Pinnacle studio 11

[cozmoss]

I have recently started using pinnicle studio 11 and, getting some great results "particularly with chroma keying" but, I wonder, is it possabil to use a cutaway as in keep the origional live sound while the shot cuts to something else?

[Mike Shaw]

Yes it is. Several ways to do it. One would be to 'lock' the video track, razor the part of the audio track you don't want, then import the audio track you want to replace it with - onto one of the music tracks, trim to length etc, and then drag it up to the video audio track.

Another way - put the required insert audio on one of the other two sound track time lines (either will do), trim and move to required position, then simply drop the sound level on the video's audio track to zero at the required points (you may want to extend the time line to show individual frames to get a sharp drop in sound.

You'll find a host of tips on using Studio on my website (though I haven't updated it for over a year now, most of it - if not all - is still very relevant) - the link is under my signature here

[cozmoss]

Thats great but, let me just give you a breif idea what I want to do, Shot 1. driver talking piece to cam "aprox 35-40 secs long I want to then use an ecterier of the car he's driving passsing but, without loosing the audio of the driver so, when we cut back to interier shot, audio is still in syhnc. I am quite new to pinicle could you perhaps be kind enough to explain how I would achive that; Thanks

[Mike Shaw]

OK, that's a simple 'video insert' edit. It really is very easy.... once you know how of course!!

Forget my previous post altogether. Here are the steps (this is all from memory by the way - I haven't used Studio for a very long time - current version is Studio 12, and there is soon to be yet another release I believe. I use Avid Liquid, Studio's (very) big brother)

1. Lock the Video Audio track. If memory serves me correctly, you do that by clicking on the padlock looking icon over on the right hand side of the video's audio track (immediately below the video track).
1a. If you have stuff on other timelines in the area you want to do the inserting, lock those too - same way - just to be safe.

2. Use the razor blade tool on the central toolbar, and cut the beginning and end of the section of video you want to replace.
3. Highlight the clip now created on the timeline - starting and ending at your cuts - and click on the 'dustbin' icon to delete that clip.

What should happen now is you have a gap in the video timeline - the audio track should still be in place untouched.

4. Find the clip you want to use for the insert, and drag it to that gap in the video track.

It should automatically be set to fit the gap - trimming off at the rear end of the clip any excess. (If you want a different part of that clip, use the trim tools to re-adjust it

Once happy, unlock the locked audio track.

Hope that helps!

[cozmoss]

Thankyou very much indeed

[cozmoss]

I have a message after locking the tracks "Cannot select clip when track is locked" ?
also I cannot find the Razor cut tool ?
Can you help further please

[Mike Shaw]

When you lock the AUDIO track - the one UNDER the video - the one with the sound signals on - it should turn grey (in the version I have which is later than yours). Click on the VIDEO track to select the point you want to cut it - NOT the Audio track - that track cannot be selected because it has been locked. You shouldn't have locked the Video track: each track has its own padlock and 'eye' symbol (click on the eye symbol and it switches that track off - used for basic compositing).

The razor - above ttimelines there's a bar. on the right side of the bar are icons - the razor is one of those, looks like an old safety razor blade and is usually next to ther dustbn symbol. Alternatively you can RIGHT CLICK on the VIDEO track where you want to make a cut and select CUT from the menu that appears, OR you can put the scrubber line where you want to cut and press the CTRL KEY and X key at the same time.

I think you may find a video tutorial for INSERT Editing on the Pinnacle StudioWebsite - or check the HELP in the program itself (in the top menu bar 'Help >Help Topics' > INDEX or SEARCH tab, type Insert Edit and it will come up with instructions for the INSERT EDIT - I found it in my Help File, but as I say, it is a later version than yours - and it shows the 'Overlay way' of doing the insert edit - an alternative which you may find easier. I've just checked doinmg an insert edit 'my way' on the version I have - and it works fine and leaves the other tracks free. Just don't lock the Video track.

[cozmoss]

Thanks a lot Mike, I beleive I have got it now Thankyou very much for your patients

[Mike Shaw]

Glad you've cracked it! Now - have fun! Flex those creative muscles!

[fraught]

I'm currently using Studio 10, and i'm about to upgrade to Studio 14 Ultimate. Will give you the low down once i've done that.

[Mike Shaw]

You'll find S14 - especially the Ultimate version - far more capable and reliable than S10 (which was launched before it was ready, and patched up plenty). We finished beta testing 14 about a month ago - and to me, it is by far the best version yet (and I've been testing Studio since the first versions 12 years ago - Studio 200 and Studio 400). I use Avid Liquid for editing now but Studio 14 has features not in Liquid (which has become obsolete) that are very tasty, so will probably dip into that as well from time to time. Hope you enjoy it!

[fraught]

So far so good with S14 Ultimate. My only quibble at the moment is that it wont pick up my Dazzle DVC150... not sure why either.

I do like the new titling capabilities though and is nicely presented to.

[Mike Shaw]

What happens if you select 'IMPORT'>'Other devices' ? Is it not recognised as one of the devices? I've never had a Dazzle so don't really know how it works or what to expect. If you have another way of capturing material with the Dazzle - Windows Movie Maker for example, perhaps, you can save the files that way and import them into Studio. However, it should definitely be possible to get stuff directly into Studio through the Dazzle (I do believe Pinnacle bought Dazzle out a few years ago) - if you continue to have problems or can't find a way to do it, you can try the Pinnacvle Studio forum, or the 'Video Friends' Forum - they will definitely have an answer for you.

[fraught]

I've been on the Pinnacle Forums and it would appear that my Dazzle DVC150 (very expensive bit of kit for me when i bought it) is not supported in Studio 14! I'm totally gutted to be honest, as i don't want to fork out for an alternative Analogue converter. It now seems that i have to have both Studio 10 & 14 on my machine! What a waste!

I had a play last night with adding Menu's and found it very unstable... it kept crashing on me. Here's to the next patch! LOL...

[Mike Shaw]

I'm horrified! Not only that the Dazzle isn't recognised by S14, but also that you had a menus problem. I hadn't been aware of the Dazzle incompatability - but during tests, the menu system seemed to me to be really stable. Even on a low specced machine.

With the dazzle, if you could capture through a third party program - Scenalyzer, or Windows Movie Maker even - you would be able to import the captured files into Studio.

As for the Menus being unstable ... I have no answer except amazement. Studio has always been a bit of a compromise, in that it has to sit on 1001 different types of PC along with a load of other stuff, but I thought S14 was really rock solid.

Oh dear.