MST 230: Online Media Production Two

'The Digital Producer' Readings

CHAPTER 6: Preparing for Digital Post

Advantages of Logging Digitally

Digital logs also allow you to pass information more easily between applications. For example, you can use your logs to build a script, or in most cases you can input your logs directly into a nonlinear editing system.

There are many advantages to automating the logging process, among them:

• Reducing the chance of error during logging because you do not have to manually enter timecode and other numerical data

• Taking advantage of computer-based calculations for such things as time durations

• Better sharing of information with the editor because information can be imported directly into the nonlinear system

• Faster digitizing and better use of disk storage because you will make decisions about what to digitize while you log

• More efficient preparation of scripts and shoot plans, for example by automating the exchange of information between logs, tran-scripts, scripts, and shoot plans.

Approaches to Logging Footage

Logging All or Selected Shots In the world of handwritten logs, you generally sit down at a tape deck, watch the footage, and take notes on each shot. You describe each shot, note whether it's a good or bad take, and so on. You log everything because the written log serves as a key tool in the edit, and it's easy enough just to keep writing. During the edit, if the editor asks if you have, say, a "French toast" shot to use as a transition, and you remember the perfect shot, you can look through your paper logs and locate it. However, when you work with digital logs, you might be tempted to be more selective, and log only the shots you intend to use in your video. Then, if the editor asks for the French toast shot, you may or may not have a log entry for that shot. In the long run, it is less aggravating and less time-consuming to log all the footage and indicate to the editor the shots to be digitized.

Option 1: Log each shot. Each shot is logged into a separate clip.

• Advantage: Log is the most accurate representation of the shoot.

• Advantage: Best method for sorting and sifting clips in bins, so you can later find shots.

• Disadvantage: Digitizing is slow because of separate tape preroll for each clip.

• Disadvantage: May input extra material because overlap may be logged for each clip.

Option 2: Log groups of shots.

• Advantage: Digitizing is faster because you reduce preroll and record overlap.

• Disadvantage: Log is not as detailed as Option

Option 3: Log each shot and groups.

• Advantage: The group of shots will be digitized, but the individ-ual clips are still available for sorting and sifting.

• Advantage: You conserve an accurate log, while reducing the dig-itizing time.

• Disadvantage: It takes longer to log.

Preparing to Log Material To prepare to log your footage, you must:

1. Create a new project and new user, or select existing ones. The project folder contains the bins and clips, along with other information about your project. Plan to give the project folder the same name in MediaLog and Media Composer. Only one project can be open at a time. To open another project, close the one you are in.

2. Create a bin where you want to store your clips.

3. With that bin highlighted, choose Go To Logging Mode from the Bin menu

Scheduling How much time does it take to post on a nonlinear editing system compared to the linear model?

• Less time, if you plan well and don't expect to do much experi-mentation. The same set of instructions will take less time on a nonlinear editing system than on a linear system. If you have limited time and/or money and if you plan well, editing on the nonlinear system can take significantly less time than on a linear system.

• Same amount of time, but you can create a better program. In the time you used to assemble a sequential rough cut, you can experiment, revise, and refine.

• More time, if you do no planning, provide no guidance, demand an extreme level of refinement, or get lost in endless revisions. It's easy to become seduced by the power and flexibility of the non-linear editing system, so it's particularly crucial to plan the scope of your edit before it begins. As producer, avoid too little involvement in or too much micro-management of the edit. If you do a nonlinear offline, you should save a lot of time at the online, whether you use a linear or nonlinear online system. That's because you have made more decisions in the nonlinear offline than you would have on a linear offline system.

Producer's Checklist:

Preparing for Post During/After the Shoot

• Select a digital logging program.

• Select the logging method.

Meet with the Editor to:

• Review the concept.

• Review the shoot.

• Discuss the bin organization and custom columns.

• Give the editor a marked-up copy of the script.

• Decide whether to log each shot, groups, or both. Prepare to Log

• Acquire a source deck, if needed

• Log all footage.

• Log footage "loose."

Logging Checklist When you log, think about:

• What custom columns should I create in the log?

• What entries will I enter in the columns so the columns can be sorted and sifted? For example, if you have a column, called Shot Size, will you list close-ups as CU, cu, or C-U? Be sure you are consistent or you will not be able to effectively sort and sift the items in that col-umn.

When you log each clip, think about:

• Which bin will hold the clip?

Plan for a Smooth Edit

• Budget all post-production expenses.

• Schedule dates for the edit as far ahead as possible, building in time for reviews and revisions.

• Plan your offline/online strategy.

• Plan your strategy for finishing audio.

• Plan your strategy for designing and creating graphics and effects.

• Calculate your media storage requirements, and discuss them with the editor/editing facility.