Just starting but image layers don’t work as well as video…
First, why can’t the video layers just take stills too? That saves having to make and maintain almost identical layer node graphs.
User templates of image layers don’t appear as choices when you drag an image into the timeline (does work with video layer templates)
Why do image layers always start at duration of 120 frames? Even when the template is set lower it fills 120 frames, therefore overwriting any other layers already on the track
(Various projects need various ‘standard’ lengths of still duration, but 5-10 seconds would be normal for corprate, where the timeline is stopping and starting often, so you don’t want extra wasted time on the timeline)
Layers placed over others erase layers - this is a particular issue with the default 120 frame duration - a new layer erases anything within 2 minutes (which would be 24 cues zapped in a corporate use)
@Sara_Aleksieska has some trouble logging in so I’m pasting her answer below:
They actually can, you just have to modify the layer template, so it can render stills, too. For example, in the screenshot below, I have upgraded the Video Layer template so that when my boolean called ‘Video?’ is set to True, the layer will render the Video, otherwise, it will render an Image.
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For a User Template to appear for any type of asset when you drag it, the asset needs to be included in the name of the Template. For example, all of your Image Templates, must include the word ‘Image’ for them to appear as a choice when you drag an image to the Timeline.
This is actually just the default length of any layer template, however, I do agree that it would be useful if the User Templates took the Duration set upon the creation of the User Template instead. We’ll look into this.
Do you always know the exact length of this ‘Still’ duration, or is this something that’s dependant on other factors in the event?
There are actually special shortcuts that you can use while dragging the Asset onto the Timeline, to avoid erasing other layers in the Timeline.
For example, holding Shift while dragging the Asset to the Timeline Track creates a Layer on the Track and shifts other Layers on the track to the right. You can find out more about these shortcuts here.
Thanks for those answers. I’ll have to play with the shortcuts. I’m dealing with corporate shows, and 90% of actions are edits not creating - we don’t get the luxury of building one big timeline piece by piece in a linear way - everything changes.
On duration - everyone does something different I guess… but trying to work in units of 5-10 seconds is normal. That’s enough for a transition but not so long that you have to wait long for the playhead to get to the next pause point/cue/section to be ready to run the next cue.
