Venturing into video editing

PSA Journal, July, 1997 by Frank S. Pallo

Practically any VCR can tape programs from your TV set or make copies of your camcorder tape. However, to edit your camcorder tape successfully, you really need a VCR with a "Flying Erase Head." Camcorders have this feature, which makes it possible to start and stop shooting scene after scene without the tape exhibiting annoying glitches. A flying erase head in a VCR serves the same purpose. It produces professional looking edits. If your current VCR does not have this feature, use it for practice and comparison anyway. Then, when you obtain one with the flying erase head, compare the improvement in quality with your practice tape. The result will be instantaneous gratitude for making the purchase.

Chances are you already have a video tape cassette containing footage that can be edited to a pleasing story, so let's start there. Let's also assume you will use your camcorder to transfer selected segments to a blank tape in your VCR. The first step is to connect the camcorder to your VCR, and the VCR to your TV set, according to the directions in their respective instruction books. Your camcorder will be the "playback VCR"; your VCR becomes the "recording VCR," and your TV will be the "monitor" to view your work. Additionally, the video tape in your camcorder is the "camera original," while the cassette in the recording VCR will become the "edited master."

Before proceeding with the editing, make a log sheet to pinpoint the location and briefly describe each scene on the camera original tape. The cassette must be rewound, and the camcorder counter reset to zero before logging in the scenes, or when you want to locate them for editing. Spiral notebooks and three ring binders are handy for keeping the log sheets orderly. Ruled paper, with a vertical line about an inch or so from the left margin, separates the camcorder counter numbers from the scene descriptions.

Keep the descriptions brief and accurate. They can be especially brief when a cassette contains subjects like birthday parties, little league games, weddings, etc. These are events that we videotape in the chronological order of their occurrence, and are usually edited in that same sequence. We also include several unrelated subjects on each camera original cassette, so make it as easy as possible to locate a specific cassette, as well as specific scenes within it.

Assuming you now have the camcorder, VCR and TV monitor connected together, and a cassette ready for editing, it's time to really enjoy your creative talents. You will want your masterpiece to appear as professional as possible, so take the time to include titles. Check your camcorder instruction manual for recommended titling options. Most camcorders can be used at close-up distances, and your own handwritten or typewritten words can be copied for titles. If your camcorder is capable of "storing" a title that can be superimposed over a scene while shooting or editing, you have a very desirable feature that will enhance any video production.

As mentioned earlier, a VCR with a flying erase head is ideal for editing video tape. Besides producing distortion free edits, most such VCR models have two additional features to help enhance your efforts. One is a rotatable dial commonly known as a "shuttle," and the other is "insert editing." The shuttle is used to move the tape forward or backward one "frame" at a time for precise edits at specific points. Insert editing is a valuable option that makes it easy to accurately replace audio and/or video segments of an edited tape. It is used in combination with the shuttle to make changes in the edited master, without having to redo everything from the beginning.

Eventually, you will want to add music, narration, sound effects, and/or improve the quality of the camcorder sound. This is not as complicated or expensive as you may have thought. You probably have an AM/FM radio with a cassette or CD player built into it, so all you need to make it usable with your VCR is a sound mixer. The most popular is a Stereo Mixer because it can handle either monaural or stereo sound. It permits mixing the sound from your camcorder tape; music and/or sound effects from a cassette or CD player, and music and/or sound effects from another source like a keyboard. You can even add narration by connecting a microphone to the mixer. Sliding bar volume controls offer easy mixing of the four sound sources. Stereo mixers are available through electronics stores handling radio and TV equipment. Install one between your camcorder and recording VCR, and you are all set to challenge your creativity. Good luck, and have fun.