Click on the icon for a quick preview of the exercise and the result.

Continue with the assembled timeline you previously created in Smoke. If you need to reload it, follow these steps, if not jump to the next section.

1. Continue with your timeline from the previous exercise.
2. If you need to clean the EditDesk and reload the last saved record timeline:
Select EditDesk Library in the Editing bar, and press Clear.
3. Click on the Library box to access your Library “Smoke_Essentials”.
4. Select the top folder and press Load.
5. In the EditDesk Library, be sure to click on the view tab of the latest saved Record Reel, which should be “Essentials_Record_01”.
6. Choose Record Timeline in the View menu, or press F5.
7. Display the Record Player, press ESC.

The edit that was previously created needs to be tightened up. We will use interactive trimming to remove unnecessary frames; these frames will still be available in the heads and tails of each clip.

1. Enable Trim on the EditDesk menu.
2. Enable Focus to interactively see the frame you are trimming.
3. Make sure Ripple is activated and set to End.
4. Make sure Lock is disabled.
When Lock is enabled, the head and tail values show as black numbers.
This locked mode can be useful when you want to prevent trimming the in-frame of a shot or when you slide a shot in the timeline.
5. To trim clips, drag their left and right edges to add or remove material.
A red trim cursor appears.
Since Ripple is on, the following clips move to compensate for removed frames.
6. Go ahead and trim the first clip head and tail while monitoring the player.
7. Continue to trim the shots on the timeline to create a more dynamic sequence.
For example, park at the beginning of the second shot and trim the head until the talent gets out of the shadows (around 10 frames).

Another way to trim clips is to use the trim shortcuts. The positioner determines which element will be trimmed..

1. Navigate to shot 7 on the timeline.
2. Scroll the shot and stop just before the gladiator’s spear gets out of frame.
3. Hold B on the keyboard, and press SPACEBAR.
The frames are trimmed from the tail of the clip (about 12 frames).
4. In the next shot “8_Tilt_Up_Left”, scroll the positioner until the left foot of the gladiator touches the ground. Hold N on the keyboard, and press SPACEBAR.
5. The frames are trimmed from the head of the clip (5 frames).
6. To replay the selection, press T.

Trim Hotkeys: Trim Head: N+SPACEBAR. Trim Tail: B+SPACEBAR.

To expand the track vertically and see more clip information, click and drag the track identifier (V1.L1).

You can transform a cut transition into a dissolve between two clips if there are enough frames available in the heads and tails.

1. Navigate to clip “8_Tilt_Up_Left”.
2. Trim 10 frames out of the tail of clip 8.
3. Trim 15 frames out of the head of the next clip, “9_Attack_LS_Right”.
4. Make sure you are parked on the transition between the two shots.

You can press Z or X to navigate to previous or next transition.

5. Select Dissolve from the Transition menu on left of the Timeline, or press the End key on the keyboard to add a dissolve.
Note that you will not see the Transition buttons if any other element is selected on the Timeline.
To deselect an element, click in the grey area of the timeline.
6. When you add a dissolve it should be selected by default; if it is not the case, click on the dissolve icon on the timeline.
Note that a 0 frame dissolve will be added if the clips do not have frames available in the heads and tails.
7. You can modify the dissolve length by dragging the dissolve numerical field.
You can also trim the dissolve.
Note: The default dissolve length is set in the User Preferences.

You can type a value in the numeric keypad before pressing End to specify the duration for the dissolve on the record clip.

You can delete a dissolve by dragging the icon at the bottom of the screen until you see the recycle sign.

We will now insert a new source clip into the timeline.

1. Press SHIFT+ESC to access the Record/Source player.
2. Navigate to the shot “6_Raise_Sword”on the record timeline.
3. Park on the middle of the shot, just before you see the shadow of the sword on the gladiator.
4. Expand the “Extra_Clips” source folder in the EditDesk Library on the left.
5. Activate the View tab on this source folder.
6. Select the clip “Spin_Fork” clip in the EditDesk Library.
7. Scroll the Source clip in the left Player until the gladiator holds the spear firmly in his hand.
This becomes the implicit In point.
8. Press G (Insert Edit) on the keyboard.
The clip gets inserted after the positioner in the record timeline, the following clips move towards the end because of the Ripple End option.

To undo an operation, click the Undo button on the interface or press BACKSPACE on the keyboard.

As previously mentioned, it is recommended to save your work regularly at every important step.
1. Choose Record Area in the Item Box.
2. Be sure that your “Smoke_Essentials” library is selected in the Library box.
3. Press Save.
4. Enter a name for the new Record Area folder, such as “Essentials_Record_02”.
Note that you can decide to overwrite the previous record folder, but for the tutorials keep a different version for each exercise.
5. The Record Area is saved in the currently active Library.