Photoshop® CS5 Bible

Chapter 25. Video Editing Basics

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Aspect ratios

• The Animation (Timeline) panel

• Opening video files

• Trimming and rearranging video footage

• Adding files to a video project

When you work with video in Photoshop, it isn't to create an extensive video project; that's what Premiere is for. Photoshop enables you to bring in pieces of video that need the special Photoshop touch and clean them up a bit. You also can create fantastic composites with video files that you may not be able to accomplish in fine Photoshop style anywhere else. The Animation (Timeline) panel gives you just enough capability to make working with video files an efficient and relatively uncomplicated process.

The first step in being able to edit your video files in Photoshop is to understand the video workspace. The Animation (Timeline) panel is practically an application all by itself, giving you the ability to add, edit, and move video clips not only as layers but through time. You can add other layers as well: image files, text, and 3D objects. In this chapter, I show you how you can open, add, and maneuver these files within a video timeline so you are prepared to correct lighting and color and create artistic effects with video files and image files.

Working with Video Files

To work with video successfully, you need to know the basics of video file formats, why they are different, and how they work. Some file formats are higher quality and, consequently, larger than those of lower quality. You also must ...