Having completed the final edit of your documentary, you will need to export it in a suitable format for uploading to FourDocs. If you are using Pinnacle Studio, then you will be exporting your film using the Windows Media 9 codec. This is a step-by-step guide to help you.
Once you have saved your film, open a new folder on the desktop, call it something like Exports. This is where you are going to save all your trial exports to, as you will probably need to experiment a bit to get the best possible quality. Then select 3 Make Movie. Choose Stream from the sidebar options, and then tick Windows Media and then select the Settings button.
Give the film a title, something like Test1. Then select Custom for the Playback Quality and choose Video for broadband PAL (2Mbps total) from the drop down menu. Once you have made these adjustments select OK.
Now select the highlighted Create Web file button below the Status report.
Name your movie Test1.mov and save it in the Exports folder on your desktop. This will begin the compression process, which may take a while, depending on the specification and speed of your computer.
Once this process is complete, you need to check the quality of your movie using the Windows Media Player. If your film is not of a high quality, you should repeat this process until you get the quality you desire. If the problem persists consult your software Help menu and manual for troubleshooting.
Check the file size of the movie, if it is not in or around 80mb for a 4 minute film; you may have done something wrong. In this case you should repeat this process exactly, naming the file Test2. Video compression is all about a compromise between making a small size file and getting a high quality video. Keep testing using this process until you are satisfied with the results.
