Advice on how to improve the quality of a slideshow.

[avz10]

I made a 21st video for my daughter 2 years ago. It is time again for my 2nd daughter.

I am posting 2 short clips and would like some critical comments on how I can improve on the quality. I have Pinnacle 15. (Reducing the size had a detrimental effect on the quality of the clips)
The examples that I have found on youtube are not that great.
Thanks


https://vimeo.com/44876928

https://vimeo.com/44876929

[TreeTops]

What resolution did you use for this one?: https://vimeo.com/44876929

Resolution too small. Use 1920x1080. Vimeo appeared to increase the size on my monitor making the slideshow blurry. Maybe your small resolution is OK for mobile devices.

[Nelson37]

Use more than one transition effect. Limit transition time, no one cares about them. They do help somewhat for those who would otherwise be bored crapless.

[budwzr]

I'll be honest with you, and start off with the photos themselves. They're too posed, and only interesting to the people in them.

Second, the Ken Burn's effect has become blase now, thanks to Mr. Burns. Like what Michael Moore did to documentary's.

The only way to spice it up is to add some FX and graphics. You might float something around like beach balls, or whatever goes with the photo. Even some funny text might help. Or just some crazy gratuitous bling like glint or sparkle. You know, some eye candy.

Another way is to speed it up. Attention spans are short these days. I'm hard pressed to get more than 30 seconds from most people. You have to grab them right away.

There's a saying that audio is 70% of video, and it's true. You need some musical score.

Another idea might be to cut-out parts of pictures and make different arrangements or backgrounds. You can do that in paint software like PShop or any other one. That feature is in all of them. A good free one is GIMP. Myself, I use Microsoft Digital Image Pro, but it went kapoop a few years back.

If you're in a time jamb to get this slideshow out, then you might try the YouTube editor. At least you can blame YT that way, and buy time to make a better one. But remember, there's no second chance to make a good 1st......

Another trick they do on TV is to simply just make a new transition that hasn't been done yet. It doesn't have to be "wow", just different. And unique. Not canned. I was watching the motion graphics at the Queen's Concert, or whatever it was called, and the elements were very simple, but worked because the performers were from the 80's. Get it?

Look for common elements between the people in the photos, and construct something meaningful to THEM, and it will be meaningful to all viewers too, because it will be personal.

[avz10]

What resolution did you use for this one?: https://vimeo.com/44876929

Resolution too small. Use 1920x1080. Vimeo appeared to increase the size on my monitor making the slideshow blurry. Maybe your small resolution is OK for mobile devices.

Thanks for all the responses.

I usually capture/work with 1920; but this slideshow was made with the 720 x 576 settings. I am not sure why I did it- perhaps because of the VHS clips. The quality of the final product however was very good.


The detail of the original slideshow: Length 17 min; MPEG 2; 823 MB.
To post the 2 clips, I used Any Video Converter, output as FLV and lost so much detail!!

Use more than one transition effect. Limit transition time,

Good suggestion. Will do that.

the photos themselves. They're too posed,

Will make a BIG note of this

Second, the Ken Burn's effect has become blase now

Unsure about this- will Google

The only way to spice it up is to add some FX and graphics. You might float something around like beach balls, or whatever goes with the photo. Even some funny text might help. Or just some crazy gratuitous bling like glint or sparkle.

Any idea of graphics that I can download for Pinnacle 15?

Another way is to speed it up.

Do you mean the photos should be displayed shorter?? and I suppose the video clips also shorter?

Another idea might be to cut-out parts of pictures and make different arrangements or backgrounds.

I use Photoshop- idea sounds good- You don't have any examples?

Look for common elements between the people in the photos, and construct something meaningful to THEM, and it will be meaningful to all viewers too, because it will be personal.

We have grouped the previous video in childhood, our time in Aus, then family and then friends. Any other suggestions?


A last question- any good example on the web??

I am not a very creative person, so the more examples I see, the better for me.


I cannot express my thanks enough!!!!


The responses are excellent!



Albie

[budwzr]

Try Google Picasa. That's the shortest learning curve. You'll get an idea of some things that CAN be done to still photos, like color correction, sharpen, etc. Hopefully, that will jumpstart you.

There are two disciplines involved, still and video, and most of it overlaps, fortunately, but when you get started on a project that you have only cursory knowledge, you either need to get up to speed or copy somebody else.

So keep googling for animations, slideshow, still image sequence, PNG, transparency, compositing, motion graphics.

Even the simplest most barebones NLE should be able to accomodate what you need, but each one has a different nomenclature and methodology, so you have to translate mentally, what they "really mean".

I think Sony Vegas is the only one that uses real terms that are patently understood.

[budwzr]

Here's a simple transition, but eye-catching.

[sanlyn]

-30-

[budwzr]

Here's another idea:



P.S. This video is unlisted and will be deleted in a few days. Why don't you download it and show the fam? See what they think. I'll bet they like it.

This one is very simple.

You just line up all the photos on one track and adjust the timing to make them flash by fast, then just keep looping it.

On another track, you do the basic slideshow technique, and just mix the tracks together.

I'm sure Pinnacle can do this easily.

[tin2tin]

@ budwzr - You have some interesting ideas for transitions. When I get a spare moment I can add them to DVD slideshow GUI, it thats okay with you or if you're able to do some simple Avisynth coding yourself, it is easy to make and add new transitions, just consult the included manual.

[budwzr]

@tin2tin- Sure, help yourself, but I don't want to see it on America's Got Talent without a credit.

No, I'm not really familiar with the manual scripting software.

The motif is: "I want to be in THAT family too". The common thread of the pictures is having fun together.

I didn't do any color work, but I know I can make it really pop with a few more elements. I have some new software I want to try.