Final Cut Pro Architecture unsuitable for editing dance videos? Advice?

[gold333]

Because I use Macs, I'm thinking of Final CP but I'm afraid it will be hell when editing dance videos (my day job).

These are usually multiple cam for the same inherent timeline/sequence, synchronised to 1/10s accuracy.

So the final edit changes constantly between multiple cameras with the motion in each clip synchronized to an overlying choreo. Therefore as an editor you make a lot of "bandages", bridges between two clips (the band-aid lies above). Being able to work with multiple "heights" of timeline allows you to keep an overview of the overall synchronicity of the video clips with regards to the whole.

Does that make sense?

I mean I have 4 different camera angles (4 different clips in the timeline) of dancers doing the same movement/overall choreography to a set length audio track (the song).

I.e. timestamp: 0:25:37s = All dancers, leg thrust, shot with 4 cameras from 4 different angles.

I select camera 2 (that specific clip) for that half second. But I have the other 3 cameras (clips) one on top of the other synchronized to the underlying audio track.

Therefore, when the clips are on top of each other I can easily say "I want half a second more of this angle (say the 1 dancer zoom dynamic cam)" and "half a second less of this angle (the full group ultrawide static cam)" -without disturbing the choreography of the entire dance-

I just drag the edges of both clips. Trimming one clip doesn’t “bump” the other video clips around “above” the audio track, messing up the synchronization to audio. The overall "realtime" of the edit doesn't change. I don't need to reshuffle anything to make the movements in each clip synchronized to the (unchanging) audio again. Which is pure torture when every clip is synchronized to the tenth of a second.


It looks like I can't do that with FCP....?

Or does anyone have a suggestion because I would like to try FCP, I run Macs as it is.

 

[fhturner]

I believe the Multicam function in FCP will do exactly that for you. It works for me, syncing up 4 or 5 GoPros and an audio track for my flight videos. You just play the clip back and choose a number for which angle you want, or click on the video frame for the angle. The underlying Multicam clip stays synced while you edit it in a Project timeline. If you want to tweak a cut point, you just drag the edit left or right where you want it. You can cut out parts of the Multicam clip in the Project without affecting that underlying MC clip.

You should download the FCP trial and test it with a subset of your existing footage one time. Also search for tutorials on how to use MC…those will get you going quickly.

 

[sevoneone]

Using Multicam is one option that would work well. The other is to get familiar with the differences between the Arrow Tool and Position Tool in FCP. The position tool allows you to manipulate and position clips just like you would on a traditional timeline, no magnetic ripples or reshuffling. While using that tool, everything stays where you place it/trim it.

 

[R S K]

What you describe is a plain vanilla multicam edit. Something FCP does far better than PPro btw.
But if you—by the sound of it—haven't even been using multicams in PPro, then you've made your life exponentially harder than it needed to be.
Just do yourself a favor and actually learn how to use multicams in advance. E.g. from Ripple Training.

And "learn the Position tool" is pretty much the worst and most counterproductive tip there is in the context of FCP. Simply learn the app and you will never need it, and know why.

 

[JustinePaula]

Multi-cam in FCP does not have to be synced, that is one way of using the MC feature, it is also a way to group clips so that you can switch between "angles" as a group clip...

When you use multicam you are free to drag each clip in it's lane in the multi-cam so that you are happy, then switch, or you could create a compound clip, open that, and edit... There are a lot of options, try and find what works for you, 99% of editing is creating work arounds that will never be included in the app, that is why "they" pay us the big bucks...