Scene detection in Vegas 5

[Jeff Bradt]

I'm a new Vegas user. I have captured several tapes that are now split into multiple files because of the scene detection in Vegas. I think I prefer to have my captured files unsplit and work with large files.

First question: Can scene detection be turned off in Vegas 5 so that the captured files will not be split?

Second question: Can my multiple files be put back together into one large file? I was thinking maybe I could put all the clips on the timeline and create one subclip from them??

Thanks. - Jeff

[Glenn Chan]

In the capture utility you can go into the preferences and tell the capture utility not to split clips up.
Options, preferences, Capture tab, Enable DV Scene Detection

I find it much much easier to work with split clips, but if it works for your then great.

I'm not sure how to put all the clips into one file. I suppose you can put them all on the timeline and render them out as one file. Or you can create a new project with all your clips on the timeline (which I suppose isn't really what you want).

[Jeff Bradt]

Thanks Glenn. I have a hard time figuring out why most people like their files split. Maybe I just haven't figured out the best ways to get around in Vegas. I just did a wedding reception where I had maybe 50 different scenes on one tape. I was working on a highlite segment and it was hard to find all the small segments I wanted to pull out. If all scenes were in one file, I would have gone to the trimmer and been able to quickly scrub thru it to find the small parts I wanted. Can you tell me how this works for you Glenn? Thanks again. I really appreciate the help. - Jeff

[Glenn Chan]

Well if you want to work that way, you could:
Make a copy of your veg project
Clear out the timeline
Go into your media pool, and throw everything onto the timeline (make sure it ends up on order)
If you want to find a particular part you can scrub throw that timeline. You can also put notes right onto the timeline, or into each clip with the trimmer (and those will also show up in the timeline, but without text).

In the timeline you can see where each scene is because there are cut points there.

Anyways, it's what works best for you.

[Patrick King]

Originally Posted by Jeff Bradt

...I would have gone to the trimmer and been able to quickly scrub thru it to find the small parts I wanted...

Jeff,
You are resurfacing a old "Trimmer users" vs. "Get rid of the Trimmer users" argument that surfaced on the old SonicFoundry forum before they sold Vegas to Sony. The Trimmer almost went away in V4 (I think, though it might have been V3). I use the Trimmer extensively, but there are many Vegas users who never use it. That, is in fact the good part about Vegas: use the tools the way they work best for you.

[Jeff Bradt]

So Patrick, do you capture into one file instead of multiples, and then scrub thru w/ the trimmer? That seems to be what I'm leaning toward.

Interesting discussion. Thank you.

[Patrick King]

Jeff,

That's how I work, though I'm an amateur who worked up to Vegas, and not a pro who stepped down to it.

Each week I open the entire single capture file from an hour and thirty minute church service into the Trimmer. In the Trimmer, I mark in and out points for a segment I want to use in the 30 minute rebroadcast segment I'm creating. When I have markers set, I just double-click between them to highlight the segment, then right-click and create a sub-clip. Then go on the find the next segment I want.

I do likewise with concerts and other events I film. The Trimmer works for me in my workflow. But I'm editing on my time and not trying to make a living doing it. The pros may feel differently about the Trimmer.

[Edward Troxel]

I use kind of a "combined" method. I use batch capture to capture segments of the tapes but I capture those segments as one complete file. For example, on a wedding tape I'll capture ALL of the stuff that happens between the wedding and reception as a single file although I've started and stopped the camera several times. I'll then add that single clip to the main timeline and then use Extract Good Clips to pull out the few small segments I wish to keep.

[Jeff Bradt]

Thanks Ed. That's exactly what I was planning on trying next time. I know Excalibur has the Extract Good Clips and I thought that was probably the way to go. I'll have to experiment with that. - Jeff

[Rob Lohman]

I mainly do fictional work and this kinda is my work flow:

1. let vegas capture the tapes and have it split each scene/shot

2. I put all the clips ont he timeline (in the order shot) and go to the spreadsheet like information view, select all and copy it over to excel

3. now I have information like the filename in excel and I print this out

4. I sit down with my tapes and watch all the takes, with the print outs I write down the scene / take of each shot and write extra notes down (good shot, bad shot, great acting performance etc.)

5. I then make folders for each scene / setup

6. I rename the files like "scene 01 take 12 good.avi" etc. and move them into the right folders, sometimes I add extra information to the filenames if needed


Of course this works for me as I do mainly fictional work, which means multiple
takes of the same shot etc. When editing I have my notes with me to quickly
know which takes I want to try and work with etc. to build my project.

I trim these on the timeline and sometimes I import all takes to switch between
and see which work, or I use multiple takes etc.

This workflow works great for me, I also get small pieces of content to work
with instead of 1 hour files.

Together with a laptop (on set, recording) or perhaps some direct-to-disk
recorders this could be even more great if I could set a scene/setup name
and number and it would add the take numbers automatically.

[Jeff Bradt]

Rob,
Very helpful! Thank you for taking the time to spell out that process. Great idea for organizing clips when you have LOTS of them. - Jeff