Editing Lesson Blog

   Firstly, we learned about the cameras and tripods we will be using. We learned that the cameras are touchscreen. Additionally, the screws on the specific tripods we are using allows you to tilt/pan the camera in the shot you are filming. After learning about the cameras and tripods we are using to film with, we learned about editing. Honesty, the first time around, this was very overwhelming to learn about because the editing software we are using seemed very complex. However, after re-reading the notes I took, I think using it won’t pose a challenge in our overall production process. After we finish filming, the first thing we will do is log onto our computers. When on the desktop, right click and ”open a new folder”. This is done so we can add footage to this folder for later use. Next, we will take the SD Card, put it into the SD Card reader, and insert the reader into our computers.

   After every filming day, we will have to “dump” footage onto either a google drive, or straight into our folder, which corresponds to what project we are working on (commercial, music video, etc.). Once in our folder, we have to click the tab titled “DCIM” (this is where all the pictures are stored, labeled by date and time). On a side note, if pictures aren’t in the “DCIM” folder, they will definitely be in another folder titled “AVCHD”. Once we find our clips, we have to highlight them on the computer and drag them to the corresponding folder for whichever project we are working on. Following this, we have to start up the Pinnacle editing software. After it is open, we click the edit tab, then click “file”, then “New Movie”. To import footage from the desktop of the computer to the pinnacle editing software, click “import” tab, then “desktop”, find clips and highlight them, then click “start import”. Once all our clips are in the editing software, we will see them all raw footage. This just means it is the actual clips we shot when filming, without any editing. We then dragged our clips to AV Track 2, because this is where any film will be placed. For reference, AV Track 1 will store any titles for the production we are working on, and AV track 3 will store any music.

   To cut any clips, click the razor blade icon right where you want to cut a shot. Additionally, to undo an action in the editing software, all we had to do was click “File”, then “Undo.” Right click on a shot to change the speed of the shot. To detach audio from a clip, click on the clip you want to mute, then click “detach audio.” When creating titles, click the “T” icon, then type out the title you would like. By the way, we were able to change the color, font size, etc. Click “OK” when done making changes, and then move the title to AV Track 1. Double-click on the clip link to move the title on the actual film. For saving purposes, click “File”, then “Save movie as”, then add it to correct folder. Finally, for exporting, make sure the product is saved as a “MPEG 4” and as “SD (Best Quality).” Click “export”, then title it, then click “save.” After you click export, the film proceeds to render, which means it is making the changes you made when you were editing. Once finished, we could exit out of editing software and then send our finished product to our teacher.