Where to start on editing a VP11 video?

wbtczn wrote on 12/4/2011, 9:58 PM

I bit the bullet last month and bought my first HD camera and was able to use it last week to record a Christmas concert. I've got Vegas Pro 11, but really have done very little editing.

I've been scouring the 'net, looking at tutorials people have put out there, and it's very overwhelming. I feel like I'm trying to drink from the proverbial fire hose. I understand the really basic parts of splitting, fade in, fade out, etc.

What I'm trying to get a grasp on is -- where do I start with this video? Is there a basic process, template, whatever that you use when editing a video? My end goal for this is to share some bits and pieces on youtube, and perhaps an end to end piece on DVD or BluRay for my family who were in the concert.

Any suggestions?

Comments

john_dennis wrote on 12/4/2011, 10:06 PM

Start here.

amendegw wrote on 12/5/2011, 4:26 AM

The tutorials referenced by John Dennis are, indeed, a good place to start. If you are to Vegas 11 & HD, you will save youself a lot of headaches by using the "Match Media Settings" wizard to set your project properties.

...Jerry

kairosmatt wrote on 12/5/2011, 9:09 AM

Sounds like you're also looking for ideas for how to organize what you have and whittle it down into something you want to show. You can get as many answers here as there are posters!

Did you just shoot with your HD camera or do you have other angles?

When going through material like this I usually start by just watching the footage. I look for places where two things merge: the content and the filming.

For content, where are the key moments? Any memories or notes from the night also help here. For filming, where were you pointing the camera during the moment? Did you get it? Is it too shaky or out of focus? Too dark? OVerexposed? Bad framing? Try and cut that stuff out.

One method that works for us is to put the file on the timeline and just let it play. Hit 'm' every time you pass a moment that could work. It puts a marker on the timeline but doesn't stop playback. Later you can got back and review each spot.

kairosmatt

Steve Mann wrote on 12/5/2011, 9:44 AM

"where do I start with this video?"

At the beginning?

Seriously, Vegas is a very versatile NLE, but in general there's little you need to do. The default settings are made for you.

I do all my editing on the timeline - rarely ever use the trimmer. Just drag your source files to the timeline and start cutting and rearranging the events (everything on the timeline is an event, not a clip - just in case you need to look for something in the help file).

Vegas is non-destructive. That is, you cannot do anything to the original files. So, experiment. If you like what you see, save your project. Otherwise, start over with a new project. Your original files will never be altered, no matter what you do on the timeline.

CorTed wrote on 12/5/2011, 10:14 AM

Yes, NLE's are pretty forgiving, if you do not like a cut, just reload the clip and start over.
Also since you mentioned you recorded a concert, you may not want to many cuts in both audio & video. one neat trick would be to seperate the audio & video (using the event grouping button) and replace some (not so great) video with other, but leaving the audio track in place.

wbtczn wrote on 12/10/2011, 12:57 PM

Thanks all for your feedback -- it's been great.

John - I've pretty much been immersing myself in videos that are on Sony's website as well as youtube and Creative Cow. These are AWESOME. I learn much better in watching real examples than reading something in a book.

kairosmatt - the video I have is a one camera shot of a Christmas concert. We were sitting in the side blacony. For part of it, I had the camera sitting on the balcony rail. It was a bad angle and I have a triangle in the lower right hand corner which is all blurred and not of the concert -- it's the balcony rail. For some of the concert, I held the camera. It was better framing, but then had the new guy jitters. I hadn't taken a tripod with me because I didn't know if recording was going to be an option. It just so happened that I had the camera in the same pack I carry as my dSLR camera. I've got a lot of still photos too!

Steve - thanks for the 'non-destructive' comment. That's a really good point. I've been doing a lot of playing this week!

Grazie wrote on 12/10/2011, 1:03 PM

Ctrl+X (UNDO) is my favourite key combo!

Enjoy the ride, it's good fun.

Cheers

G

wbtczn wrote on 12/10/2011, 4:46 PM

Or..... CTRL+Z?

I've lived in the CTRL+Z world for a looooooooong time! :)

Steve Mann wrote on 12/10/2011, 10:06 PM

"Ctrl+X (UNDO) is my favourite key combo!"

Eureka - I think we've identified why your projects aren't saving........ (g)

Grazie wrote on 12/10/2011, 11:49 PM

What a toootal Planker I am! Yeah, yeah, yeah: [b]CTRL+Z. ...... [/B]

Nice one Steve. Lol!

Where's that pointed hat? - I'll go sit in the corner....

G

amendegw wrote on 12/11/2011, 5:21 AM

Hey, Ctrl+X (followed by a Ctrl+V) is a pretty nice combo (i.e. cut then paste).

My second favorite (after Ctrl+Z) is alt+4 For some reason I continually lose the preview screen on my laptop.

...Jerry

paul_w wrote on 12/11/2011, 6:04 AM

absolutely, Ctrl: Z X C V are our friends! the block of four, bottom left. :)

Paul.

rs170a wrote on 12/11/2011, 6:56 AM

Let's not forget Ctrl S
Do a few edits, Ctrl S, do a few more edits, Ctrl S, repeat ad infinitum :)

Mike