random transitions

[Mari]

I am trying a trial version of Premier Elements 3.0. Does this version have a place where you can choose "random transitions"? I have tried several times to find it and am lost!
Thanks!

[ATR]

Is it that you cannot find a specific video transition or you cannot find the transitions section at all?

If you cannot find Transitions in general, then look for the Effects and Transitions Panel. If it is not visible in the Edit Workspace, check under the Window Menu for Effects. It should include both video and audio transitions. I have Premiere Elements 2.0, but I am almost positive that there is an Effects and Transitions Panel in Premiere Elements 3.0.

As for downloading extra from online sources, I am not sure. The web site http://www.muvipix.com (Chuck Engels) often offers free downloads, but the ones that I remember are DVD Menu Templates. You could check it out.

ATR

[Mari]

Thanks for the reply.

I can find 'transitions'. I was looking for something that said RANDOM so that all the slides would have different transitions and would set it up automatically so I would not have to drag a transition to each slide seperately.

I used that on a different program and it was a great short-cut.

[ATR]

I am now clear on where you are.

Until proven otherwise, it looks like a one at a time transition application when you want a different transition between each of your stills. Random in this case is "what and where you decide to place them".

I have ArcSoft Show Biz DVD 2 that came with one of my DVD burners. It offers the feature that you are looking for, namely one selection "Random" and you get an automatic selection of transitions between your stills. So I think I know what you are looking for.

I have Premiere Elements 2.0 and the only mentions of Random in my transitions under Video Transitions are
Dissolve/Random Invert
Wipes/Random Blacks and Random Wipe
But these apply to the design with the given type, not that it is going to give you what you are looking for.

I have Photoshop Elements 3.0 and, if I create a slideshow there with transitions that Premiere Elements does not offer, I can export the Photoshop Elements 3.0 slideshow with its transitions intact to Premiere Elements. But, I do not have that sort after "Random" transition in Photoshop Elements. If you do have "Random" in Photoshop Elements 5.0, you may want to check out creating your slideshow in Photoshop Elements 5.0 and exporting to your Premiere Elements 3.0. But, are not we getting away from the shortcut aspects of your question? But, maybe your transition choices will be greater?

There could be some transition plugins out there, but I would have to search around to see if they exist and whether they would be compatible with Premiere Elements 3.0. Maybe someone else looking in has found some and will report in.

ATR

[Mari]

Again, THANKS! I now know that the RANDOM feature I was looking is not on that program.....so I can stop searching!!!

Maybe it is because I am new at slide show making, but I am find the ones I have had a trial version of have been more complicated that I would like....yet I do not want just a plain slide show. Have you found any that you like besides the Adobe one?

[JEGavlas]

Interesting. I made a slide show (PSE3) and it inserted the default transition next to each slide. Since then I put a video in front and wanted to add a bonus area with additional slides. The additional slides are proving a real problem since PSE3 did not offer to add transitions for those. It is very time consuming adding a transition after every slide (150+). These software programs are very difficult to learn so I would hate to have to invest the $'s and time on something else.

[ATR]

See what you think about this plan...

Open your program and head over to Video Transitions and set your default video transition to whatever you want it to be.

Then start with your 150 stills in the Media Panel.
When the stills are arranged as your prefer, go to More in the Media Panel, select Create A Slideshow.
You can find your default transition defined there and set your still duration.
When you click OK, stills with transitions will be on the Timeline.
Add audio for the stills if wanted.
Then go to Edit/Select All.
Then go to Clip Menu and select Group (Now you can move the whole without losing anything along the way).
Move this grouped material to the right. LEAVE GROUPED FOR NOW.

Now bring the video/audio (main feature) to the start of the Timeline. Go through the basics of the Bonus Clip procedure.

Does that help?

ATR

[JEGavlas]

See what you think about this plan...

Open your program and head over to Video Transitions and set your default video transition to whatever you want it to be.

Then start with your 150 stills in the Media Panel.
When the stills are arranged as your prefer, go to More in the Media Panel, select Create A Slideshow.
You can find your default transition defined there and set your still duration.
When you click OK, stills with transitions will be on the Timeline.
Add audio for the stills if wanted.
Then go to Edit/Select All.
Then go to Clip Menu and select Group (Now you can move the whole without losing anything along the way).
Move this grouped material to the right. LEAVE GROUPED FOR NOW.

Now bring the video/audio (main feature) to the start of the Timeline. Go through the basics of the Bonus Clip procedure.

Does that help?

ATR
That is how I did the first batch. Then I imported the video. Later I received the pictures for the bonus. Those I brought in but I did not see the option to create slide show, it was either not there or I did not look very hard.

Now I try to open it and it wants to know where to find tropical_7.tga. I would have thought Premiere would know where to find it. Currently I am running a search for *.tga on both drives since I could not locate tropical_7.tga. Found lots of tga files but not the one Premiere wants:(.

[ATR]

Was that the name of one of the 150 stills in your stills bonus section? Is that a graphic extension on that file?

If so, it sounds like it got moved from its original location since when you last closed the project. I suspect deleted.

The easiest way may be to start a new project. When in doubt maybe use the Project Menu/Project Archiver/Copy option to make sure everything that is needed for reopening the project is still there as a backup.

Maybe test out the suggestions from my previous post on a small scale before you decide what next.

Let me know what happens.

ATR

[JEGavlas]

Now I try to open it and it wants to know where to find tropical_7.tga. I would have thought Premiere would know where to find it. Currently I am running a search for *.tga on both drives since I could not locate tropical_7.tga. Found lots of tga files but not the one Premiere wants:(.

The missing tga was a preset menu or splash screen, basically a beach scene that I modified. I'll go without it.

Thanks for your help.

[Kabeeo]

I do agree that the ability to place random transitions would save some time on certain projects.

[Chuck Engels]

Here is something that might make things a little easier. In Sceneline view you can right click on the transition between each clip and select a new one. It only takes a few seconds to change a dozen transitions. There isn't anything that I use the Sceneline mode for, but if I did this would be it.

[ATR]

Chuck Engels,

Thanks for that tip. Since I still have Premiere Elements 2.0, I have this question. If you use the Sceneline for this transition perk, does a drop down give you all the choices that you would find in Video Transitions Section with the Timeline route?

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

Hi ATR,
Sorry, I should have mentioned that this was a feature of version 3.

Yes, there is a drop down that lets you select the transition.

You can see it in action here
http://muvipix.com/products.php?maincat_id=7&subcat_id=10 check out the Version 3 Tour part 3.

[Kabeeo]

Thanks. That's the way that I have done it. It's not too time consuming. But it would be a lot easier if the program would just throw them in. Boy am I lazy or what?