Editing Lesson Blog

Today during class we learned about the editing process, and what we should do once we get the camera. Our first step is to ensure that the SD card is properly put into the camera, then to shoot all shots necessary for our commercial. Afterwards, once we have finished the filming process, we are to remove the SD card from the camera and put it into an SD card reader. The reader will be inserted into the computer, where the files of all the shots will be available. Before doing anything with said files, we are to go into the desktop and create a title which we can name to our liking. Once we have our named folder we will move the files from the camera, which will most likely be in the DCIM folder of the SD card, into our folder in the desktop. This process is known as "Dumping" the footage. Once we have finished this step we will close the SD files, and remove the SD card from the computer. It is important to make sure to have removed and saved all the necessary files before removing the reader as to make sure that another group does not accidentally delete it.

Afterwards, we were taught how to import the footage onto the actual editing software that we are to use in this project. On pinnacle studios, our program of choice for this commercial, we are to click on the import button, whilst making sure that we click the plus sign symbol and select our folder. We are to select all the files in said folder and then click on start import.

Once all of our footage is in the program, we are now ready to start editing. To do so we must first click on Edit, and move the raw footage on to an Av track. In this case, we were instructed to move it onto track two. Once the footage is on track two, we are to wait until the yellow bar that appears turns completely green, and only then can we start to edit it as we so desire. In order to cut the footage. we have to, hit the razor blade icon, and then select a highlighted portion of the footage which we want to delete and then simply hit the delete button. If we want to add transitions, we can do this by right clicking a highlighted portion and opening effects director, where we can choose from a variety of effects. If we wish to cut out sound, we have to select the sound waves that appear right below the footage and move them into the the third track and delete it, or if we want to add sound, we are to get said sound in an mp3 format and move it into the third track as well. Finally, if we want to add text, we are to select the T icon and write what we need and then once that is done, move it into the first track so it is visible-we can also add transitions to text if we so desire.

Once we have finished our edits, we are to save the file. Once the file is saved somewhere on the desktop, we are to export it directly from the editing software. To do this we go to settings, click mpeg4 and then choose best quality. Once we have finished that, we are to check that the export properly worked and that the file is saved, and then we are to close out of the editing software.