Computer selected editing

indybones

indybones

Well-known member
Hi Peeps...

Now this is a bit of a long shot, but I was wondering if this is possible in FCP, if not is there a way of being able to do it in some other software?

What I'm after is a way of taking the decision out of the logic of conscious editing, and allowing the computer/program to define what clip comes first, second, third etc.

So that there is no one definitive series of edits which make up the film, no one definitive cut which has been created by the editor, no one definitive start and end point. The computer/program has all of the footage/sound but randomly decides the edits points. Hope all that makes sense?

This is sounding very Lynchian I know, but if there is a way I would very much appreciate some info on it please.

Thank you

Indy
 
I saw a demo of first cuts at the Denver FCPUG with Philip Hodgetts. I gotta tell you, I was impressed.
 
But the key is that all of your clips have to be logged so the software can make those choices. Philip also said that this version was designed for doc work.
 
Still logging footage is pretty much a must in doco. and if you manipulated that log info correctly, you could probably set up for most things. I just watched the demos and on first look it creates a nice start point, so you can then go in and get your hands dirty on it making adjustments.
 
The first cut of a piece is by far the most important. It lays the foundation for everything to come. Anyone who entrusts their film to something like First Cuts is an untalented boob who should do everyone a favor and give up filmmaking.
 
Then call me an untalented boob. I have made more than a few films and I am working on a doc (among other things), that this might come in handy for. I have seen this stuff work and it basically does the same thing an assistant editor does. It gives you a starting point, allowing you to make creative decisions as you see fit. You still determine the final edit

Is it really necessary to call people names?
 
Jim2000 said:
The first cut of a piece is by far the most important. It lays the foundation for everything to come. Anyone who entrusts their film to something like First Cuts is an untalented boob who should do everyone a favor and give up filmmaking.
Click to expand...

Well it depends upon if you taking a critical stand point and utilizing/critiquing and creating new and challenging ways of dealing with film making, editing and narrative structures.

You have stated that
Anyone who entrusts their film to something like First Cuts is an untalented boob who should do everyone a favor and give up filmmaking.
Click to expand...

In my opinion this is taking a point of view that quite frankly is very unconstructive, and very limited in it's view of the materiality and usage of filmmaking and its component parts.
How do you define film making? By your statement it proposes that there is one definitive definition of film making and editing? Is there? Well to be honest with you I don't think there is and there shouldn't be, we should always be looking forward, utilizing new and emerging technologies to help us best express ourselves.

It depends upon what the filmmaker/artist is wishing to communicate with his/her ideas.
If filmmakers/artists were to continue with what seems to me your very limited point of view of what defines a film, a narrative and editing we wouldn't have film makers such as David Lynch.
If we take your stand point then we would all be following a set of codes, conventions and a series of semiotics laid down by the film industry.
I for one am not happy with the idea that some one or in this case the film industry and it's historical back-age is telling me what I can and cannot do to express the ideas I am wishing to communicate.

Indy
 
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I apologize to Indybones and Jim Brennan if my language was a bit harsh. I guess I'm coming from the point of view of a professional editor in Hollywood who is tired of dealing with the endless stream of so-called Producers who don't understand the editing process and think editors are all interchangeable button pushers. In my experience working on documentaries and feature films, I have always found the first cuts to be among the most important an editor can make.

Indybones, if you're taking a more experimental approach to filmmaking, I can appreciate that. William Burroughs is famous for his cut-up technique of randomly juxtaposing text. If one was to take his approach and apply it to filmmaking, I could definitely see some interesting results being created.

Have you thought of numbering all your individual shots? To determine their order in your film, you could use some sort of random number generator or you could write the numbers on scraps of paper and pull them out of a bag.
 
I am not a full time editor. Editing is only part of my job, but I find it often to the be the most creative, enjoyable and frustrating part. Maybe part of my POV comes from the fact that I shoot about 80% of the footage I edit, so the way I log my clips fits in very nicely with something like this. The information that is already in the computer allows the software to do something pretty close to what I would do anyway. For example, you can tell it to put the clips in a certain order (chronological maybe) It will prioritize the clips the same way I would, avoiding ones that had bad audio or poor lighting if I include that info.

But it also can allow you to see new possibilities. A large percentage of what i do is client-driven stuff, and it can be easy to fall into routines. The software can give you a "hey, how about this?" approach by mixing things up if you want it to.

In the end, it's just suggestions, and it works so fast that you can try a variety of possibilities. I've only seen it demo'd, so i've never used the interface, but it seems pretty simple.

It's not a replacement for an editor, and Jim, I totally get your attitude about producers, because many of my clients do not see editing as part of the creative process either. (which means they don't know why most of my billable hours come from editing) But it can be a valuable tool if you choose to use it.

It's all good man.
 
Jim2000 said:
I apologize to Indybones and Jim Brennan if my language was a bit harsh. I guess I'm coming from the point of view of a professional editor in Hollywood who is tired of dealing with the endless stream of so-called Producers who don't understand the editing process and think editors are all interchangeable button pushers. In my experience working on documentaries and feature films, I have always found the first cuts to be among the most important an editor can make.

Indybones, if you're taking a more experimental approach to filmmaking, I can appreciate that. William Burroughs is famous for his cut-up technique of randomly juxtaposing text. If one was to take his approach and apply it to filmmaking, I could definitely see some interesting results being created.

Have you thought of numbering all your individual shots? To determine their order in your film, you could use some sort of random number generator or you could write the numbers on scraps of paper and pull them out of a bag.
Click to expand...


No problem Jim2000....:)

Your thoughts of numbering the individual shots, and creating a random generator, pulling said shots out of a bag is a good one...cheers

Indy
 
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I just found another use for this app (theoretically, since I haven't tried it). I am producing a feature and we are currently in the audition process. The two days we have had so far had people coming in for a lot of different roles. This app would let the software collate the auditions by role, age, agency, actor, or whatever you need to organize the process.

It just occurred to me as I am sifting through 10+ hours of actors, trying to arrange them to view effectively with my team.
 
Pinnacle Studio has a feature called SmartMovie which creates music videos from random clips , a music track, to differnt styles.
 
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