THE VIDEO ZONE: Editing your Underwater Film

First off, what is editing? Editing is the process of removing unwanted material and piecing together a film in the desired sequence to create a final finished production that the audience will view. Without editing, the story line can be incomplete, contain rough cuts and unwanted shots and even be out of sequence. A filmmaker needs to edit a production to consistently create a film an audience will enjoy watching. Editing can either be done in-camera (old technique) or in post production using editing software (most popular).

So let’s take a moment and look at what in-camera editing is. Basically, it’s the method of shooting the entire film in sequence, with each shot properly timed and with bad shots eliminated so that when you’re shooting is completed you have a finished film. The complete process is done in-camera, hence the name. With that in mind what are the advantages and disadvantages of the process?

Advantages of in-camera editing:

• Requires no editing equipment.
• Removes the need for post production editing if done properly.
• Maintains the initial images quality because the finished film is first generation and no file compression or loss of quality has occurred.

Disadvantages:

• Requires precision and planning to be effective - there is no chance to correct problems later.
• You can’t take the same shot using two or three different points of view (POV) and then choose the one you like best later.
• Special effects and titles are limited to the camera’s capabilities.
• Requires extra shooting effort (for example, if you have a sequence that starts in front of a diver, cuts behind the diver, then returns to the front of the diver, you have to swim back and forth to shoot in that order and this process creates dangerous diving practices if the film requires shots from above and below a diver - creating saw tooth profiles). With post production editing, you could shoot all of the shots from one POV then move to the next and put them in order later when in post production.

Technique:

• Plan the film very carefully and with as much detail as possible.
• Shoot each shot in sequence; if you have a bad shot, back up and record over it (many systems have special features to assist with this, such as edit search buttons).
• Allow for the camera when timing shots. Most cameras have a slight delay when you start recording, so begin recording early. Also, most stop instantly when you stop, or even back up a few frames, so hold the shot just a little bit long.
Effective, precise planning and shot listing is a must when using In Camera Editing.

Post production editing:

So what is post-production then? Well post-production editing is the method of shooting footage required by your story line, then choosing and sequencing that footage in a separate, post-filming edit session. It’s as simple as that! The filmmaker still creates a script, shot list and storyboard but then has the affordability of clustering all shots required from one location together for filming. This can save time on revisiting a location on repeat occasions or in the case of diving from going to shallower depths to deep and back to shallow thus creating saw tooth profiles and dangerous diving practices. Let’s take a look at just some of the disadvantages and advantages of the post-production process.

Typical post-production setup

Advantages of post-production editing:

• You have leeway for error because you can cut out mistakes later and ‘leave them on the cutting room floor’.
• Although editing is easier the more you shoot in sequence, you can shoot out of sequence to make the dive easier and re-sequence during editing.
• With sophisticated editing systems, you can take advantage of special effects that add professionalism to your video.
• If unsure the best way to shoot something, you can try several ways and pick the best one later.
• Shot length can be timed perfectly by trimming in post.

Disadvantages of post production editing:

• Requires additional equipment - a PC or MAC with editing software
• Can be time consuming – an easy way to work out editing time is roughly 1 minute of finished sequence takes approximately 1 hour to edit.
• At a minimum, post production editing requires:
– playback unit (may be video camera) to play footage taken
- PC or MAC with appropriate movie editing software
– record unit (may be a standard VCR) to record the footage you want to be in your edited video
– DVD Recording Software to create the final film disc

Basic technique:

• You don’t need to plan the video as tightly as for in-camera editing, unless you plan to shoot out of sequence a lot. In that case, make a list of shots and check them off as you take them so you don’t leave any out. Its always good practice to plan you film well including scripts and shot lists.
• Start each shot a bit early and hold it a bit long to give room to edit later. Roughly a 10 sec shot allows for accurate trimming later.
• If you’re not satisfied with a shot, don’t back up and record over it, just reshoot it. You might find you like the first shot better when reviewing.
Some advanced post-production equipment includes:
• Professional, High Definition editing software makes the work easier
• External HD monitor for review playback
• Edit controller/jog shuttle wheel - operates software edit decks from a single unit
• Top spec processors, video cards and special effects computers allow audio dubbing, fades, titles, colour enhancement and other effects.

Editing software

So after looking at both methods which one would I recommend to the readers of Sport Diver? Well it’s really quite easy - post-production editing is so much easier than the in-camera editing process. Post allows for greater time to be spent ensuring each shot is the required length, colour and composition. With post production editing software multiple layers and effects are possible and software is easily available. Most people these days take a PC or MAC with them on their travels and this ensures that a post-production edit suite is at the filmmaker’s finger tips at the end of each dive. Social networking sites and video hosting sites are prolific and this allows for instant availability of the filmmakers work to be viewed worldwide.

My next article will take a look at what software is available for the recreational underwater filmmaker and we will also take a peek at professional edit suite software. Why not follow me on Twitter at @H20_Films or @bryanstanislas for our latest tweets and info.

For more information about H20 Films, click here.

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