There are not too many topics on here about multiclip editing. I use this function for nearly every project that I am hired to do. The only problem I have is getting accurate sync. The video is very smooth but the audio cracks at nearly every cut like it is a frame or two off. What is the best way to get the most accurate sync between 3 cameras? By the way, we usually slate once we start recording. We also sync timecodes via firewire but that is just to keep the timecode close because they are always 2 or 3 frames off.
Multiclip, Anyone?
- Thread starter Jofes6
- Start date
dougspice
Veteran
Well, if you're slating, you should have no problem. I've used multiclip a few times for multi-camera editing jobs, and had no slates to go by... what I found worked was careful frame-by-frame analysis, looking for plosives. Synch the cameras based on the frame where the talent's mouth is furthest open. If you don't have human talent, well, I don't know what to tell you. Synching certainly is the most painful part of the process.
There probably aren't many people around here (including me, usually) cutting multi-camera shows, so that's why no one's talking about it. Nice feature, though.
There probably aren't many people around here (including me, usually) cutting multi-camera shows, so that's why no one's talking about it. Nice feature, though.
Slating should be enough. If your out slightly you can realign the multclip.
I've tried all those methods with so much detail on the last frame the slate is open, a certain flash of light, certain body movements. The audio always cracks on the cuts, so I tried deleting all the cuts and rolling just the audio to the end. It then shows my clips out of sync. I know there were audio sync issue with the previous DVXs, do you think that, over time, they can slip out of sync, even though the sync'd clips are uncut media files? I was thinking, maybe I could sync the clips according to the audio rather than the video? Maybe???
Thank you for time.
B
Thank you for time.
B
dougspice
Veteran
Your cameras should definitely not be slipping out of synch, unless possibly you're combining PAL/NTSC and mixing things up that way? Even so.
If you really are having these kind of crazy problems, though, it's probably easy enough to just re-synch the audio every 20 minutes or so. Slip a few frames here and there and keep going.
If you really are having these kind of crazy problems, though, it's probably easy enough to just re-synch the audio every 20 minutes or so. Slip a few frames here and there and keep going.
The cameras I use are 2 DVX100B's and 1 DVX100A (no pal). I usually end up resynching every other song, but I still get the cracks. I sync'd the audio together and there were no cracks, but the audio was out of sync with one of the cameras.
Could you guys give me a brief explanation of the process you use for multiclipping? I will compare that to mine and see if there is anything I am doing wrong.
Here is my process for 2 camera multiclipping:
There are 2 large media clips in my browser. I make an in point at the closing of the slate for camera A. I then do the same for camera B. I select those clips in the browser, control click, and make multiclip. I tell it to sync at the in points.
I double click the multiclip file in the browser to open it in the viewer. I select the clip from which I want to take the audio. I click the pulldown menu in the viewer and select "Video" so when I toggle between clips, it will only take the video. I make an in point on camera A where I want to begin.
I play it until I see where I want to cut. I pause it there and make an out point. I "Option" Click the "A" camera clip and drag it into the timeline. I then select "B" camera in the viewer, make an in point and play it until I am ready to cut again. I repeat this process for the duration of the basic edit.
When I drag the clips into the timeline, whether A or B, the Audio from camera A drags with it, causing breaks in the audio. These breaks are where the audio cracks, indication it is not in sync. I have tried deleting all the audio after I have placed my first edit in the timeline, and dragging that audio through the duration of the song. This eliminates the cracks, but eventually the audio slips out of sync with the B camera video.
I have tried moving the audio cut, using the roll tool, to a place spot on the waveform where there is a break, but this adds or takes away a beat in the song and is almost as jarring as the crack.
Sorry for the long post and I appreciate all the feedback.
B
Could you guys give me a brief explanation of the process you use for multiclipping? I will compare that to mine and see if there is anything I am doing wrong.
Here is my process for 2 camera multiclipping:
There are 2 large media clips in my browser. I make an in point at the closing of the slate for camera A. I then do the same for camera B. I select those clips in the browser, control click, and make multiclip. I tell it to sync at the in points.
I double click the multiclip file in the browser to open it in the viewer. I select the clip from which I want to take the audio. I click the pulldown menu in the viewer and select "Video" so when I toggle between clips, it will only take the video. I make an in point on camera A where I want to begin.
I play it until I see where I want to cut. I pause it there and make an out point. I "Option" Click the "A" camera clip and drag it into the timeline. I then select "B" camera in the viewer, make an in point and play it until I am ready to cut again. I repeat this process for the duration of the basic edit.
When I drag the clips into the timeline, whether A or B, the Audio from camera A drags with it, causing breaks in the audio. These breaks are where the audio cracks, indication it is not in sync. I have tried deleting all the audio after I have placed my first edit in the timeline, and dragging that audio through the duration of the song. This eliminates the cracks, but eventually the audio slips out of sync with the B camera video.
I have tried moving the audio cut, using the roll tool, to a place spot on the waveform where there is a break, but this adds or takes away a beat in the song and is almost as jarring as the crack.
Sorry for the long post and I appreciate all the feedback.
B
Last edited:
Spartacus
Veteran
Why do you option click the cams?
I just sync the cams (HVXs) like you, create a multiclip like you, but than I drag the whole multiclip to the timeline and tell FCP with which cam to start (You can even number the cams), most of the time my wide shot with the audio track, press apple+L to seperate video and sound, hit play and then just cut AB , by clicking the the cam I want to cut to in the viewer, like I would do on a live job...
Damn, it´s hard for me to explain in english, but actually its all in the FCP help, thats what I used when I first tried it out;o)
I just sync the cams (HVXs) like you, create a multiclip like you, but than I drag the whole multiclip to the timeline and tell FCP with which cam to start (You can even number the cams), most of the time my wide shot with the audio track, press apple+L to seperate video and sound, hit play and then just cut AB , by clicking the the cam I want to cut to in the viewer, like I would do on a live job...
Damn, it´s hard for me to explain in english, but actually its all in the FCP help, thats what I used when I first tried it out;o)