Avid Xpress DV/Pro
Avid Xpress 119 Editing Class
This course was developed by the award-winning team of Avid course developers and education specialists to provide you with an in-depth overview of the concepts and techniques necessary to create a program on Avid Xpress DV or Avid Xpress Pro. This Avid training course walks you through step-by-step procedures for all basic editing operations, providing many screen captures and explanatory notes as aids to learning.
Who Should Take This Course:
This course provides sufficiently detailed instructions on how to operate the Avid Xpress DV system for the beginning user. In addition, it includes a comprehensive feature set that should be useful for the intermediate user. You might be an experienced or novice editor, graphic designer,or a developer of interactive media. You need not have prior experience with Avid Xpress DV or Avid systems.
Avid System Overview - Day 1
In this section of the Avid training class, you will learn how the Avid Xpress DV-Pro system thinks. This includes learning the Avid's project hierarchy and how clips and sequences link back raw media files. You will learn why the Avid's proprietary OMFI media file system is a huge advantage over other non-linear editing systems. You will learn the basic Avid interface windows and how they function. We will teach you the differences between a clip, a media file, a bin, a project, and a sequence. We will show you how all these elements function together and where they are located.
Basic Editing
During this section, you will be able to identify all the major Avid interface components of the editing software. You will learn keyboard shortcuts to play clips, and how to mark IN and OUT points. You will begin editing your own sequence by splicing and overwriting clips to the Avid timeline. We will teach you how to remove clips by either lifting or extracting them. Next, you will add audio to your sequence so the audio is perfectly timed to your video clips. You will also learn the essential editing tools and functions located within the tool palette.
Fine-Tuning
You will learn the key editing tools such as the splice-edit command, and the overwrite command. We will show you the difference between using these tools in segment mode versus the traditional three-point editing method. You will learn how work with audio waveforms so you can time your show to a dialog track. You will build a strong foundation of the Avid's trimming features. We will explain how clip handles work and why they are important.
Additional Editing Tools
You will learn some of the hidden, but invaluable editing tools to help improve your workflow. These include the ability to view and customize the Avid's settings and interface windows. We will show you how to customize your own keyboard settings and fast menus. You will learn how the super-bin works, and why it is beneficial to improving your speed and efficiency with the Avid software. Next, you'll discover how using sub-clips can dramatically improve how things are organized within the Avid software. With these sub-clips we will show you how you can create a storyboard to lay out a show before you begin the editing process.
Saving your work
We will make sure you understand the importance of backing up your project files, and how to save your work. You will learn how to recover an older version of a project using the Avid Attic.
Editing Dialog - Day 2
Working with synced dialog is an extremely important editing skill. We will show you the secrets to keeping your sequence(s) in sync. You will learn how to trim and create split edits that will help improve the flow of your edited project. We will show you how sync-locks work, and why they are important. You will learn how to recover from a sequence that is out of sync and how to repair it.Working in the Timeline
After you complete this section of the class, you will discover how locators work and how they can be used to your advantage. We'll teach you all about adding and patching tracks for multiple video and audio layers. You will learn how segment mode works, and why it is different from three-point editing. We will cover some advanced trimming techniques including slipping and sliding segments.
Working with Audio
The Avid Xpress DV-Pro software provides several ways to work with audio elements. You will learn how to adjust audio levels using the audio mix tool. You will also have time to experiment using the audio rubber band method of adjusting audio levels. Next, you will have time to explore how the automation gain tool works and its function.
Capturing Media - Day 3
During the capturing lessons, you will learn how to set record options, properly set audio levels, and how to capture individual clips. You will also learn how to log clips that can be captured at a later time. Plus, you will discover the power of DV - Scene Extraction, and why it is an important method of creating sub clips from a master media file.
Preparing Your Bin for Editing
You will learn how to properly prepare and organize your bins prior to editing. You learn features such as, how to show customized headings, and sorting and sifting through clips.
Creating Titles
We will cover all of the functions available within the Avid Title tool, including how to create drop shadows, glows, and special effects using type. You'll also learn how to create specialized templates and style sheets that will help give your project a consistent look.
Media Management
You will learn Avid's powerful media management tool. Learn how to clean up lost render files and purge old media files from your system. You'll learn the tricks on how to properly archive media for later use.
Recording a Digital Cut
Finally, before you leave, you will learn how to properly output your show back to DV tape. We will also cover how to export your sequence for DVD authoring. You will learn the basics of preparing your show for multimedia presentations or for the web.
Avid Xpress 129 Class (Effects)
Intro To The Avid Effects Mode - Day 4
We will teach you the about the different categories of effects within the Avid Xpress software, including the difference between transition effects and segment effects. You will learn how the effects editor window functions and how to edit the parameters of any particular effect. You will learn how to carefully edit your material so you do not have 'insufficient content' when it comes to applying effect transitions to the Avid Xpress timeline. You will learn how the Avid's real-time effects architecture works, and how to save time when rendering effects. We will show you the basics of adding and deleting keyframes so you can create your own customized effects. Learn why it is important to implement the title safe grid when designing effects and titles. Discover how basic transitions work, and how to properly implement them into your edited sequence. Create soft edge wipes and borders that contained a blend of colors. Learn the basics of creating masks, and how to resize or crop images. We will teach you how to save effect templates, so you can save time when adding transitions that you frequently use. Learn how to create a hold wipe and how to animate its parameters over time.
Using Avid Xpress AVX Plug-ins
The Avid Xpress DV - Pro software supports a special AVX architecture that allows the AVID to use third party effects. Learn how to install these third party plug-ins and how they function. Learn how to apply these special plug-in effects and how they function. An invaluable effect called Pan and Scan ships with Avid Xpress DV - Pro. Learn how it works, and why it is important. Bring your hi-res photographs to life by using the Pan and Scan effect to create a 'Ken Burns' style of moving photography.
Vertical Effects
Learn how to add multiple video tracks and how the Avid software utilizes them. Learn how tracks can be patched together when editing in the Avid timeline.Create a picture in picture effect by utilizing to different video layers. Learn how to create animated effects using the crop function. Learn about vertical blanking, and why it is important to crop it out. Learn how to animated video layers that scale over time and contain border effects. Learn how to accelerate your effects over time. We will teach you about the different quality modes that affect the playback performance of the Avid Xpress software. Learn why it is important to turn these options on or off. Learn how to render effects in segment mode and how to solo specific tracks. We will teach you how to use the add-edit function to create amazing effect transitions that utilize multiple layers of video and transition elements. We will teach you all about the Avid's real-time effect engine and how to utilize it to take advantage of your time. We will teach you all about sub master effects, and why they are invaluable when it comes to rendering sections of a sequence in order to save time. We will also cover the expert-render feature and explain how it works. We will teach you how the Avid deal with multiple effect layers. You will learn how the super-impose feature works, and why it is a necessary tool to master. We will teach you how to edit a moving picture and picture effect. This will show you the basic building blocks for more advanced effects during individual exercises.
Motion Effects
Learn how to create basic motion effects and freeze frames. Learn the difference between duplicating fields, and interpolating motion effects. We will teach you how to create strobe effects and motion that ramps up for over a specified amount of time. Learn how these timewarp effects can be applied directly to the Avid timeline. Learn how to modify or change a motion's effects render method utilizing the render settings within the project window. We will also teach you how to utilize the fit-to-fill function and why it is one of the most commonly used motion effects.
Nesting Effects - Day 5
Learn the true power of the Avid Xpress effects interface by utilizing the nesting feature when it comes to building complex effects. Learn the difference between simple nesting and expanded nesting. We will teach you how to step into a nested effect so you can edit its contents. This will lead into exploring how auto-nesting functions and why it is important. Next, we will explore how to replacing a title graphic's fill by utilizing the nesting technique. We will explain how rendering works when you have nested layers within Avid Xpress. We will show you how to use nesting when it comes to applying a specific effect to multiple clips all at the same time. Then, we will show you how to replace titles with moving video. We will also show you various other text effects, including how to create a ghosted title.
Using The 3D DVE Effects Interface
We will explore how the 3D DVE function works, and how to promote 2D effects to the 3D effects model. You will learn how the Avid interprets 3D space. We will teach you how the 3D warp function operates. As an exercise, we will show you how to swoop an image from off screen. We will also explore advanced keyframing techniques that take advantage of the Avid's 3D DVE effects interface structure. Learn how to implement some basic 3D shapes, including a 3D ball and 3D page curl. We will teach you how to promote 2D titles into 3D DVE titles.
Advanced Keyframing Interface
*As a bonus, we will explore the advanced keyframing interface and how it interacts with the Avid 3D DVE interface. Learn how to create special wall paper effects utilizing the advanced effects editor.