Click on the video icon to see the final result created by Les Films Stupéfiants & Buzzimage Group.

Next you will build a timeline manually, using the footage that you previously loaded to the EditDesk.
Don’t forget to start with a fresh version of the Essentials Library as shown in the previous exercise.
Refer to the Getting Started section if needed.

It is possible to conform a timeline using XML files or other types of edit decision lists in Smoke. XML conform is available through a function called Wiretap Gateway.

Have a look at the EditDesk Library on the left: there are several source folders (green) that contains the clips needed for this project, and a record folder (red) that we will use in this lesson.

1. Click on the view tab of the “Editing” reel to display its content in the Source Area.
2. Expand the “Editing” folder.
3. Select the clip “1_Entrance_Front”.
4. Press Esc to access the Player for this Source clip.
5. To access the full screen player, press Ctrl+Esc.
Note that the Player views can be also changed from the Player menu.
6. Play the clip.
7. Make sure to go back at the first frame of the clip.
You can scroll the clip in the player or on the desktop thumbnail.
8. Press Esc to return to the EditDesk.

Player Hotkeys: Toggle Player "Esc". Toggle Full screen Player "Ctrl +Esc".

We will start by dragging a first clip to the Record Area.
Important note: the first clip you put in the Record Area will determine the final resolution and frame rate of the timeline.

1. Hold the C key to be in copy mode, and drag the first clip from the Source Area to the Record Area.
2. Notice that a record clip (outlined in red) appears on the EditDesk.
3. From the View Menu, choose Record Timeline, or press F5; this is a better view to edit in.
4. Enable Ripple in the Editing bar. Keep the default option Ripple End.
Ripple mode will fill any gaps left by deleted clips and make room for new clips.
5. Set the Snap mode to Snap Closest.
With this enabled, clips dropped in the timeline will snap to the edges of nearby clips or marks.
6. Select the “2-Entrance_Flare” clip.
7. Make sure the positioner is placed at the first frame of the shot.
Note: The positioner will determine the default in-point of a clip when dragged in the timeline.
8. C-drag the “2-Entrance_Flare” shot to the timeline, just after the first shot.
9. Press Home in the Timeline menu to frame the entire timeline.
10. Select “3-Sandals_Left” and C-Drag the shot at the end of the timeline.
Again, keep in mind that the positioner is your implicit in-point.
11. Press Esc to access the player and play the record clip.

IMPORTANT: The hotkeys depend of the selected User. The shortcuts used in these tutorials are based on the Final Cut Pro user profile. The Smoke hotkeys are different. To see the hotkey list currently in use press "Ctrl+Alt+F8".

To reset pan and zoom, click the "Home" button in the lower-right corner.

We could continue dropping clips to the timeline in this manner, but we will see how to use a different view and editing functions to finalize this timeline. Note that the clips are numbered in the order they should appear.

1. Press Shift+Esc to access the Source/Record view.
This view is really useful for editing as you see the current source clip in the left player and the record clip on the right at the same time. Also it displays the editing operators in the middle.
2. Select the source clips directly in the EditDesk Library under the “Editing” folder.
Expand the folder if needed.
3. Select clip “4-Sandals_right”.
4. Make sure the positioner is at the first frame in the Source player.
5. Click on the right player to put the Record clip into focus.
6. Navigate to the end of the timeline.
7. A way to add the clip to the timeline is to use the overwrite operator.
Press the Overwrite button situated between the two players.
The clip is added at the end of the timeline.
8. Continue to add the next clips in this manner, there are 10 clips in total.

Add them to the timeline in order, until they are all on the Record Area.
Don’t worry about the timing of the clips for now. We’ll trim them to length in a later step.

View Hotkeys: Toggle Source/Record View "Shift+Esc". Record Timeline "F5", Source Timeline, "F6".

View Hotkeys: Toggle Source/Record View "Shift+Esc". Record Timeline "F5", Source Timeline, "F6".

At this point your timeline exists on the EditDesk; although the EditDesk gets automatically saved when you exit Smoke, it is a working area that is used by all users working on the same project and can be easily modified or deleted. You should always save your work in a Library to protect it.

You can save an entire EditDesk Library, the EditDesk, a Source Area or a Record Area.
During these tutorials, save the Record Area to the Library as you finish each of the exercise. This way you will save your timeline at every significant step of the way.

1. Rename the Record clip:
Access the record player, press Esc.
2. Change the name of the record clip in the text box to “Main_Timeline”.
By default the record clip name is the same than the first clip you used.
3. Choose Record Area in the Item Box (in the EditDesk menu).
4. Be sure that your “Smoke_Essentials” library is selected.
5. Press Save.
6. Enter a name for the new Record Area folder, such as “Essentials_Record”.
The Record Area is saved in the Library.
7. Click on the Library Box to access the Library and have a look at the new record folder (red).
8. Then press Exit Library to return to the EditDesk.

You can also save an individual clip to the Library: access the EditDesk and drag the clip directly onto the Library box. This saves the selected clip in the current Library.

If you want to play the clip inside the library, select the clip. Then swipe the cursor on the right side of the Library interface to display the player.

If you want to know more about the interface and the functionalities covered in this exercise, watch the following overviews:


To continue with the exercises, click on the following link: