Most of the questions below relate to the general
process or to using Adobe Photoshop Elements Slideshow for movie
creation. An i-Movie guide will be coming soon.
General
Images
Opening a Movie File
Narrations
Background Music
Can I add
all my images at once?
Yes but it is not always recommended. Here are some
tips.
Tip 1: If you want to add all images at once to your timeline,
you should save them with numerical numbers in the order you
want them to appear in your movie. If you name them with words,
your images will go in alphabetically, which is probably not
the order in which you want them. You can drag them to a new
order in your timeline, or use the sorter to reorganize them,
but this is time consuming.
Tip 2: If some of your images are .bmp files, you will need
to change your "file of type" to "All types"
in order to see the .bmp images. Otherwise, not all of your
images will be inserted and you will have to go back and insert
those images separately. (see this link for more information
about image types.)
Tip 3: Once you are sure your files are named properly, go
to the Add Media button, and Photos or Videos from Folder.
Locate and open your folder. If you have .bmp images, make
sure you change the "Files of Type" to "All
types". Click ONCE on the first file in the list. Hold
down the shift key and click ONCE on the last file in the
list (or use CTRL A to select all) and click the Open button.
Tip 4: Sometimes it is simply faster and easier to add your
images one at a time...
I'm trying
to add an image that is in my folder, but it is not listed when
I try to insert it into my movie.
1. Is the file a .bmp? This file type is ok
to use with Adobe Photoshop Elements Slideshow, but will not
automatically appear in the Add Media screen.
Resolution: After you go to Add Media, and Photos or Videos
from Folder, look at the bottom of the window. You will see
a drop down menu that is titled "Files of Type".
Click on the drop down menu and change to "All Types".
Now you should see all your images.
2. Is the file a type supported by Adobe Photoshop
Slideshow? Image files must be one of the following
types: .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff, .psd, .pdd and
.bmp (see the above resolution for more information about .bmp
files.)
Resolution: If the image is not one that is supported, open
the file in the Adobe Photoshop EDITOR (not slideshow) and
resave the image with one of the supported file types.
Images
have disappeared and been replaced by black screens in my movie
timeline.
1. Have you moved the folder that contained the images?
Adobe Photoshop Slideshow does not embed the pictures you add
to the timeline - it simply "reflects" the image from
the location in which it is stored. If the images are moved,
or if the images are on removable media (pen drive, CD, etc)
and that media is removed from the computer, the software will
no longer be able to display your images and the timeline will
show black screens. This will also happen if your images are
on a server and you lose connection to that server. (Because
of the risk of losing server connection, we recommend that your
files are located in folders on the desktop of the computer
rather than on the server.)
Resolution 1: Return the images to their original location
and they will reappear in the timeline.
Resolution 2: If you've lost connection to the server where
your images are stored, reconnect to the server and the images
will reappear in your timeline.
Resolution 3: Place the images where you want to keep them
and rebuild the timeline of your movie. You will have to delete
the current (black) images and insert the images again from
their new location.
2. Have you renamed the images? Once your
images are in the timeline, you cannot rename them. If you do,
the software will not be able to find the image and will display
a black screen.
Resolution 1: Rename the images back to their original name.
Be sure that you retain the proper file extension
(i.e.: .jpg or .bmp)
Resolution 2: Remove the black screen from your timeline
and reinsert the image with its new name.
I don't know
how to reopen a movie that I've started.
In Adobe Photoshop Elements Slideshow, the only way
to access a movie file is through the Organizer. Trying
to use File - Open will not work! Go to the Adobe Photoshop
Elements Organizer and your movie file will be there with a
special icon in the upper right hand corner. Double-clicking
this file will open your movie.
My movie has
disappeared from the organizer.
Not good news. At this time, we do not know
of any way to locate the file from another location. If your
movie is deleted from the organizer, it is gone. Please
warn students that they are NOT TO DELETE ANY FILES from the
organizer EVER.
Resolution: The catalog (or organizer) can be backed up.
You may want to consider backing up the organizer each day
once movie creation has begun.
Once a movie has been exported and you are completely happy
with it, you may delete it from the organizer to save space.
My narrations
are in the background music track and are not attached to my pictures
You have used the "Add Media" button, "Audio
from Folder" menu choice to add your narrations rather
than the microphone/narration button on the upper right side
of your slideshow screen. The Add Media - Audio from
Folder menu choice is for adding the background audio to your
movie. While your narrations will work from here, you will have
no place for background music and you may have trouble aligning
your narrations and your pictures.
Resolution: If you have already added your narrations this
way, you will have to remove them and reinsert them properly.
Click the image to which you would like to add a narration.
Click the microphone button in the upper right of your screen.
Click on the Folder icon and select Browse, thenlocate the
appropriate narration file. Click Open. You will have to repeat
these steps for EACH image that has a narration file with
it.
Can I add
all my narrations at once?
No. Because each narration should be attached
to an image, you will have to click on the image, make sure
you are on the microphone palette in the upper right of your
screen, click the folder and select Browse, locate the appropriate
narration file for that image and select open. You have to do
this for every image. Do NOT use the Add Media - Audio from
Folder button to add narrations.
I noticed
in the microphone palette in the upper right of my screen that
I can record my narrations right here in Adobe Photoshop Elements
Slideshow. Can I do this instead of using Audacity to record narrations?
We cannot encourage you strongly enough to NOT do this
for the following reasons:
- The quality is extremely poor and you will not be able to
normalize the audio or trim it.
- Your audio file is not saved into a separate location. If
you delete the photo to which it is attached, it will be gone
and you will have to re-record it.
I can't remember
how to rip/copy music from the background music CD's
Click here for the handout
with screenshots. Keep in mind that there are small variations
from computer to computer, but these directions should be accurate
for what you will see.
I can't
find the song I copied from the CD
The default location for music that is copied from Windows
Media Player is My Documents/My Music. Inside the My Music folder
will be another that is probably titled Unknown Artist. Open
that and there will be a folder titled Unknown Album. Open that
and the song should be there. If there are several Unknown Artist
folders, you may have to look in each one until you find the
correct folder.
If the song is not in the default location, then someone has
changed the location in Windows Media Player. Open Windows Media
Player and go to the Tools menu. Select Options. Select the
Copy Music tab. The first part of this screen will provide the
pathway to the saving location.
The CD I'm using
doesn't show up in Windows Media Player
Four of the CD's in your collection are already in
mp3 format and do not have to be ripped/copied. These
CD's will not show up in Windows Media Player because they are
not true audio CD's. These four CD's are labeled as mp3 CD's
and to drag and drop the files to use them. Place the CD in
the CD drive, go to My Computer and open the CD. The files will
listed. Double click them to listen. When you locate the file
you want, simply drag and drop it into your project folder.
Why can't
my kids use popular music?
Due to issues with copyright, students should not be using
their own music CD's in their projects. Additionally, popular
music nearly always has words, and this will detract from their
narration. Please use the royalty free CD's provided.
My background
music is too loud
1. Are you using Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0?
(Nearly all teachers in this project are using 4.0) If so, the
answer should be simple. Click on the background music track.
A volume slider should appear in the lower right of your screen.
Move the slider to the 2 or 3rd mark from the left - nearly
all the way down! Background music should be very low, as it
will sound louder when played back on good speakers.
2. Are you using Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0?
(Teachers should not yet be using 5.0, because of the glitch
outlined here. We have installed 4.0 until this glitch is resolved.)
There is a glitch in this program that prevents the background
music volume slider from working properly. If this is the case,
please contact one of the project coaches for more information
on how to manage the background music.
