Timeline settings

Editing mode

Trimming

Changing the length of clips or gaps on the timeline is called ‘trimming’. Multitrack trimming is a valuable editing skill. By trimming multiple tracks at once, you can assure that the clips coming later on the timeline maintain their relative synchronization.

Two gaps and an audio out point have been selected for trimming. Because one trip point has been created on each track, the entire production stays in sync when trimmed.

Studio can create movie files in all of these formats:

3GP

• Audio only

• AVCHD/Blu-Ray

• AVI

• DivX

• DivX Plus HD

• Flash Video

• Image

• Image Sequence

• MOV

• MPEG-1

• MPEG-2

• MPEG-4

• Real Media

• Windows Media

Link - Pinnacle Studio 17

How to Evaluate a Movie, Video or Film Clip

To evaluate a movie, video, or film clip (or something from television [TV]) and determine if you want to use it for your research look for:

Purpose: Why was the movie, video, or film clip (e.g. found on YouTube, Hulu, or news site/TV station) created? To:

Inform

For example: how to do something (fix a drain, repair a computer, learn how to use a computer program). Give an overview of a recent event or issue.

Entertain

For example: good old-fashioned motion pictures (usually at least 60 minutes long; most at least 90 minutes long), TV shows (comedy/drama), music videos, celebrities (e.g. interviewed, doing bits), stories, pratfalls, jokes, etc.

Share information

For example: hobbies (knitting, cooking, gardening; some step-by-step), fandom (sightings of celebrities), familial news (new baby waving or smiling).

How to Evaluate a Movie, Video or Film Clip

Advertise/sell a product or service (business/marketing)

For example: almost any product or service imaginable from automobiles to zumba DVDs, dog sitting to private jet services. Promotions of upcoming shows (theatrical, film, TV) or events.

Influence views, beliefs, elections (advocacy)

For example: candidate PR material, films on topical issues (education, environment, poverty, health, etc.)

Personal enjoyment

For example: pages created by people who wish to promote themselves and/or their interests/hobbies. These may have some or many of the above mentioned purposes. Some of these are aimed at a small audience of friends and/or family members. Others are viewed worldwide, some unexpectedly so.

Elements of a Review:

Required elements

• A thesis: an arguable claim about the value of the work with reasons.

• Evaluative statements, usually a combination of overall evaluation and specific strengths and weaknesses of the work.

• Description of the work: How it looks, sounds, feels, tastes, smells (if relevant). Sometimes more esoteric elements are described, such as the tone, stance, or political orientation. Sometimes its effect on the viewer is described.

• Plot summary, sometimes a separate section, sometimes woven in with evaluation and analysis.

Elements usually or often included

• Discussion of relevant criteria, with maybe an explanation of why these are the most important. For films, consider which elements of a film get awards. Most often discussed are directing, acting, plot, and cinematography. More general criteria include depth of thinking, emotional impact, authenticity in relation to what is being depicted, wit or cleverness of the writing, and originality.

• Background information to provide context. This can be information about the historical setting, people, or events; the society depicted; other works produced by the filmmaker or writer; key ideas involved in the work (e.g. political, philosophical, or artistic ideas), and production history.

Elements usually or often included

• • Comparison/ Contrast with other similar works, with the source material, with sequels or prequels, etc.

• Classification/Division: a work can be placed in a class, such as a particular genre (e.g. sci-fi, historical drama, documentary, French New Wave) and then distinguished from other items in that category.

• Reception: How the film was received by audiences and/or critics; awards it has won.

Elements usually or often included

• Analysis: Discussion of how the film works, what makes the characters tick, what the film says about the society that produced it, why audiences responded as they did, etc.

• Narrative: Sometimes a story of the reviewer’s experience with the film or the issue it depicts is relevant and interesting. For example, a war movie reviewed by a soldier who fought in it or a refugee who fled from it has an added emotional heft if the reviewers discuss their experiences, particularly while evaluating the film’s authenticity.