Quick-cut programme sought?

[Alex Luette]

I usually work with Premiere. But I need something different and wonder if anyone can recommend anything: I'm filming some theatre productions, so I'll have a timeline with 4 tracks of the same show from different cameras. I want software with which I can quickly and easily cut between tracks, which is not possible with Premiere. Can anyone suggest a suitable programme?

[daamon]

Hi Alex Luette,

I use Adobe Premiere v6.0 though, admittedly, not for the type of thing you describe you want to do.

That said, if you set your timeline to "A/B Editing" ("Window -> Workspace -> A/B Editing") that'll give you extra video and audio timelines into which you can add video / audio clips.

To add extra timelines, just right click on any of the video or audio timelines and select "Add Video Track" or "Add Audio Track" as required.

Once you've got all your footage from your 4 cameras in, you can cut out the bits you don't need / want in each timeline (using the "Razor" tool) and then tweak as required to get the desired end result.

Does that help? Is that what you're after?

[Alex Luette]

Many thanks. But the point is I don't want to be having to cut and twaek timelines with the razor and other tools. I want a slicker, quicker way of jumping between tracks on the timeline without having to cut or mask any tracks above.
I've been using Premiere for three years now and know it very well. I also hold it in extremely high regard - no, I LOVE it! But even so, it's not capable of doing what I want in this case and so I'm after something that is.

[daamon]

Ah. I see. In that case, sorry - I swear by Adobe Premiere too...

Good luck in your search. Please post back if you find a superior replacement for that particular task as I (and maybe others in the future) would like to know...

[Alex Luette]

I'm STILL looking. Can NO ONE help??!!

[daamon]

Hi,

Look in "Advanced Video Editors" in the "Tools" section. I filtered on "Type" to get the most expensive ones to the bottom (based on the logic that "the more you pay, the more features" - not always true, I know, but hey...)

This listed Avid Xpress DV ("...and multiple simultaneous real-time streams..."), and aist MoviePack ("...MoviePack V6 is the next step in professional video editing software..."). If you read the descriptions, they may fit the bill.