I'm sure this simple question must already be answered somewhere, but I'm sorry, I just can't find it.

I have a video on the video track on which I have placed a marker.  I have another video on the overlay video track, containing another marker.  I want to align the two markers; i.e. move the overlay track back so that when the two videos play, they co-incide at the exact point of the two markers.

I am using Studio 14 Ultimate, running on Windows 7 Home Premium.

I was expecting to be able to highlight the two markers (Ctrl + click), then perhaps right click and choose something like "Align Markers Left".  But there doesn't seem to be any such command.

I realise there is a basic way to do this, e.g I can note the time of the first marker, then keep moving the overlay video track until it's marker is at the same frame, but that is slow and dragging within the timeline is not smooth.  Or I can splice the videos at the two marker points and drag until it snaps, but that is long-winded.

There must be an easy way.

Any help gratefully received.

BigH:

I'm sure this simple question must already be answered somewhere, but I'm sorry, I just can't find it.

I have a video on the video track on which I have placed a marker.  I have another video on the overlay video track, containing another marker.  I want to align the two markers; i.e. move the overlay track back so that when the two videos play, they co-incide at the exact point of the two markers.

I am using Studio 14 Ultimate, running on Windows 7 Home Premium.

I was expecting to be able to highlight the two markers (Ctrl + click), then perhaps right click and choose something like "Align Markers Left".  But there doesn't seem to be any such command.

I realise there is a basic way to do this, e.g I can note the time of the first marker, then keep moving the overlay video track until it's marker is at the same frame, but that is slow and dragging within the timeline is not smooth.  Or I can splice the videos at the two marker points and drag until it snaps, but that is long-winded.

There must be an easy way.

Any help gratefully received.

I hope I understood you question correctly and I hope I explain this clearly. Why not align both videos as you would want it. Then delete the markers on both videos, then move the scrubber where you want both markers to be aligned. Then add a marker for one track and then select the other track and choose the marker you just created for the other track and add a new one for this track you are currently on. The result should be 2 markers in the same exact location in the timeline and one for each track.

Hi Marc

Thank you for taking the time to respond, but I'm afraid I may have mislead you with my explanation.  

You say "Why not align both videos as you would want it" - but that is what I'm trying to do.  I want to synchronise two points in two different videos.  Video 1 needs to play alongside video 2 such that a specific frame on Video 1 coincides with a frame on video 2.  I opted to mark the different reference points on both videos that I want to coincide, then try and align them so they synchronise during playback.  But I cannot easily align them.

 

BigH

BigH:

Hi Marc

Thank you for taking the time to respond, but I'm afraid I may have mislead you with my explanation.  

You say "Why not align both videos as you would want it" - but that is what I'm trying to do.  I want to synchronise two points in two different videos.  Video 1 needs to play alongside video 2 such that a specific frame on Video 1 coincides with a frame on video 2.  I opted to mark the different reference points on both videos that I want to coincide, then try and align them so they synchronise during playback.  But I cannot easily align them.

 

BigH

There are a number of ways of doing this, but none of them are "one click" solutions. The simplest way I know is to drag the overlay track around and make a note of when the marker numbers switch over. If you are approching syncronisity and the top track has the marker number 2 and the bottom track the number 1, when the top track assumes the number 1, you know you have reached, or just passed, the sync point.

With the timeline zoomed right in and on a relatively fast computer, this works OK for me. On my laptop it's not a good solution. I find it easier to temporaly trim the overlay track so that the start is at the marker. The track can then just be dragged to "click" into position and I then reset the in point of the overlay track.

Thanks jjn.  I will use your second technique, although I am very surprised that they didn't make it easier to carry out what is a very common task.

I have to admit I upgraded to version 14 because of the promise of some '[professional features from Avid]', but it just seems to contain more naff tranisitions and effects that may appeal to your Granny when added to a kid's party video - oh flying balloons, how clever :-)

BigH

 

I know markers are a more fundamenal part of other NLEs, but they are a relatively new addition to Studio - version 12.

For most regular Studio users the normal workflow would be to use a Split Clip to mark a point.

Studio will always be a consumer NLE, so perhaps you need to think about Nextgen.

BigH:

although I am very surprised that they didn't make it easier to carry out what is a very common task.

As what Jeff mentioned in time you will develop a work flow for this NLE, the common way to go about these kind of edits is by trimming and close the gap between the videos you want to meet in a specific track.