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more than one video track?
Happy New Years!
For what purpose is there to use more than one video track in the timeline. I’m new to editing but other than a green screen effect can I wrap my brain around understanding using more than one video track. I’ve seen some editors using up to eight video tracks in the past and always wondered, if they are doing effects, why don’t they effect just that clip and put it on the V1 track.
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6 Replies
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Using Travel Mattes
Using Overlays and other compositing methods
Picture in Picture / Split Screens, other video on video effects.
There are all sorts of reasons. I’ve used up to 30 video tracks when doing heavy sfx/comp type work in FCP.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
I just pulled up an older project where I used 17 tracks of video and posted it on my blog along with a description of what’s going on. When I get the chance I’ll pull some screen grabs of the project so you can visually see what’s going on.
https://blogs.creativecow.net/node/343
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
Thanks Mr. Biscardi for the reply,
So you dedicated each track with an effect that will do that effect to any clips placed on that track?
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[Jason Kennedy] “Thanks Mr. Biscardi for the reply,
So you dedicated each track with an effect that will do that effect to any clips placed on that track?”
Just call me Walter or Wally.
No, each track is not dedicated to an effect. Most of the graphics are being placed around the screen and in order to have them all on the screen at the same time, I have to place them on separate video tracks. This is the only way to put multiple items on the screen at the same time, you have to place them on their own video tracks.
Or you nest them like I did on the first couple of elements there on the timeline.
Like I said in my original post, there are lots of reasons why you would use multiple tracks. You can use up to 99 in FCP. The worst I ever had was over 700 layers (tracks) of material in After Effects for a show opener a few years ago, though many of my Good Eats animations exceed 300 layers.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
I can’t top Wally’s posts or experiences. He’s obviously a veteran pro.
For me, a 20-year tape editor with only one year of NLE under my belt, multiple video tracks come in handy when submitting approval files.
Since the TOPMOST VIDEO TRACK supersedes all other video tracks below it, when using video only on those tracks and not graphics or effects, you can easily delete tracks from the top-down when submitting follow-up approval files calling for such changes or variations.
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[Dunwoody Lampton] “Since the TOPMOST VIDEO TRACK supersedes all other video tracks below it, when using video only on those tracks and not graphics or effects, you can easily delete tracks from the top-down when submitting follow-up approval files calling for such changes or variations.”
Actually I find this highly confusing. I know it works for people like you, but it does not work for me. I simply create new cuts each time we’re going to make a change. We start with Cut 1, then Cut 2 and so on. If the client want to go back to something we did in Cut 1, I just copy and paste that into the new cut.
I tried your method when I first switched to NLE’s back in 96 but the multiple cut thing works for me better. As with anything else with do with FCP, there’s about 99 ways to do everything and just do what works best for you.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow!
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