Help with video slideshow

[Aura]

Hello everyone

I'm using Adobe Premire Pro CS4 to create a video slideshow (photos + music). I don't have much previous experience with that and I'm quite new to Premiere.

I'm trying to create a widescreen video (16:9). In my initial setting I chose DV PAL Widescreen 16:9 (1.4587) I believe, then I import my photos and I "Interpret Footage" to the same PAL Widescreen 16:9 setting. However, when I try to export the video (i use video codec DV - PAL) the video file looks more like a 4:3 instead. When I check the Source and Output tabs before exporting the video looks exactly the same size in both (16:9), but comes out different. Apart from that the picture aspect ratio is correct and the quality seem to be good too. What am I doing wrong here? How can I fix this?

Any help much appreciated

[Aura]

I should probably add that the video is both intended for Desktop preview in higher quality and for YouTube

[guns1inger]

Does the image look squashed in from the sides, or stretched vertically ? It could be that Premiere isn't properly flagging the video as 16:9, or that your player is ignoring the flag.

Is there a reason why you would output to DV format ?

Unless you are outputting back to DV tape, I would use a better suited format. If you only need desktop and youtube playback, output with a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio (i.e. no need for a 16:9 flag), probably using H264 for video.

[Aura]

Thanks for the reply. This is how the image looks like http://www.photoplasticon.net/Files/video.jpg, the first pic is the way it looks in Premiere and the second how it looks after export.

There is no reason in particular why I used DV, except for it has the widescreen size I desire and I don't know what other settings to use. I don't know how to get the 1:1 pixel aspect ration or what it does, maybe you could be more specific? I do want the final output to be a widescreen video.

[guns1inger]

PAL widescreen at 1:1 is 1024 x 576

As for your images, the first appears to be in a 16:9 from, but is horribly distorted. The second shows the photo as it should look, but in a 4:3 output.

For the moment, create a custom project with a resolution of 1024 x 576, add your images, then output to something like AVC (H264) without marking it 16:9

[greymalkin]

also, using premiere cs4 to make a slideshow is sort of like torture. you could use a dedicated slideshow app like proshow or even free software like dvdslideshowgui

[Aura]

It seems like whatever setting I use the video comes out wrong. It looks ood in Premiere now and when it's processed it looks good in the Media Encoder as well, but when I open the ready file it's 4:3 and looks disorted

hi greymalkin, I'm a Mac user and the programs you listed are for Windows, I was kinda hoping that it would be more straight forward to do it in Premiere :/

[greymalkin]

ahh I see. well I did a little digging and found this for Mac:
foto magico
http://www.boinx.com/fotomagico/overview/

These application designed specifically for creating photo/video slideshows are waaaaay easier to use than making it in premiere...I've tried both ways and I'd never go back to premiere for that purpose .

[classfour]

Have you looked at ProShow?

[Aura]

I checked out different programs, but in the end I decided to make the slideshow in iMovie. It was pretty easy to do, but looking at the end results, I feel that Premiere gives you a lot more control over the whole project. I always like to fine-tune and adjust every detail. I guess this will do for now

Thanks for everyones help

[guns1inger]

I often use Vegas for slideshows for the same reason. Even the better slideshow makers don't have the features of a fully fledged editor.