DOI:10.2214/AJR.05.0333
AJR 2005; 185:1371-1376
© American Roentgen Ray Society
Using Movie Clips in PowerPoint Presentations: Part 2, Movie Editing
Chun-Shan Yam1,
Jonathan Kruskal and
Michael Larson
1 All authors: Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and
Harvard Medical School, WCC, Room 306, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA
02215.
Received February 25, 2005;
accepted after revision April 6, 2005.
Address correspondence to C.-S. Yam
(csyam{at}bidmc.harvard.edu).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to describe a simple
method for editing movie clips for PowerPoint presentations.
CONCLUSION. We describe a simple method for editing movie clips
using Adobe Photoshop, a common software utility used by many radiologists for
preparing digital images.
Introduction
In part 1, we discussed the common issues and guidelines for using movie
clips in PowerPoint (Microsoft) presentations
[1]. We also discussed the use
of a common software utility, QuickTime Pro (Apple Computer), to convert
movies into compatible formats and manageable sizes. However, for practical
reasons, some movie clips obtained from workstations must be edited before
presentation. For instance, brightness and contrast may need to be adjusted
for some MR images and arrows may need to be placed to indicate specific image
findings. Also, for HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act) compliance, it is necessary to remove any patient information from
images.
View larger version (89K):
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[as a PowerPoint slide]
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Fig. 2A —Screen captures showing use of QuickTime Pro (Apple
Computer). Sample movie clip, CTA.mov, contains 258 images of cardiac CT
angiography study. Length of movie is 17 sec at 15 fps (frames per second).
Time line and selection markers are indicated.
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Despite the wide variety of movie editing software utilities available,
currently none is optimal for radiologists to accomplish these tasks.
Professional utilities such as After-Effects and Premiere from Adobe Systems
(www.adobe.com)
and Xpress Studio from Avid Technology
(www.avid.com)
are primarily designed for movie production; they are generally expensive and
require a steep learning curve. Whereas other amateur products such as
VideoStudio from Ulead
(www.ulead.com)
and Apple iMovie from Apple Computer
(www.apple.com)
are targeted for home videotape editing and are relatively inexpensive and
easy-to-use, they usually lack the flexibility and capability for the image
editing requirements of radiologists.
We will describe a simple method for editing movie content using QuickTime
Pro and Photoshop (Adobe Systems). QuickTime Pro is a low-cost utility
($29.99) for creating and converting movie clips. Photoshop is software
currently used by many radiologists in preparing digital images for PowerPoint
presentations and publications
[2-7].
Both of these utilities are cross-platform for Macintosh (Apple Computer) and
Windows (Microsoft) operating systems. The latest versions are 6.5.1 for
QuickTime Pro and CS (Creative Suite) for Photoshop. For illustration, we will
discuss the essential steps for editing a sample movie clip with two simple
image processing functions: patient information removal and brightness
adjustment. However, experienced Photoshop users can use the same approach for
more sophisticated movie modifications.
Our method is a simple 3-step process as shown in
Figure 1. The key functions for
each of these steps can be summarized as follows: step 1, use QuickTime Pro to
extract individual images from a movie clip; step 2, use the automated Batch
command in Photoshop to modify the images; step 3, use QuickTime Pro again to
create a movie clip from the modified images.
Sample Application
Step 1: Image Extraction
In QuickTime Pro, select Open Movie in New Player from the File drop-down
menu to import an existing movie clip. The sample movie clip we use in this
illustration is a QuickTime movie containing a sequence of CT images
(Fig. 2A). Currently, QuickTime
Pro supports a wide range of movie formats
[4]. Once the movie is open,
select Export from the File drop-down menu; then select Movie to Image
Sequence from the Export drop-down menu
(Fig. 2B); then select the
Option button to open the Export Image Sequence Settings window to specify the
output image format (Fig. 2B).
In this example, we select BMP (bitmap) as the output format, CTA as the
output file name, and Folder A as the target folder location. After entering
these parameters, select OK to close the Settings window and then select Save
to start the extraction. A total of 258 images (CTA 001.bmp through CTA
258.bmp) are extracted to Folder A. In general, the number of extracted images
can be estimated using the following formula: number of images = frames per
sec (fps) x length of movie (sec). Although other formats can be used
for the output images (e.g., JPG, PNG, or GIF), it is important to select BMP
for preserving the original pixel quality.
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Fig. 3A —Screen captures showing use of Photoshop 6.0 (Adobe Systems)
and Windows XP Pro (Microsoft). Illustration showing steps for creating Batch
function in Photoshop using Set and Action buttons.
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Fig. 3B —Screen captures showing use of Photoshop 6.0 (Adobe Systems)
and Windows XP Pro (Microsoft). Illustration showing steps for using Edit\Fill
function in Photoshop to remove patient name and identification: select
Rectangular Marquee tool from Toolbox, use click-and-drag mouse action to
highlight patient name and identification, select Fill function from Edit
drop-down menu, select black as filling color then select OK to execute fill
action. After brightness is adjusted, save image in new folder (Folder B)
using Save As from File drop-down menu.
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View larger version (70K):
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Fig. 3C —Screen captures showing use of Photoshop 6.0 (Adobe Systems)
and Windows XP Pro (Microsoft). Illustration showing steps for using
Brightness/Contrast function in Photoshop to adjust image brightness. In this
example, brightness level is set at +40 to enhance appearance of coronary
artery vessels versus cardiac soft tissue.
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Alternatively, users can extract a portion of the movie clip in QuickTime
Pro. This can be done by sliding the In and Out markers on the time line to
specify the portion (Fig. 2A).
After the markers are set, select Trim from the Edit drop-down menu to crop
the movie. However, by default, the whole movie clip will be extracted if
markers are not used. This feature is useful for trimming lengthy movies into
smaller clips.
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Fig. 3D —Screen captures showing use of Photoshop 6.0 (Adobe Systems)
and Windows XP Pro (Microsoft). D, Screen capture of Batch window
showing settings for Batch conversion process. In this example, source folder
selected is Folder A and target folder is Folder B. Batch function selected is
CTA and Crop & Brightness.
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Fig. 4A —Preparing movie for presentation. A, Screen capture of
QuickTime Pro (Adobe Systems) showing patient information removed and
brightness increased in converted movie clip, renamed New_CTA.avi.
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Step 2: Image Processing
After the images are extracted, we use Adobe Photoshop to modify the
individual images for presentation needs. Based on our experience, the most
common needs for movie editing are brightness adjustment and patient name and
identification removal. Sometimes, cropping, flipping, and rotating of images
may also be required. Although many radiologists are already familiar with
these Photoshop functions, modifying a large number of images is
time-consuming and tedious. Fortunately, the built-in Batch function in
Photoshop is precisely designed for this tedium. This function enables users
to record a set of Photoshop commands and functions and subsequently apply
those selections to multiple images repeatedly and automatically. Since we are
focusing on movie editing, not Photoshop, only simple illustrations on image
processing are provided in this section.
Before using the Batch function, we need to create a new folder for the
modified images (Folder B in our example). In Photoshop, create a new Batch
function using the Actions palette (window) by selecting Show Actions from the
Window drop-down menu—if this palette is not already open. The essential
steps for creating our demo Batch function are illustrated in
Figure 3A. These steps can be
summarized as the following tasks. In Photoshop, select the Create New Set
button (Fig. 3A). Enter CTA in
the Name box and select OK to continue. Select the Create New Action button.
Enter Crop & Brightness in the name box and select Record to continue.
Perform the following commands and functions (see Figs.
3A,
3B, and
3C for details): open any one
of the extracted images in Folder A (e.g., CTA 048.bmp), crop the patient name
and identification (Fig. 3B),
change the brightness (Fig.
3C), save the image to Folder B, and close the image. Select the
Stop Recording button to finish (Fig.
3A).
Next, use this Batch function to process all the extracted images from our
sample movie clip. Select Automate/Batch from the File drop-down menu to open
the Batch window (Fig. 3D).
Select the Set option to CTA and Action to Crop & Brightness from the
drop-down boxes. Select Folder from the Source option drop-down box and use
the Choose button to navigate to Folder A. Similarly, select Folder B as the
Destination folder. It is important to check both the Override Action Open
Commands and Override Action Save Commands options for bypassing the dialog
windows. Otherwise, users will be prompted to click the OK button twice for
each image— once for Open and once for Save As. Depending on the
computer hardware and operating system being used, the time for this Batch
process varies. For our system (Dell Computer, Precision 650 with Pentium 4
processors, Intel; 3.0 GHz; 2 GB RAM; Windows XP Professional, Microsoft), the
total processing time is 85 sec. After the conversions, a total of 258 images
(CTA 001.bmp through CTA 258.bmp) are produced in the destination folder
(Folder B). Spot check some of the images and proceed to the next step to
create the final movie clip.
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Fig. 4B —Preparing movie for presentation. B, Screen captures
of PowerPoint 2003 (Microsoft) showing key steps for inserting movie into
slide. Details for configuring movie options are also shown. Although
appearance of windows for other versions of PowerPoint may vary, process is
same.
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Step 3: Movie Creation
In QuickTime Pro, select Open Image Sequence from the File drop-down menu.
In the Open window, navigate and select any image from Folder B. Click on the
Open button to bring up the Image Sequence Settings window. In this window,
select the Frame rate—fps. We use 15 fps as the movie speed, the same
setting used in the original movie. Select the OK button to generate the
movie. Once the movie is created, use the control buttons at the bottom of the
window to preview the movie. Then select Export from the File drop-down menu
to export the movie. In this example, the exported movie, New_CTA.avi, is
generated using AVI (Audio Video Interleaved) format and Cinepak (Compression
Technologies) codec (Fig. 4A).
Although we use AVI and Cinepak, other movie formats and compression codecs
can be used. Detailed information for choosing the movie format and codec for
PowerPoint presentations is available in part 1
[1].
The modified movie clip is ready for use in PowerPoint. In the next
section, we will briefly discuss the process of inserting a movie clip into a
PowerPoint slide.
Inserting Movie Clips into PowerPoint
Unlike digital images, movie clips cannot be inserted using the
drag-and-drop process. They must be inserted using the Movies and Sounds\Movie
from File function from the Insert drop-down menu
(Fig. 4B). In the Insert Movie
window, select the movie file and then the OK button to continue
(Fig. 4B). Once the movie is
inserted successfully, the user will be prompted with the option to allow the
movie to play automatically (Fig.
4B). Use the click-and-drag mouse action to resize and reposition
the movie if necessary (Fig.
4B). Next, using the right mouse button, select the movie, then
select Edit Movie Object from the pop-up menu to open the Movie Options window
(Fig. 4B). In this window,
users can access more movie playing options (e.g., Loop Until Stopped, Rewind
movie when done playing, and so on). If the Loop Until Stopped option is
checked, the movie will play continuously until the presenter moves to another
slide.
If the presentation will be made using another computer and the files will
be transferred using external media (e.g., Zip, Iomega; CD-ROM; or universal
serial bus [USB] drive), make sure that both the presentation file and the
movie clip are located in the same folder. Also, if the file name of the movie
is changed, it must be reinserted because PowerPoint keeps a file name link to
the movie but does not actually insert the movie into the presentation
file.
Alternatives and Limitations
Although we use QuickTime Pro and Photoshop for editing movie content in
this example, other software utilities with equivalent functions also can be
used. We use QuickTime Pro because it is cross-platform and low-cost, and we
use Photoshop because many radiologists are already familiar with it.
The image quality of the converted movie clip may be slightly degraded
because of the recompression applied in the final step. However, if the
original movie is uncompressed, this effect should be minimal. We have covered
only a few Photoshop functions (i.e., brightness/contrast and cropping).
Detailed information for using Photoshop for preparing digital images is
available in the literature
[2-7].
Although there are many ways of using movie clips in PowerPoint
presentations (e.g., inserting a movie file, using a hyperlink, and embedding
media control), we have shown only the essential steps for the first
option— inserting movie file. More information on this topic is
available at the Microsoft PowerPoint Web site at
office.microsoft.com/enus/FX010857971033.aspx.
In conclusion, we demonstrated that using Photoshop is a simple solution
for editing movie clips for radiology presentations.
References
- Yam C-S, Kruskal J, Larson M. Using movie clips in PowerPoint
presentations: Part 1, Compatibility issues. AJR2005; 185:1074
-1078[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Stern EJ, Richardson ML. Preparation of digital images for
presentation and publication. AJR 2000;180
: 1523-1531
- Taylor GA. Initial steps in image preparation.
AJR 2002; 179:1411
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- Taylor GA. Improving image contrast. AJR2003; 180:329
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- Taylor GA. Removal of dust and scratches from electronic image
files. AJR 2003;180
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- Taylor GA. Sharpening the image. AJR2003; 181:43
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- Taylor GA. Color correction and automating repetitive tasks.
AJR 2003; 181:383
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Abstract
Introduction
