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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 16 2007, 5:17 PM EDT (current) | TomySky | 733 words added |
| Aug 16 2007, 5:16 PM EDT | TomySky |
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Key: Additions Deletions
There are three parts to the editing process:
1. Capture – whereby you get your media onto your machine.
2. Edit – where you arrange your media as you want it.
3. Export – whereby you get your video off your machine and onto the
playable media format you want.
There are also three parts to a video editing program (NLE) that have
different names depending on the application, but essentially do the
same thing.
1. The Bin – holds all your media, be it photos, video, titles, audio,
or motion graphics.
2. The Timeline – this is where you arrange and edit your media in the
sequence you want.
3. The Screen – this is where you see your video project as it comes together.
Sometimes there is a forth part:
4. The Viewer – allows you to manipulate media before putting it into
the Timeline.
Happily, these paired sets of three do remarkably the same thing.
1. You Capture media to your Bin.
2. You Edit media in your Timeline.
3. You Export what you see on your Screen.
How to Capture Video:
I am going to walk you through the easiest set-up for capture. There are certainly more ways to do it, but if you have those tools, I'm going to assume you can figure out the minute changes you will need to do with your set up.
You will need a FireWire card in your computer. This will typically have a 6-pin FireWire port (these used to be expensive, but when I checked several years ago they were $40 or less and are included with many machines) that you will then hook your FireWire cable into. This cable will have a 4-pin FireWire piece on the other side which will hook into your MiniDV camera. Once it is all plugged in, turn your camera on.
Then launch your NLE (be it Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, AVID Free DV, or whatever).
Next, open the Capture window.
Now you can either Log your footage or you can simply Capture Now. Logging your footage gives you greater control over your media, but takes more time. If you are simply playing around, you can simply capture now, but if you are serious about editing something, it is best to log the footage you want.
For step-by-step walk throughs check out my instructions for your editing program below, read your manual, or check out the information your NLE provides in the Help section.
AVID
iMovie
Windows Movie Maker
How to Import Media:
This step should require no explanation: Go to File>Import>Files and choose the files you want to include in your project, whether music, pictures, or video. After hitting "Okay" (or whatever the word is on your machine) the Media that is in an acceptable format will show up in your Bin. You can then drag and drop these files into your Timeline and begin editing.
How to Arrange Your Media:
You will quickly find that Dragging and Dropping is simply not enough control to edit a movie. Thankfully, there are several other tools typically avaiable to you.
1. Trim: This tool (even if it is just your mouse pointer) allows you resize the length of your clip.
2. Splice: This allows you to drop media into your timeline so that it pushes what was there forward, thereby placing itself between the media that was already there.
3. Overwrite: This drops your media over whatever was in that space, and "erases" what was there. It is important to remember that this is Non-Destructive editing we're talking about here, so your media isn't really erased.
3-Point Editing is another method for arranging your media. It combines Trimming with Splicing/Overwriting. Basically, you look at your video clip and decide where you want it to start and set an "In Point" there (this is typically done with the "i" key on your keyboard), then figure out where you want the clip to end and set an "Out Point" there (you guessed it: the "o" key). Then, in your Timeline you place your Playhead where you want the clip to begin, and either Splice or Overwrite your new clip in.
How to Export Your Movie:
Basically you will go to File>Export or File>Save As... or something and tell it what you want your video's final format to be. This really has to do with Compression and Format Types.
1. Capture – whereby you get your media onto your machine.
2. Edit – where you arrange your media as you want it.
3. Export – whereby you get your video off your machine and onto the
playable media format you want.
There are also three parts to a video editing program (NLE) that have
different names depending on the application, but essentially do the
same thing.
1. The Bin – holds all your media, be it photos, video, titles, audio,
or motion graphics.
2. The Timeline – this is where you arrange and edit your media in the
sequence you want.
3. The Screen – this is where you see your video project as it comes together.
Sometimes there is a forth part:
4. The Viewer – allows you to manipulate media before putting it into
the Timeline.
Happily, these paired sets of three do remarkably the same thing.
1. You Capture media to your Bin.
2. You Edit media in your Timeline.
3. You Export what you see on your Screen.
How to Capture Video:
I am going to walk you through the easiest set-up for capture. There are certainly more ways to do it, but if you have those tools, I'm going to assume you can figure out the minute changes you will need to do with your set up.
You will need a FireWire card in your computer. This will typically have a 6-pin FireWire port (these used to be expensive, but when I checked several years ago they were $40 or less and are included with many machines) that you will then hook your FireWire cable into. This cable will have a 4-pin FireWire piece on the other side which will hook into your MiniDV camera. Once it is all plugged in, turn your camera on.
Then launch your NLE (be it Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, AVID Free DV, or whatever).
Next, open the Capture window.
Now you can either Log your footage or you can simply Capture Now. Logging your footage gives you greater control over your media, but takes more time. If you are simply playing around, you can simply capture now, but if you are serious about editing something, it is best to log the footage you want.
For step-by-step walk throughs check out my instructions for your editing program below, read your manual, or check out the information your NLE provides in the Help section.
AVID
iMovie
Windows Movie Maker
How to Import Media:
This step should require no explanation: Go to File>Import>Files and choose the files you want to include in your project, whether music, pictures, or video. After hitting "Okay" (or whatever the word is on your machine) the Media that is in an acceptable format will show up in your Bin. You can then drag and drop these files into your Timeline and begin editing.
How to Arrange Your Media:
You will quickly find that Dragging and Dropping is simply not enough control to edit a movie. Thankfully, there are several other tools typically avaiable to you.
1. Trim: This tool (even if it is just your mouse pointer) allows you resize the length of your clip.
2. Splice: This allows you to drop media into your timeline so that it pushes what was there forward, thereby placing itself between the media that was already there.
3. Overwrite: This drops your media over whatever was in that space, and "erases" what was there. It is important to remember that this is Non-Destructive editing we're talking about here, so your media isn't really erased.
3-Point Editing is another method for arranging your media. It combines Trimming with Splicing/Overwriting. Basically, you look at your video clip and decide where you want it to start and set an "In Point" there (this is typically done with the "i" key on your keyboard), then figure out where you want the clip to end and set an "Out Point" there (you guessed it: the "o" key). Then, in your Timeline you place your Playhead where you want the clip to begin, and either Splice or Overwrite your new clip in.
How to Export Your Movie:
Basically you will go to File>Export or File>Save As... or something and tell it what you want your video's final format to be. This really has to do with Compression and Format Types.
