16. Using the GoPro Studio Software

In this chapter, you are introduced to the free GoPro Studio software, which is powerful video editing software for the PC and Mac. Topics include the following:

Getting an overview of the GoPro Studio software’s key features and functions, and discovering why this software is the perfect companion for GoPro cameras

Discovering how to import content from your camera into the software for editing

Using video export options offered by the GoPro Studio software

Gaining an overview of other video editing computer software packages and mobile apps

Although you can use GoPro cameras for shooting HD video, after you shoot the video, it needs to be edited prior to being presented to your intended audiences. Although many easy-to-use and versatile video editing software applications are available for PCs and Macs, the GoPro-developed GoPro Studio software is designed specifically for editing video shot using the GoPro cameras.

As a result, this free software, which you can download from GoPro’s website (www.GoPro.com), offers many editing and video enhancement tools that you will not find in most other video editing software or mobile apps.

For example, using GoPro Studio, you can import raw (unedited) video footage shot at different resolutions, Frames Per Second rates, and with varying Fields of View and edit them together into one seamless video presentation. You can also reduce or remove the unwanted fisheye effect that may appear in your raw video footage. At the same time, you can utilize many common video editing and enhancement tools that are built into GoPro Studio.

Without investing a tremendous amount of time editing your videos, you can achieve professional quality results, which can include adding visual special effects, smooth scene transitions, titles, captions, background music, sound effects, voiceovers, and other post production elements into your video projects.

Directly from the GoPro Studio software, you can export and save your video in a variety of industry-standard video file formats.

Just like digital photography and videography, editing video is both a skill and an art form. In this case, the skill involves learning how to effectively use the video editing tools at your disposal and becoming proficient using your video editing software.

The art form aspect of video editing relates to all the creative decisions you need to make during the editing process. For example, the raw footage you decide to use, the music you include, your use of special effects and animated scene transitions, and what wording you use within your titles are all creative decisions that directly impact the story your video project tells or the message it conveys to your audience.

Your responsibilities include creatively piecing the best of the raw content together into a presentation that appeals to the intended audience. A good videographer always shoots plenty of extra raw video footage so that the video editor has as much content as possible to work with.

As the video editor, you may start with several hours’ worth of raw video footage but then need to select only the best content to showcase within your much shorter video presentation (which may be only 3 to 5 minutes, for example).

During the video editing process, you need to utilize the video editing software’s tools to seamlessly blend various shots and scenes together so that they tell a coherent story in the least amount of time possible. Most videos on YouTube, for example, are between 3 and 5 minutes in length and are seldom longer than 10 minutes, due to the short attention span of viewers.

When necessary, as the video editor, you also need to choose the best visual special effects, animated scene transitions, frame/image enhancements, and audio (music, sound effects, prerecorded audio, and voiceovers) to enhance the professional quality of your project.

Learning to effectively and efficiently use a powerful video editing software application or mobile app takes time, dedication, and practice. This chapter offers you an overview of what’s possible using the GoPro Studio software on your PC or Mac, as well as an introduction to several other computer software and mobile app options for editing raw video shot using your GoPro camera.

These key video editing steps include

• Transferring the raw video content from your GoPro camera’s memory card into your video editing software

• Gathering other production elements to include within your video project, such as digital photos, sound effects, and music tracks

• Storyboarding your video project, and deciding which shots or scenes to edit together and in what order; done in your head or actually drawn out on paper using a storyboard format

• Using the video editing software to trim or edit each video scene, shot, or clip, and then placing that content into your video project

• Adding special effects or visual enhancements to the video footage as needed

• Incorporating visually interesting shot or scene transitions to help your video flow smoothly

• Editing or enhancing the video’s audio, and deciding when and where to include sound effects, appropriate background music, and voiceover narration

• Creating and inserting text-based titles and captions into your video

• Previewing the edited video, and making any final editing decisions to make the project appeal even more to its intended audience

• Saving the edited video, and exporting it into an appropriate file format and resolution, based on how it will be utilized, distributed, or presented

1. Visit the GoPro.com website.

2. Click the Products option.

3. Click the Software & App link.

4. Click the GoPro Studio software option on the Capture Create Share page.

5. Click the Download Now button on the GoPro Studio download page.

6. Select your computer’s operating system from the pull-down menu.

7. Enter your email address. (Deselect the email subscription options if you prefer.)

8. Click the Download Now button to continue. The software downloads to your computer.

9. When this process is done, double-click the downloaded file’s icon to install it, as shown here on a Mac. Follow any on-screen directions you receive.

1. Open the GoPro Studio pull-down menu at the top of the screen, and access the Preferences menu. From here, you can adjust options to help you work efficiently. When in doubt, leave an option at its default setting.

2. Turn on the AutoSave option by adding a check mark to the option’s check box.

3. Decide how often you want a backup of your work to be created. The default option is every minute. Should the software crash, or if something goes wrong during the editing process, with this feature turned on, you shouldn’t lose more than 1 minute of work.

Based on which workspace you use, what displays on the right and left sides of the center Preview window vary. Initially, on the left is the Import New Files area. From here, you can access the tools needed to import raw video footage from your GoPro camera (and other sources) into the editing software.

Within the middle portion of the screen are your Preview Window and Playback Controls. What else displays within the center of the screen varies based on whether you’re in View & Trim mode, Edit mode, or Export mode.

For example, when in Edit mode, the Storyboard Window, as well as icons for accessing and utilizing various other tools needed to piece together your raw video clips and other content to put together your video production, are offered.

What displays on the right side of the screen can also vary. When in Edit mode, for example, some of your available editing tools and Effect Presets become accessible.

To export your content, what displays on the screen includes the tools needed to choose your file export options. The software offers a selection of Export Presets (Mobile, HD720p, HD1080p, Archive, Vimeo, and YouTube), but you can also choose the Custom option to select your own export options and resolution.

You need to understand each of the GoPro Studio’s video editing steps and tools, so you can best use them to meet your needs. As you get to know the software, you can save a lot of time and potential frustration by using a GoPro Studio Edit Template instead of editing the entire video from scratch.

The first step, however, involves using the GoPro Studio Importer to transfer your raw video content that’s currently stored on your camera’s microSD memory card, and move it into the GoPro Studio video editing software.

You can do this in two ways:

• By connecting your camera directly to your computer using the supplied USB cable (which plugs into the mini-USB port of your camera and the USB port of your computer)

• By connecting an optional memory card reader to your computer via its USB port, and then removing the microSD memory card from the camera and inserting it into the card reader.

1. Launch the GoPro Studio software on your computer.

2. Connect the supplied USB cable to the mini USB port on your camera.

3. Connect the opposite end of the USB cable to your computer.

4. Turn on your GoPro camera by pressing the Power/Mode button for about two seconds.

5. Your computer identifies the memory card within your camera, and a connection between your camera and the computer is established. The camera’s Status Screen displays a Connection Established icon.

6. You are then prompted to transfer content from your camera’s memory card to the GoPro Studio software via the GoPro Studio Importer. Choose a storage location to store the imported content and the content transfer process commences. Based on the length of your videos and the resolution they were shot in, this could take several minutes. A progress meter displays on the screen.

7. Your raw video is imported into the GoPro Studio software and placed within the Import Bin. You can now preview the individual raw video clips and trim them.

At this point, it’s time to create a new project, which ultimately becomes your final edited video. Begin by piecing together your video clips, raw video footage, and scenes, converting these files into the GoPro Studio software’s CineForm file format, and if necessary, making them all compatible prior to incorporating them into your project. Details about each raw clip you have imported and that is being converted displays on the right side of the screen when in the View & Trim workspace.

1. Make sure you have selected the Step #1 View & Trim tab, if it’s not already selected.

2. Click on a video clip to preview that clip.

3. Use the on-screen controls near the bottom center of the preview window to control the playback.

4. If you want to use the selected video clip within your video project, click on the Add Clip To Conversion List button.

5. A thumbnail for the clip is displayed on the right side of the screen, under the Conversion List heading.

6. The GoPro Studio software automatically prompts you to name your video project, if you haven’t done this on your own. Click the Name Project button when this reminder window appears, and then give your video project a filename.

7. After you’ve selected all the clips you want to use within your video project, click the Convert button. The GoPro Studio software converts the selected video clips into the proper file format for editing. As soon as this conversion process is completed, you’re ready to move on to the GoPro Studio software’s Step #2: Edit.

8. Click the Proceed To Step 2 button that replaces the Convert button in the bottom-right corner of the screen (not pictured).

1. Select a video template, when prompted. (This happens as soon as GoPro Studio finishes converting your videos, per Step 8 of the previous task.)

2. Click the Create button to continue.

3. On the left side of the screen are your selected video clips. Click and drag a clip onto the timeline to work with it.

4. Displayed in the center of the screen is your editing/playback window and beneath it is your video timeline, which you can use to arrange and trim your clips.

5. On the right side of the screen are your video editing tools and menus, which you can use to alter image quality and add effects.

6. Click the arrow next to a tool category to expand it and gain access to more controls.

7. Adding text in the Fonts category, for example, adds labels you can use for titles to your video.

8. After you edit your video, click on the Step #3 Export tab to begin the export process.

9. When prompted, enter a project name, choose the location where you want the exported video saved, and adjust the resolution of the video from the Preset menu.

10. Click Export to create the video file and save it to your computer. You can now share it with others in a variety of ways, such as via email, or by posting it on YouTube or Facebook.

Throughout the editing process, be sure to preview your work in progress (or sections of your video) within the Preview Window, and if necessary, advance frame-by-frame. There’s also a full-screen Preview option available by clicking the full-screen icon.

Effect Presets built into GoPro Studio include Protune, 1970s, 4X3 Center Crop, 4X3 To Wide, Candy Color, Day For Night, Hot Day, Night Vision, Sepia, Vignette Large, Vignette Medium, and Vignette Off. You can also customize these Effect Presets or create your own using the editing tools built in to the software.

The Framing tools enable you to cut away unwanted background content to virtually zoom in on your intended subject or easily reframe your shots. This gives you a tremendous level of additional creative control over your raw footage if, for example, you forgot to film an important close up of your subject.

You can use these audio elements in addition to or instead of the audio that was recorded during the filming process. The GoPro Studio software enables you to edit the recorded audio track separately from the video, plus add music, sound effects, or voiceover tracks to be heard at specific points in your video.

As the video editor, you ultimately decide what’s heard and when it’s heard, just as you determine what your audience sees. You must adjust the audio levels within your video so that they’re at the appropriate volume, and if you mix different types of audio, that each audio element can be heard at the appropriate volume.

If there’s talking during a scene, the music you add should not overpower the voice tracks, and whatever music you do decide to add should be appropriate for that scene.

When you finish the editing and you’re satisfied with the result after viewing your video within the Preview window or using the Full-Screen Preview option, the next step is to export your video using a file format and resolution of your choosing.

Based on how you plan to share your video, this determines what format and resolution it should be saved in. Click the Export tab, and then select the Export .MOV option from the Share menu.

You now see a selection of export options. If you plan to upload the video file and share it on YouTube, select the YouTube option. If you plan to play back the video on a high-definition 1080p flat screen television, for example, select the HD 1080p export option. If the video will be viewed only on the screens of mobile devices (smartphones or tablets), choose the Mobile Device option.

After choosing your export options, follow the onscreen prompts to complete the file export and saving process.

That being said, your first task should be to identify your audience and then put yourself in their shoes when making all creative decisions. Consider how you want each of your editing decisions to impact your audience.

Most important, when deciding on content to include within your video, get right to the point. Never overwhelm your viewers with too much visual eye candy or distracting audio. Just tell you story or convey your message in a straightforward and entertaining way. Allow the stunning visuals you’ve captured by your GoPro camera to speak for themselves.

The attention span of your audience is relatively short. If your video drags on, is repetitive, or becomes dull to watch, people will simply stop watching, tune out, or surf elsewhere on the Internet and watch something else.

Following are some other items you should consider while editing:

• Focus on your intended audience and tell your story. Set a primary goal for your video, as well as a target length. Are you creating a video just to entertain your audience, or is the goal to convey a message, illicit an emotion from the audience, or educate in some way?

• Use an organized approach. It’s a good idea to first create a “rough cut” of your video and then add in the additional production elements. Begin by watching all your raw video footage and gathering the content you know you’ll want to use. Then collect the most desirable raw footage that you want to use, trim those video clips, and then place them in order using your video editing software. Next, get rid of the unusable shots and ancillary raw footage you know you won’t be using. When you’re satisfied, begin adding in production elements such as scene transitions and music.

• Use shots that will keep your audience’s attention. If you watch any television show or movie, you’ll notice that the editor switches camera angles or shots every 5 to 10 seconds to keep things visually interesting for the audience. This is a good strategy to follow as you edit your videos. If you don’t have footage that showcases multiple camera angles for each shot or scene to choose from, focus on using your most compelling content.

• Use titles and captions to your advantage. Most videos can benefit from an animated title sequence at the beginning that sets the scene and tells people what they’re about to watch. Then, as needed, you can add text-based captions within your video to help move your story along or convey your message using text to accompany your video and audio.

• Don’t expect Hollywood-style results. Learning to be a skilled video editor, regardless of which video editing software you use, takes time and practice. Start by editing with minimal special effects a few simple video projects. As you become more comfortable using your video editing software, start experimenting with its various features and functions.

Literally dozens of powerful video editing software packages are available for PCs and Macs. Some are free, whereas others cost money. For example, Apple offers the iMovie software for the Macs and iPad, whereas Microsoft offers its entry-level Microsoft Movie Maker software for PCs. These are straightforward, consumer-oriented video editing applications that are relatively easy to learn.

Wondershare Video Editor (www.wondershare.net/video-editor) and Pinnacle Studio 18 (www.pinnaclesys.com) are two other examples of consumer-oriented PC and Mac video editors that are relatively easy to use but still feature-packed.

For more professional-level editing tools that have a much steeper learning curve and higher price tag, consider using Final Cut Pro X (www.apple.com/final-cut-pro), Avid Media Composer (http://connect.avid.com/media-composer-trial.html), or Adobe Premiere Pro CC (www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html).

You can also do video editing on-the-go using a tablet, such as the iPad. For example, you can transfer video content from your GoPro camera (as long as it’s shot at a resolution your tablet can support) and then use a video editing app to edit and ultimately share your video without using a computer.