3D-Album Home

[Mary Comer]

OK, folks ... I've hunted and searched and not found the answer to my question ... sooooo, am asking for some clarification, once again! ... Why would I want to use mixer, please? I have burnt serveral albums to a DVD ... and they will automatically play until the last one is over without using the mixer.

Is there something I'm missing here? Also, are some of the mixer styles to be utilized if doing a web page? I'm totally confused on this issue. Sorry!

I did go ahead and upgrade to platinum because of the timeline issue ... and love it!!! I'm really happy with this program ...

I do wonder, also, is there somehwere to take the photos and make a real "hard copy" of albums - for scrapbooking purposes? I've tried to figure out whether I need to go out and purchase some other package just for that or not ... Seems such a waste to me if I do .. since the pictures and text are pretty much the way I would want them - except for utilizing some more of the clipart type stuff ...

Thanks bunches for your comments. God bless.

[fortemac]

I use the mixer when I want more than one style on the video. If your entire video is made of one style only, then of course, you wouldn't need to use the mixer. See the gallery for some examples of video that incorporated more than one style.
Cyndy

[Frogprintz]

Cyndy is exactly right. The mixer is used to "Mix" two or more styles together into one video stream. The results can be impressive, especially if your video clip is longer than 2-3 minutes in length. Your viewing audience will begin to lose interest quickly after seeing the same style effects used over and over again. By mixing up several styles you will keep their attention. Of course, the interest you achieve with each video you make will be dependant on your audience, content, music, and many other factors. Mixing styles is not simply a susbstitute for creativity.

Focus first on your storyline. What is it you are trying to convey to your audience? Before inserting your pictures into 3D Album, think through the order in which they will show. Do they tell a story? Are there gaps in your story that can be filled with a new or different picture? Try to tell your story with as few pictures as possible.

After satisfying yourself that your pictures help your audience to imagine or re-live the story you are trying to tell, then add a music style or song that enhances your story. Choose carefully. What kind of emotion do you want to evoke? Music will add a powerful emotional aspect to your story and help your audience to laugh, cry, get sentimental, remenesce, etc..

Now measure the length of your story. How long is it? How many pictures did you use? How many songs? Are you trying to tell ONE story or MANY? It is best to stick to one theme. If you want to tell multiple stories, make multiple videos. Think of these as a collection of short stories rather than one big novel.

Don't try to be a Cecil B. DeMill. He had multi-million dollar budgets, people and tools. You do not. Keep it simple. This does not mean you can't experiment or learn new things. But if you want to keep your frustration down, don't try to apply features that are unclear in their application until you fully understand. Trying to apply a technique or feature that you don't really understand will only delay your progress. Learn the basics first. Make a few video's. Enjoy your creative effort. Then apply new techniques when you aren't trying to get a project completed by a deadline.

Post examples of your work in gallery. Other form users will critique your work. If you see work on display that you admire or are curious about, ask how they achieved that certain effect. What additional tools (if any), were used? This will help you advance your skill level.

3D Album is an excellent program. It's use can be a lot of fun. However, it is very hardware dependant. You need the right combination of hardware and software to get professional results. If you are pursuing excellence, this makes video an expensive pursuit. Never-the-less, you can achive GOOD results while spending less money. In either case, your learning curve is going to be steep. Control your patience and frustration. 3D Album is not a highly intuitive program. You have to think through procedures carefully. But as you can see by visiting the Gallery, good work can be entertaining and achievable. Your result is completely dependant on the amount of effort you put into your work.

I hope this information helps you and everyone else that reads this thread.
_________________
Michael Young
FrogPrintz Productions
Authorized Resellers of 3D Album

[Mary Comer]

Thanks for the answer ... it intrigues me quite frankly. I hadn't thought through the fact of the "story telling" issue - although that is exactly what I'm trying to do!

Have two separate videos I'm working on ... one for my dad and mom which is the history of our family, basically.

The other is for my kids - a record of their dad's life ... he passed away from cancer almost 2 years ago and it's been a rough walk for all of us ... I thought putting some videos together on his life - from boyhood through the illness might help us adjust to his loss a bit more. (Quite frankly, I cry almost every time I work on it - but getting better.)

So the emotion thing is very much there ... thanks for mentioning that.

One question, you did say keep the photos to a "minimum" basically ... what do you call minimum? 20, 30, 40???

Thanks. God bless.

[rsnow]

When Frogprintz says a basic minimum I don't think he means any specific number. If you can tell your story with 20 photos, then use just 20. If you need to use 30 photos to tell the story, use 30. It is more a matter of feel or instinct. In other words, try to create an interesting story rather than a detailed historical document.

In my own current project of making a DVD video from old VHS tapes I made of my first grandchild who was born a premie. At the time I made the tapes I was intrigued by how small she was. But I now realize that no one wants to watch 30 minutes of a tiny baby lying in a plastic bubble. So, after showing a minute or so of that I need to cut or transition to something different such as one of her parents or grandparents holding her. Although I have 30 minutes of film showing how small she was, I am actually only going to use only a couple of those minutes.

I hope this gives you some idea of what it means to use the basic minimum. Maybe some others have some thoughts on this.

[Frogprintz]

Ron,

You said it very well. That is exactly what I meant.

Storytelling is more an art form than a technique. However, I realize that not everyone has this ability. So, I suggest developing a theme and then sticking to it. Don't mix your subject matter together in such a way that you drift from the theme. It is better to have two seperate themes than one long tangled production. Less is more! This is especially true if you want your audience to enjoy playing back your video over and over again. If you create one long tangled production, your audience won't want to see it again after the first viewing. Instead, play your abbreviated video for them, and then let them talk, laugh, cry and hug, about what was seen. It is amazing what the mind can absorb, process, and respond to in just a few seconds. If your theme involves past, personal or shared memories, very little stimulation is needed to recall these memories. After all, a memory is entrenched in the mind with far more detail than can be re-lived through the magic of a stylized video. If your production is overly repetitious, your audience will become bored very quickly. When this happens, they will not want a repeat experience anytime soon.

If your video is for a general audience, or involves humor, try to build surprise into your story. People like to be surprised. Surprise is very stimulating. Surprise can be created with an odd photo, a funny narration (either spoken or as text), music, or making it suddenly personal to a specific individual.

Have fun. See you in the Gallery.
_________________
Michael Young
FrogPrintz Productions
Authorized Resellers of 3D Album

[Mary Comer]

Thanks for the comments. It's given me some thoughts on how I can present these pictures a bit better. I may well start over - which I always hate to do! LOL - and make the videos around 20-30 pics each ... then use mixer to keep the attention going on them.

I did look the gallery yesterday. Fascinating. I think I'd checked the videos out before buying the program ... but had forgotten ... so thanks for suggestion that I look there.

Hope to start reworking my videos after work today.

God bless.

[Bill Smith]

Mary,

I want to go back to your original posting, and address a question that you asked there. You asked if there was a way to take the photos and make a real hard copy of the album.

My understanding of what you want is to take an album that you have built, and then print off a "frame" so to speak. If this is correct, then you might try using the "CAPTURE SCREEN IMAGES" camera icon. In the CS version, it is the 7th icon from the left.

You can take a shot of each page, and create a jpeg. You could then take the jpeg and print it. It's dimensions would be close to your screen (in my case I think it was 1024x767). Try it, and maybe it will meet your needs. I don't know if it will give you the quality prints that you would want for a real hard copy scrapbook. If you do try, be sure to let us know how it turned out for you.

Bill

[Mary Comer]

That might work ... I'll have to check ... I have the Premium version - not the CS version but that icon might be there somewhere.

Yes, soon as I get myself going in that direction, I'll certainly let ya'all know.

Thanks again. God bless.

[Rosa]

Story telling is a great way to present your photos. I did one for my niece and her soccer team. The first style and song was of the girls opening day the the song Cup of life by Ricky Martin and how they worked hard at practice and photos of them playing soccer, the second song was to girls just want to have fun and it showed just the girls playing soccer and having fun after the games and silly faces, the last song was to celebration by Kool and the Gang and it showed the parents, siblings and a game with the parents vs. the girls. I was worried that it wasn't what they expected but I got so many thank you from the parents and the girls on how wonderful the dvd was.

[Mary Comer]

I got to thinking yesterday - after work - about how to be more creative with my photo presentations ... thinking about all the helpful suggestions ... and started putting together (another!) photo presentation ... more like a visual story ... Each album is very small (10 to 15 pictures) with a different style and various music ... used the "fade" music and last picture option ... really like what I'm seeing!! I now see the beauty of the mixer and looking forward to hearing more helpful hints and comments!

Thanks, ya'all!!! I think I'm getting the hang of all this and love it!!!

Am keeping "mum" here at home on what I'm doing so I can thoroughly surprise all the family!

God bless.

[Rosa]

Mary,

When I did my mixer I used the 3 songs and 309 photos. It was a big
presentation that lasted about 10 min. Each song was over 3 min long.
When you have a chance go into the gallery and see of the the work that others have done.

[Mary Comer]

I did go into the gallery and that's what got me really started on using the mixer portion ... that I absolutely love now! ... I'm actually thinking about going out to our fair countryside and taking pictures of different landscapes that were built - or already here - when my ancestors were here to include in the various albums ...

Thought that would add some "variance" to the history of my dad's family and what I'm trying to accomplish/convey ...

I'm glad I have a few days off at Thanksgiving time ... planning on working, working, working ... did I mention working???? ... on these two separate projects in order to have ready by Christmas time.

My folks and kids will be surprised ... folks don't know anything about it ... kids think they do - but they've only seen my earlier albums ... nothing that I've mixed thus far ... so I'm really getting excited about this. (Can you tell? )

Thanks to everyone for ideas, suggestions, and comments. They've really helped thsi beginner.

God bless.

[garbob]

I know that this strand is old but I thought that I might revive it with a reply. There is a service to make a hard copy of your digital pages. It is a service from lasting impressions. I think that it is what you were looking for. You can find it at www.memorymixer.com/photobooks.