What format should i use and how do i save my footage?

1. Whole
   Member

   

   My name is Lisa:) I'm taping an important event on an HD camera. And i need to learn as much as i can on editing/formats/etc because i don't have that long of a time frame to edit after the taping is done so i need to make sure i have everything i need and know how to do it!

   I don't have any software to edit either, i usually do it at my school but they have Windows Movie Maker and as you know, it sucks!

   So i won't use that again, i will try to use Final Cut Pro if i can get my hands on a Mac. Does anyone know if there is a place to rent a Mac or something like that?

   So here are my most important issues/questions....I want to store the footage i tape and the finished edit. I want to be able to edit the footage or the already edited footage later if need be.

   So how do i do that?? What is the best format to do that or best format in general? Do i save the footage onto a disk being that the computer i will use is not mine so i can't save it onto the computer!

   Please help!

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. lomaymi
   Member

   

   Hello Lisa

   If you had never edited a video and haven't used any other NLE (Non Linear Editor) outside Windows Movie Maker, then jumping to Final Cut Pro will be extremely frustrating. Its a though program to learn and it takes time to master. If you don't have the time frame to learn to edit video then I suggest you hire a professional video editor this time.

   If your doing it yourself then you should get an external hardrive that you can carry around and there store everything. You can run the project files from the external hardrive via USB/e-Sata or the connection it have, but I think is not recommended to do so (lets see what the community says about this). The video formats could be the one the camcorder records (if the NLE accept it) or you could transcode it to .mov on Mac (Apple ProRes for Final Cut Pro) and on Windows I believe .wmv or .avi works best. There is no best video format to work with, it really depends on what exactly you are doing. Lets see what the Videomaker community says about this.

   The meaning of a movie are the characters, the life of the movie is the music, but the magic is in the editing.
   Luis O. Maymí
   Follow me on Twitter @lomaymi

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. runaway
   Member

   

   Hi Lisa,

   Regardless of which editing program you use just save your original work - direct from camera to disk.

   In other words be sure to do a back up before you do anything else. Then load your work into the editor and make your movie. Save the finished job on disk or usb stick.

   If you want to edit it later just reload it back into an editing program - do your editing - then reload onto a new disk. I would suggest that once you have chosen an editing program stay with the same one.

   I use Pinnacle 12.1 but this comes down to personal preference. There are many good programs out there. The most expensive isn't always the best.

   Hope this is some help. Happy filming, regards Jim.

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. composite1
   Moderator

   

   Lisa,

   Talk about jumping straight into the Shark Tank without a knife, snorkle, floatation device or knowing how to swim! I hate to say it, but starting from zero and with no computer on hand to do this stuff... wait. Have you ever used a mac? If you haven't, there's another learning curve issue you don't want to deal with when under the gun on a deadline.

   Okay, at the moment your best option is Movie Maker. Yeah, you can't do all the 'whizbang' stuff like with dedicated Non-Linear Editing Software, but right now all you need is to be able to make basic cuts (stay away from those funky transitions. I repeat stay away from the transisitons!)

   Runaway is correct about backing up your clips and your editing files. You'll need a USB (Firewire capable is better) External drive with a capacity of 60GB or better and a USB stick drive of 2GB or better. The external will hold your video files and your stick will hold your project files. You want them separate so you can save your project on both drives as a back up if anything happens to your external.

   Next you need to know what type of video your team is shooting. Standard DV or High Definition. If it's DV, no prob. If it's HD, prob. WMM up to Vista does not do HD. It doesn't come with Win7 Pro (which is most likely what your school has if it doesn't have Vista Pro) so it will have to be downloaded from MS (which your school's IT dept. probably isn't going to allow.) You definitely must find out what video format they are shooting in. If they don't know, look up their camera model to find out what formats it shoots in. My suggestion is if principal photography hasn't started yet tell your team to shoot in DV! If they get the 'we wanna shoot in HD for the quality' horsehockey, ask them how they're going to get it edited. Without a computer with the capacity and software to edit HD video you're dead in the water.

   Lastly, scour the video tutorials on both shooting and editing. Pay particular attention to; screen direction, continuity and cutting on action. Don't forget to take plenty of notes! Oh and if you're going to roll with Movie Maker, get "Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2" by Jan Ozer. You can order a copy from Amazon pretty cheap. Good luck. You're gonna' need it!

   H.Wolfgang Porter, Composite Media Producer
   Dreaded Enterprises Unlimited, Inc.
   http://www.dreadedenterprises.com

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. smellpoints
   Member

   

   I am having almost same problem. Amateur documentary maker,bought HD recording camera,wrote script and did shooting but do not know how to edit HD format video clips.Can handle w.movie maker but how to do in HD format?

   Posted 1 year ago #

6. Pablo
   Member

   

   Well, this is a bit old thread but I suggest start with Adobe Premiere Elements or some competitor in the same target. It is much more powerfull than MovieMaker and being a consumer oriented application it can be reasonably learn in a few hours.

   I've never used Final Cut, I use Premiere Pro and it's great for me. You need a project with no rush to learn it and plan to expend a lot of hours looking at forums when you have a problem, but that is the same for all packages.

    

    

   Posted 1 year ago #

7. signmax
   Member

   

    Hi to All,

   The best way to start you need help from somebody he can do the work for you or with you. Consider few elements:

   1) What is the camcoder you have in hand to shot the event.

   a) Camcoder with cassette

   b) Camcoder with hard drive

   c) Camcoder with memory chip.

   2) Which system you are familar using Windows Movie Maker or something like Adobe element something with a low learning curve not try to learn and use high class NLE editor.

   3) Storage on which media, external hardrive cost around $100 (sata)

   4) Depending format high class computer I7 or regular computer like Pentium 4

   If you are not familar with computer, NLE, storage device try to find help during shoting and after to edit and present.

   That is my point of view, the learning curve is about the same for all poeple ...

   Regards,

   YR

   Posted 1 year ago #

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