MediaStudio/VideoStudio: Create a Ken Burns effect Slideshow

[trentons]

Nature of Problem: Can't find method to tween zoom into a still image.

Source Files: JPEG's (Transfered to laptop via DVD-ROM)

Project Settings: Defaults

Output Format: DVD

PAL or NTSC: NTSC

Error Codes (if any): Unavailable

Additional Comments: I'd like to take 50 pictures; set them to music, fade into the next picture (both of which I know how to do in MS8), and create a zoom effect that will be tweened or animated into a certain point on the picture. How can this be accomplished and how do you adjust the focal point (zoom center) of the effect?

Thanks in advance and feel free to PM or contact me via email at trentons@comcast.net.

[Ron P.]

To zoom in / out on photos, in MSP8 you need to apply a Moving Path.
Simply place your image in a Video Track, right click, select Moving Path. On the right you will see the Moving Path Library. Choose one either 2D Basic or Advanced. Then in the Effects Manager, you can alter or customize the Moving Path, using the Width / Height and X / Y spin boxes. In the Preview pane you can drag your image to help position it, which will change the X/Y coordinates..

You want to really learn how to use MSP8? Get Charlie Hills' book, Getting Results with MediaStudio Pro 8. http://www.getting-results.com

Ron P.

[trentons]

Thanks! Will give it a try...

[Terry Stetler]

Sounds like you want to do the "Ken Burns Effect" on slideshow elements.

I'd do it differently to take advantage of automation features built into MSPro8;

First load your sound track to one of the audio tracks and set timeline cues where you want each image synchronized to its 'beats'. Don't forget to place one at the beginning of the project, or the location where you want the slideshow to begin, and at the sequences end. These cues will be important later.

Now set the timeline slider to the cue at the beginning of the project, or one placed where ever in the project where you want the slideshow to begin.

Next copy your source images to the Project Tray/Storyboard folder, arrange their order of display, group-select them and choose "Add to Timeline" from the context menu. This dialog will come up;



Here you can set your crossfade transition between clips (in fact it's the default) and its duration in frames, apply the 'Pan & Zoom' video filter to each image (this will give you the "Ken Burns" motion effect) and set the images to 'Synchronize with cues'...meaning they will be aligned to come in on those cued beats in the sound track.

You can also choose the video track they'll be imported to (V1 is the default), cue offset, loop cues & default duration etc. etc. The auto audio crossfade setting is only useful with video clips that have their own audio. I'd not opt for the clips to be removed from the Storyboard until you've had some practice playing with the settings.

The image above is representative of the basic settings you should try first. Note that no default duration is set for the image clips. This will allow their duration to be adjusted so as to align them to the cues. If not using cue synchronization then set this to a value of your choosing.

Now click OK and the whole shebang will be set up and placed on the timeline (note the timeline cues from step one);



The only real problem I've run into with this procedure is that sometimes the last clip extends a few frames beyond the end of the audio clip/last cue. Most likely MSPro8 is anticipating a transition that is never applied. This is easily fixed by dragging its right edge back to where you want it to end or setting a new duration for it.

Your remaining task will be to individually adjust the Pan & Zoom filter settings for each image in the Effect Manager/Customize dialog to get the 'look' you want.

Play around a bit and you'll have a very useful tool for semi-automatically creating slideshows.

[Ron P.]

Whoa... I didn't know that MSP8 had that.. Thanks Terry

Ron P.

[htchien]

I think this could be worth to be moved to the Tuturial section.

H.T.

[Terry Stetler]

I'm writing a Storyboard tutorial and this will be part of it.

[CaptainKen2]

The "Add to Timeline" dialog window won't open when I select the button from the Production Library/Project Tray.

I simply want to drag images to the timeline and set the duration of them all at once. I've also tried the File, Preferences, General, "Default inserted clip duration", which doesn't have any effect as I change it from 30 to 210. Selecting each in the Timeline, right click and choosing duration always displays a msg that they can't be longer then 2 seconds.

Thanks,

Ken

[sjj1805]

Here's How to do the "Add to Timeline"

The first thing I do is create a separate timeline for the slide show


make sure that the timeline you wish to add your slides to is the active timeline


Now you can play about with the slide show without spoiling any other work you may have already done, or work that you do later.

Next. lets look at the Production Library / Project Tray


The one on the left "Production Library" holds your videos and slides etc that will can be used in ANY MediaStudio project.
The one on the right "Project Tray" holds videos, slides and audio that will only be used in THIS project.
So if you start a new project, whatever is contained in the Production Library will still be there. The Project Tray will be empty.

Create new folders in the Project Tray to hold the videos and slides to be used in THIS project. Then import the various items accordingly.


Now after sifting through the slides in a directory and deleting any unwanted material you copy them to the storyboard by selecting them all, and then right clicking.


Now go to the Storyboard.


Again select all of the images and right click. Select Add to Timeline.


A dialog box appears:


I find it is a good idea to make sure that "delete clips from the storyboard" is selected otherwise you end up removing them manually. The clips will still be in your original folder in the Project Tray. Set any parameters you wish such as sequential/overlap, slide duration and transition effects etc.

Now position the clips onto the timeline


TIP
Slide shows can be more effective if you do away with transitions but have straight cuts synchronised to the music. To help with this procedure use a large Audio track and stagger the clips on two video tracks.

[sjj1805]

For the benefit of VideoStudio Users - here is a copy of one of my earlier posts:
I normally use MediaStudio Pro for tasks of this nature but i have just checked that my method can be done with VideoStudio.

What I do is stagger my pictures along two tracks, lengthen or shorten them as necessary and then butt them up so that they are synchronised with the music.

In VideoStudio you cannot have gaps on the Main Video Track and so to do it this way you have to use two overlay tracks as a temporary measure.
Play the music and pause at the point where you want the picture to change. Place a Cue marker and then resize and reposition your clips to that cue marker. When you are happy with your results just drag the clips upwards onto the Video Track.

[CaptainKen2]

Wow, thank you. I see the step I was missing was the right click Add to Storyboard. Wonder why they don't just let you add to Timeline?

How do I apply the Heart.tif mask to all the pictures, but still use a basic moving path for each so I can properly position each picture within the heart?

Thanks,

Ken

[sjj1805]

The higher the number of the video track the more towards the front it is.
So if you have staggered the slides on two tracks as per my above example, place the heart.tif on track 3 and stretch it out the complete length of the video.

[CaptainKen2]

Thanks you again.

So is it that the File, Preferences, General, "Default inserted clip duration", which didn't have any effect when I change it from 30 to 210?

Also is there a way in MSP8 to change the color of the heart board from white to red without using PI? At some point while I was clicking around it came up in red with some type of texture as well.

Ken

[sjj1805]

Just to make sure we are looking at the same item.


In PhotoImpact looks like:


I don't know why you are getting red.

To stretch the heart just place it on the timeline then drag its right hand edge to the desired length.

[CaptainKen2]

Yep, that is the same heart. Wist I could remember how I got red texture in MSP8.

Thanks anyhow.