Editing video

[sjmaye]

OK another dumb question that will help me. I am slowly getting the hang of MediaStudio Pro. I can edit and make .AVI clips.

It would help me to where all this is going when I go to author the project. While editing am I looking to make many, many of these different clips of different subject matter that will later be assembled or merged during the authoring phase or am I going to pull them all together in to a single big .AVI clip that will be the only one used during authoring?

Thanks for your patience and help.

[Gees]

What do you want do? What way are you most comfortable with?

I've been following your posts from day 1. :c) Perhaps you are rushing into working with your transferred film without giving enough thought/planning into what you want as the end result.

Sorry. It just seems to me that you are asking now how to plan out your project, rather than encoding, authoring or other questions.

Make some little notes for yourself on what you'd like the final DVD to be like and that will give give you a better sense of direction.

For instance - do you want one long video with chapters? Make one long video file. Or do you want separate videos on separate subjects? If yes, then just build them accordingly.

Have you used a bitrate calculator >> https://www.videohelp.com/tools#VideoBitrateCalculators << to see just how much of your new files can fit per DVD?

Will you need to make more than one disc? Use all that info (which only you have) to plan ahead. :c)

All boils down to: take a step back (and a deep breath) to see the "big picture" and work towards that. :c)

Link identified in consideration of color blind factor :c)

[sjmaye]

For instance - do you want one long video with chapters? Make one long video file. Or do you want separate videos on separate subjects? If yes, then just build them accordingly

That's kind of what I was asking. I guess I really don't yet understand what can be done during the authoring. I thought if I understood how the authoring program worked it would help me organize what I was doing now in editing.

AND truthfully, YES, I am not yet clear on how I want this project to operate as a DVD. I am now just working with the captured film to clean it up from damaged areas and burn spots.

Is there a link or something that can give me examples of how these projects can be laid out so I can get some ideas?

[Gees]

I'd say do not work with them at all until you have a very clear idea on how you want to author them.

Start with choosing an authoring software (look through TOOLS section if you have not chosen one yet and read comments). There are freeware and trialware choices to look for.

Then read everything available on that program - Help files, Guides, etc.

You may create a lot of unneccessary and frustrating, time-consuming work for yourself, if you try to edit now with no clear concept of where it is all leading to.

[sjmaye]

You may create a lot of unneccessary and frustrating, time-consuming work for yourself, if you try to edit now with no clear concept of where it is all leading to.

I seem to do that a lot in most everything I do. Thanks for the tip. I have Ulead DVD Workshop. I will start reading now. Thanks.

[Gees]

Have you read completely What Is DVD? Top left corner. It may give you a better idea of what's possible, file sizes and proper structure, etc., so that you recognise terms, etc. as you see them in authoring software.

[Gees]

DVD Workshop is a great choice. :c) Lots of useful info within the program and some good Guides on Ulead's site as well.

Get a cosy chair and read the manual cover to cover. :c)

It's one of those forest for the trees type situations. :c) You'll do fine, I'm sure.

[sjmaye]

Thanks again for all the help, Gees. I am sure I will be back with additional questions once I get past this stumbling block

[Gees]

Yeah :c) I think maybe - just a guess :c) - you are a little over-anxious? :c)

And........ you're welcome. :c)

[Spicuzza]

Sjmaye, I don't see in your computer profile that you have a DVD burner? If that is the case then true DVD authoring is out of the question.

One suggestion I would make is to get some CD-RWs and experiment. If you're making home movies you're probably going to want a combination of still photographs along with video including some background music.

I would suggest making a very short project, maybe just one to two minutes in length to test your equipment and get familar with the process as a whole.

If you are going to be viewing your project on TV with a DVD player you will need to know the limitations of your DVD player. Again this is where CD-RWs are a gift from God and it makes experimentation fun since you're not thowing away a disc everytime you're tweeking your methods.

Good luck and have fun!