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  1. Member
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    I need advice on software choice. Here is what I have and need to do: Digital audio track edited, unedited vid from 3 cameras that need to be sync'd with audio track (cam vids not continuous so each time a cam restarts it needs to be cued to specific place in the audio track). I would like to see a playback of all three vids simultaneously so I can choose which cam source to use. Only need to cut and dissolve. I have never edited before but I understand basic concept. Newbie would much appreciate your advice on which software to use. In order of importance: being able to sync the vid sources to the laid down audio track; 2: being able to see all 3 sources simultaneously so I know where to cut. Thank you so much!
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  2. Member Soopafresh's Avatar
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    "Quality is cool, but don't forget... Content is King!"
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    Thanks for your response. I don't have Final Cut Pro, so the cost of that software plus $150 for this software is beyond my budget. I have no income. But, thanks.
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  4. how about this then? If you have no income and can't buy any software then why ask???
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  5. Member Soopafresh's Avatar
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    3-Cam Editing Project + $0 Budget = Fail

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVFEDccid_A&fmt=18
    "Quality is cool, but don't forget... Content is King!"
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    I didn't intend to imply I couldn't spend any money, just that the suggestion of Final Cut Pro (at about $800 ?) plus $150 for the additional software is beyond what I can afford. This is a one-time-only project - I'm trying to preserve a performance of mine from 30 years ago from disparate pieces that were recently found. Rudeness in response to a newbie's request for help... perhaps I'm in the wrong forum. Over the years, I've gone to hardware and software forums and found kind, helpful people. Perhaps this is the wrong place.
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  7. Member Soopafresh's Avatar
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    Sorry if I was rude. Trying to keep you from shaving hours off your life if you do things the hard way. Especially since you're a beginner, trying to sync audio and shots between 3 cameras is going to take you a long time.
    "Quality is cool, but don't forget... Content is King!"
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    Even though you think $800 is too much, I'll still throw in the one I use all the time for multicam editing with audio.....
    Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 or later. About the same price but that is all you need. Pretty simple to do, actually.

    Soopafresh summed it up pretty acurately with his formula:
    3-Cam Editing Project + $0 Budget = Fail
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  9. Member Safesurfer's Avatar
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    You could try Editstudio for a cheaper option - $89

    See http://www.mediachance.com/video/multicam.html for details on its' multicam effect.
    "Just another sheep boy, duck call, swan
    song, idiot son of donkey kong - Julian Cope"
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    Thanks Soopafresh and Safesurfer. I appreciate it.
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    Safesurfer - this looks like exactly what I need. But I have one question: If you have used this software, do you know if I will be able to sync sources that have gaps in them? In the product description they mention continually rolling multiple cameras. Unfortunately only one camera was constantly rolling, the others have gaps so I will need to sync the cuts before choosing the final mix. I appreciate your help. Thanks.
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  12. Member Safesurfer's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by RoberBangkok
    Safesurfer - this looks like exactly what I need. But I have one question: If you have used this software, do you know if I will be able to sync sources that have gaps in them? In the product description they mention continually rolling multiple cameras. Unfortunately only one camera was constantly rolling, the others have gaps so I will need to sync the cuts before choosing the final mix. I appreciate your help. Thanks.
    Yes, see the section entitled Capturing and Synchronizing feeds in the pdf manual. Here's the section quoted below.

    Capturing and Synchronizing feeds
    Normally when using multi-camera setup, your cameras are switched ON and then left rolling. You
    don't pause them as you would with a single camera, because this will later make it impossible to
    synchronize. (For this purpose a timecode generator or "jam sync" is used in professional TV
    production, but is not always available or usable for a small production)
    If you are going to capture tape from multiple cameras, you should first switch off the scene detection
    during capturing, to make sure each tape is recorded as one block:
    After capturing you will put each video and audio into own layer, so you need to create enough empty
    layers. For 4-camera setup the layout should look like this, where you put all the videos, then all the
    audio tracks:

    Now you can add captured videos to the tracks, one by one:
    This videos are not synchronized yet as we hardly switched ON each of the camera at the exactly
    same time.
    We need to move each video left or right on the timeline until they are all in sync.
    Some tricks to help you synchronize the video:
    - If the cameras are not too far from each other, use audio clues. Move and play two video clips
    (disable the others) until the audio doesn't echo. This doesn't work well on cameras that are too far
    apart as the echo is actually created by the distance.
    - Use visual clues such as eye blink of a person
    - When start filming you can use the old trick of event film-makers - fire a flash from a still digital
    camera. Then you can sync all videos on the flash.

    After videos are synchronized, Lock each of them in place (CTRL+K).
    Now disable all audio layers, but leave just one with the best sound.
    You are ready for Multi-Camera editing.
    "Just another sheep boy, duck call, swan
    song, idiot son of donkey kong - Julian Cope"
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    Bless you! Thanks much.
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    yep the quote above says it's "impossible" to sync the multiple video files..what it should say is "very tedious" .

    that $90 software looks pretty good!
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