Dataton WATCHOUT User's Guide

to export the video in a “QuickTime compatible” file format, which may not
include the latest advancements in QuickTime codec technology.
Adobe After Effects. After Effects, available on both Mac and Windows,
is one of the most popular computer tools for doing video compositing and
effects. As in WATCHOUT, you can layer video and still images and control
their properties over time. However, its rendering method means that it can
apply many more effects to the material (usually accompanied by a corresponding
increase in rendering time).
After Effects is a professional tool for incorporating video into WATCHOUT
presentations in creative ways. It handles masking of video into non-rectangular
shapes, cropping, splitting large movies for multiple displays, etc.
Macromedia Director. Director is most often used for creating interactive
CD-ROMs and games. However, it can also be used to create animated Quick-
Time movies in a way similar to After Effects. If you want to incorporate a
Director animations into a WATCHOUT presentation, just export it as a Quick-
Time Movie (Video). As with most computer-generated material, use a highquality
codec such as Animation or PNG.
◆ NOTE: Director does not support transparent background, and therefore
can only be used to make square movies unless post-processing is performed
in another application.
Macromedia Flash. Flash is another program that is in many ways similar
to Director, although somewhat less confusing for a novice user. It’s become
very popular for creating interactive web-site animations.
Just like Director, it can also export to QuickTime. Although QuickTime
includes a Flash codec, allowing you to play Flash animations directly, this is
generally not recommended for use in WATCHOUT due to the unpredictable
80 Chapter 6: Media Files