Nationalsolo

Hi

This is not normally done but you can edit two videos and see both at the same time if you use Split Screen effect. However you will have to split and cut the two tracks and the two audio tracks individually.

• Place video 1 on Track 1
• Place video 2 on Track 2 above Video 1
• Click the FX for Video 1 and choose the Split Screen effect.
• Set the layout as Horizontal 2
• Place Track 1  (Video 1) in Box A
• Repeat for Video 2 and Place Track 2  (Video 2) in Box B

You will now see Both tracks in the Sequence Preview screen side by side.

When editing split individual tracks using the Split option present under the Sequence Preview screen. (Shown above)

Nat

Hi

The double headed arrow is associated with the cursor line. If the cursor line is on the join it is easy to click that in error instead of the handles.

You can also delete a section of a clip that is already on the timeline without using the scissors using that double headed arrow...

• Move the cursor by draggng the red block at its upper end to the start of the unwanted bit or by playing the timeline
• Grab the red cursor line on the line itself....you will now see a double headed horizontal arrow
• Drag the cursor right or left to highlight in blue the unwanted section.
• Right click and select Delete Selected region.
• The unwanted bit is  deleted.
• Use  the Undo arrow on the top tool bar in the event of an error.

Nat

Hi

There should be no  limitation with this effect.

• How are you setting up the rotation?
• Are you using keyframes?
• Do you mean that the rotation is incomplete or you actually have a section of the clip missing in the export?
• Does the preview rotate correctly?    

Nat

Hi

• Create your first text and add any effects.
• Right click the text in the image clip bin and then Copy
• Right click the Clip bin and then Paste Clip(s)  The text with effects will be copied to the clip bin with its effects and text editor will open under the clip preview window.
• Edit the text.....The original will not change

This is the same as Borate's reply  and effectively copies the text and effects within a project. However if you want to be able to save a "template" to use repeatedly in different projects then try this..

• Open VP and create a text and add any effects.
• Save project As. Give it a name like TEXT and save to a dedicated folder on your PC. This will be a vpj file
• Open a new project or load the project you are working on
• Click Menu/File/Import Clips from Another Project
• Navigate to your dedicated folder and load TEXT.vpj
• Your dedicated text with its effects will load to the image clip bin and can be incorporated into your project.

Whether you find this useful or not  (creating copy texts is simple enough) it does answer you question regarding creating a "template"

Nat

Hi Mike

".....- done with Free Videopad Home I assume ....."

No!    The short slideshow example I posted was set up in Photostage   (Unlicensed)  Non-commercial home use only  (The slideshow creator)

Not Videopad. 

Here are  the same slides treated using some of the available effects.....Photostage - (not Videopad)

 

Nat

Hi

I just checked the unlicensed Home version and the export to mp4 ..Seemed to work.  This tiny example with just images took about 5 mins. (Could be matched to the music with a bit more time.even randomise the transitions... 

Hi

I think you will find that there are limitations to the export options but the "free" version ( Unlicensed- Non commercial home use only) is otherwise a pretty full implementation and should be more than enough to to give you a good idea of how it runs. Although on export you may get a warning popup relating to the version being a demo version, it may still be possible to export as an avi or mp4. Close the popup and see what happens.

Nat

Hi

Photostage  is most probably the easiest to use. Whilst allowing you to create a simple slideshow of images consecutively on a single timeline, or image track you can also insert video clips at any point within the slideshow. It's very intuitive. Audio, Narration, Titles, Effects and Transitions are all possible and pretty easy to implement.

Videopad, on the other hand is more complex with multiple tracks that interact and is orientated towards video film creation, as its name implies.  There are many features more specific to film making and editing. It's a steeper learning curve.

At first sight both programs have a similar interface and both can be used to create slideshows..(still image sequences,)  but both can also produce videos. (video clip sequences).  Photostage is simpler. Which you choose depends on your requirements. There are forums for both products where advice from other users can be found. 

Try them both out before deciding. 

Nat

Hi

• Place the image on Track 2. Scale to required size
• generate the test and place  on Track 1
• Use dual displays to monitor the effect.
• Make the durations of the clips the same e.g. 10 - 20 seconds
• Use the Position effect to start text off at bottom of the screen and set a keyframe
• Move to the end of the clip
• Use the Position effect to end the text just off the top of the screen and set a keyframe. Text will now scroll in from bottom and off at the top.
• Do the same for the image clip.
• Both clips will scroll up the screen together........

   

Nat

Hi

It might more simpler to use the Add Text option. (Simple text overlay)  This gives you individual lines of text that you can precisely place relative to the visuals and at the bottom of the screen using the Position effect.

e.g.

Nat

Hi I Using VP 10.56

• Place main video on Track 1
• Place transparent background png logo on Track 2.
• Use Scale effect to reduce it to required size
• Use Position effect to move it to required position. (Using dual displays is useful here) Note order of adding effects.
• Check Sequence preview plays as expected
• Export as mp4 video.

Normally nothing else is required. The png goes on the highest track if you have used several for your video.

Here a "magnifying glass" png is added to bottom right of exported mp4.......as seen in VLC

Nat

Hi

• Set up a blank text.
• Place it on the timeline
• Add the required effect to the text. (Position/Zoom in/out Scale etc.)
• Save the effect as a An effect chain template. (Blue cassette). It will be present in the effects Template section.
• The effect template can be used with any other text.

Nat

HI

OK. Try this...

• Load the raw 10 minute  sequence to VP.
• 10 min = 10 x 60 x 30 images at 30 images per second = 18000 images.
• You need to reduce this to 10 x 60 = 600 images to get  1 frame per second
• This means reducing the duration of your clip to 10 seconds (600 images) ....by increasing the speed.
• Right click the timeline and select Change Clip Speed.
• Left click the Duration value shown and enter 10 followed by Set. The clip will reduce to 10 seconds in duration.
• Ignore the sound change warning......You are after images.
• The Speed percentage will now be around 6000 depending on the exact duration of the raw clip.
• The clip will short and fast
• Export  the timeline as an mp4 at Constant 30 images per second.
• Reload the freshly exported 10 second mp4 back  into VP. 
• Finally Export this mp4  as an Image Sequence.
• The destination folder should now contain your  images taken at 1 second intervals throughout your original raw clip.
• (You may need to check my math......... )

Nat

Hi

Crop or Zoom all your pictures to the same AR (e.g. 16:9) and it shouldn't happen. The frame will be filled by all the images. Anything on upper tracks will totally cover any image on a lower track.

Nat

Hi

Note that every time you load a project, VP gets the data first from the vpj file which refers it to the data held in the cache, so the project loads faster. The vpj file does however hold details of the cache contents and if these are missing it would take time to find and regenerate them.

If the cache was to be automatically emptied every time you stopped work on the project, there would be a delay every time you restarted work whilst VP refilled the cache.

The caveat here is that if you have completed numerous projects that you don't need to go back to, the cache can contain a lot of unnecessary files which can slow things down. 

If you have a project loaded then use OPTIONS | DISK/ Clean Unused Cache Files. as Borate suggests, to remove all these unwanted files leaving just the ones that you have loaded for your current project.

Nat

Hi

Works OK in 10.56  Before and after saving project are identical and Levels effect settings are as they were when the project was saved. No sign of a reset.

If you say that the effect settings have returned to normal when you reload the vpj file   you saved then that is odd. They should still be set as they were when you saved. They should not reset themselves.  Check that you are not re-loading your project from an exported  project.

If you saved the project by exporting it,  the reloaded clip will (of course) show the Levels effect you made but if you then open the effect it will show the graph reflecting the changed  RGB since it is essentially a new image. The Level settings will be back to normal as they would with any new image.

Are you reloading the project from a saved vpj file or a saved (exported) project?   (Just a thought)

Nat

Hi

You can't change the default as Borate says but it's no big deal to simply swipe the "TITLE TEXT" text and then type a new text

But if you really want to always have a blank text available...

• Simply open VP
• Select Add Text   (Simple text)
• Swipe the default shown and delete it
• Now Save project As  Give it a name such as Blank Text Box
• When you want to use a blank text do Menu/File/Import Clips from Another Project
• Now select the Blank Text Box vpj file. You will get a blank text in the clip bin

This doesn't save much time and really is not worth doing in light of just a couple of clicks 

Nat

Hi

It's not Track solo or Hide track control.

Go to Menu/Tools/Options/Display. Ticking the top box in this window should then produce Dual preview displays in the GUI.The left hand window is the Clip Preview The selected clip will display here even if it is not on the timeline. The right hand window will show the Sequence preview at the cursor position. Being able to see both displays at the same time is useful when you want to position text or scaled down images or masks or Zoom areas  or see an effect added to Track 2 when it is superimposed on Track 1

Nat

Hi

If using an overlapping crossfade transition Clip 1 fades out for the selected duration whilst Clip 2 fades in during the overlap. 

If the fade out part of the transition is faulty, (There used to be a bug in an earlier version where Clip 1 faded out incorrectly.)then opaque frames at the end of Clip 1 might flash up.

Check this...

Place a clip on the timeline and follow it by a blank black clip. Add a crossfade to the join between them and see if the end few frames of clip 1 flash up at the end of the fade out or at some point around the join. This might imply that the the fade out part of the transition is faulty as Clip 1 should disappear completely.

As an alternative place Clip 1 on Track 2 with the black blank clip on Track one just overlapping underneath at the end of Clip 1. Add a Fade Out  effect to Clip 1 and check if there are any frames that suddenly show up  at the end of the fade out.

If you want some info re; what the transition process is just ask. Others may come in with suggestions here.

Nat

Hi

".....The new sequence does not contain the text clips as deleting the sequence triggers no "are you sure..." and the clips arrive in the bin from which the 'master'vpj were saved.

Not really into (understanding) sequences and the new sequence seemingly playing no useful part, whats it all about, why are the sequences created and is there a way of stopping them being created?....."

When you Save Project or Save Project As VP creates a vpj file that contains the data required to recreate your project. It's a text file but does not contain any images or clips so is a relatively small file. The data includes clip names and location; details of split  and edit positions; types and durations of any effects and transitions. Everything needed to reconstruct your work, and this includes texts and their details.

Essentially the vpj file is meant to be loaded as a stand alone file. VP will read the data in the file and recreate your project either by loading clips it finds listed from the cache  which are actual images or clip copies, or, if this has been emptied will loads them from the actual PC locations  using data saved in the vpj file.(It will prompt you to find them if you have moved/renamed/deleted them). Since VP is recreating the project in the state it was when you saved your work, it also recreates your work as a sequence which is a copy of the timeline at that point in the edit. All this is normal. VP end up exactly as it was when you saved  the project and that includes Sequence 1

Now. When you earlier saved your project of just useful texts  etc., VP saved a vpj file exactly as normal.  As this is identical to any other project, when you select to Import  it  VP loads the clips and text files (as expected) and, just as if it was a normal project  it creates a Sequence 2 file. However, since VP is Importing  the files and not Loading them it doesn't replace anything you have on the timeline and simply leaves them in the clip bin from where you can use them. The new Sequence 2 file is there as a matter of course. Indeed it might be useful. However it need not be used and can be deleted (or simply left), as the accompanying clips/texts are created separately. 

Nat

Hi

Although not particularly clear from your description, you seem to want to intersperse scenes from one clip into another clip (possibly without losing synch between the sound and video on the main clip.Thus producing cutaway scenes.  If this is the case do this....

• Open Options/Display and set up Show Dual previews (Not imperative  but can help)
• Place the main Video on Video Track 1.   Do nothing else with this track.
• Place the second video on Video track 2
• Right click the Video on Track 2 and if you don't want audio to play select Mute Linked Audio.
• Select Video track 2  so it appears in the Clip Preview window. and play the track (or move the red cursor line ) to the point where you would like this video to appear. 
• Right click the clip on Video Track 2
• Choose the option Split Selected Clips. This will split Video Track 2  at the cursor line
• Move (or play) to the end of the section you want to be visible and split the clip once again.
• Repeat the procedure , splitting the Track at the Start and End of the sections you want to retain.
• Right click each of the unwanted sections one at a time and Delete them
• This will leave sections of Video 2 on Video Track 2  with gaps between them......
•  
• 
•  
• The main Video will play untouched on Video Track 1 but the isolated sections (cutaways) on Video track 2 will play over Track one. 

Nat

Hi

What version of VP are you using? If the video and the sound are linked (and initially in synch) then obviously that shouldn't happen. Deleting a section should leave both of the remaining parts still in synchronisation with their audio. Closing the gap after splitting a track and deleting a section should also retain the synchronization. How are you doing the split?

It should not be necessary to shut down and restart. Any changes you make that seem to result in a fault can be restored by clicking the blue Undo arrows on the top toolbar.

Checkout this post.

https://nch.invisionzone.com/topic/38663-audio-mismatch-to-video/

Nat

Hi

"......How do I change the duration of the clip and maintain or speed up the movement of the water?......"

Simply put, you can't.

You can shorten the clip duration but the motion will speed up. 

You can lengthen the clip duration but the motion will slow down.

The correct answer to this is to film enough in the first place.

That's the bottom line. Borate's solution is the only way. Add the clip to the timeline and then add it again so it follows itself. Trim the end of the first clip so the motion between the clips (if it is cyclic)  is properly synchronized Do this in such a way that the movement over the join is undetectable. (Never easy.)  If you can't get this exact then add a very short crossfade effect. Now trim the end of clip 2 so the whole sequence is the length you require. It will play at normal speed for the duration you require.

Whether or not this is successful will depend to a great extent on the contents of the clip. It's often been used in films where, for example  the incoming tide washes out titles drawn on the sand or when reversed runs back out to reveal titles etc. Obviously a background boat or person in the shot that continually walks or moves forwards and backwards repetitively would rather spoil the effect. If it's just the ocean you may be successful.

Nat

Hi

I'm not clear from your post what you actually did but the Zoom feature is an effect that can be applied to a clip or image that has been placed on the timeline for editing.

To Zoom into a clip will require at least two keyframes. As an example of how this is done.....

• Place your image or clip on the timeline.
• Left Click the box marked FX  that is at the start of the clip. This opens a list of effects.
• Select the Zoom effect. This will open the Zoom effect parameter window. A rectangle showing the area which will be zoomed will appear on the preview display. To the right of effect pane there is a graph display..
• 
• Select the Aspect Ration 16:9 which will keep the zoom result full screen. (leaving it as is will start from the full screen)
• For a zoomed in start, adjust the rectangle with the handles to enclose your starting zoom area.
• Click the green cross with the red line above the graph area to set the first keyframe. (Zoom Start)
• Slide the red cursor line to the far right of the graph (End of clip)
• Readjust the rectangle if required to outline end zoom area. (Zoom end)
• Click the small green + again to set another keyframe.
• Play the timeline. The clip should now zoom in (or out) between keyframe 1 and keyframe 2.

There are several controls and AR values you might want to try connected to the Zoom effect which will allow the image to pan or scale and any number of keyframes can be set for more complex zoom effects. There is also a Pan and Zoom effect which combines several movements. Experiment to find what works for you. The instructions here are for a simple zoom.

Nat

Hi

In version 10.43 and earlier....even if the Apply to all clips option is not found or doesn't highlight......

If you have a series of consecutive clips that you want to apply the effect to...

• Hold down the Shift key
• Right Click (select) the first clip on the timeline to which you want to apply the effect.
• Click the last clip on the timeline to which you want to apply the effect. Everything between the two clips will highlight.
• Click the FX box on the last clip
• Apply the effect. All the highlighted clips will receive the effect.

The reason for clicking the FX box on the last clip is that all selected clips to the left are treated. So, for example, if you click the FX for the first clip, only the first clip will be treated.

If the clips requiring the effect are not consecutive do this...

• Hold down the Ctrl key
• Right Click (select) the clips requiring the effect. Only the selected clips will highlight.
• Click the FX box for the last clip
• Apply the effect. All the selected clips fill receive the effect.

You can check out which of these is working for you with an effect like Black and White which is quick to apply. Use the Undo arrow on the top toolbar to recheck the steps if you go wrong..

Nat