The Official Photodex Guide to ProShow

by James Karney

Overview

With the amazing, easy-to-use features of new ProShow 4, you can create polished multimedia productions that sizzle! Presentations are a growing part of everyday life, from the conference room to the living room, and today's viewers want presentations that pop. The Official Photodex® Guide to ProShow® 4 is the solution. A comprehensive guide to ProShow 4 for everyone from graphics and photography professionals, to educators and business professionals, and even notice home users, this book provides step-by-step, how-to-do-it examples with ample screenshots for effective instruction. Updated to provide coverage of all the amazing new features of ProShow 4 including pre-made slide styles, an improved audio sync tool, YouTube HD output, on-screen controls for playback, and animated GIF support, you'll learn how to create stunning multimedia productions that can be shared using everything from optical media, to iPods, to streaming Web content, and more. Perfect your multimedia presentation skills as you cover the basics of design, the fundamentals of ProShow 4 production techniques, and advanced tools to achieve professional results. Interviews with award-winning producers provide insight and ideas along with real-world examples and how-to tips from their work.

Master the ProShow 4 interface and basic workflow along with core multimedia production concepts

Learn to use ProShow 4's professional tool to enhance your production and the audience's experience

Explore layers, transitions, mastering keyframes, and motion to create professional-quality production effects

Incorporate soundtracks and captions to set the mood and create interactive presentations

Craft yourproduction with templates, menus, branding, and stock footage

All the shows, images, and other files needed to complete the exercises in each chapter

Fully functional trial versions of ProShow Producer and ProShow Gold

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781598636932
Publisher:	Course Technology PTR
Publication date:	01/05/2008
Sold by:	CENGAGE LEARNING
Format:	eBook
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

James Karney has over 30 years experience as an award-winning professional photographer and teacher. He started as a wedding apprentice in high school and has worked as a photojournalist, medical photographer, studio photographer, and served four years as a US Marine Corps photographer. He developed and taught the 18-month photography certificate program at South Georgia Tech. He is an accomplished computer journalist, whose work has appeared in PC Magazine, Windows Magazine, Computer Shopper, and Internet World. His books include The Official Photodex Guide to ProShow, Mastering Digital Wedding Photography (Named a Book of the Year by Shutterbug Magazine), the Golden-Lee bestseller Upgrade and Maintain Your PC, The Power of CorelDRAW, and the Microsoft Press Training Kit for A+ Certification. He is a graduate of the US Navy Photographic School, and holds a bachelors degree in Communications from Excelsior College as well as a master of science in Computer Technology from Nova Southeastern University.

Table of Contents

Introduction xv

Chapter 1 ProShow Fundamentals-a World of Sight Sound, and Motion

The ProShow Editing Workplace and Basic ProShow Skills 3

Building Our First Show and Creating Slides Using Drag and Drop 5

More Slides, a Transition, and a Soundtrack 6

Arranging Slides, Timing, and Previewing a Show 9

Previewing a Show 11

What's "In" a Slide? 13

The Slide Options Window 13

Getting Fancy with Slide Styles 15

A Moving Backdrop 16

A Special Effects Primer 17

Captions with a Bit of Style 21

Up Next 22

Chapter 2 Beyond the Basics-It's All About Time 25

Slide and Transition Timing 26

Not Just for Slides-Timing Layers in Producer 29

A Closer Look 30

A Brief Moment-Layer 2 and the Flash Effect 34

Layer 1's Late Entry 35

Using the Multi-Layer Keyframe Editor 36

A Few Words about Editing in the Prevision Preview Window 38

A Simplified Show 41

Customizing the ProShow User Interface 42

Setting ProShow's Operating Preferences 44

Appearance 45

Colors for Program 46

External Editors 46

Keyboard and Remotes 47

Internet Preferences 47

Miscellaneous Preferences 48

Organization: ProShow's Trilogy of Slides, Shows, and Projects 49

Saving, Finding, and Collecting Show Files 50

Why Files "Go Missing" 51

Locating Missing Show Files 51

Collecting Show Files 53

Up Next 54

Chapter 3 Frames, Motion, and the Layered Look 55

The Sllide as a Stage 55

Framing Images: A Working Demonstration 56

The First Slide-a Simple Invitation 58

A Closer Look at the Layers List and the Preview Pane 59

Tailoring the Preview Display for Working with Layers 62

Adjusting Layers within the Frame 64

Interactively Manipulating Layers Using theMouse 64

Motion Basics-Getting from Point A to Point B in Four Dimensions 66

The X and Y of Zooming 67

A Few Moments with the Keyframe Timeline 69

Adding and Placing Multiple Layers Efficiently 70

Duplicating the Design 71

Understanding X and Y Coordinate Positioning 73

Adding and Ordering the Other Image Layers 74

Adjusting Size and Rotation 75

Getting Things Moving 79

Beginnings and Ends: Motion Effects Demystified 81

Setting Layers into Motion 83

Working with Rotation in Motion 85

A Quick Recap 87

Smooth Moves: ProShow's Acceleration Styles 89

Matchmaking, and Moving Outside the Box 91

Putting It All Together 93

Two Slides, Two Backgrounds, Eight Layers, and a Disappearing Act 94

Matching Motion Speed between Layers 94

Who Says We Have to Start at the Beginning-or the Middle? 97

Up Next 100

Chapter 4 Adding and Editing Soundtracks 101

Working with Audio Files 102

Adding, Removing, Positioning, and Previewing Audio Files 102

Using Simple Audio Synchronizing Tools 104

A Closer Look at Soundtracks 105

Going Interactive: Advanced Sound Controls 106

Mastering the Audio Trimmer 107

Scaling and Positioning the Waveform 109

Setting the Start and End Points 109

Adjusting Fade In and Fade Out Intervals 110

Editing Soundtracks Using the Timeline 111

Adjusting Offsets, Fades, and Volume Using the Timeline Tools 112

Creating a Crossfade Effect with the Timeline 115

Recording Slide Timings-Precise Transition and Soundtract Synchs 117

Menu-Based Volume, Fade, and Offset Controls 120

Adding Audio Tracks from a CD 120

Adding Soundtracks and Voicecovers to Individual Slides 121

Up Next 124

Chapter 5 Caption Fundamentals: More Than Just a Way with Words 125

Basic Caption Design Considerations 126

A Special Type of Layer, with Its Own Special Effects 129

Blending Text and Motion in the Design 130

ProShow's Common Caption Toolkit and a Bit of Typography 133

Selecting and Sizing Fonts 133

All Fonts Are Not Created Equal 135

Adding Another Slide and Caption 138

Making Captions Move Using Text Effects 140

Alignment and Anchor Points 143

"Automatic" Captions: the Power of Macros 145

Inserting Special Characters into a Slide with Macros 146

Show Captions, Globalization, and the Art of Invisibility 149

Adding a Global Caption 149

All Captions Are Not Created Equal 150

A Closer Look 153

Up Next 156

Chapter 6 Getting Fancy: Advanced Caption Tools and Keyframing Basics 157

Keyframes Defines, Captions Redefines 158

ProShow Producter's Caption Window 162

Keyframing, Caption Motion Effects, and the Magic of Timing 168

Working with the Keyframe Timeline 170

Adjusting Keyframes and Text Effects 171

Working with Multiple Keyframes 173

Adding and Adjusting Keyframes 175

Keyframes Move More Than Words 176

Adding New Slides 177

Setting Adjustment Effects 177

Adding and Adjusting the Captions 178

Using the Multi-Layer Keyframe Editor 180

Up Next 183

Chapter 7 Advanced Motion Effects Using Keyframes 185

A Traffic Control Lesson 186

The Smoothing Effect 189

Getting Things in Proper Order 190

Simple Keyframe Effects: There and Back Again 193

Adjusting Keyframe Timing and Position 193

Zooming In for a Closer Look 195

Locking and Manually Setting Keyframes 196

Working with Precision Preview 197

Experimenting with Rotation and Precision Preview 198

Motion Keyframing with Multiple Layers 199

Managing the Preview Area 200

Multilayer Motion Effects Workflow 202

Placing and Adjusting the Images 203

Setting the First Layer's Keyframes 206

Adjusting the Layer 1 Transitions 207

Adding the Remaining Keyframes 208

Creating Layer 2 Keyframes 208

Setting the First Three Keyframes 211

Swapping Positions: Keyframes 3, 4, and 5 212

Adding a Little Spain: Adjusting Keyframes 5, 6, and 7 213

Designing Complex Motion Effects: The Real Deal 216

A Quick Shuffle, and Laying Down the Cards 217

Examining the Table Background 218

The Staggered Entry Transformed into a Second Collage 219

Up Next 222

Chapter 8 Adjustment Effects and Advanced Editing 223

Adjustment Effects Controls 223

Working with the Colorize Controls 223

The Oz Effect: Black and White to Color 226

Combining Adjustment Effects with Layer and Motion Techniques 232

Opacity: It's Not Just an Adjustment Control 234

Smooth Moves: Creating a Composition with Opacity and Transitions 237

Creating an Overlay with Opacity 241

Hue Adjustments: Playing with Color on the Move 243

Setting Up the Layers 243

Motion and Adjustment Effects: An Intricate Dance, with Some Sleight of Hand 246

A Closer Look at Layer 1 247

Cloning the Effects and Adjusting the Keyframe Timeline 249

Variations on a Theme 251

A Horse of a Different Color 253

Up Next 256

Chapter 9 Advanced Layer Techniques: Masks, Vignettes, and Chroma Key 257

The Alpha Channel and a Spotlight on Masking 260

Creating a Simple Transparency Mask 260

Combining Transparent Masks with Vignettes 264

Isolating Portions of the Frame with Transparent Masks 267

Intensity Masking: White Reveals while Black Conceals 270

Slide 1: a Simple Stencil 270

The New Slide 1: a Role Reversal 274

Combining Adjustment Effects with Intensity Masking 276

Alpha Channel Masks and a Selective Bit of Color 277

Working with Multiple Masks 279

Life on the Border: Vignetting 281

It's Not a Mast, It's a Vignette 283

A Final Spotlight on Vignettes and Masking 286

Chroma Key: More Than Just a Green Screen 288

Setting the Key Color Using an Existing Color 290

Adjusting the Effect 291

Employing a Traditional Green-Screen Chroma Key 292

Fade to Black Reconsidered 294

Fast-Moving Clouds: Using Video Clips with Chroma Key 296

Working with Video Clips in ProShow 296

Setting Up Slide 1's Chroma Key Transparency 298

Slide 2: The Same Clouds, but Not the Same Sky 300

Up Next 301

Chapter 10 Templates and Live Shows 303

Working with Templates 304

Creating and Saving Templates 305

Adding Content to Template Layers 308

Template Planning and Workflow 309

Importing and Exporting Templates 310

Modifying and Using Templates 310

Producing Live Shows 311

Setting Up a Basic Live Show 311

Setting Playback Options 314

Creating an Executable Live Show 315

Creating Advanced Live Shows with Templates 315

Setting Fixed Slides and Content 316

Adjusting for Vertical and Horizontal Composition 317

Setting the Live Show Options and Placing the Content 319

The Camera Connection 320

Up Next 322

Chapter 11 Creating Menus and Branding Shows 323

Designing Professional Menus and Adding Interactivity 324

The Menu Window 325

Touring the Tools 326

Crafting a Multiple-Show Menu 327

Setting Show Titles and Thumbnails 327

Creating a Custom Menu 330

The Custom Menu-General Tab Options 331

The Custom Menu-Thumbnails Tab 333

Personalizing Shows with Branding 341

Announcing Your Work with an Intro Show 341

Using the Branding Tab Options 342

Setting a Disc Label and Adding Additional Content 345

Adding a Watermark to the Slides 346

Up Next 347

Chapter 12 Getting the Story Out 349

Show Output Basics 350

Choosing an Output Format and Understanding Common Settings Options 350

Output Formats and Files Demystified 355

Supported Output File Formats and Media Types 356

Photodex Presenter Files and Plug-In 357

Selecting Options for Different Output Formats 358

DVD/VCD/CD Production 358

Autorun CD and Executable Files 362

Screen Savers 364

Portable Device Output 365

Creating Video Output Using an Existing Device Profile 366

Creating a Custom Device Profile 366

ProShow File Types and File Management 367

Show Files 368

Menu Files 369

Output Files 369

Up Next 370

Chapter 13 ProShow and the Web 371

Internet Hosting Basics 371

ISPs and Bandwidth 371

Copyright Considerations 373

Sharing Shows with a Free Photodex Account 374

Hosting Presenter Files on Other Websites 377

Sending a Show via E-Mail 379

Flash FLV Shows and the Web 381

The YouTube Connection 382

Wrapping Up 383

Appendix A ProShow Keyboard Shortcuts 385

Appendix B Product Comparison Chart 387

Index 393