Smart Compositor-

Joe A · Post by **Joe A** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:46 pm

Just installed V8 and admit I am so far pleased especially with Smart Compositor. It was worth upgrading from v7 for me on this feature alone!

3 questions

1) Does user have ability to expand categories in Smart Compositor? if yes HOW???

2)Does user have ability to have own templates show up under categories? if yes how???

3) Other than very brief tutorial on Smart Compositor is there anything else???

PS I also had concerns about activation code since I down load from different location since my internet access is VERY slow at location of editing station. Bottom line was that everything worked like it should!

hillsc · Post by **hillsc** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:46 pm

Three answers:

1) Nope.

2) Nope.

3) Not yet, but I'm working on it.

Now, don't let the "nope" answers get you down. Because SmartCompositor is nothing more than pre-packaged DVP files with a pretty face on it. That is, there's nothing in a SmartCompositor clip that you can't do on your own with Video Editor. So if you have an idea for making your own, whip one up in Video Editor, save the DVP file, then simply use Insert | Project next time, instead of Insert | SmartCompositor.

Pondering #2 some more, the answer might be "yes" instead, depending on what you mean by "own templates". If you customize an existing template, then yes, you can save it and it will appear with the other thumbnails. There's no way (yet) to create something wholly new, however. Hopefully we'll see something like that in the not too distant future.

Joe A · Post by **Joe A** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:10 pm

Thanks Charlie

I REALLY like the idea of Smart Compositor and the ability to just pull down a template clip in an organized fashion.

I also liked the fact that the elements of the Smart Compositor were in the sample files deep down in the contents so that I could begin to compose variations without a great deal of effort!

I can see template beginnings for standard project; template middles and then template endings. I can customize to my needs and yet vary significantly to get a new but consistent look project. I probably could have done that in v7 but v8 showed the true potential!

It would really be nice to have new samples available every now and then!!!

I repeat!!!! I like v8!!!

joe

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 4:12 pm

Smart Compositor is one of those features begging for extension, as in a template editor, development tools etc.

Now that would be something

krwzmann · Post by **krwzmann** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:07 pm

More Smart Compositor Templates / Samples would be great! I'd pay for a package of templates... more free samples would be even better!

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:38 pm

How many Smart Compositor themes are in the final product?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:44 am

Smart Compositor is one of those features begging for extension, as in a template editor, development tools etc.

Now that would be something

I'm with Terry on this one, it needs to be improved to enable us to create our own re-usable compositions that we can almost drop into our own projects. I would love to create my own start up theme where I only have to alter the video's and titles in the "start up" or First play sequence.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:48 am

hillsc wrote:SmartCompositor is nothing more than pre-packaged DVP files with a pretty face on it. That is, there's nothing in a SmartCompositor clip that you can't do on your own with Video Editor. So if you have an idea for making your own, whip one up in Video Editor, save the DVP file, then simply use Insert | Project next time, instead of Insert | SmartCompositor.

Not Quite!
I've just been playing around with it to spruce up the current project I am working on. The SmartCompositer is a collection of preset transitions, overlays, moving paths etc. The idea is to pick one then replace the video's with your own.

If you whip one of your own up you cannot (as far as I can see) save the transitions, overlays etc and simply replace the videos. As soon as you try to swap the video you will lose all of those settings. You would have to recreate the lot again. Obviously not impossible but also very time consuming.

randazzo · Post by **randazzo** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:00 am

Is there some stuff in the compositor to juice up my wedding video's. If I can handle this video with more speed it would be worth to upgrade.

Jean-Pierre

hillsc · Post by **hillsc** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:31 pm

sjj1805 wrote:If you whip one of your own up you cannot (as far as I can see) save the transitions, overlays etc and simply replace the videos. As soon as you try to swap the video you will lose all of those settings.

Why would you lose it? Right-click a clip, select "Replace With" from the popup menu, then "Video File" or "Audio File" etc. Whatever was applied to the clip (filters, moving paths, etc.) stay put. You don't lose anything.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:28 pm

Brilliant!! That has just opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
Many thanks.

rdenny · Post by **rdenny** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 3:53 am

This may be "elementary", but I was poking around double-clicked the virtual clip that Smart Compositor inserted for me and bingo a second timeline tab appeared containing the results of the Smart Compositor creation, all broken down into separate tracks with all of the tracks and their overlays, filters, etc. etc. The audio, video, and images come from MSP8 samples, and "replace with" works in this view.

So if you screw up while using SC (or just want to tweak the results any way you want) later, double-click the smart compositor virtual clip, switch to the SC-clip timeline tab and go to it.

I learned a LOT by dissecting a few SC virtual clips. I also now "get" the idea of secondary timelines. In fact, the video clips in SC-produced secondary timelines are themselves virtual clips and can be double-clicked to reveal tertiary timelines. This is fun

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:29 am

Absolutely amazing! Now THAT has opened up a whole new world where I can alter the Smart Compositions any way I wish and not just the videos, titles and sound tracks.

I would love to know how they knocked this video together in the samples:-
C:\Program Files\Ulead Systems\Ulead MediaStudio Pro 8.0\Samples\Video\DO01_S.MPG

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:39 am

Back in the days of feature leaks we told you guys that multiple/nested timelines & virtual clips would be fun. Now you know what we were talking about

Dunno how for certain how they did that clip, but my guess is that it started life as a Flash style animation.

Johny H · Post by **Johny H** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:54 pm

After reading this last night I started playing around with it again today. You don't even have to use your own clips to change things, just change the mark in and mark out points. This has my head spining

not only for smart compositions but my own projects!!

Alludo USER to USER Web Board

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