And don't forget this when you use the overlap method: put the pointer on the actual overlap, righ-click and then you can choose the kind of cross-fade you wish... very useful sometimes when you have big differences of luminosity or contrast between your two cuts (or events, or clips, it's the same...).

If you are talking about taping audience reaction to something that you shooting, then there are three ways to handle it.

1) Two or more camcorders
2) Switch back and forth.
3) Do like the TV programs do, used previously (or post) shoot "canned" reactions and just blend the two as if they were the same time and place. This is easy if the event you are shooting has another event before or after it that you are NOT shooting. Use that time to capture the same audience who will see your "real" event.

2nd first, what ever has an impact, imo of course.

For what it's worth... With one camera, filming a speaker, you can *sometimes* spot the quick cough, pause, drink of water etc... If you can see it coming, a quick zoom in or out, re-frameing the shot works out nice -you can edit the actual zoom later, and helps keep the viewer focussed.

As far as cuts go, the majority you'll see are L cuts I think. My method usually is to butt your 2 clips where it would be a nice transition on it's own, padding them a bit so you have some extra frames to work with -> ungroup the audio tracks from the video -> drag the end of one audio clip (usually on the left) so there's a gap of maybe 1 - 3 seconds. Dragging the other audio clip to fill the gap sets it up, then it's just a matter of playing with the overlap for both tracks.

The idea is that the audio leads the viewer into the transition - you'll see it all the time, both ways really if you watch for it -- and this ties things together so the fast cut isn't noticed. In fact, a slower or longer transition between the two is often more noticeable because it breaks the flow - notice how on broadcast TV you can always tell the commercial's coming.

The actual overlap itself can be long or short, whatever works best in the preview window, or to your ears if doing the audio. VV3 is set by default I think to automatically create crossfades (check the toolbar button in case it's off), & right clicking on a crossfade gives you all sorts of options. Try them -- you'll always find one that looks or sounds better.

You shouldn't really get a white flash simply butting clips. Sometimes the timeline is not set to match the video so cuts are done in the wrong place. On the other hand I have imported clips into VV3 where Vegas showed the firat frame of the clip on the last frame of the clip, & this would usually flash if I didn't catch it.

[when that happens, usually just drag the clip to shorten it by a frame, then drag it back & for some reason Vegas shows & renders the right one. If it's stuborn, & it's a sequential avi file where I don't want to lose the frame, I split the frame off from the clip, copy it, undo the split, then paste the frame back where I got it. If it's REALLY stuborn, turn off quantize & nudge the frame a bit.]

mike

Thanks everyone!

Great suggestions. I look forward to keeping up on this forum and getting better at my editing. :)

Shoot for the edit. Go rent Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" which contains exactly two dissolves in 2.5 hours. Pay particular attention to the section where Tucco leaves teh bath tub and goes through the saloon style doors after shooting the one armed man and also watch how Leone seamlessly replaces Eli Wallach with a stuntman in the scene where Joe shoots Tucco with a canon. Our professor used that film to teach us the art of shooting for the edit and I have never forgotten the principles.

For starters, I was one of those guys on the soap box about being gentle with the transistions. I have seen some of the best story telling with NO transisitions. It is about learning to tell the story. Then you go back and use transitions that help the story if they fit. That should NEVER be confused with LAW. Art is never having to say you are sorry, or an amateur. I try to teach folks to tell the story first. After that, there is no right or wrong, just what reaches your audience. Boy would masters like Micelli die if he saw the camera work in NYPD Blue (shaky cam). No I don't think he would. While he taught a method of getting the story, I doubt it was ever meant to box in the creative mind. It was just to jumpstart the folks who need to get a leg up.


>>>>Also, I will be only using 1 camera to capture. Do anyone of you use a lot of non linear techniques with one camera and "fake out" the audience? For example, film reactions and other scenes at another time and do cut always from the speaker or from the action? <<<

Is there any other way? Heck, I have been known to through in sots from another location yet alone another time. Most of my stuff is single camera. That is how it is done. It is rare that I get to use multi-camera, especially with film. Panavision cameras are expensive to rent. Even with video I reserve multi-camera set ups to very special events. ($$$)

K

Keith, you ought to give out your web site when you post (unless you don't want too many hits). If you want to learn from the opposite of an amateur check out Keith's website and view his videos. Incredible. I especially loved the "Holyland Tour" video. Stunning.

And it isn't my place to give out the address, but I visit it occasionally to learn from a professional!

In a documentary, I'm for visible cuts - like going to total black or white between events. The viewers should have a chance to see your method.
In fictionals, you may conceal your method. The straight cut in a movement is the cleanest way. Dissolves and other obvious transitions may easily take away from your story's intensity.
I think the shaky camera on NYPD Blue is a mock documentary effect that is meant to say "this is for real" and also give some scenes a certain urgency. It's ugly, and it works; however, there's nothing ugly about the way NYPD Blue is edited - and as far as I can recall they don't use transitions either.

Now you must decide what a wedding video is, documentary or pure fiction.

Tor

PaulHolmes:
"And it isn't my place to give out the address, but I visit it occasionally to learn from a professional!"

OK now, so Keith, would you please be very kind and give us the adress ? \Ü/

TorS:
"Now you must decide what a wedding video is, documentary or pure fiction."

The day of the wedding: documentary
The day of the divorce: fiction

Ha ha ha! Sorry, couldn't help it...

>>>>Keith, you ought to give out your web site when you post (unless you don't want too many hits). If you want to learn from the opposite of an amateur check out Keith's website and view his videos. Incredible. I especially loved the "Holyland Tour" video. Stunning. <<<<

I didn't think that I had anything all that spectacular up there. Thank you for the kind words. The best is the stuff on the bio page. The samples stuff was all done in Vegas except for the Flash one that is in production.

www.kolbokorp.com

I love this stuff! It's like a new world has opened up. Looking forward to watch Good, Bad, and Ugly hehe. It's been a long time.

Actually, watch The Good The Bad and The Ugly. After editing yourself, you will see the movie in a whole new light. Particularlly pay attention to the post production audio and foley. I won't say any more, but it is an interesting movie to watch in a critical and technical sense.

Professional or amateur I hope we all enjoy the time we spend in production. If not we could all dig ditches for better money or fun. Watch what other creative people do and enjoy it. If I can reccomend one to watch and STUDY, on the www.vegasusers.com site, the is on called spidermans big adventure. It is my favorite and one of the best works of cinema I have seen in a long time. (ok it was done by a child) but study it because it is fine storytelling with NO tech.

Smiles,

Keith

Sorry to drop in the big guys' meeting, but I just had to say this blasphemy : what about the clock / curtain wipes in the former Star Wars trilogy ??? Ah Ah Ah, not even *I* don't do those things anymore ...

KKOLBO:

How about a more direct URL to that Spidy movie. I can't seem to find it.

http://vegasusers.com/vidshare/textdisp?nusfbee-spidermans_big_adventure.txt

I'll be adding a search function to vegasusers.com shortly. With over 175 videos uploaded there now it's not easy to find anything anymore.

I think the clock swipe can still be used in certain circumstances. It signifies the passing of time and in the right context is fine. I have yet to use a curtain swipe, but I haven't had a reason too. Any transisiton is fine as long as it fits the situation and isn't overused.

*Everything* can be used in certain circumstances ... I guess. What's wrong with the SW wipes is that they are clumsy, IMHO. Maybe it's the hard edge, or the fact that they are overused ... but maybe Lucas knows best.
To be fair, 90% of the transitions in Vegas, I have never seen them in any pro work. Not a single color dissolve, zoom or iris. I wonder why ... it seem that I am the only kid in town using them ... no wonder that I ain't a pro !!!

It all depends on your audience, doesn't it. Is it MTV (wild transitions, cuts), your family (maybe some fun transitions, cuts), a wedding couple (maybe lots of sappy dissolves and slow-motion and fade to black), a corporate client (straight-ahead cuts only) or a "work of art" only YOU can define?

I just know that in my three years of amateur family video and several weddings (one paid), the principal of restraint is definitely important to learn in the beginning!

Very well spoken Paul! Yes, it all depends on your audiance. Everytime you see a James Bond movie you will see the iris effect. It's probably more like a cookie cutter effect, but they do use it in the beginning sequence on every film. da dat dahhhh da dat dahhhh.....Bang!