Trevor Ward
Forum Replies Created
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Sure, seems like that’s an ok price. Is it in perfect working condition? How many hours does it have? Has it ever been professionally cleaned?
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
I still occasionally use mine for:
1. as a b-camera and for capturing audio. In a DSLR world with no good audio options, why not record to tape.
2. For customers who can’t afford my equipment costs, I say I’ll throw in SD for free (some non-profit work mostly).
3. For work going directly to web. Still looks good on the web at 100%. Remember that HD gets compressed before it is streamed to someone’s computer screen. I’ll bet with good lighting, you could be fooled.
4. You can “uprez” the SD and upload to YouTube or whatever your “HD” project. It will think it’s HD. Still looks ok.Lots of other uses too, I’m sure.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
I feel a little like I got slammed.
First, I may have not done a good job clearly identifying my workflow. I didn’t feel like writing a dissertation on the cow.
Second. I have tried many ways to edit. I have a great memory. It’s true my method requires a bit more memory than writing EVERYTHING down. I tried it a couple of times. I found it extremely cumbersome. I even had a couple of interviews that were in another language, and I was forced to try to edit based on a time-code transcript. But do you know what? I ended up editing the way I edit english speakers. Except that I used a plug in called Andy’s Text.
There is a LOT of organization that goes into the way I edit these big projects. A LOT. Maybe it’s not perfect. Maybe I won’t get a job in LA. But I’m good at what I do. I don’t live in LA so I’m not worried about getting a job in LA. There is more than one way to do things. I was sharing my way so that perhaps the original poster could have options while learning.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
I’m not trying to be argumentative. But I didn’t learn any of this from anyone. I wish I would have. I could have learned things better and quicker. I would be a better editor/director as a result. But alas, all I have is my experience and trial and error. Each artist has to pick his tools and figure out how he works best with them.
My editing is very non-linear. I clearly log and properly identify my clips and subclips. But mine is more visually based than based on words. I edit on a 15″ laptop and don’t have the luxury of a lot of real estate for long log notes. I use short log notes. Also my camera op starts and stops the tape often, which helps segment things (especially in the non-tape environment).
I’ve worked on two documentaries of feature length (90+ minutes each). I DID act as director and editor for both. Which may be a benefit. One documentary had over 100 hours of footage. The other one had over 20 hours of interviews with over a dozen people. So my method CAN work for lots of footage by lots of people.
When my producer comes to me and asks, “remember that thing that one guy said? I want to use that.” I already know that it’s not possible. And then, I almost immediately find the clip and show him why it’s not going to work. I do admit, if I had a transcript, I would be able to find that clip instantly. Which I can’t do now.
As far as putting together a whole show or story, well, it helps if you have an outline ahead of time. I think someone mentioned that. Then, as certain topics are brought up, that fit the story arc or story line, then you grab all the sound bytes, b-roll footage, narration, etc. and put that into one section. I found it helpful to break the story down into Acts and Chapters. For example, my current 89 minute doc has about 25 chapters. I put all the sound bytes, archive footage, etc. that relates to that chapter in one sequence. I then end up with about 25 sequences.
This works for me for two reasons. One, it allows me to change up the order of the chapters quite easily. Two, it’s a decent way or organizing all my material and knowing what I have and what I don’t have.
You may not like my method. You may have a method that works better for you. It may even be better for most people. But for my situation, I find this works.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
Hmm. I don’t know then.
I’ll say it because it seems like what people say when something weird like this happens.
Trash preferences.
I’ve never had to do that. But I’m someone will mention it for real.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
If you’re not doing a lot of color grading or graphics or effects work, do the whole thing in DV. If the tape is DV, then you’ll never get better than DV from here on out. Doing DVCPro 50 or prores standard definition, or uncompressed SD is a waste. If it was me, I’d convert everything to ProRes (not ProRes HQ). Then I’d make the edits and color grading and effects and graphics. Then I’d export out the file as it’s new native, ProRes.
If you DO decide to go with a less compressed form (because of Color, effects, etc.) then DON’T go back to DV tape. Take the file to the lab.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
This truly is great. I love the ingenuity. But at the same time, the stupidity of not using a cheapo handicam makes me think less of him.
I definitely hope he’s broadcasting the wedding.
A friend of mine does weddings and I told him he should offer a broadcasting package for the ceremony. Easy enough nowadays.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
I agree with both Shane and David’s approach.
My approach is more or less subtractive. I’ll put an entire interview on a sequence. Instead of using markers, I use the blade tool. I listen to the whole thing. As I find good sound bytes, I blade them into smaller clips. I move the good clips to V2. When I’m done with the whole interview, I copy all the clips from V2 into the main sequence of my video. I will then do the same process with the other interviews. I then end up with a bunch of good sound bytes.
I didn’t like the markers because it seemed a little cumbersome to me. To keep track of each marker, you can type something in the note field. But I don’t like doing that. Seemed quicker to me to blade the clip out and I can just as quickly listen to a word or two of the clip and know what it’s about.
I suggest you just try one way and if it works for you, then great.
I’ll tell you getting a transcript and trying to edit from that is NOT a good idea. You can’t just edit based on words or sentences in a paragraph. Speech patterns make this really difficult.
I hate it when a customer just says “well, take those words and put it with his other words.” It doesn’t work like that. Although, transcripts can be good in figuring out in general what was said.
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
Not exactly sure what you mean by “loading.” I think the tabs appear in alphabetical order if for instance you have 3 open tabs on a project. But I could be wrong on this.
If you’re talking about, how they are “loading” when your project is being opened, does it matter what order they are being brought up?
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl -
Yeah, I had a 150 for a while and bought the upgraded Panasonic battery from B&H. Run’s for 2-3 hours. I could cycle the small battery, then go to the big battery. While using the big battery, I could charge the small one. And then when the big battery dies, I have the small one ready to go. I’d only have a third battery if I had planned on shooting all day “in the field.”
-trevor ward
Red Eye Film Co.
http://www.redeyefilmco.com
orlando, fl