multiple camera shots from wedding

[ZENARCHER]

I taped my sisters wedding and so did 2 other people, I would like to
try using multiple angle shots for my dvd. But I have a feeling this
is going to be hard for a semi newbie. I do have an audio tape of
the whole wedding and was wondering if I could sync the multiple
veiws with that. Or would there be a better way. Or just tell me
I'm in over my head.

Thanks Zen

[tlegion]

First, the video. This is only possible with a multi-track editor such as Premiere or Vegas etc. While it may be possible with a mid-level program such as video studio, its easier with the more advanced programs.

The easiest way to sync the tapes is to load the longest, find a unique place (couple kissing is a good spot) place a marker there.
Load another tape onto another track, find the same spot, place a marker on that track at that spot. Do the same with the third tape.

Move the 2nd and 3rd tracks so that the markers line up.

Once the video tracks are lined-up (more or less), lock them to prevent them from moving then load the audio. (you should delete the audio from the two shorter tracks).

Find a place on either the video or the new audio track where something unique happens such as the music starting after the kiss and do the mark-and-move as with the video tracks. Here, of course, you are moving the audio track.

Once you have the tracks lined up, you have to do what's called an A-B roll (or A-B-C here) where to view a particular track, you remove sections of the other tracks.

That's the short version.

To the pros: I'm an amateur, so that's how I do it. I'm sure you guys use synchronized time code, gen locks, yada yada.

[guns1inger]

Audio is the best way to sync (which is why they use clapper boards in the movies). Otherwise the approach is sound.

You will find that you probably need to spend some time doing colour correction to adjust for different white balances on the different cameras, and having a single audio track to finish off will add polish.

If you are going to cut down the final video, I would put it all together first, with a single audio track across the lot. Use this as the master for the final edit to shorten it (if that is the way you wish to go). This will simplify the audio side of things in the long run.

[ZENARCHER]

Thanks for the help, but it sounds like I'm in
over my head. All I've worked with is VS9.
Thanks again, I have got alot of info just
reading from this site, and maybe some
day I can move on from being a newbie.

Thanks Zen