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Multiple Viewer windows in FCP S2?
Aloha all!
I frequently videotape plays, and edit them to DVD. I run 3 cameras, and the plays are always over an hour long, which means a tape change on each camera (JVC GY-DV500u cameras).
Once I’ve captured all the footage, I get it all lined up and synced on the Timeline using 3 layers. Then I edit by cutting away the content on V3 and V2. The annoying part is, to see what’s happening on each of the 3 layers, I have to watch each chunk 3 times, turning off layers to see the lower ones.
Because of the staggered breaks for tape changes, I have to get everything assembled on the Timeline. There’s not a way to make Multiclips work for this.
Way back in FCP 3, you could actually open multiple Viewer windows, each ganged to a layer on the Timeline. Is there any way to do this in the current version? Alternately, is there any way to activate the 4-up view in the Viewer, and gang the screen to different layers of the Timeline?
Mahalo,
Tom G -
5 Replies
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You might want to look in the manual for Multiclip sequences. This might be a way to make multiclip work for you.
and yes, you can still have multiple viewer windows.
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I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the multiclip section of the manual, and in experimenting with multiclips. I’m pretty convinced that it isn’t going to happen. It’s fairly easy to get the first tape-worth’s of all 3 converted into a synced multiclip, but nigh-unto impossible to add staggered clips onto the various angles thereafter.
I don’t suppose you’d care to mention how to get those extra viewer windows? I suppose I was remiss in not asking that specifically in my initial post.
Mahalo,
Tom GThe difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.
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[Tom Galli] “I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the multiclip section of the manual, and in experimenting with multiclips. I’m pretty convinced that it isn’t going to happen. It’s fairly easy to get the first tape-worth’s of all 3 converted into a synced multiclip, but nigh-unto impossible to add staggered clips onto the various angles thereafter. “
One thing I have done on some occasions is to sync them on the timeline and then export each track as a separate qt. Then reimport these to use in my multiclip. That way you don’t need more than three angles in your multiclip, rather than a new angle for each tape.
[Tom Galli] “I don’t suppose you’d care to mention how to get those extra viewer windows? I suppose I was remiss in not asking that specifically in my initial post. “
Spawning a new viewer is simply done by selecting the clip and pressing shift-return. How to gang different tracks to different viewers I do not know.
Stephan
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Tom, creating synced multiclips from camera restarts is a simple matter or either exporting the clips as separate QTs, as mentioned, or nesting them. I prefer exporting new media because I can always go back to the original for other work if necessary. You line up your second and third reels with sync points, set the sequence timecode at the sync points os they are all the same, and export. when you import, you align the new sync points into the multiclip. One of the tricks you will see mentioned here often is to fill the gaps in the syncing sequences with black but I use color solids and then use a label to help identify the camera.
Umm, let me try that again. For reel two, you create three sequences, one for each camera. It doesn’t matter that the reels all start at different times, what you’re after is establishing a sequence starting timecode that includes all three. Since each camera starts at a different time, you simply fill the space from the sequence’s start to the camera’s start with a slug.It’s easier than it sounds and it’s direct. It’s jsut impossible to describe succinctly and a quick search for multicamera threads will get you many workable advice and procedures.
Back in the olden days, we edited multiple cameras exactly as you describe by removing stuff form stacked layers. However, you are probably faced with much more difficult editorial decisions than I was. In most of my pre-multiclip-enabled FCP days, the projects usually had a dominant camera. it was fairly easy to cut away and discard (and then lock) everything that was unusable. That just left a bunch of holes. A quick run through the next dominant camera easily displayed useless shots and they could also be discarded. Then it was just a question of choosing which of the three cameras made the best image at any point where I had three choices but even then, at least one of the cameras was not a viable choice. for instance, I really needed a closeup so the wide shot could easily be discarded. Making very fine editorial decisions in dramatic work is a bit more complex, I realize that. You need to insert cutaways that are out of sequence, you may need to extend a scene to allow for audience noise to diminish, you may need to change the timing of a scene to enhance the comedic element or to build dramatic tension. This is difficult using the ancient three layer technique. Heck, fine tuning like that is difficult with even the best multiple camera cutting tools.
bogiesan
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Export each layer, then re-import the clips and multiclip that! BRILLIANT! Thank you!!
The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.
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