Computer Graphics Survey

Creating Video Elements

Using Premiere 6 and a QuickCam on MacOS Computers

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Before beginning the project


Tutorial Description

Premiere is the most widely used program for Desktop Video--recording and editing for multimedia (CD-ROM, Web) applications. While higher-end programs exist for non-linear video editing for industrial and broadcast applications, Premiere provides the most valuable features at a much lower cost.

In this first session, we'll create the elements for our video:

As in previous occasions, you will find familiar features in this program, helping you to guess function and operation. The Title window has many of the standard facilities of drawing programs like FreeHand. In the following session, we'll also see the Project window, which displays a visual list of the elements to be edited (like the Cast window in Director); and the Timeline window, used to arrange those same elements (similar to the Score window in Director).

At the end of the tutorial, you will have three new files (camera footage in QuickTime format, a still raster image in JPEG format, and a still vector image in Premiere Title format). Save these files, which will be edited and added to your web page during the following session.


Record Video

  1. Use Apple-->Control Panels-->Memory
  2. Turn off AppleTalk to minimize interruptions
    control strip, AppleTalk inactive
  3. Switch display to thousands of colors to improve playback speed
    control strip, thousands of colors
  4. Connect the camera and the microphone to your computer.
  5. Reset all QuickCam programs to factory defaults by throwing away the files QuickMovie Prefs, QuickPICT Prefs, USB QuickCam Prefs (if found) from the folder System Folder:Preferences:Connectix.
  6. Find the QuickMovie application icon and double-click it to start the program:
    QuickMovie application icon
  7. While watching the video image, make any necessary adjustments to the camera:
  8. Choose the video recording settings. These are not necessarily the best settings for highest-quality results, but they should allow you to fit your video recording in a small file (as long as you keep it short).
  9. Next, choose the audio recording settings.
  10. Rehearse your act, then proceed to record:
  11. Make sure to keep this video recording, so you can use it in your project during next week's session. You can afterwards quit QuickMovie.

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Digitize a still image

  1. Find the QuickPICT application icon and double-click it to start the program:
    QuickPICT application icon
  2. Several windows open: close the 'Film Roll' and 'Viewer' windows, use the 'QuickPICT' window to frame and focus.
    QuickPICT window
  3. Settings->Destination->File
  4. Image->Sizes->Full (will digitize a 352 x 240 pixels image)
  5. Image->Picture Depth->Millions
  6. Image->Camera Settings->QuickCam: adjust video settings as you did in QuickMovie.
  7. Click 'Take Picture' button. In the dialog that follows, choose 'JPEG' from the 'File Format' pop-up menu, then enter the filename following our usual scheme:
    sample_s_video.jpeg
    using your last name and first name initial. Save the image file to your folder on the desktop.
    QuickPICT Save dialog
  8. Make sure to keep this still image, so you can use it in your project during next week's session. You can afterwards quit QuickPICT.

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Create Title Card

  1. Look in the startup drive, System Folder, Preferences folder. If the files 'Adobe Premiere® 6.0 Prefs' and 'Prem60.ini' are present, throw them in the Trash. This forces the program back to its factory defaults.
  2. Find the Premiere application icon and double-click it to start the program:
    Premiere application icon
  3. When the 'Initial Workspace' dialog appears, click either button (it doesn't matter for this stage of the project). It will be followed by a 'Load Project Settings' dialog--dismiss it by clicking 'Cancel'.
  4. Use File-->New-->Title to open the Title window.
  5. Use Window-->Window Options-->Title Window Options to bring up the Title Window Options dialog.
  6. Now enter and format the text of your title. Remember to make it legible by using uncomplicated typefaces at the largest size possible.
  7. Optionally, you can explore the simple drawing tools available in the Toolbox to add other elements to the title card besides type.
    Choosing Filled Polygon tool in the toolbox
  8. While the Title window is still active (in front of other windows), use File-->Save to save your work to a Premiere Title file. Also this file will be used in your project during next week's session.
  9. Close the Title window and quit Premiere.

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Notes

Virtual Memory

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Information specific to the ACG Lab

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