Bill Davis
Forum Replies Created
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I’m confused about one thing Oliver.
Seems to me the vast majority of my cuts in dialog driven clips will almost universally be made at natural stopping points or pauses in the dialog. I seldom cut to something else mid word unless I’m doing something like franken-byting.
In that context, what’s the point of a 2 frame audio only dissolve for normal dialog editing? Is it because of some issue with the signal to noise ratio of the audio recording where you’re trying to smooth out the sound of the background at the transition points?
Maybe it’s because I do so much VO in controlled recording situations where I count on the background to be studio-dead – but I just want to understand the circumstances where theres a audible benefit to be gained from using this kind of technique.
Wouldn’t just laying a controlled room tone walla under everything do the same job of smoothing out any cut point anomolies?
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
No problem, Oliver.
I value ALL the opinions in a discussion like this.
X certainly isn’t ideal at everything it tries to do.
And it can’t get better if people don’t bring up things that bug them about it.
: )Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
Since I know Tom a bit I think I can make this observation.
I don’t think he sees editorial speed as an end in itself as this discussion seems to imply.
What he’s doing is using the speed to get the mechanics of assembly done properly as quickly as possible – so that he can THEN more efficiently switch from mechanical to creative thinking mode.
Editors at his level aren’t paid for assembly skills – they are paid for conceptual skills. Basically for knowing when you have the best possible assembly of images and narrative flow to tell the story.
The whole concept of magnetic editing drives friction out of refinement and revision – probably even more than out of actual assembly.
So I suspect the reason he likes X so much isn’t because he wants to do more editing, faster. But because getting the basic editing done faster leaves more time to REFINE the edit.
Big difference.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
Yeah, Tom’s audio work in the demo seemed so badly hobbled and slow…????
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
My key questions would be-
What cameras?
What formats are they shooting at what resolution?
And what’s your deliverable resolution?I’d start there because if you have high-ish Rez capture and something like “watchable on-line” deliverables – you might be able to get away with some “virtual angles” by pushing in on the existing shots as appropriate.
If so, then I’d look at the whole program with fresh eyes asking one question of myself.
“Who’s talking now and how can I get as close as practical in order to best show them?”Initial pass to do that. Fill in with the wider group stuff.
My 2 cents.
Good luck.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
My existing Projects have migrated for me without problems. (Outside the interface changes that make me stop and think “I need to grab a still of this scene … did they move that?” ; )
The more seat time I accumulate, the simpler things get. Go figure.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
[Mike Thomas] “I come from a still photography background where lighting is much less…complicated. I’m really diving into video and want to build up a small lighting kit which is why I was asking about the HMI’s.”
Take this for what its worth. But if I were you, I’d slow WAY down.
At this point, you’re accustomed to lighting a 2d plane. (a still image)
Now you have to start thinking in 3 dimensions – adding depth as well. Basically because cameras are rapidly becoming “untethered” in space. The tripod is still around, but now you’ve got inexpensive jibs, sliders, steadi-cam-ish rigs, drones and who the heck knows what to deal with.
In addition, cameras are getting hugely more sensitive. This is what some of the DP guys are talking about. Needing less punch – but still needing to highlight and separate and direct the audience’s attention to where it needs to be – for what you’re shooting. It’s one reason the “big gun” HMI’s are getting less popular.
These trends are somewhat going to continue to change how people approach lighting in the coming few years.
My advice, for a while, is to go easy on spending for gear. Don’t stop, but more concentrate on how you’re going to actually shoot things. If you’re going to set up a tripod and shoot from that – then by all means use the techniques that are well understood for lighting in that basic 2d plane. But if you end up shooting mostly with an iPhone on a gimbal rig – the lights will need to be VERY different – because you aren’t going to always be able to put a instrument on a stand where you might like.
Basically, I’m saying get out and shoot a WHOLE lot and solve your problems as you encounter them in YOUR style. Don’t just solve them the way the rest of us solved them in a different era.
My 2 cents. YMMV.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
I know a few guys here in the US who are using them.
They seem to like it.
If you want to communicate directly with them for a read on the positives and negatives, drop me a note.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
No I get it. You gotta do what the client wants to do.
I know that the LumaForge guys do Premiere Pro as well as AVID – so it might be useful to chat with them. I can hook you up with Sam Mestman and the crew in LA if you just want to pick more shared storage for video brains.
Also the Cow’s own Bob Zelin would probably have some great ideas.
Good luck in your search.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
Two things.
When I got my wife a MacBook last year that has the single USB C port I bought a similar gizmo. Damn thing gets hotter than hell. So I dumped it and got a Satechi Multi-Port adaptor that’s a MUCH better solution. So do your research.
Second thing: I get that for many, cost is a key factor. I’m very sympathetic to that. But as you move on – the “grunt for dollars” considerations seem more and more to me as an artifact of the long gone era when ONLY the very best computing boxes could stand a chance of handling video streams efficiently. Now they ALL can. Desktops and laptops alike.
Sure, you should spend frugally. But you should invest – commensurate with what you expect as a return.
I want three things from my edit rig.
A – get out of my way and let me get my work done.
B – let me use the software that I feel makes me a faster and more efficient editor
and C – If something goes wrong — let me make things right FAST, so client satisfaction isn’t jeopardized.Port and/or Dongle issues appear on this list exactly NOWHERE.
IMO it’s emotional comfort misdirection masquerading as a serious issue – largely promoted by people with too much fear of “choosing wrong” in their hearts and too much time on their hands.
FCP X on a MacBook Pro – A is CHECK – B is CHECK – C is ALSO a big fat CHECK.
Result:
Maximum personal comfort. Done.
YMMV.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery.