[MacDV] Re: Suggestions for sound capture at wedding

[Chuck Kay]

on 4/12/03 8:13 AM, Macintosh Digital Video List at
MacDV at lists.themacintoshguy.com wrote:

>> I'd think you would just extract the audio from the stationary camera
>> and use it throughout (having turned off the audio on the video
>> tracks). Or am I missing something?
>> 
> 
> I did that, and locked the stationary camera's video to the audio. But
> then I tried to superimpose the cutaway camera's footage in the
> timeline, alternating stationary distance shots with close-ups and
> different angles. Getting those cutaways synchronized is the problem.

I think I understand exactly what your are saying. In using iMovie, I have
reversed the roles of my cameras. I use my stationary camera as the close-up
camera. I try to find a good angle to see the "married couple to be" and
place my camera accordingly. The audio from this camera is what I use
throughout the ceremony. Most of my cutaway shots are from other cameras
that are usually shots from a further distance. This takes away much of the
syncing problem when editing in iMovie.

However, I do have someone (inconspicuously, with permission, not causing a
visual disgtraction) to occasionally pan, slight zoom, etc... using a good
tripod from one person to the next. This usually does not affect the audio.
I have used wireless and also the built-in mic on a Sony VX2000. Also, you
could use an audio mixing board which allows you to use more mics if needed
and feed straight into the camera.

I paste over video using iMovie. I find the exact in and out points on my
main video track (from the close-up camera), calculate the exact time of the
clip. I split the video at those exact in and out points. This leaves me
with a video clip of a duration I can now edit my cutaway shots to match
precisely (including exact frame count). I usually extract the audio from
the cutaway video clip and throw away it away (yes, throw away the audio
clip). I position the play-head at the precise beginning point of the
resulting short clip from my main video, and paste-over with the edited
cutaway video clip minus the audio. Voila! You can even add a transition on
either side to make it look professionally done.

**Quick note--the last time I did this with iMovie was approx. 1 year ago,
so if I missed something, I'm sure somebody will straighten it out. Also, as
another note, the "SLICK" video effect transitions work the same. You paste
over a "video effect" which does not affect the original audio. You wouldn't
use the audio of the second video source.

Chuck Kay