Video Editing

[paulears]

When I started looking for something, about three years ago, I spend a painful day at a video show where Avid, Adobe and FCP all had stands next to each other, and sat through the demos, one by one. My main buying decision was going to be multi-cam editing, that was the number one feature. I wasn't bothered about the platform, as I was going to buy a package from a dealer, including the computer. The Avid fell behind a bit, so I knocked it out of the choice list, concentrating on FCP & Adobe. I'd already got Premiere 6.5, and understand many of the comments - it is a bit clunky in the way it does things. However, I sat down for the FCP session, and by the end was convinced. Then I did the Premiere one and changed my mind again. I flip-flopped all day, but in the end - went with Adobe. I'm sure I'd be just as happy with FCP if it had gone that way.

 

PP is quite different to the old 6.5. It sits on a dedicated machine that either boots into Avid, or Premiere and I haven't really got quick enough on Avid.

 

All my multi-camera stuff is 3 cameras in DV but I've got a couple of Beta SPs I can add that still produce good images, and I have a Matrox Digisuite system I use to get editable images from them.

 

All effects are processed in real time, so if you want, you can do entire show length edits - the system is quite happy. I don't do this anymore. Just a workflow thing really. I work on a song at a time. It's fairly easy to get a bit carried away and not realise that half an hour ago you did an edit that messed up the sync, sometimes very badly, much later in the show. Doing it in stages works better for me, and the advantage is each number is a separate entity, that's finished. The final edit just links these together.

 

We also forgot to talk about audio. Whatever you choose -simple/complex or cheap/expensive, it needs to have the facility to take your two video tracks and only edit the video - leaving the better of the two's audio track intact. sync issues only apply to half the footage (the camera it came from is going o be correct whatever). Trying to edit picture AND sound to maintain sync is not fun at all. If your editor can mute one audio track and not chop it up as you cut the picture, the results should be good.

[Johnparrack]

As far as audio goes (and video for that matter!) u can lock any of your timelines, with multi line editing and in PPcs3/Matrox RTX2 real time 3d effects and rendering! I personally don't find it "clunky", and find multi camera editing a breeze. I edit 14 shows per year with a 5 camera shoot! It usually takes me a week to knock out edits and the 14 closing vids! (14 graduation ceremonies from 1 uni, shot in 5 days) Admittedly the machine cost me around £3500 to build 2 years ago...a lot cheaper now as the components are far cheaper, especially the matrox board.(£1400 back then bundled with pro 2.0...now £750ish with cs3)

Once imported all clips can be drag and dropped onto the time line either separating and locking video and audio or chopping it up to suit.

Obviously, maintaining "sync" is down to shooting with cameras locked in terms of time code....if they all have the same time code then it is easy to drop them in on your edit timeline already synced. Just a case of trimming the clips to start at same time..Most cameras Prosumer upwards have the ability to be jammed from external code either from a Timecode generator, or another camera.

 

Somebody mentioned that the BBC are moving over to FCP, yep u are correct but this is mainly driven by a lot of Freelance camera/editors who can quickly edit and email a piece for news on it and most of the ones which I know already processed the technology...So more of a no brainer for those at Broadcasting house..imo. I don't think you'll find mainstream shows edited on it! (Personally I've found FCP is not as good at handling HD...but that's my only negative on it) Tv is nowadays either shot down to HDCAM (still Digi beta widely used as well) or Dvcam or Hard disk..most TV playback is done from hard disc.

 

that's my 2 pence worth..

 

regards

john.p

[charl.ie]

However, a few years ago, Avid did a cut down version that was free! They don't offer it anymore, but I'd bet that a bit of in-depth Googling may well find it for you somewhere on the net. It has to be registered with Avid, but I'm pretty sure the registration is still valid. It isn't freeware, so you do need to register it. Worth a go, maybe?

 

They still make a free editor (or Pinnacle Systems do, who are owned by Avid). It's called "videospin", and is available here. You do need to register it, but I made up some fake information, and the software works fine. Be warned that it is limited on the different codecs you can use!

I completely fell in love with VirtualDub, for capturing and pre-processing some video stuff I did. It's very small and quick, with a simple interface, and loads of processing options.

[Jerome]

I would say to use Adobe Premiere CS3. I hadn't used the programme and picked it up very quickly within 7 weeks to pull out a show of 40 mins of extreme editing with effects. Its expensive if your on a budget but its well worth it and what you can do on it is just what you need I think. If your not used to macs then I wouldn't bother with any of that software.

[rossmck]

If cost is an issue Final Cut Express at £129 is a fair bit less than Premiere and is still a very capable editor, again the Premiere / Final Cut interface debate is a matter of opinion - I personally took to Final Cut like a duck to water, and find Premiere frustrating... there are plenty of people who feel the other way ;)

[daifuse]

Sorry to come to this thread rather belatedly, but it's under a heading I don't usually look at.

 

I've produced 3 or 4 DVD's every year for the last 5 years using MoviePlus from Serif with DV cameras in a similar config. It's extremely intuitive to use and very flexible as well as being very reasonably priced. The shows I've done are up to 2 hours long and usuallytake me 1-2 days including credits, titles, etc. I use a Dell Xps running Vista. It's a budget solution with excellent results.