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Edit different angles of same scene, single camera
Hi all – I have a scene filmed 3 separate times from 3 different angles and would like to know the best way to edit them together. It’s not a multicam edit as the scene was not filmed at the same time with 3 cameras, and so the audio is different on all 3 clips. (Same script, different readings)
So I have just these 3 clips in my project to use and want to do this the most efficient & organized way. I know I can make sub clips from these masters and use them for each instance in the timeline, but this might end up with dozens of sub clips.
I can’t really use I/O points either as the same clips are to be used multiple times in the same timeline. If I change them, it will reflect in all instances of the clip in the timeline.
Seems like there should be a very simple answer to this, but can’t think of it right now!
Thanks a lot
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4 Replies
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There are many ways to proceed. Try asking in the Art of the Edit forum too.
[Paul Stretton] “I can’t really use I/O points either as the same clips are to be used multiple times in the same timeline. If I change them, it will reflect in all instances of the clip in the timeline.”
When you double click a clip, ANGLE A,in the project window, and it opens in the source window. You set the in and out and place the clip in the sequence.
When you double click ANGLE A in the project window again, it will open a new instance of the footage, so that when you set in and out, it will be a different clip reference than the other time.
If you’re going to trim or fiddle with the clip sitting in the timeline, then double click it from the timeline and it will open in the source, where you can adjust in and out — and have it reflected in the timeline.
Now that that is straight, the way to proceed in editing a scene together is the art of editing. If you ask 10 editors how to do it, you will get 10 answers. You want the audience to feel the emotions and you do not want the audience to see the editing. So the first step, for me, is to review the footage and use markers to find the best emotional content from the actors. Then i lay those into a sequence that I call “Assemble Edit.” From there, I will build around the emotional content stuff, so the scene doesn’t lope or have too much pace. This is done by stacking layers and getting the audio to sound natural as if being said. The assemble edit is very loose and rough. When it’s done, duplicate the sequence and rename it to Rough Edit. You will probably have Rough Edit Version 1 and Rough Edit Version 2 and so on. Until the director is happy. The difference between version 1 and version 2 could be really big, like different shot selections, or it can be very slight difference, like how long you hold a reaction shot. Whether you start character B’s dialogue while A is on camera for one sentence or two — if at all!!
If the microphone characterisitcs are awkward between shots, then that is not the editor’s fault. You can present solutions like post-synch audio (aka ADR), but those are slow and are based off the final picture lock. You can try to fix the audio with other applications but it is never perfect.
When all is said and done, remember this: Editing is not the most important part of the movie. It IS the movie.
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Thanks Richard, that was much appreciated! Yes, the simple solution was the most obvious that I overlooked – that I can indeed open the same angle/shot in the project window, set my I/O points and have this “create” a new clip that is independent from the others.
I come from FCP7 where this was not the case, so I assumed (wrongly so!) that the case would be the same in PP.
Thanks for your overview on the assemble & touch edits too – great to hear how established editors in the business organise their workflow
Much appreciated!
Paul
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[Paul Stretton] “I come from FCP7 where this was not the case”
I recall it working exactly the same way in FCP7.
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[Richard Herd] “If you ask 10 editors how to do it, you will get 10 answers.”
Exactly.
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