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Missing something conceptually
My apologies if this sounds too basic, but I’ve been editing professionally for twenty years now and I guess something’s just not clicking with me. Here’s a couple of examples of a lot of what I do (or want to do), but can’t find an easy way to do it in Vegas:
(1)I’m working on a client project now that’s six 30-second TV spots, all having a few of the same components as each other. I want each to have its own timeline, starting at 0.00, so all I could think to do was make each spot its own “veg”. But, when I do that, I can’t easily paste events from one spot to another except by doing that opening two-instances of Vegas thing, which just seems like a total workaround. Is my thinking ignorant? Am I missing something? I ask because I come from DPS Velocity, where I’m used to making one project with the ability to have tabbed timelines (just like internet browser tabs), and I can go instantly between spots and cut and paste to my heart’s content. Is there a similar way to do what I’m describing?
(2) Similarly to the above, my client was here today and wanted to simply do shot selects for all the various scenes for all the various spots. I made a new Vegas project, then just strung the keeper takes for all the different spots on one timeline. What I’m used to doing is then just copying a selected clip, opening the spot’s timeline, and just pasting that clip into it’s spot. Again, like above, I don’t see how to do it without doing the double-instance-of-Vegas thing, especially if I have a lot of it to do. Again, is there an elegant way to do what I’ve described?
Thank you so much for the help. I don’t know if it’s just me and my 50-something brain, but I’m finding Vegas to have a very steep learning curve…
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7 Replies
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Kelly,
I would pile all your assets on a the timeline using whatever number of track are required. Then I would ctrl-drag events to a new area (the 30 second spot) and start pasting and edititing and whatever. when you have the 30 second spot finished, select the whole area and make it a region. Then edit the other 30 second spots making each a region. when done select the script batch render and render the regions only.
I could talk you through this at a more detailed level if you need. Or, I could send you a .veg using generated media to illustrate the work-flow.
Jeff
http://www.narrowroadmedia.com
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[Kelly Griffin] “But, when I do that, I can’t easily paste events from one spot to another except by doing that opening two-instances of Vegas thing, which just seems like a total workaround. Is my thinking ignorant? Am I missing something?”
If you think opening multiple instances of Vegas is a “workaround” then you don’t understand the Vegas workflow. I often have multiple instances of Vegas open. In fact, right now I’m rendering in one instance while I’m working on a new project in another. Being able to open multiple instances is why I like Vegas.
If you want to stay in one instance: import all of your media into the Project Media pool. Then preview the shots in the Trimmer with your client. When you see a section you like, mark the In and Out points and create a SubClip and give it a meaningful name. You could also make Media Bins for each spot and select that bin before you make the subclip and it will fall into that bin when you make it. All of this can be done without dropping a single piece of media on the timeline and you can use the bins you’ve created to check that you have all of the shots that you need. Then save the project under different names for the different spots and then open one and start editing on the timeline. Don’t be afraid to cut and paste between projects if you forget something. Don’t be afraid to use Nested Projects for common elements across all the spots.
Note: If you are unfamiliar with any of the bold words in the preceding paragraph, then that is what you’re missing. 😉 Learn to use the Media Pool, Trimmer, SubClips, Nested projects, and you’ll begin to appreciate the Vegas workflow.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
Thanks, John, I will try what you suggest. You’re probably just seeing my frustration coming out in the fact that I’m trying to learn it while being up against deadlines, and so far Vegas is so different in so many ways than I’m used to that it’s hard for me to really “see” those advantages yet.
By the way (speaking of), yesterday I wanted to simply move a video clip a few frames and the whole event got overlayed with those fade/transition spline criss-crosses… love to know what’s going on there, too.
I hope you hear my THANKS, too, because amidst my learning frustrations I definitely don’t want to bite the hands that feed me (helpful information)!
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[Kelly Griffin] “By the way (speaking of), yesterday I wanted to simply move a video clip a few frames and the whole event got overlayed with those fade/transition spline criss-crosses… love to know what’s going on there, too.”
Whenever you move one event over another it creates a crossfade. This is normal behavior. All you need to do is shorted the clip on the left by dragging the right edge and the crossfade will disappear.
You can also hold Ctrl+Alt and drag the edge between two events to do a slip edit. This will extend one event while shortening the other. Note: it’s not the same as move. It’s really extending the edge to reveal more frames. Once you get familiar with all of thes editing shortcuts your workflow will improve.
[Kelly Griffin] “I hope you hear my THANKS, too, because amidst my learning frustrations I definitely don’t want to bite the hands that feed me (helpful information)!”
No worries. Most people are quite flustered by the time they get here. We’re use to it (and hear your thanks). 😉
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
John, that clip I mentioned wasn’t next to another clip– it was in open space on the timeline. When I went to move it it made what looked like a copy of itself and that whole thing filled with the transition criss-cross lines. I couldn’t figure out (and still haven’t) what I must have touched or clicked on inadvertantly to make it do that. Any ideas?
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[Kelly Griffin] “I couldn’t figure out (and still haven’t) what I must have touched or clicked on inadvertantly to make it do that. Any ideas?”
Check that you don’t have Ripple Edit turned on. This will create some strange edits and should be used sparingly. It’s great for moving events and markers together but if it’s left on all the time, it will sometimes move events that you didn’t want moved.
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
Did you hit control while dragging the event? This would have made a copy that then would be crossfaded with the original event if you overlap it.
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