Best application for editing

[Dan C.]

I am looking to use 2 cameras for a shoot, and change between the angles in post.
I would like to only use one of the camera's soundtrack throughout.
I would like to be able to fade between the two angles, but apart from this any effects are not required.
I would also like an application that is easy to use (if possible) and will not take a long time to learn or use.

Can anyone make any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Chris Hurd]

Mac or PC?

[Dan C.]

PC, Windows XP Professional, 2GHz P4, 256MB SDRAM, 60GB HD

[edit]
256MB RDRAM, not SDRAM
[/edit]

[Rob Lohman]

The best application is still to be made. This will probably
always hold true... The best application is the one that
you work the best with and gets the job done.

As with all (new) applications some learning will be
involved, but most basic techniques can be learned
in a weekend or so. I suggest downloading the demos
(most NLE's have these available) and test for yourself!
That is the best things todo.

Good luck!

[Ed Smith]

Are they both DV devices?

You could try:

Studio DV - easy to use simple layout cut and paste - about £79 - supplied with IEEE1394 PCI board. (Consumer based)

Premiere 6 - DV200 £200 (Only DV connection Board and program)
- DV500+ £550 (Analogue and DV inputs/outputs connection Board and programs)

Hope these help,

Ed Smith

[Dan C.]

Thanks for that.
I have tried Premier 6, with a few sample AVIs and I couldnt get it to output the sound at all (probably ive overlooked something).
I will see if I can get hold of a demo version of Studio DV.

I have seen Final Cut Pro mentioned around here, would that fit my needs?

[Joe Redifer]

Final Cut Pro is made by Apple and is only available for the Mac.

It wouldn't hurt to put more SDRAM into your computer as well. The more the better. You'll notice that things will run smoother, especially with Windows XP.

[Dan C.]

I think I must have been asleep when I wrote that, I meant 256MB RDRAM - which is rather expensive.

[Vic Owen]

Another editor worth looking at is Cinestream (was EditDV). It's pretty comprehnsive and works well on PCs or MACs. You should be able to get a preview version. It's now distributed by discreet.com. It has one of the best built-in titlers around. Lots of bang for the bucks.

[Bruce Findleton]

Dan,

I'm using Studio DV for videos we do at work. Very easy and very serviceable. Comes with and outputs to all of the usual codecs. A nice package if you don't want to get fancy and you will be outputing for the web. I'm using Premiere 6 at home and it has a much steeper learning curve and is a lot more finicky about where it lives (the PC environment).

Hope this helps,

Bruce

PS - Whatever you get you probably will want to get more RAM. The box may say it will work with 128 or 256, whatever, but all editors are memory pigs and you can never have too much RAM ;)

[Joe Redifer]

Poor Edit DV. First it was Radius Edit DV. Then Digital Origin Edit DV. And now Cinestream? It is a good product, though a bit "stiffer" and more cluttered than stuff like Final Cut Pro, though I haven't seen the newest versions.

I really do like the MotoDV capture tool, though (comes with EditDV and I assume Cinestream). In my opinion NOTHING captures better than MotoDV. Easy to use and it has timelapse!

[Vic Owen]

I have been using EDV 2.0 (on a G3). I'm going to switch to FCP 3.0 now that I have the DP 1G, but EDV has done a pretty good job for me as a basic editor. Its titler was far better than earlier versions of FCP and all versions of Premier. Since the switch to Discreet, I've been a little concerned about future support, and the EDV forum has really slowed down. I did a project with it this week, though. I also discovered that EDV also won't import Firestore clips from my external FW drive, although I've heard that Cinestream will.

Looking forward to FCP -- I went to an Apple sponsored FCP seminar here in Seattle and it looks pretty much like all I'll ever need.

[Mike Bebber]

Dan;

You might want to try Vegas Video 3.0 from WWW. Sonic Foundry.com. I got it a few weeks ago and it seems to be as good or better than Preimere 6. Check the forum at the site everyone seems to really like the software and it works with most generic fire wire cards. You can download the trial version and the manual from their web site.

[K. Forman]

There is a program out there that is made for multi cam projects, called Multicam, by United Media. MSRP is $600. I have never used it, just found it in Computer Videomaker.

There is a simpler, cheaper method. When you start your cameras, step in front of them and clap. You will have a sharp sound to sync audio by, as well as the motion to see when your hands actually hit. Also useful is a flash camera aimed at your subject. The flash will last one frame, making it easy to visually sync the two video tracks.

Using your editing software of choice ( I use Premiere ), in AB mode, one video track on top of another, lay out your video. Then, using your razor tool, just cut away the bits you don't want leaving behind your video in the next track.

As far as only using the audio from one cam, just discard the unwanted audio track, or turn it off.

Easy!

[Dan C.]

Thanks for all your replies.
Now I have gained more experience in Premier, I am confident that I will be able to do it with this.

Thanks again.