Premiere Elements slideshow

[Amitai]

Hi!
I'm thinking of purchasing Adobe Premiere Elements 7.
I wanted to ask if it is good for doing a slideshow of pictures, movies and music with effects. Is Premiere Elements good for doing this?
Thanks!

[ATR]

Amitai

Definitely, Yes to your question.

But, first download the free 30 day Premiere Elements 7 tryout from Adobe to avoid any big surprises after you invest and buy either online or from a retail store.
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=premiere%5Felements&loc=en%5Fus

Also, browse through the Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 PDF Help file,
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PremiereElements/7.0/WSA826BC5C-2FA7-4a1a-92F4-8B5538783B39.html


Make sure that your computer system meets the product's System Requirements.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/390599?tstart=0

Learn about photo sizing considerations as well as video audio formats supported by the program.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/431851?tstart=0


Define what type of an export that you want.

Do a mini run before any grand project.

And ask for help here if you encounter any problems.

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

If you only want to do photo slideshows, or mostly photos with just limited video, then I would recommend ProShow Gold. If you are going to do a good combination of video and Photos, or mostly video, then Premiere Elements is an excellent choice :)

[ATR]

Amitai

For what you described originally, another "Definitely Yes" and with comments as noted previously.

I never throw ProShow Gold into the mix although there are probably shouts chanting its name as I type.

Premiere Elements offers much, from video editing to adding DVD Menu Templates (many designs) to varied export routes. In the likelihood that you have special needs (maybe in DVD Menu design, like more than one movie in the project and you wanting a separate scene menu for each), then we need to talk. But, the tryout route suggested should iron out all the wrinkles between what the program offers and what your projects need.

I do not work for Adobe, nor do I have any ties to it. I am just a user of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, and have never regretted my choice.

Please update us on your progress.

ATR

[Amitai]

Thanks!
I'm now trying out Premiere Elements. But I'm a bit confused.
Maybe you could please help me:
I have pictures, videos and some music for the slideshow.
I import them and put them onto the timeline.
Next I want to add transitions. The problem with Premiere Elements, is that it doesn't have random transitions- so I have to drag manually to the timeline/storyboard. But if I do that, the transitions of the same category are next to each other, which looks less nice. Maybe you have an idea.

Ok, next I want to adjust the music. I want the music volume to be muted or lowered down when the video is playing, so that you can here the video audio.
How do I do this in Premiere Elements?

Also maybe you have any other tips for slideshows in Premiere Elements.
I'm also looking at Cyberlink PowerDirector 7. Maybe you could point me out why Elements is better.
Thanks!

P.S. Do you think maybe I should use Photoshop Element's slideshow feature? Or should I stick with Premeire Elements? I have mostly images, but also a lot of videos.

[ATR]

Ok, next I want to adjust the music. I want the music volume to be muted or lowered down when the video is playing, so that you can here the video audio.
How do I do this in Premiere Elements?

Assuming for this example, you have one video clip with its linked audio (audio track #1) and music on soundtrack in the Premiere Elements 7 Timeline:

Choices:
a. Highlight music on soundtrack, click on Audio Mixer icon located above Timeline, and make your volume adjustments for “Soundtrack”

b. Highlight music on soundtrack, open Properties Palette (see icon above Timeline or Window Menu/Properties), and adjust Volume there.

In all of the above, you will be adjusting the volume of the whole music clip. If you wanted to vary the level of the Volume of the soundtrack along the Timeline, then you would “keyframe” the Volume in the Properties Palette for that soundtrack music.

Another type of audio adjust is “Normalize”.
b. Right click the music on the Soundtrack, select Audio Gain from the pop up menu, and click Normalize
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PremiereElements/7.0/WSDEBDF045-54D0-4199-839D-C74CD2CB0595.html

The problem with Premiere Elements, is that it doesn't have random transitions- so I have to drag manually to the timeline/storyboard. But if I do that, the transitions of the same category are next to each other, which looks less nice. Maybe you have an idea.

What is preventing you from placing transitions from different categories between the photos? Are you saying that you do not like your choices? You could watch how Photoshop Elements 7 places them randomly; as a guideline in Premiere Elements, use the choices Photoshop Elements 7 makes; and then mimic the trend when you are manually placing transitions in Premiere Elements 7.

If the random transition aspect is very important to you, you could use an assist from Photoshop Elements the following way. In Photoshop Elements 7 before the slideshow editor opens, in the Slideshow Preferences set the transition = Random. Use “Send to Premiere Elements” as the output for this slideshow (photos + video with linked audio) to get it into Premiere Elements 7. Once it is in Premiere Elements 7 (as a whole video), right click the video and select Break Apart Slideshow. Then add your Soundtrack. See what that looks like.

There are all sorts of variations, a lot depending on the placement of your photos and videos and audio in relation to one another. If you need help with keyframing the volume, I will supply that. It is quick and easy.

As for Cyberlink PowerDirector 7, I have never used it. I think that I remember that the track arrangement was different, but….There are many online links about that program. Best for you to make that comparison yourself since you will have the two programs in the same environment.

ATR