It is a known fact today that all efficient editing workflow depend on a solid editing system. There is an array of systems to choose from. These include –Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier, Microsoft Surface Studio, Corsair One Pro, Imac Pro, Apple Mac Pro, Lenovo Yoga and several others. Irrespective of which ever hard/software you intend to use for editing, your knowledge of the machine/working tool is very essential. The stages of the editing process generally referred to as post production is the standard approach for every film editor. This is the stage where the film editor exercises his creativity by editing the picture and the sound tracks together, special/visual effects are generated, titles, graphics, credits are added, together with sound effects and music during post production to tell a complete story as envisioned by the director who has visually interpreted the script.
To perform an editing process, editors must go through the stages outlined below:
120
Acquire – Get all footage shot by the production team whether on emulsion film, analog tape, digital tape or digital files; import, capture or digitize all materials as media on your storage drives.
Organise – Arrange/sort out all picture and audio materials- label group and sort out all materials needed for the project.
Review and select – watch all the materials: visual/audio and pick out all the best elements you would require for the edit.
Assemble Edit together in a logical sequence both picture and sound from the selected material into a skeleton framework of the entire story.
Rough cut- Tweak the assemble edit until the story flow is cleaner. This is where you remove the fat; trimmed away and the story begins to take shape. It is the tentative arrangement of shots and shot sequences in the appropriate sequence and length. The various picture and sound take in their correct sequence.
Fine cut – the edited pictures has a tight pacing with no glitches in the picture or sound. The final tweaks are made. No major renovations are necessary in the edited work as a selected group has previewed and given a pass mark.
Picture Lock- at this stage, all the visual edited elements are rock solid and no further changes are required. You may now begin your audio mixing needs all audio creation and tweaking may begin.
Mastering and delivery- your work is now completed the finished edited work is authored and delivered to the viewing audience.
Today‘s technology has made it possible for you to record your final cut video-tape, creating an optional film print for projection in a movie theatre, DVD or as a computer video file.
Basic Shot Transitions
The most common types of transitions from shot-shot that you will use at those edit points you have determined are:
Cut – the cut is an instantaneous change of one shot to another
121
Dissolve – An editorial device that permits the second shot to emerge through the first and replace it on the screen
Fade in- The gradual appearance of picture from black. Fade out- the disappearance of picture to a black screen.
Wipe - Transition in which a second image, framed in some geometrical shape gradually replaces all or part of the first one.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Technology has brought about new and easier techniques of editing.
5.0 SUMMARY
Having gone through this unit , you should be able to explain the evolution of film and video editing; state reasons why editing is necessary after production and explain the basic types of shots and edit transitions. Again, you should be able to describe video editing production workflow; explain the role of a film editor in post-production and differentiate the tools used in both film (celluloid) and video editing.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Watch the rushes or dailies of a production and give reasons why editing is necessary in shaping the story.
2. What are edit transitions and how do they advance story telling while editing a drama, TV commercial or jingle?
3. What do you understand by the basic post-production workflow? Explain all the stages involved as you progress in editing a short film.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Anderson, H. Gary. (1984). Video Editing & Post Production: A Professional Guide.
New York: knowledge Industry publications Inc.
Roberts, H. Kenneth, & Sharples, W. Jr. (1971). A Primer for Film-Making. Indiana:
The BobbsMerril Company Inc.
122
Thompson, Roy, & Bowen, Christopher. (2009). Grammer of the Edit. (2nd ed.).
London: Focal Press.
Zettl, Herbert. (2000). Television Production Handbook. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
123