Instruction manual

Equipment Photos
Pausing A VCR
Freeze-Frame
Editing Random Shots Without Syncing Visuals To Vocals and Music
Editing In Sync With Vocals and Music
Digital Displays On The Edit Controller
Programming The In Points and Out Points
Preview
VCR Slipping
Editing Off The Downbeat
Making The First Edit In Sync With Vocals and Music
Fading From Black
Time Estimates
Editing Checklist
Computer Special Effects
The Least Expensive Broadcast Editing Options
"Ballpark" Cost Estimates
Tape Stock
Dissolve
A/B Roll
Mix
Time Code
Recommended Reading (now part of the Update 2006 Web page)
This chapter is for those who want to go to a video editing studio, and pay an
hourly rate for the equipment, and the person who pushes the buttons... the Editor. You
should simply direct the Editor to make the edits with the shots that you’ve already
selected on the Beat Sheet. To save time at the session, let the Editor read this Chapter in
advance.
There are 2 key requirements: (1) The editing system must be able to make
Video-Only Insert Edits, which won’t disturb the Master audio on the Master videotape;
and (2) To sync visuals to vocals and music, the Edit controller and VCRs must be
accurate + or -2 frames (plus or minus 2 frames). Many broadcast edit systems can make
precise edits, at the exact frames chosen.
The least expensive way to edit a music video is to use a Cuts-Only system,
which can play back only one Source tape at a time. Editing takes place by copying shots
- one at a time - from the Source tapes onto the Master videotape. A Cut is the point
where one shot ends, and the next one begins. In other words, a Cut is an instant
transition from one shot to the next.
FRAMES PER SECOND (FPS) - A frame is a single picture. Videotape records and
plays back at 30 FPS. During editing, it’s possible to view one frame at a time on a video
monitor. Ten seconds of videotape playback equals 300 individual pictures. Our brains
are fooled into perceiving continuous movement through Persistence Of Vision. (Look
under “Eye” in an encyclopedia.)