Saturday, January 31, 2015

PE 13: Glass Flowers Disc Menu Highlights Missing in Playback of DVD-VIDEO on DVD Disc

INTRODUCTION

In the Premiere Elements 13 Movie Menu customization area Preview, the Glass Flowers menu navigation button highlights appear and function properly, but they are missing in the playback of the DVD-VIDEO standard or widescreen on DVD disc to which they were applied.

ISSUE

The purpose of the Movie Menu customization area Preview is primarily to verify that the movie menu navigation buttons and their highlights are working properly before the burn to disc. And, in this case, the Preview is indicating they are working. But, after burn to and at playback, there are buttons but no button highlights.

So far the issue has been found to apply to Glass Flowers disc menu .psd files for standard and widescreen sets. The affected files are

glass flowers_s_mm.psd
glass flowers_s_sm.psd

glass flowers_w_mm.psd
glass flowers_w_sm.psd

These files can be found in Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 64 bit in the path
Local Disk C\Program Data\Adobe\13.0\Online\DVD Templates\All_Lang\General\(A) Glass Flowers

This situation leaves the user to select another movie menu theme without this issue or to explore the theme's .psd files for flaws in its general construction and highlight layers. This blog post will target the latter.

SOLUTION

Exploration of the theme's .psd files for cause and effect did not provide an obvious answer for Why. But replacement of the highlight layers in main menu .psd and scene menu .psd did produce a Glass Flowers disc menu with navigation button highlights that worked. Editing of these .psd files was done in Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended 64 bit.

Scene Selection Page Highlights

The Adobe highlight for each of the 4 scene buttons on the Scene Selection page uses a (= 1) highlight layer which has on it a large yellow frame which has underneath its bottom left a small yellow rectangle. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. Glass Flowers Disc Menu Scene Button Highlight.

To correct the flawed highlight layer for this theme's Scene Selection Page, a shape layer with a yellow Hedera 2 shape is created and then a large yellow frame created in the shape layer. That shape layer is renamed to (=1) highlight and becomes the new highlight layer for the button, and the original (=1) highlight layer is deleted.

Scene Selection page highlighting for its main menu button, next arrow button, and previous arrow  button uses only the small yellow rectangle. New highlight layer for each of these was derived from the new scene button highlight layer.

Main Menu Page Highlights

The Adobe highlight for each of its 6 buttons on the Main Menu page uses a (=1) highlight layer which has on it only the small yellow rectangle to the left of each button

Play Movie, Scene Selection, Bonus Feature, Main Menu, Previous Arrow, Next Arrow

To correct the flawed highlight layer for the Main Menu page part of the theme, a shape layer with a yellow Hedera 2 shape is created. The shape layer is renamed to (=1) highlight and becomes the new highlight layer for the button, and the original (=1) highlight layer is deleted.

Although the following HOW TO will produce a Glass Flowers menu with functional button highlights at playback of the DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc in which it is used, the question remains whether or not the following is worth the investment of time to make this Glass Flowers theme usable.

HOW TO

Starting With Replacing The Scene Selection Page Highlights. 
(the most detailed part of the Solution)

STEP 1
In Photoshop, open the scene menu .psd named glass flowers_w_sm.psd. The major layer sets are (from bottom to top)...Refer to Figure 2
title
(+<) prev arrow
(+>) next arrow
(+^) main menu
(+) scene four
(+) scene three
(+) scene two
(+) scene one
foreground
background

Figure 2. Glass Flowers Scene Selection Page First Opened For Editing In Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended.
STEP 2
Open the (+) scene one major layer set, find its highlight layer named (=1) highlight, and select it. Refer to Figure 3.

Figure 3. Glass Flowers Scene Selection Page PSD Layers Palette Focus On (+) Scene One Major Layer Set And First Highlight Layer To Be Replaced.

Tip: Close the (^^) scene one text sublayer set in the (+) scene one major layer set so that all that is seen there in that major layer set are the three layers (=1) highlight, Frame 1, and (% video)

STEP 3
Set the Foreground color in the Color Picker to yellow (fcfc15). Zoom in (300%) on SCENE ONE on screen. Using the Custom Shape Tool, the Hedera 2 shape, and yellow color, create a shape layer directly above the original (=1) highlight layer. The Hedera 2 shape should be equivalent in size to the small yellow rectangle that is part of the original highlight for the SCENE ONE button.

The shape layer created is given the name of Shape 1 by the program. It will have two components - to the left is the Layer Thumbnail and to the right is the Vector mask thumbnail. Right click the Vector mask thumbnail, and select Rasterize Vector Mask.

Next, turn off the layer visibility for Shape 1, and then click on the original (=1) highlight layer to select it. With this layer selected, use the Eraser Tool to erase the small yellow rectangle that is part of the original highlight for SCENE ONE button.

Tip: For the next part of this procedure, a Zoom In of 400% is indicated.

Ctrl click the Layer thumbnail part of the original (=1) highlight layer in order to bring up marching ants around the yellow frame that is part of that original highlight layer. With the marching ants active, turn on the visibility of the Shape 1 layer created, and click on its Layer Mask Thumbnail to the right in the layer to select it. Use Alt+Backspace to place that frame on the shape layer to accompany the Hedera 2 shape as part of highlight. Deselect (Ctrl+D) the marching ants, and delete the original (=1) highlight layer. Now rename that newly created shape layer, from Shape 1 to (=1) highlight. SCENE ONE work is finished.

STEP 4
Open the (+) scene two layer set, find its highlight layer (=1) highlight as done for (+) scene one major layer set. Duplicate the (+) scene one newly created (=1) highlight  layer and drag it upward so that it is placed immediately above (+) scene two's original (=1) highlight layer. Delete (+) scene two's original (=1) highlight layer. Select the Duplicate in the layers palette and then Ctrl+T. On screen, the duplicated highlight is super imposed over the original's new highlight layer. So separate the two as follows.

Focusing on screen and with Ctrl+T in effect, with the right arrow key move the duplicated highlight (frame plus Hedera 2 shape) that is seen on screen away from the SCENE ONE button location to SCENE TWO. Hit Enter key to commit when the Duplicate is in place for SCENE TWO.. See Figure 4.

Figure 4. Duplicated  Scene One Highlight Moved To Correct Position For Use As Scene Two Highlight.
STEP 5
For SCENE THREE the workflow is repeated using the Duplicate of the (+) scene one 's new (=1) highlight layer and dragging it upward into position above the original (=1) highlight of (+) scene three. For SCENE FOUR button, repeat using a Duplicate of the (+) scene one's new (=1) highlight layer and dragging it upward into position above the the original (=1) highlight of (+) scene four.
STEP 6
The highlight for each of the main menu, next arrow, and prev arrow buttons, is only the small yellow rectangle.

For MAIN MENU button new highlight
  • Open (+^) main menu major layer set and find its (=1) highlight layer.
  • Duplicate (+) scene one major layer set's newly created highlight layer and move that Duplicate upward so that it is immediately above the (+^) main menu major layer set's original (=1) highlight layer.
  • Turn off the visibility icon for the for (+) scene one major layer set's highlight layer.
  • Click on the Layer Mask thumbnail part of the Duplicate highlight in (+^) main menu major layer set, and then on screen use the Eraser Tool to erase the yellow frame from that Duplicate highlight layer.
  • Delete the original (=1) highlight layer. Ctrl+T and then use an arrow key to move on screen the shape from the SCENE ONE area downward to the left of the text "Main Menu". When finished, hit Enter to commit for the Ctrl+T activity.
  • Make sure to rename the newly created highlight layer as (=1) highlight.

For next arrow button highlight, use the Duplicate of the newly created highlight from (+^) main menu major layer set in steps 
  • Open (+>) next arrow major layer set and find its (=1) highlight layer.
  • Duplicate (+^) main menu major layer set's newly created highlight layer and move that Duplicate upward so that is is immediately above the (+>) next arrow major layer set's original (=1) highlight layer.
  • Click on the Layer Mask thumbnail part of the Duplicate highlight in (+>) next arrow major layer set,
  • Delete (+>) the original (=1) highlight layer. Ctrl+T and then use an arrow key to move on screen the shape from the the Main Menu button area to just to the left of the next triangle shape.
For prev arrow button highlight, use Duplicate of new highlight layer for next arrow button and repeat the steps given for creating the prev arrow button new highlight layer.

Ending With Replacing The Main Menu Highlights. 

STEP 1
In Photoshop, open the main menu .psd named glass flowers_w_mm.psd. The major layer sets are (from bottom to top)...Refer to Figure 5.
title
(+<) prev arrow
(+>) next arrow
(+^) main menu
(+) bonus
(++) scenes
(+-) play movie
foreground
background

Figure 5. Glass Flowers Main Menu First Opened For Editing In Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended.

STEP 2
Open the (+-) play movie major layer set, find its highlight layer named (=1) highlight, and select it.
Tip: Close the (^^) sublayer set in the (+-) play movie major layer set so that all that is seen there in that major layer is the (=1) highlight layer.

STEP 3
Set the Foreground color in the Color Picker to yellow (fcfc15). Zoom in (300%) on  on screen. Using the Custom Shape Tool, the Hedera 2 shape, and yellow color, create a shape layer directly above the original (=1) highlight layer. The Hedera 2 shape should be equivalent in size to the small yellow rectangle that is part of the original highlight for the PLAY MOVIE button. Delete the original (=1) highlight layer for the (+-) play movie major layer set.

STEP 4
Duplicate the newly created highlight layer for (+-) play movie, and open the (++) scenes major layer set. Drag the Duplicate upward to immediately above the original highlight layer for (++) scenes major layer set. 

STEP 5
Click on the Vector mask thumbnail part of the new Shape layer to select it. Then Ctrl+T, followed by dragging the shape highlight on screen from MAIN MENU to the right where the yellow rectangle highlight is still seen. Position the new highlight to the left of SCENE SELECTION. Hit Enter to commit to the Ctrl+T activity, and then delete the original highlight layer there.

STEP 6
Using a Duplicate from (+-) play movie new highlight layer each time, repeat for (+) bonus, (+^) main menu, (+>) next arrow, and (+<) prev arrow.


WRAP UP

Make sure that the text in the .psd files are set to the correct language. Double check to assure that all the new highlight layers are each named (=1) highlight.

Rename the highlights replaced .psd files
In this case the widescreen set was used for the HOW TO run through, so

FROM
glass flowers_w_mm.psd
TO
XXglass flowers_w_mm.psd

and

FROM
glass flowers_w_sm.psd
TO
XXglass flowers_w_sm.psd

Place the XXglass flowers_w_mm.psd and XXglass flowers_w_sm.psd in a newly created folder named XXglass flowers. Then place the XXglass flowers folder in a newly created folder named My Special Themes in the path
Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 13\DVD Templates\Common\My Special Themes

Repeat all of the blog post details, starting with the standard set of .psd files is if the standard instead of the widescreen set of .psd files is needed. Then add the XXglass flowers_s_mm.psd and XXglass flowers_s_sm.psd to the XX glass flowers folder in the My Special Themes Folder in the path cited
Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 13\DVD Templates\Common\My Special Themes

_______________________________________________________________________________

Work in progress, but blog post has been proof read several time and seems to be close to being finalized.

ATR

Friday, January 16, 2015

PE 13: Video Story Media Considerations

INTRODUCTION

Premiere Elements 13* offers a new feature called Video Story. It is found under the Create header in the Expert and Quick workspaces.  Basically the feature offers several different storyboard template choices into which videos and files can be placed ordered sequentially in a structured theme to build on the story to be told by final video presentation.

The storyboard template themes include
  • General - Party, Festive
  • Birthday - Make a Wish, Birthday Bash
  • Graduation - Graduation Day
  • Travel - Travel Diaries
  • Wedding - Wedding Wells, Now and Forever
All of the above themes, except General/Party require content download before use.

Each of the storyboard template themes include an option "Use Media from my Timeline". If that is not selected, the theme selected will open to a workspace with choices for adding media from
  • Elements Organizer
  • Videos from Flip or Camera
  • Photos from Camera or Devices
  • Files and Folders
This blog post will focus only on "Use Media from my Timeline" option of Video Story since it was found that the "Media from my Timeline" was not always as expected.

ISSUE

The Adobe document on Video Story states
The "Use media from my timeline option" brings all the videos and photos from your timeline to the story assets view in the Video Story workflow.
That statement is not necessary true and where it is not needs to be pointed to.


OBSERVATIONS ON VIDEO STORY'S "USE MEDIA FROM MY TIMELINE" OPTION 

1. Trimmed Clips

If video file is trimmed in its Preview Window which is opened by double clicking the file in Project Assets and that trim dragged to the Timeline, that Timeline trim will be used in the Video Story feature; whereas the trim will not be used in Video Story and the whole video version used instead when
  • trimmed video clip is created by Preview Window which is opened by double clicking the file after it was placed on the Timeline
  • trimmed video clip is created in the Timeline with the scissors tool in the stem of the Timeline Indicator 
  • trimmed video clip is created using the mouse cursor as a trim tool

In these cases where the whole video instead of a trim from it is taken into Video Story, there is an opportunity to split that whole clip into multiple clips, but it depends on the Auto-Analyzer finding  and splitting scenes in the video.
Right click the whole video in Video Story's "Get Media for your Story" workspace, and select "Split Into Multiple Clips". But, it does not always. And, if it does, the split clips do not contain a split clip that looks like the Timeline trim that was wanted transferred  from project's Timeline to Video Story.

**Also, consider using Favorite Moments for the video clip trim from within Video Story Detail View in Story Assets/Story Chapters area.
Click on the "Star" in the video clip to open Favorite Moments for clip trimming followed by the trimmed clip's return to the Video Story in process.



2. Effects Applied To Timeline

fx

Timeline video or still to which a fx Effects has been applied  prior to being taken into Video Story loses the effect in Video Story. Sampling of testing
  • Video file to which had been applied fx Effects/Advanced Adjustments/Channel Mixer
  • JPEG still file to which had been applied fx Effects/Stylize/Find Edges
  • JPEG still file to which had been applied fx Effects/Stylize/Replicate
  • JPEG or Video files which had been cropped using fx Effects/Transform/Crop
Interpret Footage, Time Stretch, and Time Remapping

Timeline video to which slow or fast motion has been created by using Interpret Footage is taken into Video Story with the slow or fast motion present.

However, Timeline video to which slow or fast motion has been applied by Time Stretch or Time Remapping is taken into Video Story without the slow or fast motion.

Other

If keyframing of a property is used for a Timeline object, that object comes into Video Story from the project's Timeline without the keyframing.


3. Timeline Titles

Timeline Titles which were created in the project's Titler or Title Templates found under the Titles & Text Tab are not taken into Video Story.

4. Graphics

Timeline graphic (.png clip art) is taken into Video Story.

5. Audio

Timeline audio (Music Score and Sound Effects and Narration) are not taken into Video Story. Video Story's message is that it does not support audio, just photos and videos whether the user gets the Video Story media from Add Media choices or from the "Use Media from my Timeline", the option on which this blog post is focused.

However, when the Video Story accepts a video file which includes audio, the audio from that video clip is heard in Video Story.


________________________________________________________________________________
* Work done on Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit and confirmed on Windows 8.1 64 bit. The storyboard template theme named Party under the General category was used. Premiere Elements 13 Expert workspace was used.
**February 13, 2016 Update...Please see "PE 14/14.1: Video Story Elements Organizer Access".

ATR




Saturday, January 10, 2015

PE 13: ISO Image File Size Issue

INTRODUCTION

Premiere Elements 13 introduces creation of ISO Image for DVD, AVCHD, Blu-ray. This is the first version in which the user has the opportunity to use burn to Blu-ray with other than just disc. The ISO Image generated in the process can be taken to disc using a free program such as ImgBurn.

But a report has appeared at the forum level that the disc content of such a disc is not recognized by the player (computer or otherwise) if the Premiere Elements 13 Blu-ray ISO Image taken to disc has a file size greater than about 1.1 GB.

I have confirmed and expanded on this original report and have found that the issue extends to Premiere Elements 13 AVCHD ISO Image as well as Blu-ray ISO Image.

ISSUE

The issue is the lack of player recognition for AVCHD on DVD or Blu-ray disc format on Blu-ray disc when the disc is created in ImgBurn using a Premiere Elements 13 ISO Image with a file size greater than about 1 GB.

SOLUTION

No solution is available at this time for the ISSUE stated, and it is unknown whether or not Adobe is aware of this matter and is working on a solution.

MY FINDINGS*

Blu-Ray

(1) Iso files with file size 994.00 MB, 1.29 GB, and 16 GB were generated by Premiere Elements 13 using its Publish+Share/Disc/Blu-ray with Burn To: ISO Image (25 GB). The Burn To: preset was H.264 1920 x 1080i NTSC Dolby. Then each was taken to a BD-RE (25 GB) disc using ImgBurn. The computer's CyberLink Blu-ray player did not recognize the disc content for disc derived from the 1.29 GB or 16 GB .iso file. The following was true if Nero was used instead of ImgBurn to take the .iso image to disc. The CyberLink Blu-ray player did recognize the disc content for the disc derived from the 994.00 MB .iso file.

(2) When only the BDMV Folder from either of the failures was taken into ImgBurn to apply it to a BD-RE (25 GB) disc, ImgBurn would not and pointed to the index.bdmv file in the BDMV as a cannot open.

(3) Neither of the following produced a disc that was recognized by the computer's CyperLink player.
  • Setting Premiere Elements 13 Blu-ray Burn To: to ISO Image (25 GB) and taking the resulting  Premiere Elements 13 Blu-ray ISO Image with file size 1.29 GB to BD-RE DL (50 GB) disc in ImgBurn.
  • Setting Premiere Elements 13 Blu-ray Burn To: to ISO Image (50 GB) and taking the resulting Premiere Elements 13 Blu-ray ISO Image with file size 1.29 GB to BD-RE DL (50 GB) disc in ImgBurn.
AVCHD

1. Iso files with the file size 938 MB and 1.25 GB were generated from Premiere Elements 13 using its Publish+Share/Disc/AVCHD with Burn To: ISO Image (4.7 GB). The Burn To: preset was H.264 1920 x 1080i NTSC Dolby. Then each was taken to a DVD-R (4.7/120 min) disc using ImgBurn. The computer's CyberLink player did not recognize the disc content for the disc derived from the 1.25 GB iso image. It did for the disc derived from the 938 MB iso image.

DVD

Preliminary studies suggest that the DVD ISO Image of Premiere Elements 13 is not involved in this issue. In these studies an .iso file with the file size 1.30 GB MB was generated from Premiere Elements 13 using its Publish+Share/Disc/DVD with Burn To: ISO Image (4.7 GB). The Burn To: preset was NTSC_Widescreen_Dolby DVD. Then the DVD ISO Image was taken to a DVD-R (4.7 GB/120 min) disc using ImgBurn


COMMENTARY

More information on this matter will be posted here as it becomes available.


______________________________________________________________________________

ATR





Thursday, January 8, 2015

PE 13: Titler and Auto Color Adjusted Video/Still Glitch

INTRODUCTION

The Premiere Elements 13 Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette/ includes a Color Panel which includes tabs for Hue, Lightness, Saturation, and Vibrance, click-able thumbnails for color adjusts, a button for Auto Color, and a More button to open an area displaying sliders for further color adjusts. Premiere Elements 11 and 12 have what appears to be the same Color Panel under its Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. Premiere Elements 13 Color Panel Expanded Under Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette.

Like Premiere Elements 11 and 12, Premiere Elements 13 text titles are created in the Titler workspace. When the Titler is opened in 11, 12, or 13 to create a text title above the still or video, the video can be seen during this title creation process. See Figure 2.


Figure 2. Premiere Elements 13. Still With No Adjustments Seen When Titler Was Opened To Create Text Title For The Still.

ISSUE*

After Auto Color specifically is applied to a still or video clip before the Titler is opened, the clip image cannot be seen when the Titler is opened to  create a text title above the clip. See Figure 3.

Figure 3.Premiere Elements 13. Auto Color Adjusted Still No Seen When Titler Was Opened To Create Text Title For The Still.
This situation has been found to be specific for the use of Auto Color in the Color Panel. It could not  be induced by using any other of the Color Panel features. This situation is not seen with Premiere Elements 11 and 12 Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette/Color Panel expanded's Auto Color option.

SOLUTION**

Until situation is defined and fixed by Adobe, the only solution seems to be to create the text title in the project's Titler before using Auto Color on the Expert workspace Timeline or Quick workspace  Filmstrip video or still.

It is important to point out that the issue goes only to seeing the video or still clip during the creation of its title in the opened Titler. In this situation, after the Titler is closed, the video or still is seen on screen with its created title.


__________________________________________________________________________
*Testing done using programs on Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit and confirmed on Windows 8.1 64 bit
**More information on this as it becomes available. Thanks to Adobe Premiere Elements Forum ID
NikovichB for bringing this matter forward for me to define and confirm..