There are three vital stages to video production; pre-production (storyboarding, scripting, creating a shot list), production (filming stage) and post production (editing, grading footage and adding VFX). Editing is a vital component in assembling the final video. The editing process takes the various amounts of recorded footage and slims it down (by cutting, slicing, overlaying and trimming) into a masterlyfinal product. On a fundamental level, video editing is the process of readjusting or transformingclips of video to form part of an entire sequence. The object of video editing is the same as in film editing - the removal of unwanted footage, isolation of desired footage and arrangement of that footage in time to create a consistent and continuous final sequence (called the “final cut”).
Until just recently video editing was only achievable with the help of expensive equipment and a considerable amount of training. Through the traditional “non-linear” editing days Quadruplex videotape was edited by visualising the recorded track with Ferro fluid and physically cutting the film with a razor blade or guillotine cutter and joining it with tape. In this day and age, modern non-linear editing systems use video which is digitally captured onto a hard drive from an analogue or digital video source. On the other hand, despite the end of “linear” editing and introduction of these “non linear” editing systems, video editing still works with the same key principles of motion picture film editing.
With advancements in computers and technology, video editing is a frequently changing environment, fedby the quick development of new hardware and software. Computer video editing software, also known as Non Linear Editing (NLE) composedof application software which handles the entire process of editing video sequences. Using software such as Sony Vegas, Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Adobe’s Premiere, footage is first recorded natively into the proper codec and stored on the computer (this stage is known as “capturing”). The footage is then logged, i.E. The editor makes note of the scene, shot number, take number and any additional information. It is then arranged in folders (”bins”), which is where proper clips (if they are part of the same scene) are grouped as one. Once this stage is completed the editor moves on to the actual cutting of the footage.
NLE software is generally based on a timeline interface where clips are dragged onto a video track and laid out in sequence. They carry a range of tools for trimming, splicing, cutting and arranging clips across the timeline. As digital NLE systems have advanced there are now features for colour manipulation, title animation and visual effects, also including tools for mixing audio. After the Clips have been arranged on the timeline, music tracks and titles added and special effects formed, the final sequence is “rendered” into a finished video. The video is then spread in a various number of ways such as DVD, Blue-ray, web streaming (QuickTime h.264, flv) or even mobile devices (like iPod’s, Blackberry’s).