CREATING MOVIE FILES
 


Easy-Cut projects are often used to create "cutups", which are "new" movie, or video files. 

To create a cutup from an Easy-Cut project:

  1. Add clips to the Easy-Cut Project Grid or Open an Easy-Cut project file

  2. Arrange the clips as desired using the Filter and sequencing tools

  3. Click Export Movie to open the Easy-Cut Project Output screen

  4. Follow the steps to produce your movie

STEP 1 - Name the Movie (type in or accept the default, and the specify the Location where it should be saved. Use the ellipsis (...) to browse to a folder.

 

STEP 2 - Select the type of Compression Method that should be used to create the new Movie File.   The default "compression method" is Windows Media (WMV), Enhanced High Quality (640 x 480).

STEP 3 - MAKE THE MOVIE - Click Generate Now to make a movie using the name, location and quality settings you specified.

A progress bar and on-screen status messages inform you of the progress being made and how long the process is expected to take. The screen below shows a movie "post production". Note the status bar - it refers to the progress of the entire project. During "production", a "conversion" time estimate is given while each clip is being processed.  

STEP 4 - VIEW THE MOVIE -  Click the link that starts with Launch to view your movie in Windows Media Player.

MORE ABOUT VIDEO QUALITY (COMPRESSION) SETTINGS AND THE MOVIE WIZARD

Entire books are devoted to digital video, with detailed and highly technical discussions of video quality.  Easy-Cut's "Export Video Wizard" is designed to produce cutup files that consist of between 10 and 20 plays, or "clips", and can do so on virtually any computer that can run Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7.  The ability to create larger cutup files is dependent on a variety of factors, including the hardware capabilities of the computer that is being used, the video format and number of different video files that comprise the Easy-Cut project, and the amount of fragmentation in the video source files.  

The default setting (Enhanced High Quality 640x480 Windows Media) will produce a video file optimized for displaying on a computer screen or overhead projector. This file is also suitable for writing to a DVD or VCD using the computer's "burner" and any number of DVD creation software applications.

A number of Windows Media "compression methods", or profiles are available, including two that produce significantly smaller video files than the default setting.  When the smallest file size is desired, for emailing or posting on a web site, select one of the 320x240 settings. The video file size will be much smaller, and the quality will be adequate unless the video is enlarged to a size that exceeds 320x240 during playback. 

  1. Enhanced High Quality Windows Media (.wmv) - full screen (640x480), compressed, smaller than .avi size

  2. High Quality Windows Media (.wmv) - full screen (640x480), compressed, slightly smaller and lower quality than the default Enhanced High Quality

  3. Medium Quality Windows Media (.wmv) - small (320x240) compressed and a very small file size

  4. Variable Rate WWW Streaming (.wmv) - small (320x240) but surprisingly close to Highest Quality depending on your video source

Another type of compression supported by Easy-Cut is DivX, which may create a higher quality output than that which is produced by the Windows Media format. To use Easy-Cut's DivX Compression option, the DivX for Windows Codec must be downloaded from www.divx.com.  In Easy-Cut Version 3 and later, if a DivX Codec is NOT installed, this option is disabled.

DIVX compression will usually produce video with a slightly larger file size, and slightly better quality video than the Windows Media formats. And, since the DivX file that is created is an .avi file, it will be more responsive and precise during playback when pausing, advancing and reversing the video. DivX compression should only be used when the source video files are 720x480 to minimize loss of video quality during the export function. The best DIVX output results will be achieved when the source video is either uncompressed DV AVI, DIVX-AVI or XVID AVI with dimensions (resolution) of 720x480.

* In Version 3 and later, the DivX output size is 720x480 (the same size as Standard Definition DVD Video), which produces a larger video image (and larger file size).  The DivX for Windows codec can be downloaded at www.divx.com.

In Version 2, the DivX output size is 640x480 - the same as the default Windows Media format.

In Summary, for the highest quality video output, capture and edit video that is in an .AVI format, ideally an uncompressed (DV-AVI), XVID, or DivX format. We call this your "SOURCE" video.

* XVID files are supported in Windows 7. A Codec is sometimes necessary to use XVID avi files in Windows XP and Windows Vista.  Since all XVID codecs are not alike, contact us before you download an XVID codec.

 

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