UPDATED: PowerDirector makes me look like a noob

The Sony DVD810 Camcorder produces MPEG-2 video with an aspect ratio of 16:9, which I like and want to keep in the final video. I have four long video files from yesterday that I want to edit into several smaller chunks of about five minutes each so the files can be stored in a stock footage catalog and also so the files will be easier to edit in PowerDirector. That was the plan anyway.

The problem?  So far I can not figure out how to get PowerDirector to output an MPEG-2 file with a 16:9 aspect ratio, which means it probably can’t do it.  How ridiculous is that?

This is not good. It’s obvious that I will in a very short time have hundreds if not thousands of short stock video clips and it would be nice to have them all stored in the same format that the camcorder produces. I really don’t want to hear a workaround since it should be an option that is easily set. I guess just letting the camcorder run for thirty minutes at a time is not a good idea.  Easier on the recording and file management end; a nightmare on the editing end. Live and learn, eh?

UPDATE: My Bad. I just couldn’t find the setting. I figured you would set the option during the final production phase where the final video file is created, but the aspect ratio is set for the entire project under Edit –> Aspect Ratio like a big sore thumb. Duh. Seems kinda silly place to put it, but there ya go.

I did update to the latest build of PowerDirector before finding the setting, so that at least is a positive. Do I sound like a noob or what?

Don’t worry, I’m a pretty quick study.

Video production

Video production is a lot of work. The fun part is taking all the footage but then the real work starts.  I sure will be glad when I figure out some of the tricks of the trade as there has to be a better way than what I’m doing. Audio is probably the biggest kink in the workflow for me right now.

I am going to have to invest in some good microphones but dubbing the audio onto the video is still a lot of work. PowerDirector does not excel at working with audio so currently I edit my audio with Audigy and then import the final cuts into PowerDirector.

My hard drive is also quickly filling up with huge video and audio files. And I thought the digital photo files  were eating up a lot of space. Fortunately, hard drive storage is cheap cheap.

I haven’t given up on finishing the action based videos that have been in the works for the last few weeks, like kayak fishing and duck hunting, but I have taken a short break at trying to get anything coordinated, which for the most part wastes a lot of time without getting anything accomplished. During the break I’ve been making the refuge rounds and acquiring some better footage with a new tripod setup, which is still not great but better than anything you can take hand held. Especially at the full zoom, which is quite a bit doing the wildlife vids. I also hooked up a power converter in the truck so I can keep the view screen open without wiping out the battery in 45 minutes.  This camera, a Sony DVD810, is not going to do well with extreme zoom wildlife but I couldn’t really afford anything that would.

I’ll be at home working on video all day so I’ll most likely post more later, unless a better deal comes along.