A bit of foreshadowing

A Primary edit

Now I am normally tag/colour code everything I do, however this time I decided against it. Why? Just to see how it would work out. 

When it came time to edit the studio shoot I still didn't have it in me to go through and look at all the footage - I couldn't stomach hearing the script again, too soon.  So when I imported all the footage and saw there was around 130 rushes my first instinct was to go through all of them, name them, and colour code them. But that would have took for forever. Instead I went through the beginning of each clip and the end to see what part of the script it was and put it in corresponding bins under names like 'Close Up' 'Pick Up' 'Opening' 'Smash' 'Ending', something I would understand. I also had a bin full for the original AMA linked files (as per lynda.com because that method seemed to work) and a non-usable shots, however I never permanently deleted anything just incase I missed something. 

Because it was a  quicker way of organising than naming individual files (something I would do on a bigger project, but for a 2/3 minute film that only I was editing it seemed pointless) I got to making a rough edit, based on the master shot we had taken and the original script. What I love about working on Avid is how quick you can get a task done once you have everything laid out in front of you, you barely have to touch your mouse and the work flow is almost relaxing (Note: Almost). 

I created my opening titles, a series of pick-up shots and the actors credits, in a different sequence as I couldn't quite remember how sync locks worked and didn't want to mess up the edit. I started playing around in title tool to get the basic credits made and rendered so it would just be a case of importing them over my footage. I chose my font and spacing and got to work. Regarding the title the group seemed to agree on 'Home Sweet Home' as a form of foreshadowing and as a nod to the sign seen in the left hand corner of the set. I chose the colours of my title to reflect this and I think it fits rather nicely. Then it was just a case of switching on the sync locks (once I remembered how they worked...)  and importing the footage into the beginning of the mast track.

Most of the project is now complete, the opening sequence, credits, bulk edit. The only things left is to figure out how to sync up some audio and fix it (in regards to panning etc), add the foley track for the flashback scene and do a bit of colour correct on some of the lighter shots. But I'm getting there, it's just finding the time to sit down the Avid suite for a few hours, it should be done by the end of the week.

Reverting to Old Habits

One of the things I like about Professional Toolkit is I get a sense of fulfilment out learning a specific skill. Another thing I've gotten out of the whole unit is - I'm fairly certain my 'niche', as Mirella would call it, is in post-production.

Editing in the Avid Suite during my 2nd to last Avid lesson.

Learning the Avid basics was hard and I found myself reverting to my Premier Pro habits (habits I didn't have this time last year so I guess that's progress) but getting myself out of the Adobe mindset was hard. It was then I realised how user friendly Adobe really is and how Avid is the exact opposite.

But once I got there and had that moment where things just 'clicked' I don't think there is any turning back. I went to edit my November Vlog at home and had to Google the Premier shortcuts because I was just at a loss as to how I could edit without the Avid shortcut keys, I simply couldn't remember.

Since then I've been reading a bit about editing, I've never been terrible at editing and I can always find a way out of the bad situations I've put myself in by rendering at the wrong time. I'd just never thought about how much editing has a huge effect on the narrative. Well, it's not even that I'm very aware of how it can effect the narrative I guess I've just never seen it in practice, making the sports drinks advert and seeing everyones interpretations was eye opening for me, even if I was slightly embarrassed about how cheesy mine actually was.

I was in the library the other day (for a completely unrelated reason) and I passed the book In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch. What I've found recently is that when I'm in the library if a book catches my eye when I'm not looking for it it's probably a good call to check it out. Hence why I currently have 10 books on my desk that I will eventually read, honest. Anyway this book is really interesting, it's written in more of a conversational voice you feel like you're learning something rather than just being talked at with loads of jargon. They compare films to chimpanzee DNA, they make sure you know that the more complicated a sound mix doesn't make it good (Sidenote: The Martix had a 6 track orchestra, just how - how did they do that?), it also talks a bit about colour grading.

Colour grading is something that does interest me, especially the idea that there's an almost scientific approach to it but for now that's a bit far out of my league. I don't trust myself enough for that yet so I'll stick to colour correcting, sometimes, occasionally - I'll do my best to avoid it.

So for now I'll stick to my books and training videos, I'm currently making my way through the Avid Essential Training on Lynda.com but I think I might start looking into more specific effects and how I can use them in my studio edit.