Task 3 - Be able to edit moving image material

Editing Technology:

Software Applications:

Software applications more specifically editing software enables you to customize and edit video and audio to an industry standard, depending on your experience with this type of software. The type of editing software can also vary in quality and finding the ideal one is really only down to experience, however there are a few that are recommended:

• Sony Vegas - Supplied by Sony
• Premiere Pro - Supplied by Apple
• Media Composer - Recommended by the Film Industry

Then aren't generally something you'll use if you're starting off in this medium of work and there are other software can can act as a good stepping stone to reaching more sophisticated editing software. 

Hardware e.g. Non-linear and Linear:

Non-Linear: This is a form of editing that acts almost like a safety mode as the changes that you make aren't final and can be reversed at the push of a button without any damaged to the material that you are using. Editing in Non-linear can be accomplished with all editing software like Premiere, Sony Vegas, Media Composer and even lower standard editing software like iMovie and Moviemaker.  

Linear: However editing in linear doesn't have those benefits that Non-linear has. Editing this way can come with some great risks as the changes you're making can't be reversed without damage to the original material. This type of editing isn't as universally used as much anymore and has been overthrown by Software Editing. Editing of this form include editing with physical film.

High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD):

HD -  One of the most demanded things in media is how much we can get our movies and games to look like reality; seriously someone sued Sony Entertainment once about a game that said 1080p graphics in multiplayer for PC when it was really just under. SO people really demand this sort of quality. To reach this sort of standard on Television High Definition or HD for short is used to define the picture quality for video which can reach up to 720p to 1080p to all the way to 8k! however while this does mean a detailed image the one main draw back is file size and download time.

SD - Standard Definition isn't to at all be compared to HD as SD is designed to be of a lower quality with lesser pixels, going about as high as 480p. The difference isn't immediately noticeable however the positives to SD is small file size and a lightening fast download time.   

Tapes and Hard Disc:

Tapes - Tapes aren't used as much in this modern age of media, everything is done digitally now so technology like tape hasn't had the spotlight for a number of years now. Tape if you didn't know is used to store data; primarily audio and video, that is a highly thin sheet that can be rolled into a circle and can be stored in rounded containers. This devices's storage can exceed 5TB (Terra-byte) and have a life expectancy of around 15 years if stored correctly. Originally these would've been found in all film based products like Cassettes and VCRs but has since stopped in production and have become a mere relic of the 20th century. 

Hard Disc - Now the most used and most common form of storage is hard disc. Having a storage capacity of around 4TB these fair without storage and don't require the treatment that tape does, however where hard disc may be the newest form of storage for film and audio; the life expectancy is usually between 1-3.

Editing Process:

Use Appropriate Techniques:

The way that the edit is pieced together creates the feeling that the main action is constantly consistent to the previous clip without an obvious jump between the cuts. As if it were filmed with two cameras

Montage:

A series of clips that last a short amount of time but actually form a short story of what's happened with that time while only lasting around a minute or slightly more.

Jump-Cutting:

A camera technique that involves editing together the same series of shots however in each on is a slightly different camera angle. It's usually used as a manipulation of space and time.

Parallel Editing:

Two sequential events that appear to be taking place at the same time. This can be used to misdirect the view or to confuse them. 

Use appropriate transitions:

Cut - A simple cut between tow shots without any interruption between the two. This is most used and appears in every blockbuster movie. 

Dissolve - An effect used to transition to another shot with the previous shot appearing to dissolve into particles slowly into the next shot.

Fade - A simple transition between two shots with the previous shot fading away either quickly or slowly until it is not visible into black

Wipe - An effect where the previous shot wipes to the next shot. This is largely used in George Lucas's Star Wars.

Use appropriate conventions:

Cutaways - These are a technique which are used often by editors instead of using a simple cut or transition. A Cutaway is where there is a longer scene that is cut to another shot at is typically unrelated or parallel to the previous shot. For example; there is a shot of a man making his way down a pier during a sunny day. It then cuts to a Seagull feeding on some chips that have been dropped on the floor and then cuts back to the previous shot of the man walking along the pier.

Cutting on action - A technique where a series of shots follow the same action that a character is making. This is used as a way of creating continuity between shots and makes a scene quicker while delivering the same action that just filming the exact same scene in one shot.

Intercutting: A technique where a shot cuts to different type of shot i.e. a long shot to a wide shot.

Pace Effectively: 

Pacing between clips and scenes is VERY important and crucial for every scene within the previously mentioned products. If you edit clips where there isn't enough time between them or certain clips running for too long then it will effect the product's quality. If shots are cut too shortly then not only will it appear unnatural but ultimately that clip is useless and wasted. Running shots longer than their welcomed are also bad because again; it feels unnatural but it's also boring especially if there isn't anything actually happening that advances the plot in ANY way. Example time.
 Personally for me, I find this not only a waste of time but also a waste of film. It's boring and unnecessary.

Fast Pacing -
The Italian Job-

Slow Pacing -
The King's Speech-

Use sound to create impact:
Using sound effectively can reap great rewards; some of those rewards is either watching people scream when that ghost finally appears with a terrifying sound after a minute of silence or witnessing the crunch of a well caught punch on-screen or that flaming alien robot that had that ear ringing explosion. It sound that really creates that thrilling experience that consumers look for in film and being able to effectively use it can be very beneficial.
 A great example of this would be the final battle in the third Star Wars episode where you can hear the two lightsabers connect like flaming swords not to mention the effect they added for their force powers like intense wind being forced forward.

Synchronize sound and vision:
 Being able to line up audio and video can be rather difficult because you need to get it to line up perfectly otherwise your edit will come out looking like a shoddy job, unnatural or maybe even both. So it's vital that something to make this job easier would be advisable. The most used way of doing this that every film and tv industry would be to acquire a Clapper Board. These are primarily used to fix the issue that I mention earlier. The clapper board creates a 'clap' like sound that'll be evident in the audio version of a scene while in the video equivalent; you'll see someone position the clapper board in front of the camera and slam to top half onto the bottom of the clapper board. It's this that you use to line up the 'clap' sound with the connection of the two halves of the clapper board. So issue avoided.

Task 2 - Be able to prepare moving image material for editing

Preparation Techniques:

Checking material for faults: before the start of any edit, you'll need to check to ensure that any of the actual material for any issues and damage. This is required to spot any faults early to avoid problems when the time comes to edit for a project.

Faults can include: erosion, damage to tape (Wearing around the edges and scratches)

Synchronizing Rushes: Being able to line up audio and video can be rather difficult because you need to get it to line up perfectly otherwise your edit will come out looking like a shoddy job, unnatural or maybe even both. So it's vital that something to make this job easier would be advisable. The most used way of doing this that every film and tv industry would be to acquire a Clapper Board. These are primarily used to fix the issue that I mention earlier. The clapper board creates a 'clap' like sound that'll be evident in the audio version of a scene while in the video equivalent; you'll see someone position the clapper board in front of the camera and slam to top half onto the bottom of the clapper board. It's this that you use to line up the 'clap' sound with the connection of the two halves of the clapper board. So issue avoided.

Producing a Rushes Log: A rushes log is used to informs film crews what is in need of being recorded and also what needs re-recording. These are a way of telling others of what they'll need to complete a project in terms of filming in case of the event of lack of footage or even damaged footage.

Marking up a script: Being able to mark up a script is not only good practice for voice actors/actresses but it's also great for delivering on a quality performance for either a project or a client. When given a script it's important to not only read through it but also to leave notes on certain words that need more emotion and directions on how to deliver particular lines.

Labelling tapes: Labelling tapes is ideal for an editor when sifting through material as it can save them time when looking for certain tapes. rather than sitting through an entire length of tape, by putting at the start; what scene, what take and who is in the scene can be one unnecessary task out of the way and the editor can carry on with their part of the job description. 

Storing tapes or film: This is vital to ensuring that the material that an editor is using or is planning to use later on is protected from the harsh elements of the outside so as to maintain the integrity of the material's condition. An ideal fashion to do this is to contain the material within a container (Hence the name) which can hold a roll of tape or film to hold them in a safe environment to be stored into an area i.e. a storage room where you can keep a collection of containers holding all your material.

Producing an edit decision list: or an EDL for short is a physical copy listing edits of clips complete with the order of reel and their timecodes to plan ahead of the final edits. These are used to write down what edits are to be carried out at what points and at what order clips are to be edited together before the actual final edit. This is especially useful as changes can be made along the way in case new shots are taken or if entire new scenes are introduced.

Creating Bins: The basics of creating bins is a terms used as a way to filter film and audio in sub categories as to ensure that an editor knows where to locate the material without having to waste time searching through a giant list comprising of film and audio. Being able to go into a bin labelled film and searching for a specific shot can save a considerable amount of time. 

Clarifying the purpose of the work with a client or director: Being able to continue with your work with as little stress is to ensure that your employer whether they're an actual client or your director is they are up to date with the progress with the project and that you're doing a good job. The last thing you want is having someone look down your neck and making as little progress as you would do if you had kept up to date.

Preparing to Edit:

Importing Clips: To prepare for editing, you'll first require the material you need to begin. Otherwise you're going nowhere. So to get a hold of your material, you'll need to import some of the material (Footage/Audio) that you or a team has taken straight from the storage device that it was contained in.

Bins: Now you'll need to allocate where your material will be placed so as to edit efficiently as possible i.e Footage Bin - where clips are placed, Audio Bin - where all audio based material is kept.

Timelines: Setting up timelines according to how your EDL tells you is important as you'll want to know how many slots in your timeline you'll require for both video and audio.

Storage and folder management: Being able to manage how you set up your storage is highly efficient as it can save you considerable amount of time if all your material is stored in allocated folders that are labelled correctly rather than everything being either scattered throughout unlabelled folders or are all in a data sea on one folder.

Online and Offline editing: 

Offline - This is a pre-production process where footage and audio are edited together without affecting the original material. This is where companies will have put together their first edit which is where this edit then goes over to the online editor.

Online - A post-production process where an online editor will obtain an offline version of the final edit which is where he/she will include additional effects, visual tweaks, filters and additional renders.

Formats: Once editing has finished the journey isn't over yet for there is one final step to take. The final export of the finished product. However with exporting there are a variety of different formats to export your project into, some of which are:

• MPEG - The most common and used in modern media
• AVCHD - Similar to MPEG however is best suited for HD exports onto DVD
• MOV - An extension of Apple's QuickTime Player which compacts video, audio and effects and text into one format that can be also be easily edited without any permanent changes to the original material.
• AVI - A slightly outdated format that's used to store video and audio and are supported by most smart TVs and Disc players.
• WMV - Is used to export video as a smaller file but at the cost at a lower quality. It is however supported by most applications and systems including Microsoft's Xbox 360 console

Resolution: Resolution is what dictates the overall quality in pixels and dimension of the final export. Most commonly written down as width x height as the dimension i.e. 1920 x 1080.