Edit to the Maxx - The Art of the Digital Cut - Part 13

by Steve Mullen

Published on Nov 27, 2006 8:00 AM
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Part 12 - Trimming in the Timeline    
     
In this Lesson, you will learn how to add video filters—which Avid calls Segment Effects. Filters are used to alter the way your video looks. The Color Effect filter is the one most commonly employed. You can use it to:
·        Color Correct a clip to remove an error that occurred during shooting.
·        Creatively alter the look of a clip. While I’m very conservative about altering the look of video, there’s no doubt that today, it seems no frame can go “unaltered.” Shows like “CSI Miami” punch-up scenes by increasing color saturation. Shows like “Studio 60” have shadows “crushed” to near black. And, “CSI NY” has blue added to many outdoor scenes while indoor crime scenes are often tinted a bit green. So, if you want to play with altering scenes, have fun.
Now that you have learned about Capture and Trimming, it is time to begin editing a real project. First, delete all the Projects you have been working on.
1.      When you loaded Free DV, I asked you to write down the path where Projects will be saved. For example:
/users/Shared/AvidFreeDV/Avid Projects/steve (OS X)
or
 C:Program FilesAvidAvidFreeDV/Avid ProjectsSteve (XP).
2.      Go to this folder, and you will find all your Project folders.
3.      Delete all folders.
4.      The next time you start Free DV, no Projects will be listed.
Capture clips that you can use to create a short (5-minute) video. Create one, or more, Sequences. Trim the clips and build a Timeline using Tracks V1 and A1. Now go through the Timeline and using Dynamic trimming, be sure each cut looks and sounds right.
Click on the yellow button at the bottom of the Timeline to place it into Extract/Splice-in mode.
 
Issue the Toolset > Effects Editing command. Then arrange the windows as shown below.
 
Now, issue the Toolset > Save Current command to save this arrangement.
Click on the purple Effects tab in the Project Bin.
 
Free DV provides three effect types: Blend, Edge Wipe, and Image.
 

1.      Blend: The most used Segment effect in this category is Superimpose, which is applied when two video clips overlay each other. The other effects are typically used as Transitions.
 
2.      Edge Wipe: The effects in this category are primarily used for transitions.
 
3.      Image: Both Color Effect and Resize can be applied to a single video clip, although Resize is typically applied when two video clips overlay each other.

Apply an Effect
Find the first clip to which you want to add an effect.
Drag an effect from the Effects Palette in the Project window onto a clip. The clip will become purple to signify an effect has been added to a clip.
 
Adjusted an Effect
Use the parameter controls in the Effects Editor to adjust the effect.
If you applied the Color Effect, the Effects Editor will appear as below.
 
This particular effect has six parameters.
1.      Luma Adjust:
·        Invert—reverses Black and White.
 
·        Bright—increases/decreases Brightness.
 
·        Cont—increases/decreases Contrast.
 
2.      Luma Range: You have no need to change these settings.
3.      Luma Clip: You have no need to change these settings.
4.      Chroma Adjust:
·        Invert—reverses both “primary” and “secondary” color components.
 
 
The original image is shown above.
 
·        Hue—adjusts chroma Phase.
 
  
 ·        Sat—increases/decreases chroma Saturation. You can convert color video to B&W using this filter.
 
5.      Color Style:
·        Post—increases amount of Posterization.
 
·        Solar—increases amount of Solarization.

6.      Color Gain
·        Red—increases/decreases the amount of Red.
 
·        Green—increases/decreases the amount of Green.
 
 

 

·        Blue—increases/decreases the amount of Blue.

Modify a Filter
• Single-click a clip to select it
• Modify the effect using the Effects Palette

Modify a Filter When not in Edit Effects Mode
• Single-click a clip to select it
• Click the Toolbar Effects Mode button—the leftmost button on the central Toolbar.

• Modify the effect using the Effects Palette
• Click the Toolbar Effects Mode button

Remove a Filter
• Single-click a clip to select it
• Click the Toolbar Remove Effect button—the 8th button from the left.

Real-time Performance
When real-time effects are enabled, the Digital Video Out button next to the Avid logo displays a glowing green dot. Click on the button to change the mode.
When real-time effects are disabled, the button displays a blue dot. All effects must then be rendered for playback. You can step through an unrendered effect, but the system ignores unrendered effects during playback. For example, unrendered transition effects play as cuts.

To render an effect:
• Place the blue Position Indicator over the effect to be rendered
• Click the Toolbar Render Effect button. (The center button below.)

Now click OK.

When you playback clips, yellow bars under the Timeline mark where Free DV had difficulty during playback.

Blue bars under the Timeline mark where Free DV had playback difficulty because of disk speed limitations.

Red bars under the Timeline mark where Free DV was unable to display frames during playback.

If you encounter dropped frames, and it disturbs you, you have two options:

1.      Click the Yellow/Green Video Resolution Toggle button at the bottom of the Timeline to Low-resolution mode.
 
Medium-resolution
 
 
Low-resolution
You can choose between Low-resolution mode that offers greater performance and Medium-resolution mode that offers lower performance.
2.      Bring-up the Video Display Settings (under the Settings tab) and enter the “number of seconds” to pre-fill frames into RAM. Pre-filling means you have to wait after pressing Play before playback begins. However, playback will be perfect.

Monitoring Video
If you select Special > Enable Digital Video Out, the Timeline output will be output via the computer’s FireWire port. Typically, you connect your DV camcorder to the FireWire port. Then connect a monitor to the camcorder. Now, you will be able to monitor video and audio using an NTSC or PAL monitor.

In the next Lesson, you will learn how to add transition effects to audio and video clips.

*

Steve Mullen owns Digital Video Consulting that offers eBooks on HD production. Currently, DVC offers two eBooks: the Sony HDV Handbook and the JVC ProHD Handbook. In January 2007, DVC will offer a new title: the Sony V1/FX7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $2599) Handbook. And, in March 2007, DVC will release an eBook on “Low-cost High-Definition DVD Creation.