Just completed my first Slideshow in Shotcut. Somewhat lost at present but Shotcut looks impressive so worth learning. I have 60 images, no video and a simple audio track running for the duration.
Most images are landscape but some are in portrait mode. All looks fine on the preview but when I export the portraits are reduced in size.
Can somebody please give details of the best settings for such an export.
Also, transitions worked fine but I had to extend the audio track to match the length of the images. The audio sounds OK’ish but, in doing so I now find that the image ‘hiccups’ at the point where the audio was extended.
Any advice on that would also be appreciated.
Tom2
Please show a comparison of what you mean. A picture of how it looks it Shotcut versus a picture of how it looks in the export.
Does it hiccup in both the playback in Shotcut as well as the export? Please show a picture or even a video clip of this hiccup for us to know what you mean.
What is your Shotcut version (see Help > About Shotcut)?
Did you use the Slideshow Generator that Shotcut has to make your slideshow?
Please take a look at the video I made almost with same specs as yours. Pure images with a mix of landscape and portrait orientation and a simple sound track.
From my experience, what I can tell you is…
NEVER extend sound tracks. Not sure how it can logically extend since music is practically a properly timed composition.
Which brings to second point. If you have a single audio track on which slideshow runs, make sure you adjust slide transition to fit absolute 100% to the track timeline (leaving a breathing space on start and end though - fade in/ fade out)
In other case where you have multiple tracks, you can merge tracks and crop as per the length of the slideshow.
Images that are landscape usually be in 16:9 aspect ratio, which ideally should fit in screen area. But if there is any black borders, you may consider zooming in to cover the area.
Images in portrait are hard to give a nice feel. Hence you may chose to add second layer of the same image with distort zoom and blur in the background while the portrait image in center makes it somewhat presentable. There is nice video by one of our friends explaining this here Shotcut Lesson | Add Sides to a Vertical Video - YouTube
Thanks for reply -
Shortcut Version is 20.11.28, yes Slideshow Generator used with images added in 4 ‘hits’ each around 15 images per.
Hiccups - No apparent hiccups with the .mdt file, only when playing the MP4. When I opened up the MP4 in Shotcut the audio started playing but when it reached 2min 30sec it stopped although the images continued!! Can only show you screengrabs therefore (when I find the upload button).
Portrait Probs - Reading Praveen’s response it would appear that I was expecting too much and must use other tactics with portrait shots as per his examples.
Back to the drawing board therefore,Thanks for your help
Thanks for response. Point taken over extending tracks (although my attempt failed I was hoping to blend it in with Audacity with the Mk2 version as it is a slow Spanish guitar with quiet periods).
I did change the format to try it in 4:3 as I wondered if that could be the error - not so.
Zooming in on the black is a good idea and the gaussian blur, as per the video recommended, would appear to be the answer.
Thank you for your assistance.
Tom
