NLE Discussion

[Oliver Peters]

OK, I see. Thanks.

That was my point about 3-point editing. In your example, the timeline in-point would automatically be determined based on the duration between in and out on the source. Or the duration of the source clip if you didn’t mark an in and an out.

You can achieve the same in Premiere, but it does require two keystrokes. Mark clip, then press “o” for out. However, if I only wanted to remove that portion of the clip (from out to beginning of the clip), then there are separate “top” and “tail” edit commands, same as in X.

[Tony West]

I knew what you were trying to say about 3-point editing, it just doesn’t negate my point, which is that this simply task is fewer keystrokes in X. I shouldn’t have to select that clip at all. “You can achieve the same in Premiere, but it does require two keystrokes.” Then it’s not the same it’s more keystrokes which is my entire point. Is it a big deal………No. but I prefer the way X does it.

[Oliver Peters]

I understand. Yes, it takes an extra keystroke, but the same result is possible. But sure, I totally agree – it gets to preferences and which tool fits your own personal style best.

[Tony West]

Yes, that’s just one simple example. Rippling the timeline shut by default is another, keeping things in sync by default is another. It took me really getting into a Pr project for it to click in my head the main difference with X and other NLEs and it’s that more times than not it is defaulting to what most editors would do in a certain situation anyway. So you are constantly using fewer keystrokes over the entire edit thus making the overall process faster.

[Oliver Peters]

We’ll have to agree to disagree. Both have pros and cons and we can each point to anecdotes where one is faster than the other in specific circumstances. But the beauty is that there’s choice.

I think that it’s incorrect to say that X defaults “to what most editors would do.” That really depends on the style of editor that you are. For example, if you are the type of editor that prefers to build things up through sequences rather than extensive keywording and ranges in the browser, then Premiere/Media Composer/Resolve/other are a better fit.

[Tony West]

I hear ya, but some things really don’t have much to do with style. There is a loud bang in the background and you cut it out. You’re going to close that gap at some point. What editor would leave a hole there in the timeline? that’s something that every editor is going to do and doesn’t have anything to do with style. One thing I liked about Pr was that mixer. I had forgotten what it’s like to use it and I think that’s a more efficient way to mix sound. That was one of the few things I found more efficient than X. Building things through a sequence in the other three works well because it’s designed more to be used that way. X is designed to use favorites in the browser like you said, and that part is indeed style.

[Greg Janza]

I don’t care what’s up with other NLE’s but your statement Tim about your avoidance of podcasts is troubling. Some of the best audio storytelling is happening exclusively in the podcast space. Sadly though, like so many other media forms, you have to wade through an ocean of truly mediocre stuff.

A few gems I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy: “The Clearing”, “Gangster Capitalism, “Running from Cops”, “To live and Die in LA” and the now legendary, “Missing Richard Simmons.”

I was late to the podcast world but I’m very happy to have discovered them because there’s spectacular storytelling happening.

[Tim Wilson]

Greg, listening to a podcast will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever happen for me. Ever. I can read the transcript of an hour-long podcast in 5 minutes, 10 minutes tops, so anything beyond that is an intolerable imposition on my time. I won’t have it.

Besides, not posting transcripts is just plain rude. Both of my grandmothers were deaf (an odd coincidence, but entirely true), and I don’t have any respect for people who aren’t making accessible content. Closed captioning on broadcasts is a legal requirement. I’m stupefied that anybody would think that it’s okay to have a podcast without a transcript, legal or not.

Podcasts without transcripts really do infuriate me. The height of arrogance, and not a good use of my time by definition. I won’t have anything to do with them.

[Blaise Douros]

Saying “hear, hear” is silly in this context, but all the same: hear, hear.

My wife is working on a podcast for which I’m engineering much of the audio (the things our spouses rope us into, eh?), and I pushed them from the very beginning to get and post transcripts for precisely these reasons. It makes the editing process easier, it makes them more accessible, and it makes it so people like me, who can’t spend hours listening to podcasts every day, able to still access it.
Transcription is so easy and cheap these days. There is no excuse.

[Greg Janza]

You’ve opened my eyes to a problem that I didn’t even know existed. Since transcripts are the life-blood of video work I naively assumed that they were freely available in the podcast space. Spotify has an article on their site giving podcasters advice and transcripts are strongly advocated so perhaps this oversight will change.
https://podcasters.spotify.com/blog/your-podcast-needs-transcripts

This American Life set the standard for audio storytelling many years ago and it’s significant influence permeates across the podcast spectrum.

And for those that want to become better video editors/storytellers, listening to audio storytelling can be very helpful and instructional. The pacing, music, sound effects and overall sound design make all the difference.