When you first open Pinnacle Studio, you'll notice three tabs in the upper-right corner of your screen, labeled "Capture," "Edit," and "Make Movie." These represent the three basic steps you'll follow when making any video creation in Pinnacle. Click the "Capture" tab, and notice the dialog box that appears. Use this menu to import video into Pinnacle Studio. You can import video from a video tape or camera, a memory card or data disc, or a video DVD. Choose the appropriate option, and click the "Edit" tab. From here, your options become significantly more diverse.
You'll notice a column of buttons on the left side of your screen, each representing a different set of options and selections. The first button looks like a camera, and it clicking it will show thumbnails of each video clip you've imported. The second button in the column includes built-in transitions you can use in your movie. The third button is called the Montage button, and allows you to make projects with many layers. Next we have the Title button, allowing you to add subtitles, titles, and credits. The fifth button looks like a folder, and contains any photos you've imported. The final three buttons are specific to DVD menus, sound effects, and music, respectively.
The lower half of your screen is dominated by the Timeline, which will be immediately familiar to anyone who has used a non-linear video editing program. The Timeline is divided into separate areas, each designated for video, audio or titles. Select the first button under the "Edit" tab, and drag one of your clips down to the Timeline. Drag a second clip next to the first, and drag a transition in between the two. Select the Music button under the "Edit" tab, and drag an audio file onto the Timeline as well. Click the "Play" button, and watch your two clips play, including the transition and the audio. You can play your video at any time during the creation process and view it in the upper-left corner of the screen. Basic controls such as fast-forward, rewind and pause are also included. Making a movie in Pinnacle Studio is truly as simple as dragging and dropping.