Track editing and animations (layers)

Paul-Kraft wrote on 3/21/2023, 11:29 AM

I have just purchased Photostory Deluxe 2023.

On pages 44 to 47 of the manual:

Objects:

All of the material, including photos, videos, background music, titles and text, transitions, decorative elements, etc., appear as "objects" on tracks when imported into a project. All objects can be cut, edited with effects and arranged.

This does not explain or show how to animate the objects on the tracks (ie. 1 frame, photo A on track 1 and photo B on track 2)

I have gone through the help/support forums and cannot find an explanation or video that addresses this question

I can easily do this in the old ProShow Gold program (layers), also with the multi layers animation in SmartSHOW3D

Context menu:

Right-clicking on an object opens the context menu with effects. It is equipped with the same effects as in the Storyboard mode and the Effects menu.

I can manage to alter almost all aspects of the image on the second track, but how do I add key frame effects/ animation to it? If the Fx button is clicked, it only applies to the object on track 1, not track 2. Am I missing something, or does the program not support this/ Thanks for your help,

Paul.

Comments

browj2 wrote on 3/21/2023, 2:23 PM

@Paul-Kraft

Hi Paul,

I don't have the latest version so I'm not sure if Magix has updated the Size/Position effect.

Make sure that you are in timeline mode.

In the image below, I have one image (background) on track 1 (the top track) and an overlay image on track 2. Select the image on track 2, go to fx, Size/Position. FX only applies to the selected clip. View/Animation. As you can see in the image, I have resized the image down and created two keyframes (the image moves from upper left to lower right.

Watch my tutorial on Size/Position/Rotation for Magix Movie Studio. It's pretty much the same as PhotoStory but has a few more tools.

Watch also my tutorial on keyframing and then you should then be able to do it yourself.

John CB

johnebaker wrote on 3/21/2023, 3:59 PM

@Paul-Kraft

. . . . "objects" on tracks when imported into a project . . . .

The videos @browj2 has linked to are valid for Photostory which also has the new Size, Position & Rotation dialog, however:

You may find that some of the keyboard shortcuts are different.
You need to work in Timeline mode - see image below

Note: when in Timeline mode the indicated icon in the image above will say Storyboard - this is the mode the timeline will change to when you click it.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

Paul-Kraft wrote on 3/22/2023, 9:39 AM

Thank you both for your timely replies! Without the videos I would not have learned how to interpret or implement the written manual instructions as quickly. Links to these should actually be in the manual - the “tutorial videos” on the website are OK, but are very much only introductions. I still don’t understand the application of setting of key frames to objects in different tracks in the arranger using the “Fullscreen effects editing using the program monitor” (pages 78&79). The previous instructions in the manual specify “First, select the object in the arranger to animate.” This is not stated for the Fullscreen editing. A bit frustrating but not critical I guess.

Thanks again for your help, as a new user I do appreciate it.
Paul

johnebaker wrote on 3/22/2023, 11:50 AM

@Paul-Kraft

. . . . This is not stated for the Fullscreen editing. . . .

It could be argued that the instructions on p78-79 are a follow on from the previous set of instructions therefore the same applies.

The full screen fx edit mode is, IMO, more for when working with a touch screen device such as a tablet or small touch screen < 15 inch laptop or flipscreen device.

John EB

browj2 wrote on 3/23/2023, 9:38 AM

@Paul-Kraft

Hi,

The on-screen effect is not something that most of us who use Movie Edit Pro/Magix Movie Studio/Video Pro X use, mainly because we don't have the same tools and we use the normal view like below (PhotoStory). It's one of the differences between PhotoStory and the other Magix video editing programs. Normally, the other programs have more tools than PhotoStory, this is not one of them.

If you want to use the full-screen on-screen effects, you will have some learning to do. In any event, doing it on-screen or in the FX window, you get the same thing showing up in both. The on-screen effects look very interesting once you figure out how to use them.

Of the other Magix video programs, only VPX has on-screen effects when in full screen. As you can see, it's not the same thing, just the normal effects window showing up.

The above is not available in Movie Edit Pro/Magix Movie Studio so you're not going to find any tutorials about the on-screen effects for these.

I use VPX but on 2 monitors, so if I have full screen for the Preview Monitor, the effects tools are on the other monitor.

John CB

Paul-Kraft wrote on 3/23/2023, 3:34 PM

Once again thank you both for your considered responses! I think I will stick with learning to add key frames to multiple objects using the instructions on page 73 & 74 (and your video examples!), and using the Full Screen Fx method, page 78 to 82 , to add key frames to only a single object (image) on track 1. Perhaps the folks at Magix could revise the manual to clarify this point. Just trying to run before learning how to walk … - thanks guys,
Paul