When left clear, the file opens on the first frame.

Return to first frame after playing resets the video sequence to the first frameonce the clip finishes playing. If left clear, the video stops on the last frame afterplaying.

Display frame numbers when playing shows each frame number in theStatus bar as it is being displayed. When clear, only the starting frame numberis shown.

Display capture options before capturing opens the Capture Video Dialogbox every time you click the Record button or the Control: Record command.When clear, Video Capture begins recording immediately.

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

Maximum shuttle speed sets the maximum speed possible when shuttlingthrough a video file. In general, set a higher speed for longer files and a lowerspeed for shorter files.

Workspace background sets a background color or a bitmap image (BMP)as the background in the Video Capture workspace.

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The chapter in review

Here are some key points and tips to remember from this chapter:

• View video in Preview mode before capturing to get an idea of theresulting quality (p.70).

• When viewing in Preview mode, set the frame size and frame rate of thevideo in the Preview Options dialog box (p.71).

• Calibrate Video Capture to your video source before capturing (p.73).

• Set an image as your Video Capture workspace background (p.77).

Capturing video

The first step towards producing your own video productions is in

capturing, or digitizing, your original source material. This can

be several minutes of video or simply individual frames which you

want to incorporate into other projects you are working on.

Chapter 2


• Tips for capturing good video and audio .................................................p.80

• Capturing video ......................................................................................p.82

• Capturing a color palette .........................................................................p.88

• Using a controllable device .....................................................................p.90


Tips for capturing good video and audio

Capturing video is a memory intensive exercise that puts all yoursystem’s resources to the test. As you might expect, the better your system,the better the results. Below are some guidelines for the type of systemsetup that works best for video capturing. By understanding theseguidelines, you should be able to optimize your machine and alter yourcapturing technique to achieve the best captures possible.

Getting the right hardware

There are three key components to capturing video that account for muchof the demand on a system's resources. They are the video capture board,the CPU and the hard drive. Each are equally important and a bottleneckin any one will adversely affect the performance of the others.

The video capture board converts the original analog video source intodigital data. In general, the faster this board the more video that can bedigitized and then used by your computer. While the video capture boardhandles video input, it is the CPU which handles the delivery. The fasterthe CPU the more video (as data) that can be processed and thus the betteryour captured video file. In general, anything over 100 MHz is enough tohandle ½ screen (320x240) True Color video at 15 frames per second.

Once video has been processed by the CPU it is written to your hard drive.Most hard drives can only read and write data at approximately 600-1200KB per second. If you try capturing full frame (640x480) full motion(30 or 25 frames per second) video (approximately 30-25 MB per seconduncompressed respectively) then it is highly unlikely that your hard drivecan keep up and your computer would end up dropping (skipping) frames.For serious users, the best hard drive to get is an AV drive (audio/video)which is designed for the demands of video capturing and can handle upto 2-3 MB per second.

VIDEO CAPTURE: CHAPTER TWO 81

Using compression

As mentioned previously, one second of video can easily require as muchas 30 MB of disk space. No conventional hard drive can transfer that muchdata with sufficient speed, and it is only by compressing data as it iscaptured that desktop systems can manage to work with video. In all,there are two types of compression you can choose from when youcapture: hardware-based and software-based. Hardware-based compres-sion, such as MJPEG or MPEG, relies on additional memory on the videocapture board to compress video. This provides the smallest file sizes withthe best quality. The downside is that video with hardware-compressioncan only be played back on machines with a similar setup. Software-basedcompression, such as Cinepack and Indeo, is handled by your systemwhich has to share the job of compressing with anything else running.While software-based compression is unable to match the compressionratios of hardware-based compression, it is device independent and canbe played back on a variety of machines. This makes software-basedcompression the ideal choice for video intended for distribution on othermachines via CD-ROM or the Internet.

Techniques for improving your video captures

Even if you don’t have the ideal system for capturing video, you can stillachieve good results by working around the limitations of what you dohave. For example, you can:

• Close all other programs that may be running in the background to freeup the CPU as much as possible.

• Regularly defragment your hard drive with a utility such as WindowsDisk Defragmenter from the Systems Tools menu. (Fragmented drivesforce the hard drive to slow down as it has to seek available free spaceto save a file.)

• Dedicate a separate hard drive for your video captures, or a separatepartition on an existing hard drive.

• Where possible, capture at the best quality possible and then resampledown if necessary. Resampling up creates (interpolates) new data whichresults in lower quality than the original.


Apart from controlling how your system performs, you can also set upVideo Capture to optimize your captures using the Advanced tab of theCapture dialog box (see p.86). Here you will find several optionsdedicated to enhancing capture performance, such as allocating additionalmemory buffers, specifying chunk granularity (data pack size), freeing upRAM and synchronizing video to audio.

Techniques for improving your audio captures

When capturing audio there are three areas that you can control whichdetermine the resulting quality of the audio file as well as its size.They are the sampling rate, sample size and the number of channels.CD quality audio has a sampling rate of 44 kHz, a 16-bit sample sizeand two channels (or stereo). If you intend to play back your video overlow quality speakers, then capturing at this level is not necessary.You may find a mono, 11 kHz 8-bit file more practical. Also, if you arecapturing background music then it may not be necessary to capture it atthe same time you are capturing the video – you can always add it later asan audio track in Video Editor. (For speech this is possible but it willrequire more effort later in Video Editor to synchronize the audio with thevideo.)

Note: For more about audio and its various properties, see the section on‘Creating a new edit window’ in Audio Editor, p.300.

Capturing video

Once you have setup the video window to display your video the way youlike it, you are ready to capture. Before capturing, maximize your systemresources by closing all background programs and, where possible,defragmenting your hard drive for the best possible results.

To capture a video sequence:

1. With Video Capture open, start playing the video from your videosource. (The video should appear in the video window of VideoCapture. If it does not, check the connection to your video source andyour video capture card setup, see p.70.)


2. Click the Record button on the Control bar or the Capture: Videocom m and [F5] to open the Capture Video dialog box.

If the Display capture options before capturing option is cleared inthe Preferences dialog box (see p.77), Video Capture begins capturingimmediately using your current settings.

The Capture Video dialog box

3. Specify the desired frame rate in the Frame rate spin box. (If capturingfull motion video from a drop-frame NTSC device, specify thefractional frame rate of 29.97.)

Remember that the higher the frame rate the more demand on yourresources and the greater the size of the resulting video file. As aguideline, 15 frames per second for NTSC devices is a good place tostart and 12 frames per second for PAL devices. If your video has a lotof movement and panning, then you may need a higher frame rate toavoid any jerkiness.‘Talking head’ shots and video with little move-ment can often get away with a much lower frame rate.


4. Select the Exactly match the specified frame rate option to ensurethat the capture maintains the frame rate (essential if you are capturingdrop-frame video). Leave this option clear for general or non-timecritical captures.

The actual captured frame rate may differ from the specified frame ratedue to rounding or synchronization errors. While this is not detrimentalin most cases, you may find that it slightly affects the timing of largervideo sequences.

5. In the Capture Method group box, select the appropriate method forcapturing. Auto captures video according to the time specified in theAuto spin box while Auto with no time limit continues capturing untilyou press the Esc key. If you want to perform single frame capturesthen select the Manual option. If you have a controllable device selectthe Device control option. (For more on capturing with a controllabledevice, see ‘Using a controllable device’, p.90.)

If you select the Manual option, you can define aspects of the captureby clicking on the Settings button. This opens the Manual CaptureSettings dialog box from which you can choose between two capturingmodes: Auto and Manual. Auto allows you to specify the durationbetween captures while manual allows you to control the timing of thecapture directly. If you select the Auto option, the Duration group boxis enabled with further options for defining how many frames are to becaptured in total. If you want to capture continually, select the No limitoption.

The Manual Capture Settings dialog box


6. Select the Capture audio option to capture audio along with yourvideo. (This is disabled if you do not have a sound card, your videocapture board does not have sound capabilities or you are performinga manual capture.)

Note: If you want to change the current audio and video characteristics clickthe respective Audio and Video buttons.

7. Select the Auto-naming option to save each capture as consecutivelynumbered files. This file takes its name from the filename in thefollowing File entry box, replacing the last four characters withsequential numbers. For example, if the filename you specify is calledVID, captured files will be called, VID0001, VID0002 and so on.

8. Enter the name to save the file to in the File entry box.

9. Select the Save to library option to save the captured file to a libraryin Video Editor.

If you save a file to the library you can then go straight to Video Editorand drag-and-drop the file into a video project. This is also useful forbatch captures as the library creates an icon for each captured filewhich you can then use to storyboard and arrange before placing yourwork into a video project.

10. Click OK. Video Capture begins capturing according to your settings.If you chose to capture manually, the Manual Capture dialog box opensdisplaying two buttons, Next and Cancel. Click Next to capture a singleframe: Cancel to end capturing.

Notes:

• When you click OK to start capturing there may be a slight delay before anycapture takes place. This is because many machines first clear all availablememory. For best results start your capture a few seconds before the videoyou want to record appears in the video window.

• If you are in Preview mode when capturing the displayed video may freeze.If this happens, click the Capture: Display When Capturing command. Thisallows the video to continue displaying while capturing. (This may, however,adversely affect the performance of your capture as it requires additionalresources and as such frames may be dropped.)


Customizing your capture options

In the Capture Video dialog box, the Advanced tab contains options thatallow you to customize the way that each capture is performed.By carefully selecting these options to match your system’s performance,you can significantly improve overall capture results.

CAPTURE VIDEO DIALOG BOX: ADVANCED TAB

Display message box before capturing displays a confirmation messagedialog box after you have clicked OK. (This is useful if you want to wait beforecapturing.) When left clear, capturing starts immediately after clicking OK.(This option has no effect when the selected capture method is Manual orDevice Control.)

Play video file after capturing plays back each file after capturing.Leave this clear if you want to continue viewing your video source after capturing.

Synchronize video with audio ensures that during capture, the video portionmaintains correct timing with the audio portion. When left cleared, both capturesare done independently by your system, which may result in bad synchronizationbetween audio and video data, particularly if the audio is a ‘talking head’. If theaudio is background music, then selecting this option has little affect.

Display message if dropped frames exceed displays a report after capturingwhenever the specified dropped frame threshold has been met. (See below for anexplanation on dropped frames.) For general capturing, specify 10%. (If youfrequently get dropped frames, try capturing at a lower quality.) Set this to 100% ifyou do not mind dropped frames or are only capturing low resolution files.

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Preallocate the capture file creates a temporary file to place your capturedvideo sequences in. This improves performance as the hard disk does not have tosearch for free space to store video data. (This size should match or exceed yourestimated capture size.)

Chunk granularity matches the size of each data chunk to be captured withyour target hard drive’s cluster size. Matching sizes ensures more efficient datatransfer and thus improves capture performance. (In most cases, use the defaultunless you have a reason not to.)

Number of video buffers (1-1000) sets aside additional buffer memory tohelp improve captures. (In most cases, use the default unless you know howmuch buffer space you can afford.)

Default lets Video Capture automatically determine the best settings for yoursystem. Click this when you do not know what options to specify or are unsureabout your system’s setup.

Dropped frames

If your PC and video capture board have difficulty supporting a specifiedframe rate, a message box may appear after capturing detailing how manyframes were captured and, of those, how many were ‘dropped’ frames.(This message box is controlled in the Advanced tab of the Video Capturedialog box, see above.) Dropped frames are ‘phantom’ frames which arecreated to ensure that the frame rate is maintained. Whenever VideoCapture or some other device encounters a dropped frame on playback,it keeps displaying the previous frame until the dropped frame or frameshave passed. If a video has dropped a large number of frames then theplayback will look very choppy. To reduce the occurrence of droppedframes you can lower the quality settings for your video. For example,try a smaller frame size, higher compression or a lower frame rate.

Capturing single frames

Capturing a single frame does not require you to specify as much informa-tion as when capturing a video sequence. This is because the single frameadopts the currently displayed video frame size and data type, and ispassed directly to your chosen destination – to the clipboard or to disk.You can capture single frames from either an existing video file or directlyfrom a video source.

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To capture a single frame:

1. Click the Freeze button on the Control bar (Pause, if playing anexisting file) or the Control: Freeze command [SPACE] to stop the videoon the current frame.

2. Click the Capture Frame button on the Standard toolbar or the Capture:Single Frame command. The frame is sent to the chosen destination.(If you are capturing to a file, the standard Save dialog box opens.)

Note: You can capture a single frame without freezing the video source orpausing a video file. However, you cannot be sure which frame you will get.

Capturing a color palette

The data type of a video sequence plays an important role in determiningthe resulting size and display of your captured file. For example, 24-bitTrue Color video contains the most colors and generally occupies the mostdisk space (this is suitable for videos featuring a variety of colors such asoutdoor shots). To retain some color while at the same time saving diskspace, choose the 8-bit data type which, depending on your video captureboard, is either Grayscale or Indexed-256 Color. Indexed-256 Color datatypes use a predefined color palette to show colors and are best suited forlow color videos, such as animations, and for video intended to be playedback in a 256 color display modes. (True Color video will not display wellin 256 color display mode as it often contains more colors than the monitoris capable of showing.) In Video Capture, you can select which frames in avideo to create the color palette from.

To capture a color palette:

1. Click the Capture Palette button on the Control bar or the Palette:Capture Palette command to open the Capture Palette dialog box.

2. Specify the number of frames from which you want to create the palettein the Continuous frames entry box.


If your video source contains simple images with few significantchanges you only need to specify a low value, such as 5. If colorschange rapidly specify a higher value. Generally, the more frames youselect the greater the range of colors held in the palette. (You can selectfrom 1 to 100 frames.)

3. Select a capturing option from the Mode group box. If you want VideoCapture to capture the frames for you, select the Auto option and entera value for the duration between captures. For example, if you specifytwo seconds, a frame is captured every two seconds. (You can specifyan interval from 1 to 100 seconds.) If you want to capture specificframes select the Manual option.

4. Click OK. If you selected Auto as your capture option Video Capturebegins capturing frames at the specified rate. If you selected theManual option, the Manual Capture dialog box opens with twobuttons, Next and Cancel. Click on Next to capture one frame:Cancel to end the capturing.

When the capturing process is completed a palette is generated from theoptimum combination of colors based on the captured frames. Oncedefined, the color palette is stored in memory until you capture a newcolor palette or close Video Capture. If you wish to save the palette forlater use, click the Palette: Save Palette command. To load it back into avideo sequence click the Palette: Load Palette command.

Note: You can also copy and paste palettes using the Palette: Copy Palette andPaste Palette commands. (These commands are disabled if the active video is notIndexed-256 Color or the data on the clipboard is not palette data.)

Changing a file’s properties

Whenever you capture a video sequence you must first specify a file inwhich to save the resulting video. There will be times, however, when youwish to save this video again to change its attributes, such as frame rate orthe compression scheme. (This is particularly true if you have a hardwarecompressed file, such as MJPEG or MPEG, and you wish to play it backon another machine which does not have the same hardware setup.)


To change the attributes of a file:

1. Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Save Ascommand [CTRL+S] to open the Save As dialog box.

2. Specify the name and destination for the file.

You can also append subject information to the file using the Subjectand Description entry boxes and assign a thumbnail image to the fileby clicking the Select button. If you plan on using the file in VideoEditor, click the Save to library option to automatically place it in theProduction Library for easy retrieval.

3. Click the Options button. The Video Save Options dialog box openswith four tabs: Video Capture, General, Advanced and Compression.

4. Select either Selection or Entire file in the Video Capture tab.Selection saves only the frames occurring between a marked in andmarked out section of the file, while Entire file saves all the framesin the file.

5. Specify the desired video attributes in the General, Advanced andCompression tabs. (For more on these options, see ‘Determining yourvideo save options’ in Video Editor, p.187.)

6. Click OK. The Video Save Options dialog box closes and you returnto the Save Video File dialog box.

7. Click OK. The dialog box closes and Video Capture saves the fileaccordingly.

Using a controllable device

If you have a controllable device installed, such as the Sony ViSCA orV-LAN, you can control this device directly from Video Capture,for example, clicking Rewind on the Control bar rewinds your video tape.The main advantage of a controllable device is that you can accuratelyspecify which frames in a video to capture and then capture them all in asingle session. Being able to accurately pinpoint frames also gives youmore flexibility in editing video. For example, you can first capture yourvideo as low resolution files and as a result have them occupy muchsmaller disk space.


You can then edit them considerably faster in Video Editor and,when ready to compile the final version, you can recapture the exactframes at a higher quality. (You can also import the DVP file from VideoEditor, including any edits you have done, and have the device capture theoriginal video based on your edits.)

To capture from a controllable device you first need to specify the framesyou want to capture by marking those frames and creating a batch list.You also need to indicate a file to save the marked sequences to as well asprovide a name for your reel, or video source. This is especially useful ifyour batch list contains marked sequences from a number of differenttapes or sources. When you perform the capture, Video Capture willprompt you when it is time to insert the next reel.

To mark video sequences using a controllable device

1. Click the Setup: Device Control command to open the Device Controldialog box.

2. Specify the type of controllable device you have in the Active devicecombo box as well as the television signal you are using in the TVstandard combo box.

3. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you should now be able toplayback video from the device using the Control bar or the Controlmenu.

4. Click the Setup: Reel Properties command and in the Reel Propertiesdialog box type a name in the Reel name entry box. (You can assignany name, but be sure to change the name when you change the videosource.)

5. In the File name entry box, enter a name for the captured video.Video Capture automatically appends a number for each successivefile created. For example, if the filename you specify is called VID,captured files will be called, VID0001, VID0002 and so on.


6. Select the Hide this dialog box option so that it does not reappear eachtime you mark out a new segment of video. Leave this clear if youthink you want to change the reel name or specify a new file name aftereach additional mark. (If hidden, you can still open it by clicking theSetup: Reel Properties command.)

7. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you are now ready to beginmarking your video for capture.

8. Click the Mark-In button on the Control bar or the Control: Mark-Incommand [F3] whenever you see video you want to select for capture.(The current frame is indicated in the Mark-In box on the Status bar.)

9. Click the Mark-Out button on the Control bar or the Control: Mark-Outcommand [F4] when you want to end a selection. (The current frame isindicated in the Mark-Out box on the Status bar.)

Repeat steps eight and nine until you have marked all the sequences ofthe video that wish to capture. Each time you mark a section of video,Video Capture records the timecode of the mark in a batch list whichyou can view or edit at a later stage.

Viewing and editing a batch list

Once you have created a batch list you can view it before you capture toensure you have the correct sequences of video. You can also load anexisting batch file or even a Video Editor DVP file from which to capture.Using batch lists in this way allows you to capture the same source exactlyeach time, and is very helpful for creating high resolution files to replaceany low resolution files you may have been using for editing.

To view or edit a batch list:

1. Click the Setup: Batch Settings command to open the Batch Settingsdialog box. This dialog box displays a list of each marked segment ofthe video.

To load an existing batch file or Video Editor DVP file click the Loadbutton and choose the appropriate file from the Load dialog box.


2. Click on the segment in the list box (under the Reel section) that youwant to edit and then click the Preview button to see the video in thevideo window of Video Capture.

3. Change the mark in and mark out times by either clicking the respec-tive buttons as the video plays back or by entering the values directlyinto the Mark in and Mark out spin boxes. (After adjusting the markvalues click the Update button to reflect the changes in the batch list.)

If you want to use this batch later (for example, to recapture at a higherresolution), click the Save button and in the resulting dialog box savethe file as a batch capture file (BCF).

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the batch list is updatedaccordingly.

Note: In the Batch Settings dialog box you can also change the reel name andfile name for any of the marked sequences in the batch list. (This does notaffect the defaults in the Reel Properties dialog box.)

Capturing using a controllable device

After you’ve marked the various sequences in a video you are ready tocapture them. To do this, click the Record button on the Control bar or theControl: Record com m and [F5]. In the Capture Video dialog box that opensselect the Device control option in the Method group box and click OK.Video Capture begins capturing from your device using the settingsspecified in the batch list. (You can still edit this batch list from the VideoCapture dialog box by clicking the Batch button next to the DeviceControl option.)




• Defragment your hard drive before capturing large sequences (p.81).

• Capture at the settings of your Video Editor video project (p.83)

• Preallocate a capture file before capturing (p.86).

• Lower your quality settings if you get dropped frames (p.87)

• For Indexed-Color video, capture a color palette (p.88).

• When using a controllable device, capture low resolution files first andthen high resolution when you have completed your video project inVideo Editor (p.90).

Video EditorVideo Editor

Getting started

Video Editor is where you begin to bring together all the different

components of a video project – sound, animation, titles and,

of course, the video. Once you have arranged these components

and performed any effects and transitions, you are ready to create

a video production which can be saved as a file, placed on the

Internet, distributed on a CD–ROM or sent back out to video tape.

Chapter 1

In this chapter you will learn:

• Understanding the basics .......................................................................p.98

• Working with video projects .................................................................. p.106

• Working with proxy files ........................................................................ p.110

• Inserting clips ....................................................................................... p.112

• Viewing clips in the timeline .................................................................. p.117

• Converting files ..................................................................................... p.119

• Customizing Video Editor ...................................................................... p.121



When you run Video Editor it opens displaying a timeline within theVideo Editor workspace. This timeline is the key to working with andmanaging video on the desktop. As with the timelines found in historybooks or encyclopedias, it is laid out horizontally and composed of severalindependent layers or ‘tracks’. These tracks hold the many different eventsthat occur over time. In Video Editor, these events are referred to as clips,which go together to make up a video project.

The Video Editor program window

VIDEO EDITOR: CHAPTER ONE 99

Standard toolbar

Attribute toolbar

Ruler Unit panel

Tool panel Navigator

Save a VideoEditor project

Open a projectfile

Create a newproject

Cut a clip froma project

Copy a clipfrom a project

Paste a clip orits attributes

Find the nextclip in a project

Find a clip in aproject

Redo anundone action

Undo aprevious action

Display preview fileoptions

Show the Previewwindow

Open theProduction Library

Clip Selection tool

Scissors tool

Zoom tool

Time Selection tool

Insert animage file

Insert anaudio file

Insert avideo file

Insert a titleclip

Insert a colorclip

Insert asilence clip

Create amoving path

Perform anoverlay effect

Apply an audiofilter

Apply a videofilter

Ripple editingmode

Ripple editingmode options


Working with tracks

Video Editor has three types of tracks you can work with: video, transitionand audio. The video tracks consist of two primary tracks (Va and Vb)and an additional 99 overlay tracks (V1..99). Between the primary Va andVb tracks is the transition (Fx) track, which allows you to control howclips in any of the video tracks merge with clips in the Va track.The overlay tracks are used for performing color keying (blue screening)and moving path effects, such as rolling credits and 3D animation.The audio tracks behave similarly to the video tracks, with the exceptionthat there is no transition track. This is because any overlapping clips areautomatically mixed whenever you create a video or audio file.

Showing and hiding tracks

When working on a project you often don’t need to view all the possibleoverlay tracks. You can limit the number available with the Number ofOverlay tracks option in the Preferences dialog box (see p.121), or showand hide them by dragging the divider positioned between the top andbottom vertical scroll bars. To lock both the video and audio tracks whenscrolling, click the Lock button at the top of the vertical scroll bar or theView: Scroll Lock command. The next time you scroll both tracks movein unison.

Determining the playing order of clips

Each clip’s location in a track defines where it will play in your finalvideo, as well as how it interacts with other clips. For example, clipsplaced at the start of a track are played first, while those that appear onhigher numbered tracks play over any underlying clips. This hierarchicalbehavior allows you to perform various effects such as transitions andoverlays as you can control how much of the overlapping clips mergewith each other.


Working with clips

Clips are the lowest common denominator of any video project – withoutthem your projects don’t exist. They work by acting as low resolutionplaceholders (small images) for your video project files, and any actionsor commands you perform are applied to them only, not the original sourcefiles. This nondestructive behavior is the reason you can edit audio andvideo quickly and easily, without fear of damaging or writing over youroriginal source material.

There are several kinds of clips that you can place in Video Editor: video,audio, image, transition, title, color and silence. When you insert a clip itmust be placed into a specific track in the timeline. For example, video,image, title and color clips can only be placed in the video tracks,transitions in the Fx track and audio and silence clips in the audio tracks.

Using the Production Library

Video Editor’s Production Library (as well as the one’s in Video Paintand CG Infinity) is a powerful resource center that allows you to storeregularly used clips for quick retrieval. It also provides a convenientaccess point to the transition effects, audio and video filters and movingpaths. When you view the Production Library, clips and effects appear ingalleries as graphical thumbnails that you can apply by dragging-and-dropping them onto clips in the timeline. (You can also double-click thethumbnails to view their appropriate options or apply them depending ontheir type.) Fully customizable, you can group your clips into easilyidentifiable folders and even create storyboards of existing video filesbefore inserting them into the timeline.

Note: The galleries in the Production Library vary depending on the programyou are using. For example, The Transition Effect gallery is only available inVideo Editor, while the Video Filters gallery appears in both Video Editorand Video Paint.


The Transition Effects gallery of the Production Library

Placing clips into the Production Library

To place a clip into the Production Library, select it from the timeline anddrag-and-drop it to the Media Clip gallery. (To place a clip into a specificfolder first select the folder and then perform the drag-and-drop operation.)Most Effect and Options dialog boxes also allow you to save their settingsto the Production Library via an Add button. Clicking this button opensthe Add To Library dialog box where you can specify a folder to place thesettings as well as give it a name and description.

The Add to Library dialog box


Storyboarding your clips before insertion

One of the benefits of the Production Library is that it allows you tostoryboard your files before inserting them into the timeline. Youstoryboard by arranging the thumbnails of your files into the sequencewhere you want them to appear in the timeline. When you’re happy withthe sequence, select them and then drag-and-drop them into the timeline.They automatically open in the order they appear in the ProductionLibrary. To get files into the Production Library for storyboarding, clickthe Library button that appears in the Insert Video Files, Insert Audio Filesor Insert Image Files dialog boxes.

Working with folders

When you view the Production Library, the contents of the currentlyselected gallery appear on the right side of the Production Library window.To the left are folders which organize the various thumbnails of theparticular gallery. You can manage these folders by right-clicking on themand choosing a command from the pop-up menu that appears. This menuoffers commands for creating, renamimg, deleting and copying folders.You can also save the contents of a folder as well as load the contentsfrom a previously saved file.

Note: These commands may be disabled depending on the active folder or theprogram you are using.

Viewing Production Library thumbnails

You can control how thumbnails are displayed as well as their order byusing the buttons on the Production Library toolbar. These allow you tosearch for particular thumbnails within a folder or sort them based on theirnames. If a thumbnail has an annotated description, you can view it byclicking the View button. The annotation is then displayed to the right ofthe thumbnail.

The Production Library Menu button opens a pop-up menu which providesadditional commands for viewing the properties of a selected thumbnail,editing, deleting as well as customizing the Production Library prefer-ences. If customizing the preferences, you can choose to control the size of


the thumbnails as well as to display or hide the name for each of thethumbnails currently in view. If you want to maximize the space availablefor displaying thumbnails, click the Preferences command and in thedialog box that opens clear the Show border option. This removes theborder surrounding the thumbnails, leaving only the thumbnail image.

Editing the properties of a thumbnail

In the Production Library you can edit any thumbnail without havingto first insert it into the timeline. Once edited the thumbnail takes itsattributes from your edits. This is a great way to define and save uniqueattributes for the clips and effects you often use, such as color or videofilters which have specific start and end key frame settings. To edit athumbnail, select it and then click the Edit command from the Menu buttonpop-up. (You can also choose this command from the right-mouse buttonpop-up menu.) The dialog box for that thumbnail opens and you can goahead and define specific attributes. These attributes will be applied thenext time you drag-and-drop the thumbnail to a clip in the timeline.

Using the Quick Command panel

The traditional way to choose a command has always been to go to theMenu bar to find that command in the appropriate menu or submenu.A more convenient alternative in Video Editor is to use the QuickCommand panel, opened by clicking the View: Toolbars & Panelscommand and selecting the Quick Command panel option. (You can alsoopen it by right-clicking over any toolbar or panel.) The Quick Commandpanel’s advantage over the Menu bar is that you can customize thecommands that appear there as well as move and resize the panel so thatit is always close at hand.

To determine how many commands appear in the Quick Command panel,click the Layout Options command in the Quick Command panel’s controlmenu, found to the left on the Title bar of the Quick Command panel.In the dialog box that opens you can specify the number commands toappear in custom and cache areas. (The custom area displays commands


you specifically insert into the panel while the cache area automaticallytracks the last commands you have used.) Selecting the Save whenprogram closes option saves your changes whenever you quit VideoEditor. Leave this clear if you want to save the current configuration.

Note: Custom commands appear at the top of the Quick Command panel: cachecommands at the bottom.

Managing commands in the Quick Command panel

To change the commands that appear in the Quick Command panel clickthe Modify command in the Quick Command panel’s control menu,found to the left of the Title bar on the Quick Command panel. In thedialog box that opens you can select commands from any menu in VideoEditor. To select a menu, click its name in the Menu combo box. All thecommands associated with that menu appear in the list box below it.To place one of these commands onto the Quick Command panel, select itand click the Add button. Once placed, you can easily sort the commandsby dragging them up or down in the list box to change their positions.

Note: You can give a menu command an alias by selecting it and then typing in anew name in the Alias entry box. For example, ‘Video Editor File Preferences’ canbe written as ‘VE Pref’. This is useful if you resize the Quick Command panel andfind that menu command names are hidden.

The Modify Custom Commands dialog box


Working with video projects

In Video Editor, the timeline and its associated clips are referred to asa video project, which is saved as a DVP file (digital video project).When you save a video project, Video Editor only saves the positionsand attributes of the clips in the timeline, not the actual source filesthemselves. The advantage to this is that the DVP file has a relativelysmall file size and that any editing done is nondestructive – that is,the editing doesn’t affect the original source files on disk. The next timeyou open a DVP file, Video Editor verifies that your hard disk stillcontains the source files for the clips in the project and then recreatesthe clips accordingly.

Creating a new video project

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

To create a new video project:

1. Click the New button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Newcommand [CTRL+N]. The New dialog box opens displaying a list ofproject templates.

You can create templates yourself or select and modify an existingtemplate (see p.108) to make it more applicable to your work.(By selecting a template you can see the properties of it displayedto the right as well as an annotated description.)

Note: When you run Video Editor for the first time, the New dialog box opensautomatically.


2. Click on the template you want to use, or, if you are unsure about whatto select, click the Wizard button.

Clicking the Wizard button runs the Project Creation Wizard whichasks you questions about your project and decides the properties bestsuited for it. (If you use the Project Creation Wizard you can save youroptions as a template which appears with the other templates in theNew dialog box.)

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

Note: If you regularly use the same properties for a video project you can hidethe New dialog box each time you click New by clearing the Always show thisdialog box option. Any subsequent projects take their properties from thecurrent project.

The New project W izard


Customizing a video project

When you create a new project its properties are determined by the Newdialog box settings at the time you create it. There will be times when youwant to change these properties and customize a project for more controland flexibility. To do this, click the Properties button at the bottom of thetrack buttons, or the File: Properties command [ALT+ENTER]. This opens theProperties dialog box which allows you to specify the television standardyou are using, such as NTSC or PAL, the frame rate and the frame size.You can also control the number of overlay tracks displayed and view thefiles currently used by the project. Another option, Proxy mode, allowsyou to use proxy files (see p.110) when creating preview video sequences.If this option is clear, Video Editor creates any preview files from theoriginal source files, which can take longer as these files tend to be muchlarger in file size.

Note: The Frame Rate option determines the number of frames for any resultingvideo file. It does not affect the display of frames in the timeline as these taketheir reference from the television standard.

Saving a project as a template

After you have customized your video project you can save it as a templateby clicking the File: Save Project Template command. In the dialog boxthat opens you can give the template a name as well as a description.Any existing templates are also displayed in the Project template list box.If you wish to replace one of these templates with the properties of thecurrent video project, select it and then click OK.

Note: Changing properties in the middle of a project clears the undo/redo history.

Saving a video project

When you save a video project it is saved as a DVP file (digital videoproject) containing pointers to all the source files currently associated withthe project. These files can be on different drives and folders and areindependent of the DVP file. If you wish to work on a different machine,


such as one in a studio, you need only to copy the DVP file. When youopen the project, all the associated clips will be blacked out but you canstill edit and work with them, you just cannot create any preview or finalvideo files. When you load the DVP file back onto the original machine allthe edits will be remembered and you can continue as before. (If you havemoved any of the original associated files you will need to relink themback to their appropriate clips, see p.133.)

Packaging a video project

Packaging a video project (by clicking the File: Package command)is similar to saving a project as a DVP file, except that all the source filesassociated to the file are copied or moved to a new folder and/or drive.This is useful if you want to backup your work or for transporting yourfiles to another computer for editing. If you have a large project,packaging is useful for cleaning up your hard drive as it places all thesource files into one folder. You can then go back and remove any excessor temporary files from the old folders.

Note: To transfer a video project file and its source files to another PC use thesame directory structure as the original to ensure the clips are correctly loaded.

Saving the layout of your project

When you work on a project you may want to customize the program’sinterface to better suit your needs or work habits. For example, you couldfloat all the toolbars, or hide certain toolbars while showing others.Each time you exit Video Editor or save a video project this layout isremembered. You can also save this layout as a template by clicking theFile: Layout Template: Save command. This creates a template of thecurrent Video Editor layout which you can then use later for other projectsusing the File: Layout Template: Load command. Using layout templatesin this way gives you the ability to customize your work space fordifferent projects which may require different tools and options.


Working with proxy files

One feature Video Editor offers you to increase efficiency, as well asreduce the strain on system resources, are proxy files. These areworking copies of video and image files associated with a clip, reducedin resolution and file size to speed up Video Editor’s rendering andprocessing time. The files are meant to be temporary and are designed togive you a quick idea of how your project is coming along and speed upyour editing work. When you are ready to create the final video sequence,Video Editor uses the original source files of the clips.

Creating proxy files

In Video Editor you can create proxy files in two ways: with the File:Proxy Manager command or the File: Create: Proxy File command.The Proxy Manager command is for creating proxies of files alreadyinserted into the timeline, while the Proxy File command is for creatingproxies before insertion. Use the Proxy File command when you havelarge files that would otherwise take some time to insert. Once created youcan insert their proxies quickly and when you’re ready to create the finalvideo sequence, relink the clips to their original files using the Clip:Replace With command, (see p.134).

To create a proxy file from a clip in the timeline:

1. Click the File: Proxy Manager command to open the Proxy Managerdialog box.

When you open this dialog box the source files associated with eachclip in the timeline appear in the Files not in proxy mode list box.You can make proxies of all these files or just individual ones.


The Proxy Manager dialog box

2. Select the clip you want to create a proxy of in the Files not in proxymode list box and click the Add button. The file switches to the Filesin proxy mode list box.

Note: If using the Proxy File dialog box, opened by clicking the File: Create:Proxy File command, click the Add Video or Add Image buttons to load thevideo or image file you wish to make a proxy of.

3. Click the Options button. The Proxy Options dialog box opens provid-ing two tabs: Video and Image. For video files you can change theframe rate, width and height of the video, as well as its compressionand data type. For images, you can change the physical size of theimage.

4. Specify the folder where you want to store the proxy files in the Proxygroup box.

By default, proxy files are saved to the temporary folder specified inthe General tab of the Preferences dialog box, (see p.121). To makesure you do not accidentally overwrite your source files, Video Editordoes not allow you to save proxy files in the same folder as theoriginal clips.


5. Click OK. The Proxy Options dialog box closes and you return to theProxy Manager dialog box.

6. Click OK. The proxy file is created and stored in the new location.

Notes:

• For Video Editor to use proxy files when creating previews you must selectthe Proxy mode option in the Properties dialog box, see p.108. If left clear,Video Editor uses the original files.

• An asterisk appears next to any filenames for which a proxy file alreadyexists.

Inserting clips

To start work on a video project you need to first insert clips into thetimeline. Once inserted you can begin to edit and arrange them into yourfinal video production. There are their are six kinds of clips that you caninsert into a video project: video, audio, image, title, color and silence.

Inserting video, audio and image clips

The easiest way to insert a video, audio or image clip into the timeline isto click the appropriate Insert button on the Standard toolbar. (You canalso choose its corresponding command from the Insert menu or the right-mouse button pop-up menu.) A dialog box opens allowing you to selectany compatible files. If you choose a video file that contains both videoand audio data the clips are placed in both the video and audio tracks:these clips remain connected to maintain synchronicity. (You can separatethem by clicking the Clip: Split command, see p.132.)

Note: The files you insert should match the properties of your video project toensure the best possible output results.


When you insert clips they are placed at the position of your pointer.How these clips affect any neighboring clips is determined by the RippleEditing mode (see p.142). If you are in Ripple Editing mode, you caninsert the clip anywhere you like on a compatible track (even over existingclips) and the clip pushes along any other clips which appear in the sametrack. If you are not in Ripple Editing mode, you can only insert the clipinto an empty clip slot. An empty clip slot starts from the end of one clipand continues to the beginning of the next. If a clip is inserted into a clipslot that is shorter in duration than the clip itself, the clip appears red andis truncated when inserted.

Note: You can also insert other DVP files into an existing project by clicking theInsert: Project File command. This places the entire contents of the video projectinto the timeline and is particularly helpful if you have broken up larger projectsinto more manageable portions and are now preparing the final video sequence.

Inserting video clips with different attributes

When you create a video project you will often insert video which hasbeen captured or created from different machines and therefore havedifferent attributes, such as frame size, frame rate and compression.While you can use such videos it is always best to first ensure that eachvideo you insert has the same attributes – which should be the same as theattributes of the video project. If you use video with different attributesyou often get undesirable results when you create the final video sequence,such as mixing a file captured at 160x120, 5 frames per seconds with onecaptured at 320x240, 30 frames per seconds. This would result in one ofthe clips having to be resampled to the size and frame rate of the other.If possible, video files should all use the same compression scheme inorder to produce uniform results when creating the final video sequence.To change a video file’s attributes, use the File: Convert: Video Filecommand, (see p.119), and then insert the resulting file into the timeline.


Inserting title, color, and silence clips

Apart from video, audio, and image clips, you can also insert title, color,and silence clips into the timeline. (Since title clips are often used inconjunction with moving path effects they are described in detail in thespecial effects section, p.177.) Silence and color clips are used generallyas default clips or templates which can ‘stand in’ for other clips you wantto insert later. For example, you may want to start working on a videoproject, but you have yet to acquire all your source files, or, some may stillbe in the editing stage. As such, you can use a color clip to substitute foran image or video clip, and a silence clip for an audio clip. When it is timeto utilize your finished source files use the Clip: Replace With commandto insert these files into the positions that the default clips occupy.(Any existing filters, special effects, and moving paths are retained bythe new clip.)

When it comes to the color clip, you can also use it as a background forother clips in the project, such as when performing fades, or to createcertain types of effects. Being able to set key frames also allows you tocreate impressive gradient effects with each frame of the clip graduallyshifting from one color to the next.

To insert a color clip:

1. Click the Insert Color button on the Attribute toolbar or the Insert:Color Clip command to open the Insert Color Clip dialog box.(You can also choose this command from the right-mouse buttonpop-up menu.)

The Insert Color Clip dialog box


2. Type a description for the clip in the Annotation entry box.

3. Specify the duration of the clip in the Duration spin box.

4. Choose the color of the clip by clicking the color square or usingthe RGB spin boxes. If you choose different colors for the start and endkey frames you can create a gradient effect, such as a fade from blackto white. The more key frames you add the greater the variety of colorsyou can have. (For more on adding key frames see the section on‘Using key frame controls’, p.154.)

5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you can drop the clip into a videotrack.

Notes:

• Specify the default duration for image, color, silence and title clips in theGeneral tab of the Preferences dialog box, see p.121.

• You cannot load Black & White images into a video project.

Inserting Ulead video file types

MediaStudio Pro supports a number of proprietary file formats for theexpress use of the MediaStudio Pro programs. These are Ulead ImageSequence (UIS), Ulead CG Infinity (UCG) and Ulead Video Paint (UVP).You can insert these files into the timeline whenever you open the InsertVideo File dialog box and choose their respective file types from the Filesof type combo box. It is always better to insert the actual work files forany projects you have created in the other MediaStudio Pro programs asthey have not been rendered or compressed in any way. This makes forbetter quality when it comes time to create your final video sequence asthey undergo compression just one time.

Inserting UIS files

The UIS file type is a special format that allows you to select a sequenceof images to be loaded into a video project. These images can be from anysource, such as animation targa files, and only need to have consecutivelynumbered filenames, such as VID0001.TGA, VID0002.TGA, VID0003.TGA

and so on.


To insert a Ulead Image Sequence:

1. Click the Insert Video File button on the Attribute toolbar or theInsert: Video File command to open the Insert Video File dialog box.(You can also choose this command from the right-mouse buttonpop-up menu.)

2. Select the Ulead Image Sequence format (UIS) from the Files of typecombo box.

Any existing UIS files appear in the Look in list box. To insert one ofthese, select it and click Open. To edit the contents of an existing UISfile, or to create a new file, you need to define its options to determinewhich files appear in the sequence.

3. Click the Options button to open the Define Image Sequence dialogbox. Here you can view the images currently associated to the selectedUIS file or create a new one for insertion.

4. Click the Select Image Sequence button to open the Select ImageSequence dialog box from where you can locate and select (or edit)the files to be inserted. (The files to be inserted must share the samefilename and be consecutively numbered.)

5. Select the first file in the sequence to be inserted and click OK.The dialog box closes returning you to the Define Image Sequencedialog box.

The dialog box now shows the total number of frames to be inserted(the number of image files) as well as the frame rate of your videoproject. (You can change this to determine how many images appeareach second.) The sequence is also given a UIS filename.

6. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to the Insert Video Filedialog box. If you created a new sequence, the filename of the sequenceappears in the Look in list box.

7. Select the file to insert from the Look in list box and click Open toinsert the sequence into the timeline.

Note: Once a UIS file has been created, you can still freely edit the images inthe sequence and do not need to recreate the UIS file unless you wish tochange the images included in the sequence.


Viewing clips in the timeline

When you load clips into Video Editor they are placed inside a compatibletrack on the timeline. Depending upon the duration of each clip, and yourcurrent unit of measurement, Video Editor may not be able to display allof the clips at the same time. To help you better view clips on the timeline,Video Editor provides several methods which not only make it easier toview clips, but also speed up display times.

Controlling the display of clips

In the Display Mode dialog box (opened by clicking the DisplayMode button at the top of the track buttons or the View: Display Modecommand) you can choose to display clips in Filmstrip, Waveform,Thumbnail or Filename modes as well as control the size of clips.Filmstrip and Waveform modes display clips graphically (video clips asframes, audio clips as waveforms) which allow you to see the entirecontents of a clip. This mode, however, is the slowest mode to edit inbecause each frame or waveform has to be drawn every time you move ormanipulate a clip. To help improve speed, but still have a visual cue as tothe contents of a clip, select the Thumbnail mode (video only). This showsthe first and last frames of a video clip separated by the filename of theclip. The last mode, Filename, represents a clip as a filename only with nographical information. This is the fastest mode as it is the quickest todisplay but offers no visual reference to the clip’s contents.

In the same dialog box you can also choose to show a cue bar which isuseful for marking areas on a clip for future edits (see p.117) as well asdetermine the size and height of video and audio clips. Changing the sizeof clips is especially useful if you are running in a high resolution displaymode and find it hard to identify clips and their contents.


A video clip in Filmstrip (V1), Thumbnail (V2), and Filename (V3) modes,and an audio clip in Waveform (A1) mode displaying a cue bar

Zooming in on clips

When you are working on a video project you will often move between theframe view (for detailed editing) and the seconds view (for more generalediting). This zooming is achieved by changing the time measurement unitused in the timeline. For example, at 1 second (the default) each divisionon the timeline represents 30 frames (using the NTSC standard) and at1 minute, each division represents 1,800 frames and so on. To change theunit of measurement, you can:

• Move the slider on the Ruler Unit panel left and right along the ruler.Moving left decreases the unit and zooms in on any clips while rightincreases the unit, zooming out. If you place the slider all the way tothe right, Video Editor fits the entire project in the window. This isparticularly useful if you have a large project and want to view all theclips at once.

Note: To jump to a particular unit click under that unit on the Ruler Unit panel.

Clips viewed at 1 second


Clips viewed at 2 seconds

• Click on the timeline with the Zoom tool. Each mouse click zooms inone ruler unit (toward displaying each frame). Holding down the Shiftkey as you click zooms out one ruler unit (toward Fit in Window).This method is best if you are zooming in on a particular clip or frameand want it to remain in view at all times.

Converting files

When you start to work on a project you will often use video providedfrom a variety of sources and with different attributes. Inserting video withdifferent attributes can result in unpredictable noise and poor quality whenit is time to create your final video. For example, combining video saved atdifferent compression ratios results in mixed quality as frames from onevideo have been compressed more than frames from the other. Because ofthis, Video Editor allows you to first convert any video files beforeinserting them.

To convert a video file to another format:

1. Click the File: Convert: Video File command to open the Select SourceVideo File dialog box. In this dialog box you can select and previewthe file to convert.

Note: You can convert AVI, MOV, DVM, MPG and animation files such as FLI,FLC and FLX as well as Ulead’s own UCG, UIS, and VFE files.


2. Select the file to convert and click Open. The dialog box changes to theSelect Destination Video File dialog box where you can specify theattributes for the new file.

3. Enter a new filename and select the file type you want to convert to.

4. Click the Options button to set the attributes for the converted file,(these options differ from file type to file type).

The attributes you choose should be the same as the video project so asto avoid creating any inconsistencies or discrepancies when it comestime to create the final video sequence.

5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new file is created based uponthe specified attributes.

Converting frame rates

If you have captured a video file and find that the frame rate is slightly offfrom what you had set, you can use Video Editor to quickly convert thefile to the desired frame rate with the File: Convert: Frame Rate command.Choosing this command opens the Select Source Video File dialog boxwhich allows you to select and preview the file to convert. Once you haveselected your file and clicked OK the Convert Frame Rate dialog boxappears indicating the current frame rate and prompting you to specify thenew rate. Clicking OK then converts the frame rate of the file accordingly.

Note: Converting a frame rate using this method is only advisable for minor rateadjustments such as from 29.975 to 29.97. If you wish to change the frame ratemore substantially then use the File: Convert: Video File command.


Customizing Video Editor

The Preferences dialog box (opened by double–clicking the status bar orby clicking the File: Preferences com m and [F6]) provides options forcustomizing certain aspects of Video Editor’s behavior. Understandingthese options will improve the way you work with Video Editor as wellas help optimize Video Editor for each project.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: GENERAL TAB

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


Return to the first frame after playing returns any sequence in the ScratchPad to the first frame after it has been played (like a CD player). When left clear,the sequence stops on the last frame in the sequence after playing (like comingto the end of a tape in the VCR).

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

Display Options dialog boxes opens the Options dialog box for any videofilter, transition effect, audio filter or moving path dropped directly into the timelinefrom the Production Library.

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

Display New dialog box opens the New dialog box whenever the New buttonor File: New command is clicked. If left clear a new video project is automaticallycreated based on the attributes of the current Project. If you often create videoprojects using the same attributes then leave this option clear.

Automatically save every automatically saves the video project at the timeinterval specified.

Default background color sets the default background color for any colorclips.

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

Default inserted clip duration specifies the duration for any clips loaded intothe timeline (such as title clips) which do not have a predefined duration. As aguideline, set this to the number of frames for each second, such as 29.97 or 25(NTSC, PAL respectively).

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

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PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: EDIT TAB

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

Frame type specifies any inserted video clips as coming from field or frame-based video. If inserting field-based video you can specify the order of the fields,such as A or B. To determine which, see the documentation accompanying yourvideo capture board. (For more on the frame type see p.135.) Select Frame-basedif your video capture board does not support field-based capture or your videofiles are not field-based. If you insert a non field-based video with this optionselected the video is still treated as field-based which will result in duplicatedfields when you output the video to tape.

Use hardware acceleration increases the thumbnail display speed of clips inthe timeline. (This option is disabled if your video capture board does not supporthardware acceleration.)

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

Resample quality allows you to set the quality of any video data resampling.A higher quality results in better video reproduction but takes longer to render.If you are using proxy files leave this option at Good or Fair. If you are preparingfor final output and are using the original source files select Best.

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PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: ASSOCIATE TAB

File type specifies the type of file you want to associate, such as AVI or WAV.

Associated program indicates the program to open whenever the Edit: Openin Associated Program command is selected.

Include trim information allows a video clip opened in Video Paint to displayany marked portions that you have created in Video Editor.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: CACHE TAB

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The Cache tab gives you the opportunity to specify folders that provide additionalworking space for files. You can also determine how much space is allocated onyour hard drive for virtual memory as well as how much space is allocated in RAMfor use by Video Editor.

Cache RAM size specifies how much RAM you want to allocate for use byVideo Editor. In most cases choose as much as you can. If you plan on runningother programs in the background then you will probably need to reduce this sizeas they need access to RAM as well.

Cache disk size specifies how much disk space on your hard drive to use asvirtual memory. Generally, choose as much as you need for the current project.

Disk cache folder indicates which folder Video Editor can use as virtualmemory. (Virtual memory serves as RAM whenever Video Editor detects that youdo not have enough RAM to perform an operation.) If you have more than onedrive, or a partitioned drive, then you can choose additional folders. (Only chooseone folder per drive.)

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: PREVIEW TAB

The Preview tab is similar to the Cache tab except that it allows you to defineadditional memory space for creating preview files only.

Specify additional folders for preview files indicates which folder VideoEditor can use to save preview files. The folder shown is the folder specified in theSET TEMP statement of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Specify other folders if youhave additional drives or a partitioned drive. If you only have one drive leave theother boxes empty.

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

Limit hard disk usage to specifies how much memory you want to allocatejust for Video Editor’s purposes. If you are only using Video Editor and want tooptimize performance select the maximum amount possible. If you are using otherprograms in the background you may want to limit this to about half. If left clearVideo Editor uses your systems memory management to control the use anddistribution of memory.



• Use the Production Library to store regularly used clips as well asaccess effects and filters (p.101).

• Place clips into the Library folder of the Production Library forstoryboarding before inserting into the timeline (p.103).

• Use the Quick Command panel to access common commands (p.104).

• Create proxy files to speed up the previewing process (p.110).

• Insert clips with the same attributes as the video project (p.112).

• View clips in Thumbnail mode to speed up display times (p.117).

• Set memory options in the Preferences dialog box to increaseperformance (p.121).

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Editing clips

Once you have inserted clips into the timeline you are ready to

edit and manipulate them using Video Editor’s extensive range of

editing commands and tools. Among other things, these allow you

to select and move clips, trim them and perform lightning fast

previews with Smart Render technology.

Chapter 2


• Making selections in the timeline .......................................................... p.128

• Working with clips ................................................................................. p.130

• Working with cues ................................................................................. p.136

• Locating clips ........................................................................................ p.138

• Trimming clips ...................................................................................... p.140

• Using the Scratch Pad .......................................................................... p.143

• Previewing your work ............................................................................ p.147


Making selections in the timeline

Before you can edit clips directly, you first need to select them (or aspecific duration). Making selections is the basis of editing in Video Editorand there are two types of selections that you can make: clip-based andtime-based. Clip-based selections are horizontal, moving left and rightacross tracks, whereas time-based selections are vertical, encompassingall clips in all tracks within the selected duration. You make selections inVideo Editor using either the Clip or Time Selection tools.

Notes:

• Press the Home and End keys to go to the beginning or end of a selection.

• To select all clips, click the Edit: Select: All command [CTRL+1]. Once selectedyou can copy these clips to another project or move them to create an emptytime slot. To deselect clips, click the Edit: Select: None command [CTRL+B].(These commands can also be choosen from the right mouse pop-up menu.)

Using the Clip Selection tool

The Clip Selection tool allows you to select clips in any of the tracks in thetimeline. You can select individual clips by clicking them, or, to select arange of clips, drag your mouse (with the Shift key held down) over theclips you wish to include in the selection. (You only have to include aportion of a clip for it to be included in the selection.) To select all theclips in a particular track click on the track button. Once you have selecteda clip you can move it or drag on its borders to trim the clip. (To moreaccurately trim a clip use the Scratch Pad, see p.143.)

Selecting a clip

VIDEO EDITOR: CHAPTER TWO 129

Using the Time Selection tool

The Time Selection tool allows you to select a period of time, includingany clips (or portions of clips) that occur within that time period.To perform a time selection, drag your mouse over the area of the timelineyou want to select. If you want to select all the clips in the timeline clickany of the track buttons or the Edit: Select: All command. (This commandcan also be choosen from the right-mouse pop-up menu.)

If you need to select a more precise period of time, (for example, down toa single frame), Video Editor provides the Edit: Time Selection command.(This command is disabled if you do not have the Time Selection toolselected.) Choosing this command opens the Time Selection dialog boxwhere you can specify the duration in the project to mark ‘in’ and ‘out’.The Mark In time corresponds to the start of the selection area and theMark Out time the end of the selection. Clicking OK automatically createsa selection marquee over the specified area of the timeline.

Note: If a time selection includes part of a set of grouped clips, the selection isadjusted to include all the clips in the group.

Selecting a period of time


Grouping clips

When you start to move clips you will often want a set of clips to staytogether. To make this easier, you can group the clips by selecting them(hold down the Shift key as you drag over the clips) and then clicking theEdit: Group command. Once grouped you can move the clips as one unit.To ungroup clips, select any clip in the group and then click the Edit:Ungroup command.

Grouping clips

Working with clips

Much of your work in Video Editor will be centered around moving andmanipulating clips in the timeline. For example, you can cut, copy andpaste clips just as you would any other data and move clips around todetermine their playing position in the final video sequence. The followingsection explains some of these more common tasks and takes you throughperforming such operations as splitting video and audio clips, relinkingclips to missing files and calibrating video clips for the best colorreproduction.

Cutting and copying clips

The Edit: Cut and Copy commands are some of the most familiar com-mands in any program and ones that you will use often. In Video Editoryou use these commands to cut and copy clips from the timeline and thenpaste them into either empty clip slots or over existing clips within thesame or a different video project. To cut or copy a clip first select it andthen click the appropriate button on the Standard toolbar. (You can also


click the Edit: Cut or Copy commands or use the right mouse button pop-up menu.) Another alternative is to use the Production Library (see p.101)where you can place clips you use most often and then drag-and-dropthem back into the timeline making identical copies.

Using your mouse, you can duplicate a clip by holding down the Ctrl keyand dragging the clip to another position within the same track or toanother compatible track in the timeline. (If you do not hold down the Ctrlkey as you drag the clip, it is moved instead of copied.) If the clip slotwhere you plan to move the clip is shorter than the clip itself, the pointerchanges to the stop pointer and the clip cannot be moved or duplicated.

Note: If you copy a clip containing an effect or filter icon to a track that isincompatible with the effect or filter, the icons are disabled and marked with an X.Moving the clip back into a compatible track enables the effect or filter.

Pasting clips

You can paste clips into any compatible track in the timeline. When youpaste, Video Editor allows you to paste the entire clip with Edit: Pastecommand [CTRL+V], or just its attributes with the Edit: Paste Attributescommand. If you choose the Paste Attributes command the PasteAttributes dialog box opens allowing you to paste video and audio filters,overlay options and moving paths. (Exactly which one depends on the datayou are pasting.) If pasting filters, there are two additional optionsAppend and Replace. Append adds the new filters to any existing filtersand Replace overwrites any existing filters with those from the pasted clip.(If no filters exist these options are disabled.)

The Paste Attributes dialog box


Clearing clips

After you have selected a clip or period of time you can remove it from thetimeline by clicking the Edit: Clear command [DEL]. If a video and audioclip are joined both are removed accordingly. If clearing a period of time,any clips that are included in the time selection are removed. (Clipspartially selected are trimmed to the selection boundary.) Once you clear aclip you create an empty clip or time slot. If you do not want to create anempty clip or time slot make sure that the Ripple Editing button on theAttribute toolbar is selected, (see p.143). The next time you use the Clearcommand any following clips move backward to the left to occupy thevacated space.

Snapping to clips

When you start moving clips around the timeline you often want the lastframe of one clip to appear next to the frame of the following clip. To helpplace the frames together, check the Edit: Snap command. The next timeyou move two adjacent clips together they will snap to each other’sboundaries, ensuring that there are no empty frames between the two.If you have any project cues placed on the timeline any clips will also snapto them. If you want to place clips or move selections more freely thenleave this command unchecked.

Splitting and uniting video clips

When you insert a video clip that has accompanying sound, both load intotheir respective tracks in the timeline and remain connected to maintainsynchronicity. At times you will want to disconnect these clips, either todelete one of the tracks or to move one independently from the other.To do this click the Clip: Split command. The two clips are now separated.If you wish to reconnect the clips use the Clip: Unite command. For thetwo clips to be successfully reunited they need to be of the same durationand in corresponding positions in the timeline.


Changing the speed of clips

The Speed command in the Clip menu allows you to adjust how fast avideo plays back to create fast and slow motion effects. When you adjustthe speed of a video, you effectively change how many frames appear eachsecond, and in doing so, affect the duration of the clip. As such, the clipalso changes in size to reflect the change in duration. For example, makinga clip go faster decreases its size while making a clip go slower increasesits size, (the clip is not trimmed).

Reversing the frames of a clip

The Clip: Reverse command allows you to take a clip and reverse theposition of the frames to create a rewind effect. When used in conjunctionwith several copies of the same clip, each with a different direction, youcan create interesting effects such as a flower blooming and closing orhaving someone retracing their steps. (Any audio accompanying the clipis also reversed if the two clips are united.)

Clip before reversing

Clip after reversing

Relinking clips

Whenever you open a project, Video Editor performs a cross-checkbetween the clips in the project and their associated source files.Sometimes the source files may be missing, having been either moved ordeleted. In such cases the clips appear blacked out but you can still edit


them, you just won’t be able to create any preview or final video files.To relink source files to their clips click the Search: Find Unlinked Clipscommand. The dialog box that opens displays a list of the missing sourcefiles, their associated filenames as well as options to relink, delete, or goto the clip on the timeline in question. If you choose to relink the RelinkVideo File Dialog box opens allowing you to browse for the missing file.

Replacing clips

If you have inserted proxy files into a video project or are using colorand silence clips as placeholders, you will need to replace them withactual video and audio files when it comes time to create the final videosequence. To do this select the clip to replace and click the Clip: ReplaceWith command. This opens a submenu of commands from where you canchoose the type of file you wish to replace the clip with, such as a videoor audio file. (Any existing filters, special effects and moving paths areretained by the new clip.)

Calibrating video clips

If you have captured or inserted a video file whose colors you were unableto properly calibrate (adjust) in Video Capture you can do so directly fromVideo Editor with the Clip: Color Calibration command. This works inmuch the same way as the Video Capture Format: Color Calibrationcommand but differs in that the options to control color adjustments arehandled directly by the Video Editor Color Calibration dialog box, and notyour video capture board. (To properly use the Color calibration commandyour video file needs to have a color bar test pattern which was created bythe video source, and included with the file at the time of capture, other-wise this command has no benefit.)

Note: For more on color calibration, see the Video Capture section, ‘Calibratingyour display’, p.73.


Freezing a frame

A common technique in video editing is freezing a frame during playback.In Video Editor this is done with the Clip: Freeze Frame command.Clicking this command open the Freeze Frame dialog box which allowsyou to specify which frame to freeze the play back from. You can chooseto freeze the playback before a certain frame has been reached or have thevideo freeze after a frame has been played. (When you freeze a frame,Video Editor keeps playing, it simply does not display any new framesuntil the specified frame has been met.) For example, setting the Freezebefore frame option to 3 seconds displays the frame at the 3 second mark,and once the time has been reached continues to display the remainingframes. If you set the Freeze after frame option to 6 seconds, the frame atthe 6 second mark is displayed while the video keeps playing back to theend of the clip.

The Freeze Frame dialog box

Setting field options for video clips

Video Editor allows you to work with both field-based and frame-basedvideo files. (For video to be field-based it needs to have been recorded assuch during the capturing process.) Field-based video stores video data astwo distinct fields of information for each frame. This allows the video toplay back flicker free on a television which interlaces both of these fieldsin odd/even scan lines. If your video is only for computer playback, thenfield-based has no benefit and you should save your work as frame-based.


You can specify the type of video you are working with in the FieldOptions dialog box, opened by clicking the Clip: Field Options command.In you are working on frame-based video, select the Frame-based option inthe Frame type combo box. For field-based video, select either the FieldOrder A or Field Order B options. Exactly which one depends on the typeof video capture board used to digitize the original video. (For informationon this order see the documentation accompanying your video captureboard.) If you cannot determine the correct order, switch between the twoto see which provides the best results.

If your video was originally field-based but you are editing the video asframe-based, select the Deinterlace option. This helps combine the twofields into one frame. For frame-based video which you are editing asfield-based, select the Flicker reduction option to help Video Editor createthe two fields necessary for each frame.

The Field Options dialog box

Working with cues

When you work on clips there will be times when you’ll want to return toa specific location for further editing or viewing. To do this quickly andeasily Video Editor provides you with cues that act as bookmarks for theareas in your project you want to later reference. In addition to markingthe location you can also append descriptive information to the cues whichcan act as quick notes to yourself about that area’s content or perhaps as areminder to add certain kinds of effects.


Placing and managing cues in a project

You can place cues in one of two ways: from the cue bar or by usingthe Navigator. To place a cue from the cue bar, click the cue bar(the bottom part of the ruler) at the appropriate location on the timeline;a blue cue marker appears. The default name of the clip, ‘&p’, uses thetime value of the cue’s location. For example, the default name of a cue atthe 1 minute, 30 second point would be ‘01:30:00’. To place a cue fromthe Navigator, click the +/- Cue button. A cue is placed at the currentlocation of the vertical Preview line. To position the Preview line, moveyour pointer to the top of the ruler, it changes to a star, and click on theframe you want to place a cue at. (The timecode of the frame is displayedin the Status bar.)

To view a cue’s name once it has been placed right click on it. If you wishto move a cue, drag it along the timeline to a new location; to remove acue drag it off the edges of the timeline, or, if using the Navigator, go tothe cue and then click the +/- Cue button.

Placing cues on the ruler

Managing project cues

The Cue Manager dialog box, opened by clicking the View: Cue Managercommand, allows you to delete cues, rename them or select ones to jumpto. If renaming a cue the Rename Cue dialog box opens allowing you totype a name and description (up to 63 characters). If you want to go tocues, you can also click the Previous and Next Cue buttons on theNavigator.


Locating clips

When working in Video Editor it’s very easy to quickly become lost in asea of clips, tracks and effects. This can make it hard to navigate andparticularly hard to find specific clips in the timeline. Video Editor hasseveral commands and features that allow you to easily locate your clips,either in one track or across all of them.

Locating a specific clip

If you wish to locate a specific clip, click the Find Clip button on theStandard toolbar or the Search: Find Clip com m and [CTRL+F] to open theFind Clip dialog box. This displays the start time, duration, track and nameof all the clips contained within the current video project. To go directly toa clip select it under Start Time in the list box and click OK. The dialogbox closes and a yellow arrow appears in the timeline at the top left cornerof the clip, (scrolling the timeline where necessary). To go to another clipfrom the same source file click the Find Next button on the Standardtoolbar or the Search: Find Next command [F2]. (The Find Clip dialog boxopens if there are no additional clips.)

Note: You can also use the Production Library (see p.101) to view all the clips inthe current video project and search through text annotated to the clips.

The Find Clip dialog box


Locating a specific time

Often it is useful to go to a specific time period in the video project ratherthan looking for specific clips. For example, you may wish to adjust theduration of the video sequence or make a selection area start at a specifictime. You can scroll the timeline to go to a specific time, but with a largeruler unit this can be a little inaccurate. For more precision, click theSearch: Go To command. This opens the Go To dialog box where you canselect an existing cue or type in the time you want to go to. The timelineautomatically scrolls to the specified position and the time is highlightedwith a yellow arrow. The dialog box also remains open allowing you tocontinue looking for clips.

Locating an empty time slot

When you work on a video project it is very easy to develop empty timeslots as you insert and move clips around various tracks. As opposed toan empty clip slot (which is the absence of clips in a particular area),an empty time slot is a period of time when no clips are present in any ofthe tracks. Such sections cause distracting breaks or ‘flashes’ of color inthe resulting video file and should be removed.

To view any empty time slots, click the Search: Find Empty Time Slotscommand. In the dialog box that opens all empty time slots in the videoproject are listed. You can choose to go to a specific time slot by selectingit and clicking the Go To button, or delete the time slot by clicking theDelete button. (Deleting a time slot shortens the duration of the videoproject accordingly.) If you come across an area that you want to retain orare not sure what it is for, click the Add Cue button. This places a cue atthe location which you can then go to at a later time to either insert newclips or remove.

Note: When you view the Find Empty Time Slot dialog box there will always beone time slot listed. This is the time slot at the end of the video project and cannotbe deleted.


Trimming clips

After you have inserted an image, video, or audio clip you may want toadjust or trim its duration to better suit your project. To do this VideoEditor offers several methods, such as the Clip Selection and Scissorstools, the Trim window and the Scratch Pad. Each of these offers differentadvantages depending on the type of clip and the operations you wishto perform.

Using the Clip Selection tool

The easiest way to trim a clip is to select it with the Clip Selection tool andthen drag the left or right border of the clip. How far you can drag dependson the type of clip. For example, you cannot exceed the duration for anyvideo and audio clips beyond that of their source files. With static clips,however, such as an image, title or color clips, you can freely adjust theirduration.

Trimming a clip with the Clip Selection tool

Using the Scissors tool

The most direct way to trim a clip is to ‘cut’ it using the Scissors tool.Cutting a clip breaks the clip at the pointer position, creating two separateclips that you can then move freely about the timeline. If you place twopreviously cut clips back in their original positions you can attach themtogether by clicking your left mouse button over the cut line. (You musthave the Scissors tool selected.)

Trimming a clip with the Scissors tool


Using the Trim window

When trimming clips it is often necessary to find the exact frame you wantto trim the clip to. With the ruler set to the frame level you can scroll to thedesired frame and use the Clip Selection or Scissors tool to trim the clip.However, this can be time-consuming and you may have to scroll throughhundreds of frames before you get to the frame you want to trim. A betteralternative is to use the Trim window. This displays the preceding andfollowing frame at the position of your pointer on the timeline. This isideal when you are at lower magnifications and wish to still see more ofyour project at one time.

To open the Trim window select the Trim Window command by rightclicking over a toolbar or using the View: Toolbar & Panels command.Locate the clip you want to trim and then drag the borders of the clipinwards. At each point in the clip the Trim window displays the precedingand following frames, with the preceding frame (timecode in red),indicating the last frame to be included in the clip. When you havefound the frame you want to trim to, release the mouse button.

Notes:

• If you have the Stitch trim option selected only the previous frame is displayedwhenever you use the Trim window.

• The Trim window has no effect if you are using the Time Selection tool.

The Trim W indow


Defining trim options and ripple editing

When you start to get a large number of clips in a video project you mayfind that there will be times when you want to trim or paste a clip but areunable to because another clip is occupying the same or similar position inthe timeline. To solve this Video Editor provides several options that allowyou to choose how changes to one clip affect any neighboring or underly-ing clips. To view these options click the Trim combo box on the Attributetoolbar or the Edit: Trim Options submenu. A list appears with thefollowing options:

• Normal allows you to trim a clip only within the available free clip slot.This option is best when there are few clips in the timeline, or when youwant to maintain the time positions and content of any following clips.

• Overwrite allows you to trim a clip so that it extends over a neighboringclip, thereby replacing the overlapped portion with the new clip.This option is useful when you want to replace portions of a followingclip or to paste a clip over another.

• Stitch allows you to trim a clip over another, trimming the neighboringclip instead of overwriting it. This is useful if you want to merge twoclips together and need to see the frames of each clip in the Trimwindow. (If the two clips are not adjacent you can only trim the activeclip to the duration of the clip slot.)

An example of stitching one clip over another


Ripple Editing

Ripple editing is a mode in Video Editor that allows you to trim, clear ormove a clip without affecting the spacing or the duration of any other clipswithin the same track. For example, moving one clip 5 seconds to the rightpushes all following clips along 5 seconds as well. This is very usefulwhen you are near the end of a project and do not want any changes to oneclip to affect the others. To select Ripple Editing mode click the RippleEditing button on the Attribute toolbar or the Edit: Ripple Editing com-mand. If you are not in Ripple Editing mode any trimming or pasting thatyou do does not affect the positioning and duration of neighboring clips,and you will be restricted to moving and trimming the clips dependingon available clip space.

Note: In Ripple Editing mode you cannot trim clips toward the start of the project(frame 0), unless there is an empty clip slot for the preceding clip to occupy.

Using the Scratch Pad

The Scratch Pad is a versatile tool that allows you to view the contentsof any audio or video clip, perform trimming operations and place clipspecific cues. You can load video, audio and image clips into the ScratchPad and, depending on the type of clip loaded, the Scratch Pad displaysdifferent features. To load a clip into the Scratch Pad select the clip andclick the Edit: Scratch Pad command, or double click on a video, audio orimage clip.

Note: You can have any number of Scratch Pads open in the workspace at anyone time. If you have several open, you can easily find the clip belonging to aparticular one by clicking the Find Clip button on the Scratch Pad. A yellow arrowmarker then appears at the top left corner of the clip in the timeline, scrolling thetimeline where necessary.


Playing a clip in the Scratch Pad

Once a clip has been opened in the Scratch Pad you can play it by usingthe controls on the Control bar. The control buttons are very similar tothose found on an ordinary tape deck and if you are already familiar withVideo Capture then these buttons will not be new to you. The ScratchPad Control bar, however, does have a few features not found in VideoCapture, such as the slider bar. The slider bar (for video clips only) showsthe progress of the clip during playback as well as indicating which areasare selected. You can scrub the clip forward and backward by moving theslider bar back and forth accordingly. Clicking the slider bar moves theslider thumb to the position of your pointer. You can also rotate the Shuttleknob to speed forward or backward through a video clip.

Note: In the General tab of the Preferences dialog box, (see p.121) the Return toFirst frame after playing option returns any sequence in the Scratch Pad to thefirst frame when it reaches the end (like a CD player). Leaving this clear stops thesequence on the last frame after playing (like a tape recorder).

A video Scratch Pad (left) and an audio Scratch Pad (right)

When you play back a video clip in the Scratch Pad the frames that appearas a clip in the timeline are outlined in red. These red frames indicate themark in and mark out points of the video. If you are playing back an audioclip the marked area appears in black on the waveform. For video clipsyou can also control the size of the Scratch Pad window by dragging the


borders of the window or by selecting a predefined size from the Controlmenu, opened by clicking the Control button on the top left corner of theScratch Pad.

For audio clips you can zoom onto the waveform by resizing the greenview box and then positioning it over the area where you want to start yourselection. Alternatively, you can select the Zoom button and click over thearea of the waveform you want to zoom in on. (Holding down the Shiftkey zooms back out.) To return to the normal pointer click the Zoom toola second time. When you click your pointer on the waveform the timecodeat that point is displayed on the Status bar. To move the pointer, use theappropriate buttons on the Control bar or the left and right arrow keys.

Trimming clips in the Scratch Pad

The Scratch Pad allows you to easily trim any part of an audio or videoclip and updates the clip automatically in the timeline. To do this, you firstneed to mark the areas of the clip which you want to trim.

To trim an audio or video clip:

1. Locate the frame you want to include in your clip and click the Mark-Inbutton on the Control bar. The current selection as well as the clip inthe timeline adjusts automatically to reflect the new position and thetimecode of the mark appears in the Mark In box on the Status bar.

2. Locate the frame you want to end with in your clip and then move onemore frame to the right and click the Mark Out button. (The Mark Outframe is not included in the selection because it indicates the first framethat is outside of the selection.) The current selection, as well as theclip in the timeline, adjusts automatically to reflect the changes and thetimecode of the mark appears in the Mark Out box on the Status bar.

If you click the Mark In button after an existing selection area, a newselection area is created. If you click it before, the original selectionadjusts to include the new frames. Similarly, if you click the Mark Outbutton after an existing selection, the selection adjusts to include thenew frames. Clicking before the selection area creates a new selection.

Note: To increase or decrease the selection area by a single frame hold down theShift key and press the arrow keys.


Placing cues in the Scratch Pad

An important feature of the Scratch Pad is that it allows you to place cuesin any video or audio clip. These work in much the same way as projectcues do in the timeline except that instead of highlighting areas of interestin the timeline, they highlight areas of interest in a specific clip. This helpsyou to more accurately pinpoint events in an audio or video clip that youcan come back to later to add effects to or indicate where you want keyactions to occur, for example, the sound of an explosion or the start of arace.

To place a cue on a clip locate the frame where you want the cue to appearand then click the +/- Cue button. For video clips, a cue is placed into theclip displaying the current timecode. For audio clips a cue marker is placedin the cue bar above the waveform. Later you can jump to these or givethem a more descriptive name. (To see a clip’s cues while in the timelineselect the Show cue bar option in the Display Mode dialog box,see p.117.)

Note: If you insert a wave file (WAV) with cue information from Audio Editor,the cues are displayed in the timeline. This allows you to better match events bymarking areas in the wave file where you want to later place particular clips.

Placing a cue in the Scratch Pad


Managing cues

Once you have placed cues on a clip in the Scratch Pad you can jump tothem, remove them or change their descriptions using the Cue Manager.To jump to a cue click the Go To Cue button. This displays a list of all thecues currently placed on the clip. Selecting a cue from the list then jumpsyou to that position, scrolling the window where necessary. If you want tochange a cue’s name, double-click it and in the Rename Cue dialog boxtype in a new description. (Right-clicking the cue over an audio clipdisplays the cue’s name or description.) To remove a cue, select it andthen click the +/- Cue button.


This version of MediaStudio Pro has dramatically enhanced previewperformance with Smart Render technology. Smart Render works bycomparing the changes made between files and only creates additionalpreview files for the changed portions. This content-sensitive behaviormakes for faster rendering times without placing extra an burden on yoursystem.

Note: If you want to play back a particular clip only, (without performing apreview), select it and click the View: Play Clip command.

Setting your preview options

Before you start to preview your video project you need to set theattributes of the resulting preview files. You can have it so that yourpreview is similar in size to your video project, or make it smaller andwith a lower frame rate to help save creation time.

Note: To speed up the preview process even more use proxy files (see p.110) inyour video projects.


To set your preview options:

1. Click the Preview Options button on the Standard toolbar or the View:Preview Options command to open the Video Preview Options dialogbox.

The Video Preview dialog box

2. Select the quality of the preview in the Preview method combo box inthe Video Editor tab. This combo box has the following four options:

• ActiveMovie Player this option creates a video file that has the bestpossible playback and quality by using the default WindowsActiveMovie Player. If you select this option you need to make sureyour temporary folder (specified in the Preferences dialog box, seep.121) has enough space to hold the resulting file.

• Best and Optimal these options behave similarly except in the waythey handle compression. The Best option first converts the compres-sion schemes for each of the original source files to be previewed andthen uses the scheme selected in the Compression tab to create thepreview file or files. By using the same scheme better results can beobtained as the data is more uniform in nature. The Optimal option onthe other hand uses the compression scheme of each source file tocreate a preview. As such this may produce a lower quality previewas the files may have been compressed differently.


• Instant this option does not create a preview file at all. Instead itrenders clips in real-time, displaying each frame in the Previewwindow. This is the fastest way to get a preview and uses no diskspace. The downside is that once the preview is finished you cannotplay it back again and it may drop frames depending on your systemand the complexity of your edits. It is, however, great for when youwant to get a rough idea on how your edits affect your project and forwhen an ‘on-the-fly’ preview is not enough (see p.151).

3. Specify the type of frames for your project in the Frame type combobox. You can choose between either frame-based or field-based. (Ifselecting field-based select the option whose field order matches youroutput device. For more on understanding the frame type, see p.135).

4. Select the Apply video filters option if you want to see the effect ofany video filters. Leave this clear if you have no video filters or if youhave no need to see the filters. (Applying filters can slow processingtime down considerably.)

5. Specify the attributes in the General, Advanced, Compression andAudio tabs. (For more on these see p.186,‘Creating a video file’).

6. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you return to the Video Editorworkspace.

Understanding Smart Render

Video Editor uses Smart Render whenever you have selected the Best orOptimal preview options and works by comparing the clips in the previewarea to the original source files. If no changes have been applied to theclips, or the preview file attributes are the same as the source files, thenVideo Editor does not create a preview file, instead, it points to theoriginal files and plays them back from the appropriate frame. If there aremultiple files, each plays back in one continuous stream. This helps speedup the preview process without making unnecessary changes.

If the clips have changed or the attributes of the preview file differ from


the source files (such as frame rate and size) then Video Editor creates apreview file. However, instead of creating a single file, Video Editorcreates a separate file for each and every segment in the preview area thathas changed. (On playback all files will play in one continuous stream.)The advantage to this is that when it comes to preparing a second preview,only the preview files, which have changed in some way, are re-rendered.This speeds up the creation process significantly, particularly if you have alarge preview area but have only made a small change, such as replacinga filter or an adding an effect.

Note: To use Smart Render, make sure that the Perform Smart Rendering optionin the Video Editor tab of the Video Save dialog box is selected (see p.187).

Performing a preview

Having defined your preview options you are now ready to preview yourvideo project. Do this by dragging your mouse over the preview bar toselect the duration you want to preview. A blue line appears on thepreview bar indicating the selected area. (To deselect the preview arearight-click over the preview bar.) After selecting a preview area click theView: Preview command [ENTER] or the Play Preview Area button on theNavigator. The Preview window appears displaying the saving progress.(If you are dissatisfied with how the video looks press the Esc button tostop.) Once completed the preview sequence automatically plays back.(For Instant previews the Preview window ends on the last frame.)If necessary you can also change the size of the Preview window byclicking on the control button and choosing a predefined size from the listthat appears. (To preview the entire project, click the Play button[SHIFT+ENTER] on the Navigator.)

Notes:

• To create a specific preview area choose the Edit: Preview Area command.This opens the Preview Area dialog box allowing you to enter the start and endtimes for the preview area. You can also click the Mark In or Mark Out buttonon the Navigator to set the start or end frame of a preview area at the currentposition of the Preview line.


• To manually adjust the preview area place your cursor on the edge of thepreview selection and drag.

• You can remove the vertical Preview line that appears whenever you perform apreview by dragging it off to either edge of the timeline.

• To play the source file of a clip and not preview it, select the clip and click theView: Play clip command.

Creating a preview selection area

Performing on-the-fly previews

If you want a quick preview while you are in the midst of editing a clip,and do not wish to wait for a preview file to be created, you can perform apreview ‘on-the-fly’. When you perform an on-the-fly preview you can seeyour clips along with any transition effects, moving paths and video filtersthat have been applied. To perform an on-the-fly preview, drag yourmouse across the top of the ruler. The pointer changes to a star and thevideo appears in the Preview window. The speed at which you drag yourmouse advances the preview accordingly.

Performing an on-the-fly preview


Managing preview files

You can quickly check on how much space your preview files are occupy-ing by clicking the File: Preview Files Manager command. This opens thePreview Files Manager dialog box which displays every preview file foreach video project you have created previews from. You can see howmuch disk space your preview files occupy and decide whether or not todelete them. You should delete them if they reference a video project youhave already deleted or no longer need.



• Group clips once they are in their final positions (p.130).

• Select the Edit: Snap command to snap clips to cues or to the edges ofother clips (p.132).

• Use cues in the timeline as well as Scratch Pads to identify and markareas of interest (p.136).

• Use the Trim window to quickly trim clips (p.140).

• Operate in Ripple editing mode (p.143).

• Use the Scratch Pad to view the contents of a clip, place cues or fortrimming (p.143).

• Use Best as your preview method (p.148).

• Perform on-the-fly previews for a quick look at your work (p.151).

Performing effects

Video Editor comes with a host of special effects modules built

into it, ranging from video filters that mimic darkroom effects to

audio filters that enhance soundtracks. More impressive effects

can be made with a variety of moving paths which allow you to

add a dynamic element to your videos while the Overlay tracks

give you the ability to perform advanced blue screen and color

keying effects.

Chapter 3


• Using key frame controls ...................................................................... p.154

• Performing transition effects ................................................................. p.156

• Performing a video overlay effect .......................................................... p.160

• Working with mattes ............................................................................. p.170

• Creating a moving path ......................................................................... p.171

• Creating titles ....................................................................................... p.177

• Applying video filters ............................................................................. p.180


Using key frame controls

When you perform any type of effect in Video Editor (as well as in VideoPaint and CG Infinity) you have the opportunity to specify the behavior ofthat effect at each and every frame in the sequence, rather than from justthe first to last frames. For example, if you apply a video filter, you caninterrupt the filter at various frames to change its effect or, if creatingmoving path, change the direction and size of the clip at particular frames.

Note: Key Frame Controllers can be found in the following: all Video Filter,Moving Path and Transition dialog boxes, the Overlay Options dialog box and theTime Control panel of CG Infinity.

To assign a key frame:

1. Open a dialog box that contains a Key Frame Controller. (This exampleuses the Overlay Options dialog box.)

The Key Frame Controller

When you view the Key Frame Controller there are two diamonds ateither end of the Key Frame bar, representing the start and end framesof the selected clip. You need to specify attributes for each of these keyframes as well as any others you add to the sequence. (If using theTime Control panel of CG Infinity, only the Start key frame appears asthe moving path has yet to be defined.)

2. Locate the area in the sequence where you would like to apply a keyframe. Do this by clicking the Play button or by dragging on thepreview slider.

3. Click the Add Key Frame button. A key frame is placed on the KeyFrame bar beneath the preview slider. A Red diamond represents theactive key frame, gray the inactive. You can jump to any key frame in

VIDEO EDITOR: CHAPTER THREE 155

the sequence by clicking on it in the Key Frame bar. (The appropriatevideo frame is displayed accordingly.)

To remove a key frame, select it and then click the Remove Key Framebutton. To move a key frame you can first remove it and then add it atanother location, or click the Previous and Next Frame buttons to movethe key frame along the sequence frame by frame. If you want toreverse the effect, such as changing a fade in to black to a fade out toblack, click the Reverse button, (not available in all dialog boxes.)This flips the key frames around so that they are now positioned fromback to front instead of front to back. (This is useful primarily if youonly have start and end key frames. If you have already placed anumber of additional key frames reversing them would change whichframes they were applied to.)

4. Specify the attributes of the effect that you want to occur at the selectedkey frame.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add or remove more key frames.

To see the effect on the actual clip, click the Play button beneath thePreview window. This plays back the sequence with the effect applied.To play both the original and the preview clip at the same time, clickthe Lock button. The next time you click any of the two Play buttonsor drag on the preview sliders, both preview windows play in unison.(The playback may be choppy depending on the type of effect you areplaying.) You can also control playback speed by selecting an optionfrom the Speed button. Clicking this button shows the following fouroptions:

• Normal renders all frames in the preview and is thus the slowest,but most accurate.

• Fast renders every second frame only, such as 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on.

• Faster renders every third frame only, such as 1st, 4th, 7th and so on.

• Fastest renders every fourth frame only, such as 1st, 5th, 9th andso on.

Note: These options may differ depending on the program you are in and thetype of effect you are performing.

6. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the effect is applied to the clip inthe timeline.


Performing transition effects

An integral part of any video or film presentation is the number andvariety of transition effects used to enhance the way clips merge, fade andcut from one scene to another. A well placed (and appropriate) transitioneffect can make your video sequence flow better, help maintain interestand add impact to your work.

Transition effects can only be placed into the Fx track of the timeline andbetween two overlapping clips in the Va and any other video track. Theamount of overlap determines the timing of the effect. (In most cases,effects happen quite rapidly and appear for no more than a second or two.)

To apply a transition effect:

1. Open the Production Library and select the Transition Effects optionfrom the Gallery combo box. (Double-clicking the Fx track also opensthe Production Library to the Transition Effects gallery.)

The Transition Effects gallery of the Production Library

The Transition Effect gallery displays all the available transitioneffects in Video Editor. There are over one hundred transitions whichare conveniently grouped into folders, with each displayed as ananimated thumbnail for easy identification. If your system supportsDirectDraw™ and Direct3D™, you will also find the following extraeffects which make special use of these features: Airplane, Flip, Foldbox, Cube and Board.


2. Locate the effect you want to apply and drag it into the Fx track,dropping it between the two overlapping clips where you want toapply the effect to occur. A yellow transition clip containing an iconrepresenting the type of effect and its name appears in the track.(Video Editor automatically adjusts the duration of the clip so that itstarts and ends between the two overlapping clips.) The TransitionOptions dialog box also opens displaying a preview of the choseneffect as well as several options for controlling its behavior.

3. Select the From Va to Vb option in the Transition group box.This performs the transition as the video sequence moves from theclip in the Va track to the clip in the Vb track. (If you want to movein the opposite direction select the From Vb to Va option.)

Note: Every transition effect clip placed in the Fx timeline contains a verticalswitch which allows you to change the direction of the transition without havingto open the Transition Effect dialog box. Clicking the switch changes thedirection accordingly.


4. Adjust the Divide by X and Divide by Y options if you want the effectto repeat itself within each frame. For example, if the effect is Box,changing the Divide by X and Divide by Y options to 4 produces fourindividual box effects horizontally across the clip and four verticallyalong the clip, (like a television wall monitor).

Changing the Divide by X and Divide by Y values

5. Specify a border for the effect. To change its color, right-click over thecolor square and choose from the palette available or from one of thecolor pickers. (This option may not be available for all effects.)

6. Apply a soft edge to the transition by selecting an option from the SoftEdge combo box. This smooths out the edges of the transition betweenthe two clips and works well for irregular shapes and angles. If youwant to keep a sharp edge, such as with straight lines, select None.(This option may not be available for all effects.)

7. Click from the available direction buttons to define the movement ofthe transition. (Depending upon the type of effect you can also selectto Reverse the selected direction.)

8. Specify the spot position of the transition with the X and Y spinboxes. A value of 0 starts the effect at the top left corner of the clip.(The default position is in the center of the clip.) You can also set thespot position by dragging the control point that appears in the centerof the sample image. (This option may not be available for all effects.)


9. Define the amount of the effect to apply in the Transition degreeslider. (This is disabled for some effects.) At 0% no effect occurs andat 100% the entire effect is completed.

The value you specify here determines how much of the effect isdisplayed at the current key frame in the video sequence. If you assigneach key frame the same value, such as 50%, then the effect remainsunchanged, resulting in a video window effect.

10. Click the Preview button to see how the effect looks on the sample Aand B clips. To see how the effect looks on the actual clips in the Vaand Vb tracks click the Actual Image button. (This requires additionalmemory and takes more time to display.) To see the effect at differentstages move the Preview slider back and forth. (You can speed up thepreview by clicking the Speed button and selecting an option from thedisplayed menu, see p.155.)

To save the effect for future use click the Add button to send the effectto the Production Library. The next time you wish to use this effectdrag-and-drop it directly from the Custom folder of the ProductionLibrary to the Fx track.

11. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the attributes are applied to thetransition effect clip.

Note: To edit the transition later double-click on the clip in the Fx track.

Performing a Turn Page transition effect


Performing a video overlay effect

Overlays are a common effect in video editing and work by controllingthe way two clips interact and merge with one another. (Overlays can onlybe performed on clips in any of the V1-V99 tracks.) There are two typesof effect you can create using overlays: superimposing and mixing.Superimposing, or color keying, allows you to select colors in a clipand make them transparent, thereby revealing any underlying clips.This technique is often associated with blue screens where an object orperson is filmed against a solid blue background and then the blue iskeyed out and a new background is inserted, such as a weather map oranother video.

Mixing clips is more straight forward than color-keying as it works overentire frames and you only need to control how the colors in the two clipscombine. For example, you can add the colors in the overlaying clip tothose in the underlying clip to produce new variations or subtract thecolors to create other effects.

To create a video overlay effect:

1. Select the clip in the video overlay track that you want to perform theeffect on.

2. Click the Overlay Options button on the Standard toolbar or the Clip:Overlay Options command. (This command can also be selected fromthe right mouse pop-up menu.) The Overlay Options dialog box opensdisplaying the original overlay clip and a preview of the overlay effect.(When you first open this dialog box both windows show the firstframe of the overlay clip as you have yet to apply any color keying ormixing type options.)


The Overlay Options dialog box

3. Select the overlay method you wish to apply from the Type combobox. (For a full description of each of these options and how to controltheir behavior see the ‘Working with overlay key types’ section, p.164)

4. Select the mask you wish to use from the Mask combo box. By defaultthis is set to Overlay Clip. The other options, Image Matte and VideoMatte allow you to place an image or video file over your overlay clip.(You will not see these options if your Type option is None. For moreon using mattes, see the ‘Working with mattes’ section, p.170)

5. Specify how you want to preview the overlay effect in the Previewtype combo box. This combo box has the following options:• Result displays how the overlay clip behaves with the underlying

clip.

The Result preview type


• FG Only displays just the overlay clip (the foreground) with thebackground (underlying clip) replaced by a solid color. (This color isspecified in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box, see p.121.)Use the FG Only option whenever you want to clearly see whichareas of the overlay clip are transparent. This is helpful if thebackground clip contains similar colors to the overlay clip, such aswith blue screens, as it allows you to more easily adjust the colorsimilarity until you have accurately keyed-out all the color youwant to make transparent.

The FG Only preview type

• Mask displays a black and white preview of your changes, withwhite areas being transparent and black ones opaque. This optionprovides the clearest view as to which parts of the overlaying andunderlying clips are affected, and is ideally suited to overlay clipswhich primarily have solid colors, such as blue screens.

The Mask preview type


6. Specify the range of colors to key out with the Similarity slider.The farther right you move the slider the greater the range of theeffect. (This is disabled if you have chosen a mixed-based type.)

7. Move the Gamma slider or drag the control point in the Gamma graphin the Advanced control group box to increase or reduce the gammavalues in the effect. You will only want to adjust the gamma if, afteradjusting the various other settings such as transparency and colorsimilarity, you are still left with stray colors you cannot easily key out,or you wish to adjust the colors of the clip after applying a mixed-basedtype. (For more on understanding gamma correction and how to use theAdvanced control, see the ‘Using gamma correction’ section, p.169)

8. Specify the opacity of the overlay clip using the Opacity slider.Depending on the selected type, Opacity works by controlling howmuch of the overlay clip is displayed, or how much of it blends withthe underlying clip.

9. Specify the transparency of the overlay clip using the Transparencyslider. (This is disabled if you have chosen a mixed-based type.)

10. Apply a soft edge to the overlay clip by selecting an appropriate optionfrom the Soft edge combo box. This smooths out the edges between thetwo clips and works well for irregular shapes and angles. If you want tokeep a sharp edge, such as with straight lines, select None.

11. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the attributes are applied to theoverlay clip.

Performing an overlay effect using the Color Key type


Working with overlay key types

When you create an overlay effect the Overlay Options dialog box allowsyou to select from a number of color types in the Type combo box. Thereare two main types you can choose from: color-based and mixed-based.Color-based types, such as Color, Luma, Chroma, Gray Key and BlueScreen, all work by making a specified key color transparent. (These typesalso allow you to control the Similarity and Transparency of the effect.)Mixed-based types, such as Multiply, Add, Subtract and Difference,determine how the overlaying and underlying clips merge with each otherby comparing the color value differences between each clip. (These typesonly allow you to control the Opacity of the effect.) Mixed-based typescan also be easily identified as they work on the entire clip and youcannot specify a key color in the Overlay clip of the preview window.

Note: For more about understanding color and color values, see theAppendix, p.327.

It is difficult to estimate which types are best to use and which are appro-priate at certain stages in a video production. The best way to determinethis is to experiment with the different settings to see which gets theresults you are looking for.

None

None does not perform any type of color-keying or mixing. Its primary useis for controlling the transparency of the overlay clip. For example,you could be placing a title or image clip that you want to blend in morewith the background clip.

Performing a transparency using the None type option


Color Key

Color Key allows you to select a color in the overlay clip to be transparent.To select the color, move your pointer over the preview in the Overlay clipwindow, the pointer changes to an eyedropper, and then click the coloryou want to key out. In the Overlay preview window you should now seethe underlying clip where-ever the key color appears in the original clip.If the color is not a solid color, you may have to adjust the similarity valueuntil all similar colors are keyed out. (To select a specific color, right clickover the color square and choose a color from the palette or from one ofthe color pickers.)

Note: If the area you want to key out is hard to locate or select, try to select thecolors of the areas you want to retain and then click the Invert overlay area option.This makes all the currently selected colors opaque, and the unselected colorstransparent.

Performing an overlay effect by keying out specific colors

Luma Key

Luma Key allows you to key out the luminance values (brightness andcontrast) of the overlay clip while ignoring the color values (hue &saturation). When you select the Luma Key, the preview in the Overlayclip window displays the luminance of the clip (this is the reason itappears as grayscale). The Luma Key is ideal for applying texture to thebackgrounds of clips. (To accomplish the desired effect the texture usedneeds to have strong areas of contrast.)

Performing an overlay effect using the Luma Key type


Chroma Key

Chroma Key is the opposite of the Luma Key and allows you to key outthe chrominance values of the overlay clip while ignoring the luminancevalues. When you select the Chroma Key, the preview in the Overlay clipwindow displays only the color values of the clip and, depending on thetype of clip, this may or may not change its appearance.

Performing an overlay effect using the Chroma Key type

Alpha Channel

Alpha channel allows you to key out areas of the overlay clip based on theinformation contained in an alpha channel. Alpha channels are very similarto masks and mattes in that they indicate which areas in the overlay cliphave been edited or contain a selection. This allows you to perform anedit, such as painting over a clip in Video Paint, and then have it appearseamlessly over the background clip in Video Editor, without having tokey out any specific colors. Generally, alpha channels are specified at thetime a file is created and are controlled by the program that the file iscreated in. Both CG Infinity and Video Paint support alpha channeling,which makes it easier for you to incorporate your work from those twoprograms with a Video Editor project.

When you select the Alpha Channel option, the areas specified in thechannel are immediately keyed out. (If the preview image does not change,then the overlay clip does not contain an alpha channel.) Once you key outan alpha channel, you may find that the object you want to retain has alsobeen keyed-out. To switch the effect, select the Invert overlay area option.

Note: The Similarity and Opacity controls are disabled for this option.

Performing an overlay effect by keying out the alpha channel


Gray Key

Gray Key places a midtone gray layer (R:128 G:128 B:128) over theoverlay clip reducing the chroma and luma values by half. To increase ordecrease the level of gray use the Gamma map in the Advanced controlgraph. Moving the graph upward increases the brightness and contrastwhile moving it downward decreases it. The Gray key is primarily for usewith any grayscale image or video mattes that you load into the OverlayOptions dialog box, particularly if they do not contain an alpha channel.

Note: The Similarity and Opacity controls are disabled for this option.

Blue Screen

Blue Screen is used for overlay clips that have a pure blue (R:0 G:0 B:255)or pure green (R:0 G:255 B:0) backdrop in them. After selecting thisoption you need to click the area of blue or green to key it out. If you areunable to key out all the color, use the similarity slider or drag over theimage in the Original clip preview to create a selection marquee. Allsimilar blue or green colors within the marquee are keyed out. (Any colorsnot blue or green are left untouched.) If the Blue Screen type does notproduce the results that you want try the Chroma Key type instead.

Note: The Opacity controls are disabled for this option.

Multiple

Multiple takes the RGB color values of the overlying clip and then multi-plies it with those of the underlying clip, dividing the result by 255;rounding to the closest integer value for each color channel. For example,if the overlying clip color is R:10 G:210 B:125 and the underlying clip isR:30 G:100 B:100 the resulting color will be R:1 G:82 B:49 – (R=10*30/255 G:210*100/255 B:125*100/255.) This may be a good way to darkenand highlight areas between the clips where similar colors overlap.

Note: The Similarity and Transparency controls are disabled for this option.



Add

Add takes the RGB color values of the overlying clip and then adds thoseof the underlying clip to create a new color. For example, if the overlayingframe is R:10 G:210 B:125 and the underlying clip is R:30 G:100 B:100then the resulting color will be R:40 G:255 B:225 – (R=10+30G=210+100 B=125+100). (Values greater than 255 are rounded down to255.) This type is often useful for lightening areas where your framesoverlap.



Subtract

Subtract works in the opposite way of the Add type, so instead of addingthe color values between the overlaying and underlying frames, they aresubtracted. As in the above example, R:10 G:210 B:125 and R:30 G:100B:100 would result in the color R:0 G:110 B:25 – (R=10-30 G=210-100B=125-100) (Color values less than 0 are rounded down to 0.) This type isoften useful for darkening areas where your frames overlap.




Difference

Difference takes its colors from the difference between the color values ofthe underlying clip and overlying clip. For example, if the underlying clipis R:10 G:210 B:125 and the overlaying clip is R:30 G:100 B:100 theresulting colors when merged are R:20 G:110 B:25 – (R:30-10 G: 210-100B: 125-100.) The Difference type is useful for comparing two clips whichhave with similar backgrounds. The areas that are significantly differentwill appear much clearer while the same ones will cancel themselves outto white.



Using gamma correction

Gamma refers to the gray values of a color which contribute to the levelsof highlight and shading that appear in an image. The Gamma graph is avisual guide which allows you to change these values and thus affectchanges in the highlights and shadows as well as the midrange or midtonevalues. The horizontal X axis represents the input (original) value fromblack at the left (0) to white to the right (255). The vertical Y axis repre-sents the output or changed value from white at the bottom to black at thetop. (Unchanged, X=Y, produces a straight intersecting line.)

If you move the gamma value higher up the graph you darken the clipwhereas moving it lower lightens it. To give you better control over whichhighlights and shadows are affected, you can move the two thumbtacksthat appear along both the X and Y axis. The Y axis thumbtacks representthe possible changes you can make to the greys of the original clip. Forexample, setting the minimum value thumbtack (bottom) to 25 and themaximum value thumbtack (top) to 75 restricts you to only changing theoriginal greys by a maximum 50%. The X axis thumbtacks work similarlyexcept they restrict you to only change the midtone greys of the originalclip, leaving the areas with strong highlights and shadows untouched.


Working with mattes

A feature of the Overlay Options dialog box is that it allows you to makeuse of mattes. In the film world mattes work just like color keying in thatthey show and hide various areas of the overlay clip. The added advantageis that because you are in the Overlay Options dialog box you can also usea Type to key out colors from the matte as well – effectively performingan overlay on an overlay. You can use any image or video file to be amatte, but in most cases you will create these yourself, such as in VideoPaint or CG Infinity, in order to control the colors used as well as anymovement. Once created you can load mattes into the Overlay Optionsdialog box by selecting the appropriate command in the Matte combo box.

Note: You can also use mattes to limit the effect of a video filter, see p.180.

Creating an image matte

Image mattes are great when you want to specify a particular area in theframe for a video to appear and need to get the cleanest possible blendwhen overlaying. You can create an image matte in any image editingsoftware or use MediaStudio Pro’s own Video Paint and CG Infinity. Allyou need to do is create an image the same size as the frames in your videoproject and then draw the area on the image where you want the video toappear, such as a circle or square. Fill the area you want the video toappear in as blue and the background as green. When finished load theimage file into the Overlay Options dialog box and then select the ColorKey type and click in the blue area. The blue area is then keyed out toreveal the underlying clip.

Note: If preparing an image or video for color keying, use a solid color as thebackground, such as blue. Do not use black or white as these colors tend to‘bleed’ into the overlay clip.


Video mattes are essentially multiple images (frames). You can make avideo matte by creating a sequence of images, such as Targa animations(TGA) and then insert them into Video Editor as a Ulead Image Sequence,or use Video Paint to draw on each frame in a video. Once completed, you


can then load it into the Overlay Options dialog box and specify whichcolors to key out or how to control its mixing with the underlaying clip.

Using grayscale mattes

Mattes are generally comprised of two solid colors that make it easierto identify which areas to show and which to hide. For greater control,you can use a grayscale matte, which works by applying a gradienttransparency to the matte where the level of transparency directly corre-sponds to the level of gray. For example, lighter grays will be moretransparent than darker grays, with pure white being 100% transparentand black opaque. Using grayscale mattes in this way gives you muchgreater control over how clips merge and blend with each other.

Applying a grayscale image matte in the Overlay Options dialog box


One of the more advanced effects of Video Editor is its ability to generatea moving path. A moving path is much like a road, dictating the route oneclip takes as it passes over another. Just as a road can have many twistsand turns, so too can a moving path. For example, you can have one clipzigzag its way across another, or appear and then disappear from thesequence – you can even use the moving path to create slow and fastmotion effects. Moving paths can be applied to any clip in the videooverlay tracks, and are most commonly used with title clips and objectscreated with CG Infinity.


Using the Moving Path dialog box

In Video Editor you can choose from five distinct moving paths: 2D basic,2D Advanced, 3D, 3D Cylinder and 3D Sphere. They all use the samedialog box to control their movements, differing only in areas specific totheir effect.

MOVING PATH DIALOG BOX

Motion Control window allows you to determine the path a clip takes byadjusting various control points. When you first open a Moving Path dialog boxthe start (S) control point is active and appears at the center of a sample of theclip. By dragging the start control point you can reposition the clip. To repositionthe end (E) control point click it to make it active and then drag it to a newlocation. (If you use the Key Frame Controller, you can add additional controlpoints which give you more options for controlling the direction of the path.)Beneath the sample clip is a fixed frame which represents the frame size of thevideo project. If your moving path does not appear within this frame then it will notbe seen in the resulting video sequence.

Key frame controller controls where key frames are placed. (For more onusing the Key Frame Controller, see p.154.)

Reference box allows you to change the position of the sample clip, therebycontrolling which part of the clip moves first, as well as the axis of any rotations(except for 3D Sphere and 3D Cylinder) – by default this is set to the center.For example, clicking the top left corner changes the focus of the active key frameon the sample clip in the Motion Control window to the top left corner of the clip.

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This is particularly useful when you need to reposition a clip but are restricted bythe size of the Motion Control window, such as for long title credits. By switchingthe reference of the clip to the top, you can then drag the sample clip outside ofthe frame box and beyond the area of the Motion Control window.

Display options provides various options for controlling the display of thesample slips in the Motion Control window. The first option, Zoom, opens theZoom window which displays the Motion Control window in greater magnification.A green frame also appears in the Motion Control window indicating the currentarea displayed in the Zoom window. (By moving this frame you change the areabeing examined.) You can increase the zoom level (up to 4x) by right-clicking theZoom window (to zoom out left-click). With the Zoom window open you can stillwork on your moving path by dragging the control points in the Motion Controlwindow. The second option, Restore, restores the clip’s dimensions to its originalsize once it has been changed. The third option, Actual Image, replaces thepreview clip in the Motion Control window with thumbnail frames of the clip. (If youhave the Show Background button pressed, the background clip is also displayedin the frame window.) The fourth option, Title Safe Area, displays guidelinesaround the frame box representing the viewable area on a television. As televi-sions have a different resolution compared to computer monitors, anythingappearing outside of these lines may not appear when the video is output to tape.The fifth option, Show Background, displays the background clip in the framewindow. (To see this you must have the Actual Image button pressed.)

Preview options allow you to preview your moving path. The first option,Speed, allows you to determine the speed of the preview, with slower previewsproviding the more accurate representation. To perform a preview click thesecond option, Animate. This plays a preview of the moving path from the startkey frame to the end. (You can also drag the Key Frame slider to scrub throughthe sequence.)

Width and Height spin boxes define the width and height of the actual clip.By changing a clip’s dimensions you can make it appear larger or smaller asit travels over time.

X and Y spin boxes determine the actual position of the clip within the framebox. (X moves along the horizontal, Y the vertical, with the top left corner of theframe being X=0 and Y=0.)

Keep aspect ratio ensures that any changes to a clip’s frame dimensions arereflected equally in the Width and Height spin boxes. Leave this selected if you donot want any distortion to occur when you change a clip’s dimensions. If clear youcan stretch and pull the clip irrespective of its original settings.

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To create a 2D basic moving path:

1. Open the Production Library and select the 2D Basic Moving Pathoption from the Moving Path gallery.

2. Select the 2D Basic Moving Path from the subfolder and thendrag-and-drop the Moving Path thumbnail onto the clip you want toapply it to. This automatically opens the Moving Path dialog box.

3. Click the start (S) control point and drag the sample clip to the positionyou want the clip to begin its movement; the control line adjustsaccordingly.

4. Click the end (E) control point and drag the sample clip to the positionyou want the clip to end its movement; the control line adjustsaccordingly.

5. Click the Animate button to preview the moving path. (To see theactual video clip click the Actual Image button.)

6. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the moving path is applied to theclip.

Performing a 2D basic moving path

Creating a 2D advanced moving path

The 2D Advanced Moving Path dialog box is similar to the 2D BasicMoving Path except that you can spin a clip around a central point in twodimensions. You do this by dragging the rotation dial, entering a value inthe Rotate spin box or by clicking the plus/minus buttons. You can alsoslant the clip or create perspective effects by dragging the handles thatappear in the Distortion box.

Note: If you resize a clip, its contents are resampled accordingly. Depending onthe type of clip, this may produce degradation in image quality.


Performing a 2D advanced moving path

Creating 3D moving paths

Creating a 3D moving path, whether a simple 3D path, 3D sphere, or 3Dcylinder, is much the same procedure as creating a 2D moving path. Thethird dimension simply consists of additional rotation angles. The differ-ence between the three is that 3D paths allows you to move clips freely inthree dimensions, while the 3D Sphere and 3D Cylinder help you control a3D path by providing an object around which the clip can rotate.

If performing a 3D Sphere and Cylinder Moving Path, their respectivedialog boxes have options for controlling the behavior of the path and theclip itself. For example, the Clip Angle (in the Adjust combo box)controls the rotation of the clip on the surface of the sphere or cylinder,and rotation values can be entered using the rotation dial, the plus/minusbuttons, and the entry boxes. The X and Y coordinates determine theplacement of the sphere or cylinder in reference to the center of the videowindow, whereas the Angle and Y values (Angle 1, and Angle 2 in the 3Dsphere dialog box) rotates the sphere/cylinder vertically or horizontallyinto the third dimension. You can also rotate or resize the sphere orcylinder with the Rotate and Radius entry boxes.

Performing a 3D moving path


Performing a 3D cylinder moving path

Performing a 3D spherical moving path

Managing key frames on a moving path

When you create your first moving path it moves linearly from the startkey frame to the end key frame. You can achieve much more flexibilityby adding additional key frames along the path to introduce changes indirection, and new angles for the clip to take. To add key frames, use theKey Frame Controller found inside each Moving Path dialog box.(See p.154 for a description of the Key Frame Controller and for addingkey frames.) Once a key frame has been placed, you can move its corre-sponding clip freely within the Motion Control window as well as changethe clip’s dimensions and shape using the various options available in theMoving Path dialog box. You can also control the speed of the movingpath between key frames by adjusting their distance between each other.

Changing the direction of a moving path


Changing the speed of a moving path

Because key frames are added at fixed points in time, the distance a cliptravels between the points affects its rate of travel. For example, to travelthe distance from the start key frame to the end takes the duration of theclip. If you add a key frame and then drag it closer to another it creates aslow motion effect as the clip now has more time to move over a shorterdistance. For example, if you added a key frame at the 30 second markand then moved it closer to the previous point, it would now have a shorterdistance to travel before it gets to the 30 second mark. Dragging themfarther apart creates accelerated motion, as the clip must now travel overa greater distance in the same amount of time.

Creating titles

When working on a video project you will often want to place text overcertain parts of a video sequence. This can help add more impact to yourvideo by greatly reinforcing any accompanying narration you may have aswell as adding emphasis to particular events in a video sequence. The mostcommon example of this is with the opening and ending ‘title credits’ thatappear in movies and television shows. In Video Editor you can place titleclips in any of the video tracks, but in most cases you will want to placethem into an overlay track so that the text can appear superimposed over abackground video clip.

To create a title clip:

1. Click the Title button on the Attribute toolbar or the Insert: Title Clipcommand or the right click pop-up menu. (This command can also beselected in the right mouse button pop-up menu.) The Insert title Clipdialog box opens.


The Insert Title Clip dialog box

2. Type the text that you want in your title in the Title text list box.

Each time you enter text the Size group box changes to indicate thewidth and height of your text compared to the frame size of your videoproject. If the width exceeds the frame size you need to reduce the sizeof the font or add a new line. To start a new line press Ctrl+M or Enter.

Once you have typed your text you can save it for later editing or spellchecking in a word processor by clicking the Save button. If you havealready created a text file you can add it by clicking the Open button toload the file into the Insert Title Clip dialog box. (The file must be atext file only with a TXT file extension.) Once placed into the Title textlist box you will need to format it the way you like as well as adjust thelength of the text.

3. Select the Enable rolling option if you want the text to move over thebackground clip.


4. Specify the format of the text in the Font tab. (The changes you makehere affect all the text in the Title text list box. If you wish to changethe format for certain text you need to insert it as a separate Title clipor use CG Infinity.)

Note: Choosing center alignment only aligns the text within the clip. If youwant to center the clip over a background clip, use a 2D Basic moving path.

5. Select the Anti-Aliasing option for smooth text.

6. Select the Opaque option to display your text. If you clear this optionyour text will be transparent over any background clips. To specify thecolor of the text right-click the Fill color square and choose a colorfrom the displayed palette or use the Ulead Color Picker or WindowsColor Picker.

7. Select the Outline option to place a keyline around each letter in yourtext. You can specify the color by right-clicking the Line color squareand the width by using the Line width spin box.

8. Select Shadow to place a shadow behind the text and specify the colorby right-clicking on the Shadow color square. Use the X and Y spinboxes below to specify the position of the shadow and the Shadowtransparency spin box to control how much of the underlaying clipshows through. To have the shadow extrude from the text, click the 3Dshadow option. Left clear the shadow is a drop shadow.

Note: This option is disabled if you have the Enable rolling option selected.

9. Select Opaque background if you want the title background tocover any underlying clips, right-clicking the Fill color square todetermine its color. If you want the title to appear over an underlyingclip leave this clear.

10. Click the Rolling tab to specify how the text moves over anybackground clips. (This is disabled if you did not first select theEnable rolling option.) In the Rolling tab you can:• Control the direction, moving either upwards, bottom to top or

sideways, left to right.


• Align the text and specify the start and stop attributes. Off the screenmakes the title first start and end out of view while At the centerstarts and ends the title’s movement in the middle of the clip.(You can perform a far greater range of movement if you incorporatethe title clip with a moving path effect, see p.171.)

• Control the speed of the clip as it moves as well as the number oftimes it repeats itself.

11. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you can now place the clip intothe timeline. To edit the clip at a later date double-click it and the textwill appear in the Insert Text Clip dialog box.

Placing text clips over multiple frames

Note: If trimming rolling text, you can only decrease its duration, not extend it.

Applying video filters

Video Editor’s wide range of special effects and filters allow you toenhance and improve existing video frames as well as create excitingattention grabbing effects. You can apply filters from the Video Filtersdialog box or access them from the Production Library. (The followingprocedure uses the Video Filters dialog box.)


1. Select the video clip you want to apply the filter to.

2. Click the Video Filters button or the Clip: Video Filters command toopen the Video Filters dialog box. (This command can also be selectedfrom the right mouse button pop-up menu.)

3. Select the filter you want to apply from the Available filters list boxand click Add. The filter is moved to the Applied filters list box.


4. Click the Options button to view the filter and change its attributes.When you click Options a dialog box opens displaying two windows:Original, with the selected video clip and Preview which shows theresult after application of the filter.

5. Change the various filter attributes until you get the result you want.Remember to adjust both the start and end attributes. (The options inthis dialog box vary depending on the type of filter you are using.)

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to add more filters. Filters are applied in the orderthey appear in the Applied Filters list. To change this order, select thefilter and then move it up or down with your mouse.

7. Click OK. The Video Filters dialog box closes and the filter is appliedto the clip.

Note: If you regularly use the same filter, you can define its default attributesby double-clicking its thumbnail in the Video Filters gallery of the ProductionLibrary. This opens the options dialog box for that filter which you can thenedit to change the default.

Applying a regional matte to a video filter

When you apply a video filter it affects the entire frame of a video clip.There may be times however when you would prefer it to only affect acertain portion of the clip, such as a highlighted area or a specific scenein the background. Do this by first creating an image or video matte(see p.170) and then loading the matte into the Video Filters dialog box.(Region may not be available for all filters.)

Note: If you do not have a matte to use then specifying a region has little benefit.

To apply a regional matte:

1. Open the Video Filters dialog box and have the filter you want to workwith placed in the Applied filters list box.

2. Click the Region button to open the Region dialog box.

The Region dialog box is very similar to the Overlay Optionsdialog box in that it allows you to select a color key type as wellas a matte file.


The Region dialog box

3. Move the Threshold slider to control the degree of the effect. You canalso choose to invert the area being affected by selecting the Invertoption.

4. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to the Video Filters dialogbox.

Applying audio filters

Apart from applying video filters, Video Editor also allows you to applyaudio filters. These are the same as the ones found in the Audio Editorprogram and allow you to do everything from increasing a clip’s amplifi-cation, to removing noise to applying special effects such as fades andechoes.

To apply an audio filter:

1. Select the audio clip you want to apply the filter to.

2. Click the Audio Filter button or the Clip: Audio Filter command toopen the Audio Filter dialog box. (This command can also be selectedfrom the right mouse button pop-up menu.)

You can also open the Audio Filters folder in the Production Libraryand drag-and-drop the thumbnail of the filter you want to use onto theclip you want to apply it to. If you drag the filter from the Production


Library that particular filter’s dialog box opens; if you click the AudioFilters button or command the general Audio Filters dialog box opens.(This procedure uses the general Audio Filters dialog box.)

3. Select the filter you want to apply from the Available filters list andclick Add. The filter is moved to the Applied filters list.

4. Click the Options button to view the filter and change its attributes.(Not all filters have options you can change.)

5. Change the various filter attributes until you get the result you want.(The options in this dialog box vary depending on the type of filter youare using.)

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 to add more filters. Filters are applied in the orderthey appear in the Applied Filters list. To change this order, select thefilter and then move it up or down with your mouse.

7. Click OK. The Audio Filters dialog box closes and the filter is appliedto the clip.


To change the amplification of an audio clip you can use the Amplifyfilter or, for quicker results, edit the audio clip directly from the timeline.By changing the amplification of a clip you can effectively control howone audio clip fades into or out of another.

Changing the amplification of an audio clip from the timeline:

1. Select the audio clip whose amplification you want to change.

2. Click on the baseline that appears in the middle of the clip. A controlpoint is placed at the position of your pointer.

3. Drag the control point up to increase amplification, down to decreaseamplification. (To add additional control points, repeat steps 2 and 3.)

Note: To remove a key frame, drag it off the top or bottom of the clip.





• Place key frames to control the appearance of effects at differentstages (p.154).

• Change the Preview As option in the Overlay Options dialog box tobetter see which areas of the overlay clip are keyed-out (p.161).

• Select the Gray Key Type in the Overlay Options dialog box whenusing Grayscale mattes (p.167).

• Use mattes to show or hide specific areas in a video (p.170).

• Change the aspect ratio of a clip in the Moving path dialog box tocreate a zoom effect (p.171).

• Load an image matte into the Video Filters dialog box to control whicharea of the video is affected by the filter (p.181).

• Change an audio clip's amplification by dragging directly on the baseline of the clip in the timeline (p.183).

Creating and outputting your files

Working in Video Editor you will inevitably create different kinds

of files, from audio files, edit decision lists (EDLs), proxy and

DVP files, to the final video file that represents the culmination

of your work. If creating video files, you can send them back out

to a video device, such as a VCR recorder, or prepare them for

distribution over the Internet and CD-ROM.

Chapter 4


• Creating a video file .............................................................................. p.186

• Analyzing a video file’s data rate ........................................................... p.194

• Creating an audio file ............................................................................ p.196

• Creating an image sequence ................................................................ p.197

• Creating an edit decision list (EDL) file ................................................. p.198

• Outputting to video tape ........................................................................ p.200


Creating a video file

Most of your work in Video Editor will be aimed at generating a videofile of all the clips in the timeline. You can create a video file in severalformats, including AVI, QuickTime, animation or MPEG files. In thisversion of MediaStudio Pro the creation process has been significantlyenhanced with Smart Render technology, which only saves the changedportions of a video sequence. This means that the original file does notneed to be decompressed and then recompressed (except for the changedportions) and as such maintains the original quality of the source files andalso considerably speeds up the creation process.

Note: Before creating video files it is a good idea to first read the backgroundinformation in the Appendix. This helps explains many of the terms and conceptsyou will meet when saving video.

To create a video file:

1. Click the File: Create: Video File command to open the Create VideoFile dialog box.

2. Select the drive and folder where you want to save the video andspecify the file type you want to create, such as AVI, MOV or MPG.

3. Type a name for the file in the File name entry box. You can alsoappend a subject line and a short description to your file as well as savethe file to the Production Library. Clicking the Select button alsoallows you to assign a thumbnail image from any of the clips in theproject for use as a visual representation of the file in any previewenabled dialog box or browser.

4. Click the Options button to open the Video Save Options dialog boxto view or edit the attributes of your video file. (See the next sectionon ‘Determining your video save options’ to learn more about thisdialog box.)

5. Click OK to accept the current video attributes. The Video SaveOptions dialog box closes and you return to the Create Video Filedialog box.

6. Click Save. The dialog box closes and the creation process begins.

VIDEO EDITOR: CHAPTER FOUR 187

Determining your video save options

The Video Save Options dialog box provides five tabs for specifyingvarious video file attributes: Video Editor, General, Advanced, Compres-sion and Cropping. These options are available whenever you create avideo or preview file. Below is an explanation of each of these foldersand the options they contain. (These tabs and their options may differdepending on the type of file you are saving.)

Note: These tabs and options are also shared by Video Paint and CG Infinity.

VIDEO SAVE DIALOG BOX: VIDEO EDITOR TAB

Entire project creates a video file of the entire project.

Preview range creates a video file of only the preview area. (This option isdisabled if your video project has no preview area.)

Frame type determines the format to save the video in, either as frame-basedor field-based. (For more on these option see the ‘Setting field options for videoclips’ section, p.135).

Play after creating plays the resulting video file after its creation.

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Perform Smart Rendering speeds up the creation process by reusingpreviously saved video, re-rendering only the areas modified since you lastcreated the video. (You must use the same file name and destination). VideoEditor detects these differences by monitoring the changes made to the videoproject and matching those with the existing video file. (If Video Editor cannotlocate the original file a message box appears prompting you to browse for thefile.) In most cases leave this option selected as it dramatically improves creationtime.

Keyframe control allows you to control the placement of keyframes forcompression schemes that support interframe compression such as Cinepak.(If the selected compression scheme does not support key framing then theseoptions have no effect.) The first option, Add keyframe at cue position makesa keyframe wherever a cue appears in the timeline. This allows you to arbitrarilyplace cues at points in the video that you think will benefit from a keyframe,namely areas with large movements or shifts in color. The Add keyframe at clipedge option makes a keyframe where two clips join or overlap. In general, selectthis option as the transition between clips often involves movement or significantcolor shifts. The final option, Use keyframe file allows you to load in a key file(KEY) previously created in the Data Rate Analysis dialog box, (see, p194).

Note: For more on understanding keyframing and compression, see theAppendix, p.327.

VIDEO SAVE DIALOG BOX: GENERAL TAB

Data track specifies whether to create a video file of the video track only orboth the video with the accompany audio track. (To save the audio track only clickthe File: Create: Wave File command.)

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Frame rate specifies the frame rate to use for the resulting video file.

Frame size determines the size of each video frame. You can choose from arange of predefined sizes or define your own. If you define your own, check the

Keep aspect ratio option to maintain vertical and horizontal proportions.When left clear you can independently resize the video to create nonstandardeffects such as wide TV.

Note: The frame rate and frame size you choose should match those specified inyour video project.

VIDEO SAVE DIALOG BOX: ADVANCED TAB

Target playback drive specifies the data rate which matches the speed of thedevice your file is intended to be played back from. For example, if you plan onplaying the file back from a CD-ROM select the appropriate data rate, such as 300KB for double speed CD-ROMs. If you specify a fixed data rate Video Editor willnot exceed that when creating the video file. If the actual rate exceeds the definedrate the creation process is halted and a message appears asking to cancel orcontinue. If you continue, frames may be dropped resulting in a lower quality file.(To prevent the data rate message dialog box from appearing, clear the Displaydata rate warning message option in the General tab of the preferences dialogbox.) For general purposes select the Custom option to have Video Editor createthe video file ignoring the data rate.

Check data transfer rate displays the predefined data rate selected in theTarget playback drive combo box. You can change this to better reflect yourplayback device or leave it as is.

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Interleave audio and video evenly distributes video and audio data within thevideo file. Standard AVI files are interleaved at 1:1 which means that each videoportion is followed by an audio portion. (This is the recommended option for filesdestined to be played back from a CD-ROM.) In most cases you should leave thisselected unless you have a reason not to, such as when creating MPG files whichhave their own method for handling audio and video data..

Pack audio data for every controls how many audio samples are packed intoeach frame of an AVI file. For example, a value of 4 packs four frames of audiodata into one frame (VA,V,V,V,VA,V,V,V... ). Packing audio data helps compres-sion as more similar data is placed together. If your audio track is backgroundmusic, then set this to equal your frame rate. If it is a ‘talking head’ shot or youare distributing the video over the Internet or on CD-ROM, then set this value to1 as it is more important to maintain synchronicity between the audio and videotracks.

Pad frames for CD-ROM ensures that data is more efficiently stored foroptimum CD-ROM playback. You should select this option whenever your files areintended for CD-ROM output.

VIDEO SAVE DIALOG BOX: COMPRESSION TAB

Compression specifies the compression scheme to save the file with.

Quality controls the quality of the resulting file by varying the amount ofcompression used. The better the quality (toward 100%) the less the compres-sion. The trade-off is the resulting file size, (better quality equals larger files).Some compression schemes enable the Configure button which allows you tofurther refine your compression options.

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Keyframe for every specifies which frames in a video sequence will bekeyframes. More frequent keyframes result in better quality but increase file size.As a rule of thumb, keep the rate low if the file contains rapidly changing scenesand higher for files that have long stable scenes. (If you have selected otherkeyframe options in the Video Editor tab, these are added by the compressionscheme to the keyframes specified here.)

Note: When you select a compression scheme the Keyframe for every spin boxchanges to indicate the default number of keyframes the scheme uses.

Data type determines the number of colors to save the video with. In general,the lower the number of bits used the smaller the resulting file size. 8-bit datatypes contain 256 colors and are useful for single color animations and for whenthe video is intended to be played back on a 256 color display mode. 16-bit (over64,000 colors) and 24-bit (over 16 million colors) are best for video with a varietyof natural colors. (Which options are available is determined by the compressionscheme selected in the Compression combo box.)

Use common palette selects how the colors in an Indexed-Color (8-bit)video’s palette are created. The 3-3-2 bits option creates a palette consisting ofeight reds (3-bits), eight greens (3-bits) and four blues (2-bits). If you have morevariation, try the 6-6-6 levels option which provides for six levels (shades) of red,green and blue. This is the standard Windows color palette and should be used ifyou are displaying video on a 256 color display mode or want to use Netscape’sstandard palette for display over the Internet. The 6-7-6 levels option provides anextra level of green if needed and the Optimized option creates a palette from thevideo file itself. If you select this option Video Editor first analyzes all the framesin the video sequence and then generates a palette that best represents the rangeof colors. (To speed up this creation process, check the Use temporary file whencreating 8-bit optimized palettes option in the Preferences dialog box.) TheOptimized option gives you the best results but the video may produce color shiftsif played back on a 256 color display. If you have created a specific palette file(PAL) in another program, such as Ulead PhotoImpact, you can use that as thepalette by clicking the Load button and then selecting the file.

Note: Generally speaking it is best to try out a variety of compression schemesand options on a test version of the same file then compare the resulting file sizesand playback quality.

Audio specifies the compression and attributes for the audio track of a video.In the Sound Selection dialog box that opens you can select from the Namecombo box the scheme to save the audio with, such as CD quality, Radio qualityor Telephone quality. When you select a scheme, its attributes are displayed inthe Attributes combo box. (You can also select a new combination of audioattributes directly from this combo box.)

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Notes:• For more on understanding audio, see the ‘Creating a new edit window’ section

in the Audio Editor chapter, p.300.

• If you select new attributes and wish to save them for later use, click the SaveAs button. The Save As dialog box opens allowing you to assign a name to theattributes. Clicking OK saves the attributes and the specified name appears inthe Name combo box.

VIDEO SAVE DIALOG BOX: CROPPING TAB

Cropping is a useful way for controlling the frame size of a video without havingto resize the actual frames. This is important as resizing frames resamples theoriginal video, resulting in distortions and loss of quality. The downside though isthat you need to remove data which may or may not be important. Cropping isalso good for removing unwanted noise that may occur around the edges of avideo due to bad capturing or copying.

Cropping specifies the area of the video that you want to crop (remove) fromthe resulting video file. You can enter values in the spin boxes provided in theCropping group box or drag on the control points on the preview image. If youdo not want the frame size changed, select the Keep original size option.This resamples the cropped video so that it maintains the specified frame size(this does produce degradation, however, depending on the amount of resamplinginvolved.) After resizing the control box you can move its position by draggingit. (Use the slider beneath the window to preview how your changes affect thevideo.)

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Performing a batch video creation

If you have been working on several projects Video Editor allows youto create video files for each one without having to first open themindividually into the timeline. This is ideal if you want to create your videowith your machine unattended, such as overnight.

To perform a batch video file creation:

1. Click the File: Create: Multiple Files command to open the CreateMultiple Files dialog box.

2. Click the Add button and in the Add Project File dialog box that opensselect a project file you wish to create a video file from. Once selectedclick OK. The standard Create Video File or Create Audio File dialogbox opens depending on your selection in the Default group box.

3. Define the various attributes of the resulting video file in the CreateVideo File dialog box, clicking Save when finished. The dialog boxcloses and you return to the Create Multiple Files dialog box.(If you are not sure about defining the attributes of a video file,see ‘Determining your video save options’, p.187.)

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have inserted the project files which youwant to create a video file from. (You can still change the attributes ofa file by selecting the video project file from the Project list box andthen clicking on the respective Video File or Audio File buttons.)

5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the video files are created in theorder they appear in the Project list box.

Note: Clear the Display data rate warning message option in the general tabof the Preferences dialog box if you do not want the creation process halted ifthe actual data rate exceeds the defined data rate.


Analyzing a video file’s data rate

In Video Editor you can analyze a video file after you have created itand then view a graphical representation of the data flow for the entiresequence. This provides information about the file and the data rate,as well as showing you exactly where in the video the rate increases.You can then target these areas for more compression using keyframesor lower the file size by decreasing the frame size or frame rate.

To perform a data rate analysis:

1. Click the File: Data Rate Analysis command to open the Data RateAnalysis dialog box.

2. Locate and select the video file whose data rate you want to analyzeand then click Analyze. The dialog box closes and Video Editorperforms the analysis.

The Data Rate Analysis dialog box

Once the analysis is completed the Data Rate Analysis window appearsdetailing the various attributes of the file and showing a graph indicat-ing the file size for each frame in the video sequence. This graphcontains a number of blue frames which indicate keyframes in thevideo sequence. For some video compression schemes, such as


Cinepak, you can control these keyframes and arrange their order sothat you get the maximum benefit out of compression. For example,looking at the data rate analysis graph you can pinpoint peaks in thegraph which would benefit most from being keyframes. (These peakscontain the most data so making them keyframes gives the followingframes a more accurate image to reference.)

When a file is compressed the compression scheme follows yourkeyframe settings, as well as arbitrarily inserting additional keyframesdepending on its own calculations and behavior. In some instancesthese additional keyframes are not placed in the best position and youcan use the data rate analysis graph to remove or reposition themaccordingly. If, after resaving the file the key frames appear in the samelocations, try specifying a much higher value (in the hundreds) in theKey frame for every option in the Compression tab of the VideoCreate File Save Options dialog box (see p.187).

Note: For more on understanding keyframes and compression, see theAppendix, p.327.

To edit the keyframes on the data rate analysis graph:

1. Select the frame you want to make or remove. Do this by using the KeyFrame controller beneath the Preview window.

2. To make a keyframe, click the Add Key Frame button. A key frame isplaced on the Key Frame track and the frame in the data rate graphchanges to blue. To remove a keyframe, click the Remove Key Framebutton. The respective keyframe disappears from the Key Frame trackand the frame changes to gray. (To return a clip to its original settingsclick Restore.)

Note: Removing a keyframe doesn’t remove the frame itself, it only removesthe reference to that frame as a keyframe.


3. Repeat the previous step until you have removed and added all thekeyframes you want.

4. Click Save As to save the new keyframe information to a key (KEY)file. To apply the key file, you need to save the video file again,m aking sure you specify the key file in the Keyframe control groupbox in the Video Editor tab of the Create Video File Options dialogbox (see p.187)

Note: Not all compression schemes will follow the key file, and those that do,such as Cinepack, may still insert keyframes where-ever they determine thereis a need. This is out of the control of Video Editor and in the hands of thecompression scheme itself. Therefore, you may find that removing keyframesdoes not change your video appreciably in the next analysis you do.

Creating an audio file

In Video Editor you are not restricted to creating files consisting of imagedata alone. You can also create audio files from a clip or group of clips inthe audio tracks using the File: Create: Audio File command. You can thenopen these files in Audio Editor for more precise editing or use them inanother project.

To create an audio file:1. Click the File: Create: Audio File command to open the Create Audio

File dialog box.

2. Select the drive and folder where you want to save the file and specifythe WAV file type.




4. Click the Options button to view or edit the properties of the file.

In the Audio Save Options dialog box that opens you can select to savethe audio track of the entire video project or just that of the previewregion. (Select the Play after creating option if you want to hear theaudio immediately after saving.) To change the compression settingsclick on the Compression tab and then the Audio button. This opens thesame Audio Format dialog box described in the previous section oncreating video files.

5. Click OK to accept the current audio attributes. The Audio SaveOptions dialog box closes returning you to the Create Audio Filedialog box.

6. Click Save. The dialog box closes and the creation process begins.

Creating an image sequence

Sometimes you may want to edit specific frames of a video clip inanother image editing program such as Ulead PhotoImpact. You can dothis by creating a Ulead image sequence file (UIS) of the video project orpreview region. When you create a Ulead image sequence Video Editorsequentially numbers each frame as it is saved. The filename of theresulting images consists of the name of the sequence plus an individualcreation number (for example, ‘VID0001.TIF’). Later (that is, after anyediting you may do), you can convert these images back to a video fileusing the File: Convert: Video File command and selecting the UISfile type.

To create a Ulead image sequence file:

1. Click the File: Create: Video File command to open the Create VideoFile dialog box.

2. Select the drive and folder where you want to save the frames of thevideo as well as the Ulead Image Sequence Files option in the Save astype combo box.


3. Type a name to save the file to in the File name entry box. You canalso append a subject line and a short description to your file, save thefile to the Production Library and assign a thumbnail image to use as avisual representation of the file in any preview enabled dialog box orbrowser.

4. Click the Options button to view or edit the properties for each of theimage sequence files. These options are the same as those discussed inthe ‘Creating a video file’ section (p.186) with the inclusion of a newtab: Format. (When creating a Ulead image sequence all options in theVideo Save Options dialog box are ignored except for those in theFormat tab.)

5. Click the Format tab and select the file format and data type that youwant to save the image sequence files to.

If the file type you select allows customization, the Image Save Optionsbutton is enabled. Clicking this button then allows you to refine yoursettings. (If you compress your files use a lossless scheme such asLZW. Using a lossey scheme such as JPEG degrades the quality ofyour images.)

6. Click OK to accept the current image sequence properties. The Optionsdialog box closes returning you to the Create Video File dialog box.

7. Click Save. The dialog box closes and the image sequence files arecreated in the specified drive and folder.

Creating an edit decision list (EDL) file

If you are producing work that is intended for broadcast or requires furtherpost-production (on-line editing) work, then Video Editor allows you tocreate a generic edit decision list file (EDL). An EDL is a text file thatrecords the positions of your clips in the timeline as well as the differenteffects and transitions used. When preparing an EDL it is important thatyou contact your post-production house to determine the format they useas well as which effects are supported – particularly because not all post-production companies support the array of effects available in VideoEditor.


Notes:

• When preparing an EDL for NTSC playback your video project needs to usethe drop-frame standard of 29.97 to have correct timing.

• You must post the timecode onto each of your clips in a video project beforecreating an EDL. To do this you first need to have captured the video from acontrollable source with timecode capabilities.

To create an EDL file:

1. Click the File: Create: EDL File command to open the Create EDL Filedialog box.

2. Select the drive and folder where you want to save the EDL.

3. Type a name to save the file to in the File name entry box.

4. Type in a title for the EDL file in the Title entry box (maximum64 characters).

5. Specify the time to start recording in the Record in box. This tellsthe production house where in the video sequence to start recording.(You set this time from the first clip in the project.)

6. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the file is saved. To view the fileopen it in a text editor such as Microsoft Wordpad.

Posting timecode

If you plan to create an EDL you need to make sure that you have posteda timecode onto each of the clips in your video project. This serves toinform the post-production house about which sources they need to use(your original video tapes) and where in the sources the essential clips are.If a clip does not have the correct timecode the post-production house willuse 00:00:00:00 as the starting point for playing a clip during recording.

Note: To accurately post timecode you need to have recorded the timecode at thetime of capture using a controllable device.


To post timecode:

1. Select the Clip: Attributes: Post Timecode command to open the PostTimecode dialog box opens. (This command can also be selected fromthe right mouse pop-up menu.)

The Post Timecode dialog box

2. Type the name of your source video in the Reel name entry box, forexample, ‘Home Video #1’. (The default name is the name of thesource video file.)

3. Specify the appropriate time to start recording from the source in theTimecode spin box.

The timecode should have been recorded when you captured the videofrom Video Capture using a controllable device. You can view thistimecode by clicking the View: Batch Settings command in VideoCapture and then loading in the original batch list file (BCT).

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and your default text editor opensdisplaying the contents of the EDL.

Outputting to video tape

If you are preparing video for broadcast or video tape you can use VideoEditor to send the video file directly to an appropriate video device such asa VCR. To output to video tape you should ensure that all the videosequences you used were created from field-based video and that yousaved the video file as field-based. Using non-field-based video results inthe final analog video appearing with flicker because it tries to break eachframe into two distinguishable fields of information. Your video shouldalso be equivalent to the resolution of analog video, such as 640x480,30fps (field-based) 24-bit color (for NTSC devices). Anything less resultsin resampling which introduces degradation.


Note: To output a video to tape you need a video capture board which supportssuch features or a similar device with a VGA to TV converter. It is also advisableto have controllable device that allows you to control the recording from VideoEditor.

To output to video tape:

1. Click the File: Play Full Screen command to open the Play Full Screendialog box.

2. Locate and select the file you want to output and then click the Optionsbutton. The Play Full Screen Options dialog box opens.

The Play on Full Screen Options dialog box

3. Select the device that will handle the playing of the file in the Playedby combo box. In most cases this will be the default Microsoft Videofor Windows option or the ActiveMovie Player.

4. Define the dimensions of the video in the Frame Size tab. Thesedimensions should match the original properties of the video file.Using different dimensions will create some degradation as the videohas to be scaled down or up accordingly.

5. Set the time delay in the Activation tab. Setting a delay gives you timeto activate your recording device and get it up to speed before the videoplays on your screen. You can select to have a fixed time duration ordecide to control playback with your keyboard or mouse.


6. Click OK to close the dialog box and then Open to begin playing backthe sequence.

Once you click Open, your entire screen blacks out and after thespecified duration the video begins to play back. (Hit a key on thekeyboard or click your mouse to start playing if you chose theManually with keyboard or mouse option.) To cancel or end theplayback press Esc.

Note: Before the video starts playing be sure to start your recording device.Once finished, use Video Capture to play back the video directly from thevideo capture source to see the results.



• You can save video as either AVI, MOV or MPG (p.186).

• Use keyframes with Cinepak compression to improve quality (p.187).

• Select the Perform Smart Rendering option for faster creation times(p.188).

• Set the Target playback drive to Custom if the data rate is notimportant (p.189).

• Crop a video to reduce frame size and remove noise from theedges (p.192).

• Use the File: Create Multiple Files command to create video filesfrom a number of different projects (p.193).

• Remember to post timecode when creating an EDL (p.199).

• If outputting to video tape, match your video file’s attributes to thetelevision’s resolution (where possible) (p.200).

Video PaintVideo Paint

Getting started

Video Paint is a powerful rotoscoping program that allows you to

paint directly over any frame in a video sequence. Using Video

Paint, you can quickly and easily create special effects such as

lightning bolts, lasers beams, virtual sets and mattes. You can also

use the wide range of natural and particle-based painting tools to

work on single images for use in other projects, such as web pages

and presentations.

Chapter 1


• Understanding the basics .................................................................... p.206

• Viewing edit windows ............................................................................ p.217

• Working with frames in a project ........................................................... p.219

• Customizing Video Paint ...................................................................... p.222



Video Paint allows you to select, draw, paint and enhance each image thatmakes up the frames of a video sequence. Each of these frames appearsas a clip in the Filmstrip panel. You can scroll through this panel to viewthe clip or select a specific frame to work on. When you select a frameit opens automatically as an image in an edit window. Once an image isdisplayed in an edit window you can begin to work on it, painting orenhancing it with the various Video Paint tools.

The Video Paint program window

VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 207

Standard toolbar

Filmstrip panel

Tool panel

Color Palette

Save a VideoPaint project

Open an imagefile

Open a videofile

Open a VideoPaint project

Create a newVideo Paintproject

Cut animage

Copy animage

Paste animage

View in Compositemode

View in PaintLayer mode

Redo an undoneaction

Undo a previousaction

View in Normalmode

View in Onionskinmode

View in RubyMask mode

View in No SourceVideo mode

ProductionLibrary

Previewoptions

Shape Selection tool

Lasso tool

Magic Wand tool

Transform tool

Clone tool

Zoom control

Foreground &background colors

Zoom tool

Grabber tool

Painting tool

Retouch tool

Eyedropper tool

Preview bar Cue bar


Working with the Filmstrip panel

The Filmstrip panel displays each frame of a clip in the Video Paintworkspace. At the bottom of the Filmstrip panel is a green view boxwhich indicates the current frames in view. By dragging on this view boxyou can scroll through these frames to see the entire contents of the clip.When you have found a frame you are interested in click on it to displayit in an edit window.

Note: You can also switch to the next or previous frame by using the Navigator orpressing the Ctrl+Right and Left arrow keys. To go to any cues, or the first or lastframes, press the Ctrl+Home and Ctrl+End keys.

When you select a frame, red place markers appear above and below theFilmstrip panel indicating the frame’s position. (The markers are placedto the left edge of the active frame.) The top marker indicates the frame’sposition (timecode) in the current view while the bottom marker indicatesthe frame’s position relative to the entire clip.

Markers indicating the position of the current frame in view (top) and its positionrelative to the entire clip (bottom)

Adjusting the view of the Filmstrip panel

You can change the frames currently displayed in the Filmstrip panel bydragging the bottom view box. The size of the view box differsdepending on the number of frames in the clip and the current display unit.(The display unit refers to how many frames appear within each division.For example, at 5x each division represents five frames.) To change thedisplay unit, right click over a frame in the Filmstrip panel and select a sizefrom the Display Unit submenu. In the same menu you can also define thesize of the thumbnails shown in the Filmstrip panel. Use a larger size ifyou are at a higher resolution or have trouble seeing the frames clearly.(To view more frames, float the panel and drag its borders to resize it.)


Working with edit windows

When you work on an image in an edit window you can choose to operatein one of two modes: Composite or Paint Layer. Composite mode allowsyou to select portions of an image (the source video) and then move ormanipulate them. Once moved or manipulated, the selection becomes afloating selection area and moves up to the paint layer. By switching to thePaint Layer mode you can then work on these new selection areas just asyou would work on the video source image in Composite mode. Generally,you want to stay in Composite mode unless you need to edit specificportions of the paint layer, such as removing areas of paint no longerrequired in a frame.

Note: You can have any number of edit windows open at the same time, but only oneper clip in the Filmstrip panel.

Saving your work

In Video Paint, the video clip you are working on is referred to as a projectwhich you save as a special Ulead Video Paint file (UVP). UVP files do notsave the source video file, just the clip information which contains apointer to the original video file as well as a list of all the edits performedto each frame in the video sequence. This serves to keep the file sizedown and doesn’t force you to have to duplicate existing video files.(When you open a UVP file you need to ensure that the source file is stillpresent and in the same location. If not a message box appears asking youto browse for the file.)

Packaging a Video Paint project

While you can save your work as a UVP file, you may want to alsooccasionally package it with the File: Package command. This backs upthe original files, making them easier to transport as well as archive.Packaging a file saves a project as a UVP file as well as the original videoor image file it references, moving or copying that file to a new location.This is especially helpful if you plan on editing the project on anothermachine, such as a laptop.

Note: To transfer a Video Paint project file and its source files to another PC,use the same directory structure as the original to ensure the clips arecorrectly loaded.


Opening files into Video Paint

To get started in Video Paint you need to open a file into the workspace.You can open existing Video Paint files, video files or image files.When you open a file, Video Paint allows you to select which frames in thefile to open. This ability to ‘partially edit’ your work speeds up processingtime, particularly for longer files, as you don’t have to load the manyhundreds of frames that make up a video sequence. (The maximumduration for any file you open is 30 seconds.)

Note: Video Paint automatically converts any file you open into its workspace toTrue Color. If you want to constrain your editing to an indexed-color palette,then load the palette into the Custom tab of the Color panel, see p.240.

To open a video file:

1. Click the Open Video File button on the Standard toolbar or the File:Open: Video File command to open the Open Video File dialog box.

2. Click the Duration button to open the Duration dialog box. In thisdialog box you can preview the file as well as select which framesto open.

The Duration dialog box


3. If you know the timecode for the frames you want to open, enter themin the Mark-in and Mark-out spin boxes. If you do not know themuse the Preview window’s control bar to play back the video; you canthen click the Mark-in and Mark-out buttons respectively to select thebeginning and ending frames for the sequence you want to open.

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and you return to the Open Video Filedialog box.

5. Click Open to place the file or selected frames into the workspace.The first frame of the sequence automatically appears in an editwindow.

Adjusting the number of open frames

If you have already opened a video or Video Paint project file and decidethat you only want to work on a specific number of frames within theclip, click the File: Edit Duration command to select the frames you areinterested in. Video Paint saves the project (if changes have been made)and then reloads it so only the selected frames appear. (To edit framesoutside of the current project use the File: Open command and select theframes in the Duration dialog box.)

Note: If you want to work on each frame in a large video file, such as 30 seconds,first open the entire file into Video Paint and then save it as a UVP file. You can thenuse the Edit Duration dialog box to open specific frames without having to reopenthe original video file.

Starting a new Video Paint project

In Video Paint you are not restricted to working only on existing videoand image files. You can create a new ‘empty’ project which you canpaint on to create your own virtual set or background matte. Oncefinished, you can insert the UVP file into Video Editor as part of alarger project.

To create a new Video Paint project:

1. Click the New button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Newcommand [CTRL+N] to open the New dialog box.


2. Specify the duration of the project in the Duration spin boxes as wellas its frame rate in the Frame rate combo box. You can choose fromthe list in the drop-down menu or enter your own.

If the project is intended to be placed into Video Editor make sure yourframe rate is equal to the frame rate of your Video Editor project.If different you may get dropped or duplicated frames.

3. Select the frame size for the project using the options in the Framesize group box. Again, if the project is destined for Video Editor thenthe frame size should be identical to the Video Editor project.

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new clip is created in theworkspace, with the first frame appearing in an edit window.The color of these frames is determined by the current backgroundcolor. To change their color after creation, click the Frame: Film Colorcommand.

Creating a video or image file

Once you have finished working on a Video Paint project you can createa new video or image file which merges your edits with the original sourcefile. To create a video file click the File: Create Video File command.This opens the standard Create Video File dialog box which has the sameoptions as those in Video Editor. (To learn more about these options seethe ‘Creating a video file’ section, p.186.) If you plan on using your workin a Video Editor project, insert the UVP file directly by selecting the UVPfile type from the Files of type combo box in the Insert Video File dialogbox. If you first create a video file and then insert it into Video Editor yourun the risk of reducing quality as the file undergoes compression twice,once in Video Paint and once more when you create the final videosequence in Video Editor.

To create an image file click the File: Create Image File command.This opens the Create Image File dialog box which allows you to selectthe data type, file format, resolution and size of the image. If you plan onusing the image in other projects you are working on make sure that thesize is the same and, if you have to compress the file, use a format witha lossless compression scheme such as (TIF). Otherwise use a standardformat such as the Windows bitmap (BMP).


Performing Cut and Copy operations

When working on your project you will often want to copy changes youhave made in one frame to others in the video sequence. To do this,you use the Cut and Copy buttons on the Standard toolbar or the Edit: Cut and Copy commands. Copy duplicates a selected area or floatingselection while Cut removes it from the image. Once cut or copied,you can paste it into the current frame or into another. When there is noselection area or floating selection, Cut and Copy works over the entireimage (in Composite mode), or only edits (in Paint Layer mode.) If thereare no edits then the commands work over the entire image.

Note: You can paste image data to and from Video Paint to any other image editorsuch as Ulead PhotoImpact. If pasting to PhotoImpact, any mask information isretained.

Performing a paste operation

Once the Clipboard contains an image, either from Video Paint or anyother image editor, you can paste it into an edit window. To do this clickthe Paste button on the Standard toolbar or the Edit: Paste command[CTRL+V]. Images are pasted at the same location they were cut or copiedfrom. If the pasted image was from a frame or other image larger thanthe active frame, then the image is pasted at the top left corner of thecurrent view.

Another option for pasting is the Edit: Paste: Selection Under Pointercommand. This pastes the image with the center of the image anchored toyour mouse pointer. Clicking the left mouse button then pastes the imageinto the edit window. The advantage of this command is that you canposition the pasted image without having to keep your finger on the mousebutton, providing greater freedom of movement.

Pasting masks

When you paste an image it contains a selection area (mask) plus thecontents of the area itself (the image data). In Video Paint you can chooseto paste only the mask without any image data by clicking the Edit: Paste:


As Mask or Mask Under Pointer commands. After pasting, all you will seeis the selection marquee which now selects a portion of the active image.This is useful if you wish to copy a selection area over multiple framesso that it selects the same area each time.

Pasting an image as a selection (left) and as a mask (right)

Duplicating changes over frames

The Cut and Copy commands are useful for duplicating changes fromone frame to another. Often, however, you will want to duplicate changesover several frames, even over several seconds. To do this, Video Paintprovides the Duplicate commands which work by duplicating your lastedits. To duplicate your edits to a new frame, first select the framecontaining the edits from the Filmstrip panel and then click either the Edit:Duplicate Floating Selection (Ctrl+K) or Duplicate Paint Layer (Ctrl+L)commands. Duplicate Floating Selection places a copy of the last activefloating selection while Duplicate Paint Layer copies everything present inthe last active paint layer.

To duplicate an action over several frames you need to perform a powerduplication. Power duplication is much more flexible than the otherDuplicate commands as it allows you to not only specify how manyframes to duplicate over, but also the transparency for each duplicationand whether or not to add an effect to each duplicated portion. You canalso choose different start and end positions to have the duplicatedportions move over the entire sequence.

To perform a Power Duplication:

1. If not already selected, select the frame in the Filmstrip Panel with theedits you want to duplicate.

2. Click the Edit: Power Duplicate command to open the Power Duplicatedialog box.


The Power Duplicate dialog box

3. Select the source you want to duplicate from the Source group box.The Selection option duplicates the currently active floating selectionor, if the selection is not floating, its mask, while Paint layer dupli-cates the entire contents of the paint layer. (If you do not have afloating selection active then only Paint layer is enabled.)

4. Specify where you want the duplication to take place in theApply group box. You can choose to perform the duplication overframes appearing before or after the active frame. In theDuration spin box indicate how many frames to duplicate over.

5. Set the Start and End frame transparency in the Start and End tabs.(Default is 0, or no transparency.) You can also specify the X and Ycoordinates from where to place each duplicated edits. By havingdifferent start and end coordinates you can have the duplicated editsappear to move linearly over time.

6. Specify an effect to apply to the duplicated edits in the Effect groupbox. (Setting the duration of the duplication to one frame disables theEffect options.)

Note: Effects are previously saved mask files that allow you to control whichareas of each frame are affected by the duplication as well as their intensity.


7. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the active floating selection orpaint layer is duplicated over the specified number of frames.

If you power duplicate over a number of frames a message box mayappear indicating that the operation has exceeded the number of framesspecified in the Clear undo history for multiple frame actionsoption in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box (see p.222).If you select to continue, the duplication is performed but you will beunable to undo its effect. If you want to retain Undo, increase thenumber of frames in the Clear Undo history for multiple frame actionsoption or decrease the number of frames to duplicate over.

Creating a matte (frame 2) and then power duplicating it across the others

Placing cues

In Video Paint you can place cues at any frame in a project to mark it forlater editing or identification. To place a cue, click the Cue bar (locatedunder the Preview bar of the ruler) at the appropriate location in theFilmstrip panel; a blue cue marker appears. The default name of the clip,‘&p’, uses the timecode of the cue’s location. For example, the defaultname of a cue at the 12th frame would be ‘00:00:12’. To view a cue’sname once it has been placed, right click on it. If you wish to move a cuedrag it along the Cue bar to a new location; to remove a cue drag it off theedges of the Cue bar.

Cues placed at the 5th and 7th frames on the Filmstrip panel


Managing project cues

To change the name of a cue, click the View: Cue Manager command.This opens the Cue Manager dialog box which allows you to delete cues,rename them or select specific ones to jump to. If renaming a cue, theRename Cue dialog box appears, allowing you to type a name and descrip-tion. To select a cue in the Cue Manager dialog box, click the timecodedisplayed under the Frame position button.

Note: To quickly rename a cue double-click it to open the Rename Cue dialog box.

Viewing edit windows

Whenever you open a file the first frame of the sequence appears in anedit window at its original size (1x). Video Paint allows you to controlthe size of this edit window as well as zoom in or out from the image.This helps you to see more easily the areas you are editing as well asidentify areas for further enhancement.

Zooming on an image

When you edit an image you may want to see part of it in greater detail ormore of the image at a smaller size. You can do this by using the View:Zoom In and Zoom Out commands, or by using the Zoom tool and/or theZoom quick buttons on the Tool panel. You can view frames at any sizefrom 1/16x to 16x the actual size.

Zooming in on an image to 3x


Using the Zoom tool

Use the Zoom tool when you want to zoom in on an image while at thesame time controlling which part of the image is displayed in the editwindow. To use the Zoom tool, select it and then click the area of theimage you want to see better. The image zooms in beneath your pointer’sposition. To zoom out, hold the Shift key as you click. (You can also usethe Zoom slider on the Attribute toolbar to quickly zoom in and out on thecenter of the image.) To focus on a specific area, you can drag over theimage, creating a rectangular viewing marquee, and when you release yourmouse the image automatically zooms in on the area selected. (If theviewing area is too large or the image is already at 16x magnification theview is not adjusted.)

Notes:

• You can also press the ‘+’ and ‘-’ keys to zoom in and out on images,regardless of the current tool selected.

• Pressing the Z key while using another tool automatically switches that tool to theZoom tool. Releasing the Z key then switches the tool back.

Using the Global Viewer

When an entire image cannot be displayed within the edit windowscroll bars appear allowing you to navigate around the expanded image.The Global Viewer provides an alternative to scrolling as it displays athumbnail view of the entire active image. This thumbnail image containsa floating frame that can be moved independently around the viewer.Moving the frame automatically repositions the view of the image in theedit window. To open the Global Viewer, click the box that appears at theintersection of the scroll bars at the lower right corner of the edit window.When you release your mouse, the Global Viewer disappears.

Note: To return the image to its original view (1x) click the 1:1 button on theAttribute toolbar or the View: Actual View command.


Using the Global Viewer to change views

Fitting an image in the edit window

When you use the Zoom commands the image window does not change tofit the new image size. Therefore, after zooming, the entire image may notbe displayed in the edit window and scroll bars appear along the window’sedge. If you wish to display the complete image within the edit window,choose one of the available Zoom commands from the View: Fit inWindow By submenu. (The maximum zoom level available is determinedby the size of the image and your current display mode.) An alternative tothe Fit in Window By command is the Fit in Window button on the At-tribute toolbar or the View: Fit in Window command. This automaticallyresizes the image to fit within the edit window at the largest possible sizewithout introducing scroll bars.

Working with frames in a project

When you work on a project in Video Paint you often need to control thenumber of frames present as well as their content. The Frame menu offersyou several commands that allow you to manage frames as well as controlhow frames are displayed in edit windows.


Inserting frames

There may be times when you need to extend the length of a video orinsert a new sequence into the middle of existing frames. Video Paintallows you to do this by inserting frames. When you insert frames youincrease the duration of the project by the number of frames you add.If the project becomes too large you may find that it slows down process-ing time. To avoid this, insert fewer frames or use the File: Edit Durationcommand (see p.211) to make the project shorter.

To insert frames:

1. Select the frame in the Filmstrip panel where you want to begininserting the additional frames.

2. Click the Frame: Insert command to open the Insert Frame dialog box.

The Insert Frame dialog box

3. Specify the number of frames to insert in the Insert duration spin boxand then select either the Before active frame or After active frameoptions to determine whether the inserted frames precede or follow theactive frame.

4. Specify the content of the new frames in the Link with group box.The Empty frame option fills new frames with the film color while theSource video option uses the frames from the source video file,starting from the position specified in the Timecode spin box.


(To define this position, you can enter the timecode directly or move theslider in the Preview group box; as you move, the timecode changesaccordingly.)

5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the new frames are inserted atthe specified location.

Duplicating frames

The Frame: Duplicate command is similar to the Insert command inthat it adds new frames to the clip in the Filmstrip panel. The difference isthat it fills the new frames with the same content of the frame currentlydisplayed in the edit window. When you click this command, the DuplicateFrame dialog box opens allowing you to specify the number of frames youwant to duplicate. Once you click OK, the frames are duplicated after theactive frame, pushing any following frames to the right.

Deleting frames

The Frame: Delete command removes a frame or frames from yourproject, shortening the duration accordingly. (This does not remove themfrom the actual source file.) When you click this command the DeleteFrame dialog box opens allowing you to specify which frames in thesequence to remove. You can enter the timecode of the frames in theStart and End spin boxes or use the Mark-In and Mark-Out buttons onthe Preview control bar.

Replacing frames

The Frame: Replace Source Video command allows you to replace thecontent of a frame with that of another frame from the same source video,or with an empty frame. For example, you could replace the image inframe 6 with the image in frame 32. This is particularly useful if you haveinserted a number of empty frames and wish to fill those frames withothers from the same clip, or replace the source video with an emptyframe before opening it in a Video Editor project.


To replace frames:

1. Select the frame in the Filmstrip panel where you want to begin yourreplacement.

2. Click the Frame: Replace Source Video command to open the ReplaceSource Video dialog box.

The Replace Source Video dialog box

3. Specify the number of frames to replace in the Duration spin box andthen specify what to replace the frames with in the Link with groupbox. The Empty frame option replaces the frames with the currentfilm color while the Source video option uses frames from the sourcevideo file, starting from the position specified in the Timecode spinbox. Select the Only preview source video option if you do not wantthe preview video to display any edits currently in the paint layer.

4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the following frames are replacedwith the specified content.

Customizing Video Paint

The Preferences dialog box (opened by double-clicking the status baror clicking the File: Preferences com m and [F6]) provides options forcustomizing certain aspects of the program’s behavior. This is always agood place to start before you do any editing as it helps optimize VideoPaint for each project as well as mold Video Paint to more closely matchyour work habits.


PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: VIDEO PAINT TAB

Apply color filter controls how colors are displayed in Video Paint, based onthe NTSC or PAL color models. Select the appropriate option if you plan on havingyour video played back over an NTSC or PAL device, such as a television. If you aredesigning for monitor display only leave this option clear.

Levels of undo/redo specifies the maximum levels of undo/redo allowed byVideo Paint (up to 99). As Video Paint allocates more memory for each level of undo/redo you may find that too high a level adversely affects performance. In such casesrestrict the level to 3-4 only. You can, of course, choose not to have undo/redo tomaximize performance, but any editing performed is final.

Clear undo history for multiple frame actions clears the Undo historywhenever you attempt to perform an action that exceeds the number of frames in thefollowing Number of frames spin box. By clearing the Undo history your operationsare carried out more quickly as memory does not need to be reserved for undoing.However, if you clear the Undo history you will be unable to undo any previousactions. Leave this clear if you have enough system resources to handle the memorydemand for multiple actions.

Number of recently opened file names specifies how many file names arestored in the Recent History list found in the File menu.

Title safe area margin specifies the margin percentage for displaying any titlesin a video project. This is useful if you intend on sending your video out to video tapeor for broadcasting as television has a different resolution than a computer monitorand edges which are viewable on screen may disappear. As a guideline, for NTSCdevices choose 12%, PAL 10%. To view the title safe area marquee click the View:Title Safe Area command.

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Return to the first frame after playing returns any sequence to the firstframe after it has been played (like a CD player). When clear the sequence stops onthe last frame after playing (like coming to the end of a tape in the VCR).

Play macro when finished recording plays a macro immediately afterrecording it. Leave this clear if you are content with your macro recording or if youwant to test it yourself on another frame.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: PREVIEW TAB

The Preview tab allows you to define additional memory space for creating previewfiles only.

Specify additional folders for preview files indicates which folder VideoPaint can use to save preview files. The folder shown above is the folder specifiedin the SET TEMP statement of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Specify other folders if youhave additional drives or a partitioned drive. IF you only have one drive, leave theother boxes empty.

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

Limit hard disk usage to specifies how much memory you want to allocatejust for Video Paint’s purposes. If you are only using Video Paint and want to optimizeperformance select the maximum amount possible. If you are using other programs inthe background you may want to limit this to about half. If left clear, Video Paint usesyour system’s memory management to control the use and distribution of memory.

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PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: MEMORY TAB

The Memory tab gives you the opportunity to specify folders to provide additionalvirtual memory when working with files. You can also determine how much total diskspace is allocated for virtual memory as well as how much space is allocated in RAMfor use by all MediaStudio Pro programs.

Define additional folders for virtual memory allows you to specify thefolder used by the MediaStudio Pro programs as additional working space. Forexample, when you don’t have enough RAM, the MediaStudio Pro programs can useextra memory from the hard disk (virtual memory) as temporary RAM. The first foldershown in the Memory tab is the TEMP folder defined by the SET TEMP statement inyour AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you have more than one drive on your system you canspecify more than one temporary folder in the available entry boxes. If not, leave theentry boxes empty.

Hard disk indicates the space available on your hard disk. (The folder specifiedin the Define additional folders for virtual memory section must be located on this harddisk.)

Limit hard disk usage to allows you to specify how much memory you wantto allocate to the MediaStudio Pro programs for use as virtual memory. If you want torun other programs in the background, then choose about ½ the maximum amount.To use Video Paint defaults, leave this option unchecked.

Limit RAM usage to allows you to specify how much memory you want toallocate to the MediaStudio Pro programs for use in RAM. If you want to run otherprograms in the background, then choose about ½ the maximum amount.To use Video Paint defaults leave this option unchecked.

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PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: DISPLAY TAB

The Display tab allows you to modify the way images are displayed as well ascalibrate (adjust) your monitor. You should calibrate whenever you change monitor,display adapters or the environment in which you work as lighting and temperaturecan also affect a monitor’s performance.

Hi-Color dithering allows you to improve the display of True Color images whenyou are in Hi-Color display mode.

View images with a common palette displays all images using the systempalette. This is only enabled when you are in 256-Color display mode and makes yourwork more efficient as there is no need to repaint any of the images with a newpalette. This option is particularly useful when preparing CD-ROM based titlesand you need to see how images appear in 256-Color display modes.

Ignore background quality is enabled when in 256-Color display mode andimproves performance by not repainting any background images when you changeviews. (Do not check this option if you need to identify background images.)

Monitor gamma allows you to calibrate your monitor for the optimum display of images. Follow the procedure over to correctly calibrate your monitor.

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To calibrate your display:

1. Click the File: Preferences command to open the Preferences dialogbox and click on the Display tab.

At the bottom of the tab are two grayscale squares. The top square is acheckered pattern of black and white pixels, which when viewed froma distance, looks 50% gray. The bottom square is 50% gray as yourmonitor currently shows it. In a well calibrated monitor both of thesesquares should look approximately the same.

2. Examine the two color squares and if the two squares look differentadjust the Monitor gamma spin box until the bottom square lookssimilar to the top square.

The monitor gamma value can be any number from 0.01 to 7.99.If none of the squares exactly match try and estimate the best match.In general, your value should fall within 0.8 – 2.4; if not, try adjustingthe brightness and contrast controls on your monitor.

3. Click OK. The dialog box closes and your monitor is now optimized fordisplaying images in the MediaStudio Pro programs.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: PHOTO CD TAB

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The Photo CD tab gives you the option of determining the resolution and data type ofany image file imported from a Kodak Photo CD. These options can also be changeddirectly from the toolbar in the CD browser program.

Resolution allows you to specify the resolution for images opened from a PhotoCD. It is important to remember that the higher the resolution the larger the file size ofthe image.

Data type determines the respective data type for any images imported from aPhoto CD. True Color provides the most colors but also results in larger file sizes.Grayscale has the lowest file size but the images contain no color. To retain somecolor but keep the file size down choose one of the Indexed-Color options.



• Video files are displayed as clips in the Filmstrip panel with the firstframe appearing as an image in an edit window (p.206).

• Control the size of frames in the Filmstrip Panel by using the right-mouse pop-up menu (p.208).

• Open only a few seconds of a video file for speedier editing (p.210).

• Use Power Duplicate to copy edits over multiple frames (p.214).

• Use cues to identify important frames in a project (p.216).

• Calibrate your monitor to get the best possible display ofimages (p.227).

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Painting

Video Paint’s painting tools enable you to easily touch-up and

enhance any frame in your video project. The painting tools

themselves present a variety of functions, from the advanced

Retouch and Clone tools to the more common Paintbrush and

Transform tools.

Chapter 2


• Working in different display modes ...................................................... p.230

• Making selections ................................................................................ p.234

• Working with color ................................................................................ p.239

• Using the painting tools ........................................................................ p.243

• Transforming selections ....................................................................... p.248

• Using the Clone tool ............................................................................. p.249

• Using the Retouch tool ......................................................................... p.250

• Recording macros ................................................................................ p.252

• Applying filters ...................................................................................... p.255

• Previewing your work ........................................................................... p.256


Working in different display modes

In Video Paint, you can choose to view edit windows in a number ofdifferent display modes. These modes make identifying your edits easieras well as providing a means for creating mattes and animations. There arefour display modes to select from: Normal, Onionskin, Ruby Mask andNo Source Video, each of which can be selected by clicking their respec-tive buttons on the Standard toolbar or choosing their correspondingcommands in the View: Display Mode submenu.

Normal mode

Normal mode displays the contents of the active frame in the FilmstripPanel. This mode is best for when you wish to see the actual frame andselect parts of it, or to use it as a reference for performing variouspainting and retouching tasks.

Ruby Mask mode

The Ruby Mask mode is useful when you want to create a video or imagematte that protects certain areas of an underlying video from any edits youmay perform. Mattes are often used in conjunction with Video Editor.A good example of this is a ‘hold-out’ matte that is used to remove thematte-lines that often occur around objects which have been filmed on ablue screen background.

Note: To apply the video matte, you must load it into Video Editor.

A ruby mask works by placing a semitransparent ruby colored layer overan image. When you paint on the image you remove the mask, thereforerevealing the underlying image. The advantage here is that you do not seethe color of the paint as you go, which makes it easier to identify elementsin the image to either cover or remove. When you change modes theremoved area of the mask is filled with the current foreground color.

VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 231

To create a video matte in Ruby Mask mode:

1. Select the first frame of the video you want to apply the matte over.The frame appears as an image in the edit window.

2. Click the Ruby Mask mode button on the Standard toolbar or the View:Display Mode: Ruby Mask command. A ruby film appears over theimage.

3. Select a paint tool and define its attributes in the Brush Panel(see p.244).

4. Start painting over the mask. The areas affected are removed from themask revealing the underlying image. If your painting removes toomuch of the ruby mask click the Erase button in the Shape tab of theBrush Panel. Now when you paint the ruby mask is applied.

5. Select the next frame and click the Edit: Duplicate Paint Layercommand. (The paint layer from the previous frame is copied to thecurrent frame.) Once duplicated you can start painting on it as in theprevious step.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the matte is complete. (If the object you arecreating the matte over does not move, then you only need to paint theone frame.)

7. Change display modes to see your changes and click the Save buttonon the Standard toolbar or the File: Save command to save the projectas a UVP file.

If you are going to apply the matte in Video Editor you need to replacethe source video with a solid color (see p.221) so that you can betterkey out the background and foreground.

Painting over an image in Ruby Mask mode


Onionskin mode

Onionskin mode is extremely useful when you are creating animationsand want to be able to see how your edits are progressing from frame toframe. It works by placing transparent layers of each successive frameyou edit over its predecessors, allowing you to easily see your changesfrom the previous frame as you work in the current frame.

To work in Onionskin mode:

1. Select the first frame of the video you want to paint over. The frameappears as an image in the edit window.

2. Select a paint tool and define its attributes in the Brush Panel(see p.244).

3. Click the Onionskin mode button on the Standard toolbar or the View:Display Mode: Onionskin command.

4. Click the View: Onionskin Options command to open the OnionskinOptions dialog box.

The Onionskin Options dialog box

5. Select on which frames to apply the onionskin in the Overlay combobox. Use Succeeding if you are editing frames to the right of the activeframe (toward the last frame), or Preceding if you are editing framesto the left (toward the first frame).

6. Specify a value in the Number of frames spin box. The value youenter here determines how many frames the onionskin layers appearover. In most cases a value of 3-4 is sufficient to allow you to see thepath of your animation. If you lose your reference you may want toincrease this or increase the Skin transparency to make your editsmore clear.


7. Define a transparency for each skin layer in the Skin transparencyspin box. This value indicates the transparency of the skin layer, andnot the edits you are performing. For example, a skin transparency of30% produces a light result as it only allows 30% of the edit to showthrough. The higher the value the more of the edit you can see.(Click the Preview button to test how your changes affect any existingonionskin layers.)

8. Select the Show only paint layer option to have the onionskinapplied just to the paint layer. This speeds up processing time becauseonly the edited portions have a transparency applied. If left clear thetransparency is applied to the source video plus the paint layer. (De-pending on the type of video this may produce no noticeable effect.)

9. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the settings take effectimmediately.

Painting over frames in Onionskin mode

No Source Video mode

When working on an image it can often get confusing trying to determinewhere the image starts and the edits end. In such cases you can removethe image from view by selecting the No Source Video mode. No SourceVideo mode removes the image from the edit window and replaces it withthe current background color. This allows you to easily see your edits inthe paint layer only. To view the frame’s image change back to Normalmode.

Viewing an edit window with source video (left) and without (right)


Making selections

In Video Paint, whenever you apply a command or use one of the paintingtools it is applied over the entire image in the edit window. To restrict thecommand or painting tool to a certain area of an image you first need tocreate a selection. To do this, Video Paint has three selection tools thatoffer a wide range of options for creating both simple and more complexselection areas. Once created, a selection marquee appears outlining theselected area.

Note: In Paint Layer mode the selection tools work by selecting the content of thepaint layer and not areas on the original image. (To do this you need to be inComposite mode.)

Understanding the selection marquee

When you create a selection, a dotted line appears around the edges ofthe selected area. This dotted line is called the selection marquee.The marquee can either be floating (containing image data) or non-floating, (selecting the source video). Floating selections appear in thepaint layer of an image and are created whenever you:

• move a selection area,

• perform a transformation on a selection area,

• paste a selection into an image,

• click the Edit: Make Floating command. (This command can also beselected from the right-mouse button pop-up menu.)

Hiding the selection marquee

Whenever you create a selection or make a floating selection an animatedmarquee appears indicating the selection border. This makes selectionseasier to identify as well as move. If you find the marquee distracting,or you prefer to see the entire selection as is, deselect the View: ShowMarquee command. The next time you create a selection or make afloating selection the marquee is not displayed.


Selecting in the Composite and Paint Layer modes

If you are in Composite mode, any selection area you create selectselements of the actual image. Moving this selection or manipulating it inany way makes it a floating selection and moves it to the paint layer.Every time you create a new floating selection any pre-existing floatingselections are merged with the paint layer. In Paint Layer mode, theselection tools behave similarly to the way they do in Composite mode,except that they allow you to select the content of the paint layer only.In this way you can more easily distinguish your edits from the underlyingimage and then select them for copying to another frame for furtherediting.

Note: To make selection areas smoother, click the Anti-alias button on the Attributetoolbar. The next time you make a selection area the edges blend in slightly with thesurrounding background.

An added feature of selecting in the paint layer is the Shrink button on theAttribute toolbar. When you select this button, any selection you make‘snaps to’ the edges of your edits (as long as the edits are included in theselection).

Selecting regularly shaped areas

The Shape tool allows you to select areas of an image based on a presetsize and/or shape, such as a square, rectangle, circle or an ellipse.To determine the shape, click either the Rectangle or Ellipse buttons on theAttribute toolbar. (To create a square or circular selection, make sure thatthe Constrain button is selected.) To create a selection drag your mouseover the image. If you want the selection to always appear the same size,click the Fixed Size button and enter the appropriate values in the neigh-boring spin boxes. The next time you click the image, a selection is madebased on the size you defined. Using a fixed size is useful when you needto select identically sized areas of an image, such as for a credit or title.


When you create a selection, it starts from where you first click yourmouse. This is fine in most cases, but sometimes you may want it to startfrom the center, particularly if you are creating circular or square shapes.To do this, first click the Draw From Center button on the Attributetoolbar and then drag your mouse over the image starting from where youwant the center of the selection to be.

Creating a regular selection area

Selecting irregularly shaped areas

The Lasso tool allows you to select an area by drawing a freehand shape.This is especially useful for selecting difficult areas, such as a person’shead or objects with a number of different angles. It operates in twoways: Dragging your mouse allows you to draw precise curved segments;clicking your mouse allows you to define straight line segments.By combining both drawing techniques you can quickly outline selectionareas that contain both irregular and straight segments. When you havefinished outlining the selection area, double-click to release the Lasso andVideo Paint automatically selects all image data within the bounds of thedrawn selection area.

By checking the AutoSnap option on the Attribute toolbar, and thenentering a value into the Sensitivity entry box (up to 10), Video Paint canhelp you quickly trace around irregularly shaped objects. The Sensitivityattribute works by specifying the range of contrast values that are used todefine an object’s edge and AutoSnap pulls the selection area to that edgeas you draw. This works best when you are tracing a bright foreground


object against a dull background. (If you find the selection ‘pulls’ toinclude unwanted areas, deselect the AutoSnap option or decrease thesensitivity.)

Note: If you make a mistake while drawing a selection area or wish to start again,press the Esc key.

Creating an irregular selection area

Selecting an area containing similar colors

The Magic Wand tool is useful when you want to select specific colors inan image. When you click on an image, any colors that fall within thevalues specified in the Similarity entry box are included in the selectionarea. This is an effective way to select large solid colored portions of animage, such as a blue screen or patches of skin and clothing.

When you use the Magic Wand tool it operates in one of two modes,Line or Area. In Line mode, dragging your mouse over an image creates aline that calculates the largest and smallest color values of the pixels underthe line (any values entered in the Similarity spin box are also included).Releasing your mouse then creates the selection based on that range.Area mode works in much the same way except that instead of taking thevalues of pixels under a line it includes all pixels within a selected area.This mode works best for irregular areas containing similar colors, suchas backgrounds and gradients.


Creating a selection containing similar colors

Determining color similarity

When using the Similarity entry box, enter a value that you feel closelyreflects the range of colors you wish to select. To help determine the colorsimilarity range move the Magic Wand over target pixels in the image andnotice the RGB color values displayed on the status bar. Below is a guidelineon what to expect when choosing particular color ranges, (you can onlyselect a color range between 0 and 255):

• A value of 0 selects neighboring pixels with exactly the same color value,such as all white.

• A value of 255 selects pixels of all colors, thereby selecting the entireimage.

• A value of 50 selects neighboring pixels that have values that differ fromthe pixel you click on by 50. For example, if you click on a pixel withvalues R25, G60, B190, neighboring pixels with values between R0, G10,B140, and R75, G110, B240 are selected.

Adding to or subtracting from a selection area

Once you’ve created a selection area you may discover that you left out aportion of the image you wanted to include. To add to an already existingselection area press the A key and use the selection tool as you would tocreate a new selection area. The area you select is added to the rest of theselection area. To subtract from a selection area press the S key and selectthe part of the selection area you want to remove.


Adding additional areas to a selection

Moving a selection area marquee (mask)

Sometimes you will want to use a selection area without moving the imagedata it contains. For example, you may want to move a selection area toexpose certain portions of an image, or to protect other portions from anyeffects or changes you may apply to the image. To do this, click the MoveSelection Marquee button on the Attribute toolbar or use the Grabber toolon the Tool panel. Now you can safely drag on the selection area withoutaffecting the composite image. (The Move Selection Marquee is onlyactive if the selection is not floating.)

Notes:

• Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move a selection pixel by pixel.

• To move a selection marquee to another frame, first copy it and then click theEdit: Paste: As Mask command, (see p.213).

Working with color

Before you start painting on images you need to select the color you wishto apply. In Video Paint you can do this in a number of ways, from pickingcolors out of a palette to selecting colors directly from an image. At anytime, two colors are active – the foreground and background. You can seethese colors as color squares at the bottom of the Tool panel with thelower right square representing the foreground color. This is the color thatis applied whenever you use a paint tool. The background color acts as thedefault color which is used each time you create a new project. You canquickly switch between the two by clicking the Switch arrow at the topright of the two color squares.


Using the Color palette

The Color palette contains colors that you can apply to any image in theedit window. The way colors are displayed in the palette varies accordingto your selection in the View: Color palette submenu. You can displaypalette colors in one of four methods: Map, Wash, Swatch and Custom.Which method you choose depends on the type of color you are trying tofind as well as which color picker you may be more familiar with.To select a color, click it with your mouse. The color then replaces thecurrent foreground color. (If you already know the RGB values of thecolor you want you can enter them directly in the appropriate RGB spinboxes.)

Note: When you run Video Paint for the first time the Color palette is docked to theprogram window in compact mode and shows the colors of the default method.To see all methods at the one time deselect the View: Color Palette: Compactcommand. The Color palette is floated and shows each of the methods as tabs inthe panel window. (This command can also be performed by holding down thecontrol key and right-clicking the Color Palette.)

The Map Color Palette (left) and the Wash Color Palette (right)

The Swatch Color Palette (left) and the Custom Color Palette (right)


Selecting colors from the Color Picker pop-up menu

The Color Picker pop-up menu allows you to select a new color to replacethe selected color square, or to choose from a range of Color Pickers.Each Color Picker provides a different method for selecting colors,and each is suitable for particular situations. (You can open the ColorPicker menu by right-clicking over any color square in Video Paint.)

Using the Ulead Color Picker

Selecting the Ulead Color Picker command opens a dialog box whichdisplays a continuous color spectrum. The color spectrum shows hue,or color, from top to bottom and luminance, or the amount of brightness,from left to right. When you move your mouse over any colors theirrespective RGB color values are displayed at the bottom of the dialog boxand the color itself appears in the left color square. If you click and holdyour mouse button over a color, a saturation bar appears and allows youto select a specific color. Releasing your mouse selects the color,subsequently displaying it in the right color square.

For a more precise color selection, you can choose your color by clickingone of the colored tabs above the color spectrum. This displays a range ofcolors similar to the color on the selected tab. From here you can selectthe exact color by clicking the desired color cell.

Note: To select a particular color enter its RGB values in the RGB spin boxes to theright of the Color Picker window.

The Ulead color picker


Using the Windows Color Picker

When you select the Windows Color Picker command the standard Win-dows Color dialog box appears from which you can select a basic orcustom color.

Selecting colors with the Eyedropper tool

The Eyedropper tool enables you to select a foreground color from colorsalready in an image. As you move the Eyedropper over an image the RGBcolor values of the image are displayed in the Status bar and change toreflect the color changes from one pixel to the next. Clicking your mouseselects the color under the pointer as the foreground color.

Note: To change which color square is active click beneath either theforeground and background squares on the Attribute toolbar. The next time youselect a color the active color square changes.

The Attribute toolbar of the Eyedropper tool

Loading and saving color tables

There may be times during your work that you find yourself continuallyusing the same colors with which to paint. You can store these colors ascolor squares on the Attribute toolbar of the Eyedropper tool, or save themas a color palette file (PAL) using the Custom tab of the Color Palette.To do this, first change the color squares in the Custom tab to those of thecolors you regularly use and then click the Save button to save the paletteto its own file. (To change a color square right-click it and choose a colorfrom the available color pickers or palette.) Once a palette has been savedyou can bring it back into the Custom tab of the Color Palette by clickingthe Open button.


Using the painting tools

The Painting tools in Video Paint offer an extensive variety which allowyou to paint over an image using anything from a felt-tip pen to an oilbrush. When you use a paint tool the paint is applied directly to the paintlayer and not the actual image itself. As such, you can work without fearof damaging the original image as well as easily copy your work overseveral frames.

To view the painting tools click the Paint tool button on the Tool panel.The Brush panel opens and all the various brushes are displayed along theAttribute toolbar. To apply a paint tool, select the brush to use and thenclick and drag over the areas of the image where you want the paint toappear. For greater control over which areas are affected, select the areaand/or zoom into the image for a better view. (To paint over severalfram es see the ‘D uplicating changes over fram es’ section, p.214.)

Original image Paintbrush Airbrush Crayon

Charcoal Chalk Pencil Marker

Oil Paint Particle Drop Water Bristle


Specifying Brush panel attributes

When you choose a painting tool, the Brush panel displays the attributesfor that tool in four folders: Shape, Option, Color and Advanced.The current settings of these attributes are the same as they were whenlast selected. If you change them, you can save the new settings to theProduction Library by clicking the Save button on the Attribute toolbar.The Paint Gallery of the Production Library also has a large number ofpaint brush presets, such as specific types of art-pencils (2B, 6H), felt-tippens and effect brushes like fog and light. To use them as the currentbrush, double-click the thumbnail of the one you want or drag-and-dropit into an edit window.

Note: The attributes explained below indicate all possible tool options. These varydepending on the type of tool you are using.

BRUSH PANEL: SHAPE TAB

Height specifies the height of a brush. (You can also drag the vertical slider tothe right of the preview. To keep aspect ratio, click the Lock button.)

Width specifies the width of a brush. (You can also drag the horizontal slider atthe bottom of the preview. To keep aspect ratio, click the Lock button.)

Erase removes previously applied paint from the paint layer.

Elliptical defines the shape of the brush head as elliptical. To use a circular head,lock the width and height sliders.

Rectangular defines the shape of the brush head as rectangular. To use asquare head, lock the width and height sliders.

Brush Angle defines the angle of the brush tip, from 0 (perpendicular to theimage surface) to 359 (the most extreme angle).

Soft edge adjusts the color blending along the brush’s edge, from 0(no blending) to 100 (complete blending). The greater the soft edges the slower yourpainting because Video Paint has to calculate the appropriate amount of blend withthe underlying image.

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Weight defines how heavy the paint color is. The heavier the weight thestronger the impression it leaves.

Distribution defines the placement of the brush bristles. The higher the valuethe narrower the placement, while a lower value means a wider placement.

Random creates a random (although proportional) size variation among thebristles of a brush. The value entered here defines the percentage of variance.

Bristle Thickness defines the thickness of each bristle in the paint brush.The higher the number the thicker each bristle and, as a consequence, the more paintit can hold.

Density defines the number of bristles the paint brush contains. The morebristles it contains the more paint it can retain and thus the stronger the applied color.

BRUSH PANEL: OPTIONS TAB

Apply method determines how paint is applied to an image. Depending on thetool, you can choose one of the following:

• Always replaces the original colors with the painted color.

• Hue and Saturation applies only the hue and saturation values of the paintedcolor.

• Hue Only applies only the hue value of the painted color.

• Saturation Only applies only the saturation values of the painted color.

• Luminosity applies only the brightness and contrast values of the paintedcolor.

• If Lighter applies the painted color only if the painted color is lighter than thebackground.

• If Darker applies the painted color only if the painted color is darker than thebackground.

• Difference applies the color that is produced from the difference between thevalues of the original colors and the painted color. For example, if the underlyingclip is R:10 G:210 B:125 and the overlaying clip is R:30 G:100 B:100 the resultingcolors when merged are R:20 G:110 B:25 – (R:30-10 G: 210-100 B: 125-100.)(Values outside of 255 are taken as absolute values.)

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• Addition applies the color that is produced from adding the color values of theoriginal colors with that of the painted color. For example, if the overlying frame isR:10 G:210 B:125 and the underlaying clip is R:30 G:100 B:100 then the resultingcolor will be R:40 G:255 B:225 – (R=10+30 G=210+100 B=125+100). (Valuesgreater than 255 are rounded down to 255.)

• Subtract applies the color that is produced from subtracting the color valuesof the original colors with that of the painted color. As in the above example, R:10G:210 B:125 and R:30 G:100 B:100 would result in the color R:0 G:110 B:25 –(R=10-30 G=210-100 B=125-100) (Color values less than 0 are rounded downto 0.)

• Multiple applies the color that is produced from multiplying the color values ofthe original colors with those of the painted color and then divides the result by255; rounding to the closest integer value for each color channel. For example,if the overlying clip color is R:10 G:210 B:125 and the underlaying clip is R:30G:100 B:100 the resulting color will be R:1 G:82 B:49 – (R=10*30/255 G:210*100/255 B:125*100/255.)

• Inverse of multiple works in the same way as above except it inverts theresulting color. For example, if the resulting color is black, the inverse will bewhite.

• Pigment applies the color which is produced from blending the painted colorwith the original colors, much in the same way an artist creates new colors bymixing paints.

Freehand defines the drawing mode as Freehand. Freehand mode mimicspainting by hand, applying paint as you move your mouse.

Single Line defines the drawing mode as Single Line. Single Line mode is forpainting straight lines. To paint a straight line, first click the point where you want theline to start and drag to the point where you want it to end and release your mouse.(Pressing the Shift key constrains the line to an angle of 0º, 45º, or 90º.)

Connected Lines defines the drawing mode as Single Line. This modefunctions much like the Straight Line mode except that after a line is painted youcan select a new line segment and continue painting. Double-clicking then paints astraight line connecting the end point to the starting point.

Note: If you make a mistake while drawing a single or connected line, or wish tostart again, press the Esc key.

Transparency defines how pure a color is. A transparency of 0 is pure colorwhile a transparency of 100 produces no color.

Wet Control defines how wet paint is when it’s applied, from 0 (the wettest)to 100 (the driest). The wetter the paint the greater the amount of overflow.

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BRUSH PANEL: COLOR TAB

Single Color applies a single color as the brush paint.

Multiple Colors applies multiple colors as the brush paint. You choose whichcolors from the neighboring Hue, Saturation and Brightness options. By controllingthe value of these options you determine how much color is applied. For example,more hue introduces more color while an increase in the saturation makes the colorsappear stronger. When you paint all the various colors are then applied producing arainbow-like effect.

BRUSH PANEL: ADVANCED TAB

Pressure options determine how paint is applied for tablet devices. If you donot have a tablet device installed, these options are disabled.

Spacing determines how close each drop of color is applied as a percentage tothe current brush size. The higher the value the farther away drops are applied.Likewise, a lower value applies color closer together. For example, a value of 100places each drop of color next to each other, creating a dotted line effect, whereas avalue of 300 places each drop of color at a distance 3 times the size of the brush.

Fade in/out mimics the consistency of paint on the specified brush type bydefining how quickly it fades out or in when a stroke is made. A higher numberequals a longer fade.

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Filling an area with color

Apart from painting over an image with a paint tool you can also fill aselection, or the entire image, with a solid color. To do this click the Edit:Fill command [CTRL+F]. This opens the Fill dialog box from which you canselect the color to use as the fill, the degree of transparency and the waythe color is applied, such as the hue only or just the difference. (For moreon these, see the description of the Options tab in the Brush panel, p.245).Once you have applied the fill you can perform many interesting effects,such as filling an entire frame with white and then painting over it with apaintbrush in Erase mode. This removes the white from the paint layer,revealing the underlying image. (This is a good technique for creatingquick video mattes.)

Transforming selections

After you’ve made a selection area, you can change its shape, size andorientation using the Transform tool. When you click the Transform toolbutton on the Tool panel, the Attribute toolbar changes to show each ofthe possible transformation options. The first, Resize, allows you to dragcontrol points on the bounding box to distort the selection in severaldirections. To spin the selection, click the Rotate button or use one of theother fixed rotation buttons. You can also flip the selection horizontally orvertically using the Flip Horizontal and Flip Vertical buttons.

Original image Resizing Rotating Flipping horizontally

Flipping vertically Rotating left 90º Rotating right 90º Rotating 180º


Using the Clone tool

The Clone tool is similar to the paint tool except that it uses the image forits color palette. For example, you can paint onto an image with anotherpart of the same image, or even from a second image in another editwindow. This is useful when you wish to replicate an object in an image,such as creating dozens of fighter planes using one as the template, or ifyou want to remove areas from the foreground and replace them with thebackground, such as wires or props that were used during filming. Whenusing the Clone tool, you can also choose the type of paintbrush you wantto use from the Attribute toolbar. (To learn about cloning over severalframes see the ‘Duplicating changes over frames’ section, p.214.)

To use the Clone tool:

1. Click the Clone tool on the Tool panel to select it. The Attribute toolbardisplays the available tools you can use to paint with and the Brushpanel changes to show the available attributes for the selected tool.

2. Hold down the Shift key and click your mouse over the area you wishto clone. This area is marked with a crosshair and the mouse pointerchanges to the clone pointer. (You can clone from the same image orfrom another edit window.)

3. Move to the area on the image where you want the clone to appear andstart dragging your mouse. The crosshair changes to indicate the areayou are cloning and as you paint you replace the area with whateverthe crosshair passes over. (The size and shape of the area painted aredetermined by the current attributes in the Brush panel.)

In the Options tab of the brush panel you can specify how the cloningpoint behaves as you paint with the Absolute, Frame and Relativeoptions. Absolute is the default mode and paints whatever the clonecrosshair passes over. Whenever you release your mouse the crosshairreturns to its original position allowing you to clone the same featureagain. Relative allows you to clone continuously, retaining a relationship


with the clone crosshair regardless of where you place your mouse.(The clone crosshair does not return to the original location when yourelease the mouse.) This is useful if you are cloning large areas andoften release your mouse and do not want to start from the beginningpoint. Frame is for cloning between different frames on the same clip.(To do this first insert the file again so you now have two copies in theworkspace.) Whenever you paint the contents on the target frame arereplaced with whatever is in the edit window you are cloning from andis most useful for cloning areas successively over several frames.(When you choose Frame, the clone crosshair appears in the top leftcorner of the image and as you clone the crosshair moves to the exactsame location to ensure you are cloning accurately between both theactive and target frames.)

Cloning an image from a second edit window to another

Using the Retouch tool

The Retouch tools are not strictly painting tools in the sense that they donot paint over an image with a selected color. Instead they are used totouch-up areas of an image to either enhance them, remove errors orperform special effects, such as smudging and warping. When you applya retouch tool, the tool uses the shape and size of the current brush eachtime you click your mouse. To perform the effect over a larger area dragyour mouse or increase the size of your brush. To reapply and increase theeffect on a specific area click repeatedly. (Smudging requires you to dragthe tool as it smudges color from one area into another.)


To view the retouching tools click the Retouch tool button on the Toolpanel. The Brush panel opens and all the retouch tools are displayed alongthe Attribute toolbar. The attributes for these tools are identical to thepaint tools (see p.242) except the Options tab, which changes to displaycontrols for refining the degree of retouching. (To learn about cloningover several frames see the ‘Duplicating changes over frames’ section,p.214.)

Notes:

• Confine the area to retouch by first creating a selection area.

• You need to be in Composite mode before you can start using a Retouch tool.Once you have edited an image you can switch to Paint Layer mode to work onjust that area.

Original image Dodge Burn Blur

Sharpen Tonal Adjustment Smudge Saturation

Warping Bristle Smear


BRUSH PANEL: OPTIONS TAB (RETOUCH TOOL)

Dodge increases the amount of luminosity in an image, making areas lighter.

Burn reduces the amount of luminosity in an image, making areas darker.

Blur blurs the edges of an image making them less distinct.

Sharpen sharpens the edges of an image thereby making them more distinct.

Tonal adjustment controls the amount of highlight, midtone and shadow in animage. Highlight works by adjusting the whitest or brightest parts of an image, whileMidtone adjusts the colors that fall between the dark and light areas of an image.Shadow works by adjusting the blackest or darkest parts of an image

Smudge smears the colors in an image as you drag your mouse.

Saturation adds more intensity to colors, making them appear stronger.Clicking the Desaturation button removes intensity from colors, making them lighter.

Warping distorts an image as you drag your mouse.

Transparency determines the transparency of the paint as it is applied.

Wet adds water to the paint making it blend more smoothly with the colors of animage.

Dry removes water from the paint making it appear more distinct from the colorsof an image.

Smear controls the amount of paint overrun.

Recording macros

Macros give you the ability to record specific brush strokes made witheither the Paint or Retouch tools and use the exact same stroke order againon future frames. Macros can make common, repetitive editing tasks gomuch faster and far more easily as well as create ‘on-the-fly’ animations.When you create a macro it is stored in the Production Library and whenyou apply it you have a number of options to control how it plays itselfback over each frame in a video sequence.


To record a macro:

1. Click the Macro button on the Attribute toolbar (for Paint and Retouchtools only). A message box appears preparing for recording.

Note: When you record a macro, Video Paint clears the previous Undo history tohelp free up system resources. If you want to retain any previous edits first savethe file before recording.

2. Click OK. Video Paint centers the edit window and you can startpainting on the image.

You can paint as slowly as you like, changing tools and attributes asyou go. You can also undo any actions which are ignored when youplay the macro back.

3. When finished click the Macro button on the Attribute toolbar to endthe recording. The Add to Library dialog box opens.

4. Select the folder in the Macro Gallery where you want to store themacro and then enter a name for the macro in the entry line below thethumbnail image as well as a brief description in the Annotation box.

5. Click OK. The macro is now saved to the Production Library and theedits removed from the edit window. (For applying a macro see thefollowing procedure.) If you have selected the Play macro afterrecording option in the Preferences dialog box (see p.222) the MacroPlaying Options dialog box opens allowing you to specify how youwant the macro to be applied.

The Add To Library dialog box


To play back a macro:

1. Select the frame from where you want the macro to begin its playback.

2. Click the Production Library button on the Standard toolbar and locatethe macro in the Macro gallery that you want to play back.

3. Double-click on the thumbnail of the macro you want to play back ordrag-and-drop it into the edit window to open the Macro PlayingOptions dialog box.

The Macro Playing Options dialog box

4. Specify how many frames to play the macro back over in the Numberof frames spin box.

5. Specify how the macro should play back in the Playing method groupbox. Select Entire image if you want the macro to appear the same oneach frame. To have the macro animate sequentially over each frameclick either the Progressive or Regressive options. Progressive startsthe playback of the macro from the first stroke of the macro to thelast, while Regressive starts from the last stroke to the first. If youwant to determine where the macro should start playing back from(other than the top left corner of the edit window), select the Manu-ally place top left corner in frame option.

6. Click OK. The macro begins playing back according to your settings.If you selected the Manually place top left corner in frame option, youneed to click in the edit window image from where you want to startplay back.

Playing back a macro progressively


Applying filters

The video filters in Video Paint are the same as those found in Video Editorand can be used from the Menu bar or from the Video Filters gallery in theProduction Library. While they are the same in design, they do, however,differ in application. For example, in Video Paint the filters are appliedimmediately to the frames in the clip, or to any frames included in thepreview area, and the rendered result appears in the Paint Layer which youcan then edit or paint over accordingly. (In Video Editor they are applied tothe clip only and are not rendered until you create or preview the file.)Because filters in Video Paint are rendered, you may find that they takelonger to apply, depending on your system resources or the type of filter.


1. Drag over the Preview bar in the Filmstrip panel to select the framesyou want to apply the filter to. (If you want to apply the filter to theentire clip, make no selection.)

2. Select the Video Filters gallery from the Production Library and locatethe filter you want to apply from one of the available folders. (You canalso select the filter by going directly to its command in the VideoFilters menu.)

3. Drag-and-drop the filter you want to apply onto the edit window toopen the filter’s dialog box. (By double-clicking on the filter’s thumb-nail you can see a preview of the type of filter and its options.)

4. Adjust the settings of the filter as well as define any key frames andclick OK. The filter is then applied to the active clip.

Applying a Whirlpool video filter



When working in Video Paint it is a good idea to regularly preview yourwork to see how your project is developing. You can do this in one of twoways – by creating a preview file or by flicking through a series offrames. Previewing works in much the same way as in Video Editor whileflicking works by displaying a series of frames quickly, much like flippingthrough the pages of an animation.

Performing a flick preview

Performing a flick preview is a simple process of selecting the framefrom where you want the preview to begin and then clicking the FlickPreview button on the Navigator or the View: Flick [SHIFT+F] command.The preview is then performed on the image in the edit window. Beforeyou perform the preview, however, you need to set your flick options todetermine which area of the image is previewed as well as how manyframes to flick through.

Performing a flick preview

To set your flick options:

1. Click the View: Flick Options command to open the Flick Optionsdialog box.

2. Specify the number of frames to flick through in the Backward andForward spin boxes.

The number you specify determines how many frames are previewedwhen you perform a flick. Backward frames are flicked first followedby forward frames. You may want to have a few backward framesincluded in the flick to give you a reference as to what occurs beforethe flick reaches your edited frames.


3. Select the speed to perform the flick at using the Speed group box.

4. Specify the area on the frame you want to flick through using theFlick area spin boxes or by dragging the control points in the bound-ing box in the preview image. (To move the bounding box on thePreview image place your pointer in the center and drag.)

If flicking through a specific area on the frame it is a good idea toselect the Show border option because it places a thin red border overthe area being flicked making it easier to identify. If you want to flickthrough the entire frame select the Entire frame option below thepreview image.

5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the settings will be apparent thenext time you perform a flick preview.

Performing a preview

Apart from performing flick previews you can also perform standardpreviews which create a preview file. To do this, first define your previewoptions by clicking the Preview Options button on the Standard toolbar orthe View: Preview Options command. (These options are the same asdiscussed in Video Editor, p.147.) O nce the Preview options have been

defined, drag over the Preview bar on the Film strip panel, a blue selection

line appears, and select the fram es you w ant to preview. W hen ready, click

the Preview Selection button or the View : Preview com m and [ENTER] tocreate the preview.

Note: Using the Navigator, you can also step through each frame in the sequence aswell as preview the entire clip by clicking the preview button.


Managing preview files

You can quickly check on how much space your preview files occupyby clicking the File: Preview Files Manager command. This opens thePreview Files Manager dialog box which displays every preview file foreach project you have created previews from. You can see how much diskspace your preview files occupy and choose whether or not to deletethem. You should delete them if they reference a project you have alreadydeleted or no longer use.



• Work in Ruby Mask mode to create video mattes (p.230).

• Work in Onionskin mode when creating animations (p.232).

• In Composite mode, you select areas of an image; in Paint Layer modeyou select areas of your edits (p.235).

• Use the Eyedropper tool to select colors from an image in an editwindow (p.242).

• Save regularly used brush attributes to the Production Library (p.244).

• Perform changes over multiple frames using the macrorecorder (p.252).

• Perform a flick preview over a selected area to better see youredits (p.256).

CG InfinityCG Infinity

Getting started

CG Infinity is a specialized drawing program that allows you

to create impressive titles and motion graphics for use in Video

Editor projects or as stand alone video and image files.

Using CG Infinity you can easily produce television and film

quality opening and ending credits as well as an extensive

range of both regular and freehand graphical objects.

Chapter 1


• Understanding the basics .................................................................... p.262

• Controlling the alignment of objects ..................................................... p.269

• Customizing CG Infinity ....................................................................... p.271



CG Infinity is a vector-based drawing program dedicated to creatingimpressive titles and motion graphics. Once you have created a titleor graphic it becomes an object which can be resized, reshaped andredesigned without any loss in quality. A comprehensive range of drawingtools also give you complete flexibility over your work and make editingobjects as easy as moving your mouse.

To get started in CG Infinity you first need to create a new edit window.At the center of the edit window is a frame indicating the size of the videoframes for your CG project. Everything outside the frame is part of thepasteboard area which can be used for storing objects or for placingobjects outside of the frame before moving them into view. (You controlthe size of the pasteboard in the Preferences dialog box, see p.271.)While a CG project is video-based, the edit window displays only one viewfrom where you perform all your work and effects. When it comes timeto create a final video sequence CG Infinity applies your edits over theappropriate number of frames to build the video file.

The CG Infinity program window

CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE 263

Standard toolbar

Tool panel

Edit window

Save aCG project

Open aCG project

Create a newCG Project

Cut anobject

Copy anobject

Paste anobject

View in wireframemode

Redo an undoneaction

Undo a previousaction

Bring an object tothe front

Bring an objectforward

Send an objectbackward

Send an object toback

Show theProduction Library

Show the ObjectStyle panel

Show the TimeControl panel

Object tool

Shape tool

Freehand tool

Envelope tool

Eyedropper tool

Zoom control

Default object style

Adjust tool

Path tool

Moving Path tool

Text tool

Zoom tool


Understanding objects

Objects form the basis of your work in CG Infinity. They can be anythingfrom text to regular squares and circles as well as freehand drawn shapes.Each object is a vector-based graphic which is created from a series oflines that form an outlined path to represent the object’s shape.

When you work on an object you can add, move and remove pointsanywhere along a line in the path. These points are referred to as nodeswhich, when selected, contain handles that you can drag to reshape thepath. Once you have finished creating a path you can then specify theobject’s style attributes such as its color, whether or not it has a shadowand how well it blends into the background.

Starting a new CG project

Every CG project begins with defining the frame size and video propertiesof the project. Once created, you can begin adding text and objects, andthen manipulate them with various drawing tools. When you arefinished, you can create a video file of your work or insert the CG projectinto Video Editor as part of a larger project.

To create a new CG Infinity project:

1. Click the New button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Newcommand [CTRL+N] to open the New dialog box.

2. Specify the duration of the project in the Duration spin boxes and theframe rate in the Frame rate combo box. You can choose from the listin the drop-down menu or enter your own.

If the project is intended to be part of a Video Editor project, make surethat both projects have the same frame rate. If different, you may getdropped or duplicated frames.

3. Select the frame size of the project using the options in the Frame sizegroup box. Again, if the project is intended to be part of a Video Editorproject, make sure that both projects have the same frame size toprevent resampling.


4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new edit window appears in theCG Infinity workspace.

Changing the background of an edit window

Once created, an edit window displays a solid white background.When you create a video or image file, this is the color of the backgroundthat will appear behind any objects. You can change this background bychoosing a new color or by replacing it with the contents of a video orimage file.

To change an edit window’s background:

1. Click the View: Background command to open the Backgrounddialog box.

2. Select the type of background you want from the Background sourcegroup box. You can select a general background color by right clickingon the color square and selecting a color from the pop-up menu thatappears. (You can also enter the RGB values for a color directlyinto the RGB spin boxes.) To use an existing image or video file,click on the appropriate option and then click the Select button.(If choosing a video file, you can select a specific frame to insert.)You can also choose to resize the image or video to fit the frame,or have it centered. (If you choose to resize, the image or video mayappear distorted.)

3. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the background changesaccordingly. (To view any changes you need to be in Preview mode.)

Placing an image of the sky as the background


Changing the view of an edit window

CG Infinity offers the same controls for viewing edit windows as VideoPaint: these are the View commands and the Zoom tool. (For more onthese see p.217). CG Infinity, however, adds two extra commands to helpyou work at full screen: the View: Full Screen command [CTRL+U] and theView: Remove Menu Bar command. Clicking the Full Screen commanddisplays the edit window at the current zoom level occupying the entirescreen; in its default mode, the program window and all docked toolbarsand panels are hidden, leaving only your objects and any floating toolbarsand panels in view. Full screen mode is very useful when you want to editan object in as much space as possible without the distractions of theprogram window. Any floating toolbars or panels remain visible in thismode allowing you to continue working on your object. (To return to thenormal screen mode press the Esc key.) If you prefer to have all thetoolbars and panels present click the Remove Menu Bar command. Thisremoves the Title and Menu bars of the CG Infinity screen only, leaving allother screen elements present. (You can still use the menu commands withtheir keyboard shortcut keys. To return to the normal screen mode pressthe Esc key.)

Viewing objects

In CG Infinity, you can view objects in one of two modes: Preview orWireframe. Preview mode displays objects complete with all their objectattributes, such as fill color, shadow and transparency. While this providesthe most accurate view of an object it can slow down editing and process-ing time as CG Infinity has to continually refresh these attributes wheneveryou change the view of an edit window or create new objects. To speedup editing, switch to Wireframe mode by clicking the Wireframe buttonon the Standard toolbar or the View: Wireframe [CTRL+D] command.This displays only the path of each object and reduces processing timeconsiderably as there is less information to handle. (To return to Previewmode, deselect the Wireframe option.)

Note: To move an object in Wireframe mode you can only click on its path andnot the area within its shape.


Saving your work

In CG Infinity the edit window you are working on is referred to as aproject. You save this project as a special Ulead CG Infinity file (UCG)by clicking the Save button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Savecommand [CTRL+S]. UCG files contain all the attributes of the objects inthe edit window as well as the video properties of the project. Once saved,you can load the UCG file back into the CG Infinity workspace by clickingthe Open button on the Standard toolbar or the File: Open command[CTRL+O]. You can also open the file in Video Editor by selecting the UCGformat from the Files of type combo box in the Insert Video File dialogbox. The file opens as a clip in the timeline displaying the same objectattributes as in CG Infinity. (Any background image or video file specifiedin CG Infinity is not displayed.)

Creating video and image files

Once you have finished working on a CG Infinity project you can createa new video or image file that combines the project’s objects with thecurrent background. To create a video file, select the File: Create VideoFile command. This opens the Create Video File dialog box, which has thesame options as Video Editor. (To learn more about these options see thesection on ‘Creating a video file’, p.186.) To create an image file, click theFile: Create Image File command. This opens the Create Image File dialogbox which allows you to select the data type, file format, resolution andsize of the image.

Performing Cut and Copy operations

In CG Infinity, you can copy objects in a number of ways, such as usingthe Cut and Copy buttons on the Standard toolbar or the Edit: Cut andCopy commands. These allow you to duplicate objects from an editwindow and then paste them into the same or another edit window. (Copyduplicates a selected object while Cut removes it from the edit window.)

Note: You can also paste the object into an image editor, such as UleadPhotoImpact. If pasting into PhotoImpact, the mask information is retained.


Another method to cut and copy is the Edit: Duplicate command whichcopies the currently selected object and makes a duplicate at the sametime. The advantage of the Duplicate command is that you do not have topaste the object, therefore allowing you to quickly create copies of objectsas you work. (This is ideal if you are creating temporary objects toexperiment on and do not want to affect the original.)

Note: You can add an object or its style to the Production Library by clicking theappropriate command from the right mouse button pop-up menu. Once added youcan copy it to another object by dragging-and-dropping its thumbnail ontothe object.

Performing a paste operation

When Pasting an object CG Infinity gives you a variety of options forcontrolling which attributes of the object to paste. For example, to pastethe object as is click the Paste button on the Standard toolbar or the Edit:Paste command [CTRL+V]. This places the object in the center of thecurrent view. To paste only certain attributes, such as the fill color orshadow, click the Edit: Paste: Object Style command. This opens the PasteObject Style dialog box which allows you to select which attributes topaste. Once you click OK the attributes are pasted to all selected objects.(If no objects are selected then this command is disabled.)

Two other paste commands, Moving Path and Object as Moving Path,enable you to paste the moving path attributes of an object or use the pathof an object as a moving path. To apply an object’s moving pathto another object, click the Moving Path command. This opens the PasteMoving Path dialog box which allows you to select between pasting thepath and/or key frame information to the currently active object.

The Object Moving Path command allows you to use the shape of anobject as a moving path for the currently active object. For example,you could draw around a background image in the edit window frame andthen paste the shape of the resulting object as a moving path for anotherobject to follow. (For more on moving paths see ‘Creating a moving path’,p.288.)


Controlling the alignment of objects

When you move objects around in CG Infinity you often want to placethem in particular areas within the frame of the edit window. This isespecially the case when trying to match an object with a backgroundvideo or image file, such as a car or a corporate logo. To do this,CG Infinity provides guides and rulers that help you accurately placeand move objects.

Displaying rulers

Rulers provide you with a consistent reference point in the edit windowthat identifies the location of objects. To display the rulers, click the View:Rulers command. Horizontal and vertical rulers appear along the top andleft side of the edit window. They take their measurement in pixels withthe base reference point (X=0, Y=0) at the top left corner of the frame inthe edit window. You can reset this reference point by dragging theintersecting ruler lines from the Base Point button at the corner of therulers to any position in the edit window. This is especially helpful if youhave zoomed in on an object and want to reset your ruler at a new view.

Note: Double-clicking the Base Point button repositions the base point to the topleft corner of the edit window frame.

Displaying the grid and guides

To better position objects it is a good idea to display the grid as well asuse guidelines within the edit window. The grid is a pattern of points thatappear whenever you click the View: Grid command. The grid pointsmake it easier to align objects and position them. You can also change thecolor of grid points as well as the distance between each for greaterflexibility and control.

An object with grids and guidelines displayed


Guides are reference lines that you pull out from either the horizontal orvertical rulers. When you pull out a guide it appears as a dotted line whichyou can use to mark certain areas within the edit window. You can haveany number of guides which can be easily repositioned by dragging onthem. To remove a guide, drag it off the edge of the edit window using theObject tool.

Customizing the grid and guides

The default color for grid points and guides are red and blue respectively.Depending on your background, as well as the color of your objects,you may want to change these to make them easier to identify. To do thisclick the View: Grid & Guide Options command to open the Grid & GuideOptions dialog box. Here you can specify the color for both the grid pointsand guidelines as well as control the horizontal and vertical spacingbetween each point in the grid. If you want your objects to ‘snap to’ gridpoints or guides, select the Snap to distance option and specify the rangewithin which a snap should occur. For example, a range of 5 pixels pullsan object to a grid point whenever it is placed within 5 pixels of that gridpoint’s position.

Notes:

• Snap to works on the rectangular area of an object’s bounding box and not thepath of the object itself.

• For objects to snap to grid points and guides you need to first select the Edit:Snap to Guides and Snap to grid commands.

Aligning objects

While the above methods allow you to accurately place objects within anedit window, you may also want to align a group of objects so that theyappear along the same horizontal or vertical plane. To do this, CG Infinityprovides the Edit: Align command which opens the Align dialog box.Here you can select to position objects vertically in columns or horizon-tally in rows. You can also specify to have the objects appear to the left,center or right of each other.


Customizing CG Infinity

To better work with CG Infinity it is important to customize the program’sbehavior with the Preferences dialog box (opened by double-clicking thestatus bar or clicking the File: Preferences com m and [F6]). This dialog boxhas four tabs: General, Memory, Display and Photo CD. Except for thefirst, General, the others are identical to Video Paint and are fully explainedin the ‘Customizing Video Paint’ section, p.222.

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: GENERAL TAB

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

Levels of undo/redo specifies the maximum levels of undo/redo allowed byCG Infinity (up to 99). As CG Infinity allocates more memory for each level of undo/redo you may find that too high a level adversely affects performance. In such casesrestrict the level to 3-4 only. You can of course choose not to have undo/redo tomaximize performance, but any editing done is final.

Number of recently opened file names specifies how many file names arestored in the Recent History list found in the File menu.

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Title safe area margin specifies the margin percentage for displaying any titlesin a video project. This is useful if you intend on sending your video back out to videotape or for broadcasting as television has a different resolution than computermonitors, and edges which are viewable on screen may disappear. As a guideline,for NTSC devices choose 12%, PAL 10%. To view the title safe area marquee clickthe View: Title Safe Area command.

Object movement defines how far an object moves when you use the arrowkeys to adjust its position.

Object selection defines how objects are selected with the Object tool.Inside selects objects that fall within the marquee of a new selection and Touchselects objects that are touched by the marquee of a selection area. In most casesuse Touch as it allows you to quickly select objects without having to draw aselection over its entirety. Inside is useful if you have a lot of overlapping objectsand only want to select a specific one without affecting any others.



• CG Infinity is a vector-based drawing program (p.264).

• Use a video or image file as your background to better position anddraw your objects (p.265).

• Work in Wireframe mode to speed up the editing process (p.266).

• CG objects are merged with the current background whenever youcreate video and image files (p.267).

• You can paste an object’s style or moving path to another object(p.268).

• View grids and guides to better position objects (p.269).

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Working with objects

The power of CG Infinity lies in its ability to create and

manipulate objects. Using a wide range of drawing tools,

you can easily create these objects by tracing over existing

images, drawing your own shapes or using the Text tool to

create impressive titles and text effects.

Chapter 2


• Defining an object’s style ...................................................................... p.274

• Creating text and shape objects ........................................................... p.277

• Selecting and transforming objects ...................................................... p.282

• Adjusting shapes .................................................................................. p.286

• Creating a moving path ........................................................................ p.288


Defining an object’s style

When you create an object it takes its form from the path or shape youdraw and its appearance from a number of attributes which make up itsstyle. These attributes are defined in the Object Style panel which you canview by clicking the Object Style Panel button on the Attribute toolbar orby right-clicking over a toolbar and selecting the Object Style Panelcommand. The panel has three tabs: General, Color and Shadow.By experimenting with the various options available you can quickly learnthe types of effects and results you can create using CG Infinity.

OBJECT STYLE PANEL: GENERAL TAB

Line Width defines the thickness of a line when applied to an object. You canenter sub-pixel values up to 1/10th of a pixel. The line is centered over the path,with half appearing on the outside, half on the inside.

Anti-Aliasing smooths the edges of non-rectangular objects by blending theareas with the background. This is particularly useful for text objects. Leave thisclear if you want a sharp edge such as with square or rectangular objects.

Transparency controls how transparent an object appears. The first option,Normal Transparency, provides an even transparency over the entire object basedon the value entered in the neighboring Transparency spin box. A value of 0 has notransparency and 100 full transparency. The second option, Gradient Transpar-ency, controls an object’s transparency based on the pattern indicated in theneighboring gradient square. The darker the area the less transparent the objectwhile the lighter the area the more transparent the object. To change the gradientpattern click on the gradient square to display the Gradient Transparency dialog box.Here you can control the start and end values of the gradient as well as the pattern,either linear or bidirectional. (A value of 0 is white, full transparency and 100 is black,no transparency.) To toggle between applying a linear or bidirectional gradient clickthe Gradient Style button at the bottom of the dialog box. You can also change thedirection and extent of the gradient by dragging on the sample image.

Soft Edge blends the edges of an object with the background. This option isuseful if anti-aliasing does not create a smooth enough edge for some objects.

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CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 275

Line Caps defines how the ends of lines are drawn; you can choose betweenRound, Square or Flat. (Depending on the size of your object you may not be ableto see any obvious change.)

Line Joints defines how lines meet; you can choose Round, Bevel, or Miterjoining. (Depending on the size of your object you may not be able to see anyobvious change.)

OBJECT STYLE PANEL: COLOR TAB

Fill color determines how an object is filled. The first option, None, applies no fillto an object making it clear. The second option, Color, fills an object with a solid colorwhich you choose by right-clicking the color square or by selecting it from the ColorPalette, or with the Eyedropper tool. (The Color palette and Eyedropper tool behavein the same way as explained in Video Paint see p.241.) The third option, Gradient,fills an object with a special gradient pattern. To choose the gradient click the colorsquare to open the Magic Gradient dialog box and select a gradient from one of theavailable methods. The final option, Texture, fills an object with a special texturepattern. To choose this texture click on the color square to open the Magic Texturesdialog box and select a texture from one of the displayed thumbnails.

Fill type specifies how to apply the fill. The first option, Even-Odd Fill, togglesbetween filling the entire object or only areas which do not overlap. When notselected the fill is applied to the entire object, otherwise the fill is only applied toareas where there is no overlap. (If the object does not have any overlap then the fillis applied to the entire object.) The second option, Fill Precedence, toggles betweenapplying a fill to overlapping areas or entire areas of an object. When not selected theentire object is filled, otherwise any areas of objects which overlap are filled, leavingexposed areas untouched.

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Line color determines how the line of an object is filled. The first option, None,applies no fill to an object’s line making it clear. (If you do not select a color or stylethen the line width specified in the General tab has no affect.) The second option,Color, selects a solid color to fill the line with. To choose the color right-click thecolor square or select the color using the Eyedropper tool or the Color palette,keeping the Ctrl key held down as you click. (If you don’t hold down the Ctrl key youchange the Fill color instead.) The third option, Gradient, fills the line with a specialgradient pattern. To choose the gradient click the color square to open the PaletteRamp Editor dialog box and select a pattern from one of the available methods. Onceyou have selected a pattern you can determine its direction with the neighboringthree directional buttons, Along, Outward and Symmetrical. Along applies the fillevenly along the line while Outward applies the fill from the inside out. Symmetricalapplies the color from both the inside and outside edges towards the center.

OBJECT STYLE PANEL: SHADOW TAB

Shadow options determine the type of shadow to apply to an object. The firstoption, None, does not apply any shadow while the second option, Drop, applies adrop shadow. You can specify the position of the shadow in the X and Y spin boxesas well as control its transparency and the amount of soft edge in the Transpar-ency and Soft edge spin boxes. The third option, Glow, applies a shadow to anobject so that it appears evenly on all sides. You can specify the color of the shadowas well as its intensity in the Options group box. (The greater the intensity the fartherout the shadow extends.) You can also set the transparency and the amount of softedge in the Transparency and Soft edge spin boxes. The final option, Extrude,applies a shadow so that it comes out from an object. You can specify the position ofthe shadow in the X and Y spin boxes as well as choose between a solid or gradientcolor. If you choose a gradient color you can change it by clicking the color square toopen the Magic Gradient dialog box. You can also choose to have the shadowextrude away in horizontal layers or along in vertical layers.

Note: To change the color of a shadow, right-click on the color square or select thecolor using the Eyedropper tool or the Color palette, keeping the Shift key held downas you click.

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Setting your default object style

Whenever you create an object it takes its initial style from the currentdefault as indicated by the graphic at the bottom of the Tool panel.You can change this default at any time by right-clicking it and choosingthe Properties command. In the Properties dialog box that opens you canspecify the new defaults. To use an existing object’s style as the defaultfirst select it and then click the Use as Default Style command from theright mouse pop-up menu. The graphic in the Tool panel changes accord-ingly to reflect the new style. (You can also change the default style bydragging-and-dropping a style directly from the Style gallery in theProduction Library to the graphic on the Tool panel.) If you wish to applythe default style to another object, first select the object and then choosethe Use Default Style command from the right mouse pop-up menu.

The Object Style Properties dialog box

Creating text and shape objects

CG Infinity is designed specifically for creating various text and shapeobjects. The Text tool is ideal for producing impressive opening andending credits as well as flashy text effects. The Shape tool createsregular shapes such as squares and polygons while the Path and Freehandtools enable you to draw your own objects and even trace over existingimages.


Using the Text tool

The Text tool in CG Infinity allows you to use any font currently installedon your system to create a text object. Once created, you can control thespacing between letters in a word as well as the spacing between lines oftext. You can also edit the text at a later time, even after changing its shapeand style.

Note: If you want to edit a text object on another machine, that machine must havethe same font installed. If not, the text uses your system’s default.

To create a text object:

1. Click the Text tool from the Tool Panel. The Attribute toolbar changesto display the various font characteristics you can choose from.

2. Select the font you want to use as well as any other font characteris-tics such as size, bold and italics. You can also specify the alignment ofthe text as well as the kerning and leading.

Note: Kerning decreases the amount of space between letters in a word makingit appear tighter while leading affects the spacing between words on differentlines. The default 100% uses the font’s own leading with lower values decreas-ing the space and higher values increasing the space.

3. Click the edit window where you want the text to appear and starttyping in your text. (To add a line press the Enter key.)

If you are including a lot of text, such as credits, drag your mouse tocreate a text bounding box. When you type your text it wraps to theedges of this bounding box.

4. Change to the Object tool or click outside the text area to place the textas an object.

Creating a text object


Using the Shape tool

In CG Infinity, you can create both regular symmetrical shapes, such assquares and circles, as well as more complex polygons and stars. You canuse these shapes to block out sections of a background image or video,as a background for text, or to create a variety of special effects.

To create a shape object:

1. Select the Shape tool from the Tool Panel. The Attribute toolbarchanges to indicate the various shapes you can choose from as wellhow the shape is created.

2. Select the shape you want to use from the Attribute toolbar and thenselect the drawing options for creating that shape.

There are three options you can choose from to control the way ashape is drawn. The first, From Center, creates the shape from thecenter moving out. If not selected, the shape is created from the topleft corner down as you draw. The second option, Equal Sides ensuresthat the sides of the shape are all of equal length. If not selected youcan draw a shape with variable width and height. The final option,Fixed Size, allows you to specify the exact width and height of anobject in the neighboring Width and Height spin boxes. (Selecting thisoption disables the Equal Sides option.)

Another option, Sides, is only available for the Polygon and Star shapesand controls the number of sides present in these shapes. Star also hasan additional option, Pointiness, which controls the length of each starcone in relation to the core of the star. For example, a value of 0 wouldproduce no star cones, only the star core. A value of 50% wouldproduce half star cones and half star core while 100% would produceonly star cones with no star core.

Note: You can change the pointiness of a star object by holding down theCtrl+Alt keys as you drag. Dragging inward increases the pointiness whiledragging outward decreases it. (The size of the star remains unchanged.)


3. Click on the area of the image where you want the shape to appearand drag. As you drag the shape takes its form based on the specifiedattributes. (If you chose a fixed size the shape is drawn immediately.)Once you release your mouse the shape is created as an object.

Note: If you draw an object and then hold down the Shift key you can adjust theobject equilaterally. If you hold down the Ctrl key you can adjust the object inone direction only.

Creating a variety of shapes with the Shape tool

Using the Freehand tool

The Freehand tool allows you to create any kind of shape you want byallowing you to draw it with your mouse. This is particularly useful fortracing over elements in a background video or image file, such as aperson’s head or a corporate logo. Once you have finished drawing yourpath, CG Infinity then places nodes in positions on the path that it feels arenecessary to maintain the accuracy of the shape you have drawn.

To create a freehand object:

1. Select the Freehand tool from the Tool panel. The Attribute toolbarchanges to display the options for drawing a path.

2. Move to the edit window and begin drawing the shape you want tocreate or trace.


As you draw, a line appears in the edit window which follows yourmovements. To draw continuously, keep your mouse button down asyou drag. If you release the mouse button you end a segment. You canthen choose to end the path or create a new segment by clicking inanother area of the edit window. When you create a new segment itautomatically connects to the end of the previous segment.

Note: If you make a mistake while drawing press the Esc key to start again.

3. Click the Close or Open Path button on the Attribute toolbar to endyour shape. (Close Path draws a line connecting the ending and startingpoints of your path while Open Path leaves it as is.) A red line appearsfollowing the path you have drawn. CG Infinity uses this line todetermine how many nodes to place on the resulting path. To have theline more closely follow your own, increase the value in the Accuracyspin box on the Attribute toolbar.

4. When you are satisfied with the accuracy of your path, switch to theObject tool or click outside the area to place the shape as an object.(If you chose an open path you need to specify a line width and fillcolor in the Object Style Options panel to see the path clearly.)

Using the Path tool

The Path tool is similar to the Freehand tool with the exception that itallows you to create shapes based on a series of straight or curved lines.You can manipulate these lines as you draw them or come back to themat a later time for further adjustments.

To create a path object:

1. Select the Path tool from the Tool panel. The Attribute toolbar changesto display the options for drawing a path.

2. Select the type of path you want to draw from the Attribute toolbar.You can choose between drawing in straight lines or curved linesegments by clicking the appropriate button on the Attribute toolbar.(You can switch between linear or curved segments as you drawdepending on the type of path you are trying to create.)


3. Move to the edit window and begin drawing the shape you want tocreate. Each time you click your mouse a node is placed in the editwindow and a line segment is automatically drawn connecting the twonodes. If you selected the Add Curve option, two handles appear oneither side of the node allowing you to stretch, pull and turn the curve.(You can come back later to edit these nodes and handles using theAdjust tool, see p.286.)

Note: If drawing in straight line segments, you can hold down the Shift key torestrict the line to movements of 15º intervals.

4. Click the Close Path button on the Attribute toolbar to end your shape.CG Infinity automatically draws a line connecting the end of the lastsegment to the beginning of the shape, filling it with the currentlyspecified fill color. If you want to leave the shape open, such as forcreating lines, click the Open Path button on the Attribute toolbar.This fills the line of the shape only, leaving the contents clear.(To view an open path you need to specify a line width in the ObjectStyle Options panel.)

Selecting and transforming objects

Once you have created an object you can move and manipulate it in avariety of ways. The easiest is with the Object tool which allows you toselect objects and then move and resize them anywhere within the editwindow. In CG Infinity you can select a single object or multiple objects,group them, or place them on top of, or behind, others. To select anobject, click the Object tool on the Tool panel and then click the objectyou want to select. (You need to click a portion of the shape, such as theline or filled area. This may not be so easy for open shapes with small linewidths. In such instances increase your magnification or the line width.)

Notes: You can also select an object by dragging a selection marquee over it.Depending on your settings in the Preferences dialog box (see p.271) you have todrag over the entire object or simply touch one of its edges.


Selecting multiple objects

You can select multiple objects by holding down the Shift key as youclick each object. The bounding box changes each time to encase all theselected objects. Once selected, you can move them as one or resize themequally. If you change an object style the new style is adopted by all theobjects, regardless of their original settings. (You can also select multipleobjects by dragging a selection marquee over each one.) To remove anobject after selecting it hold down the Shift key and click again. (You canonly deselect objects in the reverse order that they were selected.)

Grouping objects

If you selected multiple objects you can group them together so they actas one. Once grouped you can move the objects together as well asduplicate them to make additional copies. Grouping objects is especiallyuseful at the end of a project when you have layered them in their finalpositions. To group objects, select them and then click the Edit: Groupcommand. To ungroup them, select the grouped object and then click theEdit: Ungroup command.

Layering objects

An important part of working with objects is being able to layer them ontop of and behind one another to create a variety of effects such asshading and transparency. To control the layering of objects, CG Infinityprovides several commands in the Edit menu as well as options on theStandard toolbar. For example, you can send an object behind anotherby clicking the Send Backward command or, if there are several objects,send the object to the bottom of the others by clicking the Send to Backcommand. To place objects in front of others click either the BringForward or Bring to Front commands.

Notes:

• To move an object quickly through the layers, use the direction arrows on theStandard toolbar.

• All new objects are placed above existing objects.


Moving objects

Once an object is selected you can move it by dragging it with the Objecttool. Apart from moving an object with your mouse you can also move itusing the Position spin boxes on the Attribute toolbar. When you view thePosition spin boxes they show the current horizontal and vertical positionof the selected object respectively. (All measurements are in pixels.)You can enter in new values to move the object accordingly. This is veryuseful if you are working with various layers of objects and you want tomove one by a fraction of a pixel, such as when creating shading effects.

Transforming objects

In CG Infinity you can transform an object using the Object and Envelopetools. When you transform an object you can adjust its shape and rotationas well as resize it so that it fits better inside the edit window frame.Transforming works by dragging the handles on the bounding box of aselected object. Depending on the type of transform you are performing,these handles appear either on the sides and corners of the bounding boxor just the corners. (To manipulate the actual path of an object you needto use the Adjust tool, see p.286.)

Using the Object tool

The Object tool provides five options on the Attribute toolbar for resizingand rotating an object. The first option, Resize, allows you to drag on thenodes of a bounding box to stretch and pull an object. (If you want theobject to change its size proportionally, hold down the Shift key as youdrag.) To rotate an object select the Rotate option. As you rotate thedegree of the rotation is displayed in the Rotation Angle spin box at the endof the Attribute toolbar. For finer adjustments you can use this spin box orenter in the degree of rotation directly. You can also reposition the rotationcircle, found in the middle of the object, to determine where the center ofrotation is, such as the top left corner or right side. (To return the rotationcircle to the middle click the Center button next to the Rotation Angle spinboxes.)


Note: To resize an object, you can click a button or enter the new dimensions forthe object in the Width and Height spin boxes on the Attribute toolbar. (These spinboxes are useful for when you need to make accurate adjustments to an object’ssize, such as to 1/10th of a pixel.)

Original image Resizing Rotating

Slanting Perspective Distorting

Using the Envelope tool

The Envelope tool differs from the Object tool in that it works by provid-ing a shape which you fit an object into, rather than having an objectdefine its own shape. This is particularly useful for text objects whoseshapes take their form from a particular font. By changing the envelope ofthe text you have much greater flexibility over how the text is warped anddistorted. For example, you could make the text appear as a wave or haveit bend in three dimensions.

To change the envelope of an object

1. Create a text object and then select the Envelope tool from the Toolpanel. A bounding box appears around the text with nodes on the sidesand corners.

2. Select a method to control the envelope from the Envelope methodcombo box on the Attribute toolbar. You can choose between fourtypes: Fit Shape, Fit Length, Horizontal and Vertical. (The result ofeach of these methods may differ depending on the size and font ofyour text.)


3. Drag one of the nodes of the bounding box to change the shape of theenvelope. Control handles appear which allow you to further controlthe curve of the envelope.

4. Keep dragging the nodes and control handles until you have a shapeyou are happy with.

Changing the envelope of a text object

Adjusting shapes

Whenever you create an object (other than a text object) its shape isdefined by the path you draw. Once created, you can come back to thispath and change it using the Adjust tool. The Adjust tool is particularlyuseful if you have traced an object or created your own freehand drawingand need to modify it so that it better takes the shape you want.

To adjust a path

1. Select the Adjust tool from the Tool panel. The Attribute toolbarchanges to display the options for adjusting a path. Nodes also appearon the path of the selected object. (You cannot adjust the path of a textobject.)

2. Select the Adjust Path button, if it is not already selected, and click anynode on the path of the object. The node changes to black to indicate itis active and control handles appear on either side of the node.


3. Change the shape of the path by dragging the node or one of thecontrol handles. Dragging the node repositions it while dragging acontrol handle changes the curvature of the path around the activenode and between the preceding and following nodes. You can controlthe behavior of these nodes as well as their directions by choosing oneof the node options on the Attribute toolbar. In all there are five optionsyou to choose from:

Curve Segment changes the curvature of a path between thepreceding, following and active nodes.

Linear Segment changes the shape of the path to straight linesegments beginning from the preceding node to the active node.

Symmetric Node changes the curvature of the path between thepreceding, following and active nodes, keeping the control handlesfixed in a linear path and equal in length. (This button is active only ifthe Curved Node option is selected). This option is best for performinggeneral changes to a path’s curvature.

Smooth Node changes the curvature of the path between the preced-ing, following and active nodes, allowing you to change the length ofthe control handles independently from each other (they still remain ona linear path). Use this option for greater control over the curvaturewith respect to the preceding and following nodes.

Cusp Node changes the curvature of the path between the preceding,following and active nodes, allowing you to move one control handle ata time. This is useful when you want to change the curve on one sideof the path without affecting the other.

4. Keep dragging nodes and control handles until you have a shape youare happy with.

Notes:

• To add a node click anywhere along the path of the object with the Add Nodebutton selected from the Attribute toolbar. To remove a node click the nodewith the Remove Node button selected.

• You can make a path closed or opened by clicking the respective buttons onthe Attribute toolbar.



An integral part of your work in CG Infinity is adding motion to yourobjects. This is done using the Moving Path tool which allows you tospecify a path for an object to follow within the edit window. You canthen position objects so that they move across the screen, either in unisonor at different intervals. You can even perform various special effectssuch as fades from one color to another as well as changing the size androtation of an object as it travels over time. Being a path you can alsoadjust it just as you would the path of any object in CG Infinity,providing for extremely fine and accurate movements.

Notes:

• Any moving path you create takes its time from the duration specified in theProperties dialog box, opened by clicking the File: Properties command.

• To delete a moving path select the object with the Moving Path tool and then clickthe Edit: Delete command [DEL]. (If there is no moving path the object is deleted.)

To create a moving path:

1. Position the object where you want it to start its movement and thenselect the Moving Path tool from the Tool panel. The Attribute toolbarchanges to display the various options available and Start and Endnodes appear on the selected object.

Note: Selecting the Moving Path tool should open the Time Control panel. If itdoes not, click the Time Control Panel button on the Standard toolbar to displayit. (If the Moving Path tool is not the current tool, it is automatically hidden.)

2. Click the End node and drag it to where you want the moving path toend.

3. Click the Play button on the Time Control panel to see how the objectmoves. (It is best to do this in Wireframe mode as it speeds up theplayback considerably.) To adjust the path’s position or shape drag onthe Start and End nodes.

Notes:

• Depending on the type of path, you may have to click twice before being ableto move a Start or End node.

• To view a moving path at anytime click on it with the Moving Path tool.



Changing the shape of a moving path

In CG Infinity there are two ways in which you can change the shape of amoving path: with the Moving Path tool or by assigning the path of anobject as a moving path. To change the shape using the Moving Path tool,you need to select it with the Moving Path tool and then drag the movingpath as you would if adjusting an object’s path. The Attribute toolbar hasthe same options as the Adjust tool (see p.286). To create greater move-ment you can add nodes anywhere along the path and edit them as youwould with the Adjust tool.

To assign the path of an object as a moving path first select the object andthen copy it. Now select the object you want to move and click the Edit:Paste Object as Moving Path command. The path of the copied objectnow appears in the center of the selected object as a moving path. This isuseful if you want an object to follow the shape of a particular feature,such as stars following the outline of a corporate logo.

Changing the shape of a moving path (left) and pasting an object as a movingpath (right)


Changing the size and style of an object over time

Using the Time Control panel you can make an object change its size overtime as well as perform other effects such as fades and color transitions.This is done through the use of key frames that you place at strategicpositions throughout the moving path. By changing the attributes of anobject at each key frame you cause it to change over time.

To change an objects size and style over time:

1. Select the object you want to change with the Moving Path tool.The moving path of the object appears.

2. Move the Preview slider in the Key Frame Controller to the frame inthe path where you want the object to change. The object moves tothat frame position on the moving path.

3. Click the Add Key Frame button on the Time Control panel. A keyframe is added to the Key Frame slider. (Key frames are explained indetail in the ‘Using key frame controls’ section, p.154)

4. Change the style and size of the object using the Object Style panel aswell as the resize buttons on the Attribute toolbar. If you are changingthe style any changes to the fill color options produces a fade effectfrom one to the other, as long as two fill colors are of the same type,for example, going from a gradient fill to another gradient fill. If thetypes are different, no fade occurs and the style changes only at thesecond key frame position.

You can also control the transparency of the object as it moves overtime by adjusting the control points in the Fade graph. Moving acontrol point upward makes the object more transparent: downwardless transparent.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add more key frames. (To edit an object at anexisting key frame position you must first make it active by clicking onits key frame in the Key Frame slider.)


6. Move the Preview slider to the start or click on the Start Key Framebutton to return the object back to its beginning position.

7. Click the Play button to see how the object moves and changes overtime. (To see changes in an object’s style you need to play the movingpath in Preview mode not Wireframe.)

Changing the size of objects over time

Changing the speed of an object

In CG Infinity, changing an object’s position on a moving path at aparticular key frame controls the speed at which the object travels.For example, if you place a key frame at frame 15 of the moving path,and then move the object further along the path, you create a fast motioneffect as the object has to cover more ground within the same time period.Likewise, by moving the object back you create a slow motion effect asthe object has less distance to travel within the same time period.

To change the speed of an object:


2. Click a key frame in the Time Control panel. The object moves to thatposition on the moving path.

3. Drag on the bounding box of the object and move it to where you wantit to appear at that point in the path. (Moving forward creates a fastmotion affect: back a slow motion effect.)

4. Move the Preview slider to the start or click on the Start Key Framebutton to return the object back to its beginning position.

5. Click the Play button to see how the object changes its speed as itmoves over time.


Timing the movement of objects

An important part of any CG project is the synchronization of objects witheach other. For example, you will often want text to appear either beforeor after another object has been displayed. To do this, you again need touse the Time Control panel and place key frames to act as timers before anaction occurs. (Often with multiple objects you end up needing more timethan currently specified in the project. To add time to a project increasethe duration in the Properties dialog box, opened by clicking the File:Properties command.)

To change the start time of a moving object:


2. Move the Preview slider in the Time Control panel to the frame whereyou want the object to begin its movement and click the Add KeyFrame button. The object moves to that position on the moving path.

3. Drag on the bounding box of the object and move it back to theprevious key frame. (This essentially makes the object ‘move’ in thesame place until the key frame is reached.)

4. Move the Preview slider to the start or click on the Start Key Frame toreturn the object back to its beginning position.

5. Click the Play button to see the motion of the object.

Adjusting the Start time of an object on a moving path


To change the end time of a moving object:


2. Move the Preview slider to the last frame in the Time Control panel,the object moves to that position on the moving path, and then click theAdd Key Frame button. A key frame is added to the Key Frame slider.

3. Drag on the key frame and move it to the position where you want themovement of the object to end.

4. Move the Preview slider to the start or click on the Start Key Frameto return the object back to its beginning position.

5. Click the Play button to see the motion of the object.

Performing minor adjustments in time

After laying out all your objects and specifying their various moving pathsyou may find that you need to go back and adjust the timing of a particularobject by a few frames, but don’t want to affect its position on themoving path. To do this select the key frame belonging to the object andthen move the key frame along the Key frame slider (not the object itself).This increases or decreases the timing before the object begins orcontinues its movement.




• To see a line color you need to specify a line w idth (p.274).

• A pply gradients to add color and depth to an object (p.275).

• Right-m ouse click on an object to set that object’s attributes as the

default (p.277).

• U se the Freehand and Path tools to trace objects in the

background (p.280).

• M ake general path adjustm ents using the Sym m etric node,

specific adjustm ents using the Cusp node (p.287).

• Position your objects at their starting point before m aking a m oving

path (p.288).

• To have an object follow another, paste the other as a m oving

path (p.289).

• You can create gradient shifts over tim e if the object shares the sam e

fill type at each key fram e (p.290).

• To change the starting tim e of an object, m ove it from the start tim e in

the path back to its original position. To change the end tim e of an

object m ove its key fram e back to the end tim e (p.292).

Audio EditorAudio Editor

Getting started

Audio Editor is the MediaStudio Pro program that gives you

command over your soundtrack. With it, you can play,

record and edit the audio components of your video project

with drag-and-drop ease and a click of the mouse.

Chapter 1


• Understanding the basics ..................................................................... p.298

• Recording sound .................................................................................. p.304

• Customizing Audio Editor ...................................................................... p.306



To get started with Audio Editor you can either open an existing audio fileor record sound from an external device such as an audio CD, microphoneor VCR. When you view sound, it appears in an edit window as a wave-form. This waveform represents the various positive and negative peaksthat a natural sound wave makes. If it is a mono file (single channel),only one waveform is present while stereo files (two channels) have twowaveforms representing the left and right channels accordingly.Audio Editor displays sound in this manner to help you visualize thecontents of an audio file and make enhancing it that much easier.

The Audio Editor program window

AUDIO EDITOR: CHAPTER ONE 299

Stop/Pausea waveform

Play awaveform

Play selection

Record sound

Run a mixerprogram

Fit a selectionin the window

Mark the startand end of aselection

Go to next cue

Add a cue

Go to previous cue

Drag-and-dropfile to anotherprogram

Alternate betweenthe last two views

Zoom slider

Standard toolbar

Overview strip

Edit window

Selection area

View box

Active waveform


Playing audio files

To play an audio file, click the Play button on the Control bar or theControl: Play command [SPACE]. The file starts playing from the currentcursor position. To stop the file click the Stop button or the Control: Stopcommand [ESC]. The cursor pauses at the current position. Clicking Stopagain returns the cursor to the start of the file. (Clicking Stop or pressingEsc when the file is not playing returns the cursor to the start of the file.)

Notes:• To move the cursor to the start of a file, click the Control: Go To Start

command [CTRL+HOME]. To move it to the end, click the Control: Go To Endcommand [CTRL+END].

• If you have created a selection area you can play the contents of the selectionby clicking the Play Selection button on the control bar or the Control: PlaySelection command [F2].

Creating a new edit window

To record sound you first need to create a new edit window to hold thatsound. If you do not create a new edit window the sound is recorded intothe currently active window, using the properties of that window for therecording.

To create a new edit window:

1. Click the File: New command [CTRL+N] to open the New dialog box.

The New dialog box

2. Select the sampling rate you want to use from the Sampling rategroup box.


The sampling rate determines how many portions (samples) of audiodata appear each second and is measured in the thousands. The moresamples a file contains the better the audio reproduction; the down sideis increased file size.

3. Select the number of channels to use from the Channels group box.

The number of channels in an audio file refers to whether the file ismono or stereo. Stereo provides for better sound but is twice the filesize of mono.

4. Select the sample size you want to use from the Sample size groupbox.

The sample size specifies how much memory is allocated to store theaudio data. In most cases 8-bit files produce adequate results withoutsacrificing too much in quality. If you want the best possible file thenchoose 16-bit. This does, however, result in a file twice the size of an8-bit file.

Saving files

Once you have recorded or made changes to a waveform you need tosave it. To do this, click the File: Save or Save As commands [CTRL+S].For previously saved files, clicking Save instantly overwrites the existingfile with the new data. Save As opens the Save As dialog box where youcan specify a new name and/or destination. The Save As dialog box alsoallows you to append subject and description information as well as assigna thumbnail image to use as a visual representation of the file in anypreview enabled dialog box or browser.

Note: If the saved audio file is included as a track in a Video Editor project, thetrack is automatically updated.

Saving files to a video

Apart from saving audio as a wave file, you can also save it as an audiotrack to an existing AVI or MOV file. If the file contains an original audiotrack the track is overwritten with the new data. (If the waveform is longerin duration than the video it is truncated to the video length.)


Converting files

After saving a file you may find that you need to change its attributes,particularly if you are planning on mixing it with other files that havedifferent properties. When you convert a file, you can choose to convertdown, reducing quality and file size, or convert up. Converting up, such asadding an extra channel or increasing the sample size, does not result in animprovement in the sound of the file. This is because the attributes of anaudio file are determined at the time of its creation.

To convert a file, click the Edit: Convert To command. In the dialog boxthat opens you can choose to change the sampling rate, channels andsample size according to your needs. (For more on these see the section on‘Creating a new edit window’, p.300.) Once you click OK the dialog boxcloses and the waveform is changed accordingly.

Viewing waveforms

When you edit a waveform you may want to see part of it in greater detailor display it in a more compressed format. You can do this in three ways:with the View: Zoom In and Zoom Out commands, by dragging the Zoomslider, or by dragging on the borders of the Global View panel. (Theamount you can zoom depends on the size of the edit window, the lengthof the waveform and the amount of the waveform shown in the window.)

Note: In Audio Editor it is possible to zoom down to the sample level. Editing atthis level however is often impractical as any changes you make may be inaudiblebecause of the sheer number of samples possible. For example, the smallestaudio file still has 11,050 samples per second.

A waveform at Fit in Window view


A waveform at Actual view

Changing the view of a waveform

Whenever you open an audio file the waveform is displayed entirelywithin the edit window. If you change the magnification of the window theview of the waveform changes, and parts of the waveform may be hiddenby the window frame. To change your current view, drag on the GlobalView panel in the Overview strip. This reveals those portions of thewaveform previously hidden. To return to viewing the entire waveform inthe edit window click the View: Fit In Window command [CTRL+1].(To view the waveform at 1x, click the View: Actual View command.)

Note: If you have created a selection area, you can fit the selection to the editwindow by clicking on the Fit Selection button on the Control bar.

Controlling the display and time unit of waveforms

In the Preferences dialog box (see p.306) you can determine the detail withwhich Audio Editor displays waveforms, choosing between a precise scanand a quick scan. Precise scans produce a very detailed waveform but takelonger to redraw while quick scans produce a slightly less accurate wave-form but are much quicker at redrawing. In most cases the Quick scanoption is more than adequate for editing at the Seconds level. (In the samedialog box you can also change the units used to indicate time along thebottom of the edit window. You can choose from M:S:ms, SMPTE oras samples.)


An example of the time unit (M:S:ms)

An example of the SMPTE unit (M:S:f)

An example of the samples unit (thousands)

Dragging-and-dropping to Video Editor

Audio Editor allows you to take an audio file and then drag-and-drop thatfile into Video Editor for further editing or to make it a part of a videoproject. To do this, first open or record the file in Audio Editor and thenclick the Drag button on the Control bar. Holding down your mouse,drag-and-drop the file to an audio track in Video Editor. If you wish to editthis file at a later date double-click on it and Audio Editor will open withthe file in the workspace. Saving then updates the file accordingly.

Recording sound

In Audio Editor you can record sound to any open edit window; this canbe an existing file or a new ‘empty’ edit window. Depending on yoursystem’s configuration you can record from a variety of sources such as aCD player, MIDI player, microphone or MIDI file. Before you startrecording you need to specify the driver of the external audio source youwill be using, such as a microphone or VCR. To do this, open theWindows Control Panel and double-click the Multimedia icon.The Multimedia Properties dialog box opens and in the Preferred devicefor recording option specify the appropriate sound card driver (for audiosources) or video capture board driver (for video sources). For example,if you are using a SoundBlaster32 then you would set the Preferred devicefor recording as ‘SB 32 (220).’


To record sound:

1. Connect the audio source into your PC audio card’s line-in jack.Test whether or not the connection works by playing from the source.If you hear sound from your computer’s speakers then it is a goodconnection.

2. Run your audio mixing program by clicking the Mixer button on theControl bar or the Control: Run Mixer command [CTRL+M]. (To use theWindows default mixer click the Start: Programs: Accessories:Multimedia: Volume Control command.)

3. Make active the edit window you want to record the sound into andclick the Record button on the Control bar or the Control: Recordcommand [CTRL+R]. A message box appears displaying the currentrecording level.

The Set Recording Level dialog box

4. Adjust the recording level with the controls on the mixer control panel.For better recording quality your peak level should stay close to, butnot touch, the right side of the indicator.

5. Click OK. A message box appears telling you that Audio Editor isrecording. Click OK in the message box to end recording. The newrecording appears in the active edit window at the current cursorposition.


Tips for determining audio quality

Generally, it is quite straight forward to determine the properties youshould use for recording a waveform. The determining factors are the filesize and the type of speakers the audio will be played back over.For example, if disk space is limited and the sound is intended for playingover small computer speakers, then there is no need for CD quality sound.Likewise, if you plan on playing your files over amplified speakersdirectly from your hard disk, then you would want more than justtelephone quality. The chart below offers you some ideas of the differenttypes of audio quality possible and how they affect file size.

Quality Properties File size (compressed: 10 secs)

Telephone 11,025 kHz, 8-bit, Mono 107 kb

Radio 22050 kHz, 8-bit, Mono 215 kb

CD 44,100 kHz, 16-bit, Stereo 1720 kb

Customizing Audio Editor

You can customize the way you work in Audio Editor using thePreferences dialog box, opened by clicking the File: Preferences [F6]

command or by double-clicking on the Status bar. Here you can controlthe display of the waveform, the time format used and assign a mixerprogram for recording audio files.


1

2

3

4

5

6

PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX

X-Axis Unit [Time Format] specifies the unit of time for each edit window.Selecting the Time (M:S.ms) option displays audio file information in minutes,seconds and milliseconds. The SMPTE (M:S:Frame) option shows the time inminutes, seconds and frames. This is especially helpful if you are editing audio foruse in Video Editor as it allows you to match the audio portions with each frame ofa video sequence. You can choose between film (24 fps), PAL (25 fps) and NTSC(30 fps), or, for irregular frame rates define your own, such as 15, for example.For detailed editing of audio select the Samples option; this displays time insamples per second. For example, if your sampling rate is 11.025 kHz, then thewaveform shows 11,025 sample points per second.

Waveform display controls the detail with which Audio Editor draws wave-forms. Selecting the Precise scan option produces a very detailed waveform,but may take more time to redraw because of the extra information. The Quickscan option produces a slightly less accurate waveform but is much quicker atredrawing. In most cases the Quick scan option is more than adequate for editingat the seconds level. If you want to go to the sample level, then select thePrecise scan.

Move cursor when playing moves the cursor along the waveform wheneveryou play audio files. If you are low on memory, clear this option as it requiresextra resources.

Snap to cues makes selection areas snap to any nearby cues.


Mixer program defines the path and name of the mixer program to use whenrecording. (This program will open whenever you click the Mixer button on theControl bar or the Control: Mixer command [CTRL+M].)

1 2

3

4

5

6




• Sound is represented on your computer as a series of waves in awaveform file (p.298).

• Match the properties of a waveform to the speakers it will be playedback on (p.300).

• Use the Edit: Convert To command to change a waveform’sproperties (p.302).

• Use the Global View panel in the Overview strip to zoom in on awaveform as well as reposition the current view (p.302).

• Set the time measurement unit to SMPTE when working on files foruse in video projects (p.303).

• Choose radio quality sound (22.05 kHz, mono, 8-bit) for files destinedto be played back over the Internet or from CD-ROM (p.306).

Editing audio files

With your computer and Audio Editor, trimming and enhancing

audio tracks for your audio and video projects becomes greatly

simplified and significantly easier. With a number of advanced

audio effects and enhancements Audio Editor will soon have you

creating audio files that add impact to your work and multimedia

presentations.

Chapter 2


• Creating selection areas ....................................................................... p.310

• Working with cues ................................................................................. p.311

• Sound sweetening ................................................................................ p.315

• Mixing tracks ........................................................................................ p.319

• Applying special effects ........................................................................ p.321


Creating selection areas

After opening an audio file you can edit the entire waveform or selectedparts of it. Unless a selection area has been created, any editing you doaffects the entire waveform. In Audio Editor you can create a selection inthe following ways:

• Drag your mouse over the area you wish to select.

• Double-click on the waveform or click the Edit: Select All commandto select the entire waveform.

• Play the file and then click the Mark In/Out button on the Control baror the Control: Mark In and Mark Out commands [F3/F4] whenever youhear the part you would like to select. (This method is very useful forcreating selections as your ear can hear the sound more clearly thanyour eye can ‘see’ it.)

• Drag on the waveform in the Overview strip. (This can only be doneif the file has been zoomed on and there is space outside the GlobalView panel to select.)

Notes:

• To deselect a selection area, click anywhere within the waveform or click theEdit: Select None command [CTRL+K]. (Clicking the right mouse button deselectsthe area without moving the cursor.)

• If you have placed cues on a waveform, checking the Snap to cues option inthe Preferences dialog box (see p.307) ‘pulls’ any selection areas to theclosest cue. (Depending on your current zoom level you may have to start andend the selection area close to the appropriate cues.)

Selecting an area of a waveform

AUDIO EDITOR: CHAPTER TWO 311

Creating precise selections

During your editing there will be times when you want to make a veryspecific selection, starting and ending at exact times, particularly if youare working in conjunction with a video project in Video Editor. To makedetailed selections you need to view the Sample Information window,opened by right-clicking on a toolbar and choosing the Sample Informa-tion Window command. (You can also access this command from theView: Toolbars & Panels command.)

The Sample Information window tracks the movement of your mousepointer as you move it, displaying the precise point in the waveformwhere the pointer passes, as well as the highest and lowest amplitudes ofthe waveform at that point. (If the times shown are not detailed enoughzoom in on the waveform.) The two values in the top box of the SampleInformation window indicate the starting and ending positions for the areayour cursor currently spans, which, depending on your zoom level, may bethe same or different. The bottom box (for stereo files there will be two,one for each channel) indicates the negative and positive amplitudes inthat region.

Working with Cues

Cues are the best way to bookmark spots in a waveform that you want tofrequently reference or come back to and edit. Once a cue has been createdyou can jump to it from anywhere in the waveform regardless of whereyour cursor is located. Audio Editor also allows you to append informationto a cue so that you can denote certain features at that particular point inthe waveform (for example, marking the beginning of a long monologue,or denoting the point of impact between two cars in a high speed chase).

To place a cue:

1. Click on the area in the waveform where you want to place a cue.(You may want to zoom in for a more accurate placement.)

2. Click the Add Cue button on the Control bar or the Control: Add Cue[F5] command to open the Add Cue dialog box.


3. Enter a description in the Cue Name entry box (maximum 128characters).

The default cue name, ‘&p’ uses the time value of the cue’s location fora name. For example, a cue at the 1 minute 30 second mark would benamed ‘01:30:00.’

4. Click OK. The Add Cue dialog box closes and a blue cue line appearsat the cursor position.

Note: You can also place a cue while a file is playing by clicking the Add Cuebutton or the Control: Add Cue command.

Placing cues on a waveform

Managing cues

You can manage cues in waveforms in several ways, such as changingtheir position and description, removing them from the edit window andswitching between them. For example, you can:

• Right mouse click the cue handle at the base of the cue line to view itsdescription.

• Double-click the handle to change a cue’s name (this opens the ChangeCue Name dialog box where you can enter a new name or description).

• Drag the handle of a cue to move it to a new position in the waveform.

• Drag the handle of a cue off either end of the edit window to remove it,or, to remove all cues, click the Control: Delete All Cues command.


If a waveform has a large number of cues you can navigate between themeasily by clicking the Previous Cue/Next Cue buttons on the Control baror the Control: Previous Cue and Next Cue [SHIFT+TAB & TAB] commands.If you want to go to a specific cue click the Control: Go To Cue command[SHIFT+G]. This opens the Go To Cue dialog box which lists all the existingcues in the waveform. To go to a cue, select it and click the Go To button.The cursor then jumps to that cue.

Using cues with Video Editor

Whenever you save a file any cue information is also saved with it.As such you can insert the file as an audio track in Video Editor andmaintain the cues which were placed in Audio Editor. Likewise, any cuesplaced on an audio track in Video Editor can be viewed in Audio Editor,(for WAV files only). This makes it much easier when editing video asyou can identify key areas in an audio track with which to match theappropriate action in the video track.

Clearing audio data

Often when you open or record a waveform there may be areas whichyou don’t want or no longer need. In such cases, you can remove themfrom the file by selecting them and clicking the Edit: Clear command[DEL]. The selected area is removed and the remaining waveform shortensaccordingly, decreasing the duration of the file. If you do not want toaffect the duration of the file click the Edit: Mute command. This effec-tively erases any audio data (zero amplification), maintaining the durationof the file while at the same time creating a ‘silent’ part in the waveform.If you want to delete a large portion of the waveform keeping only asmall part, first select the part you want and then click the Edit: Retaincommand. This removes all non-selected audio data.


Waveform before clearing

Waveform after clearing

Inserting audio data

After cutting or copying audio data you can paste it from the clipboardinto an edit window by clicking one of the Edit: Paste commands.Although similar, each differs in its implementation as well as benefits.

• Insert adds data from the clipboard to an existing waveform at thecursor position. This increases the duration of the audio file by theduration of the pasted segment.

• Replace overwrites the waveform at the cursor position, replacing itwith the audio data from the clipboard. If the clipboard data is longerthan the waveform Audio Editor truncates the excess.

• Mix opens the Paste Mix dialog box which allows you to combinewaveforms by adjusting their relative amplitudes. A 100% mix meansthat the data is mixed at equal amounts. Lowering the mix for onereduces its amplification, while increasing the mix for the other adds toits amplification. For more on mixing tracks see the section ‘Mixingtracks’, p.319.


• Fill replaces a selection area with the clipboard data. If the selectionarea is longer in duration than the clipboard data, the data repeats itselfuntil the selection area is filled. If the selection area is shorter AudioEditor truncates the data accordingly. This command is disabled if thereis no selection area.

• As a New Document creates a new edit window, filling it with the datafrom the clipboard.

Sound sweetening

Sometimes when you record audio data you get annoying backgroundnoise and general imperfections. For example, many times the soundaccompanying video footage comes out poorly, often because somethinginterfered with the microphone or recording equipment. In Audio Editoryou can remove such noises as well as apply a number of studio qualityfilters that correct and enhance (or sweeten) the sound in your audio files.

Note: If you only want to sweeten a certain portion of an audio file you mustselect it first, otherwise the entire waveform is affected.

Changing the amplification

Amplification refers to how loud or quiet an audio file plays back at.Generally, you can use your computer’s volume controls to adjust thisdirectly, but when it comes to mixing files you need to make sure thatyou first equalize the different sound tracks so that they share a similaramplification, especially if they were recorded at different levels.

To change the amplitude of a file:

1. Click the Effect: Amplify command to open the Amplify dialog box.

2. Specify the percentage you want to change the amplification by in thePercentage spin box. 100% is unchanged while anything above thatincreases the amplification and anything below decreases it.

3. Click OK. The waveform changes to reflect the new amplification.

If, after changing the amplification, you find that the waveform peaks,


or touches the top and bottom edges of the edit window (± 100% on theamplitude scale) then you may find some distortion or noise has beencreated. In such cases undo the amplification and click the Effect: Normal-ize command. This adjusts the waveform’s amplitude so that it does notpeak above or below the amplitude scale. (In some cases you may not seemuch change to the waveform after normalizing depending on the existingamplification levels.)

Waveform before changing amplification

Waveform after changing amplification by 200%

Changing pitch

An audio file’s pitch defines how high or low it sounds. A high pitch maybe very shrill, like a whistle, while a low pitch may be very deep, like afog horn. To adjust an audio file’s pitch click the Effect: Pitch command.This opens the Pitch dialog box where you can raise or lower the pitch bydragging on the Pitch slider. Moving to the left lowers the pitch, whilemoving to the right makes it higher.


Quantizing a waveform

When you record audio data you need to indicate the sample size, or thenumber of bits used to store the resulting file. This can be either 8-bit or16-bit. The more bits the better the quality of the recording, but the greaterthe size of the audio file. If you need to reduce file size, but still want tomaintain a good level of quality, you can quantize the file using the Effect:Quantize command. This command opens a dialog box which allows youto specify the number of bits allocated to the file, 1-7 for 8-bit files and1-15 for 16-bit files. Often a small reduction in the number of bits is allyou need to bring the file size down while at the same time maintainingaudible quality. (If you reduce the number of bits by too much you will‘clip’ the sound producing noticeable distortion.)

Working with silence

From a computer’s perspective, silence is amplitude point 0 in a waveform(the baseline). Silence is useful in audio editing, particularly for what itisn’t rather than what it does. For example, silence is responsible foradding and removing time to an audio file, and timing is perhaps one ofthe most important aspects of any audio sequence. For example, the soundof a door opening must be timed to occur after the sound of the keyentering the lock. Also, if you are creating a video project you will haveevents occurring at specific times and these all require an audio track thatcomplements those times.

If you want to add silence to a waveform click the Edit: Insert Silencecommand. This opens the Insert Silence dialog box where you can enterthe time range you want to add in minutes, seconds and milliseconds(M:S:ms). Once you click OK the silence is added to the waveform at thecursor’s position, increasing the length of the audio file accordingly.To remove silence, click the Edit: Trim Silence command. In the TrimSilence dialog box that opens you can specify to remove all silent areas inthe file or just those matching a specified duration, measured in M:S:ms.


Removing background noise

Unless you record in a rigidly controlled environment, such as a sound-proofed booth, every audio track you record will have some measure ofbackground noise. For the most part it will fall within acceptable levels,easily drowned out by the primary body of sound. If not, background noisecan be very distracting and significantly decrease the quality of the sound.In Audio Editor you can specify an acceptable threshold noise level withthe Edit: Remove Noise command. Any sound which occurs within thislevel is then removed from the waveform. As background noise is usuallyof a low amplitude, selecting a 2-5% threshold is often adequate. If you setthe threshold range too high you run the risk of removing essential data.

Waveform before removing noise

Waveform after removing noise

Muting a waveform

Often when you are working with waveforms you will want to removepart of it without deleting the actual time it occupies (therefore silencingit). To do this you need to mute the waveform by clicking the Edit: Mutecommand. After choosing this command only the selected area of thewaveform is silenced, leaving the total duration or length of the fileunchanged.


Calibrating files recorded from different sources

Not all recording devices have the same calibration or setup, varyingsometimes in frequency modulation and amplitude. In such cases you mayfind that files recorded from these different sources end up with differentbaselines (point 0 on the amplitude scale). Most of the time this doesn’tadversely affect the overall quality of your tracks as the differences areminute. However, you may encounter some files whose baselines varydramatically and the result of mixing them together produces unacceptabledistortion and noise.

Audio Editor allows you to calibrate such files so that they all havematching baselines with the Effect: DC Offset command. In the DC Offsetdialog box you can drag the Offset slider to move the waveform above orbelow the baseline. Moving to the right shifts the baseline up whilemoving to the left pulls it down. (This does not affect the amplitude of thefile, only its waveform representation.) In this way you can calibrate anymismatched files to have roughly the same baseline before you decide tomix them into the same audio file.

Waveform with an incorrect baseline

Mixing tracks

Mixing tracks refers to taking two audio files and combining them intoone. Mixing essentially blends the data from the audio files so that theirrespective sounds overlap and play through one another. When mixing,you can only mix waveforms with the same properties and need to havethe two waveforms already open in the Audio Editor workspace. (To mixfiles with different properties, first convert them or cut one and use theEdit: Paste: Mix command to paste it into the other)


To mix two tracks:

1. Click the Edit: Mix command. The Mix dialog box opens displaying allfiles open in the workspace which share the same properties.

The Mix dialog box

2. Select the file you want to mix by clicking on it in the Mix with listbox.

3. Set the desired amplification levels for each waveform (between1-100%). 100% keeps the original amplification and anything belowreduces it.

4. Click OK. A new edit window is created merging the two files.

Removing a mixed track

There will be times when, after combining a group of files together,you may want to remove one of the files from the mixture. For example,you may be preparing an audio project for a client and, after havingcreated a master file, they decide they want to remove the voice of one oftheir managers. Initially, this seems like an impossible task as all the fileshave been truly integrated. Fortunately the solution is not as difficult as itcould be. All you need to do is select the original audio file containing themanager’s voice and then click the Edit: Invert command. (This actionaffects only the waveform, flipping it upside down, and does not affect theactual sound.) Once inverted, copy the entire waveform and then select theedit window containing the master file. Clicking the Edit: Paste: Mix


command (leaving the mixing levels at 100%) pastes the inverted wave-form into the file. As it is now the opposite of the original file it negatesthe manager’s voice and, as a result, removes it from the file.

Note: You cannot remove a file from a mix using the Invert method if you havealready applied other effects to the mixed file. This is because any effects youapply alter or shift each point in the waveform, and the inverse of the element youwant to remove will no longer match properly to the original.

Applying special effects

Audio Editor comes with a number of special affects that you can use toadd impact to your audio files and provide enhancements which aredifficult to replicate when recording from the original source. These canbe anything from performing fades to the beginning and ending of awaveform to adding a variety of echo effects, such as stadium andresonance.

Performing a fade

Performing fades is a frequent task in audio editing as you often need tocontrol how sound enters and leaves a certain scene or moment. This isparticularly useful if you want to give your audio a smooth or ‘rolling’start and finish. To perform a fade click the Effect: Fade command to openthe Fade dialog box. A Fade graph allows you to control how the fade isperformed, offering a set of predefined fades or customizable settings.

The Fade dialog box


The first control point in the graph defines the start-fade amplitude, thesecond and third points for the middle of the fade and the fourth point forthe end-fade amplitude (where 100% is normal amplitude). To helpsm ooth out the fade, select a Transformation curve option. A Linear fadeproduces a constant fade, while an Exponential fade begins slowly andends quickly. The Logarithmic fade starts quickly and fades more slowly.For best results it is a good idea to first experiment with a variety ofdifferent settings.

Waveform before applying a fade effect

Waveform after applying a Fade In / Fade Out effect

Changing speed

Changing the speed of an audio file is a useful way to increase or decreaseits duration as well as for producing interesting distortion effects. Whenyou click the Effect: Speed command the Speed dialog box opens with aslider for adjusting the speed. Moving to the right slows down the file,thereby increasing its duration. Moving to the left speeds it up, decreasingits duration accordingly.


Performing a stereo pan

If you have a stereo file you can pan the audio so that it sounds as if theaudio moves from one speaker to the other, creating a ‘surround sound’effect. To do this, click the Edit: Pan command and in the Pan dialog boxthat opens alter the fade for each channel accordingly. For example, a startand end level of 0% results in complete silence while 100% leaves theoutput unchanged. As with the Fade command, you can choose betweenLinear, Exponential and Logarithmic changes to help smooth the effect.

Reversing a file

An interesting effect in Audio Editor is the Effect: Reverse commandwhich allows you to reverse a file so that it plays in the opposite direction.In most cases this will produce an unintelligible result, which can only bedeciphered if you reverse the file again.

Waveform before reversing

Waveform after reversing


Performing an echo

Echoes are useful effects which are often difficult to record naturally.Using Audio Editor, however, you can overcome such recording limita-tions and produce echoes that sound as if you are in a canyon or at abaseball game.

To create an echo quickly click either one of the Effect: Echo commands,or, to customize one of those commands, click the Effect: Echo command.This opens the Echo dialog box which allows you to define the threecharacteristics of each echo command: Delay, Decay and Bound.The delay is the length of time that passes before you hear an echo whiledecay accounts for the loss of sound in each repetition. Bound determinesthe next round of repetition and is repeated until the echo fades awayentirely. Below is a description of the characteristics for each of theecho commands:

• Long Echo has a long delay and a strong decay which results in longerrepetitions, though it fades away faster.

• Long Repeat has a short delay and weak decay, therefore making theecho last longer (though each repetition comes in faster cycles).

• Resonance has a short delay with little decay and a very short bound.This is results in a quick and fast echo, sort of like an ‘audio shadow’.

• Stadium echo is very similar to Long Echo but starts sooner and endsfaster.

Waveform before applying an echo effect


Waveform after applying an echo effect

Performing a cross fade

A cross fade is where one audio track blends smoothly into another, headto tail. To cross fade two files click the Edit: Cross Fade command. Thisopens the Cross Fade dialog box which allows you to select the file youwant to blend with. (You can only cross fade between files with the sameproperties.) Select the file to cross fade with from the Cross fade list boxand then enter a value in the Cross duration spin box (in M:S:ms) todetermine how much of the two files overlap. If you do not specify aduration the second file is added to the end of the active file. Once youhave an overlap duration select one of the Transformation curve options tospecify the type of fade to occur between the two tracks. A Linear fadeproduces a constant fade from one to the other, while an Exponential fadebegins slowly and ends quickly and the Logarithmic fades begins quicklyand ends slowly. When finished, click OK. The dialog box closes and anew waveform is created cross fading between the two files.




• Click the Mark In/Out button to start and end a selection when playinga file (p.310).

• Use the Sample information window for creating preciseselections (p.311).

• Use cues to mark events in a waveform (p.311).

• Click the Edit: Mute command to remove areas without affecting theduration of a waveform (p.313).

• Normalize a waveform before changing tis amplification (p.315).

• Quantize a waveform to decrease its file size while retaining audiblequality (p.317).

• Select a 2-5% threshold for removing noise (p.318).

• Use the Effect: Invert command to remove a previously mixedfile (p.320).

AppendixAppendix

Background information

To get the most out of MediaStudio Pro, it is important to

understand the fundamentals behind digital video editing,

and video in general. This means an appreciation of both the

analog and digital video worlds, and how the sound and

moving pictures that make up video move between the two.

Appendix


• The world of analog video ..................................................................... p.330

• The world of digital video ...................................................................... p.331


The world of analog video

Video, in general, starts out as a series of electrical signals (analog waves)which have been recorded by a camera and then broadcast over theairwaves or played back from a video tape. To able to see and hear thevideo information contained within this signal, it has to follow certainstandards and be decoded by a specific device. The most common deviceis a television set and the most common standards are NTSC (NationalTelevision Standards Committee) and PAL (Phase Alternating Line).NTSC is predominant in North America and many Asian countries, whilemost of Europe and the South Pacific follow the PAL standard. Thesedifferent standards explain why you cannot view video recorded inEngland on a television set in the United States, and vice versa withoutspecial equipment.

Inside the video signal

The standard video signal defines color by two factors: luminance andchrominance. Luminance is the black and white values of color and serveto control the brightness and contrast of the picture, whereas chrominanceis the colors of the video itself and control the hue and saturation of thepicture. The NTSC and PAL standards both utilize luminance andchrominance and merge them into the one signal along with any audioinformation. This type of signal is called composite video as it combinesthe various aspects of video. Another type of signal, component, separatesthe luminance and chrominance values of a video signal and offers betterquality as you get greater control over the various aspects of color.A good example of component video is Betacam.

APPENDIX 331

How analog video is displayed

Analog video is displayed on an NTSC or PAL compatible device, such asa television set. The tube of a television set is made up of a series of lineswhich display the pictures that we see. The number of lines determines theresolution and quality of the video. (NTSC devices have 525 lines andPAL have 625.) When the video signal is received, it moves across anddown these lines, with each pass referred to as a scan and one completepass a field. Once it is has reached the end of the scan, it repeats theprocess, updating the display each time. This all happens very quickly,with the tube being scanned 60 times a second (for NTSC devices) and 50(for PAL devices).

When television was first developed, the sets at the time had troublescanning so many lines for each field. To compensate for this, it wasdecided to interlace the display, (scan alternate lines rather than everyline). For example, the first scan would pass over every even line, thesecond every odd. (As such it took two fields of information to display anactual image.) This was still quick enough to fool the human eye intobelieving that it was seeing a continuous and uninterrupted picture.

The world of digital video

In the analog world, video is represented as a series of continuous wavesignals, but in the digital world, video is data which is made up of a seriesof zeros and ones. To convert analog signals into digital data you need tofirst digitize or capture it. This is done by a special hardware card called avideo capture board. There are many different varieties in the marketplace,with some designed for performing professional broadcast video andothers for more consumer-orientated home video.


Inside digital video

There are three components that go into the makeup of digital video: framerate, frame size and data type. The frame rate refers to how many framesappear each second, while the frame size is the actual physical size of eachframe, and the data type determines how many different colors can appearat one time. How you work with these three elements is determined by thetype of video capture board you have and how you want to distribute yourvideo. For example, if you have a high-end capture board and are planningon sending your video back out to video tape, then you need to be workingat the best quality possible, such as 640x480, 30 frames per second 24-bitcolor (for NTSC devices). If you have a less expensive capture board, orare planning on distributing your video on CD-ROM or over the Internet,then your decision on the type of video you will use is determined by thetype of machine or medium it will be played back from. This is becausedifferent machines and mediums have different abilities at movingamounts of video data. This ability is referred to as the data rate, whichmeasures how much data can be moved within one second.

Working with the data rate

The problem with most playback devices and mediums, such asCD-ROMs, the Internet and hard drives is that they have trouble movinglarge amounts data continuously, which is what video is. When you lookat the specifications for many of these devices they give you an indicationof how many kilobytes can be moved at any one time. For example,double speed CD-ROMs have a data rate of 300 KB per second whileeight speed CD-ROMs transfer at 1200 KB per second. Compare that tothe Internet where many people operate with 14.4 and 28.8 KB modemswhich equates to a top data transfer of rate less than 30 KB per second!

APPENDIX 333

Another point to consider is that while devices promote a specific datatransfer rate, very few can maintain that rate over an extended period. Assuch, if your video comes in just under 300 KB per second, it doesn’tnecessarily mean that most double speed CD-ROMs can play it smoothly.In fact, most CD-ROM developers target their video files at between50 - 70% of the specified data rate to make sure that no frames aredropped. This comes out to transferring around 150 -190 KB per secondfor smooth playback on a double speed CD-ROM. There are four factorsthat affect the data transfer rate for video files: frame rate, frame size, datatype and compression.

Understanding the frame rate

The frame rate determines how many images get displayed during everysecond of a video. The higher the frame rate, the smoother your playbackcan be because motion can be shown in smaller increments shown at afaster rate. But higher frame rates require more memory as a greaternumber of images must be stored and shown each second. So, if you areproducing fast motion video, such as recording a sporting event, youprobably need to retain as high a frame rate as possible. But if you areworking on a project where there is little or slow movement, you might beable to save some space by using a slower frame rate.

Understanding the frame size

The frame size determines how big the image for your video appears onscreen. By using a larger frame size, your image can be bigger andassuming your source material is of sufficient quality, you can includemore detail in your video. But larger frame sizes carry two distinctproblems. First, each frame requires more data to store the information.For example, an uncompressed frame with a size of 320 x 240 mightrequire about 250 KB of memory. A 640 x 480 frame (twice the size)would require about 1 MB, (four times as much memory!). The frame sizealso affects how well the video plays back for another reason. Largerframes require more information to be redrawn. Some displays cannotrefresh themselves fast enough to show each change smoothly.


Understanding data types

The data type of a frame refers to how many bits (memory) are allocatedfor displaying colors. For example, 8-bit (1 byte) data types can show amaximum of 256 colors, while 24-bit which can show over 16 millioncolors (256x256x256). Obviously, the greater the data type the larger thefile size for the video. While this may be true in most cases, you will findthat 24-bit video can often be compressed to rates equivalent to 8-bit videoas compression schemes can easily reduce the thousands of colors presentto just a few. The main reason for choosing 8-bit over 24-bit is that youcan control the range of colors that appear in an 8-bit file by using a colorpalette. This ensures that your video will display equally well on machinesrunning in 256 color display modes (often the requirement for thoseseeking to distribute video on CD-ROM or over the Internet).

Understanding video compression

While frame rate, frame size and data type all contribute to controlling thetransfer rate, the real savings come from effective use of compression. Ingeneral there are two types of compression used in the digital video world:spatial (intraframe) and temporal (interframe). By combining thesemethods, video files can be saved at a fraction of the size required for theiruncompressed counterparts. For example, compression schemes, such asMPEG, first compress the images in certain frames of a video by findingrepeated or similar patterns in the image. Then, the compression methodrefers to preselected frames, (key frames) and creates baseline data tocompare against the information in the following frames. This time, thecompression method seeks differences from the previous frame anddiscards everything else. It is for this reason that animations that use alimited number of colors and easily identified patterns, such as cartoons,tend to compress very well, while those with much greater colors and morerandom patterns, such as live video recordings, require larger file sizes.

APPENDIX 335

Motion JPEG

The JPEG compression scheme works by compressing each frame in avideo sequence. It is not the most efficient in regard to files sizes but bycompressing every frame individually if offers the best quality and is thescheme of choice for people wanting to output back to video tape orbroadcast. To do this, however, you will need copious amounts of storagespace and a high-end video capture board that can handle large amounts ofdata and low compression ratios, such a 2:1 (every one original frame canbe resized down by half). Once you get up to higher ratios such as 10:1 oreven 100:1, noticeable degradation occurs and you would be better ofusing another scheme such as MPEG.

MPEG

MPEG has grown out of JPEG but added more sophisticated interframetechniques to save only the differences between keyframes – called Iframes. Currently there are two standards: MPEG I and MPEG II. MPEG Iis designed to produce ½ screen (352x240) 24-bit color, 30 frames persecond video running at approximately 170KB per second. MPEG II isdesigned for full screen (720x480) 24-bit color, 60 field video running atanywhere between 500KB to 2 MB per second. MPEG II is set to becomethe standard for high quality video playback, particularly over the newerDVD discs.

MPEG compression is a very memory intensive process and as suchcurrently requires hardware assistance. While this makes for great lookingvideo, you will be unable to play it back on any machine that doesn’t havea similar setup or an MPEG accelerator. As such, MPEG is not suitable forCD-ROM or Internet playback, (unless you are sure your audience hassupport for MPEG), but is ideal for in-house or corporate presentations.


Cinepak

Cinepak is a popular compression scheme which has long been thescheme of choice for developers wanting to distribute video on CD-ROMor over the Internet. The advantage of Cinepak is that it is software-based,(therefore requiring no special hardware), so any machine can play it back,PC or Mac, and ½ screen (320x240) 24-bit, 15 frames per second videocan play back well over double-speed CD-ROMs. It also allows morefreedom in controlling keyframes to optimize compression, something thatVideo Editor takes good advantage of, to get the best playback for thesmallest file sizes.

IndexIndex

INDEX 339

A

Active Movie player ............. VE148Add to Library ..................... VE102Adding shadows ............... CG 276Addition .............................. VE168Adjust tool .......................... CG286Adjusting an object's path .. CG286Aligning CG objects ........... CG270Alpha channel ..................... VE166Amplification . VE27, VE183, AE315Animation texture .................. VP48Audio

synchronizing .................... VE36tracks .............................. VE100

Audio Editor program .......... AE297amplification .................... AE315basics ............................. AE298bit reduction .................... AE317bound .............................. AE324calibrating sound ............. AE319changing views ............... AE303clearing data ................... AE313converting audio files ...... AE302creating new files ............ AE300cross fading sound .......... AE325cues ........ AE307, AE310, AE311

managing .................... AE312using in Video Editor ... AE313

customizing ..................... AE306decay .............................. AE324

Audio Editor program (cont.)delay ............................... AE324drag-and-drop ................. AE304echo ................................ AE324editing ............................. AE309fading sound ................... AE321filling ............................... AE315filters ............................... AE315global viewer ................... AE303inserting .......................... AE314inverting .......................... AE320mark-in / mark-out ........... AE310mixing ............................. AE314mixing sounds ................. AE319

removing ..................... AE320mono channel ................. AE298muting sound ....... AE313, AE318normalizing sound ........... AE316pitch ................................ AE316playing files ..................... AE300preferences ..................... AE307quality ............................. AE306quantizing sound ............. AE317recording ......................... AE304removing background noise

.................................... AE318replacing ......................... AE314resonance ....................... AE324retaining sound ............... AE313reversing sound .............. AE323sample information .......... AE311samples .......................... AE307

Active Movieplayer

to

Audio EditorProgram -samples

Index


Audio Editor program (cont.)saving ............................. AE301

to video ....................... AE301selection areas ................ AE310silence ............................ AE317sound sweetening ........... AE315special effects ................. AE321speed .............................. AE322stereo channel ................ AE298stereo pan ....................... AE323time units ............ AE303, AE307timecode ......................... AE303transformation curve ....... AE322viewing

information .................. AE311viewing audio data .......... AE302waveform display AE303, AE307zooming .......................... AE302

Audio filters ......................... VE182Auto capturing ...................... VC84Autosnap ............................ VP236

B

Background noise, removingAE315, AE318

Background sets ................... VP48Batch list ............................... VC91

editing ............................... VC92viewing .............................. VC92

Batch video creation ........... VE193Bit reduction ........................ AE317Blue screensVE31, VE100, VE160,

VE167Bound ................................. AE324Bring to front ...................... CG283Brush panel ........................ VP244

advanced tab .................. VP247color tab .......................... VP247options tab .......... VP245, VP252shape tab ........................ VP244

C

Calibratingclips ................................ VE134sound .............................. AE319video ................................. VC73

color .............................. VC76typical settings .............. VC76vectorscope ................... VC74waveform monitor .......... VC76

Capturing ....................VC68, VC82audio ................................. VC85auto-naming ...................... VC85color palettes .................... VC88compression ..................... VC81customizing ....................... VC86data transfer rate ............... VC80dropped frames ................. VC87improving ................VC81, VC82MCI devices ............VC90, VC93save to library ................... VC85video ................................. VC79

auto ............................... VC84hardware concerns ........ VC80manual .......................... VC84single frames ................. VC87tips ................................ VC80

CG Infinity program ........... CG 261Adjust tool ..................... CG 286basics ........................... CG 262bring to front .................. CG 283color tab ........................ CG 275customizing ................... CG 271cutting & copying

objects ...................... CG 267default object styles ...... CG 277duplicating ..................... CG268edit window

view ............................ CG266Envelope tool ................. CG285Freehand tool ................. CG280general tab ..................... CG274grid ................................ CG269

customizing ................ CG270

Audio EditorProgram -saving

to

CG Infinityprogram - grid

INDEX 341

CG Infinity program (cont.)tutorial

advanced techniques ... CG60animating objects ......... CG59applying gradients ........ CG56common techniques ..... CG54creating a corporate logoCG58, CG61creating and distorting textobjects ........................ CG 55creating mattes ............. CG60drawing regular shapes CG54fade-ins and distortion .. CG63manipulating objects ..... CG57timing multiple objects .. CG62

viewing objects .............. CG266preview mode ............. CG266

wireframe mode ............. CG266Changing an object across time

CG290Chroma ..................... VC74, VE166Clearing data ...................... AE313Clip Selection tool ... VE128, VE140Clips ....................... VE101, VE130

arranging in the timeline .... VE21calibrating ....................... VE134changing the speed ......... VE133clearing ........................... VE132Clip Selection Tool .......... VE140color ................................ VE114cues ................................ VE136cutting & copying ............. VE130display mode ................... VE117editing ............................. VE127field options ..................... VE135freezing ........................... VE135grouping .......................... VE130inserting .......................... VE112locating ........................... VE138pasting ............................ VE131playing in the scratch pad VE144previewing ....................... VE147relinking .......................... VE133replacing ............. VE114, VE134reversing ......................... VE133

CG Infinity program (cont.)grouping objects ............. CG283guides ............................ CG269

customizing ................ CG270mattes .............................. CG60moving paths ................. CG288

adjusting .................... CG289Object Style Panel .......... CG274

color tab ..................... CG275general tab ................. CG274shadow tab ................. CG276

Object tool ...................... CG284objects ........................... CG264

aligning ...................... CG270changing across time . CG290changing shape .......... CG286defining style .............. CG274envelope .................... CG285freehand ..................... CG280layering ...................... CG283moving ....................... CG284shape ......................... CG279text ............................. CG278timing ............. CG291, CG292transforming ............... CG284working with ............... CG273

pastingobject styles ............... CG268objects ....................... CG268

Path tool ......................... CG281projects .............. CG264, CG267reference background .... CG265rulers .............................. CG269saving ............................ CG267selecting

objects ....................... CG282send to back .................. CG283shadow tab .................... CG276Shape tool ...................... CG279Text tool ......................... CG278

CG Infinityprogram -groupingobjects

to

Clips - reversing


Clips (cont.)Scissors tool ................... VE140silence ............................ VE114snapping to ..................... VE132splitting ........................... VE112splitting ........................... VE132storyboarding .................. VE103title .................................... VE26trimming .......................... VE140Ulead file types ............... VE115Ulead Image Sequence ... VE115 uniting ............................ VE132viewing ............................ VE117zooming .......................... VE118

Clone tool ................. VP52, VP249Cloning ................................. VP44Color clips ........................... VE114Color fill .............................. VP248Color filter ........................... VE123Color key ............................ VE165Color keying ............ VE100, VE160Color palettes ......... VE191, VP240

capturing ........................... VC88copying ............................. VC89pasting .............................. VC89picking colors .................. VP241saving ............................. VP242

Composite mode ................. VP209selection areas ................ VP235

Compression ............ VC81, VE190Connecting to a video source VC70Converting

frame rates ...................... VE120video ............................... VE119

Converting files ................... AE302Copying .............................. VE130

CG objects ..................... CG267color palettes .................... VC89selections ........................ VP213

Creatinga CG moving path .......... CG288audio files ....................... VE196EDLs ............................... VE198files ................................. AE300image files ..................... CG267

Creating (cont.)image sequences VE197, VP212objects

freehand ..................... CG280shape ......................... CG279text ............................. CG278

video files ............VE186, CG267videos ............................. VP212

Creating a new project .......... VE20Cross fade .......................... AE325Cues .......... VE136, VE146, VP216,

AE307, AE310, AE311audio cues in Video EditorAE313in the scratch pad ............ VE146managing VE147, VP217, AE312placing & managing ......... VE137

Customizing MediaStudio Pro ......VC77, VC86, VE104, VE121, VP222,CG271, AE306

Cutting ................................ VE130CG objects ..................... CG267selections ........................ VP213

D

Data rateanalysis ........................... VE194

Data Transfer rate ............... VE189Data transfer rate .................. VC80Data type .................. VC71, VE191Decay ................................. AE324Delay .................................. AE324Deleting frames ................... VP221Difference ........................... VE169Digitizing video ..................... VC68Disk cache .......................... VE125Display modes .................... VP230

no source video............... VP233normal ............................. VP230onionskin ........................ VP232ruby mask ....................... VP230

Displaying clips ................... VE117Displaying video ................... VC70

improving the signal .......... VC73options .............................. VC71

Clips - Scissorstool

to

DisplayingVideo

INDEX 343

Dropped frames .................... VC87Duplicating .......................... VP214

CG Objects .................... CG268frames ............................. VP221

E

Echo ................................... AE324bound .............................. AE324decay .............................. AE324delay ............................... AE324

Edit window ............... VP39, VP219Editing ................................ VE127

duplicating ..................... CG268EDLs ................................... VE198Envelope tool ..................... CG285Erase tool ............................. VP46Eyedropper tool .................. VP242

F

F/X track. See also Transition trackFade-In/Out ......................... CG63Fading sound ...................... AE321Field options ....................... VE135File associations ................. VE124File properties ....................... VC89Files

changing views ............... AE303creating ... VE185, VP211, AE300saving ..... VP209, CG267, AE301viewing ................CG266, AE302

Filling an area with color ..... VP248Filmstrip panel .................... VP208

settings ........................... VP208Filters

applying .......................... VP255Find ........................ VE138, VE139Flicking ............................... VP256Frame rate .............. VE108, VE189Frame size ................ VC71, VE189

Framesdeleting ........................... VP221duplicating ...................... VP221inserting .......................... VP220replacing ......................... VP221

Freehand tool .................... CG280Freeze frame ...................... VE135

G

Gamma correction .............. VE169Global viewer ...................... VP218

audio ............................... AE303Gradients ............................. CG56Gray key ............................. VE167Grayscale mattes ................ VE171Grid .................................... CG269

customizing .................... CG270Grouping

objects ........................... CG283clips ................................ VE130

Guides ............................... CG269customizing .................... CG270

H

Hardware acceleration ........ VE123Hardware concerns for capturing

VC80

I

Image mattes ...................... VE170Inserting .............................. AE314

clips .................... VE112, VE114with different attributes VE113

files ................................... VE20frames ............................. VP220silence ............................ AE317storyboarding .................. VE103

Instant preview .................... VE149Interleaving ......................... VE190Inverting sound ................... AE320

Dropped frames

to

Inverting sound


K

Key frame controls .. VE154, VE188Key frames ......................... VE191

managing ........................ VE176moving paths ..... CG290, CG291

L

Lasso tool ........................... VP236Layering objects ................ CG283Layout ................................. VE109Locating

empty time slots .............. VE139time ................................. VE139

Locating clips ...................... VE138Long echo ........................... AE324Long repeat ........................ AE324Luma ........................ VC74, VE165

M

Macros ...................... VP42, VP252advanced techniques ........ VP51

Magic Wand tool ................. VP237determining color similarityVP238

Manual capturing .................. VC84Mark-in / Mark-out ..... VC91, AE310Mask ................................... VE162Mattes ........... VE28, VE170, VE181

creating ...................VP45, CG60MCI devices ................ VC90, VC93Mixing sound ...................... AE314Mixing sounds ..................... AE319

removing ......................... AE320Moving

objects ........................... CG284selection marquees ......... VP239

Moving paths . VE25, VE32, VE171,CG288

2D advanced ................... VE1742D basic .......................... VE1743D ................................... VE175adjusting ........................ CG289speed .............................. VE177

Multiple ............................... VE167Muting sound .......... AE313, AE318

N

No Source Video mode ....... VP233Normal mode ...................... VP230Normalizing sound .............. AE316

O

Object Style Panel ............. CG274color tab ......................... CG275general tab ..................... CG274shadow tab .................... CG276

Object tool ......................... CG284Objects .............................. CG264

adding color ................... CG275adding shadows ............. CG276aligning .......................... CG270alignment ....................... CG269animating ......................... CG59changing across time ..... CG290changing shape .............. CG286default styles .................. CG277defining attributes ........... CG274defining style .................. CG274dimensions ..................... CG274freehand ........................ CG280manipulating .................... CG57moving ........................... CG284moving paths ................. CG288resizing ............................ CG63shape ............................. CG279text ................................. CG278timing ....... CG62, CG291, CG292transforming ................... CG284working with ................... CG273

Onionskin mode .................. VP232Output to tape ..................... VE200Overlay effects .................... VE160

addition ........................... VE168alpha channel ................. VE166blue screen ..................... VE167chroma ............................ VE166difference ........................ VE169gamma ............................ VE163gamma correction ........... VE169gray key ......................... VE167luma ................................ VE165

Keyframecontrols

to

Overlay effects -luma

INDEX 345

Overlay effects (cont.)mask ............................... VE162mattes ............................. VE170multiple ........................... VE167subtract ........................... VE168

Overlay mode ....................... VC70Overlay tracks ..................... VE100

P

Package ............................. VE109Packaging ........................... VP209Paint layer

selection areas ................ VP235Paint Layer mode ................ VP209Paint tools .......................... VP243

Brush panel ..................... VP244advanced tab .............. VP247color tab ...................... VP247options tab .................. VP245shape tab .................... VP244

customizing ....................... VP40Painting .............................. VP229

Brush panel ..................... VP244advanced tab .............. VP247color tab ...................... VP247options tab .................. VP245shape tab .................... VP244

paint tools ...................... VP243Palettes

Video Paint ..................... VP239Parade .................................. VC74Pasting ............................... VE131

append ............................ VE131CG objects ..................... CG268

styles .......................... CG268color palettes .................... VC89masks ............................. VP213replace ............................ VE131selections ........................ VP213

Path tool ............................ CG281Pitch ................................... AE316Placing objects on a moving path

................................... CG288

Posting timecode ................ VE199Power Duplicate ......... VP41, VP214Power duplication ................. VP47Preferences

Audio Editor .................... AE307CG Infinity ...................... CG271Video Capture ................... VC77Video Editor .................... VE121Video Paint ..................... VP223Preview ................. VE22, VE125

Preview mode .......................VC70Previewing . VE22, VE147, VE150,

VP256flicking............................. VP256instant ............................. VE149managing preview files .... VP258on-the-fly ......................... VE151options ............................ VE147Smart Render .................. VE149

Production Library ............... VE101folders ............................. VE103placing clips .................... VE102thumbnails ...................... VE103

editing ......................... VE104Projects ..................VE106, CG264

customizing ..................... VE108layout .............................. VE109new ..................... VE106, VP211output .............................. VE185packaging ........... VE109, VP209properties ........................ VE108rendering......................... VP212saving ............................. VE108templates ............ VE106, VE108

Properties ........................... VE108Proxy files ........................... VE110

creating ........................... VE110Proxy mode......................... VE108

Q

Quantizing sound ................ AE317Quick Command panel ........ VE104

layout options .................. VE104managing ........................ VE105

Overlay effects -mask

to

QuickCommand panel


R

Recording macros ............... VP252Recording sound ................. AE304Reel ...................................... VC91Reference background ....... CG265Relinking clips ..................... VE133Replacing ........................... AE314

frames ............................. VP221Replacing clips ....... VE114, VE134Resize ................................. CG63Resonance ......................... AE324Retaining sound .................. AE313Retouch tool ............. VP50, VP250Reverse .............................. VE133Reversing sound ................. AE323Ripple editing .......... VE142, VE143Rolling credits ....................... VE26Ruby Mask mode ................ VP230Ruler unit ................ VE118, CG269

S

Saving ........ VE108, VP209, CG267audio ............................... AE301audio to video ................. AE301captured video .................. VC89options ............................ VE187

Scissors tool ....................... VE140Scratch pad ............ VE143, VE145Selecting colors .................. VP241

with the eyedropper ........ VP242Selection areasVE128, VP234, AE310

adding to ......................... VP238Clip Selection tool ........... VE128color fill ........................... VP248color similarity ................. VP237

determining ................. VP238composite mode .............. VP235filling ............................... AE315irregular shapes .............. VP236marquee .......................... VP234

hiding .......................... VP234moving marquee only .. VP239

Selection Areas (cont.)objects ........................... CG282paint layer ....................... VP235shapes ............................ VP235

fixed size ..................... VP235shrink mode .................... VP235subtracting from .............. VP238time ................................. VE129transforming .................... VP248

Send to back ...................... CG283Shape objects .................... CG279Shape tool .......................... VP235Shrink mode ....................... VP235Silence ................................ AE317Silence clips ........................ VE114Smart Render ......... VE149, VE188Snap to ............................... VE132Sound

calibration ....................... AE319cross fading .................... AE325inserting .......................... AE314mixing ................. AE314, AE319removing mixed tracks .... AE320replacing ......................... AE314retaining .......................... AE313sweetening ...................... AE315

Sound effectsamplification .................... AE315bound .............................. AE324decay .............................. AE324delay ............................... AE324echo ................................ AE324fading .............................. AE321inverting .......................... AE320muting ............................. AE313normalizing ..................... AE316pitch ................................ AE316quantizing ....................... AE317resonance ....................... AE324reversing ......................... AE323special effects ................. AE321speed .............................. AE322stereo pan ....................... AE323

Recordingmacros

to

Sound effects

INDEX 347

Special effects ........ VE153, AE321Speed ......... VE133, VE177, AE322Splitting clips ....................... VE132Stadium echo ...................... AE324Stereo pan .......................... AE323Stitch .................................. VE142Storyboarding ..................... VE103Subtract .............................. VE168Synchronizing audio & video . VE36

T

Templates ........................... VE108Test pattern .......................... VC73Text objects ....................... CG278

creating and distorting ...... CG55Text tool ............................. CG278Thumbnails ......................... VE103

editing ............................. VE104Time-based selection areas VE129Timecode

audio ................... AE303, AE307Timeline

clipsarranging ....................... VE21

insertingfiles ............................... VE20

Tips for capturing .................. VC80Title clips .................. VE26, VE177Tracks ................................. VE100

showing & hiding ............. VE100Transform tool ..................... VP248Transformation curve .......... AE322Transforming

objects ........................... CG284selections ........................ VP248

Transition effects ...... VE24, VE156customizing ....................... VE30

Transition track ................... VE100Trim silence ........................ AE317Trim window ........................ VE141Trimming clips ..................... VE140

in the scratch pad ............ VE145options ............................ VE142Scissors tool ................... VE140trim window ..................... VE141

Tutorialadvanced cloning .............. VP52advanced macros .............. VP51advanced power duplicationVP47advanced techniques

CG Infinity .................... CG60Video Editor .................. VE27Video Paint .................... VP46

animating objects ............. CG59applying a matte to a filter . VE29applying gradients ............ CG56applying video filters VE23, VP43arranging clips in the timelineVE21basics

Video Editor .................. VE20blue screen effects ............ VE31changing a track's amplification

VE27cloning .............................. VP44common techniques

CG Infinity .................... CG54Video Editor .................. VE23Video Paint .................... VP43

creating a corporate logo CG58,CG61

creating a new project ....... VE20creating a video paint

project ........................... VP38creating and distorting text

objects ......................... CG55creating background sets .. VP48creating mattes ...... VP45, CG60customizing paint brushes . VP40drawing regular shapes .... CG54editing a frame .................. VP39erase tool .......................... VP46fade-ins and distortions .... CG63inserting files into the

timeline ......................... VE20macros .............................. VP42manipulating objects ........ CG57mattes ............................... VE28moving path ...................... VE25moving paths ..................... VE32power duplicate ................. VP41previewing your work ........ VE22

Special effects

to

Tutorial -previewing yourwork


Tutorial (cont.)retouching frames ............. VP50rolling credits .................... VE26synchronizing audio & video .....

VE36timing multiple objects ...... CG62transition effects ................ VE24working over multiple frames

..................................... VP41

U

Ulead color picker ............... VP241Ulead file types ................... VE115Ulead Image Sequence ....... VE115Uniting clips ........................ VE132

V

Vectorscope .......................... VC74chroma .............................. VC74luma .................................. VC74parade .............................. VC74

Videocapturing ........................... VC79digitizing ............................ VC68synchronizing .................... VE36tracks .............................. VE100

Video Capture program ......... VC67audio

attributes ....................... VC72format ............................ VC72

basics ............................... VC68batch

editing ........................... VC92batch list ........................... VC91

viewing .......................... VC92calibrating your display ..... VC73

color .............................. VC76typical settings .............. VC76vectorscope ................... VC74

Video Capture program (cont.)capturing .......VC68, VC79, VC82

audio ...................VC72, VC85auto-naming .................. VC85color palettes ................. VC88customizing ................... VC86hardware concerns ........ VC80improving ............VC81, VC82save to library ................ VC85single frames ................. VC87tips ................................ VC80

centering the program window...................................... VC72

chroma .............................. VC74color test pattern ............... VC73compression ..................... VC81connecting to video source VC70copying color palettes ....... VC89customizing .............VC77, VC86data transfer rate ............... VC80data type .................VC71, VC88displaying video ................ VC70

improving the signal ...... VC73options .......................... VC71overlay mode ................. VC70preview mode ................ VC70

dropped frames ................. VC87format ............................... VC71frame size ......................... VC71luma .................................. VC74MCI devices ............VC90, VC93overlay mode .................... VC70parade .............................. VC74pasting color palettes ........ VC89preferences ....................... VC77preview mode .................... VC70preview options ................. VC71properties .......................... VC89reel ................................... VC91resizing program window ... VC72saving ............................... VC89

Tutorial -retouchingframes

to

Video Captureprogram -saving

INDEX 349

Video Capture program (cont.)vectorscope ...................... VC74

chroma .......................... VC74luma .............................. VC74parade ........................... VC74

video source setup ............ VC70waveform monitor .............. VC76

Video Editor program ............ VE97addition ........................... VE168alpha channel ................. VE166audio filters ..................... VE182basics ............................... VE98blue screensVE31, VE100, VE167changing a clip's speed ... VE133chroma ............................ VE166Clip Selection tool VE128, VE140clips ........ VE101, VE114, VE130

calibrating ................... VE134clearing ....................... VE132Clip Selection tool ....... VE140cutting & copying ......... VE130display mode ............... VE117field options ................. VE135freezing ....................... VE135grouping ...................... VE130inserting ........... VE112, VE114locating ....................... VE138pasting ........................ VE131placing into Production Library ..................... VE102playing in the scratch pad .......................... VE144relinking ...................... VE133replacing ......... VE114, VE134reversing ..................... VE133snapping to ................. VE132speed .......................... VE133splitting & uniting ......... VE132title .................... VE26, VE177trimming ...................... VE140Ulead file types ........... VE115Ulead Image Sequence VE115viewing ........................ VE117

color calibration ............... VE134color filter ........................ VE123

Video Editor program (cont.)color key ......................... VE165color keying ..................... VE100converting

frame rates .................. VE120video ........................... VE119

creating files .................... VE185audio ........................... VE196EDLs ........................... VE198image sequences ........ VE197video ........................... VE186

cues .................... VE136, VE146placing & managing ..... VE137

customizing ..................... VE121cutting & copying ............. VE130data rate analysis ............ VE194difference ........................ VE169display modes ................. VE117editing ............................. VE127field options ..................... VE135file associations .............. VE124freeze frame .................... VE135gamma correction ........... VE169gray key .......................... VE167grouping .......................... VE130inserting .. VE112, VE113, VE114key frame controls ........... VE154locating

empty time slots .......... VE139time ............................. VE139

locating clips ................... VE138luma ................................ VE165mask ............................... VE162mattes ....... VE28, VE170, VE181moving pathsVE25, VE32, VE171

2D advanced ............... VE1742D basic ...................... VE1743D ............................... VE175speed .......................... VE177

multiple ........................... VE167output to tape .................. VE200

Video Captureprogram -vectorscope

to

Video Editorprogram -output to tape


Video Editor program (cont.)overlay effect .................. VE160overlay effects

addition ....................... VE168alpha channel .............. VE166blue screen ................. VE167chroma ........................ VE166color key ..................... VE165difference .................... VE169gamma ........................ VE163gamma correction........ VE169gray key ...................... VE167luma ............................ VE165mattes ......................... VE170multiple ....................... VE167subtract ....................... VE168

overlays .......................... VE100package .......................... VE109pasting ............................ VE131posting timecode ............. VE199preferences ..................... VE121previewing . VE22, VE147, VE150

on-the-fly ..................... VE151options ........................ VE147Smart Render .............. VE149

Production Library ........... VE101projects ........................... VE106

customizing ................. VE108layout .......................... VE109new ............................. VE106packaging.................... VE109previewing ................... VE147saving ......................... VE108templates .................... VE108

proxy files ....................... VE110creating ....................... VE110

proxy mode ..................... VE108Quick Command panel .... VE104

layout options .............. VE104managing .................... VE105

relinking clips .................. VE133replacing clips ................. VE134reversing clips ................. VE133ripple editing ................... VE142ruler unit .......................... VE118

Video Editor program (cont.)saving ............................. VE108Scissors tool ................... VE140scratch pad ......... VE143, VE145

cues ............................ VE146selection areas ................ VE128showing & hiding tracks .. VE100Smart Render .................. VE149snap to ............................ VE132special effects ................. VE153speed .............................. VE177splitting ........................... VE132storyboarding .................. VE103subtract ........................... VE168synchronizing audio & video

...................................... VE36templates ........................ VE108Time Selection tool ......... VE129title clips .......................... VE177tracks .............................. VE100

overlay ........................ VE100transition effects .... VE24, VE156

customizing ................... VE30trim window ..................... VE141trimming clips .................. VE140

options ........................ VE142

Video Editorprogram -overlay effect

to

Video Editorprogram -trimming clips

INDEX 351

Video Editor program (cont.)tutorial

advanced techniques .... VE27applying a matte to a filter...................................... VE29applying video filters ...... VE23arranging clips in the timeline...................................... VE21basics ............................ VE20blue screen effects ........ VE31changing a tracks amplification...................................... VE27common techniques ...... VE23creating a new project ... VE20creating moving paths ... VE25customizing transition effects...................................... VE30inserting files ................. VE20moving paths ................. VE32performing transition effects...................................... VE24previewing your work ..... VE22rolling credits ................. VE26synchronizing audio & video...................................... VE36using mattes .................. VE28

Ulead file types ............... VE115Ulead Image Sequence ... VE115uniting ............................. VE132video filters ........... VE23, VE180video save options .......... VE187viewing ............................ VE117zooming .......................... VE118

Video filters ... VE23, VP43, VE180,VP255

applying mattes to ............. VE29Video format ......................... VC71Video mattes ....................... VE170Video Paint program ........... VP205

animation texture .............. VP48basics ............................. VP206Brush panel ..................... VP244

advanced tab .............. VP247color tab ...................... VP247options tab ...... VP245, VP252shape tab .................... VP244

Video Paint program (cont.)Clone tool .............. VP44, VP249color fill ........................... VP248color palettes .................. VP240

picking colors .............. VP241saving ......................... VP242

copying ........................... VP213cues ................................ VP216

managing .................... VP217customizing ..................... VP222

memory usage ............ VP225photo-cd options .......... VP227preview options ........... VP224video display ............... VP226

cutting ............................. VP213deleting

frames ......................... VP221display modes ................. VP230duplicating ...................... VP214

frames ......................... VP221edit window ..................... VP209

modes ......................... VP209viewing ........................ VP217

Eyedropper tool ............... VP242Filmstrip panel ................. VP208

adjusting ..................... VP208Global viewer .................. VP218inserting frames .............. VP220Lasso tool ....................... VP236macros ............................ VP252Magic Wand tool ............. VP237opening videos ................ VP210

specific duration .......... VP211packaging components ... VP209Paint tool ......................... VP243painting ........................... VP229pasting ............................ VP213

masks ......................... VP213power duplicate ..... VP41, VP214preferences ..................... VP223previewing ....................... VP256

flicking ......................... VP256projects

new ............................. VP211rendering ..................... VP212

Video Editorprogram -tutorial

to

Video Paintprogram -projects


Video Paint program (cont.)replacing frames ............. VP221Retouch tool .......... VP50, VP250saving ............................. VP209selection areas ................ VP234

color fill ....................... VP248color similarity ............. VP237composite mode .......... VP235irregular shapes .......... VP236marquee ...................... VP234moving marquee only .. VP239paint layer ................... VP235shapes ........................ VP235shrink mode ................ VP235transforming ................ VP248

Shape tool ....................... VP235Transform tool ................. VP248tutorial

advanced cloning .......... VP52advanced macro techniques..................................... VP51

advanced power duplication..................................... VP47

advanced techniques .... VP46applying video filters ...... VP43cloning .......................... VP44common techniques ...... VP43creating a project ........... VP38creating background sets..................................... VP48

creating video mattes .... VP45customizing paint brushes..................................... VP40

editing a frame .............. VP39erasing .......................... VP46macros .......................... VP42retouching frames ......... VP50working over multiple frames..................................... VP41

video filters ....................... VP43video mattes ..................... VP45Zoom tool ........................ VP218zooming .......................... VP217

Video Paintprogram -replacingframes

to

Zooming

Video projects ......... VE106, VP211customizing ..................... VE108layout .............................. VE109new ..................... VE106, VP211packaging ....................... VE109properties ........................ VE108saving ............................. VE108templates ........................ VE106

Video save options ............. VE187Video source setup ............... VC70Viewing .... VE117, VP209, VP217,

CG266audio files ....................... AE302changing views ............... AE303objects ........................... CG266overlay mode .................... VC70sample information .......... AE311zooming .......................... AE302

W

Waveform display ... AE303, AE307Waveform monitor ................. VC76Windows color picker .......... VP242Working with CG Infinity objects ...

CG273Working with color .............. VP239

Z

Zoom tool ............................ VP218Zooming ...... VE118, VP217, AE302

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