RonH .
Hmmmmmmm..... I just sit down and do it without thinking about it. Sounds complicated but in reality it's simple....
Example of making the annual Senior Graduating Class video. Normally around 1 hour 30- 40 minutes long, as 1:40 is my time limit from the school, and I have to "adjust all timing each year to comply. They will let me slide a couple minutes but that's about it. It takes me about 2 months to get it done, as the pictures I need just "trickles" in from those kids, even with deadlines... I start at the end of April as it has to be done by June 1st. And April/May is my prime motorcycle trip time. Which I also do....
I get a list of music from the school that the Seniors have selected for the audio tracks. Its whatever the stuff is they are listening to each year. Some country. rock, rap, whatever. Some of everything. The school approves or disapproves the music after hearing each song. I never get the images from the Seniors EVER in a timely manner. So I have place holders inserted as I go along that will go from placeholder to student picture at some point automatically when I get the picture. (A trick I got from Dafydd years ago) The only thing that screws me up is when I do not get 5 pictures from them after deadline time and I have to do the "adjusting" thing. They each get 4 images depicting them growing up or whatever. and a "senior" picture. I have to scan pictures, and get them by email, CD, or flash drive.
It starts with a 5 minute intro showing the school and other things, a 4 minute troop tribute, then around 4 minutes to scroll/roll/bounce or however I do it for the year, all the Seniors names (final roll call). The an hour and 20 minutes or so of pictures coming and going with transition and titles flying all over the place.
Each Senior sequence uses 6 images to complete a sequence. One intro background image, and 5 images from each Senior. I do not always get 5 images from each Senior.. and 3 titles, and 5 transitions with each segments first and last image sharing the transition of the last picture of the previous segment, so it is actually 6 transitions time wise.. The transition are the same for each segment. The last transition taking the last picture out is the transition for the next 6 images. (if that makes any sense) it's easy... trust me..... (their intro background image and name is the first thing to pop up) The name title is always showing bottom of frame except for the first and last 3 seconds. Sometimes depending on the picture I will have to "move" the title to the top for one picture and then back down to the bottom of frame.
The 3 titles are the same for each segment. Each 3 title segment is different from all the other segments. Color matched to the intro background. Each title segment uses a different never repeated font. I do have to repeat transitions as there simply not enough not to have to. And I even have to use title motions more than once for the same reason. But no one seems to notice. There are about 5 transitions I never use because of what they are. I use all of the title motion choices.
Here is what happens as near as I can "splain" it...
Six images.... intro image-5 seconds, first picture-10 seconds, second picture-10 seconds, third picture-10 seconds, fourth picture-10 seconds, fifth (last) picture-12 seconds.
After the intro image has motioned in and set, 2 seconds later the first name title pops in taking 3 seconds and NO exit motion. and at 5 seconds the first picture start coming in and the second title (stationary) is next and holds until the last image is about ready to motion out. It holds into the last picture for 4 seconds, then the last title comes in, no motion in front end. Then motions out in three seconds, leaving the last picture with no title for 4 seconds, then that picture motions out with the next transition, and the whole process just repeats, again, and again, and again, until you go nuts and blind.
I make the first title then make 3 more copies of it. None have any motion yet. The first title is only 3 seconds long so it will "pop" the name in. A 3 second title in the front. A loooooooooong one in the middle that has no motion effect at all, and another 3 second title at the end.
Then the music tracks are just put in end to end with a 5 second combined fade in/out for each one...
Then a 5 minute we will miss you, congrats, blah blah blah at the end and finally a 5 second credit for the editor/producer of Bubba Pate Productions.... I then render to file as mpeg4, use other software to make the menu (because I like using a particular menu only) and render it to video file. Use CDBurner XP Pro to burn my DVDs because it is fast and never fails.
Last years show was the first time I did it 16:9 by the way.
Make up to 250-300 copies because each student gets one, the parents gets one, both sets of Grand Parents gets one, the High School gets 20 or so to dole out, and two master copies. (no labels, all printed discs) ALL at no cost to anyone I might add.. Fifteen years in a row. I did use Powerpoint for a few years in the beginning. Before video editors were even out there, and computers that could do it. About 1000 people watch it at graduation on a 30 foot screen, and I always get a standing ovation when my 5 second credits come up.... that's what it's all about.....
After all that I delete EVERYTHING associated with the project, especially the Seniors, pictures. I have to certify to the school I have purged my computer of any student images.
I have had up to almost 600 pictures in some of those projects.... Simple.....
I had to tell you that story so I could tell you this one.....
So basically since I only make 3 copies of the title for each segment, I really do plant each of the pictures, transitions and titles one at a time. But I have done it so long I don't hardly even look at anything anymore. And it really goes fast for me...
Any questions?????
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at Feb 24. 2012 00:34
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