new how to edit multicam - bbcdownloads.bbc.co.uk/editingsupport/web_pdfs/multicam_on... · 2018....

of 11 http://news.gateway.bbc.co.uk/editingsupport/

How to edit

in Avid’s MulticamAvid’s Multicamera (or Multicam as it’s sometimes known, Xpress Pro calls itGroup Clip Mode) allows you to group two or more clips together, and editbetween them in real-time – just like live vision mixing. You can then changethe edit points in the usual way (by trimming), or you can re-do sections of theedit in real-time again. Being non-linear, you can also just edit down the maincamera, then quickly edit in the questions – with no match framing or huntingthrough timecodes. This document explains how . . .

Digitize

If possible, digitize all the tapes for your Multicam. This will make iteasier for you in the long run, and give you lots of choice in your edit.

Prepare Your Clips

Multicam works best when you have two or more timecode lockedcameras. However you can group clips manually, by using a recognisableevent that is viewable on each camera – e.g. handclap, cough, start of aword etc etc.

Let’s take a recent example where George Clooney has been interviewed.The interview was covered in three cameras – one on George, one onKirsty Wark, and one tracking wide shot.


To keep things simple, I have put all 3 clips into the same bin, and namedthem appropriately.

Load the first clip into the Source monitor, and locate a point on the clipthat is present on each of the cameras. NB if they are timecode locked,then this point does not matter, simply find a easy timecode - e.g.01:53:40:00.

Mark an IN at this point.


Goto the other clips and mark an IN point at exactly the same point onthe clip – here we have used the timecode 01:53:40:00


Group Clips

Now we want to group these clips together. Select all three clips in thebin, and go to the Bin Menu. Select "Group Clips".

This brings up this menu box.


You can now select how you want to group the clips - by IN points, byOUT points or by Timecode. We have set our IN points to be the same,so select IN points.

This will give you a new "Grouped" clip, which secretly contains all threeclips (although you can't see that yet!). Name it something sensible - wehave called ours "George Clooney Grouped".

If you load this clip into the source viewer, it will just look like a normalclip, showing one of the clips in the group full frame.


You need to enter a special Multicam mode to be able to view and edit theMulticam group.

Multicam Mode

Load your grouped clip into the source viewer, and edit it into theTimeline. Notice that the clip in the Time line has a (G) at the end of itsname - this tells you that it is a grouped clip.

Now select Multicamera Mode from the Special menu.


Your Source monitor will now change to display all the clips within thegrouped clips. It will look something like this:

As you scroll up and down the timeline, you will notice that the three clipsmove along in time with your position on the Timeline.

Editing

There are 2 main ways to edit in Multicam.

1. Mouse mode

2. Live cutting mode

Mouse Mode

1. Play the Timeline. You will notice that the Composer monitor shows afull frame image of the Timeline. The Source monitor shows the threegrouped clips moving in time with the sequence (NB the main broadcastmonitor shows a low quality version of the Source Monitor).

2. Stop the Timeline when you want to cut to another camera.

3. Click on that camera in the Source monitor.


4. Play the Timeline, and repeat!

NOTE: You do not have to actually play the Timeline in this mode. Youcan simply scroll along the timeline if you wish, clicking on cameras as andwhen you want them to appear.

When finished, you Timeline will look something like this:

NOTE: You only ever get one audio track. This is the original one thatcame with the grouped clips that you edited into the Timeline at thebeginning.

Live Cutting Mode

This mode is more fun, but first you must map some new keys to yourkeyboard. Open up the Command Palette (Tools > Command Palette)and your Keyboard settings. Go to the Mcam tab. Map M1, M2 and M3to your F keys (or wherever you have space! Don't forget you can useSHIFT + F keys as well).


Now you are ready to edit like a vision mixer.

1. Having edited your Grouped clip into the Timeline and enteredMulticam mode, go to the beginning of your sequence and hit play.

2. Press your M1, M2 and M3 buttons to cut between cameras.

3. That's it.

If you make a mistake, or want to change something, simply go back onthe Timeline and try again. If you do lots of retakes, you may end upwith spurious Add Edits - this is where you have had another go at a cutpoint, probably deciding to stay on one camera for a little longer. It maylook something like this:

Here we decided to stay with George for longer, before cutting to Kirsty'squestion. You can remove these Add Edits by going to the Clip menu andselecting "Remove Match Frame Edits".


Tips and Tricks

Press the Control key in the Source monitor for a reminder of the originalclip names. Whilst in this mode, click on the name to change whichcamera is in which position.

Right click on the clips in the Timeline, and you can change the contents.

Before:


After:

Conclusion

This looks like a really great way to edit complicated multicamera edits.However, it is only available on modern versions of Avid, so check whether youhave Multicamera Mode before planning an edit around it. Remember to leaveMulticamera Mode (Special > Multicamera Mode) go back to "normal" !!

If you want more information on Multicam mode (and it can do a lot more thatI've described here) then please look in the help files.

This document was written around Media Composer Adrenaline version 2.1.6.Other versions of Avid may vary. Let me or Tony know if you have any problemswith this, or indeed any suggestions.

Xpress Pro names Multicam asGroup Clip Mode, but the Command palettehas a tab marked Mcam.

Xpress Pro Help covers Group Clip Mode insome detail.

Rob Kennedy & Tony EllamApril 2006

new how to edit multicam - bbcdownloads.bbc.co.uk/editingsupport/web_pdfs/multicam_on... · 2018....

Documents