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| Create a Project & User |
Published by: Autodesk Creative Finishing Training
Category: Project & Media
Skill: Beginner
Skill: Beginner
Create a new Smoke project and a new user. Learn how to modify a project wile inside Smoke. Tools used in this exercise: Project and User modules.
| Tutorial Steps | ||
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1. Create a new Smoke project and a new user 2. BONUS: Modify the project & user | ||
1. Create a new Smoke project and a new user |
In this video:
Start Smoke
Create a project
Create a user
Video: Create a new project and a new user (3;13)
(click on image to open video player)
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Lesson in written form |
We will now create a new Smoke project.
To create a new project:
1. Locate the Smoke startup icon and start Smoke.
2. The Smoke application can be found in /Applications/Autodesk.
3. Stop at the start-up screen.
4. Click on the New Project button to access the Project menu.
5. Click in the project Name field and type a name for your new project.
Here we call it “My_Project”.
6. Press ENTER.
Choose the project default resolution:
1. Smoke ingests any resolution images.
2. For the purpose of this example, we choose 1920 x 1080 HD 1080.
The project resolution is the default for the modules and tools but you can still change that resolution inside Smoke.
3. Keep the default reference timing for HD resolution.
Note:
Information in the project configuration file determines project environment settings such as graphics monitor refresh rate, default timecode for clips, and default framerate for clip playback.
Set the proxy options:
You can choose to generate a smaller version of your original files by using proxies.
You can toggle between full resolution and proxy size at any time inside Smoke if you need to increase the interactivity. This is useful when you are working with intense effects on a shot.
1. Choose Proxies On or Conditional if you want to use proxies.
2. The default size option is Frame Percentage – Scale 0.50.
3. Choose Proxies OFF under the Proxy Options if you don’t want proxies.
You can turn that option ON at a later time if needed.
4. In this example, we choose proxies OFF.
5. Press Create Project.
6. Your project is created and you are back at the login screen.
7. Press the Project Box to choose which project to start Smoke with.
To create a user:
The User retains the application and modules preferences that are selected with your user as well as the hotkeys.
1. Click the New User button.
2. Click in the user name field and type your name.
3. Choose the user Hotkey Preset:
You have the choice between the Smoke profile and the Final Cut Pro profile, which will give you Final Cut Pro editing hotkeys.
4. In this case, we use the Final Cut Pro profile. The Getting Started tutorials always refer to the FCP hotkeys.
5. Keep the other default settings.
6. Press Create User.
Start Smoke:
1. When you are ready to start Smoke, press Start.
2. When the startup is completed, the EditDesk is displayed.
3. The Smoke Welcome screen that opens at start up contains introductory movies; you can watch them or close the window at this time.
4. The new project is empty.
5. The next step is to import and organize footage inside a Smoke library.
See the exercise: How to Import and Organize Media for more details.
| Tip |
If you get a message about the sync not being valid, it means that your system is not fed by a valid video signal; bypass the message by pressing ESC. If you need to capture or output video, feed the system with the proper sync and then continue the start up.
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| Tip |
Audio: You may have to choose which audio card Smoke uses. Go in the Finder, under Application/Autodesk/Smoke/Utilities and choose the Audio settings under the Smoke Setup utility.
2. BONUS: Modify the project & user |
In this video:
Modify project settings
Change Proxy Options
Switch project inside Smoke
Modify a user
Video: Modify a project & a user (4:03)
(click on image to open video player)
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Lesson in written form |
You can modify some of the parameters of an existing project.
You can do this at the Smoke start-up screen or inside Smoke.
1. On the EditDesk; click the Preferences button to access this menu.
2. Under the Project Management section, press the Edit Project button.
3. Change the proxy option; for example set them to Conditional.
4. Press Apply Changes and Confirm.
5. If you have footage inside this project, the proxies will be generated and you have to wait that the process is completed.
Switch project:
You can switch projects inside Smoke without having to exit the application.
1. Choose the project you want to access in the Project list.
2. Press Load to Load it.
Modify a user:
You can modify or create a new user inside Smoke as well.
1. In the Preferences menu and under the Project Management section, press the Edit User button.
2. You can change the user hotkey profile.
3. Press Apply Changes and Confirm.
Create a new user:
1. Click
2. Type a user name and choose user hotkey profile.
3. Press Create user.
4. To load this new user, choose it in the list and press Load.
Click Exit Preferences to return to the EditDesk.
In the next exercise you will see how to import and organize footage inside Smoke.
Note:
If you need to load the Smoke tutorials archive (Smoke on Linux) see Restore the Tutorials Archive exercise.
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| Tip |
If you already have footage inside a different Smoke project and you want to use it; copy the footage across projects through the Network tab inside the Library. See the Import and Organize Media section.
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| Tip |
The bookmarks available in the file browser are also saved with the user.
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| Tip |
To exit Smoke: go in the Preferences menu and press EXIT SMOKE.
