How to speed up my workflow

[Mark Suszko]

Synch the A and B cameras on the timeline using Multicam or just reducing the size of each on a temp basis. Play and make your cuts or marks in real time like a live Tv director.

[Alex Elkins]

Hi Olly,

Bear in mind that however experienced someone is as an editor, they still need to review the footage in order to know what’s been shot. That takes time, no matter who you are. As you review the footage, even though there may be nothing on your timeline, in your head you should be editing. Thinking to yourself “ah, that cutaway would well when the presenter talks about XYZ”

Planning ahead is crucial. Say I’m editing a corporate video where a CEO talks about the product. If I don’t have a script to work from I like to lay text slugs in my timeline saying things like ‘Intro: 20 secs. Location scene set, product shots etc‘ which might be followed by ‘CEO piece to camera: introduce product’ etc, etc.
As I go through the footage I already have an idea of the shots I’m looking for. As soon as I see something that fits over one of my notes I add it to the timeline. I do this as quickly and roughly as possible. As I do this things begin to fall into place, and I can start re-arranging some of the shots to tell the story. Quickly it becomes clear what shots are working and what aren’t and the first cut gets more and more refined as I go through the footage.

Another really useful thing is if the project is going to contain some voiceover, get that recorded early on, either by the artist if the script is signed off, or record a rough version yourself before you start editing. Talk slowly – you can always shorten your edit more easily than you can extend it.

Don’t mess about with audio mixing and adding music on a first cut (unless the piece specifically NEEDS music). If you work heavily on sound before your picture is locked you’ll end up cutting out a load of carefully tweaked levels for no reason.

Keyboard shortcuts: Learn them. There’s almost no need for a mouse in FCP if you know the shortcuts. Learn as many as possible and you’ll find your editing really speeding up. Here’s a handy one: press CMD+Shift+/ to open the help menu, then type the name of any menu item (eg the name of a filter, window arrangements etc).

To me, one of the key things about editing is organisation. In being organised you’re already beginning the editing process. If you find yourself repeatedly looking for the same clip, or not knowing which sequence a certain scene is in then you need to re-think your organisation techniques. If another editor was to pick up your project and start working on it now, would it be easy for them to work, or would they have to call you to ask how everything was organised?

Hopefully these are handy tips. I’ve completely ignored my own advice and have just spilled them out onto the screen as they’ve occurred to me. Maybe this post should be considered a rough cut?

Alex Elkins
Twitter: @postbluetv
http://www.PostBlue.tv
View Post Blue showreel
Shot on RED @ 100fps, Post on FCP/Color: Capoeira Film

[Scott Cumbo]

I never watch all the footage before i cut. I always just cut as I go and the edit evolves. but if i’m looking for a certain shot and i see something i may like for somewhere else i’ll usually mark it.

talking head stuff is the easiest. i’ll cut a sequence with anything thats remotely good so i’ll end up with say a 15min sequence, than just keep triming it and reordering until i get where i need to be.

but i am not a perfectionist and usually work with the cilent in the room so it’s about them being happy, not me.

I think the biggest thing to save time is to make quick decisions and trust your instincts. if you see something that may work, just do it, don’t think about it. If you have an idea that will take awhile, but you’re not positive it’ll look good or work. you’re usually better served to forget about it than waste an hour trying something. or be realise 15mins into that hour that it’s not gonna work and bail out.

just random thoughts

Scott Cumbo
Editor
Broadway Video, NYC

[Brian Mulligan]

I work in broadcast, which has tight deadlines, so you learn to make decisions quickly. In that respect, I don’t linger on specific edits, I find what works, cut it, and move to the next edit.

I always try and “cover black”, you can always go back and fix, improve it. but if a deadline is looming, you at least have something to air.

Over time you get used to evaluating shots and forming quick edits in your head as you see your clips during preview.

Be confident in your decisions… as an editor you will make hundreds a day. Second guessing yourself over every cut, will slow you down.

Brian Mulligan
Senior Editor – Autodesk Smoke
WTHR-TV Indianapolis,IN, USA
Twitter: @bkmeditor

[Olly Lawer]

Thanks for all your advice.

I think I’m going out consider how I plan things out better. I’m pretty good at putting everything in the right places in Final Cut Pro so I know where to look. However, what not so good at is figuring out exactly what I want before I render the project.

I often do multiple versions. This is very time-consuming. I have figured out a better way of viewing some of the footage and this is to speed the footage up by twice.

Thank you for your tips, i will try some of them out and see if it speeds things up further.

Olly Lawer

[Damein Green]

One thing I try to do is do enough pre-production as possible. Edit things in my “mind” so I’ll have an idea as to where I’m going to go once all my assets are ready. I’m also pretty big on “pre-editing” … which is basically laying as much stuff down on the timeline as possible BEFORE the actual edit.

Hope this helps!

Damein Green
Senior Creative Producer
@DGreenTV