video lessons for rookies?

[videojim]

Is there a place online to see a tutorial on getting started with the Renomee version of Casablanca? I realize I have a powerful system at my command, and I have some video loaded in, but wondered if there is a video tutorial for it? Thanks!

[Lowell]

video jim there are 8 video manuals available from your dealer or Boulder at a cost of $10 each. Well worth it. They show the different software and how to use them. Also it would be nice to put the software you have with your renomee, HTH

[JPaul]

I got this link from Ody:

http://www.youtube.com/profile_play_list?user=odyvideo

Check it out. It may have what you're looking for.

[PaulBusta]

Hi videojim, welcome to the forum. I have a Renommee also, the Plus version. If your new to the Casablanca you picked a GREAT machine, I love mine. As mentioned by Lowell the video manuals are well worth the money and will get you doing really creative things with your Reno in no time. It still takes time but the Casi family of editors all use the same easy to use interface and format for editing. The key to successful editing is patience and experimentation and in no time you'll be doing some pretty cool stuff. Enjoy yourself and come back and visit often.

[chetdavis]

Hello VideoJim,

... and as others have expressed - welcome!

Previous posts have recommended the Video Manuals (DVDs) - my colleague Justin Philpott has done a GREAT job on these live motion video training aids, to help our folks learn specific add-on software... and I would cement their recommendation on these valuable resources. However, to get started with the basic operation of our editing solutions I would recommend the Smart Edit Tutorial DVDs:

A new Casablanca unit is shipped with a two-DVD set to help new users learn to use the creative power in the Casablanca. If you purchased your Casablanca as a pre-owned unit (sounds so much better than used, doesn't it?) you can order these DVDs at a nominal fee -- here is the info


Smart Edit Training DVDs
This double DVD set will help you become even more proficient and familiar with the features in your Casablanca editor. Here are some details of the disks:

DVD 1 - Smart Edit Tutorial:
Chet Davis walks you through the Smart Edit environment building a project from start to finish. He touches on several of the new features in Smart Edit 6 along the way in this 117-minute tutorial.


DVD 2 - Smart Edit 7 New Benefits
This 65 minute video highlights the new features of Smart Edit 7 and some of their applications. The video has been broken into chapters so you can find specific Smart Edit 7 sections.

Chapter 1 - Play All
Chapter 2 - Installation
Chapter 3 - New display options and screen settings
Chapter 4 - HDV and time code additions
Chapter 5 - New full size effects previews
Chapter 6 - Using the Group function
Chapter 7 - Adding transition effects automatically
Chapter 8 - Titling Enhancements
Chapter 9 - New options in the Split and Trim menus
Chapter 10 - New options in the Insert edit mode
Chapter 11 - The faster Photo Mode
Chapter 12 - Enhancements to the Record mode - featuring Fast Motion and Stop Motion

This second DVD also contains several special tutorials including Cabling & Software Installation, Casablanca HDV Editing, and a short highlight of some PowerKey commands.
1. Cabling/Installation (Set up): 12:40
2. Powerkey: 4:40
3. Using HDV: 17:30


Suggested retail price for this set of two DVD set is $20.
Club Casablanca Members can order them for only $10 (direct from MacroSystem US).

To order this training resource - contact your Casablanca dealer (if you are working with one) or contact our inside sales team in Boulder, CO offices at (303) 440-5311.

Again, welcome to the Casablanca 'family'!

Regards,
Chet

[PaulBusta]

See videojim "THAT"S" the kind of support you get when you bought a Casablanca. Help from the VP of Marketing and Sales no less. Ya gotta love a company like this.

[videojim]

ok, this has been the sort of support I was hoping to get here. I am specifically trying to get my head around and a handle on trim. Seems like I do one, and wonder what I just did, it just seems not to stick with me. Which site might I go to, or should I just buy the disk and see that a few times and try it out? Took me a bit of practice to get split points going, but I think Ihave that. Still a lot of questions. Always will be. I guess. Thanks for the help, folks. Hats off to Alex Ward at ProVideo in Memphis for selling me this when he upgraded.

[CKNewman]

Here's an oversimplification of trimming:

If your video is from a digital camcorder and loaded via firewire* you can use auto-split to quickly split the footage at the points that you started and stopped the camera. Manually splitting a clip is like cutting a strip of film with a scissors. The full length original clip still exists so you can go back to the original and try it again if you change your mind about an edit decision.

Trimming a clip is sort of like setting margins for text in a word processing program - you can always go back and readjust the margins. When you trim a video clip by setting the in and out points, all you've really changed is what part of the clip you'll see when you hit play. If you have a clip of someone counting from one to ten, you can adjust the in-point so the counting starts at three and then adjust the out-point so the counting ends at eight. But if you change your mind you can select the clip that you trimmed previously and then extend the in point all the way back to the beginning and the out point all the way to the end. Now you'll see the entire count from one to ten when you hit play.

I would definitely get the DVDs and watch them to help learn the software. I believe if you join Club Casablanca you get the best price on the DVDs as well as a lower price on the next Operating System upgrade.

* Make sure that all equipment you wish to connect via firewire is turned off while connecting the firewire cable!!