Unit 02 - Capturing and Gathering Media

Media Management

  • Create a folder system
  • Use a second hard drive if you have it
  • Set scratch disk from Final Cut Pro > System Settings

Capturing

Getting Set Up

  1. Connect a Fire Wire cable between the camcorder's DV port and the computer's Fire Wire port.
  2. Make sure that the camcorder is plugged into the wall (not running on batteries), turned on, and set to VTR mode.
  3. Connect the camcorder's Video and Audio outputs to the AV inputs on your TV or monitor.
  4. FCP will use the camcorder's codec and analog video outputs to display the video as you are working with it, allowing you to see the video in real time.
  5. Do not launch FCP until you have connected the camera so that FCP can recognize the camera when it starts up.

Starting FCP

  • Launch FCP and hope that it does not give you an error message indicating that it can't locate your camera. If you do get an error message review the "Getting Set Up" steps.

Creating New Projects

  1. Select File > New Project (notice the Tab in the Browser)
  2. Select File > Save Project As
  3. In the dialog box that appears, navigate to the hard disk where you will keep your project, including your media files.
  4. Click the New Folder button and name your project folder. (Everything having to do with this project will be going into this folder.)
  5. Click Create
  6. Put in the name of the project in the "Save As" field.
  7. Click Save

You have started the initial set up for your project. Now you need to establish a place to store the files you create from capturing video from your DV tape.

  1. Select Final Cut Pro > System Settings
  2. Make sure the Scratch Disks tab is active
  3. Click the top "Set" button
  4. Navigate to your project folder
  5. Click Choose
  6. Click OK

You have set the locations for three types of media:

  1. Video and audio capture files (placed in a folder called "Capture Scratch")
  2. Video render files (in a folder called "Render Files")
  3. Audio render files (in a folder called "Audio Render Files")

If you expect the space on one disk to be exceeded, name a secondary disk. FCP will start with your top option until that disk is full and then move to the next selection down. When planning, figure on about 1 gig of space accounting for 5 minutes of DV.


Capturing Video

The process of capturing involves taking the linear information from your DV tape and making it into a file that allows for non-linear editing. With your tape you can play, rewind, fast forward and pause. With your movie file (.mov extension) you can jump around to any point in time.

Capturing can be thought of as the first step in editing. You mark source In and Out pointss on the length of the videotape where there is material you want to keep. Let's get started.

  1. File > Log and Capture ( a log and capture window is displayed)interface
  2. The usual video transport controls appear, but these will actually control your DV camera (called device control). The VTR OK below the controls indicates that you do have device control. If you see "No Communication" instead of VTR OK, you have a problem. Review the "Getting Set Up" steps.
  3. When you see VTR OK you can play, pause, and rewind the DV tape and view the tape in the display. If you see time code on your LCD display of your camera you won't see it in the Capture window display but you can see it in the upper-right time code display.
  4. Notice the logging information under the Logging tab. this is where you indicate reel number, description, notes, etc.
  5. You enter a reel number to let FCP know what tape you are using.

There are three options for capturing your video: Clip, Now, and Batch

Clip is how you log and then capture in two short steps:

  1. Mark In and Out pointss
  2. Click Clip

Batch is a professional feature. Batch means that you're coming into the capturing process with a list of clips you have marked and saved . Instead of going one at a time (Clip), this automates the capturing from your "Batch List."

  1. Set an In point and an Out point and click "Log Clip" (Use the I and O keys)
  2. The clip will appear in the Browser with a red slash indicating that the clip is offline.
  3. The Log clip dialog box comes up. Enter your file name and any log notes you want.
  4. Click "OK"
  5. Repeat step 1 through 4 as much as you like
  6. Click the Batch button
  7. Under the Capture drop down, select All items in the login bin or offline if you captured before
  8. Click OK
  9. You will be prompted to put in the correct Reel
  10. Click "OK"
  11. Then capture and all of your offline files will become online and the red slash will be removed.

Now is the simple choice. When a tape is rolling along, click the Now button and within a few seconds FCP starts capturing and won't stop until you click the Escape key on your keyboard.

Log and Transfer is used for tapeless camcorders. Check out the video below.

Camera Work

http://www.cctvcambridge.org/files/forms/4camerawork.pdf

 

Trunk Monkey

 

What are some of your favorite commercials?

Homework

Your midterm will be the following and you will receive points for all aspects of production including a storyboard.

Video Editing 1 – Midterm Project
For your midterm project you will create one 30 second video program. Topic of your choice.

*Create your rough storyboard and main idea for your for midterm.