Time limit to presentation?

[MikeyUK]

I've just created a presentation, approx 600 photos with music. In all, the presentation should run for just over an hour. Previwed presentation, but slides freeze at one point - though music continues. In project options I selected synchronise to music duration. I've changed the music, swapped the photos around, but same thing keeps happening. I've been using software for a year or so, but this is the first time I've done a presentation of this length. Apologies if this topic has been covered elsewhere. Any ideas?

Thanks

[LumenLux]

Hi Mikey, here's a possibility -

You synched the sound track before you had all your slides inserted. Go into the Project Options, Customize Synchronization, Timed Points, Add arranged points! See if that solves it for you.

[ContaxMan]

"In all, the presentation should run for just over an hour. "

Perhaps I'm missing something here but, in my experience, an individual show that's longer than around 7 minutes sees me "losing the plot".

Of course, an evening of shows (with short gaps between them) works fine.

I wonder if others have any opinions on this? What do the experts find works?

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Mike,

The straight maths on your figures say that the show should run ok (10 slides per min). What I have found is there are 2 things which can cause a show to clog the works. Large images or changing sound tracks.

Are you using large images and is your soundtrack one piece or a collection of files being loaded at points along the timeline?

As for the point raised by Contaxman, I agree that shorter shows generally work better. But as we don't know the context of this show perhaps the hour + is nessary. However the audience will soon let you know if the lenght is right . I have seen some very long 2 min shows, and yet seen some short snappy 12 min shows. Time + content is what matters,

Alan

[boxig]

In my private opinion presentation should not be longer then 5-10 minutes. The best way is to cut it to logical sections depending on content with one Index page from which user can run any section. Few people can sit and watch one hour or even 30 minutes without relaxing few minutes in between. This way will eliminate possible problems which can arise due to long presentation and will not make the user bored.

[MikeyUK]

Thanks for all your comments. Normally I would only have a presentation of say 10 minutes maximum and as I said in my original posting, this is the first time I have tried a presentation of this length. In all, I have been asked to make 6 separate presentations of similar length. The music file is in MP3 format - one file, as opposed to separate tracks. The photos are all medium format, 900 x 600 size. I will reduce the running time to say 45 mins and retry. In the meantime - any further advice readily accepted

[LumenLux]

Mikey, did you try my suggestion above?

The one thing for sure is that the 1 hour length is NOT a problem for or of PTE. It may indeed be a problem for viewers if they are not expecting and willing. For that subject, as ContaxMan and others have invited, I will start a separate thread.

[MikeyUK]

Thanks Lumenlux - I will try that out. As I said earlier, I would not normally try a presentation of this length, but on this occasion, the slideshows need to be approx one hour in duration - six separate shows in all - with more to follow (hopefully) and will be 'beamed' up on plasma TV screens in a local hostelry (Pub!!). I know there are workarounds - i.e. knitting together smaller presentations (say 30 mins) - but I'm just experimenting, to make life a little easier.

Reagards

Mikey

[JRR]

Generally I agree that slide shows should be 5-8 minutes long maximum.

But it depends on your target audience.

I have some that are 25 minutes long that will bore the pants off many audiences, but leave other audiences wanting more.

I have seen 5 minute, or shorter, shows that will bore the pants of anyone except its producer

See thread in PTE Presentations forum re "Stimulation vs ??? "

here

[MikeyUK]

Looks like I've fixed the problem by splitting the slideshow into two thirty minute segments, but still not sure why the original wouldn't work. In answer to previous comments about the length of the show and target audience, the shows will be screened on large TV monitors as an alternative to music videos in pubs, so it's not a case of the audience being bored witless !! OK, time to make start on the next show. Thanks again.