03 – Interface

Phoenix’s interface includes tools to help organize your media, build your timeline and do your color grade. In this guide, we’re going to concentrate on the features that are essential to start working on your project without worrying about all the tools available (fig.10) 

Phoenix interface (fig.10) 

The top section of the interface has the project library, where you can import and organize your media, create and delete folders, create new compositions and show the contents of the selected folders. It also has filter options to help you sift through your files within your project and open Composition. The project Root Folder has the name of the project and cannot be deleted. All files and folders will be added inside the Root Folder (fig.11).   

fig.11

To import files, let’s click the “Import” button on the left (fig.12); this will open the file browser window. Here you can choose the drive where your media is located and select the file (fig.13) 

Fig.12 

File Browser window (fig.13)

Select the file and click on “Import”. If you want to organize your files, create a new folder using the “New Folder” button. A new folder has been created and it’s ready to be named (fig.14). If you need to rename the folder, select it and press F2 to rename it. To select a folder, double-click on it so it turns orange. The selected folder is where imports, new compositions, and newly created folders will be added to. 

Fig.14 

You can also import EDL, XML, and AAF files to conform your raw files, but let’s concentrate on a flattened file workflow for this guide.

After creating and naming the folder, you can select the file in the Library and drag it into the new folder. Now, let’s create a Composition ( a Composition is what we call a timeline in Phoenix ); to create a new Composition Click on the “New Composition” button next to the “Import” button.  

A new Composition has been created in the folder selected; to rename it, double-click on the Untitled name or press F2 (fig.15) 

Fig.15 

Now that we have a Composition, select a file and press either “V” to insert or “B” to overwrite it on the timeline; you can also drag and drop the file from the Library to the timeline. The position where it will be inserted is always dictated by the position of the orange play head.  

The bottom section of the interface includes the timeline, color, and compare tools. On the left, we have the Tools dropdown menu, the Shot Grade and FX layers, the Timeline in the center with transport controls, and compare tools and scopes on the right (fig.16).

fig.16 

You can also change the size of the bottom section of the interface by pressing Control+F2; pressing it once doubles the height of the timeline section (fig.17), and pressing it one more time makes it full screen (fig.18) 

Timeline with double height (fig.17)

Timeline full screen (fig.18)

With a Composition open, pressing F1 turns the “Library” button on and off. When it’s off, the timeline window will open and show the image of the timeline you’re working on. If you press the “Mems..” button next to “Library”, the Memories section of the interface will appear, where you can save, recall, and compare your Grades (fig.19) 

fig.19