Finchley Film Makers TRAINING WORKSHOP Video Editing Master Class Presented by Ian Morris LACI January 2013

‘My editing apprenticeship’ Finchley Cine Society ‘Change of Heart’ (30 minute award winning drama) Produced: 1985 Director: Oscar Riesel Film Editor: Ian Morris Other roles: FCS members, and actors Filmed on: 16mm Kodak Eastmancolor Editing (Summer 1985, Camden film cooperative studios) Equipment: 16mm six-plate Steenbeck (one track picture, two tracks sound) Sound track mixing: BBC approved multi-track dubbing theatre, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 Camden Film Cooperative Studios Chalk Farm Magnetic sound track plates Film splicer 16mm film bins Steenbeck 16mm 6-plate editing deck 16mm film plate

VIDEO AUDIO Shot 1 Shot 2 STANDARD EDIT: STRAIGHT CUT Transition from Shot 1 to Shot 2 Video cuts same time as Audio

What is a J -Cut? Audio of Shot 2 precedes Video of Shot 2 VIDEO AUDIO Shot 1 Shot 2 J SPLIT EDITS

What is an L -Cut? Audio of Shot 1 extends into Video of Shot 2 VIDEO AUDIO Shot 1 Shot 2 L SPLIT EDITS

Summary J -cuts introduce sound early – before we see the connected picture L –cuts extend the sound of the current shot over the next image Both ‘smooth’ the sound transition - giving a greater sense of connection and reality! Real life is full of J and L audio transitions… ‘J’ - How often do we hear someone - or something - before we see them or it? ‘L’ - When did a sound you hear ever instantly reduce to zero as you moved away from it? SPLIT EDITS

INTERVIEW with a cutaway Audio from cutaway extends into next shot - and fades out… VIDEO TRACKS Cutaway video Interviewee talking head - video AUDIO TRACKS Interviewee talking head - audio Cutaway audio Audio fades to zero over shot of interviewee Cutaway audio extends approx. 3 secs into interviewee video, fading out gradually to zero dB

Summary The sound track of a cutaway is normally lower in volume than the ‘interviewee’ audio – do not drown out the voice of the interviewee! Extending the ‘cutaway audio’ a few seconds into the next shot (L-cut) avoids a sharp ‘cut’ in the sound – more ‘natural’ to the ear of the audience Cutaway audio is sometimes brought in early (J- cut) - artistic decision by director and/or editor – and extended into the next shot (L-cut) INTERVIEW CUTAWAYS

Finchley Film Makers Video Editing Masterclass Practical Session Adobe Premiere v1.5 Multitrack video and audio Non linear editing system