Trimming process in VF

Mekon wrote on 4/4/2002, 5:59 PM
Okay, I know how to trim in VF, but I can't seem to get the hang of doing it easily, quickly, and fluidly. I am more use to having a trimming window like Studio 7, just so you know where I am coming from. Ilike being able to see the in/out frames, but I am having a real tough time getting VF to show me this easily.

Here is what I am doing now: I drag a clip from the media pool into the time line. I zoom in both vertically and horizonally so the thumbnails on the time line are about as big as the preview window, then I drag the ends around. This works okay, but as soon as I stop dragging, the thumbnail jumps back into another frame, not the out frame.

What process are people using for trimming? Is there a better way than the way I am doing it? I also got the trimmer window to come up, but it is not much better.

D.

Comments

VinceG wrote on 4/4/2002, 6:11 PM
<< This works okay, but as soon as I stop dragging, the thumbnail jumps back into another frame, not the out frame. >>

I'd like to help, but that's where you confused me. (scratching my head)
Chienworks wrote on 4/4/2002, 6:32 PM
I'm not sure why you expand vertically. In my own opinion this would make it harder for me to locate the point i want since the frames become so much wider on the timeline and fewer of them show. But, anyway ...

What i do is zoom in and move the cursor around in the clip on the timeline while watching the preview window to find the in point, then zoom out and drag the beginning of the clip to the cursor. The mouse will jump to the cursor position making it easy to hit the exact frame even after zooming out. Repeat for the end of the clip. Then move the clip into position horizontally as necessary.
jimcho wrote on 4/4/2002, 7:48 PM
>>This works okay, but as soon as I stop dragging, the thumbnail jumps back into another frame, not the out frame.

Mekon, you really need to understand what you're seeing. Each event will have one or more thumbnail views. Zoom your event so you can see several thumbnails. Notice the little triangle under each thumbnail? It points to the exact moment in time that each thumbnail represents. As long as you can see at least two thumbnails, one will always show you the first frame and one will always show you the last frame. If you trim any edge, the thumbnail will always show the edge that you are trimming. But if you let go and there is only one thumbnail for the event, it will show a frame in the middle where the little triangle is pointing (which is what is confusing you).
Mekon wrote on 4/4/2002, 8:39 PM
I was expanding vertially so I could see the thumbnail, which as jimco says always shows you what you are trimming when dragging an edge.

However, your suggestion works great! Much easier that what I was doing.

Mekon wrote on 4/4/2002, 8:49 PM
Didn't explain it very well, sorry.

When dragging an edge of a clip, the thumbnail nearest the edge shows the frame you are clipping to. For example, if you are dragging the leading edge of a clip, the first thumbnail is always showing you the first frame in the clip (which is good). As soon as you let go of the edge, the "leading edge" thumbnail disappears, leaving the regular thumbnails you normally see on the timeline. There is no longer any indication of the first frame in the clip.

Most editing packages allow you to see the firs or the last frame in a clip, sometimes at the same time, which is handy for making exact trims. VF just works differently, and I am looking for an efficient way of handling trims.

D.
jimcho wrote on 4/4/2002, 8:56 PM
Mekon,

Like I said before, zoom so you can see at least two images in the event. You will see the first frame and the last frame. You will only get a middle frame when only one image is available (the triangle points to it's location in time).