Avid® Motion Graphics User’s Guide
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Contents Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Accessing the Online Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Avid Training Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the Ready/Not Ready Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Locking Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Library Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Setting the Library Graphic Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Changing the Name of a Library Graphic . . . . . . .
Advanced News Control Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Pauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Searching for Rundown Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Using Page Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Symbols and Conventions Using This Guide Congratulations on your purchase of Avid Motion Graphics. Avid Motion Graphics is the foundation for reliable, high-productivity media production. It is designed for media facilities and broadcasters using the industry's most proven real-time storage software technology, delivering stable operation, high performance media access, and class-leading value.
If You Need Help Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform one of the actions listed. (Windows), (Windows only), (Macintosh), or (Macintosh only) This text indicates that the information applies only to the specified operating system, either Windows or Macintosh OS X. Bold font Bold font is primarily used in task instructions to identify user interface items and keyboard sequences.
Accessing the Online Documentation Accessing the Online Documentation The Avid Motion Graphics online documentation contains all the product documentation in PDF format. You can access the documentation in the Avid Motion Graphics Documentation folder on the Avid Motion Graphics installer device. n You need to download and install Acrobat Reader on your Avid Motion Graphics Server before you can access the PDF documentation. To access the online documentation from the installer device: 1.
1 Avid Motion Graphics Overview Avid Motion Graphics is a product suite geared for media producers in the media enterprise, professional video, and education market segments who produce graphics for several applications including news, sports, live events (concerts, houses of worship), post production, channel branding, game shows, reality TV, corporate video, and educational purposes.
Product Suite Product Suite The Avid Motion Graphics platform is built on a powerful rendering engine that lets everyone involved in graphics development make the most of their media. The product suite provides a foundation for a variety of applications, including news, sports, live events, post production, and channel branding. The following table describes the different Avid Motion Graphics applications.
Product Suite Application Description Avid License Control Must be installed on any computer with a licensed component. For instance, the servers pass licenses to Journalist clients and News Control Clients. Installed on the Avid Motion Graphics computer, Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Server, Avid Motion Graphics Preview Renderer, and any Computers running 3DS, Photoshop, MAP or Avid Motion Graphics Control.
Product Suite Application Description Deko Chart Designer Allows use of Deko graphics previously created with Deko Chart Designer. Installed on the computer running Avid Motion Graphics with Deko Player or Deko Translator. Deko Player Deko Player is a component of Avid Motion Graphics that allows you to easily play your existing Deko graphics to air. Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Avid Motion Graphics Journalist is for the journalists who need template graphics for easy fulfillment of data.
Key Features Key Features The following table describes some of the key features of Avid Motion Graphics. Feature Description Real-time 2D/3D graphics processing and rendering Graphics creation from basic CG functions up to highly advanced real-time compositions using effects and shaders. Switch between 2D and 3D without complexity. Deko asset preservation Saves resources, time, and money by letting you use all the same raw file assets.
Key Features Feature Description Group effects Lets you animate entire groups of objects, such as multi-line scoreboards with a variety of preset animations. Clips and/or video input mapped to any object including text Enables you to map graphics clips or input video to any object and play in combination with timeline animations.
2 Graphics Design Products The following describes the Avid Motion Graphics design products user interface created for those users who produce graphics and compositions, which are used for news, sports, live events (concerts, houses of worship), post production, channel branding, game shows, reality TV, corporate video, and educational purposes.
Design Products The following table describes the different Avid Motion Graphics design applications. Design Application Description Avid Motion Graphics Avid Motion Graphics is one of three graphics design applications. It is geared towards the high-end broadcast graphics designer who needs to produce differentiated broadcast graphics with the highest production value.
Understanding the Design User Interface Understanding the Design User Interface The Avid Motion Graphics design user interface consists of a layout, which is a set of areas containing panes and tools that are installed with the product. The size and location of the areas and panes are set by default in each of the different basic layouts. Not all of the available panes are displayed in each layout, but users can customize which panes are displayed, their sizes, and where they are located in the window.
Understanding the Design User Interface Area Description 1 - Assets The Assets area displays different types of asset panes. The asset panes are tabbed libraries of graphic objects, materials, and effects, which can all be used in composition creation. This area also contains the Browser and StormLogic panes to help locate and navigate different assets used in compositions, and the In Use panes, which contains all of the assets that are in use in the current composition.
Understanding the Design User Interface Library Pane The Library pane is comprised of preset library categories that contain different objects, shapes, graphic images, materials, textures, and so on, which are the fundamental building blocks of your compositions. You can also create custom images and add them to these different libraries. Each library category is represented by a different icon displayed at the top of the Library pane. You can select an icon to display objects in that particular library.
Understanding the Design User Interface You can make these Icons larger by placing the pointer over the divider line between the disclosure arrow and the name of the category. This works for any divider line in the user interface. The pointer becomes a cross hair, which allows you to drag the divider line to the right, enlarging the items, and making them easier to identify.
Understanding the Design User Interface The following table lists the icons for the different libraries and their descriptions. Library Icon Description Object library - this is a library of different predefined objects that can be used in compositions. The objects categories, such as Curves, Primitives, Text and others are listed here.
Understanding the Design User Interface Effects Pane The Effects pane is a collection of different preset effects that can be used in compositions. You can also create custom effects and add them to these different collections. The different effects are represented by a different icon displayed at the top of the Effects pane. You can display the contents of each of the different effects collections by clicking on its icon.
Understanding the Design User Interface Effects Icon Description Timer Effects - this is a library of different predefined timer effects, which can be applied to objects and can be used in compositions Bind Effects - this is a library of different predefined bind effects, which can be applied to objects and can be used in compositions Pipe Effects - this is a library of different predefined pipe effects, which can be applied to objects and can be used in compositions Modes Effects - this is a Library of
Understanding the Design User Interface You can also use the quick navigational presets to display the list of folders in each predefined location. Each predefined location is represented by a different icon, displayed at the top of the Browser pane just under the navigation tools. The following table lists the icons for the different default locations and their descriptions. Currently all paths are C:\users\\Documents except for the fonts path which is C:\Windows\Fonts.
Understanding the Design User Interface Browser Pane Icon Description \plg - plug-in path fonts path \python path \sets path \ipf path \desktop path Open Operative System Browser 28
Understanding the Design User Interface StormLogic Pane The StormLogic pane displays all of the compositions in a project. A project can contain any number of different compositions, which you might want to keep in the same locations for convenience. For instance, It might be a good practice to keep all of the graphics used for a particular program in the same project location.The StormLogic pane displays, in a tree-like structure, the way a composition interacts with other compositions.
Understanding the Design User Interface In Use Pane The In Use area contains the In Use pane, which ia a tree-like structure that displays the assets that are being used in a particular composition. In the previous example, the Materials in use icon is selected and displayed are all of the material assets in use in this particular composition. Depending on the assets used in a composition, different icons appear on this tab.
Understanding the Design User Interface Viewports Area The Viewports area of the user interface is where you layout and design your compositions. The default layout includes the Tools, Playout and Edit panes with the viewport appearing on the Edit pane, as shown in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface Depending the layout you select, there may be more than one viewport available. For instance, you may opt to work with the Playout layout when you are controlling playout remotely using Avid Motion Graphics Control or Avid Motion Graphics News Control. This layout affords you different simultaneous views of your composition including the Program and Preview panes, as shown in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface Generally, when creating graphics, you select your asset object from one of the categories in the Library pane, and drag and drop it onto the Viewport area. As shown in the previous illustration, when you drag an object from the Library pane to the viewport on the Edit pane, a connection line clarifies which object you selected and where it will be placed in the viewport.
Understanding the Design User Interface Tools Pane Icon Gizmo Type Box (t) Object Pivot (y) Path Display Statistics Display Global Axis Display Camera Data Display Alpha Channel Display Wireframe Freezes Interface Snowflake Reset Camera View camera point of interest Display Safety Frame Grid 34
Understanding the Design User Interface Tools Pane Icon Gizmo Type GridSnap Enable Video Input 1 Animation Area Keyframe animation is one way to add motion to the objects in your compositions. This is the process of setting at least two values for a parameter on an object at two or more points in time.
Understanding the Design User Interface The following table describes the Animation area control icons. Animation Controls Description Go to Start Go to previous Keyframe Play Production Pause/Resume Go to next keyframe Go to end Loop mode The following table describes the Animation area tool icons.
Understanding the Design User Interface Animation Timeline Tool Icons Description Autofit Model Area The Model Area contains various tabbed panes, which contain tools that appear as objects are added to the composition. The tools that are used to modify the size and shape of a selected object in your composition as well as the colors, materials, fonts, and textures used with that object. There are also tools that allow you to add timers and lighting. The following panes appear in the Model Area.
Understanding the Design User Interface Object Pane As soon as you begin to create a composition and place an object in the viewport, you will notice a Transformation section open in the Object pane, located in the Model area. The Transformation section allows you to move an object around in the viewport. This section contains tools and controls, which enable you to modify coordinates of an object, to change its size, shape or position in your composition.
Understanding the Design User Interface Within the Transformation section, coordinates of an object can be scaled with a left-mouse click and dragging the mouse left-to-right. If you click on the hundreds-digit, the coordinate will move to the order of one hundred, if you click on the ones, it will move in increments of one accordingly. You can also enter numeric values by double-clicking in a field, typing a precise digit and pressing the enter key.
Understanding the Design User Interface You can select the type of preset coordinates that are available by using the Type selector down arrow. The Basic type displays the Scale, Rotate, and Displace preset coordinates. The Eccentric type displays an additional set of preset coordinates for the Center presets of an object. The following table lists the icons for the preset coordinates.
Understanding the Design User Interface As you enhance and refine the graphics in your composition, more controls and tools become available with which you can work. In the following illustration, the object selected is a cylinder to which a color was added. Notice that now there are tools and controls available on the Material pane with which you can make adjustments to the color.
Understanding the Design User Interface Light Pane The Light pane contains the tools and controls that allow you to add different types of lighting to objects and compositions. You can add lighting from the library pane when you select the Light library icon and double-click or drag-and-drop on a type of lighting in the list.
Understanding the Design User Interface You can move the lights on the X (horizontal), Y (depth), and Z (vertical) axis, and when you are using a spotlight, you can also adjust the euler coordinates with the tools located on the Coordinates tab.You can adjust the intensity of the light on the Mode tab. Color is added to the light from the Color tab.
Understanding the Design User Interface Material Pane The Material pane contains the tools and controls that allow you to add color to, and modify other surface attributes of the objects in your compositions. In the following illustration, the Cylinderfront object is the focus of material work. A blue color has been applied to the object. From this pane you can adjust the shade properties specular, shininess, and emission of the material as well as the texture.
Understanding the Design User Interface Texture Pane Textures are usually bitmap images. You can use the bundled textures included with AMG, find them from various Web sites or create them using a digital camera. Adding textures to the material of your object gives them the most realistic look.The Texture pane displays the textures applied to the material used on objects in a composition. You can add a texture to material from the library pane.
Understanding the Design User Interface From the Texture library, drag the Texture file to the Main Texture selector at the bottom of the Material pane. The word Texture is displayed in the selector where you can select the actual image you want the map to use. After you have selected the texture, the Texture pane displays the coordinates and controls with which you can adjust the look of the texture.
Understanding the Design User Interface MediaIn Pane The MediaIn pane displays a list of Media objects (clips or audio) coming into a composition. This pane contains controls you can use do direct the behavior of the media used in a composition. The control buttons allow you to; Start, Step Backward, Play Backwards, Play Forward, Step Forward, To End, Pause, Resume, and Stop the media object’s action in the project.
Understanding the Design User Interface Data Pane The Data pane contains the tools and controls that allow you to add different types of data objects to compositions. You can add a data object from the library pane when you select the Map library icon and double-click or drag-and-drop a type of data object from the list. Data objects in the Maps library can include those in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface After adding a data map object to your composition, the object appears in the Data pane, where you can adjust the values for the object so that it displays the data correctly in the composition. The following illustration shows the focus on the ODBC data that was added to the composition.
Understanding the Design User Interface You can customize the name by which a data object appears in the list by double-clicking the name and typing in a new, more meaningful name or description in the Text box, as shown in the following illustration. After typing in the new name for the data object and pressing the Enter key on your keyboard, the name is changed, as shown in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface Another example of data selected for use may be an Excel spreadsheet. In the previous example, Excel was chosen as the source for data. To import an entire worksheet named NYSE, the Range format is [NYSE$].
Understanding the Design User Interface There are two formats that can be used to import a data range within a worksheet. • Name the range in Excel. For instance, StockData. In Avid Motion Graphics the format used to reference that range is [StockData]. In the following illustration, the format is the same the same as the worksheet format except the $ has been removed.) • Another format that can be used is [Sheet1$A1:D17], as shown in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface Form Pane In the Motion Graphics design applications, the text you add here is a placeholder. It defines the placement and style but the actual text is entered from a playout system just before this graphic goes to air. This pane gives you a way to identify which text objects can be changed from the Newsroom or playout system.
Understanding the Design User Interface Pivot Pane The Pivot pane is located in the Model area of the user interface. The following illustration shows the Pivot pane before a pivot is added to an object or composition. You can apply a pivot to an object from the Library pane by clicking the Pivot icon, dragging and dropping the pivot on to your object. After a Pivot is added to an object, the Pivot pane provides the tools for controlling the pivot’s values, as shown in the following illustration.
Understanding the Design User Interface Sound Pane The Sound Pane allows you to control the sound and delays of .WAV files from the Model area of the AMG User Interface. Saving Presets From the Materials pane you can name any material object that you have used in order to make it distinct. After you have made an object distinct from an original preset, you can then drag and drop it to the Material library to save it.
Understanding the Design User Interface When you save a new layout, the name of the layout is added to the list of preset layouts from which you can select the next time you open your application. Only the custom layouts that you create can be deleted from the list of preset layouts. To change to a different predefined layout: t Select a layout from the Layout > Select drop-down menu. To close a pane: t Click the X on the pane’s tab. To open additional panes: 1. Select the View menu. 2.
Menus Panes and Areas The user interface is customizable because of the multiple areas in to which panes may be moved. Any single area can contain one or more panes, and when multiple panes are positioned into a single area, the panes appear in a tabular format with one pane on top of the others. If the number of tabbed panes within an area exceeds the area’s space within the window, a scroll bar appears, enabling you to scroll through all of the panes.
Creating a Composition Creating a Composition The graphics you create are saved as compositions and listed in the projects folder in your C: drive. Each composition contains all the objects and all the properties of those objects. You can create and save your composition before you actually add graphic objects to it. To start the Avid Motion Graphics program: 1. Do one of the following: t n Double click the Avid Motion Graphics desktop icon.
Saving Projects and Compositions Saving Projects and Compositions It is important to develope a naming convention that is unique to your workflow so that recalling projects and compositions can be done efficiently. To save all the current compositions that are open in the StormLogic pane: 1. From the File menu select File > Project > Save. The FileLoader dialog box opens allowing you to name the project and select a directory for the project containing the compositions. 2.
3 Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Avid Motion Graphics Journalist a solution for journalists and producers to add graphics to the rundowns that they create. This application allows for use of the NRCS Integrated ActiveX plug-in along with flexibility in determining the level of functionality that journalists are exposed to for fulfillment of graphics data and adjustment of templates.
Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Client Overview Starting the Journalist Plug-in After you log in to an Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system, you can open the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist plug-in. To open the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Plug-in from iNEWS: 1. Click the Tools menu and navigate to the Plug-ins option. 2. Select Plug-ins > AMG Journalist. The Avid Motion Graphics Journalist plug-in opens in the iNEWS window.
Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Client Overview Avid Motion Graphics Journalist User Interface The Avid Motion Graphics Journalist user interface (UI) is a window consisting of two main areas, the Template and Graphic Database, along with controls that are installed as part of the plug-in. The following illustration shows the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist plug-in opened in the iNEWS user interface. The following table lists descriptions for the areas of the Journalist plug-in.
Avid Motion Graphics Journalist Client Overview Template Area The Template area is where project templates are displayed. This is where you can open a template and fulfill any replaceable text or graphics. For more information about templates, see “Creating Graphics from Templates” on page 64. The Template area contains the Info button. The Info button displays the version number for the plug-in, as shown in the following illustration.
Creating Graphics from Templates The Avid Motion Graphics Journalist displays a collection of templates that may be used to create a desired graphic. When a new graphic is created, it is shown in the list. From this list, you drag and drop the new graphic on to the iNEWS Story panel, where the appropriate production line is then created. Creating Graphics from Templates A journalist uses templates to create graphics that are then stored in the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist database.
Creating Graphics from Templates 3. Double-click to select the template and open the template editor for this particular template. The template editor opens, as shown in the following illustration. The Template Editor is used to fill and preview the contents of a graphic template. It allows you to enter certain information into the template. Each template has different fields depending on how the template was designed.
Creating Graphics from Templates Area Number Description 1 - Preview area The Preview area displays a preview image of the selected template allowing you to see the graphic appearance of the image. 2 - Values area The Values area displays a series of editable fields, which the user fills, to create the graphic. 3 - Title area The Title area displays the name of the selected graphic. . 4 - Page area The Page area is an optional field that allows the user to set a page number for this graphic.
Creating Graphics from Templates Button Description The Preview button updates the Template Editor dialog box to show the graphic appearance with the current values. The Movie button expands s the Preview area of the Template Editor dialog box to show the Destination, Preset format, PAD IN, Duration, and PAD OUT values for the graphic. There is also a Record button available. Values are displayed and the Movie button changes to a Hide button.
Creating Graphics from Templates 7. Do one of the following: t Click the save button to save the new graphic and close the template editor. t Click the Save & New button to save the new graphic and leave the template editor open so that you can create another new graphic. When you are finished, the new graphic appears in the Graphics Database area, as shown in the following illustration. n The new graphic appears in the Graphics Database area only when using the iNEWS newsroom computer system.
Working with Database Graphics Working with Database Graphics When using an iNEWS newsroom computer system, all graphics available in the database are displayed in the Graphics Database area. n The Graphics Database area is not available when using an ENPS system. The following table shows the names and description of each field heading in the Graphics Database area. Field Heading Description Graphic ID The Graphic ID is a unique ID assigned to each graphic by the system.
Working with Database Graphics Field Heading Description Graphic Name The graphic name is the name by which the graphic can be identified. This name can be created by the system or by the user, depending on the system configuration. Page The Page field is used to display any page number assigned to this graphic. Page numbers are optional, so this field might be left empty. Page numbers are assigned by the user to a graphic. When a page number is assigned, it can be used later to perform a search.
Working with Database Graphics Tool Name Description Clear button The Clear button removes all current graphics from the list but does not delete the graphics from the system. Playout Device ID list The Playout Device ID list, located to the far right of the buttons above the Graphic Database area, displays a list of configured playout device IDs. When using Avid Motion Graphics News Control for playout, there is just one MOS playout device selection that appears in the list.
Working with Database Graphics The Filter dialog box allows you to refine your search for graphics by entering words, page numbers, Library objects, Objects Created by me, Objects created by others and objects that have been changed. The following table describes the filters. n All entries in the Filter dialog box are case-sensitive. Filter Description Words The Word filter allows you to enter a word that is present in the graphic title to be retrieved. This field is case sensitive.
Working with Database Graphics Setting the Ready/Not Ready Indicators Setting the visual indicator for a new graphic allows the user to see whether or not the graphic is ready to go on air. To set the Ready/Not Ready indicator 1. Right-click on the Graphic in the Graphic Database area. A menu opens. 2. Do one of the following: t Select Ready for OnAir if the graphic is ready to playout on air.
Working with Database Graphics Locking Graphics After creating and saving a new graphic from an existing template, you can lock the graphic so that only the user who created the graphic can change the graphic’s values, thus making it a Library Graphic. To lock a graphic: 1. Right-click on the Graphic in the Graphic Database area. A menu opens. 2. Select the Lock Graphic option from the menu. 3. Right-click on the Graphic in the Graphic Database area and when the Menu opens, select Set as Library Graphic.
Working with Database Graphics Library Graphics Frequently used graphics can be marked as Library graphics. It is a good practice for users to name their library graphics with a unique name so they may be easily identified. Setting the Library Graphic Option Marking a graphic as a Library graphic adds a library book icon to the graphic in the Graphic Database area. This marker identifies this graphic as a Library Graphic and locks the graphic by the user enabling the option.
Working with Database Graphics To remove the graphic from the library: 1. Right-click on the Graphic in the Graphic Database area. A menu opens. 2. Select the Remove From Library Option. The library book icon is replaced with a user icon in the Graphic Database area, as shown in the following illustration. n When a graphic is removed from the library, the locked status is also remove from that graphic.
Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with iNEWS Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with iNEWS The following information serves as a “how to” guide for using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with iNEWS. It is important to understand how graphics are created, how Journalist can be used to create and use graphics, and how to avoid any pitfalls. To add a graphic to a rundown: t Drag and drop the graphic into the script area in iNEWS.
Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with iNEWS Library Graphics with a Specific User Name Create a specific user in iNEWS, and then use that account to create graphics for a specific use. Doing this allows Journalists to use the Find filter to search for that set of graphics. For instance, you can create a ‘5p’ user in iNEWS, and then create all the standard reporter-anchor lower thirds for the evening shows with the 5p user.
Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with ENPS Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with ENPS The Avid Motion Graphics Journalist client in iNEWS consists of the Template area and a Template Editor, but unlike iNEWS, graphic items are not displayed in the plug-in, but rather displayed in the ENPS item list. The following illustration shows the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist client running in detached mode, with the ENPS item list displayed behind Avid Motion Graphics Journalist.
Using Avid Motion Graphics Journalist with ENPS To open the Avid Motion Graphics Journalist in ENPS: 1. In ENPS, click the following button: An option menu displays, as shown in the following illustration. 2. Select the AMG Journalist option. To create an item in ENPS: 1. Drag an item from the list to the Rundown. 2. Add information to the replaceable fields. 3. Click Save. This returns you to the Template area view and the item appears in the ENPS item list. 4.
4 Avid Motion Graphics Control Avid Motion Graphics Control is for non-newsroom graphics and control room operators. For those who need to control sequenced or non-sequenced graphics, and need the ability to adjust graphics on-the-fly. This application provides full graphics control for playout flexibility. Its different modes of operation keep playout simple in any situation, live sports, channel branding, game shows, news, tickers, or election graphics.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface Motion Graphics Control User Interface The Avid Motion Graphics Control user interface consists of different areas and controls that are installed as part of the software.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface The following table describes the areas of the Avid Motion Graphics Control user interface. Area Number Description 1 - Section area This area can contain different types of rundowns. 2 - Program Bar area This area contains a list of compositions. 3 - Settings area This area contains a clock feature, a Render Engine connection indicator, a Settings button, and a numerical indicator in which page numbers belonging to specific templates can be entered.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface Settings Features Description The Render Engine connection indicator is a visual point of reference to the connection status of the Render Engines available to the Avid Motion Graphics Control system. A glance at the colored display informs you of the connection status of the Render Engines configured for your system. For more information about Render Engine connection status, see“Render Engine Connection Status” on page 84.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface n After configuring Avid Motion Graphics Control to detect a Render Engine, it may be necessary to click on the icon to refresh the status. For more information About configuring the Render Engine connection, see “Configuring Settings” on page 89. Virtual Keyboard At the bottom of the Avid Motion Graphics Control user interface there ia a resize button. Clicking this resize button opens a virtual keyboard, as shown in the following illustration.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface The virtual keyboard contains keys, grouped by colors, and four buttons that enable the user to record macros, assigning them to a key on the keyboard, and then saving and naming that particular group of macros as a keyboard layout. This saved keyboard layout can later be loaded, for use or cleared completely. The buttons used to perform these actions are shown in the following table.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface 2. On the virtual keyboard, click the Record Macro button. 3. Hover the mouse pointer over the key (in this example, the A11 key on the bottom grouping of keys was hovered over) on the virtual keyboard to which this macro will be assigned. 4. Perform the keystroke or combination of keystrokes that result in the desired action. For instance, load the layout on air. 5. Click the key (the A11 key) on the virtual keyboard that you hovered over previously.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface To save this macro as a keyboard layout: 1. Click the Save Keyboard Layout button. The Keyboard Layout File dialog box opens. 2. Type a name for this keyboard layout. In the previous example, Load On-Air is the name. 3. Click the OK button. To clear this macro: t Click the Clear Keyboard Layout button.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface Configuring Settings The Settings dialog box is used to configure the Avid Motion Graphics Control application. To open the Settings dialog box: t Click the Settings button. The Settings dialog box opens and displays the information on the About tab. To configure General settings: 1. Click the General tab. The General tab opens. 2. Select your language using the Language drop-down arrow. 3.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface To configure Render settings: 1. Click the Renders tab. The Render tab opens. 2. Set encoding. 3. Select the number of render units to which this Avid Motion Graphics Control system can connect. As you increase the number of render units, additional numbered tabs appear for each render unit, which you must configure. 4. Set the StormLogic listen port.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface Each render unit setup consists of the main unit, and if you have them, a backup, and preview units. Neither a backup or preview unit is required as part of a render unit setup. The Renders tab is used to configure the setup of the IP address, Storm port, language and section for each render unit. To configure settings for a main render unit: 1. In the Settings dialog box on the Renders tab, click the tab number that corresponds to the render unit. 2.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface To configure Paths settings: 1. Click the Paths tab. The Paths tab opens. 2. Click the ellipsis button in the Projects section to browse to the projects folder. 3. Click the ellipsis button in the Templates section to browse to the templates folder. 4. Click the ellipsis button in the Resources section to browse to the resources folder. 5. In the Plug-ins section, mark the check box to use plug-ins. 6.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface 2. In the Default section type area of this tab, click the radio button that corresponds to the type of sections you want to create each time you use Avid Motion Graphics Control. The default is the RunDown type. Later, when you create your sections, in the Section area of the user interface, an icon is displayed so you can tell at a glance the type of section in which you are working.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface The Quick Info dialog box, shown in the following illustration, displays a thumbnail image of the template and information about the template. It also lets you rename and change some of the template’s attributes. The Playout Control dialog box, shown in the following illustration, reflects the name of the template in its title bar and may show other replaceable text fields, as defined in the template’s original composition.
Motion Graphics Control User Interface The Playout Control dialog box contains the buttons described in the following table. Button Description Duplicate - pressing this button creates another instance of the template, which can be edited, played out, and saved. Toggle - pressing this button toggles between a thumbnail view of the template and the edit view of the Playout Control dialog box. Play - pressing this button plays the template on air.
5 Avid Motion Graphics News Control Avid Motion Graphics News Control is designed for the news graphics operators who need graphics rundown automation with manual control. This application allows for automated graphics playout connected to the NRCS rundown, on-the-fly graphics adjustment, and third-party production automation integration.
News Control User Interface News Control User Interface The Avid Motion Graphics News Control application is allows operators to broadcast graphics in a MOS environment. Producers and journalists can mark rundowns as on air, and the operators can load those rundowns and play out the graphics.
News Control User Interface Control Area The Control area is located across the top portion of the window. This area contains all of the controls, which an operator can use to load rundowns, start playout, add new graphics, edit graphics, and so forth. To use some of these controls, you must have a rundown loaded or a graphic selected; otherwise, the controls are not enabled.
News Control User Interface n Control Keyboard Shortcut Description ADVANCE button Ctrl Pressing this button replaces the current played graphic by the next cued graphic. Hot-key assignments can be modified in the controller.ini configuration file. Rundown Area When a rundown is loaded, all of its stories and graphics compositions are shown in the Rundown area. The Rundown area lets you view what is currently on air and also what goes to air next.
Basic News Control Operations In the Rundown area, an on air graphic row is highlighted in red, a cued graphic is highlighted in yellow, while a selected graphic is highlighted in blue. Stories appearing in the Rundown area are gray and depicted by a story icon, as shown in the following illustration. Message Area The message area is located below the Rundown area and remains blank unless a message is generated by the application. Any messages for the operator are displayed in this area.
Basic News Control Operations Changing a Cued Graphic A graphic that has already been cued can be changed at any time while it is in the cued state. To change a cued graphic: 1. Do one of the following: t Click to select a cued graphic from the Rundown area. t In the Rundown area, move to the graphic you want to select using the up or down keys on the keyboard. 2. Click the Left arrow key on the keyboard to change the preview.
Basic News Control Operations Editing Graphics Content The Motion Graphics News Control application allows you to edit the contents of any graphic that is not on air. To edit a graphic: 1. Do one of the following: n t Click to select a graphic from the Rundown area. t In the Rundown area, move to the graphic you want to select using the up or down keys on the keyboard. Ensure the graphic you have selected to edit is not currently on air. 2.
Basic News Control Operations The Template Editor contains the following: Name Description SNAPSHOT This is the image of the selected template. This allows users to view the graphic. TITLE This is the name of the graphic. Users can not edit this field if the system is configured to create auto names. If the system is configured as mixed, this field appears non-editable but users can double-click in the field, and then edit the name of the graphic.
Special News Control Operations 2. Press the Add New button in the Control area. 3. Click to select a Template. The Template Editor dialog box opens. 4. Fill in the data values for the graphic. 5. Press the SAVE button in the Control area. Special News Control Operations Beyond selecting and restarting rundowns, playing cued graphics, and stopping them, there are some special operations that can be performed using Avid Motion Graphics News Control.
Special News Control Operations Checking Status The availability of the system to display a rundown depends on whether or not the players are running and have the required templates loaded and also if the Avid Motion Graphics News Control application has a connection to MOS Gateway so it can receive rundown related messages. To check the status of the system: t Press the STATUS button. This results in a message that reads, Checking System Status. This message is followed by more system information.
Advanced News Control Operations Clearing Renders In some situations, a graphic might not stop when News Control sends the stop signal. For instance, there might be an error in the template design, such as in the template animations. You can fix this situation by pressing the CLEAR RENDERS button, which stops all graphics in all players, and clears the output.
Advanced News Control Operations Searching for Rundown Graphics Users can search for a specific graphic by entering some text in the search box located in the Control area. By default the system searches for the first graphic with matching content. The starting position is the current selected graphic or the first graphic in the rundown if there is no match found. Users can also change the search criteria selecting a different search criteria from the drop-down list located next to the search box.
Channels Pressing the ADVANCE button always plays the cued graphic. If there was a graphic already on-air, pressing the ADVANCE button stops that graphic. If the cued graphic and the on-air graphic use the same template, pressing the ADVANCE button makes a transition between the two graphics, providing that both of the templates allow transitions. Playing Locked Graphics Locked Graphics are useful for combining several graphics at the same time.
Channels Channel Auto-Activation There is always one active channel. The active channel can be changed. It also changes automatically after each action to select the channel whose cued graphic is in the upper position. This is done to maintain a coherence between the position of the graphics and the order they are in which they are played. As an example, before forcing a take action on channel A, no matter what channel is active, the user must press Activate Channel A prior to pressing the Take button.
6 Avid Motion Graphics Tools A variety of Avid Motion Graphics Tools are available for use with your Avid Motion Graphics system. The following main topics describe these tools: • Avid License Control • AMG Advanced Device Manager • AMG Control • Avid Motion Graphics Font Package • AMG Transcode • Deko Translator • Deko Chart Designer • Deko Player Avid License Control Avid License Control must be installed on any computer with a licensed component.
Avid Motion Graphics Font Package Avid Motion Graphics Font Package This font package provides fonts to support graphics previously created in Deko. Users can create new graphics using fonts from this package in Avid Motion Graphics too. AMG Transcode AMG Transcode lets you convert from multiple clip types into a format that allows real-time playback with correct audio alignment. Use it to convert clips that suffer from real-time and audio alignment issues.
AMG Transcode Using AMG Transcode If your clips are contained in several different folders and you want to preserve the same folder structure, you need to create different jobs in the Transcode application. The Transcode application lets you process multiple jobs simultaneously. The application’s user interface has three main sections: • Job List - a list of defined jobs and their current statuses. You can select any job from the list to add files or change settings at any time.
AMG Transcode Each job you create can contain different values for each transcode option. For instance, you can set up one job to transcode selected files to one destination in 4:2:0 format and a second job to a different destination with a 4:2:2 format. 2. Add source files to the selected job (in the Job List) by clicking the Add Source Files button. A dialog appears letting you choose a file. You can make multiple selections from your disk. Reclick the button to add more source files to your job.
AMG Transcode 6. Start transcoding by clicking the Start Transcode button. The process will take each clip in order and transcode it using the selected options. The job’s status will update, and then each of the clips in the Source List will update with the status as they are processed. More than one source file can be transcoded simultaneously by using the option provided in the Configuration dialog. Use the Configure button to access extra configuration values.
Deko Translator Deko Translator Deko Translator is an application that allows you to translate your existing Deko Graphic assets into native AMG compositions. Because of differences in methodology between Deko and AMG, other types of Deko assets (motions, effects, and macros) cannot be translated. The compositions created by Deko Translator provide a basis for porting Deko Graphic assets to AMG. Animations or other enhancements should be added using native AMG features.
Deko Translator Creating an AMG Project with Deko Translator Although it is possible to convert a large group of Deko Graphics into a single AMG Project, this will affect the project load time. We recommend grouping a smaller number of graphics into a single project. To create an AMG project with Deko Translator: 1. Use the Browse button to select a target folder in which to create the translated AMG project.
Deko Translator 3. Select the Deko Graphics. Specify and organize the .dko files you want to translate into an AMG project. This project will consist of one composition for each of the Deko graphics. The order of the Deko Graphics in the Source File List determines the order of the compositions within the project. Use the buttons to the right of the Source File List to add to and manipulate the list of Deko graphics.
Deko Translator 4. Click the Settings button to open the controls for the Clip Database File and the AMG Common Assets Folders. n a. Use the Browse button to select the location of the Clip Database File (.mdb). This file connects Deko Standard Clip names to the actual Fill and Key files that make up the clip. b. Use the Browse buttons to select the locations of the AMG Common Assets Folders for Textures and Standard Clips.
Deko Chart Designer When the translation process is complete, an AMG project has been created with a composition for each Deko graphic in the target folder. Use the AMG application to open the project. Additions or modifications, such as animations, can be made to the project and any of its compositions. n Larger and more complicated projects will take longer to open and consume more memory. Deko Chart Designer This AMG tool allows use of Deko graphics previously created with Deko Chart Designer.
Deko Player To ensure clean back-to-back playout of compositions that include Deko Player objects, set the Presenter Group Choice Type in the WorkArea setting of the project. Also, there are many other configuration settings—including Clip Databases, Paths, Preferences, and so forth—that must be set to ensure Deko Player performs correctly. Use the Configure button to modify any configuration settings and save your changes by clicking the Save Settings Now button.
Deko Player After a Deko Player object is added to the composition, the Deko Player user interface (in the Object pane of the Model area) appears and lets you control all aspects of the Deko Player. 2. Select a Deko graphic to be played. 3. Choose a replaceable layer and modify its value. There are four different types of replaceable layers for the selected Deko graphic. - Power Clip Layer - Choose a clip from the list of available power clips in the Deko Clip database.
Deko Player 4. Cue the Deko graphic. The Cue button loads the selected graphic into the Deko Preview window and causes the associated effect/motion to begin playing. Since a pause is automatically inserted at the start of the effect/motion, the graphic is now fully cued and ready to be taken to air. If the graphic has no associated effect/motion, a cut effect is used. n The cueing process might take several seconds. 5. Take the Deko graphic to air. The Take button plays the cued graphic.
Deko Player then use the Space bar to process the clear operation when you are ready. Otherwise for back-to-back graphics, you must select the next template before playing off the current template; playing off the current template without such a selection will result in cleared program output. Motions with Pauses If you have Deko Motions that contain multiple pauses, you need to take each pause in the motion in order to step though each pause. Replicate this in the TemplateIn animation.
Deko Player Defining Replaceable Data Using AMG Control or AMG News Control You can control the replaceable data of a Deko graphic from AMG Control or AMG News Control. This powerful feature lets you populate the data of a Deko graphic from the main AMG controlling application. To define replaceable data: 1. In the Deko Player, select a replaceable layer’s field, the field not the entry in the list. 2. Drag it to the Form pane in AMG. A field is created in the Form pane for that layer. 3.
7 Avid Motion Graphics Keyboard Shortcuts This appendix contains some keyboard shortcuts available when working in Avid Motion Graphics: • Avid Motion Graphics Design UI Shortcuts • Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Avid Motion Graphics Design UI Shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts available when working in the design UI (Avid Motion Graphics, Avid Motion Graphics Production and Avid Motion Graphics Creation) are listed in the following table.
Avid Motion Graphics Design UI Shortcuts Shortcut Description Focus ALT+F Freezes interface Transformation Tools ALT+R Freezes camera position to default Transformation Tools ALT+G Displays/hides grid Transformation Tools CTRL+Left Mouse Button Click and Drag zooms in the selected area 2D Navigation CTRL+Middle Mouse Button Wheel zooms in/out progressively 5% each step 2D Navigation CTRL+Middle Mouse Button Click Pan 2D Navigation CTRL+Right Mouse Button Click and Drag smooth and fast
Avid Motion Graphics Design UI Shortcuts Shortcut Description Focus ALT+Right Mouse Button Click and Drag to dolly 3D Navigation (Viewport) F Frames the selected object 3D Navigation (Viewport) ALT+X Moves the camera to side and displays the x coordinates 3D Navigation grid (Red) (Viewport) ALT+Y Moves the camera to the side and displays the y 3D Navigation coordinates grid (Greed) This is the default AMG view.
Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts available when working in the Avid Motion Graphics Control application are listed in the following table. Some keystroke combinations only work when the cursor is located in a certain area of the user interface; the Focus column in the table specifies the area of the user interface when that is the case. When the Focus column is listed as Global, the shortcut works in all areas of the user interface.
Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Shortcut Description Focus Shift+‘-’ or Shift+‘+’ (numeric keypad) Selects previous/next selection jumping N sections and Global the focus go to the canvas Number+‘+’ (numeric keypad) Select the section indicated by the number and the focus Global go to the canvas Number+S Select the section indicated by the number and keep the Global focus at Sections Arrow Up/Arrow Down Focuses previous/next item in the Rundown list Rundown Shift+Arrow Up/Shift+Arrow Dow
Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Shortcut Description Focus Backspace Focus returns to the last item taken OnAir.
Avid Motion Graphics Control Shortcuts Shortcut Description Focus In Thumbnails: Arrow Up/Arrow Down/Arrow Left/Arrow Right Focuses previous/next thumbnail Templates In Thumbnails: Enter Validates template Templates Q Focus to QuickTemplates list (Global) QuickTemplates Number+Q (Global) Focuses the QuickTemplate with that number and displays an edit window for creating a new item with that QuickTemplate QuickTemplates Shift+Q Hide/Show QuickTemplate QuickTemplates Arrow Up/Arrow Focuses
A 8 Avid Motion Graphics Glossary A Animation Animation is the representation of all parameter adjustments for any single object and how those change over time entered on the timeline. Each object has its own animation represented on the timeline. B Bind A bind attaches the value of one parameter to a different parameter, thereby creating a linking of events.
C C Code Code refers to a Python script that affects the parameters of any object. Composition A composition the container that holds all objects and all properties of those objects, including the animation for any specific purpose and that can be recalled for playback. Composition Transition A composition transition is a set of parameters and adjustments that dictate how a composition is replaced by another composition.
G Frame Rate Frame rate is a function of the hardware, not of the composition. You can mix and match – use clips with different frame rates from the hardware settings – the output abides by the frame rate for the device in all cases.. G Gizmo A Gizmo is a tool or tool set that allows for the manipulation of objects in 3D space. For instance, moving, rotating, scaling, framing, centering, curving, size incrementing and de-incrementing of an object in a Viewport.
M Leaderboard A leaderboard is a graphic used for displaying a list of individuals, teams, candidates or companies along with one or two statistics for each, such as a rank, score, votes, value, hometown, and so on. Lower Third A lower third is a format typically used in news or sports broadcasting. Viewers see video of a reporter or an event on the top two-thirds of their screen.
S Preset A preset is a default or user saved and recalled set of parameters and values that represent a font, a primitive, a shader, an effect, an object, a transition or an animation. The user interface (UI) can also have preset layouts. Project A project holds a list of compositions for any common purpose. It includes Master versions of the compositions that only an administrator can modify.
T T Timeline A timeline is the structure by which events are laid down and relate to each other in a composition. Timer A timer acts independently and dictates how an object behaves, it’s local behavior. V Viewport A viewport is a section in a section of the Avid Motion Graphics Layout a where you can view and work with a composition design.
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