Avid® Media Composer® Getting Started Guide Release 7.
Copyright and Disclaimer Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. The software may not be reverse assembled and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement.
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Trademarks AirPlay, AudioVision, Avid, FieldPak, Film Composer, HIIP, Image Independence, Media Composer, MediaMatch, Media Recorder, Media Suite, NewsCutter, OMF, OMF Interchange, Open Media Framework, and the Avid logo, are registered trademarks and Advance, AniMatte, AudioStation, AutoSequence, AutoSync, AVIDdrive, AVIDdrive Towers, AvidDroid, AvidNet, AVIDstripe, Avid Xpress, Film Cutter, Krypton, MCXpress, Media Fusion, Media Illusion, MediaLog, Media Reader, MediaServer, and MediaShare, and Tools for
Contents Preface Who Should Use This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Symbols and Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2 About Media Composer About Media Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Nonlinear Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Workßow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Digitizing and Logging at the Same Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Batch Digitizing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Redigitizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Edit About Bin Display Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Bin Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Closing the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Ending the Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Chapter 6 Editing a Rough Cut Viewing Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Navigating in the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Using the Position Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Editing in Segment Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Distinguishing Two Types of Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic Trim Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Entering Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exiting Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toggling Between Big and Small Trim Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displaying the Effect Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effect Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effect Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transition Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Segment Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing a Title into a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tutorial: Creating Titles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding a Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a New Title. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Freeing Storage Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Consolidating Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the Consolidate Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Backing Up Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Backing Up Project Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tutorial: Backing Up . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tables Table 1-1 Choosing Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Table 6-1 Starting the Tutorial: Rough Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Table 7-1 Starting the Tutorial: Refining Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Table 7-2 Mark Points for Boat Shop Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Table 8-1 Starting the Tutorial: Adding Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Table 9-1 Starting the Tutorial: Creating Titles. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preface This guide provides information about how to get started using your Avid¨ Media Composer¨ system. Who Should Use This Manual This guide is written for video and Þlm editors who are learning to use an Avid Composer system. About This Manual The Table of Contents that precedes this preface lists all topics included in the book.
section. Step through the tutorial for guided hands-on experience with your Media Composer system. ¥ A detailed Index helps you quickly locate speciÞc topics. This guide should get you started. For more information, see the online help and the Avid Media Composer UserÕs Guide. Symbols and Conventions The Media Composer documentation uses the following special symbols and conventions: 1. Numbered lists, when order is important. a. Alphabetical lists, when the order of secondary items is important.
If You Need Help If youÕre having trouble using Media Composer, you should: 1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. 2. Check the documentation that came with your hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues. 3. Check the Services & Support section of the Avid web site at http://www.avid.com for the latest FAQs, Tips & Techniques, Avid Answers, and other Avid online offerings. 4.
If You Have Documentation Comments Avid Technology continuously seeks to improve its documentation. We value your comments about this manual or other Avid-supplied documentation. E-mail your documentation comments to Avid Technology at TechPubs@avid.com Please include the title of the document, its part number, revision, and the speciÞc section youÕre commenting on in all correspondence.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction This chapter sets you up to use this guide and work through the tutorial sections that teach you the basics of your Avid Composer system.
Using the Tutorial The self-paced tutorial sections included in this guide are designed as guided Avid edit sessions using the basic features of the Media Composer system. In the tutorial sections, youÕre going to edit a oneminute sequence about a company in Amesbury, Massachusetts that makes small Þshing boats called dories. The footage for the sequence is on the Media Composer Tutorial CDROMs that came with your system. They contain digitized media that is ready for you to use.
This tutorial takes approximately four hours. Before you begin, you need: ¥ An installed Avid Media Composer system See the Avid Media Composer Products Setup Guide if you have not yet set up your Media Composer system. See the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Release 7.0 Release Notes if you need to install the Media Composer software.
What You Need The CD-ROMs packaged with your Media Composer system include all Þles necessary to do this tutorial: ¥ Read Me First Þle Ñ contains the installation instructions for each of the Þles on the CD-ROMs. These instructions also appear in ÒInstalling the Media Composer Tutorial FilesÓ on page 25. ¥ MediaFiles folder Ñ contains the digitized Þles you need for the tutorial. You need to copy these Þles onto your external media drive.
n ¥ Tape decks and/or additional autoassembly conÞgurations (switcher, time-base corrector, and so on) if you plan to digitize or conduct an autoassembly. ¥ Digidesign¨ audio interface hardware, if your system includes these. Turn on the Digidesign hardware and black burst generator in order to maintain proper sync between audio and video while digitizing and editing.
¥ The Macintosh desktop appears. Avid drive (internal) Media drives (external) c To avoid damage, do not disconnect or turn off hard disks or individual disk drives while the Macintosh is on.
Installing the Media Composer Tutorial Files The Media Composer Tutorial CD-ROMs contain all of the Þles you need for the tutorial sections of this guide. It takes about 30 minutes to copy the media Þles from the CD-ROM to the external hard drive. The CD-ROMs contain several versions of the tutorial media Þles digitized at different Avid Video Resolutions (AVRs). You must select the appropriate AVR for your Media Composer product model. Table 1-1 shows the correct tutorial media for your product.
Installing AVR 3s Tutorial Files To install the tutorial Þles for AVR 3s: 1. Insert the Avid Media Composer Products Ofßine Tutorial (PAL and NTSC) and double-click its icon. 2. Double-click the folder at the top level of the CD-ROM. 3. The AVR 3s CD-ROM has two top-level folders. Choose NTSC or PAL. You should see two folders labeled Composer Projects and OMFI MediaFiles. 4.
¥ If there is no existing Composer Projects folder on the drive, drag the Composer Projects folder on the CD-ROM to the Avid drive. Installing AVR 70 Tutorial Files The tutorial Þles for AVR 70 require two CD-ROMs for NTSC and two for PAL. The procedure is the same for installing either type. To install the tutorial Þles for AVR 70: 1. Insert the CD-ROM labeled Avid Media Composer Products Online Tutorial (PAL) Disk 1 or Avid Media Composer Products Online Tutorial (NTSC) Disk 1 and double-click its icon.
The Þles are loaded on the drive. 4. Do one of the following: ¥ If there is an existing Composer Projects folder on the Avid drive, open the Composer Projects folder on the CD-ROM and drag the Boat Shop folder to the Composer Projects folder on the Avid drive. ¥ If there is no existing Composer Projects folder on the Avid drive, copy the Composer Projects folder on the CD-ROM to the Avid drive. 5. Eject the CD-ROM in the drive. 6.
Launching the Media Composer Application The Media Composer application icon is located in the Media Composer folder on the Avid drive. For most users, the desktop or the Apple menu is a more convenient location for launching the application. n For more information on making an alias and using the Apple menu, see your Macintosh documentation. The application will not launch properly if the icon is moved out of the Media Composer folder.
The Avid splash screen returns, then the License Agreement dialog box appears. Electronic Licensing To accept your Avid Composer product license electronically: 1. Read the License Agreement, then click the Accept button or the Decline button at the bottom of the screen. The agreement appears the Þrst several times you launch the application. After several launches, a new button appears at the bottom of the screen. 2.
¥ Keep the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Quick Reference on hand during sessions to speed the use of functions, shortcuts, keyboard commands, menus, and icons. ¥ Make a habit of reading AvidÕs newsletters, mailings, and other trade publications. ¥ Make use of additional training resources provided by Avid whenever possible, such as classes and instructional videotapes. For more information, contact Avid at 800-867-2843. ¥ Check the Avid web site at www.avid.com/services/training/ training.
Procedures are displayed in yellow How To windows; background information and illustrations are displayed in white Reference windows. The following sections explain how to use the help system. For more information, see ÒOnline Help:overviewÓ in the online help index. Three Ways of Finding Topics in Help To Þnd a topic in Help: 1. Open the Topics window. 2. Do one of the following: ¥ Click the Contents tab to view lists of topics in the main help window.
2. In the text box, type a word you want to Þnd. Use the pop-up menus to change the way in which you search for words. 3. If youÕd like to search for additional words, click the More Choices button. 4. Click the Search button. Topics that are found are displayed in the list. 5. Choose a topic in the list (if any were found) and click the Display button. n DonÕt type quotes or asterisks in the text boxes.
CHAPTER 2 About Media Composer This chapter provides a general overview of Media ComposerÕs capabilities. It introduces basic concepts along with some tips for the beginning user in the following sections: ¥ About Media Composer ¥ Editing Basics ¥ Project Workßow About Media Composer Media Composer streamlines the editing process by combining the traditional tools of postproduction, the creative control of digital editing, and the simplicity of the interface.
Editing Basics The unique nature of nonlinear editing Ñ and the speciÞc features of the Media Composer system Ñ suggest a new way of approaching the process of editing and the ßow of your work on projects, as described in this section. About Nonlinear Editing As a digital, nonlinear editing tool, Media Composer provides complete random access to footage, with instantaneous cueing and retrieval of sequences, segments, shots, and frames.
¥ An edit decision list (EDL) that you can use to control the editing of tapes in an online or ofßine editing studio Editing Components Knowing some basic terms for the editing components will help you use Media Composer more effectively.
¥ Subclip: Part of a master clip, which references the master clip ¥ EDL: edit decision list containing detailed information on your sequence for online editing of a videotape master ¥ Cut list: a series of output lists containing speciÞcations used to conform the Þlm work print or negative ¥ Digital cut: a copy struck directly from disk to tape Project Workflow The following sections introduce the four basic stages of a project, along with the basic system terms you encounter in Media Composer.
Starting a Project Starting a project involves the following steps: 1. Turn on your equipment in a prescribed order and launch the Media Composer software. Turn on and launch Media Composer. 2. Select or create a new project: the job that will result in one or more Þnished sequences. Select or create a project. 3. Create and organize bins. Create and organize bins. 4. Back up your project on a regular basis. Back up the project.
Preparing to Edit Preparing to edit involves the following procedures: 1. Import your logs into the bins, or log the material manually to create source clips. log Source tapes 1. 2. 2. Digitize your analog footage, creating media Þles and master clips. Import shot logs into the bin. 3. Digitize footage, creating master clips and media files. 3. Work with bins and clips to organize your source material for easy access during editing. Sort and organize clips in bins. 5. 4. 4.
Editing a Sequence Editing a sequence involves the following procedures: Screen, mark, and subcatalog footage. Screen and continue editing as necessary. 1. View your clips in advance and mark IN points and OUT points, or create subclips based on selected portions of your master clips. 2. Build your sequence in Source/Record mode, which provides nonlinear editing controls with Source and Record monitors, and the Timeline. Source monitor Record monitor Timeline Edit in Source/Record mode and the Timeline.
Generating Output Generating various forms of output based on your sequence involves selecting among several options: ¥ Export and exchange material for audio sweetening or graphics enhancement in a thirdparty application, or for incorporating into a multimedia project. Export and exchange material for import into third-party applications such as AudioVision. Betacam ¥ Record the Þnal sequence as a digital cut. Record a digital cut directly to tape. ¥ Generate an EDL.
CHAPTER 3 Starting a Project The Project window provides controls in three different display modes for structuring and viewing important information about your current project. These include a display of bins and folders associated with the project, a list of all settings, and basic information about the format of the project and use of system memory.
About Composer Projects and Avid Users Folders Composer Projects and Avid Users folders allow you to move whole projects or selected project and/or user settings between systems by copying and moving Þles on your desktop. When you create a new project or user, the system creates the following Þles and folders: ¥ When you create a new user, the system creates three items: a user proÞle Þle, a User settings Þle, and a user folder containing the two. Each item is given the user name you provide.
Using the Bins Display Bins are windows that contain titles, Òthumbnails,Ó and information about the material you digitize. These editable Þles are called master clips. They refer to the actual media Þles created when you digitize source material. While the physical media are stored on external hard drives, the master clips that refer to that media reside in the bin. Bins also store the sequences, subclips, group clips, and effect clips that you create during a project.
Using the Settings Display From the Settings display you can view, select, open, and alter various User, Project, and Site settings, as described in this section. To view the Settings display, click the Settings button in the Project window. A scrolling list of settings appears. Settings button Settings type About Settings Three types of settings are displayed in the Settings scroll list, as indicated in the third column of information: User, Project, and Site settings.
¥ Site settings establish default parameters for all new users and projects on a particular system. These can apply to particular conÞgurations of equipment installed at the site, for example, spec and node settings for an external switcher. They can also include other user or project settings that you copy into the Site Settings window. Site settings are stored in a separate Settings folder in the Media Composer folder on the Avid hard drive.
¥ - Setup default for either American NTSC or Japanese NTSC video input (affects calibration) - Whether the system uses the drive-Þltering function to automatically target only the fastest drives when digitizing highresolution media Interface settings determine the level of basic information displayed in the interface, including whether written labels are displayed beneath icons in the various command palettes.
A pop-up menu appears. 2. Choose one of the options from the pop-up menu. See the Avid Media Composer UserÕs Guide or ÒInfo display of project informationÓ in the online help index for more information about these options. About Projects and Memory The way in which a project uses memory has a direct effect on performance. As a project develops, the number of media objects in use (clips, effects, and other bin items) increases.
Viewing Memory To view how your Avid Composer system is using the system memory, press kÐI on the keyboard or choose Memory from the Info window Fast menu. Also see the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Release Notes for information about memory requirements. If the memory in use is already near the limit of the total memory, you might want to consolidate Þnished elements and eliminate old material from the project, or break the project up into separate, segmented projects.
Tutorial: Starting a Project In this tutorial, you will start Media Composer and select a user and a project. Before starting this procedure, make sure you have installed the Tutorial Þles (see ÒInstalling the Media Composer Tutorial FilesÓ on page 25). Starting the Application 1. Double-click the desktop alias of the Media Composer folder icon to open the folder. 2. Double-click the Media Composer application icon to launch the program. After a few moments, the Project Selection dialog box appears.
For this tutorial, you use the Boat Shop project (along with its settings Þle) that you copied into the Composer Projects folder in Chapter 1. Opening a Project To open a project, you create a new user and select an existing project. Creating a User To create a new user: 1. Click the New User button. A dialog box appears. 2. Type your name and click OK. The Project Selection dialog box reappears with your name highlighted in the list of users. Selecting a Project To select a project: 1.
The Project window opens. It lists the bins, or storage areas, created to hold the clips and sequences you will need for this tutorial. 2. Double-click the icon to the left of Getting Ready to Edit to open the bin. This bin contains the clips of the source footage you will use to begin to build the Boat Shop sequence. YouÕve Þnished this tutorial section. The next section is Tutorial: Getting Ready to Edit on page 76.
CHAPTER 4 Digitizing This chapter surveys the digitize process and related tools.
Selecting Settings A number of settings have a direct bearing on the digitizing process. Before digitizing, review the following options for General Settings, Deck Settings, and Digitize Settings. ¥ c Drive Filtering Based on Resolution causes the system to dim all drives for which speed capabilities are unknown or untested in a particular Avid Video Resolution (AVR). This setting is selected by default in the General Settings dialog box.
About the Digitize Tool The Digitize Tool provides controls for digitizing your footage. To open the Digitize Tool, choose Digitize from the Tools menu. The Digitize Tool window opens.
¥ Resolution pop-up menu next to the Bin pop-up menu lets you choose an Avid Video Resolution (AVR). ¥ Digitize indicator ßashes on and off while you are digitizing. ¥ Red Digitize button begins the digitizing process. ¥ Digitize/Log mode button lets you switch between digitize mode and log mode. ¥ Single/Dual drives button lets you target a single or separate media drive volumes for digitizing the audio and video for each clip. ¥ Target drive pop-up menu lets you choose the target drive volumes.
About the Audio Tool The Audio Tool controls parameters for incoming audio. To open the Audio Tool, choose Audio Tool from the Tools menu or click the Audio Tool icon in the Digitize Tool window. The Audio Tool window opens.
¥ In/Out buttons toggle the meter displays for each channel between input levels from a source device and output levels to the speakers and record devices. I indicates input, and O indicates Output. ¥ Peak Hold pop-up menu allows you to choose options for customizing the meter displays, and setting and playing back the internal calibration tone. ¥ Digital VU scale to the left of the meters displays a Þxed range of values from 0 to -90 decibels (dB), according to common digital peak meter standards.
Internal Vectorscope Waveform button Monitor button Internal waveform monitor Vectorscope Input Settings Preset buttons Slider Click the Internal Waveform Monitor button to bring up the Waveform monitor. Click the Vectorscope button to bring up the Vectorscope. The Video Input Tool has the following options: ¥ Input pop-up menu lets you choose either a Composite or Component video input source. ¥ Sliders let you change the value for each setting.
Digitize Preparations Check List 1. Check your hardware conÞgurations: power switches, cable connections, pull-down switch on the Video Slave Driver, and remote switch on the source deck for deck control (see the Avid Media Composer Products Setup Guide for hardware conÞgurations). 2. In the Project Settings scrolling list, make sure you have the desired options selected in the General Settings, Deck Settings, Deck Preferences, Deck ConÞguration, and Digitize Settings dialog boxes. 3.
Digitizing You can digitize your source material in one of the following ways: ¥ Digitize and log at the same time ¥ Batch digitize ¥ Redigitize ¥ Use Avid MediaLog and import shot logs Digitizing and Logging at the Same Time When you digitize without entering log information in a bin ahead of time, the system creates clips and associated media Þles while you digitize.
Batch Digitizing Once you have imported a log or manually logged a group of clips into a bin, you can automate the digitize process by using your Avid Composer systemÕs batch digitizing capabilities. In order to batch digitize, source tapes must have timecode. For more information and procedures, see ÒBatch digitizingÓ in the online help index. Redigitizing Redigitizing is the process of capturing previously digitized source footage based on existing clips and sequences.
CHAPTER 5 Getting Ready to Edit To get ready to edit, you need to understand how to organize your clips and manipulate them.
About Bin Display Modes You can use three display modes for viewing and working with clips in a bin: Text mode, Frame mode, and Script mode. ¥ In Text mode, clips are displayed in a database text format using columns and rows, with icons representing the various objects. You can save various arrangements of columns, text, and objects as customized views by using the Bins settings in the Project window and the Bin Fast menu.
To enter Frame mode, click the Frame Mode button (labeled F) in the lower left border of the bin. ¥ In Script mode, the system combines the features of Text mode with Frame mode, and adds space for typing notes or script. The frames are displayed vertically on the left side of your screen with a text box to the right of each clip. Clip data is displayed above the text box.
To enter Script mode, click the Script Mode button (labeled S) in the lower left portion of the bin. About Bin Views To the right of the Display Mode buttons is a pop-up menu of titles for different Bin views. This option is available only in Text mode. Bins have the following default views that are automatically loaded: ¥ Statistics view uses the standard statistical column headings derived from information established during capture, such as Start and End timecodes, Duration, Resolution, and so on.
Using Position Bars and Position Indicators You can quickly access frames within a clip thatÕs been loaded into a monitor or move through the footage using the position indicators that appear in the position bars under Source or Record monitors, and in the Timeline when you are viewing a sequence. ¥ You can move the position indicator within the position bar under the Source or Record monitors by clicking anywhere in the position bar, or by dragging the position indicator to the left or right.
Using Buttons You can use the user-selectable buttons that appear below the Source and Record monitors to play and step through your footage. You can also use the keyboard to manipulate footage. Aside from the default conÞgurations, these buttons can be remapped from the Command Palette in any conÞguration onto any of the user palettes and the keyboard.
To play a clip: 1. Load a clip or sequence into a monitor. 2. For sequences in the Record monitor, click the Video or Audio Monitor buttons in the Track Selector panel. 3. Go to the start of the clip or sequence by clicking the start of the position bar under the monitor, or pressing the Home key. 4. To play the clip or sequence, click the Play button under the chosen monitor. 5. To stop playback, press the space bar or click the Play button again.
Using the Keyboard The default keyboard contains all of the buttons discussed so far. Step buttons Play/Step/Shuttle buttons Home key End key Play button Stop button n You can move and replace buttons on the keyboard using the Command Palette; see ÒUser-selectable buttons, mappingÓ in the online help index. J-K-L Keys (Three-Button Play) The J-K-L keys on the keyboard allow you to play, step, and shuttle through footage at varying speeds.
2. Use the following keys to shuttle at varying speeds: ¥ Press the L key to move forward through the footage at normal speed. Press once to increase the forward speed 2 times, twice to increase it 4 times, and 3 times to increase it 8 times normal speed, as desired. ¥ Press the J key to move backward at the same shuttle speed increments. ¥ Hold and press the K and L keys together for slow forward. ¥ Hold and press the K and J keys together for slow backward. 3.
¥ Load a clip into the Source monitor or a sequence into the Record monitor. ¥ Select a clip in a bin in Frame mode. 2. Do one of the following: Mouse Step button ¥ Press the N key to activate mouse control for stepping.
3. Move the mouse to the right to increase the shuttle speed, or to the left to decrease the shuttle speed. 4. To quit shuttling with the mouse, press the space bar or doubleclick the mouse button. You can also use the keyboard in conjunction with the mouse to control shuttling. For example, if youÕre shuttling with the mouse and you press the L key, the playback speeds up to the next normal play rate (30, 60, 120, 240 fps for NTSC; 25, 50, 100, 200 fps for PAL; 24, 48, 96, 192 for Þlm projects).
based on the marks you set to break up longer master clips into smaller segments of selected footage. This is similar to creating selects of all your best footage before editing. Unlike selects, however, subclips do not directly reference the original media. Subclips remain linked to the master clips from which they are created, and the master clips in turn reference the digitized media Þles located on your storage drives. As a result, none of the original footage is lost.
A new subclip as referenced in Bin Text view For more information on trimming, see ÒTrim EditsÓ in the online help index. Subclips do not limit your access to the original, digitized master clip material when trimming. Therefore, if you must trim beyond the marked IN to OUT boundaries of the subclip to make it longer or shorter, your system does accommodate the boundary adjustments during the trim.
Tutorial: Getting Ready to Edit The following tutorial steps correspond to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Getting Ready to Edit. n Be sure to read Chapter 2 and the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial. 1. If Media Composer is not already running, launch it by doubleclicking the application icon. 2. Choose your User name and your Boat Shop project and click OK. 3. From the Boat Shop Project window, double-click the Getting Ready to Edit bin.
Text Mode Name Heading Frame Mode Zoom box Text Mode button Frame Mode button The S button is for Script mode. LetÕs look at Text mode. 1. Click the Text Mode button (T) in the lower left corner of the bin to view information about clips in the Getting Ready to Edit bin. If the button is dark, you are already in Text mode. You can rearrange the clips in the bin by sorting on a particular column. LetÕs sort by clip name so we can easily locate any clip. 2. Click the Name heading in the bin. 3.
n The sorted order of clips does not carry over to Frame mode. 2. Choose Reduce Frame or Enlarge Frame from the Edit menu. To change frame size at the keyboard, you can also press k-K (Reduce Frame) and k-L (Enlarge Frame). If some clips are now off screen, do one of the following: ¥ Click the zoom box in the upper right corner of the bin window. ¥ Choose Fill Window from the Bin menu. ¥ Drag the size box in the lower right corner of the bin window. 3.
The bridge clip appears in the Source monitor. 2. Press the Home key on the keyboard (between the main keyboard and the numeric keypad) to go to the start of the clip. The End key, just below the Home key, moves the position indicator to the end of the clip. 3. Press the Play (5) key on the keyboard to play the clip at normal speed. 4. Press the Play (5) key again (or press the space bar on the keyboard) to stop playback at any point. 5.
9. Use the 1, 2, 3, and 4 keys to step through the footage forward or backward in 1-frame or 10-frame increments. Step Backward Step Forward Step Forward 10 Frames Step Backward 10 Frames Controlling Playback In the Source monitor, you can use: ¥ Playback control keys ¥ Equivalent buttons below the Source monitor ¥ Blue position indicator to go to a speciÞc position or scroll through a clip Position indicator Position bar Play Step Step Backward Forward 1.
4. Step through the footage forward or backward in 1-frame and 10frame increments using the Step Forward and Step Backward buttons under the Source monitor. You can also use the 4, 3, 2, and 1 keys on your keyboard. 5. Locate the vertical blue position indicator in the position bar in the Source monitor. 6. Click to the left of the position indicator to step several frames back in the clip. To step several frames forward, click just to the right of the position indicator. 7.
Marking the planing ms Clip LetÕs Þrst display clips in the Source monitor, and then mark a couple of clips you will use when you edit the sequence. 1. Activate the Getting Ready to Edit bin by clicking anywhere in it or by choosing Getting Ready to Edit from the Windows menu. The bar above the active window turns purple. 2. Double-click the planing ms clip to activate it. The clip name turns pink and the clip appears in the Source monitor. 3.
Media Composer remembers your IN and OUT points until you change them. Marking the ducks Clip Now mark the IN and OUT points for the ducks clip. This time, instead of using the 5 key, use the J-K-L keys to play the clip. 1. Double-click the ducks clip to activate it. 2. Locate the frame where the second duck enters the right edge of the frame behind the duck swimming in the foreground. Use the 3 and 4 keys to locate the precise frame. 3. Mark an IN point by pressing the I key.
Use the Play button (or J-K-L keys) to get close to the frame, and then use the Step buttons to locate the frame you want to use as your IN point. 3. Mark an IN point by clicking the Mark IN button under the monitor. A white sawtooth pattern appears on the left edge of the Mark IN frame. 4. Step forward, and locate a frame just after three strokes of the knife. 5. Mark an OUT point by clicking the Mark OUT button under the monitor. A white sawtooth appears on the right edge of the Mark OUT frame.
Timecode shows the following: Hours Minutes Seconds Frames One second holds 29 frames. The timecode references the frame displayed in the Source monitor. 4. Use the Play and Step buttons to locate the frame where the boatbuilder begins one of the Þrst strokes of the chisel. 5. Click the Mark IN button. 6. Read the timecode in the Timecode display at the IN point. Add 15 frames (13 frames PAL) to the timecode number. (Remember, there are 29 frames in a second.
n To locate frames using the numeric keypad, you must show the appropriate timecode in the Timecode display. For example, the timecode display must show track V1 to go to a speciÞc frame on the V1 track. Timecode display Timecode entered 8. Click the Mark OUT button. Using Frame Offset Whenever you use the numeric keypad, you must press Enter after typing the number.
Since Media Composer counts the frame it is parked on, you type one frame less than two seconds. When using frame offset, type one frame less than the number of frames you want to advance. If you want to move back a certain number of frames, type a minus sign (Ð) instead of a plus sign (+) in front of the number. 5. Mark that frame as the OUT point. Subclipping Now you will copy portions of one clip into shorter clips, called subclips.
Sub.n, where n is the number of times the master clip has been cataloged to that bin. The name is highlighted. 7. Type drilling and press Return (or Enter on the numeric keypad) to name the subclip. Clearing IN Points and OUT Points 1. With the tools clip in the Source Monitor, click the Clear Both Marks button under the Source monitor to clear IN and OUT points. 2. Mark an IN point in the clip when the boatbuilder begins hammering, after he takes a few practice swings. 3.
3. Do one of the following: ¥ Select an existing project. ¥ Create a new one. ¥ Click Quit. Ending the Session To end the session: 1. Choose Save Bin or Save All Bins from the File menu. 2. Click in the Project window labeled Boat Shop. 3. Choose Save All from the File menu. 4. Pull down the menu from under the Source monitor name and choose Clear monitor. 5. Do one of the following: ¥ Go to the next lesson.
CHAPTER 6 Editing a Rough Cut Beginning to edit involves moving around in the Avid Composer system.
Viewing Methods You can work with clips and sequences in several different ways, depending upon your needs and preferences. Each method has its own uses and advantages, as follows. ¥ Viewing in bins: Frame mode shows you pictorial images of the clips in your bins; Text mode shows you the clips listed by name. ¥ Viewing in the Source monitor: You can load clips and sequences into the Source monitor to view and mark or subcatalog shots for use in a sequence that you build in the Record monitor.
¥ Viewing in pop-up monitors: You can load clips into pop-up monitors to view and mark one or several clips simultaneously in smaller, movable windows. (Enable a pop-up monitor by selecting Opens New Monitor for Clips in the Bin Settings dialog box.) Two pop-up monitors with clips loaded ¥ Viewing in the Timeline: Use the Timeline to view individual tracks for either a sequence or a source clip.
Navigating in the Timeline The Timeline window provides various controls for quickly moving through a sequence and adjusting your view of details displayed in the tracks while editing. You can make changes in the Timeline format by using the Timeline Fast menu or choosing Timeline in the Bin settings scrolling list. Using the Position Indicator The position indicator (the vertical blue line) in the Timeline marks your place in the sequence. It also determines how some of your commands are interpreted.
Displaying More or Less Detail The scale box on the scale bar stretches and contracts the Timeline area centered around the blue position bar, allowing you to either zoom in to focus on a speciÞc area of your sequence, or zoom out for you to see your whole sequence. This is especially useful when you have a lengthy sequence with many edits. Scale box Scale bar The Timeline always expands or contracts proportionally on both sides of the position indicator.
Focusing the Timeline Another alternative to the scroll and scale functions is the Focus button. Focus The Focus button allows you to center the position indicator quickly and expand the Timeline. Unlike the scroll and scale functions, the Focus button expands the Timeline to one frame per four pixels. The position indicator is centered in the window. When you click the Focus button a second time, it always returns the Timeline to its previous size.
Button and position indicator turn green This feature is particularly useful when you are editing a sequence or a subclip created from a sequence; you can also use it to look at the contents of any source clip in a Timeline display. n Heads or Tails views are disabled when you are displaying material from the Source monitor. Using the Track Selector Panel The Track Selector panel provides numerous controls for working effectively with multiple tracks.
Source track monitors Source tracks Track lock indicators Record tracks Record track monitors Timecode track The source side (left side) of the panel displays only those tracks available for the clip currently loaded and displayed in the Source monitor. For instance, a clip that has audio digitized for track A1 only does not display an A2 track in the Track Selector panel. The record side of the panel displays only those tracks currently in use for the sequence.
¥ You cannot edit deselected tracks on the record side, regardless of source track selections. There are four methods for selecting tracks: ¥ Click any deactivated Track Selector button to select it. Click any activated Track Selector button to deselect it. ¥ Drag a lasso around multiple Track Selector buttons to select them at once. ¥ With the Timeline window active, choose Select All Tracks from the Edit menu to select all tracks on the record and source side.
Video track monitors Audio track monitor Audio track monitor Monitoring Video The video track monitor determines whether you see video during playback. You can turn it off at any time to monitor only audio during editing. When there are multiple video tracks, all tracks below the monitored track are active during playback. When you edit with multiple tracks, you can activate the monitor on a lower track to monitor only the video on that track.
Tutorial: Rough Cut In this tutorial you begin editing the Boat Shop sequence. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Rough Cut. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Making the First Edit In this section, you lay down the audio clip, which contains the sequenceÕs music and narration. You learn how to mark exactly one minute of the clip, which will be the duration of your Þnished sequence. First, you play the clip. 1. Double-click the Audio Track clip and play the clip in the Source monitor. The clip displays as black because itÕs audio only. 2. Go to the head of the clip by pressing the Home key on your keyboard or clicking the Rewind button under the Source monitor.
Splicing an Audio Clip Yellow Splice-in If no points are selected, the entire clip is edited into the Timeline. Click the yellow Splice-in button between the Source and Record monitors control panel to copy the clip into the Record monitor. The clip is edited onto track A1 of the Timeline. The Þrst frame is the IN point you marked in the clip; the last frame is the OUT point you marked in the clip. The audio track appears in the Timeline.
Audio Monitor button The Audio Monitor button appears when a speaker is activated. 3. Click the position bar beneath the Record monitor or anywhere near the left side of the Timeline, then click the Play button to play the audio. This audio track should run the length of the sequence, and its duration should be approximately one minute. Confirming the Duration The next steps explain how to conÞrm the duration by displaying the master timecode, which is the timecode of your sequence. 1.
n If you do not mark an IN point and OUT point, the entire clip will be edited into the sequence. 4. Move the position indicator in the Timeline or Record monitor to the head of the sequence. Deselect 5. Deselect record track A1. A track changes color when it is selected; it is gray when it is deselected. Yellow Splice-in 6. Press the Splice-in (V) key on the keyboard or click the Splice-in button under the Source monitor.
Splicing a Clip in a Pop-up Monitor The default setting is to open a clip in the Source or Record monitor. If you want, you can change the default to open clips up in a pop-up monitor. 1. From the Project window, click the Settings button. Settings button Bin selection 2. Double-click the Bin selection (you might have to scroll to locate the Bin selection). The Bin Settings (Current) window opens.
Click to open pop-up monitors. 3. Click the ÒOpens new monitor for clipÓ option and click OK. By default, this loads the clip into a pop-up monitor when you double-click the clip. 4. From the bin, double-click the ducks clip. This opens a pop-up monitor. Previously, you entered IN and OUT points, but we need to create different ones. ItÕs not necessary to clear the IN and OUT points. When you create a new IN point and OUT point, the system automatically clears previously set points. 5.
Playing IN to OUT Now you can take a look at the marked portion of the clip to make sure it is what you want. 1. Click the Play IN to OUT button or press the 6 key on the keyboard. The Play IN to OUT key plays a clip from the IN point to the OUT point. If possible, it would be nice to provide a little Òbreathing spaceÓ before the next shot. 2. Play the rest of the clip to see if there are several frames of water after the duck leaves the shot.
Moving to the Head and Tail of a Shot Before splicing in the next shot, make sure the position indicator is on the Þrst frame of black after the bridge edit. To do this: 1. Move the position indicator anywhere to the right of the bridge clip in the Timeline. To snap the position indicator to the last frame of a shot, press OptionÐk instead of k and click the mouse between the ending transition and the position indicator. 2.
Splicing a Shot into the Middle of a Sequence With nonlinear editing, you can splice a shot anywhere in your sequence. 1. To open the clip in the Source monitor, click the Settings button in the Project window. 2. Double-click the Bin selection. The Bin Settings dialog box appears. 3. Click the ÒLoads clip into source or record monitorÓ option again (to deselect it) and click OK. By default, this loads the clip into the Source monitor when you double-click the clip. 4.
Undoing an Edit The kids rowing shot doesnÕt seem to Þt here. LetÕs undo the last step. Choose Undo Splice-in from the Edit menu or press k-Z. Use the Undo feature whenever you feel you have made a mistake or want to go back a step. You can undo or redo up to 32 previous actions listed in the Edit menu. Using the I/O (IN Point / OUT Point) Tracking Display Now you will add two more shots to the sequence. 1. Open the kids in shadow clip. 2. Click the Clear Both Marks button. 3.
8. Open the rowing forward clip and mark an IN point a little less than halfway through the clip, when the dory is evenly centered between the right and left edges of the frame. 9. Mark an OUT point 5 seconds later. 10. Save the bin. 11. Splice the clip into the Timeline as the fourth shot. 12. Choose Save All Bins from the File menu. YouÕve Þnished this tutorial. You can go on to Tutorial: ReÞning Edits on page 123, or exit Media Composer.
CHAPTER 7 ReÞning the Edit ReÞning edits tightens and improves the relationship between pictures and sound.
Using Segment Mode Segment mode provides editing controls for moving, deleting, marking, and editing entire segments in the Timeline. A segment is a portion of the sequence that includes two or more transitions. There are two modes for editing segments or adding shots: Extract/Splice-in, indicated by a yellow arrow, and Lift/Overwrite, indicated by a red arrow.
Basic Trim Procedures For illustrations of the various types of trim edits you can perform in Trim mode, see the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Quick Reference. You can enter Trim mode in several different ways, depending on the type of trim you expect to perform.
Lasso drawn across three tracks Transitions are selected for dual-roller trim You can drag from right to left, or left to right, and you can lasso single transitions across several contiguous tracks. However, avoid lassoing more than one transition on a single track, because this activates Segment mode. n To select transitions located below several track layers, draw a lasso within the Timeline by pressing the Control key while you drag. ¥ Using the Go to Previous/Next Edit.
Exiting Trim Mode You can exit Trim mode at any time in one of several ways: ¥ Click the Source/Record Mode button or the Effect Mode button. ¥ Press the Escape key on the keyboard to enter Source/Record mode by default. ¥ Click a speciÞc location in the Timecode (TC1) track at the bottom of the Timeline to exit Trim mode. The position indicator moves to that location.
¥ If you prefer the larger monitors and controls of Big Trim mode, select this as the default. When you need to use the Monitor menus to switch between sequences, or have occasion to edit source material into the sequence, you can click the Trim Mode button to enable Small Trim mode, which includes the Source monitor controls.
Performing a Basic Trim With your transitions and trim sides selected, you can perform a basic trim using one of the following alternative procedures: 1 Frame 10 Frames ¥ Use the Trim buttons to trim forward or backward by one- or tenframe increments. ¥ Use the numeric keypad at the right side of the keyboard, as follows: ¥ - To move the transition a speciÞc number of frames, type a plus sign (+) or minus sign (Ð) and the number of frames (from 1 to 99) you want to move forward or backward.
one or both trim sides, and the monitors display the new incoming or outgoing frames. Using the Command Palette The Command Palette provides a central location for all user-selectable buttons (USBs) that you can map to various locations for ease of use. User-selectable buttons allow you to perform a wide range of commands with a single click.
Move buttons Play buttons Edit buttons Trim buttons Figure 7-1 Master Command Palette Tabs 120
Effect buttons 3D buttons MCam buttons Other buttons Workspace buttons Figure 7-2 Master Command Palette Tabs (Continued) 121
Audio Editing The Media Composer system provides audio scrub features and waveform plots speciÞcally designed for frame-accurate cueing, marking, and editing of audio. You can use these features any time during editing or while making adjustments with the audio tools. Adjusting Volume You can use the Audio Mix Tool to adjust volume (level) and balance (pan).
Tutorial: Refining Edits In this tutorial you reÞne and trim edits and adjust audio levels. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled ReÞning Edits. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Overwriting Shots into a Sequence In addition to splicing, you can overwrite shots into a sequence. An overwrite edit replaces a section of a sequence with other source footage. An overwrite edit does not affect the length of the sequence. The rowing forward shot is too long. In this section you will edit the next shot into the sequence before the end of the rowing forward clip. 1. Make sure the Record monitor is active. 2. Place the position indicator in the Timeline on the Þrst frame of rowing forward. 3.
You should now be at about 19:20 into the sequence, with Þve video clips in it. Marking Clips for Storyboarding Storyboarding allows you set up a group of clips in a sequence of events and then load them into the Record monitor all at once. In this section, you will mark a group of clips using instructions in Table 7-2. The table provides a timecode to set the IN point and based on the duration, you can use the numeric keypad to Þgure out the OUT point.
4. To set the OUT point, enter the duration (from Table 7-2) in the numeric keypad and press Enter. 5. Mark the OUT point. 6. Continue marking IN and OUT points for the remaining clips, but do not edit the clips into the sequence yet.
Table 7-2 Mark Points for Boat Shop Clips (Continued) Clip name Mark IN point Duration dories ws 01:06:38:26 4:00 dories to models 04:25:22:28 3:23 (NTSC) 3:19 (PAL) sign 05:06:52:01 10:00 (NTSC) 10:00 (PAL) Storyboard Editing the Clips Frame mode 1. Display the ReÞning Edits bin in Frame mode and click the zoom box so the bin Þlls the screen, or click and drag the lower right corner of the bin to enlarge the window. 2. Choose Fill Window from the Bin menu to arrange the clips in the bin. 3.
¥ rowing in mist ¥ dories ws ¥ dories to models ¥ sign Now youÕre ready to load the marked clips into the sequence. 5. Place the position indicator in the Timeline on the Þrst frame of black following the dories passing clip and press k while clicking the mouse. 6. Select only record track V1 and deselect A1 in the Timeline. 7. Select the storyboarded clips all at once: a. Position the mouse pointer in the bin in the blank area just to the left of the draw knife cu clip. b.
Release the mouse when a yellow arrow appears in the Record monitor. The shots are edited in the sequence in the order you speciÞed. 9. To play the sequence: a. Move the position indicator to the head of the sequence. Record track monitor b. Activate the speaker icons for tracks A1 and A2 by clicking the record track monitors (only one record track monitor can be activated at a time). Track A2 contains sound for several clips. c. Click the Play button under the Record monitor.
1. To enlarge this area, in the Timeline: a. Press the Home key. b. Click the scale bar and drag the scale box to enlarge the Timeline. The Timeline wraps onto another line, displaying multiple Timelines. c. Click and drag the scale box to the right until you see the entire chiseling clip. The Timeline splits in half (or thirds) as it wraps through the sequence. 2. Move the position indicator to the chiseling clip. 3. Select only record tracks V1 and A2. 4.
b. Move the position indicator in the Record monitor to the head of the sequence. Rearranging Footage with Extract/Splice-in Extract/Splice-in is a great tool for changing the order of shots in a sequence. LetÕs see what it looks like if we reverse the position of two shots in the sequence, rowing in mist and two dories. 1. Expand the Timeline again with the scale box; drag and click the scale box toward the end of the sequence until you reach the rowing in mist clip. 2.
Removing Footage from a Sequence You can remove footage from your sequence, and either close or retain the gap that results. Extract/Splice-in closes the gap, and Lift retains the gap. Removing Footage with Extract/Splice-in The planing ms shot breaks up the feeling of being close to the action. LetÕs remove it from the sequence and close the gap that results. 1. Use the scroll bar to locate the planing ms clip. 2. Click the yellow Segment Mode (Extract/Splice-in) button below the Timeline.
shorten dories passing, but maintain the same entrance point for the next shot. Later, weÕll Þgure out something to put in its place. 1. Display the master timecode in the Record monitorÕs timecode display by choosing Mas from the timecode pop-up menu. 2. Turn off track A2. 3. Mark an IN point in the sequence at master timecode 01:00:17:29 (01:00:17:24 PAL) by using the Mark IN button below the Record monitor. 4.
1. Select record track V1 and deselect the audio tracks. Make sure the A1 speaker is turned on in the Timeline. 2. Place the position indicator near the ducks/kids in shadow transition, and click the Trim Mode button below the Timeline. The position indicator snaps to the transition. Trim transition The Record monitor shows the last (tail) frame of the ducks shot and the Source monitor shows the Þrst (head) frame of the kids in shadow shot on the right. New buttons appear below the trim windows.
n To see the second row of buttons, click Settings in the Boat Shop Project window, then choose Composer. In the Composer Settings dialog box, click Second Row of Buttons, then click OK. 3. Play the transition by clicking the Play Loop button. If this button does not appear, choose Command Palette from the Tools menu, click the Play tab, deselect the boxes at the bottom of the tab, then click the Play Loop button. The transition plays repeatedly. 4.
9. Do one of the following to exit Trim mode: ¥ Click the Source/Record Mode button below the Timeline. ¥ Press the Left Arrow key on the keyboard. Using Dual Rollers to Trim the Outgoing Shot LetÕs insert a shot to take the place of the Þller we left in the sequence. YouÕll replace the Þller with pan lumber, because this shot will provide continuity of movement from the previous shot. Once you overwrite the shot into the sequence, youÕll trim it. 1.
Trim Shot In the next steps, you will trim the pan lumber shot so it enters a little earlier. 1. Enter Trim mode by lassoing the Timeline tracks: a. Click the cursor above all the Timeline tracks just to the left of the dories passing/pan lumber transition. b. Drag the mouse down and to the right to surround the transition. The trim rollers appear. Trim mode 2. Move the transition 74 frames earlier by clicking the Trim Left Ten Frames button 7 times and the Trim Left One Frame button 4 times.
3. Click the left frame counter (A-Side Trim counter). Left frame counter Your trim will only affect the outgoing shot, which is in the left Trim monitor. The left frame counter remains purple, while the right one is deselected. 4. Type -10 and press Enter on the numeric keypad to subtract 10 frames from the outgoing shot. This moves the transition 10 frames to the left. 5. Leave Trim mode by pressing the Left Arrow key on the keyboard or by clicking the Source/Record mode button below the Timeline.
5. Display the master timecode (Mas) in the timecode display above the Record monitor. 6. In the sequence, place the Mark IN point at master timecode 01:00:41:00 (01:00:40:25 PAL), in the middle of the dories ws clip. 7. Make sure source track A1 and record tracks V1 and A2 are selected. 8. Click the Splice-in button between the Source/Record window. The audio is patched into the sequence. Working with Audio In this section, youÕll adjust audio levels to the already placed intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop clip.
¥ Drag the slider to level +6. ¥ Type 6. ¥ Press the Up or Down Arrow key on the keyboard to reach level +6. Type a number Level slider 5. Play a portion of the shot. The volume is still too low. 6. Activate the Audio Mix Tool by clicking in it, and move the slider to level +10. Adjusting Audio Pan Most of the audio for the sequence plays only out of the left speaker; the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop shot plays only out of the right speaker.
4. Click the TimelineÕs position indicator at a point that has audio on track A1. 5. From the Audio Mix window, pull down None and choose A1 from the Þrst Pan Adjustment window. 6. Pull down the Pan Adjustment window for track A1. The Pan slider appears. Choose A1. Click here to open the Pan Adjustment window. Drag Pan slider. 7. Drag the Pan slider to the middle of the scale until it reads MID. To make the slider snap to MID, press the Option key and click the Pan slider. 8.
CHAPTER 8 Adding Effects Adding an effect to a clip enhances your sequence by fading in or out of a scene or adding video or a graphic on top of a clip.
Effects Editing The Avid Composer system offers many effects that you can apply to your sequences. You can also use third-party plug-in effects that are compatible with Adobe Photoshopª. The effects that are available on your Avid Composer system depend on the model and options that you purchased. For the list of effects available for your model, see the online book Avid Media Composer Products Reference. This chapter explains how to apply effects to transitions or segments (clips) in your sequence.
Displaying the Effect Palette You select most effects from the Effect Palette in the Tools menu. The exceptions are Motion effects that you access from the Fast menu above the Source monitor, the Freeze Frame effect that you access from the Clip menu, and titles that you create with the Title Tool.
¥ Push ¥ Saw Tooth Wipe ¥ Shape Wipe ¥ Spin ¥ Squeeze Each of these effect categories contains multiple effects. Effect Types There are two primary effect types that are deÞned by where you use them in a sequence: ¥ Transition effects ¥ Segment effects (single-layer and multilayer) Transition Effects A transition is the point where two clips meet. You apply a transition effect to the cut point between two clips on the same video track.
Segment Effects You apply a segment effect to an entire clip or a group of clips. There are two types of segment effects: ¥ A single-layer segment effect, such as a Mask, is applied to a segment on one video track. ¥ A multilayer segment effect, such as a Picture-In-Picture effect, is applied to the top layer of segments that contain two or more video tracks that will be played simultaneously.
Working in Effect Mode After you have created an effect and applied it to a transition or segment in your sequence, you can adjust its appearance and operation by changing its effect parameters in Effect mode. Not all effect parameters apply to all effects. Parameters that do not apply to an effect are disabled in the Effect Mode window. To determine which parameters pertain to an effect, refer to the effectÕs description in the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Effects Guide.
Tutorial: Adding Effects In this tutorial you add dissolves and a picture-in-picture effect. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Adding Effects. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Adding Transition Effects Transition effects are added in between two clips. Effects you can use include: Blend, Box Wipe, Conceal, Edge Wipe, Film, Image, Key, LConceal, Matrix Wipe, Peel, Push, Saw Tooth Wipe, Shape Wipe, Spin, and Squeeze. Displaying Editing Buttons Before you add effects to the tutorial sequence, you need access to some effects editing buttons. 1. Choose Composer Settings from the Special menu. The Composer Settings window opens. 2. Make sure the Second Row of Buttons is selected.
3. Click OK. A second row of buttons appears under the Source/Record window. Adding Fade In Now weÕll add a fade in effect to a transition. 1. If you donÕt see any video in the Record monitor, click the box to the right of V1 so a square (tiny monitor) appears. The video appears in the Record monitor. 2. Select the V1 record track and click the head of the sequence. 3. Press and hold the Fast Menu button between the Source/Record monitors. Fast Menu button 4. Click the ADD DISS (Add Dissolve) button.
5. Create a 20-frame dissolve (fade in), starting at the cut by doing the following: a. Choose Dissolve from the Add pop-up menu. b. Type 20 in the Duration text box. c. Choose Starting at Cut from the Position pop-up menu. 6. Choose the disk on which the effect media Þle should be stored from the Target Disk pop-up menu. The default disk is Effect Source Disk. n Make sure the DonÕt Render Real-Time Effects box is not selected. 7. Click the Add and Render button to render the effect.
6. Play the effect. Press the space bar to stop playback. Creating a Series of Dissolves After you create one dissolve, you can quickly add it to other transitions in a sequence. In this section, youÕll add a series of dissolves in the middle of the sequence to smooth the transition between several short shots. 1. Place the position indicator at the transition between dories passing and pan lumber. 2. Create a 10-frame dissolve, centered on the cut. 3.
Adding a Fade Within the Sequence Now weÕll create a fade to black within the sequence after the dories passing shot, to cut more forcefully on the words, Òwooden boat building.Ó Notice that the transition already has a 10-frame dissolve. 1. Place the position indicator on the last frame of the dories passing shot. 2. Select only track V1. 3. Click the REMO EFFE (Remove Effect) button in the Fast menu. The dissolve is removed from the transition. 4.
Using the Second Video Track This effect will take up two video tracks: V1 for the shots of boats and boating and V2 for the interview. First, you have to move the interview shot from track V1 to V2. 1. Select the V1 track only. 2. On the V1 track, place the position indicator within the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop shot in the Timeline and click the Mark Clip button under the Record monitor. The intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop shot is highlighted. 3.
3. Place the position indicator anywhere in the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop clip on V2. Effect icon 4. Click and drag the Picture-in-Picture Effect icon from the Effect Palette to the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop shot on track V2. The Effect icon appears in the Timeline. Effect icon The boat shop owner appears in a box mid-screen.
Background filler (V1) Foreground image (V2) Repositioning the Image LetÕs move the image to the lower left corner of the screen. 1. In the Timeline, move the position indicator directly over the effect icon. 2. Click the Effect Mode button to enter Effect mode. Parameters for the Picture-in-Picture appear in the Effect Editor.
3. Click the image of the boat shop owner. Drag handles (the dots at the edges and in the middle of the box) appear, and a white hand appears when the mouse is over a handle. 4. Click the drag handle in the middle of the picture and drag the image to the lower left corner of the screen. Adjusting a Parameter Now letÕs use one of the Picture-in-Picture parameters to soften the edge of the image. 1. From the Effect Editor, click the Soft slider. 2. Drag the Soft slider to the right to a value of 30.
Adding Key Frames To add dissolves within the Picture-in-Picture effect, you need to add key frames. These let the system know this is the location in the Picture-in-Picture effect you want to start the dissolve. 1. Choose V1 from the timecode track menu. 2. In the Record monitor, click the Þrst key frame. 3. Drag the Level slider all the way to the left to display 0. 4. Type +1:00 on the numeric keypad and press Enter to move the position indicator one second after the Þrst key frame. 5.
Adding Background Images In this section youÕll have the opportunity to add a background image on track V1, below the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop image. 1. Select track V1 and its monitor and deselect V2. 2. Place the position indicator in the Þller just above and below the intervu: LowellÕs Boat Shop clip in V1 track. 3. Click the Segment Mode (Extract/Splice-in) button. 4. Press k-X. This removes the Þller and adds the three clips at the end of the sequence as your background to the picture-in-picture. 5.
4. Select a disk drive in the Render Effect dialog box and click OK. The Effect Source Disk is the default disk for storing the rendered effect. 5. After the effect is rendered, close the Effect Palette. 6. To save your work, choose Save All Bins from the File menu. Screening the Sequence YouÕve done a lot of work. Now take a look at the sequence. 1. Move the position indicator to the beginning of the sequence. 2. Select the V2 monitor. 3. Click Play. YouÕve Þnished this tutorial.
CHAPTER 9 Creating Titles You can create a new title with the Title Tool and save the title in a bin, or add a new video track to the Timeline if you want the title to appear over video.
Creating New Titles You can create a new title with or without a sequence in the Timeline. However, if you want to create a title with a video background, you can load a video clip into the Record monitor to use as a reference frame while you create the title. The video reference frame you select appears in the background of the Title Tool while you create the title.
Understanding the Title Tool Window The Title Tool window has several major components: ¥ The tool bar at the bottom of the screen ¥ A video or color background ¥ The title that you create ¥ The safe title and safe action area guidelines. For more information, see ÒSafe Title/Action AreaÓ in the online help index.
Working with Text By default, the Text Tool is active when you open the Title Tool. Click in the tool at the position where you wish to begin entering text. Text Tool To use the Text Tool at any other time, click the Text Tool icon, click anywhere within the title frame, and begin typing. A blinking vertical bar indicates your cursor position in the frame. The Text Tool remains selected until you select another tool. Text Formatting Tools The text formatting tools control the appearance of text.
The text formatting tools allow you to change the following text characteristics: ¥ Current font ¥ Bold and italic ¥ Point size ¥ JustiÞcation ¥ Kerning ¥ Leading This section describes how to change these characteristics on a text string basis. You can also change these attributes on a character-bycharacter basis by editing the text string. For more information, see ÒTitles:text for, working withÓ in the online help index.
Choosing Colors and Setting Transparency You can select the color and transparency for objects, shadows, and borders. The following illustration shows the boxes associated with color and transparency: Blend and Transparency preview Color selection Transparency selection ¥ The Color selection boxes control the Þll (Fill), shadow (Shad), and border (Bord) color selection. ¥ The Transparency selection boxes control the Þll, shadow, and border transparency selection.
Adjusting the Color To select a color from the Title Tool Color Picker, use an eyedropper to select a color from any open application on your computer, or use the Macintosh Color Picker to select a color. All of these features are available through the Title Tool Color Picker (see Figure 9-1).
Saving Titles There are three basic ways to work with titles: ¥ Create a new title by choosing New Title from the Clip menu. ¥ Edit an existing title by Control-double-clicking a Title Effect icon in a bin. ¥ Edit an existing title that is in a sequence. The main difference between the three methods is that you can use Save As for the Þrst two but you cannot use Save As for the third method.
Tutorial: Creating Titles In this tutorial you create a title and edit and add a rolling credit to the end of the sequence. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Creating Titles. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Adding a Title Once you create and add a title to your sequence, you can reposition it, change the text color, adjust the font and point size, add a shadow or border, adjust levels and kerning, and bold or italicize it. Creating a New Title To create a new title: 1. In the Record monitor, place the blue position indicator on the bridge clip in the sequence. 2. Choose New Title from the Clip menu. The Title Tool window opens. 3. Click the Text Tool button.
Selection Tool Font n Bold Point size Fill box Shadow Depth box You might want to drag the right side of the text selection box to eliminate any unused space, especially if you want to use the Alignment menu commands. To drag the right side, click the middle handle on the right side of the text selection box and drag it to the left until it is closer to the text. Repositioning Text Option-click anywhere in the Title Tool window to switch between the Selection Tool and the Text Tool. 1.
Changing Color 1. Click and hold the Fill box. The Macintosh Color Picker appears. 2. Click a blue color. The color is applied to the title. Adding a Shadow Enter a value of 3 in the Shadow Depth box. Saving a Title To save your title: 1. Choose Save Title from the File menu. A dialog box appears. 2. Type The Dory in the name text box. 3. Choose the Creating Titles bin and a target disk to store your title. 4. Click OK. Closing the Title Tool Click the close box.
Editing the Title into the Sequence To add your title to your sequence: 1. Turn the V2 track on and turn V1, A1, and A2 off. 2. Click and drag the V1 source track to the V2 record track. 3. With the title clip loaded in the Source monitor, set an IN mark at the beginning of the clip and an OUT mark at 1:00:02:15. 4. In the Timeline, move the position indicator to 1:00:00:06. 5. Click the Overwrite button. This adds the title to the V2 video track. 6. Play the sequence to see your title.
2. Drag the cursor over the entire Your Name text to select it. 3. Type in your name. 4. Click the close box. A dialog box appears. 5. Click Save. Two titles appear in the bin (the old title and the new title you just edited). Adding a Video Background 1. Double-click the rowing in mist clip to load it into the Source monitor. 2. Clear any IN and OUT marks. 3. Turn on the V1 record track and turn off all others. 4. Drag the V1 source track to the V1 record track. 5.
Viewing the Creation Date Your edited title has the same name as the version originally in the bin. To distinguish the two, you can look at the creation date. 1. Click the Creating Titles bin to select it. 2. Choose Headings from the Bin menu. 3. Select creation date and click OK. Editing a Title into a Sequence To splice the title into your sequence: 1. Double-click the new Rolling Title: Credits title clip to load it into the Source monitor.
Deleting Excess Footage There is excess footage that continues beyond the rolling title that we can delete. To do this: 1. Turn on the V1 record track. 2. In the Timeline, move the position indicator to the end of the Credits clip. 3. From the Fast menu, click the Add Edit button. This creates a transition. 4. Click the Segment Mode (Lift/Overwrite) button at the bottom of the Timeline. 5. On the V1 track, click the last clip (the second rowing in mist clip) in the Timeline to select it. 6.
CHAPTER 10 Output Media Composer provides tools for generating output for individual tracks or entire sequences to various videotape or audiotape formats. In addition, you can generate an edit decision list (EDL) to be used by editors in a videotape suite for preparing a master tape.
Output Options Media Composer provides tools for generating output for individual tracks or entire sequences to various videotape or audiotape formats. In addition, you can generate an EDL to be used by editors in a videotape suite for preparing a master tape. You can also use VTR emulation for direct playback of sequences using an edit controller in an analog editing suite.
Digital Cut The Digital Cut Tool provides frame-accurate control when recording a sequence to tape. You can also use the Digital Cut Tool to preview the sequence with a computer-generated countdown. If you have a Media Reader connected to your system, you can create burn-in timecode on the digital cut. For more information, see the Avid Media Reader Setup and UserÕs Guide. The Digital Cut Tool provides several options for managing the recording of your sequence.
Preparing to Export If you are exporting part or all of a sequence, you can speed the export process by preparing the sequence in advance as follows: See the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Effects Guide for more information on rendering. ¥ Render all effects in advance. Although any unrendered effects are rendered on export (except for an OMF export), rendering effects in advance saves you time.
Tutorial: Output In this tutorial you create a digital cut. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Output. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Recording a Digital Cut to Tape 1. Choose New Deck Controller from the Tools menu. Use the deck controller to cue and the record tape during Digital Cut recording. 2. Load the Boat Shop sequence (or Output Sequence) into the Record monitor. 3. Choose Digital Cut from the Output menu. The Digital Cut Tool appears. 4.
one after another, this option requires resetting the start timecode on each sequence to match appropriate IN points on the tape. ¥ Choose Record Deck Time to ignore the timecode of the sequence, and start the recording wherever the record deck is currently cued. ¥ Choose Mark In Time to ignore the sequence timecode and establish a speciÞc IN point on the record tape. 6. Select the audio and video tracks you want represented in the digital cut.
CHAPTER 11 Backing Up When you digitize footage, the system creates digital media Þles for the video and audio tracks on the media drives attached to your system. Media Composer provides useful tools and features for directly managing media Þles for storage and playback, backup and transfer between systems.
About Media Files The system stores the media Þles created during digitizing in folders on your media drives labeled OMFI MediaFiles (or 6.x MediaFiles if you are using an earlier release of the Media Composer software). Media Þles are created in the following circumstances: ¥ During digitizing, a media Þle is created for each selected track (for example, V1, A1, A2), and they all are linked to the master clip.
Media Objects and Files Media drive files Avid (internal) drive files Drives OMFI MediaFiles Composer Projects Desktop files Media Database Bin Media Composer Precompute media file 186
Media Relationships Table 11-1 displays the Media File icon and a description of each icon. Table 11-1 Media Objects and Files Object Icon Object Description Source Clip A clip that references the original videotape source footage for master clips. Master Clip A clip that references audio and video media Þles formed from digitized footage or imported Þles. Subclip A clip that references a selected portion of a master clip.
Table 11-1 Object Icon Media Þle Media Objects and Files Object Description A Þle on the media drive containing digital audio or video material. Media Þles are formed when you digitize footage or import Þles, mix down audio or video tracks, create an effect (precompute media Þle), or render an effect.
In addition to the procedures just described, the Media Tool has a number of unique functions, described in this section. These include the following: ¥ Unlike bins, the Media Tool displays all the tracks digitized for each clip as separate media Þles. Therefore, when you view, delete, and manipulate Þles, you have the added option of specifying individual video and audio tracks. ¥ The Media Tool does not display sequences and subclips.
Consolidating Media When you consolidate media Þles, the system Þnds the media Þles or portions of media Þles associated with selected clips, subclips, or sequences. It then makes copies of them, and saves the copies on a target disk that you specify. Because the Media Tool displays only master clips, you cannot consolidate subclips or sequences with the Media Tool. You can consolidate master clips, subclips, and sequences in the bin.
numbering beginning with .01. The sequence is not renamed, but is automatically relinked to the new media Þles. n Because a consolidated sequence is linked to the new Þles by default, consider duplicating the sequence each time you consolidate if you need to maintain links to the original Þles. Backing Up Media Files The MediaFiles folders on your external media drives contain the individual media Þles created when you digitize source material.
Backing Up Project Folders To back up the larger media Þles that are created when you digitize footage, you must use a mass-storage device such as the Avid digital linear tape (DLT) device. For more information, see the Avid DLT Tape Drive Setup and UserÕs Guide. Although Media Composer automatically saves your bins, projects, and settings, you should back up these items frequently to avoid losing any of your work in case of a hard drive crash or corruption of the Þles.
Tutorial: Backing Up In this tutorial you learn to back up and free up space on your media drive. This section corresponds to the clips and sequence in the bin titled Backing Up. n Be sure to read the preceding overview sections of this chapter before you start this tutorial.
Using the Consolidate Command To consolidate the Boat Shop sequence: For more information on rendering effects, see the Avid Media Composer and Film Composer Effects Guide. 1. Select the Boat Shop sequence (or Backing Up Sequence). 2. Choose Duplicate from the File menu. This allows you to maintain links to the original Þles, if necessary, and render any unrendered effects. 3. Choose Consolidate from the Clip menu. The Consolidate dialog box appears. 4.
Make sure that you choose a target disk with enough storage space for all the consolidated media Þles. 6. Enter a handle length for the new clips in the entry Þeld, or leave it at 60 frames to accept the default. 7. Click OK. If you did not choose to delete the original media Þles, a second dialog box appears and offers you a choice. 8. Link the original master clips to the new or old media Þles, according to preference. 9. Click OK.
Saving Your Work on a Disk or Drive To save your work on a diskette or drive: 1. Mount or insert the drive or diskette as appropriate. 2. Double-click the icon for the targeted storage drive or diskette to open it. Double-click any additional folders to target the appropriate storage location. 3. Double-click the Avid drive to open it. 4. Drag a project folder, user folder, or Settings Þle to the targeted storage location. 5.
Quitting and Shutting Down To quit and shut down: 1. Click Quit in the Project Selection dialog box. 2. Choose Leave when the system prompts you. 3. Choose Shut Down from the Special menu. 4. After a few seconds, turn off the rest of your hardware. Summary Congratulations on completing the Avid Media Composer Tutorial! We hope youÕve enjoyed this introduction to the Avid editing process.
Index ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPRSTUVW A B Add Dissolve button (Fast menu) 150, 151 Adding audio 138 Adding shots to a sequence 110 Adjusting audio hardware 57 hue and saturation 59 luminance 59 volume 139 Adobe Photoshop 143 Agreeing to electronic license 30 Alias, launching an application from 29 Analog VU scale (Audio Input Tool) 58 Applying effects 146 Arrow keys, jogging with 71 A-side (outgoing frames), in trims 117 Audio adding 138 locating specific frame 101 tracks, monitoring 98 Audio Monitor buttons (Tra
Audio Monitor (Track Selector panel) 68 Clear Both Marks 88 Cycle Picture/Sound (Command Palette) 98 Cycle Trim Sides (Command Palette) 117 Deck Offline (Digitize Tool) 56 Digitize (Digitize Tool) 56 Digitize/Log mode (Digitize Tool) 56 Fast Menu 150 Focus (Timeline) 95 Frame mode (Bin window) 65 Go to IN (Command Palette) 107 Go to Next Edit (Command Palette) 115 Go to OUT (Command Palette) 107 Go to Previous Edit (Command Palette) 115 In/Out (Audio Input Tool) 58 Internal Waveform Monitor (Video Input Too
components 36 nonlinear, defined 35 overview 40 preparing for 39 titles 168 EDL, described 41 Effect 144 Effect categories 144 Effect mode defined 36 in workflow 40 working in 147 Effect Palette, displaying 144 Effect parameters segment effects 145 transitions 145 Effect template 143 Electronic license 30 End key 71, 79 Ending the session 89 Entering Trim mode 114 Exiting Trim mode 116 Exporting files preparing for 180 supported formats for 179 Extract/Splice-in tool 131, 132, 132 Eyedropper tool 167 D Dec
rearranging 131 removing 132 viewing and playing 66 to 73 Frame Mode button (Bin window) 65 Frame offset 86 Frame view 77 Frames finding with timecode 84 locating with digital audio scrub 101 title background in 162 using frame offset 86 Freeing storage space 189 Freeze Frame effect, accessing 144 Internal Waveform Monitor button (Video Input Tool) 59 J J-K-L keys (Three-Button Play) 70, 79 Jogging See Stepping K Key frames, adding 158 Keyboard, using to control playback 69 G L General settings, defin
defined 190 procedure 194 defined 36 Media Tool features 188 Memory See RAM Memory window 49 Menu commands Consolidate (Clip menu) 194 Digital Cut (Output menu) 179 Select All Tracks (Edit menu) 98 Meters (Audio Input Tool) 58 Monitor icons 98 Monitoring audio/video tracks 98 Monitors, viewing in 91 Motion effects, accessing 144 Mouse Jog button 71 Mouse Shuttle button (Command Palette) 72 Mouse Step button (Command Palette) 72 Mouse, using to control playback 71 Moving through clips 68 Multiple layer effec
Info display, using 47 Settings display (Project window) 45 Projects folder See Composer Projects folder Second Row of Buttons, displaying 149 Segment effect applying 145 multiple layer effects 145 single layer effects 146 types of 145 Segment mode defined 36 in workflow 40 using 113 Select All Tracks command (Edit menu) 98 Selecting a project 51 Digitize settings 54 title colors 166 tracks for digitizing 55 tracks in the Timeline 97 transitions for trimming 114 trim sides 117 Sequence Time option (Digital
Single/Dual Drives button (Digitize Tool) 56 Single-layer segment effects 146 Single-roller trim 137 Site settings, defined 46 Small Trim mode, toggling between Big Trim mode 116 Source clips defined 36 in workflow 39 Source material, displaying in Timeline 95 Source monitor marking edit points in 73, 83 playing clips in 68, 78 viewing clips in 91 Source/Record mode defined 36 in workflow 40 Source/Record toggle button (Timeline) 95 Splice-in button 102, 108 Splicing a shot 108 Splicing an audio clip 102 Sp
selecting 97 video, titles over 161 Transition effects adding 149 applying 145 Transitions, selecting for trimming 114 Transparency selection boxes in Title Tool 166 Trash/Abort button (Digitize Tool) 56 Trim A-side button 117 Trim B-side button 117 Trim mode basic procedures in 114 Big Trim mode, toggling between Small Trim mode 116 defined 36 entering 114 exiting 116 in workflow 40 performing 114 selecting single transitions in 114 trim sides in 117 using Play Loop button in 115 Trim Mode button 114 Trim
