Using Pinnacle 15 - University of Hartford

Pinnacle v 15 Faculty Center for Learning Development

Transferring Video Clips to Digital Video Using Pinnacle 15

Understanding Movie Formats

Before you can begin the process of converting VHS to digital video, you must decide what

movie format you need, based on how the clip will be used. Do you want a file for PowerPoint

presentations? Do you want to make streaming clips for the Internet? Do you want to create a

DVD that can be played on a home DVD player? Your answer will determine the settings used

to capture your video. You cannot create a single ‘all purpose’ DVD clip that works in all of

these environments. Often, you must create separate types of clips for each intended use. The

chart below lists the preferred file format for each application:

Permissions and Copyright

If you will be using the clip in class, you must also determine if you have permission to use the

video. Check the University of Texas Crash Course in Copyright for the specifics on digitizing

video clips for use in the classroom. Here is the web address: http://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/

Digital video production, like all video production, can take many hours to complete. We

suggest you schedule several hours of time for each session and save your work often as you go.

Overview

Creating a movie out of video clips is a three step process in Pinnacle:

1. Capture the original video source to computer.

2. Edit the video by adding fades, black, etc.

Final Application Preferred File Format Media Player Used

PowerPoint on PC .avi Windows Media Player

(embedded in PowerPoint)*

Play on any PC .avi or .mpeg1 Windows Media Player

Streaming over Internet .wmv (also, .mov and .rm) Windows Media Player (also

Quicktime and Real Player)

Home DVD Player .mpeg2 DVD Equipment

Video CD or VCD NA - Not recommended NA – Not recommended

Tape .dv Digital Camcorder

http://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/

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Pinnacle v 15 Faculty Center for Learning Development 2

3. Make movie. Several different movie formats are available.

When you open Pinnacle Studio, you will see three tabs that represent each of the three basic

steps:

In order to start, go to the File menu and select New Project. This will clear out any lingering

clips from a previous project and set up a new project for you.

After your initial video capture, you will select File Save Project as and give your project a

name. Afterwards, you will want to return to the File menu and save your project often using

Save. Before you do so, check to be sure the name at the top of the screen is the name of your

project.

Step One: Capturing Video

Open Pinnacle Studio and turn be sure your video source is connected and turned on. Click on

the Import tab to open the Capture window.

Do not start capturing until you have set up all the capture settings, which can be found in small

box menus around the capture preview window, as shown below.

Capturing Video from a VHS Player

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Captured clips Capture Start/Stop Button

Capturing Video from a Camera

Capture Settings

Click on the Capture tab and set up your Import From settings. These settings tell Pinnacle

what you want to capture (source) and what file digitized format to translate it into (format).

Use the Import To menu to specify the location where you want to store the captured files.

Usually, the default folder set up by Pinnacle during installation works well.

Capture from Camera Capture from VCR Capture from DVD

Selecting Import Source

Choose Folder to Save to

Check Space for Saving

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Selecting Folder for Imported Clips

Mode Settings

You can select how you want your capture video clips segmented using the Scene Detection

menu. Pinnacle can either create one long video clip by capturing your entire video all at once or

allow you to break it up into segments or clips. We recommend you capture segments. Not only

is it a safer import process technically, it makes editing easier later. For example, you might

have recorded many students delivering speeches for a class. If you choose to detect scenes

automatically, your video clips will be captured in segments – one speech per clip. The overall

movie will play seamlessly no matter how many clips you have, but it will be easier to edit the

movie if you capture automatically by scene (e.g., new speaker in your video). Or, you can

choose to capture clips based on specific time (e.g., every 30 seconds).

Selecting Segment Length for Capturing Clips

Capture Format Settings

Click on Capture Format tab and select your capture format and the quality you want.

Remember that higher quality means a larger file size. Then click OK.

Capture Format

Capture Quality

Capture Format Menu

Now you are ready to start capturing your video clips. At FCLD, the DVD/VHS player should

already be connected to the computer. Use the DVD/VCR controls on the face of the machine to

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start and stop your video. Put your tape in the machine and rewind to the beginning or ‘cue it

up’ to the place where you want to start capturing. Always test your capture. Capture a short

clip, and play it back to make sure you have both video and audio.

If you wish, you can name your footage by typing a name in the FileName text box. To start

your capture, click on the Start Capture button. Use the space bar to break up your capture if

you are manually creating clips rather than using scene detection. Click on the red Stop

Capture button when you are finished. Your video clips will be captured into the video album.

Captured Video Clips in the Album

Step Two: Editing your Movie

To edit your movie, you will drag your video clips onto the timeline, and then edit the movie

there. You can delete clips, combine them, add black or titles – even boost the audio - just like

you do in word processing, only using clips rather than text.

The timeline is divided into parallel tracks and each track ‘holds’ one element of your movie as

shown below:

Playback Head Video Track

Original Audio Track Titles Track

Sound Effects Track

Music Track

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Movie Timeline View

You can switch between the timeline view and a rough-cut storyboard view. The storyboard

helps you line up your clips chronologically to get rough idea of what you want, while the

timeline view allows you to do more detailed editing and add effects.

Storyboard View Timeline View

Playing your Movie

After dragging your clips to the timeline, you can play your video by hitting the space bar on

your keyboard. Hitting the spacebar again will stop playback. You can increase or decrease the

amount of time displayed in the timeline to see more or less of the movie by using the zoom

tools in the lower left hand corner of the timeline (near the music track). Use the scroll bar to

move lengthwise along your movie timeline.

Timeline Zoom Tools

TIP: Left click twice in the preview screen to play a clip back at full screen.

Basic Editing

The beauty of video editing is that it works much like word processing. You can hold-click and

drag clips to rearrange your clips on the timeline. You can highlight one clip, and then delete it

with your delete key.

There are three basic ways to edit video clips. You can:

1. Split or edit a clip while it is still in the Album.

2. Split or delete a clip on the timeline.

3. Trim a clip using the Clip Properties Tool.

It is possible to split up a clip while it is still in the Album. Right click on the clip in the album

and it will bring up the Scene Detection menu. This is useful if you did not use automatic scene

detection during capture, but have changed your mind.

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To split a clip easily, drag it to the timeline. Place the playback head at the location where you

wish to make a split, and then click on the razor blade tool. This splits the clip.

Split Clips Button

You can use this same technique to delete a section of video in the middle of a clip. First, place

the playback head at the beginning of the material you wish to cut. Left click on the razor blade

to split the clip. Next, find the ending point of the material you wish to cut and split the clip

there as well. Now, left click to highlight the section you wish deleted and delete it using the

delete key on the keyboard. This does not affect the original clip (still in the clips album).

If you wish to trim the end of a clip, you can also use the Modify Clip Properties Tool.

Under the Toolbox menu, select Modify Clip Properties Tool.

Use the sliding razors or ‘trimmer scrubs’ on each end to trim either end of the clip.

Use the menus on the side to add titles, add effects, etc. to the clip.

Change clip properties

Change properties of montage theme (fancy opening menu)

Create or edit a title

Create or edit a disc menu (for a DVD)

Grab a frame from video to save as an image

Create music video automatically

Add overlay, such as chromakey

Add effect to clip

Trimmer scrub

Modify Clip Properties Tool

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When you are finished, click on the x to return to your main edit menu.

Adding other Editing Effects

From the main timeline clips view, you can add sounds, special effects and titles easily using the

editing menu tabs.

Video clips

Transitions

Montage Themes

Titles

Photo/Frame Grab

DVD Menu

Sound Effects

Music

You can add titles, sound effects, narration, and

even special effects. All of these work in a drag

and drop process. All the menus for these

various editing tools are selected from a

horizontal panel of tabs.

Remember, the album holds all of your captured

clips.

Editing Menu Tabs

Click on the specific tab you need. Each one contains a library that will pop up to the right.

Place your playback head where you wish to add the effect. Select an effect, sound, title, etc.

and preview it. If you like it, select it and drag it to your timeline. It will insert wherever you

have the playback head.

Transitions – Use this to add transitions between your clips, such as fading.

Montage Themes – Overall album design

Titles – Use this to superimpose titles at the beginning, end, or between clips.

Photo/Frame Grab – Use this to add pictures. You can also ‘grab’ a picture from your movie

and save it as a picture.

DVD Menu – If you are making a DVD, use this to add a DVD chapter menu.

Sound Effects – Use this to add special sounds effects such as barking, roosters, etc.

Music – Use this to add ‘music under’, a second track of audio underneath narration.

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Adjusting Audio

Good audio really depends on the original production value (e.g., the microphone used). At

most, you might need to boost the audio level so you can hear it better.

To change audio levels, click on the audio then drag. When you let go, there will be a small dot

at the point of adjustment. This dot can be dragged for further adjustments. You can also create

two dots and then raise or lower an entire segment of your audio track.

Audio level

Point of adjustment

Commonly, video editors use the second audio track (the first one is your original recorded

sound (see above) to add ‘music under’. This is music used to add mood and should never

compete with your narration. You won’t need to if you are simply editing VHS clips together.

Step Three: Creating your Final Movie

To start, click on the Make Movie tab. Use the menu on the left to select the product you wish

to create: Disc, File, Tape, or Web.

Make Movie Menu

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Creating a Movie File: Be sure you have selected File from the left menu column. From the

dropdown file menu, select the File Type you wish to use. A review of some of the common

movie file types and their associated applications is listed below.




Play on any PC .avi or .mpeg Windows Media Player

Streaming over Internet .wmv Windows Media Player (this is

the only streaming file type

currently supported at U of H).

Flash Video for Web .swf Adobe Flash Player

MPEG-2 .mpeg DVD compatible (file only,

not DVD

After you select your medium, you need to set up your Settings. Most video formats allow you

to set the size of the playback window, the quality of the audio, and the resolution of the video.

You should consider whether to use High Definition or regular sized video.

Just remember that the higher the quality, the bigger your final file size will be. However, while

an AVI file is bigger than an MPEG, it is PowerPoint’s preferred file type for inserting video.

Since video files tend to be very large, you should create a streaming video file if you plan to use

the video on Blackboard or the Internet. Other than that, the settings are highly variable

depending on your specific need. Plan to work with FCLD to help you find settings that will

work.

Below are helpful guidelines for the most common applications: A review of the movie types

and their associated applications is listed below.




Play on any PC .avi or .mpeg Windows Media Player

Streaming over Internet .wmv Windows Media Player

Home DVD Player .mpeg DVD Equipment

Video CD or VCD NA - Not recommended NA – Not recommended

Tape DV Digital Camcorder

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After selecting your final output type – Disc, File, Tape or Web – Pinnacle has dropdown menus

with various options for size, resolution, etc. If you don’t know them very well, select a generic

one and try it out, for example, medium, small, full screen, etc. It is also possible to fully

customize your settings rather than using the presets. To do so, select Custom from the Quality

or Preset menu, then Settings.

You might want to create a short sample file and test it out in a classroom to see what it will look

like when projected. Is it fuzzy? Easy to see from the back of the room? If it is on the web or

Blackboard, does it play back without stuttering? Can you see enough details? When you have

all your settings established, click on the Create file… button to start creating your final movie.

If you want to see what the actual settings are for the presets, select the Settings button. Below

are screen shots of some of the preset file settings.

AVI Settings Menu

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Streaming Video Settings Menu for Windows Media

Actual streaming rates are not listed in Pinnacle Studio. Instead, Pinnacle provides simplified

terms such as Very High, Medium, etc. The University does provide a streaming server for

instructional use but it only works with .wmv or Windows streaming formats.

In Pinnacle, use the default settings for a DVD (unless you know you want Blu-ray). Do not

select S-VCD or VideoCD as your output; these are older formats and they will not work well.

When creating a DVD, remember that burning a DVD can take many hours. Plan on starting the

burning process, doing something else for a while, and then returning when the burning has

completed. The finished DVD should work on most DVD players.

DVD Settings Menu

Do not assume the settings in these examples are the ‘right ones’ for your project. Please consult

with FCLD for assistance with your individual project and test them out first.

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Creating a Chapter Menu for a DVD

It is possible to put a DVD Chapter menu on a movie if your final movie is going to be burned to

a DVD. The easiest way to do this is to go back to the Edit and click on the Menu tab. Then

say Yes when asked if you wish to create chapters at the start of each scene. You can always

undo if you don’t like the results.

Menu Tab

Adding Chapter Menu to your Movie

Getting Help with Technology at the University of Hartford

Faculty Center for Learning Development (FCLD)

FCLD provides consulting and instructional support to faculty and staff who are using

technology in teaching and learning. The FCLD Faculty Lab in Mortensen 203a is available for

faculty support and use and is equipped with instructional technology- related equipment

including: PCs, Macs, scanners, and projectors as well as support staff. Faculty wishing to use

the lab may contact FCLD.

Phone: 768-4661 Email: [email protected] Website: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld/

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS Help Desk – Computing Center

For general computer and Internet/network support questions (not directly related to the

classroom but rather passwords, Internet/email problems, Banner, campus Facebook).

Phone: 768-5999 Email: [email protected] Website: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/its/

Media Technology Services (MTS) – Harry Jack Gray Center E113

MTS maintains and installs classroom equipment, such as projectors, Sympodiums, and

interactive white boards, delivers and sets up technology needed for classes such as laptops,

overhead projectors, microphones, sound systems, DVD/VCRs, digital cameras, etc., and

provides instruction on its use. MTS is also responsible for overseeing ECHO360 Lecture

Capture classrooms and administers WebEx web conferencing accounts.

Phone: (860) 768-4643 (Main) or (860) 768-4662 (Tech Line)

Website: www.hartford.edu/mts

mailto:[email protected]

http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/fcld/

mailto:[email protected]

http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/its/

http://www.hartford.edu/mts

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Using Pinnacle 15 - University of Hartford