[Vincent Rosati]

Click on the object path with the Direct Selection Tool (A) to activate the points.
Use the Path Selection Tool to move the whole object.

When a curved point is selected with the Direct Select Tool (A), you can grab the end of the handlebar to adjust the curve.
You can also adjust a curved path by clicking on it, between two points.

In the Pen Tools, you’ll find the Convert Anchor Point Tool. Click on a curve point to make it into a corner.
Click and Drag on a corner point to make it into a curve.
You can also use this tool to adjust the corner angle of a point by using it to grab a point’s handlebar.
By pressing Alt you can quickly switch this into the Direct Selection Tool

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

lol. I’m throwing so much information at you, I feel kinda’ bad. You’re getting it, though! 🙂

Looks like the DIVX issue was a red herring. It was mentioned earlier in the thread.
It appears that Premiere won’t read AC3 audio. Perhaps installing Main Concept MPEG Pro would enable this. It might be worth looking into.
https://www.mainconcept.com

50 Fields/Sec. indicates that the video is interlaced. Also, the ‘I/L’ under the Pics/s section indicates this. GSpot uses “flags” to identify the spec’s of a file, they simply may be absent from your file. No big deal.

Dimensions and Aspect Ratios would be found under Video, in the ‘d’ portion of GSpot’s interface. Mostly, you would want to know if the file is 4:3 or 16:9 (Full screen or Widescreen).

Based on you description, you have MPEG2 video (codec) of the DV frame size. This is typical and good. I initially assumed you were working with the DV video codec.

Decompressing the MPEG2 video to AVI uncompressed not only allows you to import your audio, but also allows for smoother playback during editing by reducing strain on your processor.

Increasing the bitrate from 4MB/s to 6MB/s will improve quality, but will not remove compression artifacts. Earlier I mentioned that you may be seeing DV compression artifacts. This was incorrect. However, now that we’ve identified your codec as MPEG2, I will say that you may be seeing MPEG compression artifacts – which are similar.

Since you are in a PAL TV region, you should be using Upper Field First (or, TFF as it is identified by GSpot). This is set in Premiere’s project settings when the project was created. Correcting the field order would make a big improvement in the quality of your video.
If you ever need to change a project setting that cannot be changed (such as the Field Order), simply create a new project with the desired settings than import the old project into the new one.

Hey, I learned most of this stuff through trial and error. It’s too bad we have to deal with these long rendering times, in video, just to find out we could have done it better.
In video, it seems like there is always a better way.?

Wait ’till you start messing with After Effects. 🙂

Thanks for the dedication! 🙂

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

Welcome Jim:
Drag the movie from the Project window into the Timeline Sequence.
Press C, or Window/Tools and click in the Razor Tool.
Slice & Dice.
Press V, or click the Selection Tool to rearrange the clips.

You could also double-click the MPEG in the Project window to open it up in the secondary monitor. Set the In(I)/Out(O) points, and Insert (,) the clip to the Sequence, but my preference it to work in the Timeline.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

SGI! Jeez, I remember when that an unattainable mysterious force that existed… somewhere… out there. That sounds like it was a really cool experience. After linear, I started with Avid Video Shop an a Mac Performa – It took a great deal of care to avoid crashes and corrupted project files. 🙁

Total Training for Premiere covers a good bit of under-the-hood aspects of the old workhorse.

Regarding the Media Cache Files and Encoded Files, I’m on PP 1.5. I’ve never generated those directories.

Can you revert your update? How are you going to handle the issue?

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

Here’s a new work file with notes on how to create it, and a brush preset (.abr) file. If you happen to develop these files any further, I’d love it if you would post them or email them to me. 🙂 vince (at) newinelabs.com
It only has a “2B” preset, but you could easily modify it to create the other pencils.

https://www.newinelabs.com/rosati/tutorials/Technical_Pencils.zip
1.8 MB

As far as the effects in the original file, I applied the Bevel & Emboss after drawing, but you can draw into that layer while the effect is active.
The yellow legal paper was just a tile pattern I made.

I think this pencil preset would look real nice on top of a good scan of paper.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

The video & audio renders go to their respective folders defined in Edit/Pref’s/Scratch Discs… Previews.
So, if you have additional hard disks, you would want to use them to hold the preview directories.

Which partly answers your next question. The Conformed Audio folder is supposed to be for previews of any audio files that don’t match the project spec’s, but I think all imported audio (including the audio from A/V files) go in there.
You’ll notice the “Conforming…” progress bar, at the bottom of the Premiere interface when you import a file.
This should also be set to use a disk drive other than your project drive.

You can dump any of the Preview/Conformed files at any time, however the Conformed Audio would be recreated the next time you open the project.

If you create any titles in premiere, it will also create a Titles folder.

The Auto Save folder holds backups of your project, saved at intervals also specified in Preferences/Auto Save.

Back to your original question – According to the Sticky Post at the top of this forum, maybe you need to update Premiere for Leopard? Check it out. Otherwise, maybe post a thread in the Premiere Pro forum, something like “PP-CS3 Won’t Render Work Area in Mac Leopard”. There’s a lot more activity over there.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

One of the big tricks with getting Photoshop to produce authentic strokes is using a pressure sensitive pen with Shape Dynamics and Texture enabled. And, of course, picking a color that matches the graphite you want.

The linked file is about 125kb, layered, and has a few effects on the layers.
https://www.newinelabs.com/rosati/tutorials/Pressure_Pen.tif

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

I’m on a PC. My Premiere frame exports save as BMP files which, I believe, don’t hold PAR data. So, any App is just guessing it’s aspect ratio, including Premiere.

In Premiere’s project window, right click on the image and Interpret Footage/Conform to 16:9. This might be what you want.?

Or
In PS CS or above, open a new document and choose a widescreen preset. Open the original, copy and paste it into the widescreen file and resize with View/Snap enabled. However, this is a resampling of the image, so I don’t recommend it.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

Hmmm, it sounds like you know exactly what you are doing.
By “mark an in/out”, I assume you’re referring to the sliders that are just above the red line in the sequence. Correct?

Baffled

It shouldn’t make a difference, but try hitting Enter.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?

[Vincent Rosati]

Ah yes. 🙂
We’re about to get into a bit more complicated sort of discussion. You have an eye for detail and are about to start down a technically complicated path.

At any step in the process of video production there are a good number of considerations to make.

———————————————–

First, download the GSpot Codec Information Appliance, here…
https://www.headbands.com/gspot/
This tool will will give us valuable information regarding the spec’s of the files being used. And, will help you to increase your understanding of video. It’s been invaluable to me.

Some important information identified with GSpot:
Region: NTSC or PAL
Audio CODEC: *
Video CODEC: *
Video Fields/Sec.: *
Video Frames: Progressive or Interlaced
Video Dimensions: *
Video Display Aspect Ratio: *

———————————————–

Generally, digital image compression is based on 16×16 or 8×8 pixel blocks, or squares. I imagine the squares you are seeing are in one of these sizes? Sounds like you may be seeing DV compression artifacts – Assuming you exported from Premiere to a DV codec, than transcoded to MPEG2-DVD.
You want to skip the DV codec. Earlier in our discussion I assumed you were working with DV files, and not DIVX.
I mislead you.

Workflow Solution for DVD Authoring from DIVX Source:
1- Extract AV files (DIVX, I believe) from CD to Hard Disk.
2- Decompress to AVI Uncompressed. (A lossless conversion)
3- Import & edit in Premiere.
4- Export with Adobe Media Encoder (AME) or Main Concept MPEG Pro Encoder to MPEG2-DVD. Do not allow an additional transcoding by your authoring software.

*If this is the first time you used Adobe Media Encoder you will be prompted to activate this tool while connected to the internet.

Format
MPEG2-DVD

Presets
Choose a setting with the highest bitrate that will allow the length of your video to fit on the DVD type you are using (single or dual layer DVD). Maybe, Lo-Q 6MB VBR 2-Pass.

* Don’t be alarmed by the words “low quality” in the preset description, as this can be boosted to “high quality” by adjusting the Quality slider, under the Basic Video Settings, to it’s maximum value. This setting does affect the length of the render time.

* Note that the “DV” listed in the presets does not indicate a compression codec, but a frame size.

Summary: Video
Adjust the Quality slider to 5.0, the maximum setting.

Summary: Audio
I recommend using PCM audio. This is arguable, but it ensures maximum compatibility during authoring.

Summary: Multiplexing
I recommend enabling DVD Multiplexing, as this will create a single file that can be previewed with MPEG2 compatible software.

General Issues
I imagine you are in a PAL TV region. If so, make sure all of the setting you choose reflect this. And, that you are encoding in the proper field order, probably UFF or Upper Field First.

The multiplexed MPEG2-DVD file should import to your authoring software without an additional transcoding. Any additional transcoding will reduce the quality of your video.
If this occurs, you may need to check the spec’s of the authoring software to determine it’s acceptable MPEG2 formats.

Also, if the bitrate is too high, and the file is too big for the disc, the authoring software will force a transcoding. Which means you will need to go back to the the Premiere project and reduce the bitrate settings slightly, and save a new file.

Often, the quality of interlaced video can benefit from proper deinterlacing (another complicated subject), but worth considering, depending on your needs… assuming that your DIVX file is interlaced – This can be determined by opening the file with GSpot.

Use task specific software. Which is to say, you could use Premiere to burn a DVD, but don’t. Use Nero, as you have been – It’s core function is to burn discs. You could use Nero to transcode, but don’t. Use AME or Main Concept – It’s their core function.

There could be broadcast gamut issues with the DIVX codec. You may need to apply the Broadcast Color video effect to your video?

I don’t have much experience with DIVX. There could be other known issues with converting DIVX to DVD. I think there is a video compression forum, here at the COW. It might be worthwhile to start a thread there to present your issue. Include the 4-step workflow I provided in your post.

Sorry for the long-winded response, I just wanted to cover all of the possibilities. I hope you can make something out of it.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?