Comments

PeterWright wrote on 12/19/2008, 8:16 PM
Is the second camera a different angle on the interviewee, or a shot of the interviewer?

Generally, no "rule" as such - following your nose or instinct is often a good approach. If you have someone available, a second opinion after the first edit can be useful.

musicvid10 wrote on 12/19/2008, 9:00 PM
With human subjects, there is a visual and aural flow and rhythm which could be a subtle as a pause, inflection, or motion that suggests a shift in perspective. Learning to be sensitive to body language and vocal cues will give you ideas as to when to cut, and when not to cut. If you're an old fogey like me, less is better. If you're under thirty, you might want to go crazy like on MTV ;?)

Try a few edits, put them away for a couple of days, and look at them again. If they seem natural on a second look, they will look fine to others. Sometimes a one or two frame difference in the cut point can make a difference depending on the effect you want to create. One thing I often do is set a loop region, and tweak the cut point on the fly until it looks/sounds right. Usually it is pretty close on a second look.

Sorry there is no set of rules, look at what experienced editors do in movies and TV, and take what works for you.
Grazie wrote on 12/19/2008, 9:23 PM
One method I've come to like using is having the 2nd camera handheld CU face even to just nose, mouth and eyes or even one eye!, and in post bleach out the colour a wee bit and then use these few frames to add emphasis when the speaker is being emphatic. I like that! But use it sparingly. Don't be scared to fill the frame - the eyes have it!

Rules? Yeah, keep your awareness and alertness uppermost. We communicate a massive amount through our expressions and verbal cues, looking and anticipating a response. Our job as camera/editor is to make the experience for the viewer as natural OR as unnatural as possible. Bleaching video ain't done as a natural cue by our eye, but our brain interprets this as a moment of challenge and a change of gear, to take note.

Grazie

JackW wrote on 12/19/2008, 9:55 PM
With human subjects, there is a visual and aural flow and rhythm which could be a subtle as a pause, inflection, or motion that suggests a shift in perspective. Learning to be sensitive to body language and vocal cues will give you ideas as to when to cut.

In addition to this, cut when there are changes of idea. Nothing is more jarring than a cut that interrupts the flow of an idea. And don't cut unless there is a compelling reason for the cut.

Take a look at Walter Murch's In The Blink of an Eye to get ideas from one of the really great film editors, who speaks at length to this point.

Jack

Edit: You might find the article here of interest as well.
Al Min wrote on 12/20/2008, 1:21 PM
Hey thanks everyone! These are really deep ideas and obviously come from much experience. I forgot to say that one cam is a frontal waist to head and the other is at 90deg giving a profile shot head only closeup. Many thanks for the input.