Editing

Praetorian · February 18, 2005

Yes, I realize I am going to sound like a major idiot.

My friends and are making a short. The budget--0$. The cameras? Handheld 2 yr old something or other and a 20 year old something other...

Both tape...so my question is how the heck do we edit it?

It is just something we are fooling around with. None of us have experience.

Jeremy · February 18, 2005

Tape... as in VHS?

If you can come across a computer with RCA video cable inputs then you can edit with editing software (iMovie, Final Cut, Premiere, etc). Or you could edit VCR to VCR... play, record... play, record... man, that brings back memories. That's how I made all my first videos. I remember the thrill that was non-linear editing for the first time!

If this is miniDV tape that you're using then if you have access to a computer that has firewire inputs (I think some computer somewhere at your school will have this) and you can import your footage and edit with any of the above editing programs. You could also probably find cheaper (the FCP, Premiere) ones on the market somewhere, too.

David Cox · February 18, 2005

Good advice from Jeremy.

If you have a computer that can take a video input (that bit is often referred to as the capture card), then have a dig around in the computer or with the disks that came with the card, cos most of them come with basic editing software. Failing that, you could try this http://www.deskshare.com which I stumbled across. Never used it, but looks okay. Free trial and only $69 if you want it.

Don't get too hung up on the technology of editing. It is a creative process and you don't need the latest high tech stuff to do it. Remember, some of the best cuts in history were made with just a razor blade, although I wouldn't suggest using one on a MiniDV tape :D

Rik Andino · February 18, 2005

If you can't find the inputs to hook up your camera to a computer

See if you can hook it up to a MiniDV VTR or a MiniDV camera

Make MiniDV dubs from your masters

And then you can import the MiniDV tapes to your computer...

That's the greatest thing about MiniDV it's so easy to import to a computer.

PS There's no such thing as a $0 budget

Money had to be spent somewhere at sometime :)

Praetorian · February 19, 2005

I'm sure sometime...but we are using already bought tapes. I guess the only money spent is spent on gas.

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I am going to have to resort to editing by doing cuts with tape decks.

That is, if we even get the film. 95% was supposed to be shot in supermarkets. Tonight we went to Wal Mart to do some prelim shots to get a feel for the lighting and we were told we weren't allowed to shoot. "Something about the unions" is what the manager told us. What is up with that?

*totally off topic* In TV production class we spent an hour doing lighting for an interview for the college station a few weeks ago. Today we had a guest speaker come in and do the same lighting, PERFECTLY, in about five minutes. Ahh...nothing makes you feel dumber than a professional.

And he showed us how to do limbo lighting and three point lighting with two lights. It was sweet.

Uh...anyway, yeah.

So I know I can make miniDV into VHS, but can I make VHS into MiniDV. My camera is VHS and the new camera is miniDV.

Edited February 19, 2005 by Phantom's_Christine

Stas Tagios · February 19, 2005

You can easily dub your VHS tape to DV by connecting the VHS camera to the DV camera via their RCA video and audio jacks, then putting the DV camera into VCR mode, playing your VHS tape, and recording it to a DV tape.

Be aware, however, that your VHS footage will likely look noticably inferior in resolution and color rendition in comparison to the DV footage (to varying degrees depending, of course, on what kind of DV camera you're using; if it's a one-chip consumer camera with few or no manual controls, the DV and VHS will probably match slightly more than if you're shooting with a prosumer or professional 3-chip mini DV).

Of course, this could work aesthetically if having low-res, smeary VHS footage is a deliberate creative choice and somehow narratively or visually motivated (e.g., if, in the reality of the movie, it's intended to be low-res VHS footage, like from a home video). Then again, if this is just a fun learning exercise, I guess it won't matter too much. I shot plenty of VHS back in my high school days, and sure, it looked terrible, but I learned a lot.:)

If your VHS camera really is 20 years old, it's also possible it's not even using a CCD imager, but an imaging tube, an analog technology that was very prone to smearing (bright lights in your shot would briefly burn into the image and appear to streak or smear when you move the camera) and all sorts of other nasty visual artifacts that have been minimized in the latest generation of digital cameras (at least in comparison to older technology).

batman_dan · February 20, 2005

What ever you use there are ways to put it on the computer! Which is good news. And I recomemd it! There is lots of software out there for the home computer. Macintosh came out with imovie 5 which would give you good quality or you could go with Final Cut Pro which I enjoy using. PC has stuff too but.... I don't know about it. Sorry, since that is what you probaly use. I have gladly never had to do the Camera --> VCR editing extencivley only home movies for family trips and stuff that is realy what got me started.

Well hopefully that Helps!

:ph34r:

Praetorian · February 20, 2005

Yeah...we have a lot of problems. For instance the only access to computers we have is at school so we couldn't use any programs on there, not to mention we wouldn't be allowed to use it for an extended time. My home PC is ten years old and is still on Win 98 so most software farts in its general direction. (My dad is a computer programmer yet we have the crappiest PC known to man).

We decided to just use the DV cam. I know a guy I was on drumline with in high school who has a DV program...problem is getting in touch with him. And we were never very close...He was a goof-off and I was captain of the drumline so there weren't too many kind words.

And I can't forget the problem with our location. Do you think if we just ask Wal Mart nicely they'll let us shoot there?

batman_dan · February 20, 2005

Wallmart is a corporation which mean lots of people to deal with. Private business owners are ussaly more complient since they are local they will be more willing than anyone else. Why not a local private Supermarket? I've used that type of loccation before and it worked great. Well except for continuity it was imposible to take shots that we would later edit together. :blink: Well that is my 0.02 Dollars.

:ph34r:

batman_dan · February 20, 2005

You talked about a TV. Production Class, That means you are in HS like myself. If there are other intrested why not presure and pursade you school to support you. If they have a class they must have a computer, they don't just teach you theory? If they don't; they should and you should tell them that.

:ph34r:

Landon D. Parks · February 20, 2005

If you update to windows XP, they have, ahem, "Nice" editor called Windows Movie Maker. While not Premiere pro (Thank god), its still got some nice features that are more than enough to get a basic film edited. It's major downfall to me is no color correction tool. I love to play with color.

Praetorian · February 21, 2005

Thanks. My dad says he isn't going to bother to upgrade because he is planning on getting a new computer. But I get my procrastination gene from his so heaven knows when that will be.

I am a freshman in college actually. I am sure they have systems...I just don't want to ask at the moment. Not for some little project that I wouldn't want to show them. (The only dialogue in the film is an expletive. :rolleyes: I didn't write it...I just film/edit/direct it) We have a lot of hands on stuff, and it is early into the semester so we have been dealing a lot with mics and lighting.

I am going to scope some local stores and try to get their approval.

For anyone interested, I guess I'll go ahead and explain the short.

(Once again, I didn't write it.)

Basically, this girl gets an IM from a friend asking her to get a cheese grater. She leaves her dorm to get the grater and the name of the short is written in lipstick on her door. Music kicks in (Modest Mouse) as she is leaving. She enters the elevator and we get a shot of the elevator closing. Next shot is of the elevator opening. We get some footage of her in the car driving to a store. She enters the store and finds that they are fresh out of cheese graters. (Remember, no dialogue, just music.) This continues for a while with various supermarkets. Finally, she says "F*ck it."

That is the premise of the story. I didn't get it either.

I wanted to throw in shots of her going to a gas station to look for one (just because no one looks for a cheese grater in a gas station) but they didn't like that idea. And it is their short. I take that back about just filming/editing/directing. It is more just editing...I am the only one actually enrolled in a class even remotely pertaining to film, but somehow I get stuck with the crappy job. :rolleyes:

Edited February 21, 2005 by Phantom's_Christine

Chris Keth · February 21, 2005

Thanks. My dad says he isn't going to bother to upgrade because he is planning on getting a new computer. But I get my procrastination gene from his so heaven knows when that will be.
I am a freshman in college actually. I am sure they have systems...I just don't want to ask at the moment. Not for some little project that I wouldn't want to show them. (The only dialogue in the film is an expletive. :rolleyes: I didn't write it...I just film/edit/direct it) We have a lot of hands on stuff, and it is early into the semester so we have been dealing a lot with mics and lighting.

I am going to scope some local stores and try to get their approval.

For anyone interested, I guess I'll go ahead and explain the short.

(Once again, I didn't write it.)

Basically, this girl gets an IM from a friend asking her to get a cheese grater. She leaves her dorm to get the grater and the name of the short is written in lipstick on her door. Music kicks in (Modest Mouse) as she is leaving. She enters the elevator and we get a shot of the elevator closing. Next shot is of the elevator opening. We get some footage of her in the car driving to a store. She enters the store and finds that they are fresh out of cheese graters. (Remember, no dialogue, just music.) This continues for a while with various supermarkets. Finally, she says "F*ck it."

That is the premise of the story. I didn't get it either.

I wanted to throw in shots of her going to a gas station to look for one (just because no one looks for a cheese grater in a gas station) but they didn't like that idea. And it is their short. I take that back about just filming/editing/directing. It is more just editing...I am the only one actually enrolled in a class even remotely pertaining to film, but somehow I get stuck with the crappy job. :rolleyes:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Be careful what you call "the crappy job." There's a lot to film editing and I'm pretty sure professional editors would take offense if you called their profession crappy. It

s quite a lot more than just tacking shots together.

Praetorian · February 22, 2005

:lol: I thought about that when I wrote it. But let me clarify, editing in general...not a crappy job. A pretty freakin cool job that is the backbone of the film/tape/short/feature etc...

Editing a stupid short that you don't get to anything else in other than edit using tape to tape cuts...crappy job.

Edited February 22, 2005 by Phantom's_Christine

March 17, 2005

If you need to get video from VHS or any other non MiniDV format into your computer you could try the Dazzle harware/software. It can also allow you to edit your production as well. I think Pinnacle now owns Dazzle. But regardless the hardware hooks to your computer using USB and they may now have a firewire option, haven't used it in a couple years. But that MIGHT be an option for you.