Sony Vegas
For Versions 7.0 - 9.0
This page is to help, or at least, to try to help, people that use the same programs I use. Of course, maybe even with my tutorials, you can have some doubts. For that, just send an email here, and I will try to help you. Also, my English sometimes can suck while explaining things, so, don't be rough.
Well, lets get started with the basics! In Movie Maker you can import the video, but in Sony Vegas is: "File/Open". You certainly figured that out by your own! Next, before explaining you some things, I will give you some tips:
- Save your work every time you make a change in your video, because Sony Vegas sometimes can create some errors that makes it to close by itself without you noticing or having time to avoid! I already lost many minutes of my works because of that! Principally when you make masks! There is where SV create more errors.
- Don't worry to use too many Video Tracks if you want because it will be more easier to you if you want to use a lot of effects!
- Import the clips directly to your Video Track and cut it there since Sony Vegas is not too good in cutting the clips like Movie Maker (unfortunately...).
Those are my personal tips for you. Now I'll tell you some other techniques to create your video in a easy way!
- 1 - Transition Effects and other options >> You'll use them many times in your videos since are the options that will make your videos the best! Can you see a box beside the preview screen? Below, you will see many options to select and use. Transition effects are the effects you can put when you change the video to another. Like that you'll avoid the situation of making the clips to appear suddenly and turn them more smoothly.
You can use flashes, slides, etc, and for that, you only need to join 2 clips. If you used Movie Maker, you'll certainly understand what I'm talking about!
- 2 - Fade in or Fade Out >> Yeah, Sony Vegas system is not so easy than Movie Maker. Here you have to create the fades you want to do by yourself. To fade in, you have to pull a thing that is very alike to a "curtain". To do that, go to the upper left point of the clip and there you'll see a blue arrow! The mouse cursor will change to another and then, press the left mouse button and pull it. There you'll see that "curtain" thing to appear. To fade out is the same thing, but in the end of your clip. In those "curtains" you can drag a transition effect so you can make it appearing with a flash or other effect!
- 3 - Some other cool Options >> In any clip you want to edit, right mouse button in the clip and a box will open with many options like Pan/Crop, Velocity, etc.
- 3.1 - Video Event Pan/crop >> Here is where you zoom your video. To take out those black bars that appears when you import a video and to move it, of course if you want.
To move it, Sony Vegas have a system with "keyframes". Those keyframes will help you to move it. Create a keyframe in the begining (in a bar that you can see below of that box) to make the position that you want it to appear. Next, create another one in the end so you can determine the position that you desire to see it ending, like I do in my videos with images.
- 3.2 - Video Effects >> It's the option you'll use to add effects in your videos like: black and white, lens flare an others! This I can't explain you the effects, just try it to use them and see how it will turn! =3 If you want me to explain a special effect that you have doubts, then, just ask me!
- 3.3 - Insert/Remove Envelope - Velocity >> This option will allows you to speed up or slow down your video!
- 3.4 - Reverse >> This option is to make your video to show it reversed! Like the Luke's face in the begining of my first Entrance Video!
- 4 - Add or Remove Video/Audio Tracks >> You can see on your left screen of the program an Audio and Video Track. Like Movie Maker, it only have 1 in the begining, but you can add or remove more than 1 track. Right-button of the mouse and "Insert Video Track" or "Remove Video Track". The same goes with the Audio Track.
- 5 - Two Clips, one above the other >> With 2 Video Tracks, you can put one video above the other and show them in the same time like you already saw! =3
Just place them one above the other (in different video tracks) and the above one, take the opacity! In the top of your clip (like the blue arrow on the upper right or left) the mouse cursor will change to one hand! When that happens, pull it down and you'll see a white line! That's the Opacity Line! Change the percentage to make it with the transparency you want to see! ^^
- 6 - Video Track Motion >> The video tracks have effects as well. Go there and you can see some buttons and options. To add a new effect to the track you have to use the option that saysy: Video Track Motion... (if I'm not wrong). There you can add a shadow, glow, change the clips to make them 3D and many other effects. ^^ But, attention! This will affect ALL your clips that are in that Video Track!
For now is everything I can give you, but don't worry, I tend to upgrade this page every time I find more cool stuff of this program! (Images comes soon)
Take care and good luck!