Small video clip overlay within a HD slideshow

[Uncle Ben]

I am struggling with the Event Pan & Crop functionality. Perhaps I'm using the wrong approach.

I am doing a HD slideshow, and I want to bring in a small video clip (720 x 480) at one point, as an overlay. I was able to reduce the size of clip such that it doesn't hide the slideshow images. But the clip appears right in the middle of the screen. How do I position it to a corner?

[Steve Grisetti]

With the PiP video open in the Event Pan & Crop tool, just drag the frame box (the dotted line box with a big "f" in it) and your scaled down video should move in into position in the video frame.

[Uncle Ben]

I can't believe it, I just can't believe it. Do you have any idea how long I have been putzing with this? I must have tried every line, except for the big "F" obviously.
I knew it was something simple ... I need your book Steve. Too bad you don't have an upgrade path to version 12.

[Steve Grisetti]

Glad I could help, Ben.

FWIW, I'm working on the version 12 book even as we speak. From what I've seen, it will be a minor rather than major reworking of the version 11 book. The upgrade is really more of a refinement than a rethinking of the previous version.

But, if you'd like, you can buy the version 11 book now and, if you still feel you need the version 12 book when it comes it, I'll let you have it for half price. That's not quite a break-even for me, but at least it will get you about 99% of the program without having to wait until February.

Does that help?

[Uncle Ben]

I was only kidding ... But I like it! My email is on its way.

Cheers!

[Uncle Ben]

With the PiP video open in the Event Pan & Crop tool, just drag the frame box (the dotted line box with a big "f" in it) and your scaled down video should move in into position in the video frame.

I tried using the Sony Cookie Cutter as an overlay, similar to the above ... But the resulting "cut out" cannot be moved, is that correct? In other words, it stays right in the centre of the slideshow images.

[Steve Grisetti]

You can reposition it using the Track Motion tool (the video track's equivalent of the Pan/Crop tool) on the track header.

This will affect the position of every clip on that track, however -- so you'll need to keyframe its position if you don't want to change the position of every clip on the track.

[Uncle Ben]

It works like a charm. Once properly learned, this software is pretty easy to use, piece of cake really.
Thanks to you, a small video I made a few years back on the birth of my second grandchild is becoming a lot more interesting.
Cheers!

[Steve Grisetti]

That's what it's all about, Ben! Glad we could help.