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3ContentsProlog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12................. 1

Creating professional videos at highspeed & creative editing .........2MultiCam Designer ..........................................................................................2Theme Designer ................................................................................................3Motion Blur Effect .............................................................................................3Fastest Video Editing Software ....................................................................4Benchmark ...........................................................................................................4Complete Editing Tools ...................................................................................5Advanced Timeline Feature & Hotkey Customization .........................5Content Aware Editing ...................................................................................6Quality beyond HD 4K Ultra HD ................................................................6Stunning 3D video creations .........................................................................7400+ Built-in Effects, Transitions, Templates, Titles and PiPs ............7New Video Effects .............................................................................................8Extra Premium Content ..................................................................................8TrueTheater Technology ..............................................................................9High-Quality Production .................................................................................9PowerDirector Mobile ................................................................................... 10Integrated Editing .......................................................................................... 10

Quick Start Tips .................................. 111-1 Creating a Slideshow ................................................................................... 12

1-2 Creating a Video Clip with the Easy Editor .......................................... 21

1-3 The Theme Designer ................................................................................... 27

Contents

Basic Features..................................... 512-1 Timeline Introduction ................................................................................. 52 4

2-1-1 The Editing Workspace ...................................................................... 532-1-2 Track Behavior ...................................................................................... 592-1-3 Timeline Markers ................................................................................. 632-1-4 Removing Gaps .................................................................................... 662-1-5 Inserting/Overwriting Clips ............................................................. 692-1-6 Customizing hotkeys ......................................................................... 70

2-2 Basic Editing Techniques ........................................................................... 732-2-1 Importing Media .................................................................................. 732-2-2 Importing 3D Media ........................................................................... 742-2-3 Combining Projects ............................................................................ 762-2-4 Content Aware Editing ...................................................................... 772-2-5 Trimming Clips ..................................................................................... 842-2-6 Splitting Clips ........................................................................................ 882-2-7 Combining Clips ................................................................................. 902-2-8 Previewing a Video Clip .................................................................... 912-2-9 Previewing 3D Video Clips ............................................................... 932-2-10 Converting 2D Clips into 3D Clips ............................................... 952-2-11 Backing up Projects (Exporting Projects) ................................. 97

2-3 Adding Title Effects ...................................................................................... 992-3-1 Modifying 2D Text Properties .......................................................1002-3-2 Modifying 3D-Like Text Properties .............................................1132-3-3 Uploading Title Templates to DirectorZone ............................1172-3-4 Downloading Title Templates from DirectorZone ................120

2-4 Adding Subtitles ..........................................................................................1232-4-1 Manually Adding Subtitles .............................................................1232-4-2 Changing the Subtitle Text Format ............................................1272-4-3 Exporting Subtitle Text as an SRT file .........................................1292-4-4 Importing Subtitles ...........................................................................1302-4-5 Selecting a Subtitle Type ................................................................133

2-5 Adding Transitions .....................................................................................1352-5-1 Adding Transitions ............................................................................1352-5-2 Four Types of Transitions ...............................................................1372-5-3 Applying Random Transitions ......................................................139

2-5-4 Quickly Applying Your Favorite Transitions ............................140

2-6 Using the Effect Room ..............................................................................1435

2-6-1 Adding Effects to the Effect Track ...............................................1432-6-2 Adding Effects to Media Clips .......................................................1452-6-3 An Overview of the Effect Track ...................................................1472-6-4 Using Keyframes to Customize Effects .....................................149

2-7 Adding Particle Effects ..............................................................................1532-7-1 Adding Particle Effects ....................................................................1532-7-2 Modifying Particle Effects ..............................................................1552-7-3 Customizing the Motion Path of Particle Objects ................160

2-8 PiP Objects Room .......................................................................................1632-8-1 Basic Editing Techniques for Customizing Media Clips that Overlap Each Other .....................................................................................1642-8-2 Applying PiP Objects ........................................................................1682-8-3 Customizing the Motion Path .......................................................1712-8-4 Using Chroma Key to Reveal Background Media .................1732-8-5 Adding PiP Effect Masks ..................................................................1762-8-6 The Paint Designer ............................................................................177

2-9 Editing Photos ..............................................................................................1832-9-1 Converting 2D Images to 3D .........................................................1842-9-2 Cropping Images ...............................................................................1862-9-3 Fixing and Enhancing Images .......................................................1882-9-4 Creating Slideshows ........................................................................1902-9-5 Magic Motion ......................................................................................196

2-10 Editing Audio .............................................................................................2012-10-1 Extracting Audio ..............................................................................2012-10-2 Unlinking Video and Audio .........................................................2032-10-3 Muting Video Clips .........................................................................2052-10-4 Mixing Audio ....................................................................................2072-10-5 Music Beat Detection ....................................................................2112-10-6 WaveEditor .......................................................................................215

2-11 Outputting and Uploading Video Productions .............................2192-11-1 Outputting as a 2D Video File ....................................................2192-11-2 Outputting as a 3D Video File ....................................................2212-11-3 Uploading to Facebook ................................................................224

Contents

2-11-4 Uploading to YouTube .................................................................2272-11-5 Uploading to Dailymotion ...........................................................231 6

2-11-6 Uploading to Vimeo .......................................................................2342-11-7 Uploading to Niconico Douga ...................................................239

2-12 Burning Your Production to a Disc ....................................................2412-12-1 Importing Additional Disc Content ..........................................2412-12-2 Adding Chapters .............................................................................2422-12-3 Customizing the Menu Structure .............................................2452-12-4 Selecting a Disc Menu ..................................................................2462-12-5 Customizing Menu Templates ..................................................2482-12-6 Burning a Disc in 2D ......................................................................2522-12-7 Burning a Disc in 3D ......................................................................254

Creating Thematic Productions......... 257Theme 1: My romantic trip to Kyoto - Producing a video creation with easy and quick steps ..............................................................258

3-1-1 Using the Magic Movie Wizard .....................................................2583-1-2 Setting background music .............................................................2603-1-3 Adding sequences to themes in the Theme Designer ........2623-1-4 Importing more media ....................................................................2653-1-5 Trimming video clips ........................................................................2673-1-6 Adding transitions ............................................................................2703-1-7 Applying effects to videos .............................................................2713-1-8 Adding captions with title effects ...............................................2743-1-9 Using a color board as the background image ......................2793-1-10 Outputting in MPEG-4 format ....................................................2843-1-11 Transferring your video production to a tablet ...................286

Theme 1: My romantic trip to Kyoto becomes a video blog - Ways you can add the look of professionalism to your video ...........289

3-2-1 Increasing the speed of your video ............................................2893-2-2 Splitting a video .................................................................................2913-2-3 Making multiple video clips the same length .........................2923-2-4 Fixing shaky videos ...........................................................................2933-2-5 ColorDirector - Enhancing the color in a video ......................2943-2-6 ColorDirector - Removing unwanted video noise .................298

3-2-8 Quickly applying a single transition ...........................................3043-2-9 AudioDirector - Adjusting the video volume and 7

using the fade effects ..................................................................................3063-2-10 Normalizing the volume of multiple video clips .................310

Theme 2: A tribute to music Using multiple cameras to get all the angles ........................................................................................................313

3-3-1 Extracting the audio from a video clip ......................................3143-3-2 The MultiCam Designer ..................................................................3163-3-3 Capturing video content from different camera sources ...3193-3-4 Changing the edited video content ...........................................3223-3-5 Trimming off unwanted video segments .................................3233-3-6 The fade in effect ...............................................................................3253-3-7 The NewBlue Effects .........................................................................327

ColorDirector & AudioDirector.......... 3314-1 Introducing the Features of ColorDirector ........................................332

4-1-1 Starting ColorDirector .....................................................................3324-1-2 Adjusting the Color of a Video .....................................................3344-1-3 Adjusting Regional Color Using Regional Adjustment Tools .........................................................................................3364-1-4 Gradient Mask .....................................................................................3384-1-5 Motion Tracking Mask .....................................................................3404-1-6 Outputting a Video Production ...................................................3454-1-7 Presets ...................................................................................................3464-1-8 Applying HDR Effects .......................................................................348

4-2 AudioDirector ...............................................................................................3514-2-1 Importing Audio Files ......................................................................3514-2-2 Applying Fades to Audio ................................................................3534-2-3 Using Dynamic Range Control .....................................................3564-2-4 Outputting Audio Files ....................................................................3594-2-5 Removing Unwanted High Frequency Noise Using Visual Repair .......................................................................................3624-2-6 Mixing Multiple Songs .....................................................................3644-2-7 Recording your Narration ...............................................................3674-2-8 The Surround Sound Panner .........................................................369

Contents

4-2-9 Hum Removal .....................................................................................3714-2-10 Smart Transition for Audio Clips ................................................375 8

Prolog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12

PrologCreating professional videos at highspeed & creative editing

MultiCam Designer supports sync editing from up to 4 video sources

Theme Designer Creates professional looking 3D motion slideshows

Motion Blur Effect applies a blur effect on moving PiP media and text to create a sense of speed

Powerful Editing Tools provides up to 100 editing tracks and 100+ editing tools

Stylish New Effects & Presets 300+ built-in effects, transitions, and PiP templates

64-bit TrueVelocity 4 Engine optimizes the 4th Generation Intel Core processor (Haswell); 40% faster H.264 encoding

End-to-end 4K & 3D editing & production

MultiCam Designer

The MultiCam Designer lets you import footage from up to 4 cameras, synchronize the clips using the audio or time codes, and edit them simultaneously. 2

Prolog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12Theme Designer

Add media clips to sequences to easily create dramatic and professional-looking slideshows with 30+ theme templates. You can launch the Theme Designer on its own, or import your production from the Magic Movie Wizard for further editing.

Motion Blur Effect

Apply the motion blur effect to your PiP media or text to make motion appear smoother and more authentic. The length and strength of the effect can be manually customized.3

PrologFastest Video Editing Software

New 64-bit TrueVelocity 4 Engine with Multi-GPGPU acceleration and OpenCL support

40% faster H.264 encoding Optimized for Intel 4th Generation CoreTM Technology (Haswell), 3x faster with

AVX2 technology

Benchmark 4

Prolog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12Complete Editing Tools

Complete Editing Tools 100+ editing tools, including chroma-key ,

hand drawn animations, time lapse slideshows and more

Precise Keyframe Control precisely control effects and PiP transformations

Easy Editing Modes use the Easy Editor, MagicStyle and Slideshow Creator for instant video creation

Advanced Timeline Feature & Hotkey Customization

Copy/Paste keyframe attributes

Ripple editing

- Crossfade : quickly apply fade transition for two overlapping media clips Customizable hotkeys5

PrologContent Aware Editing

Smartly analyzes lengthy footage and finds both the important and imperfect shots. Uses TrueTheater technology to enhance the bad parts" automatically, and helps you quickly edit the footage so you can use it in your video timeline.

Quality beyond HD 4K Ultra HD

End-to-end 4K video editing solution 4x better resolution compared to Full HD Supports the import & edit of 4K videos Outputs video productions with 4K resolution 6

Prolog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12Stunning 3D video creations

Complete 3D editing solution Supports 3D videos/photos and converts 2D content to 3D Includes 3D transitions, particle effects, and titles Produces 3D side-by-side Blu-ray, DVD, and AVCHD discs, and

can share creations on YouTube 3D

400+ Built-in Effects, Transitions, Templates, Titles and PiPs

3D Title Designs

3D Animated Disc Menu

3D Slideshow Templates

3D Transitions 3D Particle Effects

138 Video Effects 31 MagicStyle Themes

110 Transition Effects 115 Title Templates

67 Particle Effects 64 PiP Objects7

PrologNew Video Effects

Extra Premium Content

Over $400-value in premium content!

- NewBlueFX Video Essential 2 & 3 - CyberLink Creative Design Packs: Holiday Pack 4, Travel Pack 2, Romance Pack 3

Only in Director Suite, PowerDirector Ultimate, & Ultimate

Lens Flare Tilt-shift

Water Reflection Magnifier

Bonus Effects & Templates - Over $400 in Total Value 8

Prolog - Introduction to the New and Main Features of CyberLink PowerDirector 12TrueTheater Technology Fix & Enhance Video to the Best Quality

High-Quality Production

Blu-ray, AVCHD 2.0, and DVD discs 4K Ultra HD videos and photo slideshows 3D movie discs, video files, or sharing on YouTube Converting video formats for multiple devices Sharing directly on YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, DailyMotion, and Niconico Douga

TrueTheater HD

Upscales SD video to HD

TrueTheater Stabilizer

Fixes shaky footage automatically

TrueTheater Lighting

Improves lighting, fixes white balance and back lighting issues

TrueTheater De-noise

Removes video noise9

PrologPowerDirector MobileDesigned for Windows 8 Modern UI

Produce video on Windows 8 tablet in 5 easy steps Easy-edit and trimming tools that let you arrange videos and photos in storyboard

view Instantly apply MagicStyle templates to create videos in minutes Share instantly on Facebook and YouTube Exclusive for Director Suite & PowerDirector Ultimate Suite/Ultimate/Ultra

Integrated Editing Facing the trend of dockable tablets, CyberLink PowerDirector now comes in both

PC and mobile version. Both versions are fully integrated. You can import your project from the mobile

version to the PC version and continue editing. 10

Chapter 1:

Quick Start Tips

Chapter 11-1 Creating a SlideshowCyberLink PowerDirector 12 provides two tools that can help you edit your media quickly: the Easy Editor and Slideshow Creator. We'll start with the Slideshow Creator. After importing your photos, in just four steps, you can turn your photos into an impressive slideshow using background music and a stylish template.

Start CyberLink PowerDirector 12, and then select Slideshow Creator.

Note: Set the video aspect ratio based on the device you will view the outputted slideshow on. Select "16:9" if the slideshow will be viewed on a wide-screen TV, or "4:3" for monitors with the aspect ratio of 4:3.

1. Source

1. Click the button and then select Import an Image Folder. 12

Quick Start Tips2. Select the image folder that contains the photos you want to import and then click Select Folder.

Extra Information: You can import media by importing the individual media files or the whole media folder. When you choose to import media files, you will see the image files in a folder. When you choose to import a media folder, you won't see its image files. Simply select the folder to be imported and all of the photos (image files) inside it will be imported.13

Chapter 13. The media is imported. Click Next.

Extra Information: To remove unwated photos, click on the trash bin button in the bottom right corner.

2. Style & Music1. Select a desired slideshow

template and then click

to select some background music.

Extra Information: Some slideshow templates show only one photo at a time while others show multiple photos. You can choose the template based on how many photos there are in your slideshow and how you want to present them.

2. Select the music file you want to use as background music, and then click Open. 14

Quick Start Tips3. Click on Music preferences to change the background musics settings.

4. Use the slides to set the segment of the background music you want to use, and then click OK.

Extra Information: You can use the sliders to set the starting and the ending points of the background music, if you dont want to use the entire duration of the song.

Tip: Slideshow preferences allow you to set how the photos display with the background music. If you want to play the entire background music, please select "fit photos to music." This way your slideshow will end when the music stops.15

Chapter 15. Click on Next.

3. Preview1. Click on Play to preview

the slideshow content.

2. Click on Customize to adjust the cropped area of photos in the hightlight template.

3. Select the photo to be edited in the slide area, and then click Edit foreground photo.

Extra Information: The editing area on the right allows you to adjust the cropped area. The preview area on the left will instantly show the adjusted result. 16

Quick Start Tips4. Move and adjust the cropped area.

5. Click on Edit background photo to adjust the displayed area of the photo.

6. You can continue editing other slides. When done editing, click on OK.17

Chapter 17. Preview the slideshow and then click Next.

4. Production1. Click on Produce Video.

Extra Information: There are three ways to output your slideshow file:- Produce video: output your slideshow as a video file.- Create disc: burn your slideshow to a disc.- Advanced editing: go to the Ediit module of PowerDirector to edit the slideshow further.

2. Select the H.264 AVC file format and the Full HD quality.

3. Click on the button to select a different output folder.

Extra Information: You can use any desired output file format and quality. 18

Quick Start Tips4. Select the Desktop as the output folder, and then click Save.

5. Click to start producing your video.

6. Your video is being processed.

7. Once the production is complete, the outputted slideshow video will appear on your computers desktop. 19

Chapter 1 20

Quick Start Tips1-2 Creating a Video Clip with the Easy EditorThe difference between the Easy Editor and the Slideshow Creator is that the Easy Editor allows you to use both video clips and photos in your productions, while the Slideshow Creator is only for creating slideshows with photos. There are just five steps required to create videos in the Easy Editor.

Start CyberLink PowerDirector 12, and then select Easy Editor.

1. Source

1. Click on and then select Import a Media Folder.21

Chapter 12. Select a media folder, and then click Select Folder.

Extra Information: You can import both video clips and photos in the Easy Editor.

3. Select some media to remove, and then click

.

4. Click Next. 22

Quick Start Tips2. StyleSelect one of the Magic Style templates, and then click Next.

Tip: You can click on to download more Magic Style templates from DirectorZone.

3. Adjustment

1. Click on the button to add some background music.

2. Select the desired music file, and then click Open.23

Chapter 13. Move the Mix audio level between music and the video's audio slider towards More music.

4. Set the output duration to 00:00:59:29.

5. Click Next.

Extra Information: Mix audio level between music and the video's audio allows you to control the audio in the video production. You can choose to make the background music louder and the video's audio, or the other way around. You can also set the desired length of the outputted video length by entering a duration.

4. Preview1. Your video is being

created. 24

Quick Start Tips2. Click Play to preview the created video production.

3. Click Next.

5. Production1. Select Create Disc.25

Chapter 12. Customize the discs menu, and then burn your production to a disc.

Extra Information: For the information on creating disc menus and burning discs, please refer to chapter 2-12. 26

Quick Start Tips1-3 The Theme DesignerCyberLink PowerDirector 12 includes a new plug-in called the Theme Designer. The Theme Designer is similar to the Easy Editor, except you have full creative control on the templates used to create your video production. It lets you customize the themes used on your photos and videos, to create a unique video production complete with motion effects. You can even mix themes and styles together, to create your own unique video production.

Importing your media

Start by importing your media files into CyberLink PowerDirector 12.

1. Launch CyberLink PowerDirector 12, and then select Full Feature Editor.

2. Right click in the media library, and then select Empty the Library.27

Chapter 1Choosing a theme template

Each theme template has its own predesigned style, and is comprised of a number of sequences. There are three types of sequences: opening, middle, and closing sequences. You can choose to use all the sequences in a theme template, just the sequences you need, or mix the sequences from different theme templates.

3. Click on the button to Import a media folder.

4. Select the folder to be imported and then click Select Folder.

1. Click on and then select Theme Designer. 28

Quick Start Tips2. Select the Notebook (with transition) template, and then click OK.

3. Click on button and then select Auto Fill by Library Order.

Extra Information: You can import additional media into the Theme Designer.

4. Click OK.

Extra Information: If the media that was imported into the Theme Designer exceeds the media slots available in the theme template, this message will display to inform you that no more media can be added to the template.

29

Chapter 1Knowledge Base: There are two ways to preview a movie production:

Preview entire movie: preview the movie from start to the end.Preview the current sequence: only preview the selected sequence.

5. Click to preview the entire created movie production. 30

Quick Start TipsApplying background music

Every theme template includes background music. If Default (First Page) is selected in the Background music drop-down, the first sequences background music will be used in your entire production. If you select Imported, you can import your own custom background music.

1. Select Imported under Background music.

2. Select your desired background music file, and then click Open.31

Chapter 13. Select Preferences.

4. Set the duration of the background music, and then click OK.

5. Click OK to close the Theme Designer. 32

Quick Start TipsChoosing sequences

Theme templates consist of a number of sequences. There are three types of sequences: opening, middle, and closing sequences. Each of these sequences contain elements, some of which are customizable and some of which are not.

Tip: You can double click on the video clip on the timeline that was created in the Theme Designer. Doing this will reopen the Theme Designer, where you can continue editing the video production.

1. Click on and then select Theme Designer.33

Chapter 12. Group by Sequence type.3. Select Opening to

displays all the opening sequences available.

4. Select all of the opening sequences you want to use.

5. Select Middle and then select some sequences. 34

Quick Start TipsTip: You can double click on a sequence to preview it. Click

to stop the preview window.

6. Next, select the closing sequences you like.

Extra Information: Whether you select opening, middle or closing sequences, you can always select and use one or more sequences.

7. When you finish selecting the sequences, click OK.35

Chapter 1

Adding more sequences

You can add more sequences to the theme template, or remove unwanted ones during the edit process.

1. To add more sequences,

click on the button.

2. Select the sequences you want to add, and then click OK. 36

Quick Start TipsAdjust the order of the sequences

1. Click and drag a sequence to the right.

2. The sequence order was adjusted.37

Chapter 1Knowledge Base: After selecting your sequences, you can add photos and videos to them based on the sequence designs. In the sequence content area, you will see the kind of media you can add to each media slot.

allows both photos or videos

allows photos onlyYou can still add a video clip to a slot that only allows photos. However, just the a single frame of the video will be displayed.Below is what happens when photos or videos are added to the media slots.

(Allows for photos and videos)

When you add a video to it, you can silence and trim the video.

When you add a photo to it, you can adjust the duration it displays.(Allows for photos only)

When you add a video to it, you set the frame of the video that will be displayed as a photo.

When you add a photo to it, you can adjust the duration it displays.

3. Right click on a sequence and then select Remove selected template. You can also simply press the Delete key on your keyboard. 38

Quick Start TipsNote: If a media slot contains a media file, but doesn't show any buttons, that means it can only display the media file during a transition. Media files displayed duration a transition cannot be customized.

Manually adding media files

1. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and then select multiple photos or videos.

2. Click on and select Auto fill by library order.39

Chapter 13. After adding the media files into all the available

media slots, click on to preview the current selected sequence.

Tip: To remove a media file from a media slot, right click on it and then select Remove selected clip. You can also press the Delete key on your keyboard. 40

Quick Start TipsTrimming a video clip

You don't need to trim the video clips before importing them. You can trim them within the Theme Designer.

Knowledge Base: If you select Continue from last clip in the previous sequence, the last media clip of the previous sequence will transition into the first clip of the next sequence.

1. Switch the media type to Video.41

Chapter 12. Click and drag a video clip into a media slot.

3. Right click on the video thumbnail and then select Trim.

Tip: You can also click on the

button on the thumbnail to trim the video.

Extra Information: You can

select to mute the video clip in your production if required.

4. Move the timeline slider to the preferred trim position, and then click on

to set the starting point. 42

Quick Start TipsKnowledge Base: Depending on the design of the sequences, some media slots may have limitations on the duration of the video clips.

5. Move the timeline slider to the preferred trim position, and then click on

to set the ending point.

6. Click OK to finish trimming the video clip.

Tip: You can set the starting point first, and then enter your desired duration to set the total length of the video. 43

Chapter 1

Effects

Effects can be applied to photos or videos to further enrich your video.

1. Add a photo to a sequence.

2. Switch to the Effects tab, and then click and drag the Chinese Painting 2 effect onto the thumbnail.

Extra Information: Effects can be applied to both photos and videos. 44

Quick Start Tips3. You can click on the button to modify the effects settings.

Extra Information: Media clips in that have effects appled to them will have a button in the buttom right corner of their thumbnail.

4. You can adjust the effect parameters in the setting window.

Extra Information: To remove the effect from the media clip,

click on .45

Chapter 1Changing the background image

Some sequences have background images that can be changed. When you click on a sequence, if you see the Background section on the right of the Theme Designer window, that means you can change its background image.

Knowledge Base: You can apply multiple effects to one media clip. Just click and drag each effect you want to use onto the media clip thumbnail.

In the effect settings window, you will see a list of all the applied effects. When you select any of them, their parameters will be shown on the right side.

Use and to adjust the order the effects are applied to the media clip.

1. Click on to change the background image. 46

Quick Start Tips2. Select a different background image and then click Open.

3. You can preview the new background image.

Extra Information: To delete the background image, click on

the button.47

Chapter 1

Transition Settings

In addition to connecting sequences with media clips, you can also click on the button to set transitions used between sequences.

1. Click on to add transitions.

2. Select Binary 1 and then click OK. 48

Quick Start TipsExtra Information: Some transitions allow you to customize their parameters. If available,

these paramters will be displayed on the right.

Title setting

If a sequence supports titles, the Title settings section will display on the right.

3. You can preview the transition used between sequences.

Enter text in the Text 1 and Text 2 fields.49

Chapter 1 50

Chapter 2:

Basic Features

Chapter 22-1 Timeline Introduction"You need to know how to use the tools you have" as the saying goes, and for this reason, you should get familiar with the workspace before you start creating video productions using CyberLink PowerDirector 12. The following outlines how to get the most out of the editing workspace.

When you launch CyberLink PowerDirector 12, select Full Feature Editor to enter the classic mode of CyberLink PowerDirector. This is where all of the program's features are available to you. 52

Basic Features2-1-1 The Editing Workspace

The editing workspace has two different views: the Timeline and Storyboard views.

Timeline view: this is for more advanced video editing.

Storyboard view: this view displays thumbnails of the media files (images and videos) in your video. You must switch back to the Timeline view to use other features, such as adding audio, title effects, transitions, etc.

Knowledge Base: A media clip's length is displayed as four sets of numbers: 00;00;00;00 (hour; minute; second; frame). For example, 00;01;05;10 means 1 minute, 5 seconds, and 10 frames. Standard (NTSC) video recorded by most camcorders display 29.97 frames in a second (PAL camcorders display 25 frames). One second is generally considered to contain 30 frames of video. However some newer camcorders can record up to 50 or 60 frames per second. You can set the TV format and frame rate of your production by selecting the Timeline frame rate in General preferences.

You can resize the timeline to get a better view of the media on a specific track or if you want view your entire project.

Viewing Modes

Resizing the Timeline53

Chapter 2

Manually Resizing the Timeline

Move the mouse to the timeline ruler. When the cursor becomes the icon, drag the

cursor to the left to zoom out. Drag the cursor to the right to zoom in on the timeline.

View Entire Project

You can use the View Entire Movie option to view your entire video production at once. Please note this does not change the duration of the individual media files or your project.

To view your entire project, just right click the mouse on the timeline ruler and then select View Entire Movie in the pop-up menu. 54

Basic FeaturesTip: You can also click and drag the slider in the lower left corner to resize the timeline, or

click to quickly view the entire movie production.

CyberLink PowerDirector 12 allows you to add up to 100 video tracks (and corresponding audio tracks) to the timeline. You can then adjust the timeline height if you have a large number of tracks in the editing workspace.

Setting Track HeightThe timeline workspace has three default track heights: small, medium, and large.

You can set the desired track height by right clicking the mouse anywhere on the timeline and then selecting the Adjust Video Track Height or Adjust Audio Track Height in the pop-up menu.

Setting Timeline Height

Small Medium Large55

Chapter 2

Manually Adjusting a Track's HeightMove the mouse to the border of the track you want to adjust. When an up/down arrow cursor is displayed, drag the cursor up or down to either expand or reduce the height of the individual timeline track.

Manually Adjusting the Editing Workspace's HeightYou can also adjust the height of the whole editing workspace. To do this, move the mouse to the top border of the editing workspace. When an up/down arrow cursor is displayed, drag the cursor up to expand the height of the workspace. 56

Basic FeaturesOnce the height of the editing workspace is expanded, you can view multiple tracks at once.

Undocking the Preview WindowThe preview window can be undocked from the editing workspace. If you have dual monitors, this feature is useful when editing and previewing your production. Click the

button to undock the preview window. 57

Chapter 2Click on to re-dock the preview window. 58

Basic Features2-1-2 Track BehaviorThe editing workspace contains six default tracks: editing track 1, effect track, editing track 2, title track, voice track, and music track. The editing track contains a video track and an audio track. You can choose to add only the video or audio track when adding additional tracks.

Click to add additional video tracks and/or audio tracks in the Track Manager.

Adding Tracks59

Chapter 2Tip: You can also right click on the timeline and select Add Tracks. To remove unwanted tracks that don't contain any media, just right click and select Remove Empty Tracks.

Knowledge Base: You can add particle objects, title objects, and PiP objects to a video track to bring more creativity into your production.

You can manually arrange the order of the tracks in the timeline, setting what media displays on top of the other media. The media on the track with the highest number displays on top of the other media, overlapping the other corresponding media in the preview window.

Moving a track 60

Basic Features1. Change the order by dragging editing track 3 up.

2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag it above the effect track.

3. After you release the mouse button, editing track 3 becomes editing track 2, and the order of all the tracks are rearranged.61

Chapter 2When you are editing lots of media on multiple tracks, you can use the lock/unlock and enable/disable buttons to lock or hide tracks that contain edited content.

Right click on a track and then select Enable All Tracks so that all the media content on the timeline tracks can be displayed in the preview window. If Enable the Selected Track Only is selected, only the content on the selected track will be displayed.

Locking/Unlocking Tracks 62

Basic Features2-1-3 Timeline MarkersYou can add timeline markers to the timeline ruler for more precise media clip placement on the timeline. Media clips snap to the timeline markers the same way they snap to grid lines in the preview window.

1. Right click the mouse on the timeline ruler and then select Add Timeline Marker.

2. You may input a Note for the new timeline marker and then click OK.

Adding Timeline Markers63

Chapter 2

3. The new timeline marker is added.

4. When you move media clips to the position of a timeline marker, a line appears, allowing your media to snap to it. 64

Basic FeaturesExtra Information: You can drag a timeline marker to a different position, if necessary. You can also right click on a timeline marker to remove or rename the marker, and to view more options.65

Chapter 22-1-4 Removing GapsWhile you are adding media clips to the workspace, sometimes media clips are not placed side by side on the timeline, resulting in moments with a black screen in your production. Here's how to solve this issue.

Right click on the unwanted gap and then choose a way to remove it.

Case 1: If you want the media on all the tracks to move after a gap is removed, do this:

1. Select Remove and Move All Timeline Clips After Removed Clip. 66

Basic Features2. All the media below will move to the left.67

Chapter 2

Case 2: If you want all the media on the other tracks to remain in the same place after a gap is removed, do this:

1. Select Remove and Move Clips on the Same Track.

2. After the gap is removed, only the media clips on the same track moves. All the other media clips stay where they were. 68

Basic Features2-1-5 Inserting/Overwriting ClipsWhen you add a new clip to the timeline, you can choose to insert it or overwrite other existing clips on the timeline.69

Chapter 22-1-6 Customizing hotkeysYou may customize the program hotkeys of PowerDirector, so you can perform editing tasks much quicker.

1. Select Edit > Keyboard Hotkeys > Customize from the menu.

2. Browse to and find the hotkey command that you want to customize.3. Click in the Hotkeys column next to the command you want to customize.4. Press the hotkey combination on your computer's keyboard that you want to use/

replace the existing hotkey with and then click OK. 70

Basic Features5. Enter a name for the hotkey set and click OK.

6. You can save different hotkey sets and apply them according to your needs.

Note: If the keyboard hotkey you specify is already in use in the program, you will be asked if you want to remove it from the existing command to use in the new specified command. The replaced command will no longer have a keyboard hotkey associated to it.71

Chapter 2 72

Basic Features2-2 Basic Editing TechniquesOnce you have your video clips, audio files, and images in the editing workspace/timeline you can start editing them. Editing is a broad term that encompasses a number of different functions, including splitting, trimming, and much more.

2-2-1 Importing MediaYou have to import media files into CyberLink PowerDirector before you van editing them. There are two ways to import your media: Import Media Files and Import a Media Folder.

The Import Media Files option allows you to import media files individually, while the Import a Media Folder option allows you to import all the media files contained in a specific folder.

Importing Media Files

1. Click > select Import a Media Folder.

2. Browse to the folder you want to import and then click Select Folder to continue.73

Chapter 2Extra Information: It is recommended that you place all the media files you want to use in your production in a single folder so that you can quickly locate and keep track of it. A CyberLink PowerDirector project file does not include the actual media you are using for your production, so if you want to use any files/folders that are on a disc or a flash drive, it is recommended that you copy these files to your local hard drive first.

2-2-2 Importing 3D MediaWhen you import 3D video clips into the program, they may display two images (the left and the right eye frames) in the preview window. If this is the case, you must first set the 3D source format for the 3D media before you begin editing your production. 74

Basic Features1. Right click on the thumbnail of the media clip and then select Set 3D Source Format.

2. If you are not sure what the source format is, click Auto Detect 3D Source Format and then on OK to continue.

3. The two images are combined into one in the preview window.75

Chapter 22-2-3 Combining ProjectsYou can combine multiple CyberLink PowerDirector projects you worked on and saved previously into one project using the Insert Project feature.

1. After you open a project, select File>Insert Project from the menu.

2. Select the project you want to insert in to the current production, and then click Open.

3. The project is inserted.

Note: To insert the project exactly where you want in your production, move the timeline slider to a preferred position and then select File > Insert Project. 76

Basic Features2-2-4 Content Aware EditingCyberLink PowerDirector 12 offers a quick and useful way to edit your video clips: Content Aware Editing. It combines the fix and enhance features of Magic Fix and the editing features of Magic Cut into one convenient editor. Content Aware Editing automatically identifies and fixes possible flaws in a video clip, or the "bad parts". It also marks the parts when the camera pans, detects people's faces, and more, providing a faster and clearer picture of the video content you are editing.

There are two ways to start Content Aware Editing. The first is to right click on a video clip on the timeline and then select Edit Using Content Aware Editing.

Using Content Aware Editing77

Chapter 2

The second way is to click the icon below a video clip in the media library to launch

the Content Aware Editing window.

This feature allows you to mark the beginning and the end of a segment of a video, marking it for later use.

1. Move the timeline slider to a desired position and click on the button to mark

the beginning of a segment.

Marking a selected video segment 78

Basic Features2. Move the timeline slider to a desired position and then click on the button to

mark the end of a segment.

3. Click on the Selected button. The selected segment of a video will be displayed in the upper right panel.

You may use the same method to mark more video segments.

If a video clip contains camera shaking or the video that is too dark, Content Aware Editing will automatically detect these problems and give you the option to instantly fix them.

Auto fixing the flaws in a video clip79

Chapter 2

Click on the button to Auto fix all segments in a video clip.

Or right click on a detected problem and then select Apply Fix to Entire Scene. 80

Basic FeaturesYou can compare the video segments before and after fixing in a pop-up window and then click OK.

In the panel for the selected video segments, you can click on to preview all the

selected video content.

Playing all selected content81

Chapter 2Select any segments you want to remove, and then click on to remove them.

This feature, similar to an inverse selection, allows you to select all the unselected segments. When you have a long video clip and most of it is marked for selection, you can use it to speed up the selection process.

1. Set a segment as deselected (meaning it will be trimmed out) and then click on .

Removing selected segments

Selecting all, except the deselected content 82

Basic Features2. Click on Yes.

3. The rest of the video is now marked as selected. Click OK.

4. The editing is complete.83

Chapter 22-2-5 Trimming ClipsThere are two ways to trim a video clip, using Single Trim or Multi Trim.

Select a video clip and then click on the Trim button.

The single trim function allows you trim off the beginning and ends of a video clip.

1. Click on the Single Trim tab.

Performing a Single Trim 84

Basic Features2. Drag the mark in and mark out position sliders to your preferred positions and then click OK to complete the trimming.

The multi trim function lets you trim out one or more segments in a video clip, creating independent clips from the original video.

1. Click on the Multi Trim tab.

2. Drag the mark in position slider to your preferred position and then click on the

button.

Performing a Multi Trim85

Chapter 2

3. Drag the mark out position slider to your preferred position and then click on the

button.

4. Drag the mark in position slider to the next preferred position and then click on

. 86

Basic Features5. Drag the mark out position slider to the next preferred position and then click on

.

6. Click OK to finish trimming the clip.87

Chapter 22-2-6 Splitting ClipsThe split function is used frequently in the video editing process. You can use it to quickly split a video clip into two segments, and then keep or remove one of them.

1. Drag the timeline slider to the position where you want to split the video clip, and then click the Split button.

Note: If the position of the timeline slider is at the beginning or end of the video clip, the Split function is not available because it can't be split into two segments. 88

Basic Features2. The video clip is split into two segments.

3. You can split the video clip into as many segments as you like.

Extra Information: If none of the split segments are removed, they are still one continuous video, which may be helpful if you want to apply effects or transitions.89

Chapter 22-2-7 Combining Clips Split video segments can be combined back into one clip.

Select all of the split video segments, right click on one of them, and then select Combine. 90

Basic Features2-2-8 Previewing a Video Clip

There are two video preview modes: Clip mode and Movie mode.

Video Previewing Mode

In Clip mode, only the clip that is selected on the timeline is played, and playback stops once the end of the clip is reached.

In Movie mode, the video production is played from the current timeline slider position to the end of the production (where the media clips end).91

Chapter 2You can select one of the following five preview resolutions: Low Preview Resolution, Normal Preview Resolution, High Preview Resolution, HD Preview Resolution, and Full HD Preview Resolution. If your computer has low or limited resources, it is recommended that you select Low Preview Resolution or Normal Preview Resolution for a smoother preview playback. Selecting a lower resolution does not affect the quality of the outputted video.

Click on the button to select the preview resolution from the Preview Quality

option.

Extra Information: If your computer is running on a 32 bit operating system, only these three resolution options are available to you: Low Preview Resolution, Normal Preview Resolution, and High Preview Resolution. The HD Preview Resolution and Full HD Preview Resolution options are only available on computers running on a 64 bit operating system.

Adjusting Preview Resolution 92

Basic Features2-2-9 Previewing 3D Video ClipsAfter importing media files into the media library, any 3D video clips are indicated by a 3D icon in the upper left corner of their thumbnails. You can preview 3D video clips in either 2D or 3D mode.

1. By default, you preview video clips in 2D mode.

Click to select one of

the 3D preview modes.93

Chapter 2Note: Your media must be in the 3D format if you want to preview it in 3D mode.

2. If you are not sure which type of 3D format you should use, select Auto Detect 3D Mode.

3. The 3D effect displays immediately. 94

Basic Features2-2-10 Converting 2D Clips into 3D ClipsYou can only see a 3D effect on a video clip if the clip is in the 3D format. However, if you don't have the equipment to shoot your own 3D media, you can use the 2D to 3D function in CyberLink PowerDirector to convert your images or videos to 3D.

The original media is in the 2D format.

1. Select a 2D video clip, and then click Power Tools.

2. Select the 2D to 3D option, and then adjust the Scene Depth. After you have set your changes, click to close the Power Tools window.95

Chapter 2Note: Scene Depth adjusts the amount of depth in the resulting 3D media to fit your preference.

Tip: Enable 3D mode to view a media clip's scene depth.

3. The 2D video clip was converted into 3D.

Extra Information: The original video clip is still in the 2D format even though it was converted from 2D to 3D in the project. When you output your video production, you will have a new 3D video clip, and the original video clip will remain unchanged. 96

Basic Features2-2-11 Backing up Projects (Exporting Projects)When you save a project during the editing process, what you saved is a log of the edits you want to make. The media used in your production is not saved to the project file. By exporting your project, all the media clips, along with the project file that contains the log of edits you want to make to the media, are exported and stored in one place. The exported project, or the backup file, is portable and can be imported into another computer running CyberLink PowerDirector for further editing.

1. Select File > Pack Project Materials from the menu.

2. Select Desktop and then click Make New Folder.97

Chapter 23. Enter a name for the folder and then click OK.

4. Your project was exported. 98

Basic Features2-3 Adding Title EffectsAdding titles to your video can help you convey your message more effectively, and can make it more appealing.

You have to switch to the Title Room before you can add title effects to your production.

The Title Room contains a variety of title templates, including themed, dialog balloon, and title effect templates. You can use these templates to add credits and comments to your productions. For title text, CyberLink PowerDirector provides the options of 2D, 3D-like, and 3D title text.99

Chapter 22-3-1 Modifying 2D Text PropertiesDrag a title template from the Title Room library to the timeline. Next, double click on it to open the Title Designer so you can modify it.

Most of the content in the Title Room is in 2D, which is the most commonly used title effect text.

Inserting 2D title text

1. Switch to the Title Room, and then drag a title template to the timeline. Double click the template to open the Title Designer to modify it

2. Double click the text box to enter the text. 100

Basic FeaturesApplying and setting character presets

1. Click on Character Presets.

2. Select a preferred character preset.101

Chapter 23. Select the Font Type Settings option to set the font type, size, and color.

4. Select the Font Face Settings option and then set the colors for the 2 color gradient. 102

Basic Features5. Select your desired color and then click OK.

6. Select the Reflection option and then select Apply reflection.103

Chapter 27. Click on Font Shadow Settings and then deselect Apply shadow.

8. Go to Border Settings, and then set the Size to 6. 104

Basic FeaturesNote: By default, text objects are in the 2D format. If you want to enable 3D on any text object, simply select the Enable 3D depth option in 3D Settings.

To preview the title effect in 3D, you need to enable 3D mode, wear 3D glasses, and use a 3D display device. (A 3D display device is not needed if you have red/cyan glasses.)105

Chapter 2In addition to applying character presets, you can also add animation to a title effect. CyberLink PowerDirector 12 contains dozens of effect animations that you can apply to the beginning or end of the text as it displays in your production.

Adding Text Animation

1. Go to Motion tab.

2. Set the Starting Effect as Trance Center. 106

Basic Features3. And the Ending Effect as Solo Fall.

Inserting more title text

1. Click on the button and then enter your text in the title text box.107

Chapter 22. Right click on the title text box to customize the font settings.

3. Change the font color to yellow, and then click OK. 108

Basic FeaturesYou can also add particle effects to title effects.

4. Change the font type.

Inserting particle effects

1. Click on the button.109

Chapter 22. Select a particle effect and then click OK.

3. The particle effect will be displayed in the preview window. 110

Basic FeaturesYou can set the duration of the title effect animation for each text object, including the time it takes for the starting and ending effects to complete.

Customizing the Speed of Title Effect Animation111

Chapter 21. Click on the "2013" title text box.

2. The first section is the duration before the 2013 text appears. You can use the cursor to adjust the length of it. 112

Basic Features2-3-2 Modifying 3D-Like Text Properties3D-like title temples let you rotate text on its X, Y, and Z axis, add 3D texture settings, and more.

3. Adjust the ending point of the animation effect.

1. Select and drag a title template to the timeline.

2. Double click on the template to open the Title Designer to modify it.

Note: 3D-like templates use the text "My 3D Title" by default.113

Chapter 23. Change the text to "Italy".

4. Go to Character Presets and then select your preferred preset. 114

Basic Features5. On the Font Face Settings tab, you can adjust the extrusion level.

6. Go to 3D Rotation Settings tab to set the text's X, Y, and Z rotation.115

Chapter 2Note: To convert the 3D-like text into 3D, simply select Enable 3D depth in the 3D Settings panel.

7. Click on the Motion tab to apply the starting and ending effects. 116

Basic Features2-3-3 Uploading Title Templates to DirectorZoneOnce you finish modifying your title template, you can upload it to DirectorZone to share it or to make a backup copy. If you have to reinstall PowerDirector or your operating system, you can easily download the title templates you previously saved on DirectorZone.

1. Click on

2. Input a template name and then click OK.

3. Input your username and password and then click Next.

Note: DirecterZone accounts are free. If you don't have an account, click the Get an Account button to register.117

Chapter 24. Input a description of the template, and then click Next.

Note: You are required to fill in all the fields.

5. Select I have confirmed the above disclaimer and then click Next.

Note: You must not infringe any copyrights by uploading illegal content.

6. The upload begins.

7. Once uploaded, click Home to go back to the Title Designer. 118

Basic Features8. Click Save.

9. In the Edit window, adjust the duration of the title template on the timeline track.119

Chapter 22-3-4 Downloading Title Templates from DirectorZoneYou can download thousands of templates from DirectorZone for free as long as you have a DirectorZone account.

1. Click Download Templates in the Title Room.

2. If you only want to download 3D (16:9) title templates, you can filter them by selecting the desired format from the drop down list. Select the template you want to download and then click Download.

3. Click Download again. 120

Basic FeaturesTip: To view all the title templates in the Title Room library that you have downloaded, just click on the Downloaded tag to the left of the library.

4. Double click the downloaded template to install it in the CyberLink PowerDirector 12 library.

5. Click OK to complete the installation.

Note: The title template you downloaded may have a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. For best viewing results, make sure the aspect ratio of your project is the same as the downloaded template.121

Chapter 2 122

Basic Features2-4 Adding SubtitlesSubtitles are text that matches the dialog in videos, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. Subtitles are similar to title effects, except titles can include effects, while subtitles only appear as simple text.

2-4-1 Manually Adding SubtitlesYou can add subtitles to your video production by using the timeline slider. Set the position (or moment in your video) where you want the subtitle to display and then click .

Subtitles Titles

1. Click to open the

Subtitle room.123

Chapter 22. Drag the timeline slider to the position where you want to display the subtitle, and then click

.

3. Double click on the added subtitle in the panel located above, and then enter the desired text.

Extra Information: A subtitle marker displays in the subtitle track of the timeline automatically.

4. The added subtitle displays at the bottom of the video. 124

Basic Features5. Drag the timeline slider to the position where you want to add another subtitle, and then click

.

6. Double click on the added subtitle, and then enter the desired text.

7. Modify the duration of the subtitle by resizing the subtitle marker on the subtitle track.

Extra Information: Move your mouse cursor to the right end of the subtitle marker. When the cursor becomes an icon with two arrows, click and drag the edge of the marker to increase or reduce the subtitle duration.125

Chapter 28. Move the mouse cursor to an area within the subtitle marker. When the cursor

becomes a icon, you

can move it to the left or right to set when the subtitle displays on your video.

Knowledge Base: To remove a subtitle, select it in the subtitles

panel and then click the

button. 126

Basic Features2-4-2 Changing the Subtitle Text FormatYou can change the text format of your subtitles.

1. Click in the Subtitle

room.

2. In the Font dialog, change the font type, style, size, color, and 3D depth as required, and then click Apply All.

Extra Information: You can give your subtitles a 3D effect.

Note: Clicking Apply All applies the changes to all of the subtitles on the subtitle track. If you click OK, the changes you made are only applied to the current subtitle.127

Chapter 2A 2D subtitle

A 3D subtitle 128

Basic Features2-4-3 Exporting Subtitle Text as an SRT fileYou can export your created subtitles as an SRT file, so that you can use it in other projects or software.

1. After you add subtitles to your video production,

click the button.

2. Select where you want to save the file, give it a custom file name, and the click Save.129

Chapter 22-4-4 Importing SubtitlesYou can also use the import subtitles feature to speed up the process. You will need to mark the positions first and then import the subtitles from either an SRT or text file. Utilizing this function can save you a lot of time.

Note: By default, your subtitle text is exported as an SRT file, which you can open with Notepad.

1. Open the Subtitle room,

and then click to play

the video. 130

Basic Features2. When the timeline slider reaches the desired position of a subtitle during playback, click

(Add series of subtitles during playback).

Extra Information: Please note the Add series of subtitles during playback button is only available during video playback.

Note: The icons appear on

the subtitle track to indicate the positions where the subtitles will display on the video.

3. Stop the playback after you mark all the desired positions. All the icons

will then become subtitle markers.131

Chapter 24. Input your subtitle text in Notepad and then save it as a text file. Each subtitle should be on its own separate line.

5. Click to import the subtitle text file.

Note: You can import subtitles in the SRT and TXT file formats.

6. In the Open dialog, browse to the file, select it, and then click Open to continue.

7. Click OK. 132

Basic Features2-4-5 Selecting a Subtitle TypeThere are two types of subtitles available in PowerDirector: subtitles for discs and subtitles that are imprinted on a video file. If you select the Create subtitles for discs option, the video and subtitles are separate, which means you can turn the subtitles on or off in the disc menu. If you choose the Create subtitles imprinted on a video file option, the subtitles are imprinted on the video, which means they become a part of the video.

8. Play the video in the preview window to check if all the subtitles are placed at the correct positions. You can modify the start time and the duration of each subtitle individually as required.

1. Click the button to select the type of subtitles you want to include on your video.133

Chapter 22. There are two subtitle types you can choose from. 134

Basic Features2-5 Adding TransitionsYou can add transitions to your media clips to enrich your production. CyberLink PowerDirector 12 provides an array of transitions that can be used on or between the media clips in your production.

Transition Room

2-5-1 Adding Transitions

Click to open the

Transition room. Drag the desired transition between two media clips that are side by side on the timeline.135

Chapter 2You will see the transition effect in the preview window. 136

Basic Features2-5-2 Four Types of TransitionsThere are four types of transitions: the prefix, postfix, cross, and overlap transitions.

Postfix Transition: you can add a postfix transition to the end of the first media clip. The transition and the first media clip overlap each other, meaning the transition only works on the first media clip. The second media clip displays after the transition ends.

Prefix Transition: you can add a prefix transition to the beginning of the second media clip. The transition and the second media clip overlap each other, meaning the transition only works on the second media clip. The transition begins after the first media clip ends.

You can add a cross transition the same way you add an overlap transition, by dragging it between two media clips. The cross transition acts like a bridge between the two media clips, by overlapping them at the same time.137

Chapter 2After you drag a transition between two media clips, the transition is set as an overlap transition by default. When set as an overlap transition, it will seem like the transition icon is only at the end of the first media clip. However, it is actually also at the beginning of the second media clip, but the second clip is being overlapped by the first clip. During the transition, content from both of the media clips are displayed at the same time.

1. To toggle between the cross and overlap transitions, simply right click on the transition and then select Modify Transition.

2. Select either the Overlap or the Cross transition.

The overlap transition overlaps content from the two media clips, as the transition occurs.

The cross transition acts like a bridge between the two media clips. 138

Basic Features2-5-3 Applying Random TransitionsWhen your production contains many media files, it can take a lot of time if you have to drag the transitions to the timeline and apply them to all of your media clips. CyberLink PowerDirector 12 provides a function that lets you quickly apply transitions.

In the Transition room, click

the button in the upper

right corner of the library window. You can select either Apply Random Transition to All Videos or Apply Fading Transition to All Videos.

Another way to quickly apply transitions is to filter them by selecting a tag, and then click

(Apply random transition effect to all videos).

Extra Information: You can

click (Display/Hide explorer

view) to view all the available transitions, categorized by keyword tags.

Select the type of transition you want to apply, and then PowerDirector will randomly apply one of these filtered transitions to your media clips.139

Chapter 22-5-4 Quickly Applying Your Favorite TransitionsIf there are several transitions that you use quite often, you can add them to your favorites. This way they are easier to access and you can apply them more quickly.

1. Click to display the

explorer view, where you will see all the transition keyword tags. This lets you filter the transitions displayed in the library using the available tags.

2. Click the My Favorites tag, where there should't be any transitions as of yet.

3. Select All Content, and then right click on the transition you want to add to your favorites. Select Add to > My Favorites.

Extra Information: When a transition is added to your favorites, the My Favorites tag will show a corresponding number, telling you how many transitions are tagged as a favorite. 140

Basic Features4. Repeat the previous step to tag another transition.

Note: The transitions added to My Favorites are not moved from the original location. They are just marked as a favorite (with a tag). If you delete a transition from the My Favorites, the transition is not deleted and still remains in the transition library.

5. There are now two transitions tagged in My Favorites.

6. Click (Apply random transition effect to all videos), select a type, and then apply the transitions in My Favorites to your media clips.

Extra Information: If there is only one transition in the My Favorites, only one transition effect is applied to your media clips on the timeline when you use this feature.141

Chapter 2Knowledge Base: To remove a transition from My Favorites, right click on the transition thumbnail and then select Remove from Favorites. 142

Basic Features2-6 Using the Effect RoomThe Effect room includes dozens of amazing effects that you can apply to your images and video clips. You can add these effects to your production simply by dragging them to the effect track in the timeline or directly onto one of your media clips. Once applied, you will see the resulting effect in the preview window.

2-6-1 Adding Effects to the Effect TrackThere are two methods for applying effects. One is to drag an effect to the effect track.

1. Click to open the

Effect room.143

Chapter 2When adding effects directly to the effect track, only one effect can be shown during that interval (duration of the effect clip). If you want to apply several effects to your a media clip at once, you must apply these effects directly to the media clips. The benefit of adding an effect to the effect track is that the selected effect is applied to all the editing tracks that are positioned above it in the timeline.

2. Drag the Dandelion effect to the effect track, and then click the Modify button to customize its settings.

Extra Information: The position of the effect on the timeline indicates when it will begin affecting other media above it in the timeline. You can reposition the effect or adjust its duration as required.

3. Customize the effect as required.

Note: Some effects also have a 3D effect. You can use the slider to set your preferred amount of 3D depth. 144

Basic Features2-6-2 Adding Effects to Media ClipsYou can add several effects directly to a media clip, applying more than one effect to a single media clip. However, the added effects are applied to the entire duration of the clip. If you want to apply an effect to only part of a clip, you have to use the Split button to separate the clip into multiple segments. By doing this you can add the effect to just one of the segments, without affecting the others.

1. Use the Split button to separate the clip into three segments.

2. Drag and drop the desired effect onto the second segment.145

Chapter 23. When previewing the video, you will see both the effect applied on the effect track and the effect applied directly to the media clip.

4. Drag another effect onto the second portion of the clip, and then click the Effect button.

5. In the Effect Settings panel you can customize the added effects. Click an effect name on the left, and the effect's attributes display in the panel on the right.

Extra Information: To remove

an effect, simply click to

remove it from the list. 146

Basic FeaturesKnowledge Base: You can tell when an effect was applied to a media clip, as the icon

appears at the beginning of the clip in the timeline.

2-6-3 An Overview of the Effect TrackThe effect track is used exclusively for applying effects on media clips in your production. Repositioning the track in the timeline affects how the effects are applied to the media clips in your production.

For example: In the image below, there are media clips on both editing track 1 and 2, and one effect track in between the editing tracks. That means the effect on the effect track would only apply to the media clip on editing track 1.147

Chapter 2If you move the effect track below editing track 2, the effect is applied to both editing tracks 1 and 2. 148

Basic FeaturesTo sum up, effects are only applied to media when they are positioned below an editing track. When they are above an editing track, the selected effects do not affect the media on the track.

2-6-4 Using Keyframes to Customize

Effects When applying predefined effects to media clips, the same attributes are used whether it is placed on the effect track or directly applied onto the media clips. However, you can click the Keyframe button to customize the effect's settings at different moments in your production. The following describes how to utilize keyframes on effects.

1. Select the effect on the effect track, and then click the Keyframe button.149

Chapter 22. Select Effect to display the available settings in the Keyframe Settings panel.

3. The available effect attribute settings are displayed on the left.

4. Move the timeline slider to the next frame or point where you want the effect's attributes to change. 150

Basic FeaturesAdjust the settings to customize the effect.

Extra Information: When you adjust the settings, the

keyframe icon automatically

displays on the clip. This indicates that the attribute settings on the left were changed at this keyframe.

5. You will see that changes were made to the effect at different moments (keyframes) in the preview window.

Knowledge Base: To remove a keyframe and restore the effect to its original settings, select it

and then click . If you click

this button again, a new keyframe is added. Keyframes are also added automatically to the panel every time you adjust an effect's attribute settings.151

Chapter 2 152

Basic Features2-7 Adding Particle EffectsThe Particle room includes a library of dynamic effects that you can place on your media clips. You can use a particle effect as a transition or add it to the beginning or the end of a media clip.

2-7-1 Adding Particle Effects

Click to open the Particle room.

Apply a particle effect to the beginning or the end of a media clip. You can also use it as a transition.

The particle effect and the media clip overlap each other.153

Chapter 2When a particle effect is not overlapping any media clips, it can be used as a transition, or as the beginning/end effect of a media clip.

If the particle effect and the media clip overlap, it can enrich your production. 154

Basic Features2-7-2 Modifying Particle Effects You can completely customize a particle effect to give it a unique appearance.

Adding New Particle Images

1. Select a particle effect in the timeline, and then click the Modify button.

2. Click (Add a new particle object).155

Chapter 23. Click (Add/Delete particle).

4. Select Insert a Default Image.

Note: You can select Insert a Custom Image to insert your own image. But the image must be in the .png format and have a transparent background.

5. Select a default image and then click Open. 156

Basic FeaturesDeleting Particle Images

1. Select an existing image,

and then click

(Delete selected image).

2. The selected image is deleted.157

Chapter 2

Customizing Particle Styles

1. Select an emit method, and then reposition the particles.

2. Select a particle style.

Tip: You can create a wide variety of particle effects by combining different emit methods with different particle styles. 158

Basic Features3. Modify the parameters.

Extra Information: You can modify the parameters based on your requirements.

Knowledge Base: You can give the particle object a 3D effect by scrolling down to the bottom of the parameter list. Set the amount of depth you want the particle object to have in 3D.159

Chapter 22-7-3 Customizing the Motion Path of

Particle Objects You can customize the motion path of a particle object so that its particles move along different paths. This creates a new particle effect that is more engaging and appealing to viewers.

4. For the Color Keyframe option you can change the starting and the ending color of the particle object.

1. Click on the Motion tab and then select a default path. 160

Basic Features2. Click and drag on the red dot to move the whole motion path.

3. Move the timeline slider and note the blue dot as it follows the motion path.

Extra Information: The blue dot corresponds with the timeline slider on the keyframe timeline.161

Chapter 2 162

Basic Features2-8 PiP Objects RoomMedia clips (images or videos) that display over other media in your project are called PiP (Picture-in-Picture) objects. In CyberLink PowerDirector, all the editing tracks overlap each another. This means the lower an editing track is on the timeline (or has a larger track number), the higher the content displays in your video production, i.e. on top of the other media.

The PiP Objects room provides a wide variety of other PiP objects, such as decorative borders, static graphics, motion graphics, and dialog balloons. The PiP Objects room also includes paint animation objects and provides access to the Paint Designer.

Click on the button to open the PiP Objects room163

Chapter 22-8-1 Basic Editing Techniques for Customizing Media Clips that Overlap

Each Other There are several basic editing techniques that you can use to customize media clips that overlap each other, such as resizing, repositioning, or reshaping. When two media clips overlap, the media on the editing track with a higher track number displays over the media on the track with a lower track number. Therefore, you have to resize or reposition these two media clips so that both of them display in your production.

Move the media clip that overlapsMove the mouse cursor onto the cross icon to drag and move the media clip. 164

Basic FeaturesRotate the media clip that overlapsMove the mouse cursor to the round border to rotate the media clip.165

Chapter 2Resizing the media clip that overlapsMove the mouse cursor to one of the eight white dots on the media clip's border. When the mouse cursor becomes two arrows, click and drag it to change the size of the media clip, revealing the media clip behind it. 166

Basic FeaturesReshape the media clip that overlapsMove the mouse cursor to one of the blue squares in the corners of the media clip. Click and drag it to change to shape of the media clip, revealing the media clip behind it.167

Chapter 22-8-2 Applying PiP Objects You can drag a PiP object from the PiP Objects room to the timeline to have it display on top of your video.

1. Drag a PiP object to an editing track. You can view it in the preview window.

2. Drag another PiP object to an editing track below.

Extra Information: The PiP Objects room contains static and motion graphics. The latter's motion will display in the preview window.

3. Select the PiP object, and then click the Modify button. 168

Basic Features4. Select the Apply border option.

5. Set the size, blur, and transparency levels of the object's border, and then change the color of the border.169

Chapter 26. Click the Reflection tab and then select the Enable reflection option. 170

Basic Features2-8-3 Customizing the Motion

Path

1. Switch to the Motion tab to customize a PiP object's motion.

2. Select the second keyframe and then adjust the position of the PiP object.

Extra Information: You have to add a new keyframe, or select an existing keyframe on the timeline, before you can alter the object's position.171

Chapter 2Knowledge Base: When the keyframe is selected, the blue dot displayed in the editing area represents the position node that can be moved.

You can click and drag the path line to make the PiP object curve during its motion.

3. Select the last keyframe, and then alter the position of the PiP object's end point, i.e. where it will end up once the motion is complete. 172

Basic Features2-8-4 Using Chroma Key to Reveal

Background Media When two media clips overlap, you can use the chroma key function to reveal the image or video underneath.

Knowledge Base: Select the Enable 3D Depth option in 3D Settings to add 3D depth to your PiP objects.

1. Drag a media clip to the editing track, and then click Modify.173

Chapter 22. Click the Chroma Key option, select the Enable chroma key option, and

then click on the

button.

3. When the mouse cursor becomes an eye dropper, use it to select the background color you want to get rid of. 174

Basic Features4. Use the sliders to set Tolerance of intensity and Tolerance of hue.

5. Click Save to make the background invisible.

Extra Information: Making the background transparent lets you view parts of both media clips at the same time.175

Chapter 22-8-5 Adding PiP Effect MasksYou can use the PiP Designer to apply a predefined mask to media clips that overlap each other. Masks are useful because you can use them to add shape to your media clips.

1. Select a media clip, and then click the Modify button.

2. Go to the Mask tab, and then select the style of mask that you like. 176

Basic Features2-8-6 The Paint DesignerThe Paint Designer lets you create hand drawn animation objects, such as directions drawn on a map, your written signature, or hand drawn images that can be used in your video production.

3. Adjust the position of the mask so that it shows the desired portion of the media clip.

Extra Information: Because the mask is not a part of the media clip, what you are moving is actually the mask, not the media clip. The mask becomes part of the media clip in your production, so when you move or resize the mask, you are customizing both the mask and the media clip.

1. Go to the PiP Objects room and then click on

the button to launch

the Paint Designer.177

Chapter 22. Select a type of tool, and then set the width and color of the drawn line.

Next, click on to start

recording your drawing.

3. When you are done, click the button to stop the

recording. 178

Basic Feat