Thanks John EB

1. MEP 2016 (Evaluation)

2. I don't think I can be 'much clearer' as it ishow the programme works. There are projects and then within each project the user can create a number of Movies.

My question relates to this feature - is it only of value when creating DVDs and Blue Ray discs?

Hi,

The answer is no. The main use is for multiple movie DVD's as you say, each having chapters. However, I also use the other Movies as:

• A holding spot for certain sequences including effects, that I have done up in a main movie and may not want to use but want to keep;
• A place to try things out without doing them in my main movie;
• A method to create complicated or memory heavy effects, export them to a Magix proprietary format and then import the rendered version into the main movie. This makes previewing the main movie and sometimes editing it, faster. Of course, you have to go back and modify the original and go through the process for any changes to the original.

In Magix Video Pro X6 and X7, there is a nested sequence feature that automatically takes care of the third point above. A Movie can become an object in another movie. Here it is:

Movie objects offer the following advantages:

Complete sections are transferred without having to be rendered and imported again.
Frequently required scenes can be prepared and used as objects multiple times.
If changes are made to the corresponding movie, they are immediately applied to the movie object.
Note: If you are using several movie objects that belong to the same movie, any changes to this movie will immediately be applied to the corresponding movie objects.

Movie objects behave the same as video objects. The editing workflow for a movie object is also the same as the workflow for a video object. 

This is very useful and a great timesaver if this type of work needs to be done.

As for creating a DVD or BD, you uncheck the Movies that are not really movies so that they don't show up in the menu (done during the DVD menu creation process).

If you are considering purchasing MEP, I highly recommend the Plus or Premium versions, not the basic version, as you quickly run into lmitations.

Hi

Thanks for the clarification - re  ''Movies' inside 'Projects' 

. . . . There are projects and then within each project the user can create a number of Movies. .. . . Adobe Premier Pro's use of 'Sequences'

This is where the clarification was required - MEP has no equivalent to AP's Sequences.

As John CB says 'The main use is for multiple movie DVD's, each having chapters'  there is a tutorial available here.

HTH

John EB

Thanks both for helpful replies. Movie Objects sounds to be a v. useful feature. I'm testing out MEP 2016 Plus but I can't find Movie Objects on the menus. Is this the same as 'Save objects as takes' which seems a more convoluted way to do things and is also greyed out on my trial version even when selecting and grouping objects on the timeline.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks again.

Hi

In MEP manuals and on the forum you will see references to several types of objects either in the Media pane or on the timeline, the four main ones are :-

• Movie Object - sometimes referred to as a Video object - a video clip
   
• Image object - sometimes referred to as a Picture object - a still image  - eg jpg, png etc
   
• Audio Object - sometimes referred to as a Sound object - an audio file eg mp3, wav, ogg etc
   
• Title objects - sometimes referred to as Text objects - these are internal to MEP

See page 106 in the installed PDF manual available under Help.

. . . . Save objects as takes . . . .

This is a method of saving sections of a long video so that they can be re-used later or in another project - see page 35, last paragraph, of the installed PDF manual.

Some terminology from other programs, eg AP, have direct correlations in MEP, others do not.

If you have not done so I would suggest you read through the PDF manual .

HTH

John EB

Hi

In MEP manuals and on the forum you will see references to several types of objects either in the Media pane or on the timeline, the four main ones are :-

• Movie Object - sometimes referred to as a Video object - a video clip
   
• Image object - sometimes referred to as a Picture object - a still image  - eg jpg, png etc
   
• Audio Object - sometimes referred to as a Sound object - an audio file eg mp3, wav, ogg etc
   
• Title objects - sometimes referred to as Text objects - these are internal to MEP

See page 106 in the installed PDF manual available under Help.

. . . . Save objects as takes . . . .

This is a method of saving sections of a long video so that they can be re-used later or in another project - see page 35, last paragraph, of the installed PDF manual.

Some terminology from other programs, eg AP, have direct correlations in MEP, others do not.

If you have not done so I would suggest you read through the PDF manual .

HTH

John EB

 

Thanks John. I have read through the manual and re-read the section you kindly indicated but it doesn't seem to deal with what I'm looking for which relates to the comment from John CB viz:

Movie objects offer the following advantages:

Complete sections are transferred without having to be rendered and imported again.
Frequently required scenes can be prepared and used as objects multiple times.
If changes are made to the corresponding movie, they are immediately applied to the movie object.
Note: If you are using several movie objects that belong to the same movie, any changes to this movie will immediately be applied to the corresponding movie objects.

Movie objects behave the same as video objects. The editing workflow for a movie object is also the same as the workflow for a video object.

Also 'Save as take' is greyed out for me although I have grouped the objects to be saved; so its safe to say I am confused though grateful for the help.

Hi

. . . . Also 'Save as take' is greyed out for me although I have grouped the objects to be saved; so its safe to say I am confused though grateful for the help. . . .

You cannot save a group of objects as a single take - takes are a method of saving sections of a long video (or parts of many editted video clips) so that they can be re-used later or in another project without having to repeat the editting.

As an excercise in creating takes, follow the instructions below and it will give you an understanding of what they do and how to make them:

Let us say you want to edit a 5 min video clip such that you have the following parts, described below, to use in other projects without having to repeat the cuts etc for each project - note: times are min:secs

Section 1      0:00 to  0:45

Section 2      1:00 to 1:30

Section 3      2:10 to 3:20

Section 4      4:00 to 4:30

Procedure:

1. Take a video about 5 mins long and place it on the timeline.
    
2. Position timeline marker at 0:45 on the timeline
    
3. Make a cut (T key)
    
4. Reposition timeline cursor at 1:00
    
5. Delete the start (Z key)
    
6. Position timeline marker at 1:30 on the timeline
    
7. Make a cut (T key)
    
8. Reposition timeline cursor at 2:10
    
9. Delete the start (Z key)
    
10. Position timeline marker at 3:20 on the timeline
     
11. Make a cut (T key)
     
12. Reposition timeline cursor at 4:00
     
13. Delete the start (Z key)
     
14. Reposition timeline cursor at 4:30
     
15. Delete the end (U key)
    
    You should now have 4 seperate sections on the timeline
     
16. Select all the sections, then Right click one of the sections and select Save as takes

If you look in the Takes folder you should now find you have 4 takes which you can use in one or more projects.

HTH

John EB

Aaaargh! I replied to this earlier but once again my tablet seems to have sent it to the outernet.

I was referring to Magix VPX6 and X7, not MEP for the Movie Object description. This is not in MEP, only in VPX6 and X7. VPX7 is the top of the line Magix video program. You should take a look at it to see if you need what it has that MEP Plus/Premium does not. It costs much more, but is worth it for the extras, IMHO.