Edit becomes out of sync

safari_tim wrote on 12/20/2004, 11:18 PM
This is a really basic question....

I am editing a video with a speech. The camera has got some video sections where the camera was moved and so forth during the speech. So I cut out those portions and pulled the video back together with a blend transition. I removed the grouping to keep the audio in tact.

However, after the cut the audio becomes out of sync because the timing of the mising video peice is gone.

How can I remove parts of the video but keep the audio in sync w/o cutting the audio?

Comments

IanG wrote on 12/21/2004, 2:49 AM
When you split the clips, just select & delete the video. Obviously this leaves gaps. Maybe you can fill those by using some other video or some stills.

Ian G.
safari_tim wrote on 12/21/2004, 9:18 AM
Thanks for the idea. I't makes sense you can ungroup the video from the audio and have it stay in sync.

Now I have to get a little more creative....
Steve Grisetti wrote on 12/21/2004, 9:47 AM
Whenever I shoot a speech, a wedding or any performance, I always try to grab as many shots of the audience (including a few close-ups) as possible to that I've got cutaways to mask any edits (such as the ones you describe). This also adds another level to your video and helps orient your viewers to the environment in which the speech or performance was done.
safari_tim wrote on 12/21/2004, 12:11 PM
That is a good technique and something I had not considered during the filming.

I hope I have enough footage to use for this.
IanG wrote on 12/21/2004, 3:31 PM
Don't forget you can drag out a clip as slo-mo - it can make a little footage go a long way (but not too far!!). If it's possible, maybe you can go back and get shots of the local scenary?

Ian G.
safari_tim wrote on 12/21/2004, 5:06 PM
More good ideas Ian.

It's to far away unfortunatly. The slow motion idea is a good one. I also thought I could reuse a clip and artifially zoom in or pan across some.

Actually I said it was a speech. It was really my brothers wedding and the minister went on soooo long it felt like a lectureship!

Keep the ideas coming!

Tim
IanG wrote on 12/22/2004, 1:22 AM
Now you're cooking! However, and with the greatest respect to all concerned, if it felt like a lecture at the time, will anyone want to sit through it again? Maybe you should just cut most of it out anyway. Very much IMHO, but I think it's a mistake to try and make things a complete record of events - it's much better (but more difficult) to capture the spirit of the day in a few highlights. Ultimately, you need to end up with something that people will want to watch more than once - you can usualy achieve that by keeping it reasonably short and making sure they're in it!

Cheers

Ian G.
Chienworks wrote on 12/22/2004, 4:20 AM
I recall once being asked to "tech" a teen beauty pageant. I was in charge of lighting, sound, and videotaping the event. Each year the previous winner will give a closing speech. This particular time instead of the usual 5 minutes of "It was wonderful, i love you all, thank you!" the winner went on for about an hour and 12 minutes! The normally 3 hour event lasted over 4 hours. As people were leaving the theatre there was a sign-up sheet for copies of the video. Several people wrote in the margin, "please cut out the speech on my copy", including the girl's own father. Oh my!

Yes, there are times when it's not worth keeping something in the video.
IanG wrote on 12/22/2004, 7:07 AM
>Several people wrote in the margin, "please cut out the speech on my copy", including the girl's own father.

Chienworks, that's priceless! Thank you!

Ian G.
safari_tim wrote on 12/22/2004, 10:14 AM
Yeah, I fear you guys are right.

I need to trim down the minister's speel a little. Don't know how the bride will like it though ;-) But I know I would not want to watch it the way it is....

I got a little creative with the video to fill in the empty spots because I did not have any of the crowd. Now I learned to get that!

So, I took video from different parts and used some slow motion, and zooms to get some fill ins.

On one of the shots I actually had to flip the video because what I wanted to use the guy was looking the wrong way. Turned out pretty good, but his flower on his jacket is now on the wrong side! I wonder if anyone will notice ;-)

Sure makes me realize how much the editor has control over the story being told. What you see may not have been what happened at all..

-Tim
gogiants wrote on 12/22/2004, 10:40 AM
If your end product will be on DVD, you can always have different parts of the raw footage accessible from an "extras" menu, and your edited masterpiece can be the main event. Or vice versa if you think that will play better with the bride!
safari_tim wrote on 12/22/2004, 10:54 AM
Good idea!
dand9959 wrote on 12/22/2004, 11:54 AM
If you are really short on "filler" you can always find some appropriate photos on the web to use - flowers, sunsets, the usual crap :-) . There may be some copyright issues around some of the material you find, however.