Making a video w/ DP and iMovie/

[Tonio]

Any suggestions for the best way to go about this project?
Got a request to record a video for a small project for a demo.

So my thoughts are use DP to record a gtr/singer performance along with capturing it via a camcorder. Suppose I can replace the audio track in iMovie, but how would I synch it all up?

Any other caveats?

Open for any suggestions.

T

[supersonic]

If it's a music video where the Video part is edited to a music track then you import into Imovie the stero audio track you would've have previously produced in DP and edit your video accordingly.

[Babz]

iMovie Tip: When you first create your new iMovie project and it asks you to select a file format for the project, choose the DV format, even if your ultimate destination will be lower res (web, etc.).

Made the mistake of choosing MPEG-4 when on my first iMovie project. Not pretty. Had to redo it in DV.

Babz

[amergin]

1. Record the track first then mix and master it.
2. Do a storyboard of your video.
3. Get a boombox or whatever and a video camera and film as many full run throughs as you need to cover all shots in your storyboard - play the full track in the background so it is both recorded on the video soundtrack and audible to the performer/actors for cueing. You will end up with a load of video clips all with the same audio track.
4. Buy Final Cut Express and line up all your video clips one above the other.
5. Then all you need to do is chop out the stuff you don't want.

hope this makes sense.

[newrigel]

1. Record the track first then mix and master it.
2. Do a storyboard of your video.
3. Get a boombox or whatever and a video camera and film as many full run throughs as you need to cover all shots in your storyboard - play the full track in the background so it is both recorded on the video soundtrack and audible to the performer/actors for cueing. You will end up with a load of video clips all with the same audio track.
4. Buy Final Cut Express and line up all your video clips one above the other.
5. Then all you need to do is chop out the stuff you don't want.

hope this makes sense.

That is if you can start the cd and the videocam EXACTLY the same each and every time which is impossible.
You forgot to say... "solo each video clip alone with the main audio and slide it around till the phasing is @ a minimum, mute that videos audio and repeat for each clip"... then go to the bank and pick up some $$ to buy FCE. I wouldn't recommend using the new iMovie... use iMovie HD (the older version) because it's got a timeline that's easier to work on. I have no idea why Apple make the new iMovie the way it is... kinda weird how it's workflow is set up IMO. Timelines are in everything... I guess it's for those "every things done for you" types.

[Tonio]

Thanks for the tips fellas.

Well I generally got it done rather quickly after reading up on iMovie '08, and it worse than the older version since there is no timeline as newrigel has pointed out. I don't know what it is with Apple on some things, why take out something that is so important.
Anyway, I luckily nudged the imported audio that was recorded via DP. Its totally a guessing game as to even which direction to nudge, or how much. After listening and playback of audio/video, I figured the difference of the audio and video start time was about 4 seconds or so. 1st nudge was close, but the 2nd nudge did the trick.
In hindsight I tried importing into DP to see the difference in synching up , and it is much more refined by switching the counter to frames and making a synch point on the audio track, then just manually find the location vs the video, and some nudging does the trick.

T

[newrigel]

I don't know what it is with Apple on some things, why take out something that is so important.
T

So you'll get frustrated and buy FCE.

[wylie1]

Has anyone here used Zs4 ? http://www.zs4.net/

[amergin]

That is if you can start the cd and the videocam EXACTLY the same each and every time which is impossible.

Actually it doesn't matter as you have the audio track recorded to the camera to sync with each take. I have made countless music videos and wouldn't bother even trying to use iMovie either old or new versions. It does help when editing if you have a single click at the start of the audio track as you can line this up visually although I generally find this is not an issue.

[newrigel]

That is if you can start the cd and the videocam EXACTLY the same each and every time which is impossible.

Actually it doesn't matter as you have the audio track recorded to the camera to sync with each take. I have made countless music videos and wouldn't bother even trying to use iMovie either old or new versions. It does help when editing if you have a single click at the start of the audio track as you can line this up visually although I generally find this is not an issue.

But it was this step: 4. Buy Final Cut Express and line up all your video clips one above the other.
I was just adding the step of lining everything up and soloing them with the main audio... kinda hard to hear which is out of sync with 3 or 4 clips playing @ the same time. I wouldn't use iMovie either if I didn't have to, but if it's all you have, then that's all you have unless you have the $$ to go buy either Adobe premier or FC, FCE... but the Apple solutions are probably the most easiest to grasp and actually use without having to go to school to learn. Adobes stuff is well... Adobe, and it takes considerable time to gain the knowledge to use them effectively.
I like the way the new FCS totally integrates the workflow between applications... no importing exporting etc. just a simple send to and save and there it is... easy, elegant.

[wylie1]

That is if you can start the cd and the videocam EXACTLY the same each and every time which is impossible.

Actually it doesn't matter as you have the audio track recorded to the camera to sync with each take. I have made countless music videos and wouldn't bother even trying to use iMovie either old or new versions. It does help when editing if you have a single click at the start of the audio track as you can line this up visually although I generally find this is not an issue.

I was just adding the step of lining everything up. I wouldn't use iMovie either but if it's all you have then that's all you have unless you have the $$ to go buy either Adobe premier or FC, FCE... but the Apple solutions are probably the most easiest to grasp and actually use without having to go to school to learn. Adobes stuff is well... Adobe, and it takes considerable time to gain the knowledge to use them effectively.
I like the way the new FCS totally integrates the workflow between applications... no importing exporting etc. just a simple send to and save and there it is... easy, elegant.

That's why I was asking about Zs4 because its free but it doesn't look easy to use.

[newrigel]

That's why I was asking about Zs4 because its free but it doesn't look easy to use.

If your that interested in Zs4 by all means check it out... it's free, what can you loose?

[wylie1]

That's why I was asking about Zs4 because its free but it doesn't look easy to use.

If your that interested in Zs4 by all means check it out... it's free, what can you loose?

Just curious Z4s vs iMovie/FCE I don't know when I have the time I will check it out.

[Tonio]

I don't know what it is with Apple on some things, why take out something that is so important.
T

So you'll get frustrated and buy FCE.

Bingo !

Or buy iMovie 6 HD (iLife06') for the price of original admission

T

[amergin]

Newrigel, I'm not sure if you're serious or what. You have a visual of the audio waveforms in FCX which you use to line up all your tracks. If your audio waveform is not distinctive enough (perhaps compressed too much or silent???) you can record a single click at the start which will be visible on the waveform and easily lined up visually in FCX.