Section 1: Quick Start Guide for the Digital Blue Digital Movie Creator

Digital Movie Creator 2
Installation & Quick Start Guide
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Section 1: Quick Start Guide for the Digital Blue Digital Movie Creator
The Digital Blue Movie Creator allows you to:
• Record video and audio – at or away from your PC
• Produce your own movies by editing video and audio
• Add animations, special effects, transitions, and more
• Create stop-animation movies
• Capture still snapshots like a digital camera
• Share movies with friends and other schools over email or the web
Contents
1. System Requirements
2. Setup Guide
3. Getting Started
4. Parts of the camera
5. Take your camera with you
6. Making your first movie
7. Making a stop-animation movie
1. System Requirements
• Intel Pentium or Celeron processor, 300 MHz or faster (or equivalent)
• Windows 2000, 98, 98SE, ME or XP
• 64 MB RAM
• 300 MB free hard disc space
• SVGA 800 x 600 resolution video support (min 16 bit)
• 4x CD ROM drive
• USB interface/port enabled
• 16-bit Windows - compatible sound device
Getting Help
Click at the top of the screen.
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2. Setup Guide
Install the software before connecting the camera to the computer.
a. Install the software
Insert the Digital Movie Creator software CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.
If the program doesn’t automatically begin, go to desktop and double-click My Computer. Double-click
the CD-ROM/DVD drive that contains the Digital Movie software. If this doesn’t start the installation
program, double-click setup.exe.
Follow the instructions on the screen. If you are running Windows 98 or Windows 98 SE, have your
Windows 98 CD-ROM available in case the installation program asks for it.
b. Connect the camera to the computer.
1. Connect the camera base’s cable into the USB port on your computer.
2. Press the camera firmly into the camera base. The camera
beeps when it connects to the computer.
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3. Getting started
Open the movie software on your computer.
Double-click on your computer desktop.
Getting around
The software is comprised of three main screens, and the collections screen.
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Watch a video clip!
1. Open the Collections screen.
From any main screen, click at the top of the screen to show the Collections screen.
2. Open the Permanent collection
Click at the top of the screen.
3. Choose a movie to watch.
Click on a video clip.
Click to open the Preview screen.
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4. Parts of the camera
Snapshot Button
Takes a still snapshot.
Video Record Button
Press and hold this button to shoot a video.
Image Quality Button
The camera can capture images at normal quality (up to four minutes of
video) and high quality (up to one minute of video). You can change image quality
between shots.
NOTE: Use this button only when the camera is not connected to your computer. When the camera is
connected, all images are recorded at high quality directly to your computer’s hard drive.
Self-Timer Button
Use the timer to take pictures or videos without holding the camera. Press the self-timer
button once, and then press the snapshot button or the video button to begin the timer.
The self-timer counts down for about 10 seconds.
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Delete Button
Hold this button for three seconds to delete the current item from the camera. Keep holding it
down to completely clear the camera’s memory.
NOTE: Use this button only when the camera is not connected to your computer.
Digital Movie Creator Display
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5.

5. Take your Camera with you
Load the Batteries
Your camera operates with four AAA size batteries (not included).
1. Loosen the battery cover screw.
2.
Open the battery cover.
3.
Insert batteries as shown. When you insert the batteries, the camera beeps to show the batteries
are in good condition.
4. Close the battery cover and tighten the cover screw.
Battery
Notes:
• The camera does
not need batteries when you use it with the computer.
• The batteries last longer when you download your videos to the computer
and keep the camera memory
clear.
• If you plan
on leaving the camera unattended for a long period of time, remove the batteries to protect the
unit from battery leaks or premature power drain.
• If the batteries run out completely, or if you remove the batteries, all images in the camera’s memory will be lost.
Download all images to your computer to avoid losing them.
• Do not recharge non-rechargeable batteries.
• Remove rechargeable batteries before recharging
under adult supervision.
• Do not mix new and old, or different types of batteries.
• Remove dead or exhausted batteries.
• Do not short circuit the supply terminals.
• The camera saves the batteries by turning off automatically after about 3 minutes of non-use.
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6. Making your first movies
Shoot
a scene with the camera.
You can use the camera either attached
to your computer or away from it.
• If you are using your computer whilst attached to the computer click
screen.
• Click to start recording.
• Click the same button (now red ) to stop recording.
Notice
the scene you just created appears in the small window on the screen.
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to open the Live

Rename
the scene so you can find it easily.
The
scene you just recorded is in the Temporary collection.
Open the Collections screen by clicking
at the top of the screen.
i. Click the title under the scene you just recorded and type in a new name.
ii. Press the Enter key to finish renaming your scene.
Save your scene in the Permanent collection.
To
save the scene, you have to move it from the Temporary collection to the Permanent collection.
i. In the Temporary collection. Click on the scene you have just created.
ii. Click
collection.
iii. Click
to move the scene from the Temporary collection to the Permanent
to close the Collections screen.
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iv. If you have filmed away from the computer as soon as you place your camera back into the
camera base that is attached to the computer, it will automatically start the download process
on to your computer and you will see a message stating the number of items to download.
Click on the green tick to start the process.
You will see a screen to show the download is in progress. The scenes will be saved in the Temporary
collection and need to be given a name and transferred to the Permanent collection as above.
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Organise your scenes into a movie.
In this step you will add scenes to the Storyboard to create a movie.
i. Click to open the Create screen.
When the screen first opens, it shows the Collections screen and the Storyboard.
ii. Click on the scene you created. If it doesn’t appear, click the green arrows to see more scenes.
iii. Double-click your scene to add it to the Storyboard.
iv. Repeat this step to add a few more scenes.
v. Click to close the Collections screen.
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Post Production fun!
There are a lot of fun ways to spice up your movie.
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Post production: add titles and credits.
This is your chance to put your name in the movies.
In the Storyboard, click the scene where you want to show the credits.
Click to open the text options. You can change the font, colour, text size, and experiment with
many other effects from this set of tools.
In the text box, type “Directed by” and your name. Press the Enter key on your keyboard, and type
“Special Thanks to:” Then press the Enter key again and type the name of your teacher or friends that
have helped you create your movie.
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Special Effects
You can add pre-made special effects and animations to any scene in your movie.
In the Storyboard, click one of the scenes so that it is highlighted and appears in the preview screen.
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Post Production: Add Music
The background music icon appears in the preview screen after you add it. Background music will run
through the whole of your film, but sound effects will only occur in the frame you choose to put it in.
These do not show up in the final movie.
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Time to premiere your movie!
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7. Making a stop-animation movie
Click in the Create screen to open the stop-animation controls.
Click on the camera green camera button under Frames to take a frame of animation. Move your
object and click the camera button again. Do this as many times to create the movie length you want.
When you are ready to create your movie, click the red button under Movie Length to create the
movie. It will appear in the preview screen at the bottom of the screen and will also be saved in the
Temporary Collection. See previous pages on how to transfer it to Permanent Collection.
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