hi,
Is anyone know any resources about concept of editing? I am new and interested in learning. Is there any resources on Internet that you can refer to?
another question, I don’t have video camera. but I really want to practice, is there any free footage that I can grab from internet to learn the editing? any content is ok
Thank you
AndyLou,
There are many resources on the net about learning video editing. I think first step is to choose your computer platform; PC or Mac?
Once you decide on that next step is to choose an editing software, here is a comparison:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_editing_software
Usually most used ones for pro work are FCP(FinalCutPro) and Avid. Followed by Vegas & Pinnacle & Media 100.
PC users prefer Adobe Premiere, as it works flawless with After Effects & other Adobe products.
Imovie & FCE(FinalCutExpress) are great cheap ways to learn editing.
When you digitize, or transfer, or log & capture footage from any camcorders or from any deck, each softwere will create its own format(or video codecs). Apple uses quicktime(MOV), most PC video formats will be AVI.
As for the free stock footage:You wont find many.(price of clips will vary $25-$80 per clip) But if you look for ‘Royalty free stock footage’ here are some providers(I am not affiliated with either one):
Pond5.com
Istockphoto.com
freestockfootage.com
Last one does give you free clips in small size only(320x240).
DV NTSC resolution is 720x480, which means you can still work with these clips by simply dropping into your timeline, but they will look awfully pixellated & choppy. You can still practice though.
One more thing, there are some great video forums where you could learn a great deal:
dvxuser.com
dvinfo.net
Hope it helps
Ken
I think first step is to choose your computer platform; PC or Mac?
I disagree. Software or choice of platform is the unimportant part when it comes to the concepts and techniques in editing. Of course it is important to learn how to deal with the software but it’s not the main concern. There are quite a few editors who do not even touch the editing app by themself but hire an extra operator for that purpose.
PC users prefer Adobe Premiere, as it works flawless with After Effects & other Adobe products.
PC users tend to use Avid as it is still THE standard application.
Apple uses quicktime(MOV), most PC video formats will be AVI.
Not quite right. FCP (MAC only) uses Quicktime while Avid uses *.omf and *.mxf on both PC and MAC.
Try to get hands on “Grammar of the shot” and “Grammar of the edit” both by Roy Thompson, maybe read “Shot by Shot” by Steve Katz, go get a cheap camera or grab footage from DVDs and apply what you have read, alter the edit in order to achieve a different mood, a different pace, a different rhythm, a different narrative structure. You may even use still photography or pencil sketches for that.
There are quite a few editors who do not even touch the editing app by themself but hire an extra operator for that purpose.
Those are called Directors. Editors actually edit - it’s not only the title of the job, it’s the description of their function. If they don’t know how to do it, they shouldn’t be getting paid.
And arguing about the professionalism of Premiere vs AVID is kinda silly given the original post - I seriously doubt andylou is going out tomorrow and getting an AVID Symphony workstation. This is a beginner question, and should be treated with beginner answers - crawl first.
About the original post - figure out your platform you like most. Kan-Van is right - once you know that, there’s a list of apps for you to choose from which vary in price but can be found for less than $2000. There are even a few $100 version if you just want to get your feet wet, or only plan to put together your demo reel - Pinnacle Studio and Adobe Premiere Elements head the PC line, and ever Mac comes with iMovie.
About which platform to use - I use both and can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that people will have to take your word for whatever you used. You will never know the difference in the final DVD or BR-Disc movie. Just use what you like, and get used to the software you choose.
You want training materials - check out the above mentioned books, as well as classondemand.net - and lynda.com - you will find training on pretty much every video editing app there is.
Get used to the basics of editing - putting clips in the timeline, trimming, putting sequences together so they flow from 1 take to the other and the cut doesn’t attract attention to itself, etc.
Once you’ve got the mechanics and a little practice, THEN start looking around at more powerful apps and workstations. But for now I’d stick to standard def MiniDV footage. It won’t put a huge strain on your computer’s resources, and it’s so standardized as far as format and compresson that every computer bought in the last 5 years can handle it just fine.
As far as getting footage for free… Well, gonna have to get your hands on a friend’s camcorder. Got a point&shoot camera that can take video…? A cell phone that can record video…? A FRIEND’S phone or point&shoot…? Get creative and figure out your resources.
Hope this helps-
-Lew
Those are called Directors. Editors actually edit - it’s not only the title of the job, it’s the description of their function. If they don’t know how to do it, they shouldn’t be getting paid
Tell that Peter Jackson(director) and Jamie Selkirk(editor on “King Kong”).
http://img-nex.kongisking.net/kong/movies/PPD-29WeeksToGo_qt6_high.mov
There are a few more, mostly elder editors who are used to edit on film and won’t make the switch to digital. Very rare and a dying breed, but still there.
What you completely missed in my reply was the statement that the first thing to look for is not the OS or software when it comes to the
concept of editing
And arguing about the professionalism of Premiere vs AVID is kinda silly given the original post - I seriously doubt andylou is going out tomorrow and getting an AVID Symphony workstation. This is a beginner question, and should be treated with beginner answers - crawl first.
No one at any point was arguing about the “professionalism of Premiere vs AVID”.
Read again, maybe you get my point. I can write slower or in larger typo, if needed.
hey,
Have a dout aboute the changeing duracion of severl clip (jpg)from de browser .we need to put wall the clip on same time.in FCP editing.To make a stop mocion.
thanks for atticion.
Best regards,
Cacos incolor
“PC users tend to use Avid as it is still THE standard application.”
THIS was the line I was responding to - and yes, it’s the standard for professionals. No, sorry, don’t need larger type unless you’d like to do me the courtesy of not having to sit in my chair to read it - across the room might be nice. When reading MY response, did you think to re-read yours to ask yourself where I might possibly have come up with that before insulting my intelligence or sight?
Not even a “that’s not what I meant, here’s what I meant” - jump right to the insults… Nice…
Apparently you weren’t mentioning it in reference to professionals - but that every novice, hobbyist, or prosumer user uses AVID as their NLE of choice as well - because we can ALL afford an Adrenaline.
“There are quite a few editors who do not even touch the editing app by themself but hire an extra operator for that purpose.”
No, hadn’t come across that about Jackson and his editor - though I find it kinda silly (given that Jackson - in videos I HAVE seen - is laying there on his couch during the entire editing watching, telling them what he’d like them to do - I’m envisioning Jackson giving an order, then his “Editor” repeating that order to the guy operating the NLE… why is he there…?). Hence my statement.
And all the “editors” in the video you linked were technical editors - managing, syncing, VFX, cataloging for easy retrieval, etc. for various departments - it wouldn’t surprise me if the rough timing edit or final edit were all done by Selkirk and just in the video he’s overseeing the above mentioned management of the technical editors. (1st Assistant Editor, VFX Editor, etc.)
I remember a little while back, Trent Reznor released about 40 GBs of raw HD footage from his NIN concerts…I never got it myself so I don’t know how good it is, but if you’re interested you could probably do a search and get it from his site. It may be helpful to grab a few gigs of it just to play around with.
Here’s something to think about …
“If they used to do this thing successfully with razor-blades and cellophane tape, computers must not really have too much to do with it.”
Choose any editing program that you can easily get your hands on. (I happen to like “Final Cut Express,” and believe it or not, it’s still what I use to do what I do.) Then… edit something.
Go find some little scrap of something, say on YouTube. Anywhere you can find a source of material, no matter how crappy. Then, set yourself a goal. For example, take a two-minute clip that shows some progression of events, and try to figure out … say … three ways to re-cut the thing so that the progression, and maybe the entire goal of the piece, is reversed.
Your self-set goal could be anything at all. Probably, no one’s going to see the finished product but you. What’s important here is, primarily, the thought process, and only secondarily, acquiring a working familiarity with the tools. You can naturally predict that “the tool” will clamor for your attention (and waste a lot of your time), therefore expect that. It’s okay… you are learning.
So, spend the next six weeks doing that, over and over again. Keep everything, and try to compare it (favorably or unfavorably) to nothing. Take whatever demo-clips come with the product and actually do them.
This is called "working toward a ‘demo reel.’ " You can’t start out with a “demo reel” as your goal, although when you finally do have a useable reel, you will know, and anyone who views your reel will know also. (You’ll probably think that you’ve got a “demo” about one-third of the way before you actually do.) Just keep slicing up digital film and gluing it back together again.
Once you’ve got some “chops,” the process of learning the particular tool that is used in a particular setting will be … a long way from now, and relatively easy. You really can’t predict what that tool will be, because you really can’t predict at this point what the job will be. So, don’t worry about it. Just keep slicing up digital film and gluing it back together again. The good news is, you really can’t cut your fingertips anymore.
Unimesh just put up a ton of footage to play with. Download some of them and start making sequences.
Have fun and happy editing-
-Lew
Jackson’s editor reminds me of my VHS camcorder days, when I used to edit home movies and shorts via pause-recording with two VCRs, plugging in a CD/tape player to add the “soundtrack” to the final dub, and printing out title cards with Print Shop. :banghead: :drool:
While many have made a good recommendation with using existing footage, I’d suggest putting still images to a soundtrack/sound effects. You can experiment with zooming, panning and tilting on the images (a la Ken Burns Effect), which can convey different moods just as effectively-- or even moreso-- as live-action can.
When you’ve developed the feel for composing a story and handled the learning curve of your NLE of choice, you can move on to recutting an existing scene from a favorite movie/tv show (provided you own the DVD/material).
Enjoy!
Remember this: “film editors” were plying their trade since the very earliest days of movies … using (literally) razor blades and tape.
The mechanics of film editing has (thankfully…) changed considerably, thanks to the computer, but the essential purpose of film editing has not changed one bit.
Therefore: focus your attention on editing, itself. Don’t get distracted by tools. Even to this day, some schools compel you to spend a semester with razor blades, plastic film, and tape. They do it for (good) reason.
As everyone has said it doesn’t matter what application you use as long as it does the job. As regards free footage, have a look at archive.org probably the best site I have come accross for free footage and includes some classic US gov films i.e. Duck and cover, atomic bomb tests as well as many others.
Regarding learning material you have to read Walter Murch’s “In the Blink of an Eye”, it is the best resource for people wishing to learn editing theory and includes many examples from his editing back cataloge, Apocolypse now etc.
And now the warnings. Speaking from 15 years of experiance as an editor, I have to say that it is one of the most unhealthy, antisocial jobs you could ever get. Long hours and dark rooms are the norm but having said that, it is a buzz when you see your name on somthing that you feel proud to have worked on.
So good luck with what you want to do and remember that we are here on CG society to help and offer our advice if you need it.
Cheers Dan
Hi,
Thank you everyone
You have give me a big help. At first, I think the most important is the technical aspect of it, but that only cover little bit of the editing. The most about 80% it cover the aesthetic of editing of how the story being told by the editor and how i could tell this story to the audience. That I think I need to work more. I think the technical aspect, I can learn pretty fast and easy. but the aesthetic of it, it will take a long time.
actually i am not working for film, just and interview video. if anyone have any suggestion of how should i make the interview editing better. I would more than welcome to hear more.
Thank you so much
dear…learn how to fight with apple/mac/pc/windows and avid/fcp/premiere thing…
because some people dont get it that editing is like driving…
u learn to drive a car and then u get another car and can still drive it…so do the editing…
u know how to edit …then which software doesnt count…
watch lots of movies with editor/directors commentary on…
and learn editing like you are getting rid of garbage…but dont cut too much …some time garbage can rescue you too…
a car of 1000c is not the same thet driving a V8000c…you cant stamp on the curve.it´s like you edit your “movie” in a basic ulead videio studio all pre-vfx and transicion weth quik panel set and one day you have export in a “super Hig PAL extra format” and all you work is an usefull,because you never drive a “super extra”
I agree thet abobe premier is all basic thing’s like keyframes and opcions is standr’s of works everments off all ather program’s.
but a profissional can lose time re-tunnig the work skill’s.
we can not see the garbage of the videios,thet are made to abord every body.
And jump the time line or page to watch the real diamont’s
you cant drive a lamborghini if you dont know how to drive a civic or other small cars for basic skills,
u dont run before you walk and if you do you will fell on your teeth,
and you cant pass grade 12 if you still fail in 1st grade…
all i am suggesting to this pal, that first learn basic editing and then go for big one…and you are suggesting to waste a lots of green bucks first hand and then you realise …oh i dont want Avid i need FCP but cant, now you are stuck. Canopus Edius is a very cheap and good editing software, and you dont need to render anything to preview on timeline, go for it and you will never regret…except for titles and vfx. but you can add Aftereffects with Edius and will laugh all the way…if you are trying to run your own business later on for any type of editing.
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