On Sun, 24 Jan 1999 17:03:01 GMT, esmonde@prism.ie (Roy Esmonde) wrote:

>I've just begun to use Premiere 5.1 (up to now I spent most of my time
>trying to get the DV300 to work with it). But as a newbie I have
>some questions which someone might be able to help with.

We'll try....! ;-)

>1. I can't find any reference in the manual to fade to black, or
>fade from black. The only reference seems to be about transitions for
>compositing. Do I really have to place any clip that I want to fade
>from black to, or fade to black from, on the transition track? Is
>this the only method to do one of the most basic of transitions? And
>is there a fade to/from white option?

This can be done several ways. You can put the clip on an
effects track, and use the "rubber band" to set the fade;
or you can leave the clip on the regular track, add a
cross-disolve, and cross to nothing, or cross to a stretched
out black title-background (or a white title-background, if
you want to go to/from white...).

>2. Is there any source of information on how best to use the
>motion settings of P5.1 to produce Rostrum Camera type moves on
>captured still images. What's the best way, for example, to go from a
>full frame shot via a specific key frame to a close up detail in a
>specified duration. I've read the manual and tried out the option but
>although it's powerful, it's mainly concerned with fancy moves of
>clips around and into the frame rather than with simple zooms, or pans
>within an existing image area.

On the time line in the motion tool click the mouse at
whatever point you want to specify characteristics, and
select (or type in) the numbers that specify what you want.
Specify characteristics at other locations to control
changes. If you want to specify the exact frame at which a
change in motion effect happens (this was necessary in
P-4.2 - P-5.1 may have an additional method, but this method
can still be used...), cut the original clip at that point
(so that cut specifies the beginning or end point [or
transition point] for the motion effect). Practice a bit
with "junk" clips - you will get the hang of it quickly...

>3. Finally, and this is part laziness, how do I stop having to
>re-render everytime I load a project again. I choose save at the end,
>but when I re-open the project it doesn't seem to know about previous
>renders, so I have to redo them. I'm sure it's in the manual, but
>someone might save me the fingerwork by saying what I'm doing wrong or
>pointing to a page no.

Check "save to disk" instead of "save to RAM" for previews.
(P-4.2 could save renderings even though they were previewed
to RAM.) BTW, to see the previews (of transitions, motion,
and applied filters) while "scrubbing" through the timeline,
hold down the "alt" key (unnecessary in P-4.2, but....;-).
Also, BTW, you can reduce the double preview window to a
single window to make screen real-estate management
easier...

>Premiere is a very powerful program, but for someone like me, who
>mostly wants to do cuts and dissolves, I wish they had a more basic
>version of the manual. Or, maybe I'm just losing those brain cells
>:-)

Once you get used to the basics of simple cuts and dissolves, you
are most of the way there in Premiere...!