This week, we began to look at the process of Editing and what it involves. The process of Editing is much more of a creative process instead of a technical process as it helps to convey the story that is being told. It is said that there are three versions of a film – the script that the writer writes, the one the director creates, and finally, the one that is edited at the end.
Firstly, we began to look at the different Frame Rates that are used when capturing a moving image and the differences between them. The Frames per Second (FPS) is how many frames of movement is captured for second. For example, if only 2fps were captured, the result would appear jumpy and disorientating. On the other hand, if 30fps were captured, the result would appear smooth, showing clear movement. In different parts of the world, different types of frame rates are used. Different types of frame rates can also make a big difference as to how the final scene can appear on scene. On Film and Video cameras, the frame rate is usually 24fps. This is because this frame rate can allow the video to appear natural and similar as to how we view things through our eyes. 24fps is the standard frame rate for most films being shot for cinema. Furthermore, PAL, which stands for Phase Alternating Line, is a type of frame rate used in most European countries. Similar to Film, the most common frame rate used with PAL is 25fps. This frame rate method also has interlacing lines in the footage. This means that interlacing lines can be seen in the footage, which helps to portray a clearer flow of motion. Finally, we also looked at NTSC Frame Rates. Using this method, the video is usually shot with 30fps. This allows the final video to flow smoothly, capturing every movement. This method is mostly used in North America.
After studying Frame Rates, we then began to look at Aspect Ratios. The Aspect Ratio of a shot is the width compared to its height. Depending on the chosen aspect ratio, the amount of footage that is actually captured in the shot varies. Different aspect ratios are used for different types of film, for example, cinema and television. The most common aspect ratio used in cinema films is 1.85:1. Also, for widescreen films shown in cinemas, the aspect ratio is usually 2.35:1. Perhaps the most common aspect ratio for the standard, high-definition video size is 16:9. This is the most common aspect ratio used on everyday landscape videos. The 4:3 Aspect Ratio allows the video to appear in a square shape. This aspect ratio was the most common television aspect ratio before widescreen TVs. One of the problems that this aspect ratio presents today, is that when films that were shot at this ratio are shown on widescreen TVs, two black bars can often appear at the side of the television. This is because the televisions are now much larger and the video footage cannot be stretched to fit the new size screens as it will appear distorted.
Also this week, we began to look at Resolution. Resolution in film refers to the quality of the video. The higher the Resolution, the higher quality video. The most common resolutions used in films are 480i/p, 720p and 1080p. 480i/p Resolution is the most basic form of resolution and is often used for standard TV. The Resolution number (480) refers to the amount of lines in a frame. The more lines in a frame, the more pixels, making the shot sharper; and the less lines in the frame, the less pixels, making the shot slightly blurred. The amount of vertical lines and the horizontal lines are multiplied to show how many pixels are in the shot. The horizontal lines depend on the Aspect Ratio that is used. The next resolution up from 480p is 720p. This means that there are 720 horizontal lines and 1920 vertical lines in a 16:9 shot. This would mean that there are 2,073,600 pixels altogether. Finally, 1080p is the highest resolution rate before 4K videos. This resolution is used for high-definition films.
Finally this week, we looked at Progressive and Interlaced videos. Progressive videos capture frames that are one moment in time, whereas Interlaced videos capture frames that are two moments in time. The ‘p’ that stands after the resolution number does not stand for pixels, but for progressive scan. A television that has progressive scan means that the whole image is presented on the screen at once, making it look smooth. In Interlaced Frames, there are two rows (or fields) an even row and an odd row. The odd row, or the top field and the even row, or the bottom field, both come together to create the clear image on the film. However, sometimes, if these rows are not together, it can create a distorted look on the screen, making it clear that there are two images in play. These two images are often not presented at the exact same time, but shortly after each other, creating a slight delay. Interlaced frames were mostly common on older, standard TVs, whereas Progressive Scans are more common on better technology, widescreen TVs.
For this weeks practical task, we began to look at the Editing system, Avid. Avid allows you to edit videos, change the colour settings, adjust the audio and add different effects to your project. In order to allow us to get a better idea of how to use Avid, we used our video footage from Week 3, where we focussed on the 180 Degree Rule. This allowed us to think about where we needed to cut and insert our footage into the timeline. However, before doing that, we had to ensure that our settings were correct and make sure that we were creating our edit with a 16:9 aspect ratio and that our resolution was set to 720p. This being done, we then imported all of the footage we wished to include in the edit. After reviewing the footage, I selected certain files that I wanted to use and cut them to the points I wanted. This is called marking an in and out point. There are two icons on the screen which represent this method that look much like inverted brackets. However, there are also shortcuts to use on the keyboard which involves pressing the letter ‘I’ for Mark In and ‘O’ for Mark Out. This tells the editing system where to start and stop the piece of footage. After doing this, I needed to put the video file into the timeline. I did this by pressing the letter ‘B’. This shortcut places the file directly into the timeline. However, I could have also used the shortcut ‘V’, which allows the video to splice. I would use this method if I wanted to insert a video into a gap between two video files. I did this with all of my video footage until I was happy with the final edit. I then exported the edited video and have included a copy below.
Upon reviewing my edited video, I was pleased with the final outcome. I felt that I had captured the correct timeline of events and made several smooth cuts between the videos. However, if I were to complete this task again, I would like to look more into the special effects that I could overlay onto my video. This could help to enhance my footage further. In the future, I also think that I might need to work on the precise cutting of the videos. There are minor moments in the edit where I feel as though the video looks jumpy. I would use Avid to do this and test out different points where I could cut the video to make it appear more natural. By completing the task this week, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the Editing Process and what it involves. I am now able to identify the terms, Aspect Ratio, Resolution, Frame Rates and Interlaced and Progressive videos. I believe that the task this week will help me in the future when editing together my videos. I will continue to build my skills with Avid and try out new things when editing.
Comments