Newbie question on keyframes

[DaveOksana]

I see that most (if not all) the tutorials come at a $ price so I decided to try asking my question here to see what free help there might be.

I am playing with keyframes and PE7 and want to show a specific country on a map of Europe as I pan out, indicating where it is relative to other countries.

Issues;
The map photo is not centered on the country I want so I tried to change the center point by moving the entire photo. If you can tell me how to do this that would be great.

When I set the keyframes so that the image panned out it was not smooth so I had to lengthen the clip to 4 seconds, yet the image degraded. It is not a high resolution graphic, and the motion is still not smooth.

The rest of the project will involve similar panning/zooming using keyframes, and I would like to get the best book or video tutorial that would help me to address these kinds of questions. I see that Lyndacom has a 1 month $25 subscription to their PE7 tutorials. Of course Muvipix also has their products (tutorials and a book). What's the best way to go for a newbie?

Thanks!
Dave

[Steve Grisetti]

Hi, Dave! Welcome to Muvipix! You won't find a better place to get fast and friendly answers to your questions.

There's certainly no better value than a Muvipix subscription, Dave! Especially since we're continually adding new products. (Ron is preparing, in fact, a batch of stuff to release over the weekend.)

As for books, we've also published books on both versions 7 and 8 of Premiere Elements as well as a combined Photo Elements/Premiere Elements 7 book. There will be a combined Photo Elements/Premiere Elements 8 coming out in the next couple of weeks. They all take you step by step through keyframing.

You're also welcome to check out this old article from our archives. Although it was written for an earlier version of the program, the keyframing principles are the same.
http://videoinasnap.chuckengels.com/sou ... _01-06.htm

The main difference in newer versions of the program is that the Properties panel isn't so easily available. To get to the Properties panel for a clip in versions 7 or 8 you right-click on the clip on the timeline and select Show Properties.

[Dave McElderry]

Hi Dave, and from one Dave to another, welcome! Regarding your problem of the video not being smooth once you've created the keyframes, is it possible that you need to render the timeline? If you have a red line above the keyframed video in the timeline, press the Enter key to render. All the red line segments should turn to green. Then try playing your keyframed video to see if it makes a difference. If that takes care of the problem then you'll have a good idea of what the finished product will look like.

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Dave, Welcome to Muvipix

Be sure to check out the Complimentary Section of our Products, there are hundreds of items including tutorials.
Besides that, the help in our forum is the best you will find anywhere


Here is Steve's most recent article on Keyframing Basics, and it is free.
http://muvipix.com/products.php?subcat_id=41

Check out all of the other Tutorials, and Articles that are free;
http://muvipix.com/products.php?subcat_id=44
http://muvipix.com/products.php?subcat_id=42

As far as Lynda.com goes you will get lots of basics on how to use the program.
Our tutorials are a little more about how to do things than how to use the program.
Like how to do a page turn, change from B&W to Color, advanced Keyframing, things like that.

The Lynda.com subscription is well worth the $25 one month fee.
The Muvipix subscription is well worth the $34.95 fee for three months or the $90 fee for a full year.
The full year subscription includes graphics, dvd templates and tons of motion backgrounds as well, check them out

But to be honest, you can learn everything you need to learn with just our free stuff and this forum, it's up to you.

[momoffduty]

Hi Dave and welcome to Muvipix. The tutorials here are wonderful and the subscription is less for more months than the other site mentioned. Steve's books are very good too and if you have a question the author and others are here

For your map issue: If you zoom in too much a photo or graphic will degrade at some point. Best to have the element fairly large 1024x768 and depending on the zoom the element could be larger.

For smooth keyframing check to see that you have only 2 keyframes from point A to point B. Sometimes an extra one gets placed while working.

[DaveOksana]

Thanks for the welcome and the great ideas!

From what I can see there are no "free" video tutorials on what I am trying to do on muvipix. I have read the articles on keyframing which is a start. So if I decide to purchase the 3 month subscription will the muvipix video tutorials directly address the issues that I am dealing with? If not, would the muvipix PE7 book be better?

I would prefer to have someone experienced sit down with me for 30 minutes and see what I am doing, share some ideas, etc. Are there places (courses) where I can ask real-time questions of a live instructor? Where could I find something in the Minneapolis area and what would the cost be?

Thanks!
Dave

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Dave,
We just had our very first ever Muvipix Meetup in Minneapolis last month at the Mall of America
Sorry you missed it but there are a number of members in your area that may be able to meet with you and give you a hand.
Steve is in Milwaukee so he isn't too far away either.

Maybe if you explain what you are trying to accomplish first, without explaining the problems you are having.
Just go over your overall goal and we can start helping you from there and solve the problems as they come up.
Sometimes it is best to just start at the beginning and go from there.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

The map photo is not centered on the country I want so I tried to change the center point by moving the entire photo. If you can tell me how to do this that would be great.

Hello Dave and welcome to Muvipix. What you need to do is zoom in and move to the start position that you want to use, then open the effects panel, click on the 'twirly triangle' by the 'Motion' property and then click on the 'stopwatch'. This will set your start position keyframe.

Then zoom back out and change the 'Scale' property as needed. When you are happy with the end position/scale, click on the 'stopwatch' again to set the end keyframe, remembering to move the Current Time Indicator to the end of the clip.

When I set the keyframes so that the image panned out it was not smooth so I had to lengthen the clip to 4 seconds, yet the image degraded. It is not a high resolution graphic, and the motion is still not smooth.

If there is a red line above the clip you need to render it to get a smoother flow. Hit 'return' to render the clip.

[Chuck Engels]

Then zoom back out and change the 'Scale' property as needed. When you are happy with the end position/scale, click on the 'stopwatch' again to set the end keyframe, remembering to move the Current Time Indicator to the end of the clip.

John, the second keyframe will be set automatically. If you click the stopwatch again it will erase all keyframes.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

John, the second keyframe will be set automatically. If you click the stopwatch again it will erase all keyframes.

Ooops!! Thanks for spotting that Chuck. It was, of course, a deliberate error

[Steve Grisetti]

And where are you located, Dave? If you're anywhere near me, you're welcome to come by for a few hours and I'll get you up to speed!

[Chuck Engels]

Where could I find something in the Minneapolis area and what would the cost be?

Hi Dave,
We just had our very first ever Muvipix Meetup in Minneapolis last month at the Mall of America
Sorry you missed it but there are a number of members in your area that may be able to meet with you and give you a hand.
Steve is in Milwaukee so he isn't too far away either.

Steve, Do you actually read the posts ?

[Steve Grisetti]

Who's got time to read?! I just skim the headlines.

[DaveOksana]

And where are you located, Dave? If you're anywhere near me, you're welcome to come by for a few hours and I'll get you up to speed!

Steve,
My office is across from the Mall of America on American Blvd. Are you in Minneapolis? If not, who would be here that I could get in touch with?

I am trying to do 3 "simple" slide shows with panning/zooming and transitions between still shots. There may be some short video assets interspersed. I have a voice over for each slide show that runs about 3 minutes a piece.

The issues is that I am trying to learn PE7 at the same time working with still photos and graphics. The online help through Adobe is not very intuitive and does not answer my questions IMHO.

Thanks for your help!
Dave

[Steve Grisetti]

As I said, Dave, I'm in Milwaukee. And, if you'd like to come by and spend an afternoon with me, I'll make you a wiz at this!

There are a number of Muvipix members in the Minneapolis area (as Chuck said, he and I hosted a live teach-in last September at the Mall), but I can't commit for them. If one chimes in or sends you a private message, maybe you can work out some kind of deal.

Or you can fly me up! As I've said, this stuff is my passion, and I love helping people get up and running.