Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

The sections below outline the procedures for adding each kind of media into the editing workspace.

PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you may prefer to add clips in storyboard view, since this view is simpler than the timeline view. However, you can only add clips to the Master Video Track in this view. Therefore, this section uses the timeline view in all of the procedures.

Adding Video Clips and Photos

You can add video clips and photos to either the Master Video Track or a PiP (picture-in-picture) Track.

PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you can add additional PiP tracks to your project’s timeline in the Track Manager, allowing you to have up to nine PiP objects displayed on a video at the same time. See Track Manager for more information.

To add video clips or photos to the workspace, do this:

  • select the clips and then click PowerDirector add to29 Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace to add them to the Master Video Track or PowerDirector add to30 Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace to add them to a PiP Track.
  • drag clips to a desired position in the Master Video or a PiP Track. When adding clips to the Master Video Track, you cannot leave an empty gap between adjacent clips. Clips added to the end of the Master Video Track follow immediately after the final clip in that track.
PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you may select several clips and drag them together into the same track, provided that all of the clips are compatible with the destination track.

  • right-click on a clip and select Add to Video Track or Add to PiP Track as required.

To create the basic framework of your video, add video clips and photos to the Master Video Track. Add media to the PiP track to create a picture-in-picture effect.

PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: use the PiP Designer to customize the PiP effects in your video production. See Modifying PiP Effects in the PiP Designer for more information.

Adding Color Boards

The use of color boards allows you to insert solid frames of color into your video. Color boards are really useful as quick transitions between video clips or as background for titles and ending credits.

To add a color board to the timeline, click on PowerDirector explor33 Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace and then select the Color Boards folder, or select from the library drop down menu.

PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you can add color boards to either the Master Video or PiP Track.

Adding Audio Clips

Audio clips allow you to add background music or a narrative voice-over to your video. CyberLink PowerDirector provides up to four tracks for audio (three music tracks and one voice track), which you can use interchangeably.

PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you can add additional music tracks to your project’s timeline in the Track Manager, allowing you to have up to three pieces of music playing in your video at the same time. See Track Manager for more information.

To add audio to the workspace, do this:

  • select an audio clip and then click PowerDirector add to19 Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace to add it to the Voice Track or PowerDirector add to28 Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace to add it to the Music Track.
  • drag one or more audio clips to a desired position in the Voice or Music Track. Audio clips can be added at any point in this track.
  • right-click on a clip and select Add to Voice Track or Add to Music Track as required.
PowerDirector note Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace

Note: you can only add audio files to the workspace in the timeline view. If you drag an audio file to the workspace in the storyboard view, the workspace automatically switches to the timeline view.

Adding Video, Photos and Audio to the Workspace